|
| “ | Sun Li: You have made me proud. Everything has gone as it should. The last Spirit Monk: Thank you, Master. I have learned much./You and the others were incapacitated. I did what I could. Sun Li: I can see that, my student. Your abilities have grown immensely. But it also does my heart good to see that you have remembered the basics of what I taught. Even the flaws! |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li "congratulating" the last Spirit Monk for killing Emperor Sun Hai before revealing his true colors by murdering his protégé in cold blood. |
Sun Li, also known as Master Li and Sun Li the Glorious Strategist, is the overarching antagonist of the video game Jade Empire.
He was voiced by the late Barry Dennen, who also voiced the Vizier in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Biography[]
Early Life and the Long Drought[]
Sun Li was born as the second oldest son of the Jade Empire's previous ruler and became the leader of the Imperial Army, while the eldest son Sun Hai became the Emperor. With his high intellect and strategic skills, Li earned the title of the Glorious Strategist. However, he wasn't for long satisfied with having to serve under his brother Hai. Li also had a wife who birthed for him a daughter who'd go by the name of Dawn Star.
Thirty years before the start of the game, the Empire was struck by what was afterwards known as the Long Drought. During the following ten years, scorching heat and limited rainfall killed crops, costing thousands of lives. Even opening the royal granaries didn't help. Emperor Sun Hai wouldn't accept that his Empire would end in the face of the natural order, so he demanded Sun Li to find a way to prevent this.
Li found an answer from the Temple of Dirge in the western mountainous Land of the Howling Spirits. It was the home of the Spirit Monks, servants and protectors of the Water Dragon, the goddess who oversaw the distribution of water in the mortal realm and guidance of the spirits of the dead to afterlife and rebirth. Li discovered a way to challenge the station of the goddess and steal her divine powers, and as such, he led the siege of Dirge on Emperor Sun Hai's orders. However, Li had no intention of letting his older brother to become a god. Allying with their younger brother Sun Kin the Hand of Heaven, leader of the monastic Order of the Lotus, Li bid his time to betray Hai and seize for himself both the throne and the Water Dragon's power.
The siege of Dirge and failed coup d'état[]
Well before the Imperial Army assaulted Dirge, Sun Li approached several more temptable Spirit Monks such as Xian Wu and convinced them to betray their brethren with promises of wealth and power. He had them taint Dirge's holy waters with human blood in order to weaken the temple's protective charms and the Water Dragon. Thousands of Spirit Monks were slaughtered by the Imperial Army's superior numbers. Sun Li and Sun Kin were clearing the temple's stairs of enemies for the Emperor to ascend when they were challenged by Abbot Song, the Spirit Monks' leader. As the abbot faced Sun Kin, Li cut him down from behind.
The Sun brothers entered the temple unopposed, with Sun Li catching glimpses of a hiding Spirit Monk who had a baby with him. As Sun Hai gave the killing blow to the Water Dragon through the portal to the spirit world and claimed her heart, Li and Kin tried to kill him. Much to their shock, however, Hai didn't die thanks to the Water Dragon's power. He then struck his brothers with magical energy beams, sending Sun Li flying across the chamber and close to the monk and the baby's escape route. With his coup a failure, Sun Li escaped, abandoning Sun Kin to Hai's retribution.
Following the trail of the escaped monk and the baby, Sun Li made it into the snowing mountains of Dirge. Catching the monk and the baby, he killed the monk and claimed the baby along with the core piece of the Dragon Amulet, a focus tool of the Spirit Monks which makes the draining of the Water Dragon's power easier and faster. Realizing that only a Spirit Monk equipped with the amulet could defeat the empowered Sun Hai, Li decided to train the baby as his pawn. He then escaped with the baby and the amulet, leaving behind his fearsome armor. Upon finding it, Sun Hai bound Sun Kin's spirit to it in order to create Death's Hand as mockery of Li.
A humble teacher[]
Sun Li went to hide in the Empire's borders, becoming the new teacher of the martial arts school of the remote village of Two Rivers. Adopting the identity of Master Li, he went on to raise the last Spirit Monk as his protégé for twenty years. Generally respected by both the students and the townsfolk, he carefully kept low profile so that the Emperor's Lotus Assassins (the former Lotus Monks) wouldn't find him and his protégé too soon. The Assassins believed that he would be preparing an army instead of hiding in a humble village. Meanwhile, Sun Li the Glorious Strategist was believed by the masses to have died as a sacrifice to the ending of the Long Drought or as a traitor.
