| “Look. If you can lift the staff, you can use it. Just believe in yourself. Even a smidge makes all the difference.” |
| — The Monkey King to MK |
Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born is the 45 minute pilot episode of Monkie Kid. It was first released on June 13, 2020 in Malaysia[1] and June 27, 2020 in Singapore. The special was internationally released as an Amazon Kids+ original on September 9, 2021 and was also released on Prime Video on September 30th 2021.[2]
Synopsis[]
|
After the release of the Demon Bull King, MK accidentally grabs Monkey King's magical staff and goes on a journey to return it. |
Plot[]
The special opens with Tang telling MK that the legends of the Monkey King are only the beginning of a new chapter.
In a flashback, the Demon Bull King surfaced from the Netherworld and terrorized the villages. Monkey King was the only one powerful enough to stop him. He sealed the Demon Bull King underneath a mountain with his staff for many years, vanishing. Legends say the staff still remains atop that mountain, keeping the world from descending into total annihilation. Thanks to the Monkey King, civilization advanced and a city arose, home to a plethora of diverse people, cultures, and cuisines.
MK is invigorated by the story Tang just told him, and goes on to fanboy about the Monkey King some more, describing him as "cool", "strong", and "handsome". Tang shrugs him off, saying that he thought MK knew all about the Monkey King. MK reveals he was working on an unauthorized autobiography of the Monkey King, to which Tang expresses that he is proud of MK being so drawn towards the legends. He then reminds MK of their deal: "one story, one free bowl of Zha Jiang Mian. As he is about to eat, MK wonders how heavy a mountain is. Pigsy freaks out over the aspect of free noodles, and goes into a rant about how no one gets a free meal on his watch. Tang tries to calm him down with the idea of having wisdom be the payment rather than money, but Pigsy ignores him. MK then informs Pigsy that he was about to take his break, but Pigsy denies him the permission, instead of ordering him to make the shop deliveries.
MK heads out and follows a delivery order to a dark construction site, where Red Son and Princess Iron Fan are attempting to free the Demon Bull King from the mountain Monkey King imprisoned him in. A Bull Clone named Bob tries to pull the staff out, but ends up losing his arms. MK spies on the whole thing from above, accompanied by a bird. Red Son then uses a gauntlet to pull the staff from the mountain, successfully freeing the Demon Bull King. The bird then pecks at MK's hands, causing him to fall onto Red Son and into view. The Demon Bull Family tries to attack him, but MK desperately uses the staff in self-defense, which saves him and helps him escape the construction site.
Red Son gives pursuit, but MK is then rescued by a mysterious green motorcyclist, later revealed to be his best friend, Mei. Meanwhile, Red Son returns in defeat but manufactures an armor for his father that will absorb rare items and convert them into energy. Back at the noodle shop, MK attempts to explain what happened to his friends, but none of them believe him, not until he splits a table with the staff. The group then finds out that the Demon Bull King has robbed a Shoe Store and is powering up himself in order to reclaim the staff.
The team then decided to seek help from the Monkey King himself on Flower Fruit Mountain. However, Tang pointed out that the journey to the mountain would be dangerous, thus Pigsy insists that they would seek aid from one of his old friends, a reformed peace-loving warrior named Sandy. he takes them to the mountain on his barge while MK practices with the staff, but on the way to the mountain, they are stopped by Princess Iron Fan, who uses the gauntlet to steal back the staff and seemingly kill MK, launching him into the fiery rocks just before the mountain. Swearing to avenge him, Mei, Pigsy, Tang, and Sandy return to the city to face the Demon Bull King.
Meanwhile, MK is shown to have survived, making it to Flower Fruit Mountain. He is led by a pack of white monkeys to a waterfall. As MK enters the waterfall, he comes across a wall of paintings depicting the multitude of adventures the pilgrims went on. MK then chases an illusion of Monkey King, only to pass right through him and leading him to a small shack. He at first believes all his efforts were for nothing, but just then, a butterfly flies down, changing into an eagle, then a tiger, and then finally, his true form, which is the Monkey King himself. MK explains what has happened thus far, but Monkey King reveals to already know, as he had been watching him. He then tells MK that it's up to him, saying he needs only to believe in himself to win.
Back in the city, Pigsy drives the gang to confront the Demon Bull King, but they are halted by Red Son. Mei is about to face off with him when MK makes his triumphant return, riding a jet he found in one of Sandy's shipment containers. He takes out Red Son and reunites with his friends. He passes on Monkey King's message and goes straight into Demon Bull King's armor to retrieve the staff. Emerging with said staff in toe, he forms the Monkey Mech and defeats the Demon Bull King for the moment before Princess Iron Fan retreats him and the rest of their troops. The group then decides to celebrate with some noodles (at the suggestion of Mr. Tang) as Monkey King watches on proudly.
