| “No one benches me. I'm Mr. Tang. I don't know why we're wasting time with the talent show when we could just be taking the ring. I'll show them who's benched!” |
| — Tang |
Benched is the eighth episode of Season 3 and the twenty-eighth episode overall of Monkie Kid.
Synopsis[]
Short DescriptionTo claim the final ring, the heroes need to... win a talent show? OKAY! Stuck as band manager, Tang isn't just going to sit around and wait![1] ExtendedThe heroes arrive at the last stop on the map: Lantern City! But to get the final ring, they'll need to compete in a talent show! Stuck as band manager, Tang doesn't want to just sit around and wait. He's going to find the ring himself! Unfortunately, he's leading the Macaque right to it! To everyone's surprise, Tang stands up to Macaque, tapping into a power he didn't know existed...[2] |
Plot[]
As the team continue their journey in the T.E.A., MK was making drawings of himself and the others. Tang asked MK if he had drawn any sketches of him. MK reveals that he did attempt to capture Tang's essence in his drawings, but he wasn't satisfied with the results. He explains that it was challenging to depict Tang's unique coolness. Tang dispassionately protests, asserting that he is the coolest person MK knows. Sandy announced their arrival at Lantern City. Monkey King voiced his realization that things haven't changed in Lantern City since his last visit. However, as they all boarded the sky train, Monkey King admits that perhaps things have changed a little.
Recalling his actions, Monkey King mentioned that he had thrown the ring somewhere in the vicinity. Mei questioned his decision, as she believed he had hidden it. Monkey King clarified that he had hidden it by throwing it deep into the Earth's crust, making it impossible for anyone to find. He playfully teased Mei, urging her to keep up with his antics. Observing the festive atmosphere, MK approached the Store Owner. Curious about the occasion, he inquired about the ongoing celebration. The Store Owner confirmed that it was the Ring of Light Festival. The Store Owner explained that Monkey King had thrust the Ring of Light into the Earth, transforming a desolate village into Lantern City. The festival was held annually to celebrate the Monkey King's supposed gift. Pigsy sarcastically remarked that the rings was no longer a secret, to which everyone agreed with. The Store Owner then redirected their attention to his merchandise, prompting MK to make a purchase for everyone.
Pigsy expressed his frustration about aimlessly wandering around in search of the Ring. However, Tang informed him that he had a clear idea of where the ring could be located. But Monkey King interrupted, stating that the ring was inside the giant lantern situated in the heart of the city. He believed it was a logical deduction, akin to solving a simple math problem. Later, Monkey King handed Sandy a flier, urging him to read it since he had been quiet for a while. MK questioned Monkey King's ability to read, to which he responded by mentioning his stage fright or some other reason for not reading. Sandy then read aloud the contents of the flier, which invited the talented citizens of Lantern City to participate in a competition to win the Ring of Light. However, MK claimed that none of them possessed any talents that would enable them to emerge victorious. Sandy, however, interrupted and informed that Pigsy was an exceptional singer, comparing his voice to that of a heavenly choir. MK was satisfied with this revelation and assigned Pigsy as the singer, himself as the percussionist, and Sandy as the bassist. Mei was given the guzheng, and Monkey King approached MK to discuss his stage fright. MK questioned whether Monkey King's previous claim of stage fright was a joke, to which Monkey King admitted that it was not. MK was surprise that Monkey King was afraid to perform in front of an audience, despite being called the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven. Regardless, MK decided that Monkey King would play the gong. Tang inquired about his role, to which MK revealed that he would be the band manager. Tang was taken aback by this decision, feeling benched, but the team rallied together. Macaque, overhearing their conversation, learned about their plan to use the Samadhi Fire to defeat Lady Bone Demon. Remembering Lady Bone Demon's threat to him, Macaque decided to get the rings for himself.
