Wei-Chen is a main character in the Disney+ original series American Born Chinese portrayed by Jimmy Liu. He is the son of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King.
Background[]
Personality[]
Wei-Chen is an optimistic young man who, despite being well adjusted to Earth culture, does not have a keen grasp of the social hierarchy and will rush into things without thinking twice about it. He tries to be extremely helpful and while gracious about it, can sometimes be misdirected and will occasionally cause problems, specifically for Jin Wang, whom he takes an immediate liking to. Just like his father, he shows traits of responsibility, even though it takes him awhile for him to eventually get there. Wei-Chen is also a hi-cap student in Sierra Mona High School who is smarter than Jin. His classes are AP Human Geography, Honors English, Algebra 2, and Chemistry.
Physical appearance[]
Wei-Chen is noticeably taller than his friend Jin and appears to resemble an ordinary teenage boy of Chinese descent. In actuality, this is human disguise as his regular appearance has him resembling that of a monkey with long straight hair and an under beard with hairy hands.
Powers and abilities[]
Wei-Chen displays many of the same abilities as his father including shapeshifting and advanced martial arts. He is also shown to have mastered the ability to use the magical size altering bo staff, the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
History[]
Season 1[]
In What Guy Are You, Wei-Chen, son of the legendary Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, is being chased by his father through the Heavenly realms after having stolen his Jingu Bang (magic staff). Upon arriving at the portal to Earth, Wei-Chen disobeys his father and jumps through declaring that it is something he has to do. Later, Principal Finney introduces Jin Wang to Wei-Chen, now in human disguise. Finney At lunch, Wei-Chen lets Jin know how he is a fan of the Kugo Ren Saga, a manga series, which according to the transfer student, it apparently has more issues that have not been released in the US. They are later confronted by soccer players Travis and Andy, where Wei-Chen picks up on Travis being rather acerbic and confides in Jin that his "friends" are not great. Wei-Chen then shows Jin the Kugo Ren action figure he has and the two connect over their parents with Jin mentioning the fried squid term. Wei-Chen tells Jin that he should talk to Amelia, though he admits he is nervous. Some time later, when Jin wears the stolen jacket at school and tries to ask Amelia to hang out with her, Wei-Chen to ruin the moment where it is revealed that he also has the same denim jacket. Wei-Chen attempts to apologize, but a furious Jin tells him he is not his friend, runs into a door, slides across the floor on a janitor's trolley and crashes into a glass display case which is seen by everyone. All while Wei-Chen and several other student bare witness to the other boy's embarrassment.
Eventually, the two boys talk it out, and Jin apologizes to Wei-Chen about arguing with him and reveals the meme. While examining it, Wei-Chen discovers that it was not Travis who posted the meme, but Greg, the varsity captain. As Christine Wang comes to pick up Jin, Wei-Chen tells him that "fried squid" in Mandarin is slang for "about to get fired". Once Jin is gone, Wei-Chen notices an eagle and heads back into the school. Later, Wei-Chen is confronted by his father who demands that he hand over the Jingu Bang and come back home with him. Wei-Chen explains that he is searching for the fourth scroll which he knows is somewhere on Earth, though Sun Wukong scoffs at this as he does not think it is real. Wei-Chen proceeds to use the Jingu Bang and fights his father through the halls of the school. Eventually, Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, ceases the fight between Wei-Chen and Sun Wukong and informs the latter that it is Wei-Chen's destiny to fulfill his mission. Sun Wukong reluctantly subsides and Guanyin takes Wei-Chen away.
