Alternate Universes – Part 8: Ninjago
Ninjago (TV series)
Pilot season
"Long before time had a name", the First Spinjitzu Master created the realm of Ninjago using the four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu: the Scythe of Quakes, the Shurikens of Ice, the Nunchucks of Lightning and the Sword of Fire. Before he passed, his two sons swore to protect the weapons from evil, but the older brother, Garmadon, was consumed by darkness and aimed to wield all four weapons so that he could recreate Ninjago in his own image. In the ensuing battle between brothers, the younger brother Wu cast Garmadon down to the Underworld and hid the weapons across Ninjago, placing a dragon to guard each hiding spot.
In anticipation of Garmadon's return, Sensei Wu seeks out four talented young teenagers to master the art of Spinjitzu and find the Golden Weapons before Garmadon and his Skulkin Army can claim them. Wu recruits Kai, a young blacksmith and trains him to become a ninja at the Monastery of Spinjitzu. There he meets three other ninja: Cole, Jay, and Zane. The ninja team up to find the four Golden Weapons and save Kai's sister, Nya, who has been kidnapped by the Skulkin. They find the Scythe of Quakes at the Caves of Despair, learning spinjitzu along the way. They then find the Shurikens of Ice and the Nunchucks of Lightning, confronting each dragon in the process. That night Kai retrieves the Sword of Fire from the Fire Temple, and frees his sister, but is confronted by the shadow of Garmadon. Although Wu arrives at the temple and fights off his brother's shadow, the Skulkin ambush Cole, Jay and Zane and steal the other three Golden Weapons.
Sensei Wu decides to enter the Underworld with the Sword of Fire, believing that this is the only way to stop Garmadon. The ninja follow him by crossing between realms on the backs of the dragons, who agree to help them. In the Underworld, Samukai, the Skulkin leader, attacks Wu but the ninja use Spinjitzu to create a Tornado of Creation, which defeats the skulkin. Samukai picks up the four Golden Weapons, but they are too powerful to be held together and they destroy him. This creates a portal for Garmadon to use to escape from the Underworld. Back in Ninjago, the ninja celebrate their temporary victory, with the expectation that Garmadon will soon return.
Season 1 (Rise of the Snakes)
When Garmadon is spotted in Jamanakai Village, the ninja instead find his son, Lloyd Garmadon, trying to terrorise the villagers. Kai discovers a scroll that foretells the prophecy of the Green Ninja, who will rise above the others to defeat a dark lord, and wonder which of them will be the chosen one. Lloyd uncovers a tomb containing the Hypnobrai, one of the five Serpentine tribes. The tribe's general Slithraa attempts to hypnotize him, but accidentally gives Lloyd control of the tribe. Lloyd and the Hypnobrai build a treehouse fortress with the aim of conquering Ninjago, but it is destroyed by the ninja. When they return to the Monastery of Spinjitzu, they discover that it has been burned down and find a new home on board Destiny's Bounty. At the Hypnobrai tomb, Skales takes control of the tribe and banishes Lloyd from the tomb. Seeking revenge, Lloyd uncovers the Fangpyre tomb and makes a deal with the general Fangtom. Lloyd and the Fangpyre plan to attack the Hypnobrai, but when the two Serpentine generals meet, they become allies and Lloyd escapes. Lloyd opens the Anacondrai tomb and finds Pythor inside, who pretends to befriend him. Lloyd is eventually taken into the care of Master Wu on board Destiny's Bounty.
Pythor travels to the two remaining Serpentine tombs in an attempt to unite the five tribes, with the ninja in pursuit. When they reach the Venomari tomb, they are surrounded by Serpentine and saved by the mysterious Samurai X. Pythor declares himself the new snake king and begins to search for the lost city of Ouroborous, which is the prison of a legendary snake named the Great Devourer. When Lloyd gets captured, the ninja try to save him from the Serpentine. One by one, Zane, Jay and Cole unlock their "True Potential" by overcoming personal obstacles and Nya reveals that she is Samurai X. When the four ninja follow the mysterious falcon into the woods, they stumble on a hidden work shop where Zane learns the secret about his past and in the process, he is the first ninja to unlock his true potential. Jay and Nya have to cut their first date in Mega-Monster Amusement Park short as the Serpentine are on their way to retrieve the first or four fang blades to be used to awaken the Great Devourer. The four ninja go undercover as a dance troupe and enter a talent contest in their quest to win "The Blade Cup" where one of the fang blades is hidden.
Pythor begins his search for four silver fangblades, which will awaken the Great Devourer. After finding the first two, the Serpentine attempt to retrieve the third Fangblade at the Fire Temple, but are forced to fight the ninja. Lloyd becomes trapped on a rock in the lava, so Kai decides to save him and consequently unlocks his True Potential. The ninja and Sensei Wu try to infiltrate the Serpentines' inner sanctum and walk right into a trap, and when Lloyd's rescue mission fails, there is only one person who can help them, namely the evil Lord Garmadon. On board Destiny's Bounty, the four Golden Weapons reveal that Lloyd is destined to be the Green Ninja. The ninja take all four fangblades from the Serpentine base, but Pythor sneaks on board Destiny's Bounty and steals them. When Pythor releases the Great Devourer, it devours everything in its path, including Pythor. The ninja attempt to stop the snake in Ninjago City and, with no other choice, give the four Golden Weapons to Garmadon, who launches an attack on its weak spot. The Great Devourer explodes into slime and Garmadon disappears with the Golden Weapons.
Season 2 (Legacy of the Green Ninja)
The ninja begin training Lloyd so that he can face his father in battle. Meanwhile, Garmadon recruits the Serpentine, rebuilds the Destiny's Bounty as the Black Bounty and merges the Golden Weapons into the powerful Mega Weapon. Garmadon resurrects the original crew of the Destiny's Bounty, led by Captain Soto. They pilot the ship to Ninjago City, but the ninja engage them in battle. Eventually, Garmadon escapes with the Bounty. Garmadon creates clones of the ninja as a way to defeat them. When the ninja visit Darkley's School, they are locked in a room by the students and forced to defeat the clones. They decide to enter a road race named the Ninjaball Run to earn the grand prize so that they can save Dareth's Mojo Dojo. Garmadon decides to participate to stop the ninja from winning. After fighting for lead position, the ninja narrowly win the race and Lloyd takes possession of the Bounty.
At Ninjago Museum of History, Garmadon uses the Mega Weapon to resurrect the extinct Grundal to destroy the ninja. When the ninja burst in, they are struck by the weapon and transformed into children. They are later forced to defend themselves from the Grundal in the comic book store, but Master Wu and Nya arrive and Lloyd uses Tomorrow's Tea to turn the Grundal back into bones. The ninja are transformed back to their present ages, but Lloyd is rapidly aged up to an adolescent. Garmadon attempts to change the past by stopping the ninja team from forming, so the original four ninja follow him into a time portal to the temporal point when Wu first recruited Kai. They manage to restore the timeline by using the Golden Weapons of the past to blast the Mega Weapon into space. At Ninjago Museum, Lloyd is reunited with his mother, Misako.
