Black Myth: Wukong - True Ending Explained

Black Myth: Wukong is filled with lore and under-the-surface details. Let's explore those and explain both the normal and the true endings to the game. Enjoy!
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Black Myth Wukong OST
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[@magicjewel96]

Wukong was so against being controlled, that he basically gambled on Reincarnation and the power of his new vessel in hopes that some form of him could be free from the headband. In line with him honestly😆

[@draconinja2728]

Erlang: "bet you that the crown will always be on your head no matter what you do" Wukong:" BET"

[@Callmethedrink7]

Wukong is always 3 steps ahead 🤫

[@SuperDenizen]

If all events are determined by Destiny, then Wukong didn't gamble on Reincarnation he gambled against Destiny. If all event was to was to be played out, the default ending would be what Destiny holds. The Secret ending is what Wukong was betting on.

[@erenjaeger0794]

@@draconinja2728 I believe Wukong planned this with Erlang to break free from the headband. Or maybe Erlang - whose third eye sees all life and death - saw what Wukong was actually planning and decided to help. That's why he hid the last piece of Wukong inside his third eye to make sure nobody from the Celestial Palace can find and destroy it. And he kept up the charade of being "The One That Killed Wukong" to make sure nobody else suspects what Wukong is planning. Because Erlang himself said it, "Nobody can kill Wukong except Wukong himself." Plus, Erlang actually has a real reason to rebel against the Celestial palace. Everybody he loved were all fucked over by the Celestial Palace. But he realized that he is not strong enough to go against the Celestial Palace by himself. So, he helped with Wukong's plan and bide his time waiting for Wukong's reincarnation to come back and regain his full power without the headband's restrictions because only Wukong was strong enough to take on the Celestial Palace (as depicted in the original story "Havoc in Heaven").

[@PushkarDudeja5]

@@erenjaeger0794superb theory which might actually be true

[@toamatanui401]

_"The true immortal mind is the passing of your beliefs and ideals to a new generation. One that is not bound by the rules of the old. It matters not the form, but the means to achieve the goal. However, never forget what it took to get there. Let the past be your guide. But when you reach the end, pave a new path for others to follow."_ _"The Journey is never-ending, but it is never the same."_

[@minhnguyencong2084]

Deep stuff did you came up with this or did this came from something else

[@toamatanui401]

@@minhnguyencong2084 I thought of it on the spot. A culmination of what I've read, watched, and listened to over the years.

[@eikamik1123]

The thing is, this new generation represented by the Destined One is only seen as a tool by Wukong, from which he could claim his freedom. That is why the game made the player character mute and without personnality. His only purpose is to serve as a vessel for Wukong to reincarnate.

[@toamatanui401]

@@eikamik1123 Yet the one and only Wukong is dead. The mind is the most unique essence of the six senses. The rest of Wukong's senses are his, but the mind will never be the same Wukong. No one forced the stone monkey to gather Wukong's relics.

[@jinshibaij4319]

so true

[@Scott74921]

The old monkey knew about the 5 relics of Wukong - 5 senses but assumed that Wukong's mind (memory) is lost and no "Destined One" can truly revive Wukong's true self. In fact, the mind of Wukong was in Erlang's third eye all along, Erland hid himself inside the painting to make sure he can protect Wukong's mind from the Celestial Court until a Destined One comes to reclaim Wukong's memory

[@noxineamv2158]

Aw snap, didn't know that! Thanks dude. So Erlang Shen is actually a cool guy?

[@JayCR33D]

@@noxineamv2158think of him like Sasuke, or Vegeta. They act like they hate their rival, but have massive respect for them.

[@victhelam]

Chaotic good are the most interesting characters 👍

[@WhiskerWit-z2p]

Let me get something straight, when we get the good ending does it mean that we are now the new version of Wukong, or did the real Wukong (at the beginning of the game) get reincarnated as the one we played with???

[@noxineamv2158]

@@WhiskerWit-z2p New Wukong. The old one is dead and way past the point of no return. We only take on his legacy, not literally become him

[@mrdeafter]

Giving how Buddhism is all about reincarnation. All of the destined one are Wukong reincarnation but Erlang only agree to return Wukong memory to the reincarnation that passed his test(he said it himself) aka We are not the combination of Wukong and destined one but the Wukong himself.

[@wizardwolf1020]

Perhaps but I feel it’s more like Wukong and the Destined One are still their own separate individuals so even if the Destined One is Wukong reincarnation, that doesn’t mean Wukong himself suddenly returns as if the Destined One became his new vessel in the end

[@DrnMontemayor]

It doesn't have to be that literal. When the old monkey says we are inheriting the name of Wukong, I see it more as we carrying on the core ideals of Wukong. The Destined One is technically a part of Wukong, but through his own adventures, became someone else. And hell, it is textual that the game says we will begin the actual journey after we're done. We represent the freedom Wukong strived for.

[@iLAGnDC]

@@DrnMontemayor It is literal, he is Wukong. Wukong is supposed to be immortal. When he gained his memories, he gained feelings, thoughts and opinions he had. He is just remembering everything he forgot. That little bit of extra memory he has as the destined one pales in comparison to everything he was in the beginning. Do not forget, he lived for many thousands of years. In the game, the Destined one does not talk and only has one mission in mind. To collect his relics. He never spoke... had no personality... almost like he was a husk himself with just one aim and I am sure the monkeys before him were the same. What you said makes no sense, the monkey was free to begin with, why would he want to be Wukong to be free unless he was Wukong himself?