Before announcing his protégé's training complete, Master Li made precautions to carry out his master plan. For one thing, he bid a loyal soldier named Hui the Brave to wait until his protégé would come to the trading village of Tien's Landing and deliver them the second piece of the Dragon Amulet and teach them the Spirit Thief style. He also integrated into his student's fighting style subtle flaws that others could notice but only he could exploit.
Within weeks of Dirge's siege, Emperor Sun Hai ordered his Lotus Assassins to kill Li's wife and infant daughter Dawn Star. Dawn Star's death was prevented by one of the Assassins, Sagacious Zu, who then went into hiding with Dawn Star. He eventually gave her up to Hui the Brave to pass her to a good home. Hui delivered Dawn Star to Two Rivers and Master Li. Dawn Star then spent the next seventeen years as Master Li's second best pupil. Ironically, neither of them realized their kinship during all these years.
The first moves[]
On the day Master Li tells his protégé that their lessons are complete and they are ready for the destiny he has been grooming them for, Two Rivers is attacked by bandits led by a Lotus Assassin. The attackers are fought back, with Master Li personally destroying their ship and killing the Assassin. Afterwards Gao the Lesser, one of Master Li's other students, challenges the last Spirit Monk for a duel and loses, earning for himself expulsion for attacking with a forbidden move after the duel.
Master Li then tells his protégé his real identity and his own warped version of what happened years ago at Dirge, claiming himself to have had a change of heart yet unable to prevent the Spirit Monk genocide. While doing this, he intentionally allows Gao to overhear his real name. He then sends his protégé to retrieve the Dragon Amulet's core from the Spirit Cave and meditate there at their own pace. When they are brought back by the Water Dragon's spirit earlier than Master Li anticipated, he sends them to rescue Dawn Star who's been kidnapped by Gao the Lesser and taken to the marshes surrounding Two Rivers.
While the last Spirit Monk is rescuing Dawn Star, Two Rivers is attacked by Death's Hand and the Lotus Assassins. As Master Li had planned, Gao the Lesser has told his true identity to his father, a crime lord named Gao the Greater who's allied with the Lotus Assassins. Master Li surrenders without a fight and is taken away. Two Rivers is destroyed and most of its inhabitants are killed, leading the last Spirit Monk to set out after Master Li's captors with Dawn Star and Sagacious Zu.
Facades shed[]
Master Li is taken to the Imperial Palace by Death's Hand and later questioned by his brother Emperor Sun Hai about the Dragon Amulet's location. When the last Spirit Monk and their followers confront the Emperor in the throne room, Master Li remains silent until he and everyone else — excluding his student — are knocked out by Sun Hai's shock wave. When the Emperor is killed, Master Li recovers, walks up to the throne, claims the Water Dragon's heart and expresses pride in his student. While praising them, he suddenly throws the heart into air and uses the flaws he instilled to kill his student with carefully placed strikes.
Taking back his real name, Sun Li the Glorious Strategist proclaims himself as the new ruler of the Jade Empire. He takes for himself the now fully restored Dragon Amulet, using it to draw power from the Water Dragon's corpse much quicker than Sun Hai ever could and becomes more powerful as the result. With the last Spirit Monk dead and their followers forced on the run, nothing seemed to be able to stop Emperor Sun Li.
However, what Sun Li couldn't foresee was that by the time Sun Hai died, the Water Dragon's spirit regained momentarily some of her power and used it to send the spirit of the last Spirit Monk to Dirge, tell them the true backstory behind everything and task them with restoring Dirge so that they could be resurrected and defeat Sun Li. Able to sense his former student's return, Sun Li goes to the ruins of the Lotus Assassins' headquarters and binds Death's Hand to himself. He then sends him to Dirge along with the Lotus Assassins and the Imperial Army with the orders to crush the last Spirit Monk and their followers once and for all.
Before the day of the attack, the last Spirit Monk finds themselves back in their burning school in Two Rivers. Sun Li appears and directs three of his former pupils — Jing Woo, Lin, and Wen — to attack the last Spirit Monk in anger. After they're defeated, Li departs with taunting words.
When the last Spirit Monk has defeated Death's Hand in Dirge's temple, Sun Li appears as a magical projection and talks about his motives and lost family. If the last Spirit Monk has learned that Dawn Star is Li's supposedly dead daughter, they will reveal this to him at this point. At first he's disbelieving, but the confidence of his former student convinces him it's the truth.
However, he decides that won't change anything at all and orders his bound brother to continue fighting. In the battle of wills that follows, Li loses his control over Death's Hand who either dies or is bound as a follower of the last Spirit Monk. Alternatively, if the player has enough intuition points, Li can be convinced that further battle is useless and relinquish Death's Hand to the influence of his former apprentice. Diminished, Li departs to wait for the inevitable final confrontation.
