With Lloyd held captive by Pythor and the Serpentine, Wu began to become distant. As days passed with training, the Ninja finally stood before him, as he packed an old katana in a case. He explains that he feels responsible for his nephew, and is going away to find someone who can help them. He leaves the Ninja, who once more, find and follow the Falcon.
It leads to Zane's past, showing him the truth, being his creation as a robotic AI. The ninja still care for him, saying that even if his blood is oil and organs a mechanical systems, he is still their brother. Zane does ask for a moment of peace, before following the ninja, to find them fighting for their lives against Treehorns and their Queen. Zane, now knowing his past and feeling more fulfilled because of it, unlocks his True Potential. He freezes the Queen solid, and the Treehorns retreat.
Over the next few days, Jay took Nya on a date. After, of course, managing to prick himself on the skeleton of a Fangpyre, it's still active venom slowly turning him into a Serpentine. He tries to hide it over the day, only for the place they attempt to have a date at, be the resulting location of the first fangblade. Put in a perilous situation, it is revealed that Jay has been bitten. Nya still accepts him, and says that she does love him. She gives him a kiss, and the acceptance frees Jay's heart of burdens, unlocking his true potential. The Serpentine manage to take the first Fangblade.
About a week later, Wu still hasn't returned. Cole does, however, realise something. He's seen a Fangblade before. An adventurer called Clutch Powers had uncovered it and put it in a trophy years ago. It goes to the victors of the Ninjago Talent competition each year. With that in mind, they plan to compete. Cole meets up with his father after a few years, the ninja joining him. They get some help from him, but a rift easily forms, as his overbearing attitude drives Cole away again, along with the fact that for plan B, we would steal the Fangblade. The ninja are able to win the Talent contest, mostly due to Cole, and even with skewed judges, one of them being Pythor in a very shitty disguise. Cole's father does come to apologise, and that is when Pythor strikes. Cole saves his father, allowing Pythor to take the Fangblade. Cole unlocks his true potential after reconciling with his father, resulting in saving the two of them from the lights that would have crushed them moments ago. A day later, and we are here, where Wu has finally returned, and with a familiar, unexpected guest alongside him.
"While we're glad you're back safe, I don't think any of us are happy to see who you brought with." Kai notes with anger. He was still angry with Garmadon after he kidnapped Nya. Along with the fact his mood has degraded over the last few days, though no one knows why.
"I brought him here, for as long as Lloyd is in Pythor's hands, he will help us, as well as live here with us." Wu explains.
"We have to life with this guy?" Cole questions incredulously.
"But Sensei, he has four arms!" Zane complains.
"Uh, must I remind you, ever since he turned evil, he's been trying to get our golden weapons?" Jay asks.
"ENOUGH!" Wu shouts.
"Yes Sensei." The Ninja comply reluctantly.
"This isn't about the weapons. It's about my son." Garmadon explains.
"From now on, you will obey me, and respect my brother." Wu orders, earning another chorus of 'Yes, Sensei'.
"Only if he respects us, will I respect him, Wu. He hasn't earned it, only our fear and caution." Kai sighs.
"If you cannot respect my brother, you can leave." Wu retorts, anger clear in his eyes and voice.
"So be it." Kai admits, heading back to his room as he began to pack up his belongings. As he enters the bridge, his travel gear readied, he looks to the group. "I'll be at the shop if you need me." With that, he departs, leaving a stunned group behind.
Three Days Later
As Kai hammers the blade of yet another sword, sweat dripping off his body from the exertion and heat of the forge and manual labour, Vex materializes beside him and places a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from moving. The blade was far too thin now, hammered beyond effective use.
"Take a break." His distorted voice echoes within the small shop.
"You could have just spoken in my mind like always." Kai notes, tossing the botched sword into a bucket of water and leaving it within.
"I've been calling you for the last ten minutes." Vex reveals, Kai rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry." Kai apologizes quickly, taking a seat on one of the stools. "I just..."
"Feel hopeless." Vex finishes for him. "You feel that, compared to the others, who are able to unlock their true potentials easily, that you hold them back."
"Of course I do." Kai scoffs. "I was cursed, and because of it, my heart will always be burdened." He sighs solemnly, putting his head in his hands. "From what I know, I can never unlock my True Potential." Their moment is interrupted, as the Bounty lands outside, Nya rushing to her brother.
"Pythor is at the Fire Temple. We believe one of the Fangblades are there as well." She explains.
"We best get a move on then." Kai notes, following his sister onto the Bounty. Once aboard, Cole, having taken the helm, begins taking them to the active Volcano. In visual range, Kai can immediately feel, and sense, a difference with the area. The land seems to be screaming out in pain, spirits of the past calling for help as they are watching their home fall apart. The Sword of fire, having been living at the Temple for so many millennia, is glowing hot with fury. On the deck, the ninja, Wu and Garmadon, prepare to disembark. "Everything seems to come back to this place." Kai notes with a sigh. "I wouldn't recommend using any of our Golden Weapons here. We'll have to go old school wood and steel."
