American Born Chinese is a coming-of-age fantasy series that follows Jin Wang, a high schooler who is learning more about who he is when he gets involved in an uprising in heaven. The series is streaming on Disney+.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Jin Wang is getting ready for tenth grade but he isn’t as excited about it as his mother, Christine, hopes he would be. He took up soccer in the summer but that has caused some tension between him and his best friend, Anuj.
In Heaven, Wei-Chen steals the magical staff from his father, Sun Wukong, The Monkey King. He disappears with the staff leaving heaven and the Jade Emperor vulnerable to the uprising of the Bull Demon, Niu Mowang.
Jin is trying to go through school like a normal kid but his life gets complicated when he is paired with Wei-Chen, who is in the guise of a new student. Wei-Chan makes things awkward between Jin and his friends, and a girl named Amelia who Jin has a crush on.
Wei-Chen is tracked down by his father who wants his son to come back to heaven with the staff. He is stopped by Guanyin, the Goddess of Compassion. Wei-Chen insists that he saw a dream that Jin would guide him to the fourth scroll of power.
His father and Guanyin tell Wei-Chen to keep the staff safe because dangerous people will come after him. Wei-Chen tries to get Jin to help him find the scroll but Jin is more focused on getting onto the soccer team and spending time with Amelia.
Meanwhile, there is trouble at home as Christine keeps pushing her husband, Simon, to talk to his boss about a promotion but Simon prefers to keep his head low and not make waves.
They are constantly butting heads with each other and arguing which hurts Jin.
Sun Wukong’s history with Niu Mowang is explored, as Niu originally wanted to become the Great Sage in heaven but Wukong ended up getting the opportunity instead.
Niu gets the staff from Wei Chen but Wei Chen learns from the banished Mad Monk Ji Gong that the fourth scroll could be anything or anyone and is tied to Jin’s parents.
He tries to get his hands on Christine and Simon’s jade pendants that signify two warring factions exactly like the prophecy but Jin is more worried about his parents’ relationship and argues with Wei-Chen for not caring.
Niu Mowang captures Sun Wukong and offers to exchange his life for the pendant but Guanyin confirms that the pendant isn’t the fourth scroll and Wei-Chen fails to save his father.
American Born Chinese ending explained in detail:
Who is Freddy Wong?
Freddy Wong is a comedy character in a 90s sitcom called Beyond Repairs which is gaining popularity on streaming platforms. Freddy would often do a lot of physical comedy which became a popular meme, even featuring a clip of Jin.
The actor who plays Freddy, Jaime Yao, becomes a regular landlord who teaches people theater over the weekends. He returns for the reunion special and talks about how because of the show, he was pushed into a box and offered only specific roles.
He makes a speech on television about how he hopes to be a hero one day and what it actually means to be a hero. Jin sees this video and is inspired by Jaime’s words.
What is Jin’s dream about?
Jin has a dream where Guanyin warns him about the impending doom that the Bull Demon plans to bring on the day of the Autumn Equinox when the gate between heaven and earth is open.
After waking up, he notices that several things he saw in his dream are coming true so he goes to Anuj to tell him about it. He convinces Anuj that a lot of the manga they read is real and they meet with Wei-Chen to figure out Niu Mowang’s plan.
They go over several mangas and figure out that Niu plans to plant the staff into the earth and use the power of the core to destroy heaven.
What happens between Jin and Amelia?
At the beginning of the year, Jin asks Amelia if she would like to hang out but she says they can do it as friends. Over the next few months, they spend a lot of time with each other and she grows more comfortable around him.
When she found out it was his birthday, she invites a bunch of people and has a party for him at a bowling alley which is very grateful for. When Jin is going through his issues with Wei-Chen and his parents, he becomes distant.
She worries that it’s her fault and wonders what she can do to fix it and tells him this. He tells her that it isn’t her fault and that he’s just got a lot going on.
She tells him that she’d like to be more than friends and they share a kiss.
Does the fourth scroll exist?
Wei-Chen, Jin, and Anuj try to draw Niu out into the open by putting on a performance where Jin plays Niu and makes fun of himself. Niu is angered by this and reveals himself.
He and Wei-Chen begin fighting on the field as the crowd assumes its a part of the performance. Niu is too powerful for Wei-Chen and places the staff int he ground but before it can release its power, Jin jumps in the way and stops it.
Sun Wukomng shows up and congratulates Wei-Chen on fulfilling his dream and finding the fourth scroll while looking at Jin. They disappear as the crowd celebrates.
Wei-Chen appears later on in front of Jin’s house to say goodbye and thank him for stopping the uprising and protecting the Jade Emperor’s reign.
What happens to Jin’s parents?
Jin’s parents are constantly arguing because Simon has trouble standing up for himself. When Christine uses up half of their savings to invest in some Chinese herbal powder, Simon tells her that it’s a fool’s investment.
When she tells Jin that she might be staying at her sister’s place for a few days, he acts out and is sent to the principal’s office where his parents are called in.
They realize that their son is struggling because of their issues and patch up eventually.
When Jin returns home after beating Niu Mowang, he finds that his parents aren’t at home and is greeted by a strange woman. She tells him that she’s fascinated by who he is and if he wants to see his parents ever again, he must go with her.
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