After being betrayed by Skales, Garmadon finds himself on the Dark Island with the disembodied voice of the Overlord. The venom of the Great Devourer seeps into catacombs beneath Ninjago and animates a Stone Army, which wreaks havoc on Ninjago City. Garmadon takes control of the Stone Army using the Helmet of Shadows. The Ninjas, Lloyd, Sensei Wu and Misako journey to the Dark Island to find a 'Temple of Light' that can restore the Ninjas' elemental powers but are attacked by Starteeth (barnacle-like star fish) that start eating through their ship. The ninja travel to the Dark Island to stop Garmadon and reach the Temple of Light to harness their elemental powers and bestow Golden Power on Lloyd. They fail to stop the Celestial Clock from counting down to the final battle. Garmadon's super weapon, Garmatron, is used to fire dark matter into Ninjago. The Overlord is revealed to be the dark lord from the prophecy. He possesses Garmadon and heads to Ninjago with his army. The ninja return to Ninjago on Ultra Dragon and are forced to defend Lloyd while being hit by dark matter, leaving Lloyd to confront the Overlord alone. The Overlord transforms into a massive dragon, but Lloyd uses his Golden Power to destroy the Overlord in an explosion of light, which purges Garmadon of evil and transforms Lloyd into the Golden Ninja.
Season 3 (Rebooted)
Since the defeat of the Overlord, Ninjago has been rebuilt into a futuristic metropolis, and renamed New Ninjago City. Cyrus Borg, founder and CEO of Borg Industries, has rebuilt the city with technological advancements. Without an enemy to fight, the ninja become teachers at Master Wu's Academy. One day, they receive clearance for a field trip to Borg Industries. Upon arrival, they meet a female android named P.I.X.A.L. The students convince Nya to take a "love" test, and it is revealed, to her shock and horror, that her perfect match is not Jay, but Cole. Cyrus Borg gives the ninja a golden statue as a gift, with the Techno Blades hidden inside. They ultimately learn that the Overlord has survived the final battle and is trapped inside the Digiverse as a computer virus. The Overlord takes control of Cyrus Borg and P.I.X.A.L. to create an army of Nindroids using Zane's blueprints. The Digital Overlord plans to capture Lloyd and use his Golden Power to escape the Digiverse, but the ninja are able to free P.I.X.A.L. from the Overlord's control. Meanwhile, Lloyd is trained by his father, Lord Garmadon. The ninja travel to the power station with the aim of using the Techno Blades to shut down the power, but are forced to fight an army of Nindroids, led by General Cryptor.
After the power station is destroyed, a stranger steals the hard drive containing the Digital Overlord and uses electrocobrai to reactivate him. Wu is captured, transformed into a corrupted cyborg and attacks the ninja. They decide to go underground to find the Serpentine, who are now led by Skales, but the Serpentine are unable to help them defeat the Nindroids. Lloyd and Garmadon are attacked by corrupted Wu and Lloyd is captured. The Digital Overlord drains Lloyd of most of his Golden Power. The stranger is revealed to be Pythor, who survived the Great Devourer. Borg tells the ninja they can reboot the system and destroy the Digital Overlord by going into the Digiverse. They reboot the station by using the Golden Power and Lloyd escapes, but the Overlord manages to escape the digital realm half-formed. Lloyd then gives up his remaining Golden Power at the Temple of Light by restoring the elemental powers of the original four ninja. After Kai is captured by Pythor and the Nindroids, the ninja discover a rocket named Arcturus that the Digital Overlord intends to use to retrieve the Golden Weapons from space. After freeing Kai, they stow away on board the rocket and battle the Nindroids for the Golden Weapons but fail to obtain them when the Nindroids return to Ninjago.
The ninja return from space using elemental shields and prepare to confront the Digital Overlord, who has become the Golden Master, fulfilling an ancient Serpentine prophecy, and is now wreaking havoc on New Ninjago City. They try to shrink him with a shrinking pill, but this is thwarted by Pythor. With no other option, Zane sacrifices himself to destroy the Golden Master. However, Zane ultimately survives, trapped in Borg's systems, and rebuilds himself with the help of P.I.X.A.L.
Season 4 (Tournament of Elements)
Following the loss of Zane, the team splits apart, but Lloyd seeks to rebuild it. The ninja are reunited at Chen's Noodle House, where they discover that Zane is alive and are invited to compete in a tournament by Master Chen. Garmadon and the ninja join a group of Elemental Masters and Chen's second-in-command, Clouse, on board a ferry. On Chen's island, Zane is being held prisoner and is now the Titanium Ninja. Upon arrival, Kai falls in love with Skylor, the Elemental Master of Amber, and tries to impress her. The competitors compete to obtain Jade Blades to remain in the contest, while the losers are dropped into trap doors. The ninja discover a secret tunnel which reveals Chen's Cultist Warriors. When Jay and Cole are forced to compete against each other, Cole allows Jay to win, and the two end their debate over Nya for good. He is put to work in Chen's Noodle Factory, but plans to escape.
The ninja gain the trust of the Elemental Masters during a race between Lloyd and Camille, the Elemental Master of Form. When Lloyd wins the race, Chen tries to change the results, but the ninja are supported by the Elemental Masters. Chen attempts to weaken the alliance by claiming that the winner will obtain the Staff of Elements, which he is secretly using to absorb their elemental powers. Dareth and Nya infiltrate the tournament, with Nya disguised as a kabuki, while Cole finds Zane and releases him. The ninja realise that one of the Elemental Masters is a spy for Chen. It is later revealed that Skylor is not only the spy, but Chen's daughter.
In the next contest, Chen sends the contestants to a jungle island to capture Nya. In the jungle, Kai and Skylor team up, but Skylor reveals herself as Chen's daughter and everyone aside from Garmadon, Lloyd, and Nya are captured. Chen offers Kai greater power if he betrays the ninja and Kai pretends to switch sides. When Lloyd is captured, Kai uses an opportune moment to take the Staff of Elements, which begins to corrupt him, but he manages to destroy it, which restores all of the elemental powers. In the jungle, Clouse and Garmadon fight, resulting in Garmadon throwing Clouse into a portal to the Cursed Realm. Chen and his army escape from the island but are pursued by the ninja and Elemental Masters riding on their elemental dragons.
When Chen performs a spell to transform his army into Anacondrai warriors, he realises that to make the spell permanent, he needs the essence of a true Anacondrai. As Pythor is the last remaining Anacondrai, he is captured by Chen, who uses his sweat to complete the spell. Chen and his army then wage war against Ninjago. A battle takes place at the Corridor of Elders, between the ninja alliance and Chen's army. Pythor reveals to Garmadon that the only way to defeat Chen's army is for Garmadon to banish himself to the Cursed Realm to bring back the original Anacondrai generals. Garmadon accepts, resulting in the spirits of the Anacondrai generals banishing Chen and his army to the Cursed Realm. A single spirit flies out of the portal to the Cursed Realm, uttering the name "Morro".
