| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for something else. |
| “Whether you like it or not, the Jade Emperor has a greater role in this world than you can comprehend!” |
| — Ne Zha |
The Jade Emperor is the tenth episode of Season 4 and the forty-fourth episode overall of Monkie Kid.
Synopsis[]
Short DescriptionThings aren't looking good as the Brotherhood overwhelms the Celestial Armies. Desperate to act, Mei leads the charge in a rescue mission.[1] |
Plot[]
MK seeks clarification regarding the game at hand, to which Macaque acknowledges the recent discovery that has caused some confusion for him. Macaque proposes that engaging in gameplay will provide the requisite understanding and disregards the distractions posed by Azure and the Lady Bone Demon. Furthermore, Macaque mentioned the effort he had invested in creating the game. MK responds with a hint of sarcasm, highlighting the perceived effort invested in the game's development.
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In the Celestial Realm, the Celestial Armies are facing defeat at the hands of the Brotherhood, as they were being sucked into the Scroll of Memory while the remaining members fled. Ne Zha urges the Celestial Warriors to stand their ground and fight back against the Brotherhood. However, Azure Lion blocks Ne Zha's attack and warns him that his victory is inevitable. Red Son witnesses the exchange and attempts to retaliate, but is quickly overpowered by Azure Lion. Azure Lion revealed another piece of the scroll and uses it to trap Red Son inside.
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In the Temple of the Tilted Moon and Three Stars, the Monkie Kids were engaged in meditation with Master Subodhi when Mei heard the sounds of chaos emanating from the Celestial Realm. She attempted to leave, but Master Subodhi intervened, cautioning that they were not yet prepared to face the danger posed by Azure. Mei, however, was adamant and even raised the Dragon Blade against the revered Master. Master Subodhi cautioned the team about their unpreparedness and the potential ramifications of their actions. Tang acknowledged the team's inexperience but had confidence in their ability to succeed with Master Subodhi's guidance. Sandy echoed Tang's sentiments, and Mei agreed, insisting that they must try, even without the aid of MK or Monkey King. Pigsy inquired about the means of transportation to the Celestial Realm, since they usually used a vehicle created by the Golden Staff. Sandy responds by converting the stars he earned into the Cloud Airship. The group then boards Sandy's blimp. However, Pigsy was dissatisfied with the slow speed of the blimp. Tang created a portal, and the Monkie Kids blast through it. The Acolyte posed a question regarding the fate of the Monkie Kids in the battle. Master Subodhi's response was unhesitant, stating that the Monkie Kids would undoubtedly die.
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At the Celestial Realm, Ne Zha defends against the Brotherhood single-handedly. Despite his efforts to create a shield, he is overwhelmed by Peng's barrage of feather projectiles. Azure Lion advised Ne Zha to stand down, reminding him that his life is more valuable than serving the Jade Emperor. Ne Zha acknowledges Azure Lion's words, but declares that his commitment to his cause is of greater value than his life. Soon the Monkie Kids arrived. Mei proceeds to take the plank containing Monkey King. But her escape was interrupted by Yellowtusk and Peng. Pigsy and Sandy stopped the two demons while Tang attempts to remove the projectiles from Ne Zha. Ne Zha requested Tang to leave him and stop the Brotherhood from reaching the Jade Emperor. The Monkie Kids crash into the two, causing the pieces holding Monkey King to scatter. Azure Lion warned them that their rebellion will not be tolerated and sends bamboo slips at them, which Ne Zha cuts away. Ne Zha stated that the team's presence is unwarranted and that he must prevent the Brotherhood from reaching the Jade Emperor. Pigsy asked Ne Zha what will happen if he is unable to stop them. In response, Ne Zha declared that failure is not an option. Mei recognizes the seriousness of the situation and agrees that it is time to take action.
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MK continues to play the video game, where he encounters a demon attempting to abduct a maiden. He chooses to rescue her, but the demon's family appears and laments their loss. Frustrated, MK questions the game's purpose in convincing him that he is not destined to become evil. Macaque explained that the game is designed to lead to the same outcome, regardless of the player's choices. MK expresses his dissatisfaction with the game's lack of variety and sarcastically applauds Macaque's efforts to make him feel inferior. Macaque advises MK that the choices in the game are not the only options available in life, as life isn't predetermined like a game. Macaque then emphasizes the importance of making independent choices, a lesson he learned late. Macaque tells MK that MK's decision to fight Azure may result in harm to others, while not fighting him also have negative consequences. Therefore, Macaque suggests choosing alternative options, reminding MK that he alone determines his identity.
At the Celestial Realm, Tang suggests calling upon the Jade Emperor for help, but Ne Zha explains that he cannot. Azure Lion questions whether the Jade Emperor is unwilling or unable to help, citing his selfish nature and disregard for the suffering of those who fight for him. Ne Zha defends the Jade Emperor's greater purpose, but Azure Lion remains unconvinced as he prepared to finish off the heroes. But a streak of light knocked Azure's sword out of his hands. As he turned to look, he saw MK standing on a magic cloud. Azure Lion attacked MK with a powerful roar, throwing MK and the Brotherhood off their balance. MK tumbled down, flickering into his Mystic Monkey form. Azure Lion declared his determination to not let anyone to stop him, including MK. Despite MK's attempt to avoid conflict, Azure Lion remained resolute. He prepared to take action against them, but MK called for Mr. Tang to create a portal. Tang initiated their teleportation just in time.
