The epic journey through Black Myth: Wukong has captivated players since its release, but perhaps nothing has sparked more discussion than its dual endings. As 2025 approaches, players continue to unravel the mysteries behind The Destined One's fate and the true meaning behind Black Myth: Wukong's ending scenarios.
What makes this game's conclusion so compelling isn't just the spectacular final battle, but the philosophical depth woven into its narrative choices. Have you ever wondered why a game would offer two distinctly different conclusions to the same journey? The answer lies in the game's intricate storytelling and hidden pathways.
The Default Ending: A Cycle Unbroken
The standard ending of Black Myth: Wukong - often referred to as the "bad" ending - presents a cyclical fate that mirrors the legend itself. After defeating The Great Sage's Broken Shell in Chapter 6, players witness The Destined One absorb Wukong's six senses, seemingly fulfilling the prophecy.
However, this victory proves hollow. When The Old Monkey places the golden crown on The Destined One's head, our protagonist becomes trapped in the same rock that once imprisoned Wukong. This ending suggests an inescapable cycle - that perhaps The Destined One was never meant to surpass Wukong but merely replace him.
As one player commented on gaming forums: "My first playthrough ended with this conclusion, and I felt both satisfied yet somehow unfulfilled - as if something crucial was missing from the narrative." This intentional design choice leaves players questioning their journey and motivates exploration for the true ending.
The Secret Ending: Breaking the Cycle
The true ending of Black Myth: Wukong requires additional effort - specifically completing the Mount Mei area in The Great Pagoda during Chapter 3. This hidden path leads to confrontations with Erlang, The Sacred Divinity, The Four Heavenly Kings, and ultimately Erlang Shen himself.
What's fascinating about this alternative conclusion is how subtly it diverges from the default ending. The initial scenes remain identical - The Destined One still absorbs Wukong's six senses after defeating The Great Sage's Broken Shell. The critical difference emerges when The Old Monkey places the golden crown on The Destined One's head.
Instead of imprisonment, we witness The Destined One opening his eyes, followed by illustrations depicting Wukong's journey coming full circle. This ending suggests The Destined One was truly worthy, breaking the cycle of imprisonment and beginning anew.
Obtaining Both Endings: No NG+ Required
A common misconception among players is that experiencing both endings requires multiple playthroughs or New Game Plus. However, as confirmed by numerous players in 2025, this isn't necessary.
"You can get both endings if you defeat Great Sage's Broken Shell and do not enter NG+," explains one veteran player. "Load your game save file from the start menu, enter your first playthrough, and backtrack to kill Erlang and Broken Sage again to unlock both good and bad endings."
This design choice demonstrates the developers' understanding that narrative completion matters to players. Rather than forcing multiple 30+ hour playthroughs, the game allows dedicated explorers to experience the full story within a single journey.
The Sixth Relic: Key to the True Ending
Central to unlocking the true ending is obtaining the sixth relic. While five relics can be found through normal progression, the sixth requires defeating Erlang - a notoriously challenging boss that has humbled many players.
Interestingly, some players have discovered that defeating Erlang in NG+ will unlock the sixth relic earlier in the playthrough. As one player noted: "I just beat Erlang before even starting Chapter 6 again, and once I beat him in NG+, the sixth relic unlocked before I've even got to the Great Sage battle."
This flexibility allows players who struggled with Erlang in their first playthrough to still experience the complete narrative arc in subsequent playthroughs.
Beyond the Endings: NG+ Rewards
For those venturing into New Game Plus territory, Black Myth: Wukong offers substantial rewards beyond just replaying the story. These include:
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Increasing curio slots to a maximum of five
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Unlocking all three passives for each of the six relics
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Obtaining the complete Bull's King armor set
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Experiencing escalating difficulty with each NG+ cycle
The first few NG+ cycles are notably easier than the initial playthrough, allowing players to enjoy a sense of power progression before the challenge ramps up significantly in later cycles.
The Philosophical Meaning Behind Black Myth: Wukong's Ending Choices
What elevates Black Myth: Wukong's ending beyond typical game conclusions is its philosophical underpinning. The dual endings reflect Eastern philosophical concepts of destiny, worthiness, and cyclical existence.
The default ending suggests that destiny is inescapable - that The Destined One was always meant to replace Wukong rather than surpass him. The true ending, however, introduces the concept that through sufficient effort and worthiness (represented by the additional challenges), one can break free from predetermined fate.
Isn't this reflective of how we view our own lives? Are we bound by cycles and patterns, or can we, through extraordinary effort and growth, transcend what seems inevitable?
Black Myth: Wukong's ending isn't just a narrative conclusion - it's a philosophical statement on destiny itself, cementing the game's place as not just an action RPG but a meaningful exploration of Eastern mythology and philosophy.
Data cited from HowLongToBeat reveals that Black Myth: Wukong's dual endings have contributed to its replay value, with players reporting varied completion times depending on their pursuit of the secret ending and NG+ rewards. The site’s user-driven statistics highlight how the challenge of unlocking the sixth relic and facing bosses like Erlang Shen can extend the average playthrough, encouraging deeper exploration and mastery of the game’s philosophical narrative.