A white serpent with a long neck was standing in the center of the Temple of Resurrection. Pythor wanted to get revenge on Lloyd for screwing his plans up during the Day of the Departed. He closed his eyes, reciting the incantation:
"Clotho-venge, Clotho-decer, Clotho-haiyeed! Clotho-venge, Clotho-decer, Clotho-haiyeed! Clotho-venge, Clotho-decer, Clotho-haiyeed! Clotho-venge, Clotho-decer, Clotho-haiyeed!"
As he did so, a white triangle appeared out of nowhere.
He continued, "Rip the fabric between realms! Oni, I call upon you! Connect me to...the Departed Realm!"
A portal appeared.
He was trying to bring Lord Garmadon back to help get revenge on his son. He thought it would break Lloyd to the point where he wouldn't be able to fight back and he would conquer Ninjago for his own.
"NINJAGO WILL BE MINE!" he cackled.
Meanwhile, Harumi and Lloyd were hanging out in the princess's room. Pythor had destroyed a majority of the palace, killing the emperor and empress who were Harumi's parents.
Harumi let out a sob, still clearly devastated by the loss. "Why'd you have to leave me...it's all my fault..."
Lloyd embraced her close. "No...it isn't... The Sons of Garmadon..." he paused, remembering his father and how he'd passed on years before. "They were the ones who caused all this..."
"Yes... but we will stop them sooner or later. I've been going undercover as The Quiet One to see what they've been up to. Y'know how good my acting skills are!" She smiled softly. "Anyways, they said something about Oni and Dragons; the oni represented the darkness and destruction while the dragons represented the light and creation... And that the First Spinjitzu Master had both powers."
Lloyd gasped. "Wait...if that's the case... He concentrated hard. Then his eyes opened, golden power flowing through himself once again.
"Woahhh..." Harumi's eyes widened in awe. "How did you get your eyes to glow like that?" Harumi's jaw dropped as she asked.
"It's golden power..." Lloyd looked up, smiling fondly. "It helped me save my father the first time..." He gasped. "Shoot...I hear cackling... We gotta stop the resurrection- Unless..." There could be a way to bring my father back for real... This may be the only chance I have...
"You okay there?" Rumi asked in concern.
"Thinking about my resolve, that's all..." Lloyd let out a sigh. "I miss my father so much, and this may be the only chance I have of getting him back.
"So you're just going to let the Sons Of Garmadon bring him back? From what I heard, he's gonna be soulless."
Lloyd tensed, his golden powers activating instinctively. "Yes, but not like that. My powers should be able to change him again."
"What if they can't though? What are you going to do then?"
"I...never thought about that possibility... But I have to try. A ninja never quits." His eyes furrowed in determination as he spoke. "Let's go!"
Back at the Temple of Resurrection, the ninja were watching in fear as the portal continued to open.
"WHERE IN THE NAME OF THE FIRST SPINJITZU MASTER IS LLOYD?!" Jay overreacted.
"WHERE'S LLOYD WHEN YOU NEED HIM?!" yelled a full of rage Kai.
Zane commented that they were both overreacting a bit too much.
"Wouldn't you be scared if there was a snake trying to BRING BACK LORD GARMADON?!"
"No... I can keep my cool. You should try too Jay," Nya responded.
Lloyd and Harumi entered the temple. Lloyd was wearing a golden version of his gi, and Harumi was wearing her Quiet One outfit.
"Oh, look there he is! Wait...is that the princess?" Jay asked.
"Lloyd, why is the princess here? You know it's too dangerous." An overprotective Kai said.
"Lighten up Kai, she knows what she's doing," Cole punched him lightly.
"Oh, alright."
"Yeah, my father taught me martial arts so I could defend myself," explained Harumi. "And then I went undercover as the Quiet One and spied on the S.O.G."
Pythor turned his head back sharply. "You did WHAT?!" he yelled.
"I spied on you and the S.O.G." Rumi repeated.
"YOU TRAITOR! GET THEM!" the serpent ordered the biker gang.
Harumi called out to Lloyd among all the chaos. "You take care of Pythor, I got this!"
Nya smiled. "Heh, girl power! WHOOHOO!" She blasted water at one of the members while Harumi punched him hard in the gut. That couldn't have been pleasant.
Lloyd smiled. "Kay Rumi!" He narrowed his eyes, concentrating his powers, knocking Pythor into the piranha-infested waters. "Good riddance!"
The other ninja created a tornado of their elements, launching the S.O.G. into the water as well.
A unfamiliar face walked in. Hutchins, the ex-master-at-arms of the Royal Family. "So you're the ninja? What weaklings."