The final showdown[]
Almost immediately after their victory in Dirge, the last Spirit Monk and their followers return to the Imperial Palace. Before Emperor Sun Li realizes their presence, they're guided by the Water Dragon's spirit to the burial chamber of the previous Emperors where her mutilated body is providing the Empire with water and Sun Li with power. Either by destroying the machine preventing the body from dying (Open Palm) or tainting the waters flowing out of it with human blood (Closed Fist), the last Spirit Monk prevents their former mentor from drawing any more power and becoming too powerful to defeat. In the throne room, Emperor Sun Li's power-consuming meditation is interrupted because of this. Realizing what has happened, he reacts with a loud scream of rage.
When the last Spirit Monk arrives to the throne room, Emperor Sun Li steps forward to meet them. After taking a moment to gloat about his former exploits and ambitions for the Jade Empire, he summons four moving demon statues to kill his former student. After they're destroyed, he conjures a stone shell around the Spirit Monk's body, encasing them in doubt and trapping them in their mind. Aided by the minds of their similarly trapped followers and the spirit of Sagacious Zu, the Spirit Monk manages to free themselves.
Amazed by his former student's ability to fight off anything he can throw at them with the Water Dragon's power, Sun Li decides to engage in the final duel with them, though not before making an offer: should the last Spirit Monk willingly allow themselves to be killed and let Sun Li to keep the Empire prosperous, they'd be forever praised as a martyr who contributed to the glory of the Empire. If accepted, a golden statue is made of the last Spirit Monk, and all the citizens are taught to worship both them and Emperor Sun Li, with anyone who makes too many questions getting killed. If refused, the duel between master and student ensues and ends with Sun Li's death.
Personality[]
When first introduced as Master Li, Sun Li is presented as a strict and mysterious yet soft-spoken and kindly teacher who takes pride in his students' practice efforts. He's shown to be highly proud of his protégé, the last Spirit Monk, and having high hopes for the destiny he has prepared them for. Gao the Lesser accuses Li of favoring his protégé over the other students due to this attention. Rarely losing his temper, Master Li acts civil around Gao despite the arrogance and lack of respect from the son of Gao the Greater. However, when Gao breaks rules and impetuously uses a forbidden attack form, Li quickly puts him in his place with sharp words. He's in general respected not only by his school but the rest of Two Rivers' inhabitants to the point that he's regarded as the village's highest authority figure.
In reality, the identity of Master Li is a mask that hides the cold, ruthless, manipulative, and ambitious personality of Sun Li the Glorious Strategist. Despite his high station as the Imperial Army's leader in his early life, Li has never been satisfied with having to serve under his brother Emperor Sun Hai, whom he views to be unrestrained, chaotic and less competent than him, and as such, less deserving of taking a god's place. He claims that he's acting for the Jade Empire's benefit by intending to keep it prospering with the waters flowing eternally from the Water Dragon's mutilated corpse, force the dead to their rest and indoctrinate the citizens to be utterly obedient.
While claiming himself to be better than Sun Hai, his eventual admission of slaughtering thousands of Spirit Monks just for the chance to be a god shows him to have become just as mad with views of godhood as his elder brother was. This shows with his high confidence, gloating and the sadistic pleasure he displays while confronting the last Spirit Monk with his stolen powers.
Knowing the value of patience as the Glorious Strategist, Sun Li uses twenty years to train the last Spirit Monk as his pawn, and once they've served their purpose, he lures them into a false sense of security before killing them without hesitation. He's also ready to sacrifice all his students and the village of Two Rivers in the name of his ambitions. As his loyal subordinate Hui the Brave states, Sun Li can focus so much on the future that he forgets people until he has need of them again.
This lack of empathy in treating people as his pawns extends to Li's own family members. He binds the tortured soul of his younger brother Sun Kin, considering him to be too valuable as Death's Hand to be allowed to rest. He also admits that he never really cared about the murder of his family, having felt firstly anger at Sun Hai for destroying Li's "possessions" in such a petty manner. If he learns that Dawn Star is his daughter, his opinion of her doesn't change at all, for he considers heirs to be obsolete to a god.
While the warmth of Master Li is a lie conducted by Sun Li, he retains his overall composure mannerism after he reveals his true nature. After his former student manages to foil his every attempt to vanquish them with the Water Dragon's power, he voices impressed amazement before trying to manipulate them into sacrificing themselves. If they agree, Sun Li keeps his promise of integrating them as a martyr in his utopia, even though he laughs maliciously as he observes the fanaticism he has instilled. If he's killed, he takes his defeat with surprising graciousness, using his last words to indirectly congratulate his former student.