Season 5 (Possession)
When Lloyd is possessed by the spirit of Morro, the ninja realise that they have lost their elemental powers. Morro attacks Wu and the ninja to obtain Wu's staff, which has three symbols engraved upon it. Morro successfully takes the staff, but Wu has made an imprint of the symbols. Wu explains that Morro was his first pupil and the Elemental Master of Wind. Morro believed that he would become the Green Ninja and was enraged to find out that he was not. He had set out to find the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master but never returned. Morro and his three ghost warriors begin their search for the Realm Crystal, which will allow Morro to release the Preeminent, the physical embodiment of the Cursed Realm, into Ninjago.
The first symbol on Wu's staff is a technique known as Airjitzu, which allows the user to levitate off the ground. To learn this technique, the ninja travel to the city of Stiix to find Ronin, who stole the Scroll of Airjitzu from Domu Library. On the way, they encounter Chain Master Wrayth and learn that ghosts can be defeated with water. In Stiix, they search for the scroll but are outwitted by Morro, who takes the scroll, learns Airjitzu and escapes. The ninja discover they can learn Airjitzu by visiting the Temple of Airjitzu. Meanwhile, Nya receives intensive training from Wu and begins to control the element of water. The ninja visit the Temple of Airjitzu, which is haunted by the ghost of Master Yang, and they earn the Scroll of Airjitzu. Yang tries to trap them inside the temple, revealing that anyone who remains inside at dawn will become a ghost. The ninja escape with the scroll, except for Cole, who doesn't get out in time and is transformed into a ghost. He remains in this form throughout Season 5 and Season 6.
After learning Airjitzu, the ninja race to obtain the second symbol, the Sword of Sanctuary. They ascend the Wailing Alps and use Airjitzu to pass through the Blind Man's Eye into a parallel realm called Cloud Kingdom. Morro again outwits them, takes the sword and returns to Ninjago with the ninja in pursuit. On the mountainside, Kai takes the sword from Morro and the ninja use it to pinpoint the location of the third symbol, the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. When they arrive, they face three deadly tests before finding the Realm Crystal. There they encounter Morro, who releases Lloyd and escapes with the crystal. Lloyd is weak, but the ninja find their elemental powers are returning. Morro uses the Realm Crystal to release an army of ghosts and the Preeminent. The ninja are forced to battle the army of ghosts but realise that they are being overwhelmed and retreat on a paddle steamer. Nya unlocks her True Potential and destroys the enemies with a huge wave. Wu tries to pull Morro from the grasp of the Preeminent but he dies as he hits the water.
Season 6 (Skybound)
Clouse (who is now a ghost escaped from the Cursed Realm) finds the Teapot of Tyrahn and frees the evil Djinn or Genie Nadakhan. He grants Clouse three wishes, traps him inside the teapot, and then searches for the Realm Crystal to reunite his crew of sky pirates. When he discovers that the ninja are protecting it, he frames them for various crimes, which results in them becoming wanted criminals. The ninja split up to escape but Nadakhan imprisons Wu and Misako in the teapot. Nadakhan finds the Realm Crystal in the Hiroshi Labyrinth Stronghold. In Kryptarium Prison, the ninja meet Captain Soto, who explains that they must use a drop of Tiger Widow venom to weaken Nadakhan, so they head for the location of the last Tiger Widow spider. Nadakhan frees his crew from across the Sixteen Realms and they repair the Misfortune's Keep. They visit his home realm and kingdom, Djinjago and discover that it is deteriorating, caused by the ninja destroying the Cursed Realm. Khanjkhan gives Nadakhan the Djinn Blade, which Nadakhan uses to slash the Teapot of Tyrahn, causing the souls of Clouse, Wu, and Misako to transfer into the sword. He returns to Ninjago and swears revenge on the ninja.
Nadakhan tricks Jay into making his first wish. To impress Nya, Jay wishes he was rich and was never born in a junkyard and, as a result, discovers that he was adopted and that his real father is Cliff Gordon, a famous actor. Nadakhan then traps Kai and Zane in his sword. He begins his plan to create New Djinjago by raising pieces of Ninjago into the sky. The ninja reach Tiger Widow Island and Jay extracts the venom. He is imprisoned on Misfortune's Keep. Nadakhan reveals his plan to wed Nya (who resembles his lost love Delara), which will give him the power of infinite wishes. Lloyd, Jay, Cole and Nya are captured by the sky pirates and they waste their remaining wishes in combat, aside from Jay, who still has one wish remaining. Nadakhan traps Lloyd and Cole inside the sword, leaving only Jay and Nya, who escape by creating a fusion dragon of water and lightning. In their last stand against the sky pirates, Nya pushes Jay into a portal and is captured.
Jay gathers allies and they reach New Djinjago on a rising piece of land. He obtains the Djinn Blade and is struck with it to be transported into the blade to release the Ninja, Wu and Misako. Meanwhile, the wedding ceremony is completed and Nadakhan becomes all powerful with the ability of infinite wishes. In the ensuing battle, Flintlocke shoots Nadakhan with the venom, but Nya is also hit and dies in Jay's arms. Jay makes a final wish that the Teapot of Tyrahn had never been found. As a result, Nadakhan is forced to grant Jay his final wish, which causes the entire season's events to be reversed. Only Jay and Nya remember these events and they embrace. In this timeline, Clouse still finds the teapot, but is chased away by locals, ensuring that Nadakhan is never released again.
Day of the Departed
Day of the Departed was a Halloween TV special that takes place after the events of Season 6 and prior to Season 7. The Day of the Departed is a sacred holiday that is celebrated by the people of Ninjago to commemorate their fallen ancestors and friends. On this day, the ninja split up to remember their ancestors and spend time with family members. During a visit to Ninjago History Museum, Cole (who is still a ghost) realizes that he is starting to fade away and, after discovering the Yin Blade, decides to visit the floating Temple of Airjitzu to confront the ghost of Master Yang.
At the temple, Cole accidentally uses the Yin Blade to open a portal to the Departed Realm, thereby releasing the spirits of the ninjas' old enemies, which include Samukai, Kozu, Cryptor, Chen and Morro, who are also joined by Pythor. The spirits possess their mannequins in Ninjago History Museum, which brings them to life. Cole is detained at the temple by Yang's ghost students. Yang then tells the villains that they can stay in Ninjago if they defeat each of the ninja that defeated them. Yang seizes the Yin Blade from Cole and explains that he intends to use the blade to tear open the Rift of Return, so that he can be revived. The ninja are under attack from their old revived enemies, but successfully defeat them one by one. In the meantime, Cole is forced to fight Yang's students as he follows Yang up to the temple roof. Yang uses Airjitzu in an attempt to reach the Rift, but Cole stops him and they fight.
