In the grand finale, the Destined One will encounter the remains of the Great Sage, and in this section, we will discuss Sun Wukong, the Great Sage.
According to the original text of “Journey to the West,” Sun Wukong is a stone monkey born from the spirit stones on Mount Huaguo in the Ao Lai Kingdom of the Eastern Continent of Superior Body. He was formed from a particular Immortal Stone that absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, a stone left behind by Nüwa during her repairs of the sky. He ruled over Mount Huaguo for three to five hundred years. Later, in search of Immortality, he journeyed for eight or nine years, traversing mountains and rivers, and worshipped the Grand Master of Bodhi at the Cave of the Three Stars in the Slanting Moon on Ling Tai Fang Cun Mountain, where he learned the Seventy-two transformations and the Somersault Cloud, receiving the name Wukong.
Afterward, to find a suitable weapon, Sun Wukong caused chaos in the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea and finally obtained the Ruyi Jingu Bang, the needle of the River of Heaven. Due to his exhausted lifespan, he created havoc in the Underworld, altered the Book of Life and Death, and returned to the human realm. Later, when summoned by the Celestial Court for the first time, he was granted the title of Protector of Horses. Displeased with the low rank and feeling deceived and insulted, he rebelled against heaven and defeated Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince. He was then summoned again by the celestial realm and granted the title of Great Sage. Instead of being grateful, he stole celestial peaches, royal wine, and the Elixir. The Jade Emperor dispatched one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers but could not subdue him. Eventually, Yang Jian, along with the Six Monsters of Mei Mountain and Taishang Laojun, captured him. Despite the rain of swords and lightning strikes, he remained unharmed and was sealed in Lord Lao’s Furnace for forty-nine days, during which he developed the Golden Eyes and Fiery Vision. Upon his release, he continued to wreak havoc in the Celestial Court, only to be suppressed under Mount Wuxing by the Tathagata Buddha for five hundred years.
Five hundred years later, when Tang Seng journeyed to the West to obtain scriptures, he passed by Mount Wuxing, lifted the talismans, and rescued Sun Wukong, who then became his disciple. They continued their journey together to the West. Along the way, Sun Wukong subdued demons and monsters and achieved remarkable feats. However, he faced misunderstandings from his master Tang Seng and suffered the punishment of the tightening headband, being expelled twice. After enduring eighty-one tribulations, the four of them finally reached Thunder Sound Temple in the West and obtained the Buddhist scriptures. Sun Wukong attained Enlightenment and was again honored as the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
In the setting of “Black Myth: Wukong,” after escorting Tang Seng to obtain the true scriptures, Sun Wukong was granted the title of Victorious Fighting Buddha. However, this seemingly glorious title did not satisfy his yearning for freedom. He understood that the Golden Hoop on his head represented the constraints imposed on him by gods and Buddhas, and although the Buddha Position and merits appeared to be privileges and honors, they were, in fact, a repression of his true nature. Therefore, Sun Wukong chose to abandon the Buddha Position and return to Mount Huaguo, a decision that angered the Celestial Court.
The Jade Emperor dispatched Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, along with the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, to capture Sun Wukong. During this battle, Sun Wukong found himself at a disadvantage due to the constraints of the Golden Hoop and ultimately fell to Yang Jian’s Three-pointed Double-edged Blade. His body fell on the peak of Mount Huaguo, becoming the final boss, the remains of the Great Sage, in the game’s main storyline. This scene is vividly presented in the prologue of the game, creating a tragic yet solemn atmosphere for the players.
Sun Wukong’s death holds multiple symbolic meanings within the game. First, it represents his relentless pursuit of freedom. Sun Wukong was acutely aware that his identity as the Victorious Fighting Buddha would forever bind his free spirit. Thus, he chose to pay the ultimate price-his life-to break free from this constraint. His death was a challenge to the authority of gods and Buddhas and a rebellion against his own fate.
Second, Sun Wukong’s death symbolizes sacrifice and legacy. In the game, although Sun Wukong’s body has fallen, his spirit and will continue through the Destined One. The Destined One endures countless trials and tribulations in the game, gathering the Great Sage’s Root Instruments, acquiring Sun Wukong‘s armor and Ruyi Jingu Bang, ultimately becoming the new Great Sage. This can be seen as a form of rebirth for Sun Wukong, who continues to exist in a different form, persisting in the struggle against the oppression and constraints imposed by the gods.
Lastly, Sun Wukong’s death conveys a theme of awakening and transformation. He discovers in the game that the secret to the immortality of the Immortals requires the enslavement and exploitation of all beings, which deepens his suspicion and discontent toward the gods. He attempts to reform the Celestial Court and dismantle this unjust order, but his efforts face harsh suppression and elimination from the gods. Thus, Sun Wukong’s death can be viewed as a protest against such injustice and oppression, as well as a call for future change.
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