In A Monkey on a Quest, Wei-Chen trains with Guanyin on how to use the Jingu Bang, as well as practice his English. He explains that he believes that Jin is destined to be his guide in finding the fourth scroll, but he has not told him about it. The next day, Jin arrives at school where he talks to Wei-Chen, thanking him for the Kugo Ren action figure, but admitting that he feels bad for having it when his father bought it for him and insists that he take it back. Still at school, Suzy Nakamura tries to get Jin to make a statement about the video, but he nervously turns her down, and gets Wei-Chen instead. Later, Wei-Chen realizes that Zhu Bajie is in the school keeping an eye on him. Wei-Chen eventually finds Jin and ask that he take the Kugo Ren action figure back, but he refuses, admitting that he is angry for being called out publicly. Wei-Chen attempts to help, but accidentally knocks over the equipment, destroying much of the equipment room. Unbeknownst to Jin, Wei-Chen manages to sneak the Kugo Ren action figure in the other boy's backpack again and goes to return it to him. Wei-Chen confronts Zhu Bajie who is searching for the Jingu Bang, as well as feasting on the snacks he finds, and the two of them battle in the kitchen in the school. Jin hears the commotion and enters, only for Wei-Chen to accidentally send Bajie straight into Jin and knocking him out. Wei-Chen then convinces Bajie to go back home as he checks on a dazed Jin.
In Rockstar Status, Wei-Chen finally reveals that he is the son of the Monkey King and that he came to Earth after having a dream about a crane, the school's mascot. At Guanyin's apartment, Wei-Chen awaits for Jin to arrive, believing that he will indeed show up. When he fails to come around five, Guanyin suggests that he openly pursue a real friendship with Jin and tells him to go out and look for him, to which he complies. Jin goes to the church to get toilet paper and runs into Wei-Chen who agrees to help him on the condition that he eventually come meet Guanyin. Wei-Chen uses the Jingu Bang to help wrap the statue in toilet paper and Jin ends up having fun with him. Afterwards, Jin gets a message confirming that he has won the golden cleats. Wei-Chen tells Jin to go and meet with his friends about it and that he can meet Guanyin later. As soon as Jin leaves however, Niu Mowang appears and steals the Jingu Bang. When Wei-Chen returns to the apartment, it is to find his father, Bajie and Sha Wujing are waiting to take him home.
In Make a Splash, Sun Wukong has taken Wei-Chen back to Heaven and grounds him for 200 years while scolding him for chasing a dream. Wei-Chen tells him that he does not want to be anything like him. Sun Wukong takes back what he said to Wei-Chen and tells him that he can return to Earth so as to prove himself and Wei-Chen happily goes back. Wei-Chen goes to meet up with Jin, believing that it has only been a day, but Jin tells him that he has been gone for a month, confusing him.
In Abracadabra, Wei-Chen informs Jin what happened with him and why he was gone for a month was because time moves differently in Heaven. Jin accepts this explanation before Wei-Chen meets Christine who immediately takes a liking to him. Wei-Chen is invited to Jin's room, and when the two boys are alone, he explains that his father told him of an expert who may be able to help. While Jin does not know why it is necessary for him to be there, he agrees to come along. Although Wei-Chen gets distracted by a simple magic kit and is impressed with a switch out hanky trick, which Jin promises to teach him at some point. Wei-Chen takes Jin to a strip mall restaurant called the Golden Temple where they come across a drunk busboy who tells them to leave. While Wei-Chen decides to stay to look around, Jin opts to leave to study for biology. Wei-Chen explores the basement of the Golden Temple and encounters the busboy who is revealed to be Ji Gong, the person he was looking for. The two have a brief fight before Wei-Chen convinces him to help him with information. Wei-Chen believes that the fourth scroll is the jade necklace that Christine owns. Before he leaves, Wei-Chen tells Gong that he is Sun Wukong's son, confusing him. Later, Wei-Chen calls jin, who is still studying with Amelia Taylor. But before he can tell Jin, he is at his house, Jin slights him and hangs up. Wei-Chen continues to spend time with the Wangs and Christine's friends, before they are unexpectedly visited by Gong who claims to be Wei-Chen's uncle.