When the ninja are reunited, they realize that they had almost forgotten about Cole. They return to the Temple of Airjitzu as Cole is battling Yang. Cole's spirit is bolstered at the sight of his friends and he shatters the Yin Blade. This frees Yang's students, who are able to cross through the Rift and become human again. Yang tells Cole that he wanted to be remembered, but Cole replies that he will be remembered as the creator of Airjitzu. They agree to cross through the Rift together, but during the ascent, Yang decides to stay at the temple to settle his debts and launches Cole into the Rift. The ninja soon discover that Cole has returned, now in human form once more. They celebrate the return of their friend and decide to use the Temple of Airjitzu as their new base.
Season 7 (The Hands of Time)
Acronix emerges from the time vortex, after being trapped for 40 years, and Master Wu challenges him in combat. During the fight, the Forward Time Blade arrives through the vortex and Acronix uses it to hit Wu with a time punch that accelerates his aging. Acronix reunites with his brother Krux. Wu relates the history of the Hands of Time, twin brothers, who were once allied with the Elemental Masters, but betrayed them. Ray and Maya had forged four Time Blades, which Wu and Garmadon used to absorb the twins' elemental powers, before banishing them into the vortex. Krux had emerged from the vortex years ago and disguised himself as Dr. Sander Saunders, curator of the Ninjago History Museum.
The Hands of Time proceed with their master plan. Krux has bred an army of Vermillion warriors formed from snakes. The twins abduct Cyrus Borg and various workers from Ninjago City to build the Iron Doom, a time-traveling mech. The ninja attempt to fight the Vermillion but discover that they can immediately reform upon defeat. Kai visits Ninjago History Museum and fights the Time Twins with Nya. Krux tells Kai that his parents were traitors and helped the Hands of Time forge the Vermillion armour. The Vermillion recover the Slow-Mo Time Blade from the desert, but the ninja take it from them. The Vermillion then launch an attack on the Temple of Airjitzu and during the battle, the Hands of Time escape with both Time Blades and Wu as their captive. They retrieve the Pause Time Blade from the top of a mountain.
The ninja split up to rescue Cyrus, the workers, and Wu. Kai visits the Blacksmith Shop and confronts his father, calling him a traitor. His parents explain that they were forced to work for Krux and that 40 years prior they hid the Reversal Time Blade in a secret location. The Hands of Time force Kai and Nya to retrieve the Reversal Blade from the Boiling Sea. They travel to its location by creating a Fusion Dragon, but on their return are attacked by Krux and Acronix, resulting in Ray being hit by the Forward Time Blade, which rapidly advances his age.
The Hands of Time travel back 40 years to the same temporal point when they battled the Elemental Masters. The Vermillion warriors attack the monastery, but Kai, Nya, and Wu, who have followed them into the vortex, join the fight and the Elemental Masters get the upper hand. During the battle, the Time Twins alter history by forcing Wu to yield and this reverts present-day Ninjago to its pre-technology age. Kai and Nya ride the Fusion Dragon to battle the Iron Doom. The Hands of Time open another time vortex to escape, but Kai, Nya, and Wu confront them. During the fight, Wu rips out the Reversal Blade, sabotaging the Iron Doom in the process. Kai and Nya are thrown off the mech with the Reversal Blade and return to the present day. Ninjago is restored to its technological glory and Kai uses the Reversal Time Blade to cure his father's rapid aging. The Time Twins and Wu are lost in time aboard the Iron Doom.
Season 8 (The Sons of Garmadon)
The Sons of Garmadon, a criminal biker gang, steals the Oni Mask of Vengeance. The ninja are summoned by the Royal Family, who ask them to protect the Oni Mask of Deception. There they meet Princess Harumi. At night, Lloyd follows a figure out of the palace and discovers that it is
Harumi. They hand out food to children and Lloyd develops feelings for the princess. The Sons of Garmadon attack the Royal Palace and Lloyd escapes with Harumi on a motorbike. They survive, but lose the Oni mask. Lloyd, Jay, Zane and Cole visit Mistaké's Tea Shop. She relates the "Tale of the Oni and the Dragon", while Cole and Zane head to the police station. Mistaké tells Lloyd that the Sons of Garmadon want to use the three Oni Masks to resurrect Lord Garmadon in a purely evil form. At the police station, Zane and Cole trick Luke Cunningham into revealing the hangout of the biker gang. They go to Laughy's in disguise, and when Cole's cover is blown he is taken prisoner, but Zane is recruited as "Snake Jaguar". They force Zane to take part in a motorbike race, but a phone call from "The Quiet One", the gang's leader, reveals that Zane is a spy. Zane is forced to fight Mr. E, who reveals himself to be a Nindroid, knocks Zane off a cliff, and nearly destroys him. Cole escapes from his cell at the gang's base and finds a baby, who he takes with him.
The ninja find Zane and reboot his systems, unaware that Mr. E has planted a mechanical spider on him that sabotages the Bounty and P.I.X.A.L. While caring for the baby, the ninja discover the location of the Mask of Hatred. When the Samurai Mech captures Harumi, Lloyd jumps onto it and they plummet to the ground. Nya uses rain to slow the descent of the Bounty and they crash into the jungle. The ninja notice that the baby is now a toddler and realise that he is Wu. P.I.X.A.L. discovers that the signal from The Quiet One came from the Bounty, proving that the leader is Harumi. The ninja are captured by the Sons of Garmadon, while Lloyd and Harumi locate the Oni Temple. Lloyd realises that Harumi is The Quiet One and they fight over the mask, but Harumi escapes. The Sons of Garmadon leave with the three Oni Masks and Destiny's Bounty.
The Sons of Garmadon take Lloyd and Misako to the Temple of Resurrection and lock them in cells. Harumi performs the ritual that resurrects Lord Garmadon. The ninja manage to stop the ritual and the police arrest the gang. Back at the temple, it is revealed that the ritual did in fact work and Garmadon is resurrected. He frees Harumi and they go to Kryptarium Prison to release the prisoners. Lloyd confronts his father alone and they engage in a brutal fight which nearly kills Lloyd. Garmadon conquers Ninjago by creating a stone Colossus. Lloyd wakes up and discovers that his elemental powers have gone. He takes Wu and flees with Harumi in pursuit. Lloyd throws Wu to the ninja on board Destiny's Bounty, but it is too far for him to jump. The Colossus grabs the Bounty and crushes it, but before it is destroyed, the ninja use Traveller's Tea to escape, and they find themselves in the Realm of Oni and Dragons. Lloyd and Nya mourn their loss and go into hiding, unaware that the others have survived.
Season 9 (Hunted)
With Emperor Garmadon ruling Ninjago City, Lloyd, Nya and their allies are forced into hiding. Lloyd feels helpless, having lost both his elemental powers and his friends, but finds hope when Mistaké tells him that the ninja have survived. Lloyd, Nya, and several Elemental Masters form a resistance against Lord Garmadon. The resistance infiltrates Borg Tower and Lloyd broadcasts a message of hope to the people of Ninjago. The Sons of Garmadon ambush their secret base, but Lloyd, Nya, Skylor and Dareth escape.