[@Clown_Syndrome]

​​@@iLAGnDC precisely. The destined one is mute on purpose to represent an empty vessel for wukong. I think people feel as though the destined one had a personality, and feel bad about wukong taking over. It's a silly way to think. Very narrow-minded.

[@shensahib]

@@wizardwolf1020 All destined ones are hairs of the great sage, as shown when we are reborn at the shrines. A fit comparison would be Voldmort's horcruxes.

[@dighad3824]

Black Myth Wukong DLC - Havoc on the Celestial Palace when?

[@jimmytuplano3843]

If the journalist won't ruin this good game and pretty much a good lore and they wanted to ruin it because over a mistranslation

[@luanpachecocabral8732]

It Will be a trilogy!

[@solitaryenjoyer411]

Probably black myth 3, like in god of war 3

[@jceecraze9270]

After experiencing and seeing the cruelty of the celestial court in the game, I would pay very good money for that dlc.

[@NingLiu-g5u]

​@@solitaryenjoyer411我觉得可能不会出黑神话悟空三部曲，这个故事发生在大闹天宫和西天取经之后，前面的已经拍过很多电视剧了，在中国发行会比较缺乏创意空间，毕竟游戏创作需要新意和由此带来的买家收益。毕竟3A游戏的投入成本比较大。 中国神话故事中，有三个比较叛逆，而且强的离谱的神，一个是在这个游戏中出现的杨戬，还有一个是哪吒，我比较期待哪吒版的游戏。 不过游戏科学公司已经注册了黑神话姜子牙和黑神话钟馗，下一步出现的可能是这两个故事中的一个，姜子牙是一个以智慧著称的封神者，不知道他们要如何把他做成打斗游戏，期待一下吧。 天师钟馗是地狱的使者，捉鬼的。

[@MGZetta]

I absolutely love the concept of Villain is never just purely evil and Heaven is never just perfectly good.

[@Vertutame]

Because you can't really talk in plain way to criticize the government that suppress the free speech, the novel itself is a criticism through novelty and hidden codes, you can think of it as davinci's code.

[@TrickyJebus]

thats why the conventional christianity is so boring. give me Greek, Norse, Egyptian or Chinese anyday!

[@Zen-kong]

Get some indian or even congo palestine or love a bit of babylon too. Cmon darius from persian wars 😂❤

[@Zen-kong]

Darius literally 1v9 fucking garen willy..... Shhhhh

[@oliveragag8576]

No you don't.

[@Stav6]

12:33 I think even during the fight with Erlang he says something like “I wonder if this was his plan all along” nice detail

[@kevinliu4590]

This is by far the best explanation to Wukong that I have come across. Everything was laid out clearly and in detail. Job well done and you have gained yourself a subscriber!

[@MadLuigi]

Thanks! Great to hear

[@evilsock12]

if you reach NG+4 after you max out the relics you unlock a new temporary stance that is incredibly powerful and The destined one speaks like Wukong

[@esawakita3043]

Like he got dialogue all over the game now??

[@reeeeeeee-e2g]

​@@esawakita3043 no, just when you do a 4 focus point heavy attack.

[@stevenbare1359]

Must you do erlang ending 4 times? Or just beat the game 4 times?

[@stevenbare1359]

@esawakita3043

[@reeeeeeee-e2g]

@@stevenbare1359 yup, you need to unlock all the relic upgrades.

[@Axiom0912]

Watch me unbind myself...the ultimate rebel ...man

[@LinkTheChef]

nah you're wrong, truly. if the celestial court (ccp government) was evil, then it's called "resistance". you're a sllave.... man

[@eknick]

5:06 the evidence that the old monkey is indeed the Guanyin is his floating band wraping around behind his neck. That is a typical part of the Guanyin's appearance in TV and novels, symbolising a celestrial being. In the case of Guanyin, a Bodhisattva. Also in Chapter 2, when the headless monk re-attachs his head, he also had the floating band behind him, as he is also a Bodhisattva. Also in the TV and novel Guanyin have always disguised as a guide or a character often leading Wukong to the path of her chosing.

[@timerlee4954]

The old monkey is Tang Monk,Wukong’s master.He's name is JinChanZi.It means Golden Cicada.He is the Buddha,not Bodhisattva(The Buddha has higher status).

[@eknick]

@@timerlee4954 I don't think so. I still think it's GuanYin is because Guanyin was the guide and force that was pushing Wukong in the original the journey to the West. Also in the ending cutscene before the Wukong fight, I don't think JinChanZi would be so ruthless talking about Wukong, it sounded like something GuanYin would say. She's always being the most manipulative figure in the JTTW imo.

[@mortredpta]

@@eknick agree. there's no way they make one of the ogs a villain imo

[@noanswer531]

@@eknicksanzang wasnt exactly always the most kind and curteous person to wukong either tho. he called him assholes and banished him from the party more than once, reasons aside. its not a stretch to think he might not have the most favorable opinion of his past deeds

[@eknick]

@@noanswer531 true but I think Sanzang was a pacifist, whereas Guanyin only cared to fulfill her goals. She was like Buddhas secretary, doing whatever was necessary.

[@Yangmei-g1t]

You spoke really well! But as a Chinese, I gotta say that Wukong wasn't just after his personal freedom. During his journey to the West, he saw all kinds of situations of the common people and really formed his own core thought. What he was after was the freedom and equality for everyone. Also, there's a speculation in China about the Black Mythology. In the game, immortality comes at a cost, and that cost is the spirit essence that everything has. You can think of spirit essence as life force. The gods and Buddhas achieve their immortality by squeezing the spirit essence of living creatures. That's what Wukong wants to rebel against.