"Kai's right. The smallest rupture will make this place erupt." Nya's voice affirms through the megaphone. They leap down, following the pathway into the Temple, the outer sanctum somewhat untouched. The inner sanctum, however, is a mass of lava and stone platforms, holes dug through walls and Serpentine crawling everywhere. In an instant, Pythor moves, knocking one of the Serpentine who had been digging straight into the lava, their corpse melting slowly, their screams echoing in the caves. In Pythor's hand, a faintly red Fangblade sits. While the ninja attempt to sneak up, the reflection of the silver/red metal alerts Pythor without issue, as he orders the others to attack.
"Light as a leaf! Attack like there is no tomorrow!" Wu calls, with the ninja immediately rushing to meet the snakes head on. Kai uses his spiritually enhanced powers, vaporizing his enemies with his fire and eternally damning them to the void of the Null, while Jay uses an offset of his lightning, producing a gust of wind from the power of his attacks. Zane uses his ice, and Cole simply uses his strength.
"Let's get out of here! But not without a parting gift, boys!" With Pythor's words, three Constrictai tunnel into the volcanic rock, further destabilizing the area. AS Garmadon leaps towards his son in a bid to rescue him, Pythor orders him to be cut loose, leaving him stranded on a rocky outcropping just above the slowly rising lava. With strength and speed beyond his previous movements, Garmadon manages to free his son, holding him in his arms.
"We can't let them leave with the fang-blade!" Kai shouts, taking one of his katana, he throws it with deadly precision, taking the fang-blade from Pythor's hand and embedding it into a wall, forcing the Anacondrai to leave so that he may live. Kai sprints toward the weapons, intent to take both and leave.
"KAI! IT'S NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE!" Jay calls.
"Then I better be quick." Kai mutters, a burst of power to his legs sends him to the wall with a thud, as he begins to pry his weapon free.
"AHH!" Lloyd's scream of terror takes Kai's attention, as the boy falls into the lava, the piece of rock under his feet all that prevents his demise.
"LLOYD!" Garmadon calls in despair. With a final tug, the katana is freed, but the fang-blade is sent into the lava. Kai looks to the others as they flee, with a rock falling to block the exit behind them, then to Lloyd, who looks at him with fear and desperation. Leaping across floating pieces of rock, Kai grabs Lloyd.
"Come on kid. We've got to get outta here." Kai states, holding him close.
"What about the fang-blade?" Lloyd asks.
"While it might be worth my life, it's not worth yours." Kai explains, bringing Lloyd with him as he leaps from rock to rock, before jets of fire surround them. "Vex, a little help?"
'This is beyond my control and power right now. No matter what powers I use here, none of them can save you and Lloyd.' Vex warns.
"I guess that's Karma for trying to smith away my problems for three days straight." Kai mutters. "Then what can I do?" Kai questions.
"Kai." Lloyd speaks, catching his eye. "Are we gonna die here?" The tears on his face showed how scared he was. It gave Kai resolve. He would make sure Lloyd makes it out alive. Even if he dies doing it.
"No. Lloyd. We're not dying here." Kai assures, his body beginning to glow a faint, orange/red light. A stream of flame suddenly jumps towards them, only to be blocked by an invisible force, a ripple of orange the only proof something was there. The lava begins to rise, higher and higher, above their heads, yet it never touches them.
"Woah." Lloyd sighs in awe, moments before an explosion of light blinds him from their surroundings.
As the Volcano erupts, the others can only watch, as both Kai and Lloyd were not to be seen. As they look towards what once stood as the Temple of Fire, a doorway opens behind them, with dark, evil roots stretching across the Bounty. Unlike before, however, these roots are laced with fire, as blue/white flames arc over each root. The door itself, is orange, rather than white. The deck beneath them begins to burn ethereally. The ninja jump back in worry, afraid of what might come from beyond.
"Relax." A familiar, yet distorted voice chides them.
"Kai?" Nya questions.
"It takes more than a little lava to finish me off, sis. Besides, someone had to save Lloyd." Kai retorts with a smile, his figure, cracked and erupting in harmless, volcanic fire and lava. He urges Lloyd forward, towards his father, the boy quickly following the nudge and embracing his dad in joy and relief. As Kai steps out of the doorway, it collapses in on itself, seeming to implode without danger. The deck boards were still scorched, and would need replacing. Kai's body then returns to normal, though he stumbles slightly before being caught by Vex, his ghostly visage still only seen by Kai. "He is the one we must protect, and guide."
"What are you saying?" Jay asks in confusion. Wu, however, gasps.
"Nya." He orders gently. Both Wu and Nya depart, before reappearing with the weapons in hand. When they get close to Lloyd, the weapons react, revolving around Lloyd in a haunting fashion, though the weapons were glowing happily.
"But then…" Garmadon notes, sadness adorning his features.
"The battle lines have been drawn brother. Unfortunately, our family has only become more divided. From brother versus brother, to father versus son." Wu affirms, his own sadness visible.
"Either this is Star Wars, or your family is fucking cursed.' Vex states aloud for everyone.
"And with the moment broken, can we wonder what happened to the fang-blade?" Jay wonders.
"The Serpentine would have retrieved it. I don't think lava would be the end of it." Kai answers solemnly.