With the heroes' team in disarray, Monkie Kid and Ne Zha try desperately to stop the Monkey King from confronting the Lady Bone Demon on his own. Mei learns how to control the Samadhi Fire with Red Son, but when Monkie Kid catches up to the Monkey King, it seems that his mentor might actually stand a chance of defeating her!
Tropes:
- Commonality Connection: Red Son doesn’t say it outright, but he relates to Mei’s fears over losing control of the Samadhi Fire and failing those she loves, allowing the two to bond over their training.
- Downer Ending: In an act of desperation, Monkey King is brought under the control of Lady Bone Demon just when he was about to kill her. Can’t get much lower than that.
- The Gloves Come Off: Monkey King’s battle with Lady Bone Demon is the first time in the show we really see the terrifying level of power he’s known for, where he isn’t pulling his punches for the sake of bystanders or as to not truly hurt the other party.
- Hypocrisy Nod: When Mei calls Red Son out on telling her to stay calm when he's the definition of Hair-Trigger Temper, he says that she should do as he says, not as he does.
- Meaningful Echo: Remember at the start of the second season special ("Revenge of the Spider Queen"), when Monkey King stated that Lady Bone Demon "should have stayed buried"? He repeats this again near the end of this episode, desperate to not let her have her way.
- Ship Tease: Red Son blushes at Mei after giving her a pep talk where he almost calls her his only hope.
- Tsundere: Red Son blushes after assuring Mei that he truly believes she can control the Samadhi Fire, quickly backtracking by telling her he isn't doing this just so he can hang out with her and MK again. She makes it clear she doesn’t believe him.
- Villainous Breakdown: Lady Bone Demon frequently taunts Monkey King, thinking he's just stalling for time and won't go as far as to attack her and her host. She soon finds out how desperate he is to defeat her once more and loses her calm demeanor in her own desperation.Lady Bone Demon: I'VE COME TOO FAR TO LET YOU RUIN EVERYTHING AGAIN!!!
- Would Hurt a Child: Lady Bone Demon invokes this with Monkey King when he has her on the ropes, saying that destroying her would also mean killing the little girl she is possessing. Monkey King clearly does not want to do the latter, but spits back that Lady Bone Demon isn’t giving him a choice.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Mei doubts her ability to control the Samadhi Fire, Red Son tells her that he knows she can because of her determination to save others.Red Son: My parents have succumbed to the Bone Demon’s power, amoung countless others. You, and the Noodle Boy, would stop at nothing to free them. That’s how I know you won’t lose control. You can’t. Because you’re the only hope I — the only hope this world has left.