Powers and Abilities[]
The most important ability of Sun Li is his high intelligence. He is skilled in laying out strategies to the point that he has earned the title of the Glorious Strategist. One example of this is his successful master plan to seize the throne and the Water Dragon's power, which took twenty years and taking into account numerous factors to carry out. Another proof of his intellect is the fact that he subtly added to his protégé's fighting style flaws that no one else but he knows how to exploit, allowing the last Spirit Monk to use them as a trap against everyone else. Sun Li is also a skilled actor and a charismatic leader, spending two decades as the kindly Master Li and the unofficial leader of Two Rivers.
Li is a skilled martial artist who knows many styles. As the head of the Imperial Army, he fought with a serrated sword, and as Emperor Sun Li, he uses two swords. He's the only character in addition to his student who's capable of increasing his speed by entering the Focus mode. As Master Li, he's capable of jumping high and destroying a big boat with one chi strike. He also kills a Lotus Assassin almost effortlessly with four precise strikes. During the final duel, he utilizes the Leaping Tiger martial style, the Paralyzing Palm support style and the Spirit Thief style.
After taking the Water Dragon's heart, Sun Li gains magical powers from her body. By using the Dragon Amulet as a focus, he quickly becomes more powerful than Sun Hai ever did. His magical abilities include binding spirits, influencing another person's dreams, appearing as a projection over distances, creating demons made of stone and trapping opponents in their minds. The magic style he uses is a combination of Dire Flame, Ice Shard and Tempest styles.
Quotes[]
Chapter 1[]
| “ | Sun Li: Your lessons are complete. Remember these basic skills and keep them at heart, but also remember that classes are not a true measure of ability. Always be ready to learn. I recall that, as a child, you fell and bruised your arm. I comforted you, saying that small pains are part of learning. But not every setback imparts wisdom. You must be careful. Sometimes all you learn in defeat, is that you have been defeated. This world is out of balance. Spirits grow restless, and you have a role to play that I have kept secret. The last Spirit Monk: I'm sure it was for a good reason, Master./Why would you do that? Sun Li: Those who announce their important destiny before they are ready tend to meet unfortunate ends. The wise only seek attention when capable of dealing with it. The people are scared… I do not have all the answers, but I know you will become very important to the fates of many. You will be called to face a great evil. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li conversing with the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | Lotus Assassin: You! Sun Li: Well fought, my student, but I cannot risk you against a foe like this yet. Lotus Assassin: So blatant… we never thought to look in so humble a place. We expected an army. Your strategy, as always, is impeccable. Sun Li: Your search is over, Assassin, but no one will hear of your success. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li confronting the first Lotus Assassin attacking Two Rivers before killing him. |
| “ | Sun Li: It is done! The challenge has concluded and the winner is clear. Gao the Lesser: No! I am not finished! (*shoots at the last Spirit Monk a fireball which Sun Li blocks*) Sun Li: Gao! I have made enough concessions to you today! I thought I could guide you away from your corrupted path, but you are too much the son of Gao the Greater! You are no longer welcome among my students, and your father's house shall have no more business here, despite his influence. Gao the Lesser: I was not beaten! Not by this peasant! Sun Li: You were defeated by your own foolish ambition and predictable temper. I will speak with you in my chambers about your expulsion. Go now! |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li expelling Gao the Lesser from Two Rivers School after the latter loses a fair duel against the last Spirit Monk and tries to attack with a forbidden style. |
| “ | You are an orphan, but you were not abandoned. You were rescued from the temple of Dirge, in the Land of Howling Spirits. You were orphaned by violent action. I take responsibility for it. You see, I used to be more than a humble teacher. To learn of yourself, you must learn more of me. I was once leader of the Imperial Army. I was known as Sun Li the Glorious Strategist. I am the brother of Emperor Sun Hai. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li revealing his true identity to the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | I will tell you more, but first, we have an uninvited visitor. (*Gao the Lesser runs away upon realizing he's been caught eavesdropping*) Gao never could keep his ears to himself, especially when angry. So predictable. He's heard as much as I wanted him to. Perhaps it will give him a little perspective. He should respect even the most humble person, because who knows what lies within? That includes you and me both. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li revealing that he knows Gao the Lesser just learned his identity by eavesdropping. |
| “ | The first assassin found us by accident. The next attack may not be so… unfocused. To fix the world you may threaten the power of some dangerous people. The Spirit Cave will make things as clear as they can be. Only you are meant to understand what is within. You will see the corruption of the spirit realm for yourself. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li preparing to send the last Spirit Monk to the Spirit Cave. |
| “ | It is here, in my home. I kept it hidden by never acknowledging its importance. It is not hard to hide something. You need only master keeping the secret. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li explaining how could the entrance to the Spirit Cave be hidden in his house. |