[@mustysmells817]

This ending actually explained alot for me. For a while it was perplexing to see Erlang as this vexing and narcissistic individual because he was always portrayed as a much nobler and respectable individual amongst the Celestial Court. Even though he is brash and prideful, he had always respected Wukong and admired his drive for freedom, even upon their first meeting and duel. So it was strange to see him act in such a despicable way towards Wukong in the beginning of the game, however the true ending shows that it was all a ruse to draw eyes away from the gods, and he truly did respect Wukong the most amongst the Celestial Court.

[@vegalucas7782]

I mean, theyre like bff before the war had ever happened. I heard that they practiced together much often during the prologue.

[@dreamfield92]

Amazing job interpreting the game and its source material :) full approval and appreciated from a Chinese audience. The game’s multi layered story telling is truly amazing and never ceases to surprise even till the very end🐒 To add a bit more lore Easter egg material to this secret ending, there’s a saying in Chinese 金蝉脱壳, referring to a golden cicada leaving his old body behind and rise to a new life. Now recall how a cicada was present ever since the beginning of the game in the black wind mountain. It was a smart way to foreshadow what wukong ended up doing in this hidden ending. He like a newly reborn cicada finally free from the husk. I really hope they do a DLC for this game to see what happens next!

[@discerningcucumber7559]

I don't know much about wukong but how did he die if he has layers of immortality?

[@dreamfield92]

@@discerningcucumber7559 during the fight with Erlang he would say that the celestial palace have tried to execute wukong in the past but all methods failed. He concluded that the only possibility that wukong be killed would be himself allowing that to happen. the game didn’t detail the mechanic of how this works, but it did show precedences of immortal deities being killed, and possibly even the demise of a Buddha. This makes wukong’s death at least a possibility, though perhaps not that straightforward to carry out

[@_______9607]

​@@discerningcucumber7559 erlang did mention the only way to kill wukong is himself. So noone can kill him even if thy tried. Thts y the headband was tricked onto him.

[@discerningcucumber7559]

@@_______9607 so he killed his mind by himself, but his body remained in that rock that's why that old monkey referred to him as just an empty shell?

[@張恩霖-c9w]

The powerful yaoguai can only be sealed separately like Exodia the Forbidden One, but different yaoguai seals also have different difficulties. The Bull Demon King will regenerate after cutting (it will take a long time), while Wukong is too physically strong to withstand knives and guns.

[@ChaseYu]

As a Chinese person who watched JTTW TVs series as well go through (watches )all the gameplay cutscenes ( included the “secret” one ) and animations short, I approved this «BM:Wukong explained video», because it is the most accurate one so far. 👍 the last minute or two of the video can be skip it, sorry. Because, within all those animations short, outsiders also missed or not understanding the context of some of the characters and stories. For example, Wukong drinks with his buddies ( other Yaoguai kings, but they are most likely got wiped out by the celestial court already. Cause even Bull king got an ugly end when Wukong joined the JTTW team, which that was supposedly Wukong’s way of trying to save and protect his sworn brothers - the Bull king’s family). Also there was a scene of a woman in white next to Wukong in the animation short, that was supposed to be Wukong’s love-interest in this part of the story, but Wukong have to “kill” her 3 times on the JTTW, that probably also why Wukong doesn’t wanted to the Buddha-hood after all.

[@beanp2024]

If you really want to understand the meaning of each chapter, you need to understand the Buddhist philosophy of all the human tests of each 6 chapters. If one is only full of the drive and rush to WIN at all costs, one would wear the headband and remain stuck in the cycle. If one takes the time to patiently understand the journey of the game, one finally understands and become free from the enslavement of all the desires and needs, finally "Understand Emptiness", ie. Wu Kong.

[@huanji2084]

holy shit

[@dantesparda5742]

What causes the bad ending. I heard people saying rushing the game is the main cause, but what do I need to do before I get to the stone monkey to get the true ending.

[@geoone62]

​@@dantesparda5742 finish all chapter secret areas and finish a certain sidequest in chapter 3, that will activate the fight with erlang and the 4 kings which, if defeated, will change the ending. You can look up a tutorial

[@beanp2024]

@@dantesparda5742 It's not the stone monke that is the ending. You need to follow the directions of the game, which means paying attention to the little events and stories along the way. One of them will lead you to understand the beginning, and then you will also understand the higher meaning of the game.

[@Andre-fe8ep]

@@dantesparda5742Before entering the stone, you must go to chapter 3’s Great Pagoda and fight Erlang. But you have to complete all 5 chapters’ secret missions (Obsession) before that

[@BMW-bh4zx]

I like that after you beat the game three times and rank up the relics, you unlock Wukongs secret stance. When you activate it, our monkey will sometimes yell “From this day, my name is Sun Wukong!”

[@SuhandiWijaya]

Yes, goosebumps.

