The Bana-Deula Temple

Lore & Background

In the world of Sly 2, the Monkey King has amassed a vast collection of treasures across China, hiding his most prized artifacts in temples and fortresses guarded by his bandit armies. The Bana-Deula Temple is one such stronghold: a sprawling complex of stone halls, incense-laden courtyards, and elevated sanctums where the Monkey King stores valuables he has plundered from across the region.

The temple's architecture reflects a stylized interpretation of Chinese temple design—tiered rooftops, carved pillars, and open-air walkways overlooking misty valleys. The Monkey King's bandits patrol the grounds in shifts, making the heist a matter of timing, misdirection, and the Cooper Gang's signature blend of acrobatics and gadgetry. Bentley's gadgets and Murray's brute-force abilities become essential for bypassing obstacles that Sly's agility alone cannot overcome.

The level fits into the broader narrative of Sly 2, in which the Cooper Gang works to dismantle the Monkey King's treasure network. Each completed heist chips away at his holdings and brings the band closer to the final confrontation, while the jewels scattered throughout the temple serve as both a score-keeping mechanic and a reward for thorough exploration.

In Their Own Story

The incense smoke hung thick in the upper gallery, curling around the carved faces of forgotten deities. Sly crouched on a narrow ledge, his mask catching the amber glow of a hundred oil lamps. Below, two bandits argued over a crate of stolen silks, their voices muffled by the stone walls. Bentley's voice crackled through the earpiece: "Murray's got the lock. You've got maybe thirty seconds before the shift rotation."

Sly grinned. Thirty seconds was all he ever needed. He dropped into the courtyard, the wooden planks groaning under his weight, and rolled beneath a sweeping lantern. The vault door yawned open with a metallic shriek, and there it sat—gleaming, patient, exactly where the Monkey King thought it was safe. Sly pocketed the artifact, vaulted the railing, and was gone before the first bandit even turned his head. The temple settled back into its incense-thick silence, as if nothing had happened at all.

Reader's Guide

The Bana-Deula Temple opens with a wide stone courtyard flanked by tiered, upturned-eave structures and clusters of red lanterns. The aesthetic is a stylized Chinese temple: weathered grey stone, lacquered wood accents, and hanging banners that sway in a constant gentle breeze. Mist drifts through the lower corridors, partially obscuring patrol paths and adding a layer of visual depth.

The heist objective sits in a raised inner sanctum, accessible only after navigating a sequence of rooftops, hanging bridges, and a water channel that runs along the temple's base. Environmental hazards include swinging lanterns that must be timed around, crumbling floor tiles that drop into the water below, and sections where a steady wind pushes Sly off narrow ledges, requiring quick re-grip.

Bentley appears at a mid-level checkpoint to provide a gadget for a locked gate, while Murray handles a heavy stone barrier blocking the final approach to the vault. Carmelita's section involves a short stealth stretch through a bandit barracks where she must avoid triggering alarm bells.

Jewels are tucked into the usual spots: behind a false wall in the courtyard, on a high rooftop reachable only via a bounce off Murray, and in a flooded alcove accessible by swimming through a narrow channel. A hidden bandit camp sits behind a breakable screen in the upper gallery, rewarding players who explore off the main path.

Did You Know?

• Sly 2: Band of Thieves introduced Carmelita Fox as a playable member of the Cooper Gang, and she is part of the party in the Bana-Deula Temple level.
• Jewels are the primary collectible throughout Sly 2, and the Bana-Deula Temple contains several hidden among its architecture.
• The Monkey King serves as the central antagonist of Sly 2, and his bandit forces guard every major heist location including the temple.
• Sly 2: Band of Thieves was developed by Sucker Punch Productions and is the second mainline entry in the Sly Cooper series.