| “ | What are you doing out here? You are supposed to be meditating on the amulet and what you have learned for at least another day! | „ |
| ~ Sun Li expressing his surprise when the last Spirit Monk is teleported out of the Spirit Cave earlier than he planned. |
| “ | Sun Li: Er… tell me, did you learn anything about your destiny that stretches before you? Or what has led you this far? The last Spirit Monk: She said I was the last Spirit Monk. What does that mean?/You have kept things from me. What is a Spirit Monk? Sun Li: Be careful, I do not want you to be… misled by sources I cannot anticipate. Your people had warriors by that name. I regret that my actions caused their downfall. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li acting defensive when he's forced to sate the last Spirit Monk's curiosity which the Water Dragon's spirit has stirred. |
| “ | Sun Li: What else did this vision reveal? You were only to retrieve the amulet, learn to place gems in it, and meditate on your future. I don't want you to be distracted. Jing Woo: (*enters Sun Li's house*) Master Li! There's still no sign of her. Sun Li: What? What is it, Woo? I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere. Jing Woo: Dawn Star, as I told you. Master. She went missing after Gao's men were discovered in the school. The state of her room suggests some sort of fight took place. Sun Li: I see. She is not there? Jing Woo: No, Master Li. There is no sign of her. Sun Li: I see. This may prove useful. Thank you, Jing Woo. You may go. (*Jing Woo leaves*) Your appearance put Gao's disgrace out of my mind, but it would seem that your… early exit from the caves has come at just the right time. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li getting the idea to get his plan back on track by sending the last Spirit Monk to find Dawn Star. |
| “ | Make sure you have everything you need when you leave to find Dawn Star. Do not cloud your mind with anything else. When you return, your course will be clear. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li foreshadowing the coming ransack on Two Rivers while sending the last Spirit Monk to find Dawn Star. |
Chapters 4 & 5[]
| “ | Emperor Sun Hai: Twenty years, Li. I have waited long enough. Atone for your treachery and give me what I require. Sun Li: Look to yourself, brother. You would have done the same. Emperor Sun Hai: I am the eldest and, therefore, the Emperor! I have you at a disadvantage, and yet you toy with me. What do you know, Glorious Strategist? Where is the Spirit Monk, amulet? Sun Li: You will find out soon enough, brother. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li being interrogated by Emperor Sun Hai before they're interrupted by the arrival of the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | I sense my former student refuses to rest easy. The time for subtlety is past. You are too valuable to abandon a second time. Come, we must return to Dirge. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li binding Death's Hand. |
Chapter 6[]
| “ | Sun Li: You have done well to restore the fountains of Dirge, but they can not shield you fully. Not with the power I now control. This is nothing more than a dream, my pupil. I can do nothing here, but I can influence things. Do you remember your fellow students? (*incinerates the dream versions of Jing Woo, Lin and Wen*) They certainly remember you. They remember how you left them to die. The last Spirit Monk: I would have saved them if I could! Your plans are what killed them!/This is all you can summon, Li? They were nothing to me! Sun Li: They died so there would be nothing holding you back. Their deaths insured that you were properly motivated; without you, they would still be alive! |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li confronting the last Spirit Monk in the latter's dream. |
| “ | Impressive, but this was only a dream. You will not be so fortunate tomorrow. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li leaving the last Spirit Monk's dream after the latter defeats their fellow students. |
| “ | Hmm… you refuse to see it, don't you? You must know who Death's Hand is by now, but what he is defies you, defies your skill. He is more than Sun Kin ever was. Sun Hai linked him to the stolen power of the Water Dragon, and bound him to my armor to taunt me. An unrelenting, unbeatable force that wore the face of my betrayal. Now he is mine. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li appearing as a magical projection after the last Spirit Monk defeats Death's Hand. |
| “ | Do you appeal to my good nature? My conscience? There is no malice in my actions, no lust for glory. I did what had to be done. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li mocking the last Spirit Monk's attempt to reason with him. |
| “ | Do you pretend to have insight into my character, some great truth from beyond the pale that will reform me? I am no villain. There is no malice in my actions. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply if the last Spirit Monk claims to know everything about their former master. |
| “ | Have my words so injured you in the past? There was no malice in my use of your talents. You were merely a tool, your destiny a convenient path to power. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li dismissing the last Spirit Monk's declaration of being tired of words. |
| “ | I had no choice. My brother had no restraint. A world under his heel would be chaotic and violent. I will bring order. I will ensure that everyone is safe within their roles. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li attempting to justify himself. |
| “ | Sun Li: What foolishness is this? Death has addled your senses. You bring up memories that are mine alone to bear, and then you claim that they are false? I will not hear this. Your tongue profanes a place in my heart where no one is permitted. The last Spirit Monk: Zu was meant to kill her. He spared her. It's Dawn Star./You hide your ambition behind sentiment. Well, Dawn Star is your daughter. What now? Sun Li: Hahaha! You are truly speaking nonsense! Dawn Star? Ridiculous! But… your have no doubt, your voice is unwavering. You believe this with all your being. You force my hand. I must picture her, unblinded by strategy or hate, and consider what it would mean if she truly were my child. I must answer, it does not matter. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li learning that Dawn Star is his supposedly dead daughter. |