Meanwhile, the other four ninja and Wu (who has been rapidly aged up to a child and later to a teenager), are surviving in the Realm of Oni and Dragons. Kai, Jay and Zane are captured by Iron Baron and his band of dragon hunters and forced to compete in the Dragon Pit, a gladiator-style arena. Cole and Wu plot the ninja's escape and succeed when Firstbourne, the Mother of all Dragons, attacks the camp. During the chaos, Kai sets free the dragons that are held in captivity. In the wilderness, the ninja meet a rogue dragon hunter named Faith. She tells the story of how the First Spinjitzu Master shared a connection with Firstbourne by wearing his Dragon Armour. Wu, Faith and the ninja set off to find Firstbourne's nest. On the journey, Faith trains the ninja to use chain rifles to take down large dragons.
In Ninjago City, Lloyd discovers that Mistaké can shapeshift because she is an Oni. They plan to take down the Sons of Garmadon and eventually capture Harumi. Mistaké takes the form of Harumi to get Skylor close to Garmadon so that she can absorb his power. Unfortunately, Harumi arrives at Borg Tower at the same moment that Mistaké is impersonating her. Mistaké reveals her true Oni form and battles with Garmadon. During the fight, Skylor absorbs Garmadon's power and escapes, but Mistaké is killed. Skylor attempts to control Garmadon's Colossus using his power, but it poisons her. The Colossus falls onto a building, which collapses and kills Harumi, while Lloyd and Nya flee the city.
In the First Realm, the ninja are hunted down once again and captured, so Wu promises to lead Iron Baron to the Dragon Armour. When they arrive at Firstbourne's nest, Iron Baron seizes the armour, but Wu reveals that it was not the armour that caused Firstbourne to trust his father, but the goodness in his heart. Firstbourne encases Iron Baron inside molten rock, allowing Wu to take the armour. With the help of Firstbourne, the Ninja and Wu are able to return to Ninjago on the dragons.
Lloyd and the ninja are reunited in Ninjago City and plan a final battle with Garmadon. Wu and Lloyd fly to Borg Tower on Firstbourne to confront Garmadon. Meanwhile, the ninja attempt to bring down the Colossus using their chain rifles and are able to defeat it with the help of Ninjago citizens. Lloyd battles with his father at the top of Borg Tower, but realises that the fight fuels his father's powers and learns to resist him rather than fight back. As a result, Garmadon's powers are diminished and Lloyd's elemental power returns. Ninjago is finally free from Garmadon's reign, but before Garmadon is arrested, he warns Lloyd of an incoming threat he foresaw: "the darkness".
Season 10 (March of the Oni)
Since Lord Garmadon's defeat, Ninjago City has been rebuilt. However, when Lloyd visits his father in Kryptarium Prison, Garmadon warns him that the "Bringers of Doom" are coming, but Lloyd refuses to listen. Meanwhile, the ninja are presented with a newly rebuilt Destiny's Bounty. Garmadon's warnings soon prove to be justified when the Oni demons invade Ninjago by entering through the Realm Crystal. A darkness spreads across Ninjago City and petrifies anyone who touches it. On board Destiny's Bounty, the ninja race to Ninjago City to rescue the
citizens from the darkness. However, when the ninja use their elemental powers against the dark cloud, they discover that they have no impact. Lloyd visits his father in Kryptarium Prison for advice. With no other choice, the ninja release Garmadon from prison and form an uneasy alliance with him in an attempt to defeat the Oni and save Ninjago from the darkness.
Back on the Bounty, Garmadon tells the ninja that the only way to save Ninjago is to destroy the Realm Crystal, which is located at Borg Tower. Lloyd and Garmadon agree that they alone can safely venture into the darkness and not be petrified because of their Oni blood. While Lloyd and Garmadon enter the darkness, the ninja receive a distress signal from the NGTV building. They decide to go and help the people trapped there, while P.I.X.A.L. stays behind to help Lloyd and Garmadon. When Lloyd and Garmadon reach the Realm Crystal, Garmadon tries to destroy it, but they are confronted by the Omega, the Oni leader. While fighting the Omega and the Oni, Lloyd destroys the Realm Crystal with the Sword of Sanctuary, but it fails to stop them. Lloyd and Garmadon then find the Armour of the Golden Master and realise that it causes the Oni to recoil. They escape from Borg Tower, taking the armour with them and are picked up by P.I.X.A.L. As the ninja are helping people escape at the NGTV building, Nya accidentally pushes the thrust lever the wrong way and Cole, who is hanging from a ladder, falls from the Destiny's Bounty into the darkness, seemingly killing him.
After Lloyd and Garmadon return, the ninja fly to the Monastery of Spinjitzu so that Kai can reforge the Golden Weapons, believing that this can stop the Oni. When the Oni attack the monastery, a battle takes place outside the walls. During the battle, the ninja are slowly overwhelmed by the growing Oni horde, but Cole arrives in the Earth Driller and the ninja realise that he has survived. Jay then asks Nya to be his "Yang," and Nya happily accepts, without hesitation. When all hope seems lost, the ninja, Wu and Garmadon join forces and use Spinjitzu to make the Tornado of Creation, which results in the Oni's destruction. After the battle, Lloyd experiences a vision where he meets the First Spinjitzu Master, who thanks him for saving Ninjago. Garmadon leaves for parts unknown as the ninja celebrate their victory and shared history by placing their handprints on the wall mural of the Monastery of Spinjitzu.