[@JesusPlsSaveMe]

​@@SuhandiWijaya Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. HEY THERE 🤗 JESUS IS CALLING YOU TODAY. Turn away from your sins, confess, forsake them and live the victorious life. God bless. Revelation 22:12-14 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

[@euphoriia209]

Dude, now I'm gonna beat the game three times, I didn't know about this

[@claybevenselvink1124]

​@@euphoriia209 requires full Heaven's Equal set,perform a full focus heavy to enable great sage stance that lasts for 1 minute

[@chimichanga6089]

Man idk if I should beat it 3 times for the DLC 😅

[@姜磊-n5h]

One thing to highlight about last animation is, basically it's the story of journey to the west playing backwards and stopping at Wukong 's coming of age. The original journey to the west has its limitations and seemingly tells a tale of how free wills are tamed into collusion with the establishment. But the folklore passed on from mouth to ears always has its own will. And it's quite understandable for the original to end that way just imagine how one could write about pope, Jesus and God in the west and get away with it in the west. So the story of the game is faithful to the folklore, and actually also the author.

[@EcchiRevenge]

lol no original JTTW is a compilation of works which had first draft before the author became government official and likely only has sarcastic remarks against the society/government because the author was falsely accused and imprisoned after becoming government official. People were definite convicted of blasphemy...etc. and burned alive around 1500s in the west, but JTTW's author did it under pseudonym because the general public tended to look down on storywriting back then. BMW secret ending is story of China and Chairman Mao(came from humble origins; wukong came from a rock); after working with, fighting against, then working with the heavenly court(you know who), Wukong was still considered an enemy even when he just wants to go home and focus on being with the people(recognizing that the more offerings they ate at the West, the less the farmers have to eat, as written in game's journal entries) to develop their land/mountain; so he passes down his ideals for the future generation to pickup and resume his campaign against the heavens, even if most if not all of the brothers of yesteryear who fought alongside him the first time were no longer with him(end of ending animation), some having turned against him(Bull Demon King - Vietnam) possibly due to seeing him as having bent the knee to the heavens.

[@steak5599]

JTTW isn't a folklore, is a Political Satire from the 1500s against the then Chinese Government.

[@lodesun]

​@@EcchiRevenge wow, you legitimately looked at this game about taking your own freedom and destiny back into your own hands and thought "yeah this definitely some sort of allegory to a wealth farmer and landowner's son who would go on to have a body count in the millions, yes that sounds right.". You need to dial down the politics.

[@EcchiRevenge]

@@lodesun Showing everyone how brainwashed you are, good.

[@nicholaslai594]

The last time he invaded, the court had to call upon help from the Buddha. After all the things the court did to him, I am not sure Buddha will come to help them again. He will probably try to convince him against it, but ultimately will probably not stop him.

[@thephoenix8892]

This video deserves millions of views

[@dankcircle1878]

Hey just a little correct, in the animation, when the monk tightend his band, it is because there was an imposter wukong, and they tried to figure out who was faking the pain

[@xoam]

that’s what i thought too because i remember in the original novel it was a separate monkey apart of the 5 secret monkey types that was faking to be wukong. that monkey originally attacked the jttw group faking as wukong when wukong was banished for attacking the woman that was a yaoguai in disguise.

[@lawsonsimon8400]

I actually think that’s the part where they fought the lady whitebone , the real/fake wukong should be only 2 not 4, and when Tang Sanzang driven wukong away wukong tried to bow to him from four angle as Sanzang refused to acknowledge him thinking wukong killed innocent.

[@dankcircle1878]

@@lawsonsimon8400 you know what you're right

[@heribertohernandez1]

I was doing my second playthrough and the old monkey at the beginning and the one at the end might not be the same. The one at the beginning doesn't have the thing floating around at his back like a big ribbon and the one at the end does. The only people I've seen having those are the gods.

[@The_Legend_Mcc]

Nice catch, I wonder the same too you might be right.

[@JayBeeGamingg]

Just finished this game with the good ending and didn’t quite understand it. This makes it more clear thanks mate

[@joshuagoforth1658]

You rock bro

[@MadLuigi]

Appreciate it!

[@pimpstick9988]

He means your stoned monkey.. not you rock. 😂👍

[@thomaszhang3101]

He rock solid

[@Rondog.]

No I cloud step

[@wizardwolf1020]

The idea that Wukong himself wanted to strip himself of immortality may just be what was needed to explain how he was split into his fragments because he willed it to occur himself as one of the big questions about Wukongs death in the first place is how the most immortal guy there is (he literally stacks his immortality) somehow DIES

[@wayne8863]

The truth is there is no immortality. The gods utilize people' souls to make medicine to prolong their lives

[@wizardwolf1020]

@@wayne8863 Sun first utilized a breathing technique that gave him immortality, then he erased his name and the names of his monkey ally’s from the book of death in the Underworld meaning that they no longer suffer from death, then he ate the immortality fruit and drank the immortality wine

[@wayne8863]

@@wizardwolf1020 that's the original novel. The black myth story is more about Wukong questioning the immortality. He literally dies at the first scene. You can also see many item descriptions in the game indicating immortality is not achievable unless you keep killing strong people and make their lives a medicine.

[@wayne8863]

@@wizardwolf1020 it is a story about not obeying the establishment hierarchy and fighting those gods who ride on innocent normal people and suck their souls.

[@wizardwolf1020]

@@wayne8863 it still doesn’t change that Sun achieved it and that the game still closely follows the original story. Even if it is about fighting the oppressive hierarchy, that doesn’t change the amount of immortalities Wukong gained through his journeys

[@erenjaeger0794]

I believe Wukong planned this with Erlang to break free from the headband. Or maybe Erlang - whose third eye sees all life and death - saw what Wukong was actually planning and decided to help. That's why he hid the last piece of Wukong inside his third eye to make sure nobody from the Celestial Palace can find and destroy it. And he kept up the charade of being "The One That Killed Wukong" to make sure nobody else suspects what Wukong is planning. Because Erlang himself said it, "Nobody can kill Wukong except Wukong himself." Plus, Erlang actually has a real reason to rebel against the Celestial palace. Everybody he loved were all fucked over by the Celestial Palace. But he realized that he is not strong enough to go against the Celestial Palace by himself. So, he helped with Wukong's plan and bide his time waiting for Wukong's reincarnation to come back and regain his full power without the headband's restrictions because only Wukong was strong enough to take on the Celestial Palace (as depicted in the original story "Havoc in Heaven").

