WELL THAT EPISODE..WOW.
look at me, trying to write something happy while still making lloyd die lmao
"Well done, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon...Well done." The golden petals swirled around the green ninja, leaving him to look at them in awe. His grandfather bowed down to him, and removed his hat.
"Thanks, but..Well, I really don't understand any of this." He said, feeling the warmth of the realm surround him. He doesn't feel anything but happiness. There's no danger; no need to be afraid.
"You will soon, if you choose to come with me." His grandfather said softly, climbing upon his orange dragon.
"Come with you? Where?" Lloyd questioned, taking a few steps forward. He's always up for adventures.
"That, is a secret, but you will be happy there."
Lloyd's heart leapt in excitement. Happy? He'd be actually happy?
He wouldn't have to fight anymore. But...
"Or, you could return to your friends and take up your duties as the green ninja again." The first spinjitzu master said softly, as if he was reading his mind and finding the doubt.
Lloyd swallowed, and turned away.
"A-and if I return home? Will I remember this?" He asked, picking up a handful of golden petals. Golden, golden, golden. So beautiful.
"You will think it was a dream. In time, you will forget all about it." The dragon started to shift, placing a timer on his ultimate decision.
He turns to his grandfather, doubt and worry rising up until he could barely breathe.
He wants to go.
He can feel himself being pulled toward the dragon; it's calling him.
But...his friends.
He can't leave them, can he?
"Lloyd, if you do not make a decision, destiny will choose for you." His grandfather said softly, and let down his hand.
He can't say no. He's been through so much, and if he ended up here? That was destiny. THIS is his destiny.
He and his family saved ninjago. That's all that matters. His job on that realm is done.
They'll miss him; he knows that. But, they'll move on. He's fulfilled his part in the prophecy, and it's time for him to start again. They'll have to do the same, but they're strong. They can do it.
And one day, he'll see them again.
Smiling, he walked toward his grandfather, and pulled himself up onto the dragon.
In ninjago, a loud blast shattered the darkness in the sky. The evil faded away, taking the oni along with it. All over ninjago, people were waking up, and looking around.
The ninja were sprawled in different corners of the monastery courtyard, debris scattered in every corner imaginable.
Nya pushes herself to her feet, and ran towards jay. He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close.
"We're alive! We're alive!" He crowed.
Not all of them were.
"Kai!" Cole scrambled to his feet, dodging debris as he ran to assist the fire ninja. He pulled the beam off with no difficulty, and yanked him to his feet.
Zane ran over, showing little sign of injury. After quickly surveying Kai's state, he sighed with relief. They hadn't lost anyone yet.
"Where is Lloyd?" He asked the two of them, even though he was referring to everyone.
Cole's gasp directed him to the site of a large pile of debris, with the all too familiar green gi barely showing.
"Oh no."
The three ran to the rubble, fear and desperation fueling their burning muscles. Throwing the debris to the side, they grabbed hold of him.
No, no, no.
"Lloyd!" Zane cries out, his voice cracking.
No. They're all pushing away the thoughts running through their minds. He's not...he's not dead.
They carry him a few feet, and jay and Nya run up.
"Lloyd! Buddy...wake up." Kai begged, his eyes focusing for any sign of movement.
"He-He's not moving!" Nya yelled.
They're not losing him! He's done so much, been through so much...they are NOT losing him.
"Someone, find Wu...Where is Wu?!" Cole yelled, panic taking control of his emotions.
Wu ran over, dropping to his knees and grabbing Lloyd's wrist. Blinking the tears that were threatening to spill away, he felt for a pulse. Lloyd didn't move.
"Y-you can do something, right? RIGHT?!" Jay asked, his voice rising higher with each word.
"There is nothing to be done."the old man spoke, his voice heavy with sorrow. Nya burst into tears. They'd just lost cole; but he was able to come back.
Lloyd was dead.
Kai shook his head in disbelief, As jay and cole just stared in horror.
"Oh, Lloyd..." Nya sobbed. He'd helped her survive during garmadon's rule...he had always been there for her. For all of them.
All of the Ninja had watched Lloyd grow up from a bratty child to the strong, and undeniably brave teen he was now.
Too brave, it seemed.
Kai rested his hand on wu's shoulder, as the old man grieved his only nephew.
Garmadon blinked once, and then twice, all while taking a few steps backward. He doesn't know how to handle this.
None of them do.
The door to the actual monastery slides open, and misako peeks around the corner. Spotting the limp form of her son, she slams it open the rest of the way and sprints toward them.
"No! Not my son!" She whispers, kneeling down beside him.
"Something, there's got to be something you can do! He can't leave me! He's my only child!" She looks up at the ninja, frantic.
"M-Maybe we can try and use our powers on him...like we did the first time!" Kai exclaims. Maybe this could save him.
They looked up at Wu, trying to find a spark of hope or confirmation that what they planned to do would change what seemed to be the inevitable.
"This will work, right, Master?" Cole asks, his voice shaking as he somehow manages to get the words out.
Wu lightly presses his hand on Lloyd's forehead, before standing and walking away.
"No! NO!" Misako screamed, and looked up at the ninja.
"Something! Anything, I'm begging you!" She cradles Lloyd's head in her lap. The blood from what appeared to be a head wound was staining his blonde hair.
"There's nothing to be done."
The dragon lands on the soft ground, folding its orange-Golden winds together.
"Come, grandson. There are some people who would like to see you."
Lloyd hops off, and trails after him. The realm is beautiful. Trees and flowers of every kind surround him, and petals drift down from the branches and into his hair.
He feels happy. Happier than he's been in a long, long time.
"As we walk, Lloyd, I would like to...apologize, for some things."
Lloyd snaps out of his reverie, and walks up towards him.
"What do you mean?" He gathers a small handful of petals, throwing them in the air.
"I might have been able to step in a few times and changed things so your life was easier. You didn't deserve to go through all that you did."
"If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here now. And I wouldn't change that for anything. Every situation made me stronger. Thank you for not stepping in."
The FSM parted a few swaying branches, revealing a few people Lloyd knew very well.
Harumi's head snapped up, and she locked eyes with him. All anger and hatred had been wiped from her, and she took off running towards him.
"I can't believe you're here! I never got to say I'm sorry, Lloyd, for everything I caused." She came to a halt, and looked up at him.
He hugged her tightly. He's here now. There's no need to hold grudges.
And up walks morro. Sheepish, of course, but he walks up.
"You weren't supposed to come here so soon." He says, sadness glistening in his eyes.
He died young too.
Lloyd gave a halfhearted smile, before giving him a hug too. It's destiny, and even though it fucking sucks, that's just the way of it.
You can't change it, even if you want to.
"Hello again, young garmadon." Mystake transforms from a bird to her human form.
"Mystake!" he exclaims, starting to tear up.
"You did well." she says proudly.
And, the three step away as Lloyd finally gets to see the person he's been missing all these years.
Garmadon holds his arms open, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes.
"Dad!" Lloyd shouts, and he's running as fast as he can toward him.
"I've missed you so much." He cries in relief, as he hugs his father, never wanting to let go.
In that moment, as he had his family around him, with his grandfather nearby, he knew he made the right choice.
It would be hard getting use to being up here, and he knew it would be hard for the ninja to live without him...but they'd make it. They'd never quit before; and even after losing him, they're not going to quit now.