| “ | If I had the emotions you think I should, I would have defended her or died at her side. But her death had no real meaning to me, so neither does her life. I am forced to confess that my first feeling was not sorrow at her loss, but anger at my brother for destroying my possessions in so petty a manner. In the end, it changes nothing. I intend to make the Empire a better place. As a god, it will be a simple matter. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li explaining why he doesn't care about the revelation that his daughter is alive after all. |
| “ | You have learned much about your heritage as a Spirit Monk, but you missed the most important lesson. They are all dead! Their skill did not save them. Do you intend to rescue Death's Hand? Perhaps you think you can appeal to his conscience, to the remnants of Kin that swim in that helmet. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li dismissing the possibility that the last Spirit Monk could use their inherent abilities against him. |
| “ | Will you? Even if you could, I believe you would find it difficult to release so valuable a tool. Come, then, pit your will against mine. Take him if you can. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li preparing to repel the last Spirit Monk if they swear to wrench Death's Hand from his control and afterwards release Sun Kin's spirit. |
| “ | Will you? I wonder why you oppose me when you are so willing to assume my methods. Come, then, pit your will against mine. Take him if you can. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li preparing to repel the last Spirit Monk if they swear to bind Death's Hand to their will instead. |
| “ | Enough! You have cut the strings to my puppet, but you will know defeat soon enough. I grow closer to the heavens by the minute. Take this corpse. See if you can throw away such a useful tool. I will face you at the height of my power, in the heart of my Empire. Your master awaits you, child. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li begrudgingly accepting his defeat after losing his control over Death's Hand. |
| “ | It… it would appear that I have made my plans without all of the necessary information. I have made this mistake once before, in regards to you, child. Nevertheless, while I have lost a valuable pawn, I have not yet lost to you. We will meet in the heart of my Empire, when I am at the height of my power. Your master awaits you, child. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's alternative words to losing Death's Hand. |
Chapter 7[]
| “ | Ah, there you are. I knew you would come, and I have grown very good at waiting. You are very different from the student I once taught. Death changed you, I imagine. I apologize for that indignity, but it was necessary. It was also meant to be the end of you, but you surprised me again. I should have studied your people before wiping them out. Even so, I did my best. I made you strong enough to achieve your destiny, but with a weakness I could exploit. I thought I anticipated everything, but you proved me wrong. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li meeting the last Spirit Monk in the Imperial Palace. |
| “ | Just a man? No, I don't think so. If the last Spirit Monk must return from the dead to oppose me, I am far more than that. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply to the last Spirit Monk stating him to be just a man who needs a reminder of it. |
| “ | Is that all, Spirit Monk? I was sure you would present some lofty ideal, hoping a twinge of conscience would weaken my resolve. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply to the last Spirit Monk calling him a long-suffered headache. |
| “ | Oh, very lofty. I am the scourge that must be destroyed. Why? What have I done, Spirit Monk? Because of me, the Empire has water. I deserve to lead it. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply to the last Spirit Monk calling him a taint that's about to be excised. |
| “ | I see. So you will take advantage of all the planning I have done and attempt to steal my destiny, Spirit Monk? | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply to the last Spirit Monk calling him a rival that must be cast aside. |
| “ | Ah, once more you try to restore me. My lost family was just one more tool. If they had ever meant more than that, I would have been present when they fell. Tell me, what use are heirs to a god? I will set the Empire on a path of never-ending stability and glory. I am beyond this. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li dismissing his dead family once again if Dawn Star isn't revealed to be his daughter. |
| “ | Dawn Star: Master Li… Sun Li… please hear me. Don't do this. I know you are not as heartless as you appear. You couldn't be… not and still be my father. Sun Li: Ah, once more you try to restore me. My lost family was just one more tool. If they had ever meant more than that, I would have been present when they fell. That it was you, Dawn Star, only reinforces this. I would have recognized you, if I had cared to. What use are heirs to a god? |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li dismissing his daughter Dawn Star if the last Spirit Monk takes her with them to the final confrontation. |
| “ | Sun Li: Ah, once more you try to restore me. My lost family was just one more tool. If they had ever meant more than that, I would have been present when they fell. That it was Dawn Star only reinforces this truth. I would have recognized her, had I cared to. What use are heirs to a god? The last Spirit Monk: That is fortunate. I had to dispose of her. Sun Li: Ah, so even you know when to cast aside those who have moved beyond usefulness. Then you understand why you, too, must fall. |