[@Warstory0126]

Dude I just finished the game with the good ending and even though I loved every minute of it, I had no idea what they were talking about. So glad I found your video, now every thing makes sense.

[@CynicalReprobate]

Playing this game is like going through a book, only when you have understand what it convey will you truly finish it, rushing to the end of the book i.e speed reading and skimming would just end up with you re-reading it all over again.

[@patirnuss]

I need to see sun wukong against the jade emperor

[@itsSmiv]

I need Jade Emperor and Nezha boss fights

[@donze123]

@@itsSmivNezha gonna clap us bro

[@dankcircle1878]

The jade emperor is like just a guy, in front of wukong he's like an ant

[@patirnuss]

@@dankcircle1878 no the Jade Emperor is Tier 1A like Sun Wukong. He was the first God. Even Buddha himself stated that in some Aspects The Jade Emperor is above him, even tho he probably said this because he is so humble .

[@dankcircle1878]

@@patirnuss respectfully, I would like some proof

[@VeronicaPizzo-v6i]

This video made everything so much clearer for me!

[@MadLuigi]

Glad to hear!

[@charuwaka1]

Tang SanZang can control Sun Wukong. Sun is forced to wear JinGu( one gold ring) on his head by Ru Lai Buddha, so when he is not obeyable or immoral, Tang can chant the tight ring spell, which can let Sun have a splitting headache. Sun is forced to accompany Tang to start the journey to the west. But gradually he takes protecting his master and brothers as his responsibility.

[@Uouttooo]

Well he agreed to do the journey if Buddha released him from the Five Finger Mountain that was imprisoning him. It was only due to his disobedience that they finally put the golden band on his head to control him.

[@noanswer531]

I think wukong wants death because he realizes thats the only way he'll be able to be free from the will and influence of the celestial court & the headband. this is one thing ive always said about immortality in fiction, its not all it sounds like it'll crack up to be

[@luckystarz6472]

There’s been recent updates that there was originally a chapter that has the Elephant, Lion, and Condor Yaugais who were the most powerful foes that the gang had experience. I hope we get that level as a dlc and also the celestial heaven would be awesome. I would like to see sha wujing show up this time around. It doesn’t feel right without even a mentioned of him besides the animation.

[@lane5686]

Yeah the Black Eagle is one of the few supervillains Wukong did not defeat one on one. That Eagle managed to standoff against 18 of Buddha’s Disciples to eventually succumb only by the Buddha Himself.

[@luckystarz6472]

@@lane5686 jokes aside the destined one is stronger then wukong because he beat all his enemies instead of always asking for help 🫢

[@jinshibaij4319]

There is a trending opinion among Chinese community about Who the old monkey is. Probably Jinchanzi, Monk Tang in other words, the master of Wukong in his journey to the west. Couple evidences: 1. In the old monkey's journal, gods comment that he is betting, and any bet will come with loss. Well, Jinchanzi had another bet with yellow brow in the cutscene of chapter 3. 2. Why Jinchanzi put the band on the destined one' head? Cuz he is betting/waiting for the destined one recollects all relics including Wukong's mind. Everytime the destined one ends his journey without Wukong's mind, Jinchanzi had to put the band on. Remember what Jinchanzi said in chapter 3 ending? He will never put 'ends' over 'methods', and therefore he never ask the destined one to find Wukong's mind. That's his bet. 3. Cutscenes say Wukong's journey team was broken, some died, some lost. 4. Very few characters in JTTW would call pigsy 'bajie' literally, and Monk Tang is one of them. Buddas including Guanyin call pigsy 'Wuneng'. Other gods use 'the Marshall Tian Peng, you know, in some gental way. 5. In the 'bad' ending, the old monkey expressed sadness.

[@netronet7566]

this is like the first time we got a god of war game after god of war 3......if there is a sequel to this then it'll be epic

[@gamerdad1980]

when i finally realised the true meaning of the true ending, thank you so much to your video!

[@MadLuigi]

Sure thing! Thank you for the comment

[@EmersonReyna]

Thank you for the video and to share with us the respect you have for the game and Erlang Fight.

[@Jakub88S]

Thanks a lot. I was having trouble understand what was diference between casual and special ending. Seemed to me like same ending just with extra info. But when I see it sum it up like that together, it makes sense. That old Wukong died, new one is respawned. And now can choose. Stay in servitude, or go all out wild and be free. kinda open end that offers either immagination how it could continue, or oportunity to make second game. I think such not fully explained end is same time puzzling but also good

[@QCMaximilian]

The voice of memory comes from the middle eye of erlang, are basiclly from the novel JTTW.

[@jiririnagl302]

This is so much richer lorewise than i originally thought, damm i love this game, cant wait for more. Thanks for video.

[@manu4ever249]

well explained, one thing to mention that the kid who orchestrated the rebirth of Wukong is not a bodhisattva, but the budda of the future, one of the 3 most powerful buddas.

[@oklafornia3643]

The first console title to come out after GOW3 was Ascension sooooooooo be careful what you wish for. lmao.