Harumi gasped. "Wait, Hutchins?! You're with them?!"
"With them? I started them! Your father was my brother, but he took the throne instead of me, and so I plotted my revenge!"
"And just when this family-ness could get any worse," Harumi muttered. "I TRUSTED YOU! MY PARENTS TRUSTED YOU!"
"What parents? They died remember?"
"YOU FREAKING MURDERER!" Harumi exclaimed.
"Wait... Hutchins is Rumi's uncle? I did not expect that." Jay asked with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"I-I'm sorry Rumi." Lloyd shared a hug with her, making her feel a lot better then she did before.
"Go ahead." Harumi let Lloyd take the final blow against her only family she had left. "He won't change his mind."
"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS! STAY AWAY FROM MY GIRLFRIEND!" Lloyd growled in fury. Very much like his father, he would do anything to protect those he cared about.
"W-w-w-wait Lloyd... you never told us you and Harumi were dating?" butted in Kai.
"I am speechless. I would however guess."
Lloyd got in a battle position ready to fight Hutchins if needed. Hutchins laughed at Lloyd.
"Ha you think your so cool because you're the golden ninja. News flash you're not." Hutchins laughed.
"Now I am mad."
"Ooh, Lloyd's triggered!" Jay took out his phone to post that as a meme.
"Jay stop, before I turn you to piranha bait!" the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master retorted.
Jay screamed and dropped his Borg-Phone in the water. "Nooooooo! Not Phonie! Now I gotta get a new phone..."
Lloyd facepalmed and groaned. You're older than me and you're devastated about a phone. Wow. Sad. "But my father's gonna be corrupt. Do you really have to do this right now?"
"Yes. I do have to do this right now. Because I AM TRIGGERED." said a triggered Jay.
Nya used her elemental powers to wash the phone back out onto the platform. "Now will you SHUT UP about your bPhone," asked an annoyed Nya.
"Yes."
"Thank you Jay."
Everyone rolled their eyes at them. Lloyd took a deep breath and tried to use his powers...but failed hardcore.
"Took you long enough Lloyd GOSH DARNIT!" yelled an angry Kai.
"You are not the one that has the risk of having his dad return but evil!" Lloyd snapped back.
Everyone "oooed" at the fact that Lloyd just snapped at Kai.
"Well, things just got deep..." Zane commented.
Then, the energy in the portal dissipated. Samurai X and Wu arrived at the temple.
"WHAT WHY ISN'T THE RITUAL WORKING?!" Hutchins was about to kill Lloyd in anger.
"I know why." Samurai X took off his helmet, his voice firm. "Garmadon never died."
Lloyd stood agape, his eyes watering. "F-Father?! Samurai X...was you this whole time?!"
The older man nodded and smiled softly. "Yes..." He glared at Hutchins. "STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!" His hands glowed purple and he shoved the emperor's brother into the water with the other S.O.G. members. "Good riddance..." he growled. Turning to the master of energy, his voice immediately softened. "Lloyd... My child..." he cooed. "I've returned..."
Lloyd fell into sobs collapsing to his knees upon hearing his father's voice after so many years. "D-Dad...you're back..."
"Yes I am, son." He knelt beside his child, stroking his hair. "I'm here now..."
Lloyd continued bawling. "Father... I can't believe it's really you...after all this time..."
"Shhh..." Garmadon consoled, cradling his son's face in his hand. "Shhh... I'm here... I'll never leave you again... Not for anything..."
"I missed you s-so much..."
"As have I...but we are together now at last... Lloyd Montgomery, come here..." He opened his arms up, inviting Lloyd into an embrace.
Lloyd collapsed into his arms, continuing to sob. "A-All these years..."
"Shhh...relax... It is over now...and you and I are together..." He let out a deep breath.
Lloyd only continued to embrace and sob into his father's warm and loving hold on him.
"That's cute, but it's also heartbreaking," commented a sobbing Jay and Kai.
Harumi looked over at Lloyd wanting to hug him but didn't want to interrupt Lloyd and Garmadon's father-son time, so she left them alone.
"I'm here..." Garmadon consoled. "I'll never leave your side..." He stroked his son's hair lightly.
"This is cute and all but why don't you TURN AROUND!" Jay exclaimed.
They all turned around to see Mr. E, Ultra Violet, and Killow.
"How did they know we were still here?" questioned Kai.
"Perhaps, Hutchins called them before he was knocked into that portal," explained Zane.
Lloyd finally recovered. He turned to his father, the both of them standing up. "Together?"
Garmadon nodded. "Together."
"Ninja-Go," all the ninja, Wu, and Garmadon yelled as they did Spinjitzu to try and take out the generals, but they failed badly.