„ |
| ~ Sun Li learning of Dawn Star's death if the last Spirit Monk killed her. |
| “ | I killed hundreds of your kind, thousands, just for the chance to become a god. I can't let you live now that I am one! I am more than Sun Hai ever was! I will undo the damage of his ignorance, force the dead to their rest, and keep the waters flowing. My Empire will be ordered, obedient, and neither ghosts nor gods will plague it. And you are all that stands between me and the new peace. My brother summoned underlings to defeat you; I will create them from the very stone! | „ |
| ~ Sun Li gloating before creating four demon-statues to attack the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | An impressive display. Your star shines bright, but it is still trapped within a mortal body. Perhaps a more direct application of my power will show you what you are up against… and just how restrictive your shell truly is. Yes, this will amuse me. Worse than actually dying. Seeing death come and being unable to stop it. Physical barriers are no match for those we place in our own minds. My power has encased you in doubt, held you with the weight of your burden. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li trapping the last Spirit Monk in their mind. |
| “ | You and your followers are playthings. Death's Hand weakens without you, and the rest are held just as you are. You are each too weak to match my power. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li revealing that he trapped the last Spirit Monk's followers the same way he has trapped them. |
| “ | Amusing, but pointless. My talons are deep within you. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li conjuring more personifications of doubt to challenge the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | More fools leap to your defense, but no matter. The weight of my power will crush you soon enough. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li underestimating the last Spirit Monk's followers who lend their aid to their leader. |
| “ | There are others that leap to your defense, but you have lost some along the way. They were sacrificed as you saw fit. Are you certain we are so different? | „ |
| ~ Sun Li commenting on the ruthlessness of the last Spirit Monk if they're on the path of the Closed Fist and have only their corrupted love interest to aid them. |
| “ | These you must face on your own. You have driven your followers from you, sacrificing them as you needed. Are you certain we are so different? | „ |
| ~ Sun Li commenting on the ruthlessness of the last Spirit Monk if they have killed the maximum number of their followers. |
| “ | Your efforts are meaningless. Do you think to counter my influence by yourself? A god holds you. Nothing in the mortal realm can help you. Nothing! | „ |
| ~ Sun Li gloating to the last Spirit Monk before they're freed from doubt by Sagacious Zu's spirit. |
| “ | Once again, I misunderstand. The raw energy… you are far too resistant to it. The loyalty you inspire is also tiresome, but I respect it. You have truly become a Spirit Monk. In another time, I would be proud of your ability. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li expressing his astonishment when the last Spirit Monk is freed from doubt. |
| “ | I am not satisfied with helping others surpass me. I quickly tired of elevating my brother, and I will not learn to serve you. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply if the last Spirit Monk tells him that his great skills as a teacher have been wasted on evil ambition. |
| “ | I meant for you to reach a certain plateau and then wait to be knocked off. I tried as much with my brother. I will succeed again with you. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply if the last Spirit Monk claims that their skills are great despite of him, not because of him. |
| “ | You are quick with a threat, as I encouraged in your earliest lessons. It is not the first time my efforts have been turned against me, but I learn quickly. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's reply to the last Spirit Monk's threat of answering violently if he intends to ask them to join him. |
| “ | I see now that the Water Dragon's power is the prize, not the means to victory. No matter what I expend, while you live you will resist. That is your role. It is the Celestial Bureaucracy attempting to restore balance. We must bring the fight back down to earth. Unless… you are made to see reason. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li accepting the truth that he must personally fight the last Spirit Monk unless he can convince them to see things his way. |
| “ | No great waves of energy, no demons from the walls. Skill versus skill. Master versus student, as you said. I expect you have corrected the flaw in your style? No matter. Beyond the basics, I also taught you… focus. Match me if you can. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li beginning his final duel with the last Spirit Monk. |
| “ | You surprise me yet again. (*coughs*) I'm a better teacher… than I thought. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li's dying words. |
Trivia[]
- Sun Li is an example of an evil follower of the Way of the Open Palm, as Master Smiling Mountain describes it: a tyrant who oppresses by controlling the lives of other people and going to great lengths in order to prevent a crime from ever taking place, even if they start with the best of intentions. Li shows preference to the philosophy of the Open Palm with the way he talks about keeping the people safe within their roles and forcing as a god the nature to work in the best possible way for the Empire and him in contrast to allowing the world to be chaotic and violent under Sun Hai's rule. In the alternate ending where he survives, he creates an utopia in the form of an Orwellian dictatorship. As the hunter Spear Catches Leaf can explain, there can be secret intrigue behind the Way of the Open Palm.