[@WaynesWorldStudioVancouver]

Deep thought brother, love your explanation! Looks like the next episode will be interesting!

[@hthomos]

so the final cartoon scene is all the major events of the journey to the west played in backwards order. i think its just supposed to signify his memories coming back

[@lawsonsimon8400]

Correction, the end of secrete anime where the colour changed from warm to cold is you as the destined one, the weapons around represent wukongs old brothers in arm which is now all dead/gone, and is the destined one walking out after leaving the stone egg. Because if the last scene is still wukong and part of the journey to the west, there are bound to be other monkey surrounding wukong, whereas when the destined one arrive the mountain of fruit and flower, there is no monkeys left.

[@zachshirley4806]

The destined one is Sun Wukong and not in some metaphorical sense but is his reincarnation and gaining the relics is him coming back. To understand black myth you need a lot of background on JTTW and other Chinese works. To put things simple Black myth is JTTW with Sun as the monk. For those who don't know Tang Sansang the monk that was taken on the journey by Sun is also a reincarnation of someone the Golden Cicada the disciple of Buddha and a part of the story has him interact with that life's relics and are important to the story. At the end of the story he regains his past life. This can be taken as many different ways as some think the past simply replaces or overwhelms the new life with past memories. Then you have some saying it's a melding of the two but all for the most part count it as a way to return from death in Buddhism. Somthing to note is the story of JTTW and Black Myth both don't take place in one life but across multiple lives of the mc aka Tang and Sun which is another parallel. Both have multiple reincarnations go though the tasks but fail till one successfully complete the journey. We know this by the old monkey talking abut others going and with Tang at least I remember 9 of his life's died to Sha Wujing which is the reason he is made to take Tang to the west asrepayment. Something to note is I'm taking stuff from a lot of works and different interpretations of said stories so if you go looking up what I said you might need to do more digging then your first wiki but you should find some of it. Like the ending says JTTW has many ways people have rewritten it like Sun dieing before then end and being replaced, staying a Buddha, killed for not staying, turned into a slave with the circlet, and even him being nothing but a joke/puppet of Buddha note(some say the Journey is nothing but a play so as to make Buddhism look good and prosper with everyone Sun fights haveing faked it the reason being is that Sun at the start is strong enough to go against all of heaven but later at almost every trouble needs help even with people or from those he beat before).

[@alexkogan9755]

8:10 Giant monster battles make everything better. Or giant deities in this specific case.

[@Its_Lu_Bu]

I don't there's a difference between the Destined One and Wukong. They seem like one in the same. The Old Monkey says that his mind is truly gone, but that's only because he isn't aware the Erlang has it in his third eye due to all the secrecy surrounding it. Imo, the Destined One turns into Wukong, but with the memories of the journey the Destined One had. I think it would be more clear if, at the very end, a mischevious smirk appeared on the Destined One's face or something. But I really do think he becomes Wukong again.

[@Marikus_Eternal]

I think shortly before the animated ending cutscene starts, I looks like a little smirk. Like Wukong waking up from a long dream and being like „holy shit my plan actually worked“

[@Its_Lu_Bu]

@Marikus_Eternal You may be right. After watching it again the tiniest of smirks comes across his face. Good catch

[@brookspn]

Great video. I chuckled at "Nu-kong." Nice pun. And I'm so stoked for whatever Game Science does next.

[@feb88shabz]

Wow this explained the story of the so well now I get it. having just completed the game and unlocking the true ending this game was amazing

[@spinningstatics]

This might get lost in the comments but has anyone noticed this/discovered this interaction in the game ? On my first playthrough, I missed the Erlang fight and instead got the "Bad ending", then went to a new game. This time I defeated Erlang (which unlocked the 6th relic), before fighting the Sage's broken shell. When I return to Mount Huaguo's 2nd last shrine before the monkey stone shell, Baijie jumps in shock and says "Wukong! You are alive ?!" I thought that was pretty cool and seems to hint that the mind relic is the final piece that brings back Sun Wukong in some way

[@feyiafolabi2114]

great vid!

[@MadLuigi]

Thanks!

[@zaclovesschool2273]

Glad I understood it all correctly then, I spent a whole day making an AMV for the game to Reflection/Triad by Tool focused around these scenes. I would only note that in my opinion the Stone monkey is a representation of his never-ending desire for power and his primal drive for what he wants, while the broken shell is a more refined version of his ego, not guided by pure and raw emotions like the stone monkey, but by specific desires and fears of Buddhahood, as if Wukong were to achieve true freedom, his monstrous arrogant ego would perish inevitably. Only complaint I have is that in the NG+ you still get caught by Erlong and the headband, which is unfortunate since it dosent seem to go along with the whole point of the secret ending. Wukong's biggest failure was not realizing that his unquenchable desire for freedom is exactly what keeps him from being absolutely free.

[@kimjiro4591]

a lttle wrong about the old monkey, other than that, good video. bad ending: the old monkey put the circlet on the Destined One to make the Destined One the next empty shell, which will be the final challange to the next Destined One. The Old monkey is a Destined One himself. good ending: Erlang give the Destined One Wukong's memory, thus giving him the last of the "Six Senses", and the Wukong is reborn into the Destined One's body. Not a new kong, it's just him fully reincanated. All Destined Ones are Wukong reincarnated.

[@au10666]

How can the old monkey be the destined one if he’s still alive and kicking? With your theory he should also be a shell.

