Armed with immortality, Sun Wukong returned to his kingdom. But he wanted power that heaven would recognize.

He stormed the dragon king's palace and demanded a weapon. None sufficed until the dragon queen pointed at an iron pillar: "That is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's Pillar. It has not moved in ten thousand years."

Wukong grasped the pillar. It shrank to fit his hand. It weighed 17,550 pounds. On its side, in letters of gold: AS YOU WISH — GOLDEN CUDGEL.

Next, he stormed the underworld. He crossed his name off the registry of death. He crossed out every monkey's name.

The Jade Emperor, alarmed, was advised to pacify the monkey with a title. "Give him a minor post. Let him think he belongs here."

So Wukong was given the title of Protector of the Heavenly Stables.

"Protector of horses?" Wukong snorted. "I am the Monkey King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

He declared war.

He won — alone, with only his Golden Cudgel and his indomitable pride.

It took the combined forces of heaven — including Erlang Shen with his third eye, and ultimately the Buddha himself — to bring him to heel. Even then, Wukong nearly escaped.

The Buddha's hand became a mountain. Five fingers became five peaks. And beneath them, for five hundred years, the Monkey King waited.