So I had two ideas for the final battle in The Way Home, but I couldn't decide which one I liked better. I had the idea for this version first, and even though there are parts of this I really love, it just didn't seem to fit well within the story I was telling. I ultimately decided to scrap it and went with the version in chapter 31. (Actually, the very first idea I had was an image of Hermes, Ray, Maya, and Libby standing in the entrance to the courtyard. Acronix and Krux were like, "You can't beat us, you don't have any powers," then Hermes was like, "That's fine. We'll just use yours" and distributed the Time Blades. Hermes had the Forward Time Blade, Ray had the Pause Time Blade, Maya had the Slow-Mo Time Blade, and Libby had the Reversal Time Blade. Sadly, no matter what I did, I couldn't make that scene work and it morphed into this.) So enjoy this could've-been version of the final battle with Krux and Acronix versus everyone else.
To recap: Krux and Acronix were being held prisoner in the monastery, but Lloyd just found out they escaped. Everyone is in the courtyard. Meanwhile, the show ninja are in the First Realm and have just found a way home.
"Split up. They couldn't have gotten too far," Lloyd said.
"Be careful. They are extremely dangerous," Wu said.
"You got that right."
Everyone turned and saw Krux and Acronix on the roof of the monastery. The pair jumped down and landed effortlessly in the middle of the courtyard, weapons drawn.
"You!" Libby yelled.
"Libby, I thought you were dead," Krux said.
"Not quite."
"You're going to pay for separating us from our children again," Maya growled.
"Are you sure about that?" Acronix took out some more laced throwing stars and easily hit Kai, Cole, Jay, and Nya. The four collapsed on the ground. Krux then took out two more throwing stars and hit Wu and Garmadon as the pair tried to attack.
Maya grabbed the dagger Ray kept hidden behind his back and threw it, hitting Krux in the shoulder. Before Krux could react, Maya ran over to him and kicked him in the nuts. When he bent over, she grabbed the dagger out of his shoulder and stabbed him in the leg. Krux used his good leg to knock her down.
Lloyd and Skylor rushed to get the four down ninja and the two ninja masters out of harm's way.
Ray took a second dagger out of the sheath he kept hidden around his ankle and turned to face Acronix.
"Really? A second dagger?" Acronix asked.
"Maya kept stealing the first one," Ray said. He swung it at Acronix, who jumped out of the way. Libby grabbed Lloyd's sword and swung it at Acronix. Acronix easily blocked all of her blows. As Ray stepped back to observe the scene, he saw someone standing at the entrance.
"Hermes?" Ray asked.
"Hey." Hermes was leaning against the wall. A mace stuck out of the bag that was next to him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, I had come to talk to Wu, but I'll wait until you're done."
"Or you could help!"
"Nah, I'd rather watch."
Ray rolled his eyes and turned back to face Krux and Acronix. Maya, fueled by nothing but pure rage, was handily beating Krux up so Ray ran over to assist Libby with Acronix. Ray was about to take a swing when a beam of energy hit Acronix and Krux and the pair went in reverse until they were back on the roof of the monastery. Everyone stopped and turned to look at Hermes, who had the Reversal Time Blade out.
"That's not it," Hermes mumbled as he put the Time Blade back and rummaged through his bag.
"Give us the Time Blades!" Krux yelled.
"Not a chance. What's this one do?" Hermes pointed a different Time Blade at the passed-out ninja and they fast-forwarded until they woke up.
"Hermes!" Acronix yelled.
"Ugh. One of these has got to be the stopper one," Hermes muttered.
"Hermes! Stop! You don't know what you're doing!" Acronix jumped off the roof and ran towards him. Hermes pulled out a third Time Blade and managed to stop Acronix. He paused Krux when the old man also jumped off the roof to attack.
"Ha! Found it! Now, who's idea was it to go complaining to my wife?" Hermes pointed the Pause Time Blade at Garmadon.
Before anyone could answer, a portal opened in the sky. Six large dragons flew through it and circled the monastery. Lloyd's face lit up when he saw the dragon riders.
"Guys!" Lloyd yelled.
"Looks like you guys were busy," Kai said.
"Why does Hermes have a Time Blade?" Cole asked.
"Don't go there," Lloyd said.
Firstbourne landed on the roof of the monastery and roared just as Krux and Acronix unfroze. The other five dragons landed on the wall of the monastery. The ninja climbed down and joined the others in the courtyard. Firstbourne sniffed the Time Twins and picked them up with her teeth.
From here, it plays out like it did in chapter 31. Kai proposes to Skylor, Nya doesn't know who anyone is, Firstbourne takes the twins to the First Realm, and Mystaké makes her glorious return to Ninjago.