[@me2suzuran]

There is no good or bad, that is just secret ending. Before old monkey give the kong headband, the kong just have vision from the past. And the circle never end.

[@bassgx1459]

I saw this theory a lot but the 5 relics are still inside the current Chosen one at the end. They didn't get separated from his body or anything. If that is the case, what else is there for the next Chosen One to do?

[@vincekhor6948]

Thank you so much for this. U explained it well!

[@jblaze600]

Great stuff 👍

[@NepseKundali]

Very beautifully explained thank you very much

[@takerweapon1]

I'm hoping there are three more sequels for this game. I'd love the first sequel tells the tale Erlang Shen rebellion to the gods. The third game tells the tale of Nezha's rebellion as well. The fourth game unites all three rebels to go against Buddha, Jade Emperor, and the Celestial Courts.

[@欧子霖]

The game is not whole story,they cut11chapter to 6 chapter because of no funds，more story is in DLC,coming at feb next year

[@tiberianexcalibur]

@@欧子霖20 million copies sold, they’ll definitely make more contents

[@amirreza6088]

Beautifully explained

[@nkondilis1997]

I would guess the dlc could be about the destined one restoring the layers of immortality Wukong had, after all there was supposed to be more chapters in the original design of the game (or at least so I've heard), which would result in Wukong rewriting the prologue of the game... but now, there'll be no four kings, no headband to screw him over and, of course, no chance in hell he'd lose

[@allenzhao3389]

Spot on man, nice job!

[@whitemoon5752]

Fantastic bro

[@erdnaelnairb]

Thank you for a detailed explanation.

[@MadLuigi]

Sure thing!

[@purpledrank3567]

When I went back to Great Pagoda it was a different cutscene. Fat baby was talking with the old man that appears throughout the game

[@emillic7976]

8:37 when i came across this ingame. i thought he meant helping the destined one learning more about his giant form and abilities by letting him fight the 4 heavenly bums and then after it he ''shall see it through''

[@MrCriss287]

So in the good ending Wukong is resurrected in the body of the destined one, inheriting memories and abilities? It's a bit like in Big Hero 6, when Baymax "dies", but is resurrected by giving him a new body and his microchip (his memories/abilities)

[@MrVirgil002]

It's more of a combination of Wukong and the Destined One. This new monkey learned new lessons form his journey, and obtained Wukongs' memories learning from them too. So he now knows that the celestial palace has to be defeated and to avange his past self and his fallen comrades.

[@james400]

I really liked the true ending that hopefully continues as a DLC where an uncontrolled Wukong takes on the celestial court and maybe with a final fight against buddha. Would be a huge controversy move in China I would assume but it would also fit Wukong's theme

[@SuhandiWijaya]

It's not a controversy, if you can look past the Western Mainstream Media propaganda or even as simple as visiting China at look with your own eyes, you will see how free and happy they are. The same as the Western media slander toward Game Science is the same geopolitically they have been doing for many years, but on a much bigger scale. Two key points you can easily find on the internet: China lifted 850 million people out of poverty, 2nd they have 2/3th of the world's infrastructure. No bad government will do these things for its people, not even in the West.

[@cyrusboon2842]

They wont make wukong fight against buddha it will be against the teachings of buddha. Fighting is anger and Buddhism doesn't promote anger. Buddha is also the ultimate power, wukong is not supposed to be able to beat Buddha.

[@Splincir]

What a hell of a game. Thanks for this breakdown.

[@Marikus_Eternal]

So when the old monkey said to Bajie that the original Wukong is gone for good because his mind was seemingly erased after his death, he actually got it wrong, right? Because Erlang secretly kept Wukong‘s mind within his third eye. The old monkey didn’t know that. This means that if the Destined One retrieves the mind and combines all relics, the original Wukong is actually reborn.

[@k-money0904]

We better get a dlc where we wreak havoc on the celestial court for a few reasons like they kidnapped the 4th sister, they were the ones wukong was subservient to and now that he’s essentially returned and merged with the destined one he’s now free from the shackles that previously bound his freedom and will so once the court finds out there’s no way they’re just gonna let him roam free plus the game was originally gonna have 12 chapters but they ran out of time and budget so there’s definitely more to come im just hoping it involves wukong crashing the celestial palace again

[@XieQiu]

Extremely high quality video. Thanks for the hard work!

[@MadLuigi]

Thank you!

[@MrDdz]

This vid is mandatory for anyone who beat the game.

[@jantim8800]

wukong was not just fighting for his freedom, he was fighting for all beings.

[@lovesegarra497]

I took the old monkey to be "the enlightened" wukong free from possessions and trying to teach his younger self enlightenment

[@AdamW-eo2yq]

So the way I’ve thought of it, and let me know if I’m right. The Old Monkey states on the way to fight the final boss that only 5 of the 6 senses of Wukong survived and the mind died. He is wrong though, all 6 senses did survive but he didn’t know that the 6th sense of the mind was hidden away by Erlang Shen. So if you get the bad ending, The Destined One thinks the crown is the crown of the Monkey King and it’s like he is being baptised as the new Sun Wukong, however, if you beat Erlang Shen, he gives you the sixth sense and you gain all of Sun Wukong’s memories. Then when you are in the way to the final boss, Wukong’s memories probably tell you not to exactly trust the Monkey Elder and when you beat the old husk, rather than him thinking that he was being crowned as the new Wukong, the memories told him that putting that crown on was the worst ides imaginable and so we reject the crown. From that point I imagine The Destined One formally becomes Sun Wukong II

[@saionteller9427]

Man thats a new perceptive of the monkey king I never thought of, that he didnt really want immorality, he wanted to live long enough to be free

[@finny3714]

This is such a good video

[@ExoRisemFTW]

If you love Dragonball, One Piece, Naruto and Anime in general, you can see a lot of things which these Animes took inspiration of the Myth "Wukong"

[@jrey8722]

Thank you For explaining I got a few pieces here and there but since I did not read the original story I did not have the full context off the band 😂

[@NAVEMAN3]

I saw the ending scene a bit differently. When he puts down his cup, we see all the empty weapons and no one else after a great fight or after a lot of time has passed, and with the Monkey King alone. Then he walks past; I believe through the the waterfall, revived with his bo-staff in hand, ready for an adventure, finally free of the band. Any thoughts?