When Jin eventually arrives at the restaurant, Wei-Chen reveals what he has learned and that he is certain that the jade pendant is the fourth scroll, but Jin does not think so. Wei-Chen suddenly realizes that Gong had stolen the jade pendant and Wei-Chen follows him. Gong tells Wei-Chen that his father stole his potential job as the next Great Sage and that he wants the pendant so that he can barter his way back to Heaven, after having been banished. Wei-Chen chases him outside and the two of them fight. Wei-Chen uses the magic trick to get the pendant back while Gong ends up with a Lego flashlight. He is shortly approached by Mowang. Wei-Chen returns with the pendant to Jin, who thinks that he stole it. Wei-Chen corrects him, but tells him that he needs to keep it to save Heaven. The two boys argue, with Wei-Chen eventually calling him out his hypocrisy as he has done everything to get away from him and does not even want to be his friend anymore. As Jin attempts to take the pendant back, Wei-Chen accidentally hurts him and Jin angrily sends him away.
In Hot Stuff, Wei-Chen feels guilty for his argument with Jin and for taking the jade pendant. At Jin's birthday party, Wei-Chen arrives. Amelia reveals that she invited him and Jin gets a gift from him: Christine's new green powder that was blessed by Guanyin. While the party is still running smoothly, Jin confronts Wei-Chen and he admits that he wanted to apologize and go back to being friends. When Niu Mowang arrives, he offers Wei-Chen to join him, but Sun Wukong appears shortly thereafter. A fight between the two breaks out and Gong chases Jin and Wei-Chen, only to get knocked out by Sha Wujing who goes to aid Wukong. Jin and Wei-Chen try to usher the party to end soon. When Wei-Chen arrives, Mowang takes Wukong away.
In Beyond Repair, Jin and Wei-Chen regroup outside the bowling alley and head off to go see Guanyin. They are disappointed to learn that the jade pendant is not the fourth scroll and they cannot even use it to barter as Pixiu ate it. Wei-Chen then tells Jin that he is no longer needed as a guide, making him feel sad. Despite this, Wei-Chen decides to go rescue his father. Later, Wei-Chen arrives to rescue his dad, but Mowang figures out that not only does he not have the pendant, but that he also still does not know if the fourth scroll is even real. He proceeds to beat up Wei-Chen, but Gong protects him. Mowang angrily destroys the paintings as Wukong and Gong force Wei-Chen to leave. Gong gives Wei-Chen some beads before fleeing as Mowang uses the Jingu Bang to finish off Wukong, forcing Wei-Chen to run.
In The Fourth Scroll, Jin and Anuj return to the apartment where they find Wei-Chen, in his real monkey appearance, and tell him that they need to stop Mowang. When Wei-Chen becomes descriptive about what has happened, Anuj realizes that Mowang's plan sounds similar to the manga that he reads, pointing out that Wukong's story has been adapted numerous times. They begin to search through their manga and come to the conclusion that Mowang will draw energy from the Earth and that he is most likely going to be at the game that night in disguise. The boys eventually arrive to search for Mowang at their school. Not long after, Wei-Chen jumps in and fight Mowang when his disguise is blown. The Jingu Bang then gets imbedded into the ground, giving off an otherworldly glow, though the audience thinks it is part of the show. Wei-Chen and Mowang have an aerial battle and after Mowang is defeated, Wei-Chen, Wukong and Mowang disappear. After Jin gets dropped off at home by Anuj, he is visited by Wei-Chen who tells him that he is just as confused as him about how he managed to stop the destruction. Wei-Chen hopes to see Jin again as he flies away in the form of an eagle.
Trivia[]
- In the original graphic novel, Wei-Chen's relation to Sun Wukong is not made apparent until the last chapter of the book. He was a bespectacled young boy who was slightly socially awkward and did not display any martial arts or magic powers, though it is heavily implied that he does possess some powers.
- He also entered a relationship with Suzy Nakamura.
Gallery[]
Quotes[]
- "All I have to do is take a leap of faith."
Appearances: 8/8[]
- What Guy Are You
- A Monkey on a Quest
- Rockstar Status
- Make a Splash
- Abracadabra
- Hot Stuff
- Beyond Repair
- The Fourth Scroll
References[]
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