Cast[]
Features[]
Characters[]
Main:
Supporting:
- Dragon of the East (illustration)
- Jin (illustration)
- Macaque (illustration)
- Mo
- Monkey King
- Monkey Mech
- Mr. Boar
- Sha Wujing (illustration)
- Shoe Store Assistant
- Skater Boy
- Spider Queen (illustration)
- Truck Driver
- Tang Sanzang (illustration)
- White Horse Dragon (illustration)
- Yin (illustration)
- Zhu Bajie (illustration)
Antagonists:
Locations[]
- China
- Megapolis
- Construction site
- Flaming Foundry
- Throne room
- Harbor
- MK's house (flashback)
- Pigsy's Noodles
- Shoe Store
- Wild Pig Noodles
- Megapolis
- Flaming Mountains
Objects[]
- Carrots (projection)
- Crescent Staff (illustration)
- The Furnace
- Green Ring of Samadhi
- Golden Staff
- Magic cloud
- Magic Fan
- Mei's phone
- MK's book
- MK's headphones
- Khakkhara (illustration)
- Noodles
- Peach Chips
- Pigsy's phone
- Rake (illustration)
- Red Son's Power Glove
- Tea
Vehicles[]
- Cloud Board
- Cloud Jet
- Inferno Truck
- Iron Bull Tank
- Monkey Mech
- Pigsy's Food Truck
- Sandy's boat
- Tuk-tuk
- Twin Fire Jet Pack
- White Horse Dragon Bike
Abilities[]
Species[]
- Cats
- Celestial beings
- Demons
- Spider Demons (illustration)
- Dogs
- Dragons (illustration)
- Humans
- Monkeys
- Pigs
- Robots
Mentioned[]
Sets[]
- 80006 White Dragon Horse Bike
- 80007 Iron Bull Tank
- 80008 Monkie Kid's Cloud Jet
- 80009 Pigsy's Food Truck
- 80010 Demon Bull King
- 80011 Red Son's Inferno Truck
- 80012 Monkey King Warrior Mech
- 80013 Monkie Kid's Team Secret HQ
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name | Translation, etymology, and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | مونكي كيد: ولادة بطل | Translates to Monkey Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| Bulgarian | Монки Кид: Роди се герой | Translates to Monkey Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Cantonese | 悟空小俠之誕生篇 悟空小俠: 英雄的誕生 |
Translates to Monkey Kid: The Birth Chapter. Translates to Monkie Kid: The Birth of a Hero. |
| Croatian | Monkie Kid: Junak je rođen | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Czech | Monkie Kid: Zrození hrdiny | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Danish | Monkie Kid: En helt bliver til | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Dutch | Monkie Kid: De geboorte van een held | Translates to Monkie Kid: The Birth of a Hero. |
| Finnish | Monkie Kid: Sankari syntyy | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| French (Canada) |
LEGO Monkie Kid: La naissance d'un héros | Translates to LEGO Monkie Kid: The Birth of a Hero. |
| French (France) |
Monkie kid : Naissance d'un héros | Translates to Monkey Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| German | Monkie Kid: Ein Held ist geboren | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Hebrew | לגו מונקי קיד: גיבור נולד | Translates to LEGO Monkey Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Hungarian | Monkie Kid: Hős születik | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Italian | Monkie Kid: la nascita di un eroe | Translates to Monkie Kid: The Birth of a Hero. |
| Japanese | ヒーロー誕生！キッドと伝説の如意棒 モンキーキッド：ヒーロー誕生 |
Translates to Birth of a Hero! Kid and the Legendary Golden Staff. Translates to Monkey Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| Korean | 몽키 키드: 영웅의 탄생 | Translates to Monkey Kid: The Birth of a Hero. |
| Mandarin (China) |
悟空小侠之英雄出世 | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) |
悟空小俠之誕生篇 | Translates to Monkey Kid: The Birth Chapter. |
| Norwegian | Monkie Kid: En helt blir til | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Polish | Monkie Kid: Narodziny bohatera | Translates to Monkie Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| Portuguese (Portugal) |
Monkie Kid: O Nascimento de Um Herói | Translates to Monkie Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| Romanian | Monkie Kid: Se naște un erou | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Serbian | Manki Kid: Rođenje Junaka | Translates to Monkey Kid: Birth of a Hero. |
| Slovenian | Monkie Kid: Junak je rojen | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Spanish (Latin America) |
LEGO Monkie Kid: Nace un héroe | Translates to LEGO Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Spanish (Spain) |
Monkie Kid: ¡Nace un héroe! | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born!. |
| Swedish | Monkie Kid: En hjälte föds | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Thai | เจ้าหนูวานร : กำเนิดฮีโร่ | Translates to Monkey Boy: Birth of a Hero. |
| Turkish | Monkie Kid: Bi̇r Kahraman Doğuyor | Translates to Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born. |
| Vietnamese | Tiểu Hầu Vương: Anh Hùng Xuất Hiện | Translates to Little Monkey King: A Hero Appears. |
Trivia[]
Old title card with the "Monkey Kid" name.