[@petiaivailova2563]

In the book, Wu Kong is released from the tiara at the end and becomes a bodhisattva.

[@camilolarosa7398]

I understand wukong as a methaphor of the human mind. The gods are the natural forces that composes our world and universe. We are becoming strong enough to defy them, as we bend nature to get what we want (maybe that's what wukong understands for freedom) but in doing so we damage the gods (for example, if the ocean is a god, we actually are being able to damage it quite a lot). In the same way, we as wukong think are super cool and strong, but it is an egoic ambition which is costing us sufferning -now or in the future- the understanding of this could be our "golden fillet". Finally, only the Budda, which transcends the five senses that wukong (us or our mind) is confined in, can stop us, since no matter how much we defy the gods or nature, we can never achieve true freedom without transforming or giving away aour wukong ego.

[@radicalplayer4377]

So he basically pulled a master oogway and the destined lives on with his senses

[@extivus]

Nice vid

[@thepaesesai]

If there is a sequel I hope they go after the old monkey, explain where Ping Ping is and the guy that vanished with the Yin and Yang fish dude

[@mpdmpd8118]

Im blown away...the alternate story very well written..!!!

[@AlcheonArt]

You also see the circlet on the Black Wind Bear

[@ravenseah2368]

I have a head canon that BMW was set at the end of Buddha’s kalpa but before the start of Matrieya’s kalpa. Meaning Buddha is no longer around. Kinda weird for the Celestial Court to wanna cull Wukong when Buddha’s could have easily subdue him again.

[@PauloSousa86]

My guess about the ending is that the moment wukong goes to the journey he stops being the wukong and starts being another beings he regrets that. There’s some evidence to that, one the old monkey asks in the end if wukong didn’t die before the journey and never achieved budhahood Two, when he talks to king demon bull he said that he disciplined his brother, but wukong was his brother, so kinda inferring to himself, Three, in the end he rewinds his life in animation until the time he was only the monkey king and he had his brothers, before the band on his head and his prison.

[@孤岛-c3r]

good video 👍🏻

[@michaelFR1908]

Just completed my 1st run and it was the true ending nice!

[@Moon42069]

Ah.. that true ending sure did sounded like a Wukong 2 is in the making.

[@OfficialBillyBeamer]

Wukong is the first person to use a death/respawn to his advantage and actually have it go exactly as planned 😂🙌🏾

[@keyblade1327]

Thank u for the explanation

[@Shirohige4yonko]

A couple days ago The devs seemingly confirmed that the game will have 2 DLC that will include the chapters they had to cut out due to budget issues.

[@Mavrock954]

Imagine having to fight the Buddha as the final boss in the DLC and he can turn all your spells against you lol all you can use is spellbinder. That would be so fun

[@fatguywhobreathesfire6488]

My 3 biggest hopes for the DLC: 1: The DLC is about reincarnated Wukong taking on the celestial court 2: if it is, Pigsy gets to help us fight the bastard who got him banished and cursed 3: we pick up IMMEDIATELY where we left off and we fight the old monkey to keep him from putting the circlet on our head

[@Christian0839]

Finally an explanation that makes sense! Thank you!

[@noijih]

so, in the DLC, we will fight against the Celestial Court? this would be epic!!! I hope The Destined One will truly unlock Sun Wukong's full potential :D

[@tongmu6313]

The “crown” is an unremovable shackles rather, given by Guanyin the Buddha to control Wukong. It tightens whenever Wukong has rebellious thoughts and hurts him to submission. In novel Journey to the West, Wukong realized although Guanyin removed the crown physically after he achieved Buddahood , it was still there - Wukong’s mind was and always will be in chains as long as he lives. From the Heaven’s perspective. They know Wukong’s bloodline is powerful, but also rebellious in genetics. So they would like someone that shares Wukong’s power but volunteers to wear the crown to be controlled by the Heaven. Therefore, the Chosen One was lured to the path of seeking this crown. But to those who truly understand Wukong, they know this is but another deadly loop of Samsara. Therefore in the “secret ending”, the Chosen One who went through all trials will open his eyes and refuse the crown as he now knows it’s but another trap set by the Heavenly.

[@ericcartman2294]

You guys literally missed the plot, lol. The Destined One is the real Wukong's CLONE. It's literally shown on the last secret ending movie. He is in his old tiger armor, as we appear as Destined one in the beginning of the game. And at the "bad ending" you can see him being reincarnating back in the stone, after we as A CLONE aka "Destined One" collected rest of the relics and brought to him (after being tested by him in a battle in his mind, while we are in the stone). Most probably in future DLC we will play as real Wukong being born out of a stone AGAIN, as the new "CYCLE" of his life. As Maitreya was talking about of life cycles and etc.