During their turn in the talent show, the announcer introduced MK and his friends as the Monkie Kids, which caught Pigsy off guard as he was expecting a discussion about their band names. Despite this surprise, they proceeded with their performance while Monkey King stood frozen in fear. Behind the scenes, the Gold and Silver Demons, who had made a decision to become the world's greatest technicians, were determined to take their jobs seriously. Just as Jin was about to pull the lever, the Demon Accountant intervened and informed Jin and Yin that they were not allowed to pull the lever until the end of the show. Meanwhile, Tang questioned the purpose of wasting time on the talent show when they could be focusing on obtaining the orange ring. Tang made a vow to prove his worth and show his team who truly deserved to be in the spotlight. Tang rushes outdoors and swiftly ascends to the rooftop of a building. He leaps off the edge and manages to catch hold of a kite mid-air. However, the kite string snaps, prompting him to improvise by sliding down a series of lanterns connected to a larger lantern. Tang humorously remarks that being benched doesn't sound so bad after all. As he glides into the lantern, his attention is then captivated by the sight of the orange ring. Out of nowhere, Macaque arrives. In an attempt to seize the ring, Tang makes a move, but Macaque swiftly retaliates by delivering a kick that sends Tang crashing into the wall. Tang desperately pleads with Macaque, emphasizing that the Samadhi Fire holds the key to humanity's only chance of defeating Lady Bone Demon. However, Macaque dismisses this notion, suggesting that humanity should seek an alternative solution instead. Macaque firmly believes that the Samadhi Fire presents his best opportunity to escape from Lady Bone Demon. Tang argues that they should unite forces against their common enemy. Unimpressed, Macaque questioned Tang's contribution to the Monkie Kids, pointing out that his absence didn't hinder their progress. He explained that Monkey King valued others based on their usefulness to him. Drawing from his own experiences, Macaque warned Tang to prioritize his own well-being, as no one else would do it for him. Tang, however, strongly disagrees, acknowledging that he may not possess the same level of strength as his friends, but he firmly believes that his destiny lies in standing alongside them. He holds onto the belief that one day, he will become someone they can rely on, just as they have always been there for him. Tang firmly believes that as long as they stand together, there will always be hope.
As Pigsy belted out his high note, Macaque's ears were filled with agony as he attempted to launch an attack on Tang. However, Tang employed his powers to conjure a protective force field around himself. The Demon Accountant, captivated by Pigsy's mesmerizing singing voice, pulled the lever without any hesitation, causing the giant lantern to illuminate. With the orange ring, Tang was propelled out of the lantern. Meanwhile, Macaque suffered a shocking fate, being electrocuted by the lantern. As Pigsy finished, Monkey King struck the gong. MK confidently declared that they had undoubtedly emerged victorious in the talent show, as the audience erupted in applause. Unexpectedly, Tang accidentally fell into Pigsy's arms. The Monkie Kids commended Tang for obtaining the ring, but he cautioned them that Macaque was now pursuing the rings. In haste, the team boarded the sky train to swiftly escape from Lantern City.
A blackout occurs and Macaque discovers that Lady Bone Demon has arrived. She angrily confronts Macaque for his failure and prepares to kill him. Desperately, Macaque reveals the Monkie Kids' plan to retrieve the Samadhi Fire. Intrigued, Lady Bone Demon offers him another chance, but with a new demand. Instead, she orders Macaque to bring the Samadhi Fire to her. To ensure his compliance, she grants him some of her powers, causing his arm to crystallize. As Macaque succumbs to the power, he unleashes a burst of energy, crystallizing the entire Lantern City. Lady Bone Demon warns Macaque to act swiftly, as there will be nothing left of him if he fails to do so in time.