As a result, Azure Lion's attack landed on the Celestial Palace's doors instead of the intended target. As the Brotherhood enters the Palace, the Jade Emperor greets Azure, acknowledging the opportune timing of his arrival. He admits that Azure's chances of overthrowing him would have been slim if he wasn't already close to dying. Azure, however, is not concerned with the means of Jade Emperor's demise, only that the new Jade Emperor is more deserving of the title. The Jade Emperor inquired of Azure whether he believed himself to be the new Jade Emperor. He questioned how Azure had come to stand before him and whether he had ever doubted his own abilities. The Jade Emperor suggested that Azure may have been too self-absorbed to realize that he was merely a pawn in someone else's plan. The Jade Emperor offered Azure the opportunity to try for the throne, but warned him that it would not be gifted freely. The Jade Emperor then drew his sword and pointed it at Azure, indicating that he would need to earn the throne through his own merit.
Upon their return to Flower Fruit Mountain, MK was greeted with relief from the Monkie Kids, who were pleased to see him back. Pigsy, in particular, referred to him as his son and mentioned how much the team had missed him. Ne Zha criticized their decision to flee, insisting that they should have fought until the end. However, MK argued that they had no chance of winning and that staying would have been futile. Ne Zha then questioned their willingness to let Azure become the new Jade Emperor, but MK revealed that he had managed to obtain pieces of the scroll that contained Monkey King, who was known for actually standing up to the Jade Emperor.
Unfortunately, the Jade Emperor met his demise at the hands of Azure Lion, who delivered a fatal blow with a single strike. The death of the Jade Emperor was notified by MK, Ne Zha, and Macaque, and the fabric of the universe began to tear apart, leaving everyone in shock. As the Jade Emperor disintegrated, his power was transferred to Azure Lion. Peng and Yellowtusk looked on in concern, but Azure Lion reassured them that the battle was over and the real work could now commence.
Cast[]
Features[]
Characters[]
Main:
Supporting:
Antagonists:
Locations[]
- China
- Temple of the Tilted Moon and Three Stars
- Macaque's lair (video game)
- Celestial Realm
- Flower Fruit Mountain
Objects[]
- Azure Lion's saber
- Bananas
- Crescent Staff
- Dragon Blade
- Fire Wheels
- Golden Staff
- Ji
- Khakkhara
- Macaque's staff
- Macaque's VR game
- Mallet
- Scroll of Memory
- Ne Zha's spear
- Rake
Vehicles[]
Abilities[]
Species[]
- Ants
- Deities
- Demons
- Humans
- Immortal beings
- Monkeys
- Pigs
Mentioned[]
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name | Translation, etymology, and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | קיסר הג'ייד | Translates to The Jade Emperor. |
| Korean | 옥황상제 | Translates to Jade Emperor. |
| Mandarin (China) |
天庭大对决 | Translates to Heavenly Court Showdown. |
Trivia[]
- Ne Zha's skirmish with the Brotherhood was longer in the storyboards, and involved him breathing fire. [2]
- Mei's line "Hello, Celestial Realm! Sorry for rocking up late to party!" was added by storyboard artist Ashe Jacobson.
- The Azure Lion stepping in-front of the bamboo plank imprisoning Monkey King is intentionally framed similarly to when Monkey King, still under Lady Bone Demon's control, defeated Macaque.[3]
- The plot of this episode is somewhat similar to the film "The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven's Palace", a 2014 film which plot involves one of the Monkey King's sworn brothers, the Bull Demon King, staging a coup on Heaven, killing Erlang Shen and defeating the Jade Emperor.
Errors[]
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- In the opening sequence, MK is mistakenly shown wearing his Season 3 jacket. It switches back to his regular jacket when Mei takes a selfie with him.
Characters' roles[]
Protagonists[]
- The Monkie Kids are the main protagonists of this episode.
- Mei, Pigsy, Sandy, and Tang arrived in the Celestial Realm to help Ne Zha in defeating The Brotherhood.
- MK came in time before his friends were executed.
- Macaque, Master Subodhi, Ne Zha, and the Jade Emperor are secondary protagonists of the episode.
- Macaque brought MK to Monkey King's house in an attempt to teach him a lesson through his video game.
- Master Subodhi tried to get the Monkie Kids to continue training with him but they left him to try to stop The Brotherhood.
- Ne Zha held off The Brotherhood even though the rest of the Celestial Armies ran away.
- The Jade Emperor warned Azure Lion of the possible consequences for his actions and fought to keep his throne.
Antagonists[]
- The Brotherhood are the main antagonists of this episode.
- They took down a significant amount of the Celestial Armies, causing the rest to panic and run away. They also injured the Monkie Kids and Ne Zha and defeated the Jade Emperor.
References[]
- ↑ Roku - The Jade Emperor
- ↑ Jacobson, Ashe (August 9, 2023). The e410 fight!! There was supposta be a brawl here with NeZha that got cut down for time (recognize that flip getting reused?) Also there's no audio for Mei 'cause I kinda adlibbed her intro but imagine her yelling "WHAT'S UP CELESTIAL REALMS" in the most bombastic way possible..
- ↑ Jacobson, Ashe (August 9, 2023). As the person who boarded both of these shots I want to confirm that this was 100% intentional.