Season 11 (Secrets of The Forbidden Spinjitzu)
After defeating the Oni, the ninja have become lazy and out of shape. They decide to search for a new threat to face, but Ninjago is at peace. They find their next quest when Clutch Powers discovers an ancient pyramid. The tomb is a prison for a snake queen named Aspheera, who is unwittingly released by the ninja. She steals Kai's powers and uses them to revive her army of Pyro Vipers, with the aim of conquering Ninjago and exacting revenge on the "Treacherous Deceiver". The ninja are trapped in the pyramid, but rescued by P.I.X.A.L. They learn about the Scrolls of Forbidden Spinjitzu, which grant the user great powers, but can also corrupt them. Wu eventually admits that he is the "Treacherous Deceiver", and explains that he befriended Aspheera and taught her Spinjitzu, but she used it for evil by taking over the Serpentine. As a result, Wu and Garmadon were forced to defeat Aspheera using Forbidden Spinjitzu and imprisoned her inside the pyramid. After Aspheera steals one of the scrolls from the museum, the ninja go after the other at the Explorers Club, while Aspheera attacks the Monastery of
Spinjitzu. The ninja defeat Aspheera, but Zane is hit with the scroll's power and is transported to the Never-Realm. Wu volunteers to rescue Zane, but the ninja overpower him and go instead, before Wu can warn them that there is no way to return. The ninja reach the Never-Realm and arrive at a village, where they meet the elder, Sorla and help the locals fend off the Blizzard Samurai, led by the Ice Emperor and his advisor, Vex. The ninja believe that Zane was captured by the Ice Emperor and decide to stay at the village, where Kai attempts to regain his powers. Cole leaves to find the Traveller's Tree to collect some leaves for the Traveller's Tea so that they can return home. He befriends Krag, the last surviving yeti, and Lloyd leaves to find Zane's mech. Along the way, Lloyd befriends a Formling named Akita, who can transform into a wolf and wishes to exact revenge on the Ice Emperor for freezing her people. Meanwhile, the village is attacked by the Ice Emperor's dragon Boreal, forcing the remaining ninja to flee and continue their journey. Lloyd and Akita are later attacked by Boreal, who kidnaps Lloyd and carries him to the Ice Emperor, who is revealed to be Zane. After being transported to the Never-Realm decades into the past, he lost his memory and was manipulated by Vex, a Formling who wished to exact revenge on his people. Zane was led to believe he was the Ice Emperor and the two then dethroned the ruler of the realm, Grimfax. Zane used the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu to corrupt Grimfax's warriors, turning them into the Blizzard Samurai. Lloyd is locked in a cell and meets Akita's brother, Kataru. They form an alliance with Grimfax to dethrone Zane and liberate the Never-Realm. Kai recovers his powers, destroying Boreal, and Zane recovers his memories after Vex attempts to kill Lloyd. Zane destroys his scepter, which restores peace to the Never-Realm. Grimfax regains his throne, Vex is banished for his crimes, and the ninja return to Ninjago.
Season 12 (Prime Empire)
When the old, legendary video game Prime Empire resurfaces, players begin to disappear into the game, including Jay (who loves playing video games). The ninja discover that the game's creator, Milton Dyer, has also disappeared and nobody has seen him for years. With the suspicion that Dyer is a villain named Unagami, Lloyd, Cole, Kai and Nya enter the virtual world of Prime Empire to stop Dyer's avatar, while Zane and P.I.X.A.L. remain outside to find Dyer in the real world. They meet "The League of Jay", a group of Jay fans who lead them to a player named Scott. He explains that players only get four lives in the game and after losing their last life, they are turned into digital cubes and disappear. Inside one of the game zones, a Samurai named Okino faces a crisis of faith when he repeatedly fails to lead a series of Masters to victory, causing him to lose all hope - until some familiar ninja arrive. In order to stop Unagami, the ninja must obtain three Key-tanas, the first of which is hidden in the game zone Terra Karana - one of Prime Empire's most dangerous game environments. While being chased by Unagami's dreaded Red Visors the ninja must climb the 'Cliffs of Hysteria', however, they make a startling discovery: Unagami is converting players into energy cubes in order to build a portal into the real world! Once reunited with Jay, the ninja travel across three game zones to obtain three Key-Tanas, which unlock the final challenge at the Temple of Madness. On the journey, they are hunted by Unagami's digital troops, the Red Visors. In the first game zone, Terra Karana, the ninja meet a non-player character (NPC) called Okino, who helps them through many deadly challenges. In the boss battle, the ninja win the fight against the Red Dragon to obtain the purple Key-Tana. The ninja learn that the only way to acquire the 2nd Key-tana is by winning a race in Terra Technica and have to find racing cars in unexpected ways. The yellow Key-Tana is obtained by winning the Speedway Five-Billion, a dangerous race in the second game zone, Terra Technica. Lloyd recruits Racer Seven, another NPC, but she is followed by the Red Visors. Scott sacrifices himself to help the ninja escape and is transformed into a digital cube. The ninja manage to win the Speedway Five-Billion, but Kai and Cole are both cubed during the race. Lloyd, Jay and Nya continue their journey to obtain the final Key-tana in the third game zone, Terra Domina. There Lloyd is forced to battle an avatar of Harumi. He defeats her and obtains the orange Key-Tana, but is cubed in the process.
In the real world, Zane discovers the location of Dyer, only to get captured by the Mechanic. When P.I.X.A.L. finds Dyer, he reveals that Scott was a test player who became trapped inside the game (which was named Unagami), when Dyer requested that Scott receive an intense gaming experience. Dyer shut the game down, but Unagami survived. Zane is forced to give the Prime Empire motherboard to the Mechanic, who uses it to create a portal from the game into the real world.
In Prime Empire, Jay and Nya reach a digital sushi restaurant in the Temple of Madness, but Nya is cubed after being defeated by an NPC called Sushimi. After reaching the final level, Jay confronts Unagami, who transforms himself into the Empire Dragon. Jay follows him through the portal into the real world by riding on his Cyber Dragon. Back in the real world, Jay lures Unagami to the top of Borg Tower. Dyer apologizes to Unagami, who forgives him. He agrees to release all the players and NPCs who are trapped inside the game. Unagami, who is now a child, and Dyer are finally reunited.
Season 13 (Master of the Mountain)
The Ninja and Master Wu are invited to the Kingdom of Shintaro. They meet King Vangelis and his daughter Vania, who takes an interest in Cole. That night, a Geckle enters Cole's room, who discovers that the creature has his mother's necklace. Vania takes Cole to a secret entrance that leads into the Dungeons of Shintaro. They discover the Geckles and the Munce, two tribes forced to work in the mines by the evil Skull Sorcerer, but Cole is taken prisoner.
Vania leads the ninja to the dungeons, but they are captured by the Awakened Warriors, who can be revived by the sorcerer's Skull of Hazza D'ur. One of the Geckles tells Cole about the Blades of Deliverance, which were wielded by a warrior named "Gilly" who freed the tribes from a dragon called Grief-Bringer. The theft of the blades caused a rift between the two tribes. The ninja escape and free the tribes. They split up, with Kai and Zane taking a tunnel with the Geckles, and Lloyd, Jay and Nya taking another tunnel with the Munce. Cole is forced to take a different tunnel by the Skull Sorcerer.
Nya, Jay, and Lloyd meet the Queen of the Munce, Murtessa, who takes a liking to Jay. Murtessa challenges Nya to a duel, who wins and becomes Queen of the Munce. Meanwhile, Kai and Zane are accused by Geckle Chancellor Gulch of working for the Skull Sorcerer and are forced to undergo a "Trial by Mino". After winning the trial, Kai and Zane notice Gleck is wearing Cole's necklace. They realise that "Gilly" was Cole's mother Lilly. Gulch resigns as Chancellor and gives the position to Kai.