Then Lloyd concentrated, conjuring his elemental golden dragon. The generals were really spooked and landed in the water as well. Mr. E's circuitry got screwed up in the water and the other two generals were electrocuted.
"Well... we did it. We took out the S.O.G." Cole commented while looking at the dying generals.
"We now know that we can take out ghosts, snakes, skeletons, sky pirates, Anacondrai-wanna-be's, Lord Garmadon, and Lord Garmadon followers." commented Kai.
The ninja, Harumi, Misako, Wu, and Garmadon cheered for the fact that they won the fight. But Lloyd wasn't having any of it. With a sob, he rushed down the stairs and into Harumi's bedroom, locking the door, shutting himself off from the world.
Garmadon's heart panged with emotion as he watched Lloyd flee from the temple. And it was then that he knew he needed to talk with his son. You wanted this... I just cannot understand why you would avoid me... "Give me a moment..." he whispered to the others in a broken voice. He walked downstairs to Harumi's door. "Son...can I come in?" Garmadon asked while knocking on the door.
Lloyd thought for a moment before saying, "Sure, dad." He walked over to the door to let his dad in. Almost immediately after, though, he broke into a sob and collapsed onto Harumi's bed.
Garmadon felt his chest constrict as Lloyd fulminated into a blubbering mess. "Son... it's okay. We are together again." Garmadon consoled, his eyes tearing up as well. "I'm here, and I..." He couldn't take it anymore. He let the tears fall freely down his cheeks. "I-I'm worried over you... I've never seen you so emotional like this..."
Lloyd didn't respond and continued to cry.
"Lloyd..." Garmadon whispered, his voice cracking ever so slightly. The emotions were taking over him now as well.
Soon the others came downstairs to see where Garmadon went. Wu stopped them before they could interrupt.
"Let them have their moment..." He shut the door, the group leaving the father and son alone.
"W-What is the matter... It's okay...you can tell me..." Garmadon stroked his hair, causing Lloyd to flinch and sob harder. "I'm here when you're ready..." he whispered in response.
Lloyd screamed and slammed his fists against the mattress. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I WISH WE WEREN'T RELATED! THE PAIN'S TOO MUCH! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"I thought you–" He shook off the thought to raise his voice further as it would upset Lloyd more than he already was. "Please... Please, Lloyd...don't tear our relationship apart...not after I've just gotten you back..." He begged while choking back a sob. "I love you... I need you... You make my life complete... Oh, we were so close... S-So close..."
As Lloyd continued to sob, Garmadon just sat there waiting for him to stop crying. He had broken down as well; the dam had been opened, causing all the emotions built up to come cascading down.
"Lloyd...you know I never meant to hurt you." Garmadon spoke quietly. "I-It's the oni's fault they caused all of this... This was beyond our control..."
Lloyd stopped crying and hugged his father tight and cried softly. "I-I'm sorry for breaking down like that... I love you dad."
"So do I... But you were upset...your emotions overtook you..." Garmadon whispered, his voice raw from crying earlier. "And now you're here with me... Together once more... I'm not leaving you this time..."
"P-Please don't..." Lloyd whimpered. "It hurt so much the first time..."
"I know... I'm here... Hold on... Hold on..." Garmadon stroked Lloyd's hair gently.
Lloyd hugged his father. "Never leave me again...please... I love you too much..."
"I love you too, Lloyd..." Garmadon consoled.
"Father..." Lloyd cried softly.
"Nagomu..." the destruction elemental whispered. "Sorewa zutto nagai... Kokoni iruyo... Anata o aishiteimasu... Eienni kokoni iru..." (Calm down... It's been so long... I'm right here... I love you... I'll be here forever...)
"I want to cry..." Cole said as a tear fell from him.
Everyone else started to tear up too. It was hard to watch their teammate be so vulnerable.
"My heart. It's too much." Jay started to sob uncontrollably.
Nya hugged her boyfriend. "There there. Don't cry. Shhh." Nya's words were calm and steady. "No need to cry."
Harumi cried softly. "Oh, Lloyd... Is he alright?"
Kai sighed. "Yes... He hasn't seen his father in years..." he told her. "He missed him a lot... He can't take it anymore..."
Zane put a hand on Harumi's shoulder. "I feel for you both... I know he means a lot to you..."
"H-He does... I can't help but worry though."
It was difficult for everyone.
Lloyd soon fell asleep in his father's arms. Garmadon continued to embrace him for a long time. He didn't want to leave.
"You'll be alright..." He murmured softly. "I'll protect you... You are still a child at heart... It's going to be alright... I promise..."