Monkey King holds off Ne Zha while MK and the others take the rings to a mystic mountain. When Macaque arrives, things go from bad to worse.
Tropes:
- Know When to Fold 'Em: With the alternative being to wait and hope for Monkey King to help and risk getting all of his loved ones killed, Tang agrees to perform the ritual for MacaqueTang: Alright! Alright. You win…
- Meaningful Echo: In the first episode of the season, Ne Zha asks Monkey King directly if he has any idea what he was doing when trying to steal the map — a line that is closely repeated in a different context by Macaque in this episode, angrily yelling it at MK when coming to take the Samadhi Fire to free himself. Unfortunately, as it is revealed in the next episode — he's right.Macaque: So this was the Monkey King’s great plan? How do you still not see that he has NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING?!
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Monkey King mocks Macaque when he shows up to take the (fake) rings, expecting him to launch into a villainous gloating monologue before running off to reap the reward of serving Lady Bone Demon — only for Macaque darkly rebuff him, responding that he doesn't care what Lady Bone Demon wants.
- Papa Wolf: Despite his lack of offensive powers, Tang tries to protect Mei from Macaque while she’s incapacitated during the Samadhi Fire ritual and ends up giving into the latter's demands when he threatens to kill her.
- Sadistic Choice: With all his friends incapacitated, Tang is the only one left standing to complete the ritual to reforge the Samadhi Fire and is thus given an ultimatum by Macaque — finish the ritual and let him take the Fire, or he will kill them all.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: While making his demands, Macaque refers to Tang by name. Instead of some kind of condescending nickname like he does with everyone, save MK.
- Villainous Breakdown: With Lady Bone Demon's power steadily encasing his whole body in ice, Macaque's desperation drives him off the deep end — dropping any desire to toy with MK or his friends, and bluntly threatening all of them with death if they don’t allow him to use the Samadhi Fire to free himself.