Cast[]
| Voice Actor | Role(s) |
|---|---|
| Billy Kametz | Macaque Sky train Announcer |
| Dave B. Mitchell | Pigsy Yin |
| David Chen | Tang |
| Jack De Sena | MK |
| Patrick Seitz | Sandy Store Owner |
| Sean Schemmel | Monkey King Jin |
| Stephanie Sheh | Mei |
| Victoria Grace | Lady Bone Demon Demon Accountant |
Features[]
Characters[]
Main:
Supporting:
Antagonists:
Locations[]
- China
- Lantern City
- Megapolis (flashback)
- Pigsy's Noodles
- Sewers
- Moon
Objects[]
- Crayons
- Golden Staff (flashback)
- Instruments
- Magic cloud
- Map to the Rings of Samadhi
- Mei's phone (flashback)
- Noodles (flashback)
- Orange Ring of Samadhi
Vehicles[]
- Monkey Mech (flashback)
- T.E.A./Team Dronecopter (flashback)
- Sky train
Abilities[]
Species[]
Trivia[]
- The scene where Tang thought that MK wanted him to be part of the band, but only to find out that MK just wanted him to be the band's manager, is a callback to "Dumpling Destruction", where Mei thought that MK wanted her to join him but only to find out that he actually wanted Tang to join him instead.
- The makeup and costumes worn when the Monkie Kids are preforming is meant to resemble the costumes used in Peking opera performances of Journey to the West.
- The kite Tang grabs onto when making his way to the last ring is shaped like the Golden Cicada. In Journey to the West, the Golden Cicada was once reincarnated as Tang Sanzang.
- Macaque's six ears are alluded to when Pigsy preforms his high note, as he is seen cringing in pain with sound waves around his ears.
- The ending scene with Macaque and Lady Bone Demon played out quite differently in the initial storyboards for the episode[3]:
- It begins with Macaque looking at MK's drawing.
- There are several shots of the people of Lantern City reacting to the Lady Bone Demon flickering the lights.
- The Samadhi Fire goes completely unmentioned.
- Most of Lady Bone Demon's dialogue is different.
- In another moment that was scrapped, at the end of the talent show, one of the civilians was going to have foam come out of his mouth as he cheered. According to Melanie Shin, the man was supposed to be Kai from Ninjago.[4]
Errors[]
- Animator Joanne Ruu is missing from the credits despite doing several shots for the episode.[5]
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name | Translation, etymology, and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | البديل | Translates to Stand By. |
| Cantonese | 後備席 | Translates to Reserved Seat. |
| French | Mis à l'écart' | Translates to Shelved. |
| German | Ausgeschlossen | Translates to Excluded. |
| Hebrew | מופע כשרונות | Translates to Talent Show. |
| Italian | L'ultimo anello' | Translates to The Last Ring. |
| Japanese | がんばれ応援隊長！僕はタン | Translates to Go For It, Cheerleader! I'm Tang. |
| Korean | 5분 대기조 | Translates to 5-Minute Waiting Period. |
| Mandarin (China) |
老唐耀灯城 | Translates to Old Tang Lightens the City of Lanterns |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) |
替補團員 | Translates to Substitute Member. |
| Polish | Rezerwowy | Translates to Reserved. |
| Slovenian | Benched | Same as English. |
Characters' roles[]
Protagonists[]
- Tang is the protagonist of this episode as his struggles are at center-focus.
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Antagonists[]
- Macaque serves as the antagonist of this episode.
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References[]
- ↑ myTV SUPER | LEGO® Monkie Kid™ Cartoon - Season 3
- ↑ Foxtel TV Guide
- ↑ Denmark, Brandon (September 8, 2022). Another creepy board! This one was a collab. I fleshed out the thumbs done by: Tae Jun Jeung..
- ↑ Shin, Melanie (February 9, 2023). are you gonna tell them the foam guy was meant to be kai ninjago or should i-.
- ↑ Ruu, Joanne (October 14, 2023). I hopped on at the end and got the pleasure to work on episodes 7-10! (although there was a mixup and I'm missing from ep8's credits rip) I've grown so much since working on these shots and I will share my work on season 4 in the near future! \o/.