Vania decides to go after Cole and saves him from giant spiders. They return to the surface and inform Wu about the ninjas' predicament. They consult King Vangelis, but he reveals that he is the Skull Sorcerer. Vangelis presses a button that opens a trap door and Cole, Wu and Vania fall into the abyss. After a safe landing at Rock-Bottom, Wu, Cole, and Vania are met by Fungus, Korgran and Plundar who call themselves "The Lowly". They reveal that they were sent to retrieve the skull but Vangelis banished them to Rock-Bottom. Cole decides to change the team name to "The Upply". The Upply, Cole, Wu and Vania discover the Heart of the Mountain, a legendary temple of the Masters of Earth. Wu explains to Cole the teaching of the Spinjitzu Burst, who then finds and operates a mech to return the group to the surface.
Nya and Kai lead the tribes to a peace meeting, but are ambushed by the undead dragon, Grief-Bringer, who forces the tribes to flee into a Strong-Cave. Pursued by a magma monster, Cole, Princess Vania, Wu the Lowly arrive at a mysterious temple deep in Shintaro Mountain, a temple which was once a training ground for Earth Elementals including Cole's own mother, Lilly! The Skull Sorcerer tricks Lloyd into believing that the Munce and Geckles can go free, but he enslaves them and the ninja are captured. Cole, the Lowly, Princess Vania and Wu discover that the stone-mech is fueled by Elemental Power, and attach it to the mine-carts in an effort to blast their way out of the mountain to confront the evil Skull Sorcerer! Cole and the Upply arrive at the Skull Sorcerer's Keep and find the ninja locked into cages. The Geckles and Munce have been put back to work in the chain-gang, mining Vengestone. Cole and his crew venture underground to fight the Skull Sorcerer. Cole confronts him with the Blades of Deliverance, but discovers that they are powerless. He has a flashback of his mother Lilly, which unlocks the Spinjitzu Burst and destroys the Skull, awakened warriors and Grief-Bringer. Vania arrives with Wu and the Winged Guards of Shintaro, who arrest Vangelis and crown Vania as Queen of Shintaro.
Season 14 (The Island)
An expedition led by Sensei Wu, Misako, Clutch Powers and his assistants goes missing while exploring an uncharted island in the storm belt. The ninja must pick up their trail with the help of Twitchy Tim. Having journeyed to the island years ago, Tim is still scared to go back due to being struck by lightning twelve times on the island. Reluctantly, he agrees to help. After surviving their journey to the island, the ninja begin to explore it, discovering the abandoned expedition camp.
While making their way across the island, the ninja unexpectedly befriend a dragon and name it Zippy. They are later ambushed by living stone statues that can channel the ninja's elemental powers. While trying to escape the stone guardians, Nya, Zane, Kai and Cole are captured by hostile islanders named the Keepers and encounter Wu, Misako, and Clutch Powers in captivity. Luckily, Lloyd and Tim manage to escape. When the ninja are taken to meet the Keepers' leader, Chief Mammatus, he accuses them of trying to steal an artefact called the Storm Amulet, which was pried from the head of a giant sea serpent named Wojira, placing the beast into a deep sleep. For thousands of years, the Keepers have upheld a vow to the First Spinjitzu Master to protect the amulet from Wojira.
The ninja are imprisoned, while Jay is taken to an unknown location by the Keepers, who refer to him as "The Gift of Jay". Lloyd finds the Keepers' village and frees the ninja with the help of Zippy. Meanwhile, Clutch Powers tries to steal the amulet, but he and the ninja are recaptured. They have to watch Jay being sacrificed by the Keepers to appease the reawakened spirit of Wojira.
However, when Lloyd finds a wooden tooth, he begins to suspect that Wojira is fake. He informs Chief Mammatus, who tells him that since Wojira returned, the Keepers have been giving away their treasure to appease her. When Jay reaches a hidden cave along the coast, he discovers that it is a secret hideout for thugs who have escaped from Kryptarium Prison and that Ronin came up with the scheme to trick the Keepers into giving him their treasure. While the ninja are battling Ronin's henchmen, Ronin tries to escape but is stopped by Tim, who conquers his fear and crashes into his fake Wojira boat. In the aftermath, Clutch Powers tries to steal the Storm Amulet again, but is stopped by Nya, and the ninja befriend the Keepers. In the final scene, the real Wojira is shown sleeping in a temple at the bottom of the ocean with another amulet on her forehead.
Season 15 (Seabound)
While trying to stop a criminal named Miss Demeanor from smuggling vengestone, Nya begins to lose control of her powers. Master Wu tells the ninja that the First Spinjitzu Master once controlled the elements but never wind and water because they belonged to Wojira, a storm and sea spirit and god. Wojira fell into a deep slumber after a warrior pried both of the amulets off the serpent's forehead. Ray and Maya arrive to help Nya control her powers. While P.I.X.A.L. and Zane are out on a mission, they experience an energy pulse from deep in the ocean and conclude that it affected Nya's powers. The ninja decide to investigate on the Hydro Bounty, a submersible vessel.
Nya, Jay, Lloyd, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L. journey to the depths of the ocean with Maya stowed away on board. Unfortunately, the Hydro Bounty crashes causing them to be stranded. Maya and Nya decide to use mechs to reach the energy source and discover an underwater temple. They find Kalmaar, the son of King Trimaar, trying to awaken the serpent Wojira. He takes them prisoner and overhears Nya revealing the location of the Storm Amulet. Meanwhile, Jay decides to risk charging the battery in the Hydro Bounty using his elemental powers. Nya and Maya are rescued by Jay and Lloyd but they are captured and taken to King Trimaar who accuses them of trespassing. Kalmaar performs a palace coup by striking his father with his weapon and declaring himself king of the Merlopians. His adopted brother Benthomaar learns the truth from Trimaar. Benthomaar helps the ninja to escape Merlopia. They decide to travel to the island to obtain the Storm Amulet before Kalmaar can claim it. The tragic tale of Benthomaar is revealed, a tale filled with treachery and betrayal, but also a glimmer of hope.
On the Island of the Keepers, the ninja warn Chief Mammatus to prepare to defend the Storm Amulet. However, Zane realises it is a fake and that the real amulet was taken by Clutch Powers to the Explorers Club. Wu, Cole, Misako, Kai and Ray arrive at the Explorers Club and are forced to battle Kalmaar. Meanwhile, Nya uses her powers to call whales to bring the stranded Hydro Bounty back to Ninjago City. As Kai is pursuing Kalmaar through the streets of Ninjago City, Antonia and Nelson obtain the amulet and are chased by Kalmaar, but he escapes with the amulet. Benthomaar tells the ninja the tale of Nyad, the first Elemental Master of Water, who defeated Wojira by becoming one with the ocean. When Kalmaar tries to leave the city, Nya steals the amulet and Cole takes it to Shintaro for protection without realising it is fake, allowing Kalmaar to reawaken Wojira.
