Who wins, Goku or Wukong?

The question of whether Goku or Sun Wukong would win in a battle is a fascinating one, especially since Goku from Dragon Ball is heavily inspired by Sun Wukong, the legendary Monkey King from Journey to the West. To understand who would come out on top, let’s explore the abilities and characteristics of both:

Sun Wukong (The Monkey King)

Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, is one of the most powerful and versatile characters in Chinese mythology, particularly in the classic novel Journey to the West. Some of his notable abilities and feats include:

1. 72 Transformations: Sun Wukong has the ability to transform into 72 different forms, which allows him to change his appearance, size, and even mimic other beings or objects.

2. Immortality: Wukong has several methods of immortality, including eating the peaches of immortality, drinking the elixir of life, and other magical methods that make him impervious to death.

3. Magic Staff (Ruyi Jingu Bang): Wukong’s weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, is a magical staff that can change size and weight according to his command. It is immensely powerful and can grow to enormous sizes, as well as shrink down to a small size to fit into his ear.

4. Incredible Strength and Speed: Wukong possesses immense physical strength, speed, and agility. He was able to fight against the gods of heaven and even challenge the Buddha himself.

5. Heavenly Abilities: Wukong has supernatural abilities such as cloud-summoning (he can fly on a cloud), and great martial arts prowess that rivals many of the gods and deities.

Goku (from Dragon Ball)

Goku, the main character of the Dragon Ball series, has gone through incredible transformations and power-ups that make him one of the most formidable characters in anime history. Here are his abilities:

1. Super Saiyan Transformations: Over the years, Goku has mastered various levels of the Super Saiyan transformations, each one exponentially increasing his power. His Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct forms are especially powerful, allowing him to reach near godlike levels of strength, speed, and durability.

2. Ki Manipulation: Goku can manipulate his ki (life force energy) to perform powerful attacks like the Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, and many others. He can also use ki for flight and energy-based defense.

3. Combat Skills and Strategy: Goku is a master martial artist and fighter. His fighting style is versatile and adaptive, allowing him to continuously improve even in the midst of battle.

4. Instant Transmission: Goku has the ability to teleport instantly to any location by using his ki, which gives him a major advantage in terms of mobility and surprise attacks.

5. Durability and Regeneration: Goku can recover from devastating injuries and has an almost limitless well of energy. His fights with powerful foes such as Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu showcase his incredible resilience.

6. Ultra Instinct: This is one of Goku's most powerful forms, where he is able to instinctively dodge attacks and move faster than his conscious mind can process. It gives him godlike reflexes and the ability to anticipate his opponent's moves.

Battle Comparison:

1. Strength and Power:
   • While Wukong is incredibly strong, especially in his mythological context, Goku’s Super Saiyan transformations, particularly Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct, have made him capable of defeating opponents that are literally gods. His physical abilities would likely surpass Wukong's in raw power.
2. Abilities and Skills:
   • Wukong’s 72 Transformations and his magical abilities give him a significant edge in versatility. However, Goku’s Instant Transmission and ki manipulation provide him with incredible mobility and devastating ranged attacks, allowing him to adapt to Wukong’s transformations and keep the battle in his favor.
3. Durability:
   • Wukong’s immortality makes him almost impossible to defeat, as he can regenerate and recover from nearly any attack. However, Goku’s Ultra Instinct form, coupled with his durability and ability to get stronger after every fight, would put him in a good position to outlast Wukong in a prolonged battle.
4. Intelligence and Combat Strategy:
   • Goku is an exceptional fighter, always learning and improving his skills mid-battle. Wukong is also a clever and resourceful fighter, having outwitted even the gods of heaven, but Goku’s sheer adaptability and strategic mind would give him an advantage in terms of combat.

Who Wins?

Given Goku’s immense power levels, Ultra Instinct, and his ability to manipulate ki, he would likely outmatch Wukong in a battle. However, Wukong's immortality and his magical powers would make it an extremely difficult fight. Wukong might not die, but Goku’s overwhelming power and speed would eventually allow him to either defeat Wukong or incapacitate him for long enough to end the fight.

In the end, the battle would be close, but Goku’s ability to transcend limits and his higher combat power would likely give him the edge in a fight, especially considering his ability to adapt and improve during battle.

That said, in the Dragon Ball universe, Goku’s enemies are often able to return after defeat, and Wukong, being as immortal as he is, might simply return to continue the battle after a temporary loss!

Conclusion: While both characters are incredibly powerful in their own right, Goku’s superior power scaling in the Dragon Ball series would likely give him the win, though Wukong’s immortality and trickery would make it an epic, never-ending battle.