Original "Monkey Kid" trademark logo.
- This special was adapted into a comic book in Monkie Kid Comic Story 1.
- A clip of the special from LEGO Masters Australia's Facebook account reveals that there's an older copy of the episode where the title card is displayed as "Monkey Kid: A Hero is Born".[4]
- It is very likely that the episode title had changed around the same time the LEGO theme/IP's trademark was changed from "Monkey Kid" to "Monkie Kid".[5]
- Some sound effects from Journey to the West (1986) are used.[6]
- The soundtrack is slightly different in the opening scene from the score. Monkey King is introduced with the theme of Journey to the West (1986) in the special, but in the soundtrack he is introduced with his reouccuring leitmotif.
- Tang Sanzang, the White Horse Dragon, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, the Dragon of the East, Macaque, the Gold and Silver Demons, and the Spider Queen appear in this special, but only in illustration.
- A cut section from the opening scene would have depicted Tang narrating over a recap of "Journey to the West". The start of this scene, which shows Monkey King being born from a stone, and the narration being interrupted by MK complaining that he already knows this part of the story, can be viewed in A LEGO Journey to the East.
- This scene was one of the first things cut by showrunner Villads Spangsberg, who felt it was too long, boring, and ultimately un-needed.[7]
- Several character introduction videos were produced for the Mandarin dub, these videos lack sound effects and music.
- This special was adapted into a five-part audio-book available on iQIYI and Dragonfly FM in Mandarin.
- The initial scripts for this and the following season were sent back during production, as story editor, David Breen, felt they didn't work and could be improved. [8]
- The audio for the special was recorded in August 2019. [9]
- In some territories this special is considered two separate episodes, usually split after DBK and Red Son rob the Shoe Store.
Errors[]
MK's cover sketch stays in place.
- MK refers to his book as an autobiography, which is the incorrect term, as an autobiography is authored by the person being written about.
- When MK was watching Bob preparing to pull the Golden Staff off the mountain, the latter's right horn was right side up, despite it being upside down. At a certain point when he was attempting to remove the staff, his hands were a purple color rather than gray.
- During the scene where MK tells Tang about the Demon Bull King's return, the cover of MK's book stays in place as MK jumps towards Tang.
- Some TV airings lack the "A" in the title, calling the episode "Hero is Born".
Characters' roles[]
Protagonists[]
- MK was the main protagonist of this special.
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Antagonists[]
- The Demon Bull King served as the main antagonist of this special.
- Princess Iron Fan and Red Son served as the secondary antagonists of this special.
- Princess Iron Fan plays a supporting role in the first half of the special but plays a prominent part in the second half.
- In the second half, she steals the Golden Staff from MK and gives it to the Demon Bull King, which helps him become more powerful. In the end, she rescues the Demon Bull King and Red Son after they were defeated.
- Red Son plays a prominent role in the first half of the special.
- In the first half, Red Son frees the Demon Bull King from his imprisonment and assists him by attempting to kill MK and building him a suit of armor that would allow him to take over the city.
- Princess Iron Fan plays a supporting role in the first half of the special but plays a prominent part in the second half.
- The Bull Clones served as the villainous faction of this special.
Videos[]
Behind the Scenes[]
References[]
- ↑ Simon Lucas' tweet
- ↑ LEGO® Monkie Kid™ Arrives September 9 on Amazon Kids+
- ↑ WATCH PARTY - Lego Monkie Kid with the voice of Red Son (Timestamp 32:01)
- ↑ LEGO Masters Australia (2021-05-06). Can’t get enough LEGO? We’ve got you sorted for Saturday: Watch the adventures of #MonkieKid tomorrow 10.00am on 9Go! and 9Now!.
- ↑ Justia Trademarks "Monkey" Kid 2019-12-26
- ↑ 纵哥 (2020-05-31). 乐高悟空小侠系列动画《英雄出世》正式发布！看乐高如何讲好中国故事！ (Article). -《悟空小侠》专访内容 -. MOCOZONE. “We have actually been able to use some sound effects from the 1986 TV series in The Monkie Kid animated series – its great to set the reaction of people who grew up with the show when they hear those familiar sounds.”
- ↑ "I’ve told this story before, but originally when I came onto the show, they were doing the pilot episode’s first 5-10 minute animatic, and there were a lot of people pushing to have it basically be Journey to the West retold. And it was kind of like, this feels like an Animal Planet or Discovery Channel documentary(...) I’m sure a lot of parents would be really excited to watch it, but I don’t think that kids would as much." Monkie Kid Interview with Villads Spangsberg
- ↑ LEGO Monkie Kid Extravaganza with Showrunner Villads Spangsberg and LMKN (Timestamp 6:11)
- ↑ WATCH PARTY - Lego Monkie Kid with the voice of Red Son (Timestamp 1:02:48)