Rising sea levels mark the invasion of Ninjago City by Kalmaar riding on Wojira, which forces the citizens to evacuate. While the ninja are trying to save civilians, Nya challenges Kalmaar and Wojira. Jay becomes trapped in his submersible vehicle and is saved by Benthomaar, but inhales water in his lungs. To save Jay and Ninjago City, Nya becomes one with the ocean, an act that can never be undone, causing the water to be removed from Jay's lungs. A battle takes place between the ninja and Kalmaar in which Benthomaar breaks Kalmaar's trident causing him to lose control of Wojira. This results in Kalmaar being swallowed whole by Wojira. Nya transforms into a water dragon and defeats Wojira by destroying the Wave Amulet. Having merged with the endless sea, however, Nya can no longer remain on land and feels the ocean calling to her. After a tearful goodbye, she leaves the Ninja and returns to the ocean. Afterwards, the ninja hold a memorial ceremony to honor her and Nya is seen happily swimming with the whales in a final shot.
Season 16 (Crystalized)
A group called the New Ninja appear in Ninjago City, fighting vengestone smugglers. The ninja team has lost faith and broken up. Nya roams the Endless Sea as a water dragon but begins to recover her memories. She meets a water elemental named Nyad, who helps her to find her way back home. The ninja reunite and uncover a secret shipment of vengestone in a subway tunnel. They are forced to fight Miss Demeanor and her thugs, but are humiliated when the New Ninja defeat the villains.
Nya returns to the monastery in her aqueous form and Zane freezes her to maintain her shape. The team decide to break Aspheera out of Kryptarium prison to steal her staff so that Aspheera can drain Nya's elemental power and return her back to her human form. Skylor helps to keep Nya frozen while they retrieve Aspheera and the staff. During their mission, the ninja are forced to fight the New Ninja and Kai accidentally reveals their identities, making them fugitives. Aspheera agrees to help them in exchange for her freedom and returns Nya to her human form. The New Ninja arrive at the monastery and arrest the entire ninja team except for Nya. Aspheera escapes and is recruited by a stranger known as the Crystal King.
The ninja are sentenced to five years in Kryptarium prison. They find themselves surrounded by their old enemies, including Pythor. Lloyd is visited by the Crystal King's messenger, who warns him that the Crystal King is gathering Lloyd's enemies against him. When Pythor is recruited by the messenger and broken out of prison, the ninja try to stop him, but fail. The ninja eventually escape with the help of Nya, disguised as Samurai X, and Dareth, but find themselves wandering the desert while pursued by sheriff HoundDog McBrag. On the road they are picked up by a young singer who is making her way to Ninjago City and Zane learns the benefits of emotions. The ninja reunite at Twitchy Tim's gas station, where Fugi-Dove helps them escape from McBrag. They confront The Mechanic in his lair and subdue him, allowing Lloyd to impersonate him at the Council of the Crystal King. There he meets the other members, who are Aspheera, Pythor, King Vangelis, and Mr. F, but his identity is discovered and he is captured. The Crystal King's messenger reveals herself to be Harumi, whom Lloyd believed to be dead.
Harumi explains that, after her death, she was resurrected by the Crystal King and agreed to serve him, even after learning his true identity as the Overlord. Using vengestone bought from Vangelis prior to his defeat by the ninja, Harumi built an army that can negate the ninja's elemental powers. Harumi reveals her plan to steal the Golden Weapons from the monastery and Lloyd vows to stop her. Kai, Jay, Zane, and Cole are attacked by explosive Crystal Spiders, trapping them underground. This enrages Lloyd, who believes his friends to be dead, and awakens his previously dormant Oni powers. The Crystal Council (now joined by the Mechanic) attack the monastery, destroying it and taking the Golden Weapons. Wu, Skylor, and P.I.X.A.L. are saved by MiniPix 7, one of P.I.X.A.L.'s miniature robot assistants, while Nya escapes in her Samurai X armour. As Nya rescues the trapped ninja, Aspheera performs a ritual that corrupts the Golden Weapons and allows the Overlord to take physical form once again.
The Overlord uses his powers to grant the Crystal Council new abilities, bring the Crystal Army to life, and make the Oni Temple airborne. Lloyd refuses to join him and escapes, taking Harumi with him, and they both fall off the temple into the jungle. The ninja head to Primeval's Eye to rescue Lloyd, just as he and Harumi are found by the Crystal Council. Lloyd is forced to abandon Harumi and escape with his friends, informing them of the Overlord's return. The Crystal Army begins marching towards Ninjago City, corrupting everyone in their path. The ninja try to stop them, but find that their vehicles are being drained by the crystals. Wu and Lloyd track down Garmadon living in an apartment in Ninjago City. Garmadon reveals that since his departure, he has started a journey of self-improvement, by caring for a potted plant he named Christofern. He agrees to help the ninja after the Crystal Army destroys his apartment and damages Christofern.
Wu theorizes that the powers of Creation and Destruction are the only things that can harm the Overlord, and reaches out to Misako for research on a powerful Dragon form. Meanwhile, Garmadon tries to teach Lloyd how to master his Oni powers, but he is reluctant to give into his negative emotions. After P.I.X.A.L. upgrades the ninja's vehicles to be powered by the crystals instead, they again fight the Crystal Army while Wu confronts the Overlord. The Overlord defeats Wu and unleashes a powerful weapon that crystalizes all of Ninjago City, destroying the ninja's vehicles. Wu takes shelter with a group of paperkids and he broadcasts a message to inspire others. Nya reawakens her elemental powers to save herself and Jay, and they set out to find help. HoundDog McBrag finds Garmadon and Lloyd and tries to arrest the latter, but is left speechless after Lloyd saves him from a crystalized Serpentine. P.I.X.A.L. finds a broken Zane (who has been returned to his Ice Emperor persona) and brings him to Borg Tower. Kai and Cole are rescued by Skylor and join Wu and other refugees at the newspaper warehouse, while Lloyd and Garmadon search for the missing Serpentine. Wu re-establishes a communication link with the ninja and they decide to reach out to all their allies for help. Cyrus Borg provides Ronin and his fugitives with mechs and fixes Zane before P.I.X.A.L. restores his memory with an emotional outreach. Nya uses her powers to contact the Merlopians, while Racer 7 escorts Cole across Ninjago City to broadcast a distress call to Shintaro.
The ninja regroup at the warehouse and make their final stand against the Crystal Army, while Lloyd and Garmadon confront the Overlord. Kai, Jay, Zane, and Cole unlock their Dragon forms, defeat the Crystal Council, and restore the Golden Weapons to their original form. The Overlord reveals that he corrupted the Great Devourer in order to make Garmadon evil, causing Harumi to switch sides to help Lloyd and Garmadon. Garmadon is seemingly killed, triggering Lloyd's Oni form, but he resists using his rage to win. The ninja combine the Golden Weapons, releasing their elemental powers to form a four-headed dragon to prevent the Overlord from stealing, corrupting and absorbing the powers of creation while corrupting the ninja. Lloyd rides the dragon and defeats the Overlord before escaping the crumbling Oni Temple with Harumi and Garmadon, who faked his death. In the aftermath, the ninja's elemental powers return to their source of origin, Garmadon plants Christofern atop a mountain, and the ninja rebuild the monastery alongside their friends and allies.