- There is one possibility that Sun Li is also a darker example of the Way of the Closed Fist, for he desires to take power for himself and create a world where only he is a god. This is the reason why Sun Li is responsible for the Last Spirit Monk becoming in the Closed Fist walkthrough an evil person worse than Sun Li, as they overthrow him and become a god, making it ironic that he is overthrown by his own pawn for power and the throne.
- It is possible that Sun Li murdered the previous teacher of the Two Rivers School because of the fact that the old master's ghost haunts the Spirit Cave underneath the school and the villagers cannot remember what became of him.
- Before Master Li's villainous nature is revealed, there are hints scattered about before the ultimate reveal.
- Li doesn't give all the details while telling about what happened in Dirge, first leaving it untold what the player's people were called and what was their duty until the Water Dragon first uses the term Spirit Monk and the player asks Li about it. It was apparently Li's original purpose for his student to remain in the Spirit Cave and emerge after the destruction of Two Rivers, judging by the messages he has left in the cave as well as him blurting out in surprise that he expected his protégé to meditate in the cave for "at least another day" when they appear thanks to the Water Dragon's interference. Before sending them to seek out Dawn Star, he mutters that her disappearance "could prove useful", showing that he needed a convenient excuse to get his plan back on track.
- Many fighters the player encounters comment on the flaw they can spot but not exploit in the player's fighting style, wondering if it is the result of brilliance from Master Li's part or something else.
- Sun Li is similar to Darth Traya from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, which is the sequel of a video game that's produced by Bioware like Jade Empire. They both are elderly mentors to the player character who are early on hinted to have their own agendas in regards to training the player character against the enemy. By the time of the climax, they're indeed revealed to have all along used the player character for their own ends, betray them, and take control of the main villainous faction, setting themselves as the overarching antagonists. They also serve as the final bosses of their respective games.
- Though Sun Li is a strategist with the title "the Glorious Strategist", he has major fatal flaws that lead to his own downfall:
- Pride: Sun Li assumes his strategies are infallible because he is extremely good at forming an expertly calculated initial plan and never makes mistakes in his plan. However, when the Water Dragon takes action to revive his dead student, he has a hard time to deal with this unexpected event because the idea that his initial plan could have failed never occurs to him and thus he doesn't plan for it.
- Lack of foresight: Even though he is the Glorious Strategist, he never makes proper backup plans or gathers all the important information in case his main plans fail. This happens in various occasions:
- First occasion is when Sun Hai gets the Water Dragon's Heart; if he and Sun Kin had killed Hai before he got the Heart, Hai probably wouldn't have been strong enough to survive being stabbed and Sun Kin wouldn't have become Death's Hand under Sun Hai's influence. Sun Li was only lucky that he spotted the Last Spirit Monk being taken away by their guardian, leading to him killing the guardian, acquiring one piece of the Dragon Amulet, and taking the infant for his new plan.
- Second occasion is when he kills the Last Spirit Monk; he should have made sure that they must be dead and without any probable guidance in the Underworld, but he didn't think about it, giving the Water Dragon an opportunity to bring the Monk back from the dead, which he never prepared for.
- Third is that he lets Death's Hand lead the attack on Dirge while he sits in the palace doing nothing. This leads to him losing Death's Hand (who ends up belonging to the Last Spirit Monk on the Closed Fist path), resulting in his forces suffering a huge loss, which Sun Kin's spirit even remarks if he's allowed to rest.
- Fourth is that he never prepares his palace defenses following Dirge's failed attack; the palace is so weakly defended that the Last Spirit Monk easily enters the palace and finds their way to the Water Dragon's corpse before Sun Li can notice. This leads to the corpse either being destroyed or tainted with blood, preventing Sun Li from draining anymore power from it.
- Fifth is that on the Closed Fist path, Sun Li turned his own pawn into his own image because the Last Spirit Monk kills some of their followers, taints the Water Dragon's corpse with blood and overthrows Sun Li to become an Emperor with god power on their own.
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Brothers Sun Lotus Assassins The Guild Demons Others | ||
