Ninjago (TV series)

Ninjago is a Danish-Canadian computer-animated television series produced by The Lego Group. It was created to coincide with the Lego Ninjago line of construction toys, many of which are based on elements of the series. It centers on the fictional world of Ninjago, telling the story of a group of six teen Ninja and their battles against the forces of evil. The series was animated in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Wil Film ApS for the first ten seasons, subtitled "Masters of Spinjitzu". Animation was relocated to WildBrain Studios (formerly DHX Media) in Canada starting with the eleventh season. The English-language voice cast has been recorded in Canada for its entire run.

Ninjago
Logo of the series prior to 2019
Also known asNinjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (2011–2019)
Genre
Created byMichael Hegner
Tommy Andreasen
Written by
  • Dan Hageman
  • Kevin Hageman
  • Joel Thomas
  • David Shayne
  • John Behnke
  • Jack Thomas
  • Adam Beechen
  • Ryan Levin
  • Bragi F. Schut
  • Kevin Burke
  • Chris "Doc" Wyatt
  • Matt "Chato" Hill
  • Alisha Brophy
  • Scott Miles
Directed by
  • Michael Hegner
  • Justin Murphy
  • Peter Hausner
  • Martin Skov
  • Michael Helmuth Hansen
  • Trylle Vilstrup
  • Thomas Østergaard Poulsen
  • Jens Møller
  • Per During Risager
  • Frederik Budolph
  • Peter Egeberg
  • Wade Cross
  • Daniel Ife
  • Shane Poettcker
Voices of
Opening themeThe Weekend Whip by The Fold (seasons 1–7 and 11–present)
"Ninjago Overture" by Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer (seasons 8–10)
Ending theme"The Weekend Whip" by The Fold (seasons 1–4)
Various music by Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer (season 4–present)
Composer(s)Jay Vincent
Michael Kramer
Country of originDenmark
Canada
Original language(s)English
Danish
No. of seasons13
No. of episodes160 (+ 2 pilot episodes, 1 special and several shorts) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Torsten Jacobsen (2011–2018)
  • Erik Wilstrup (seasons 1–10)
  • Dan Hageman (season 5, 6 and 8–10)
  • Kevin Hageman (season 5, 6 and 8–10)
  • Irene Sparre (2016–)
  • Keith Malone (season 10–present)
  • Bragi Schut (season 10–present)
  • Jill Wilfert (season 10–present)
  • Tommy Andreasen (season 11–present)
  • Josh Scerba (season 11–present)
  • Kirsten Newlands (season 11)
  • Amir Nasdarabi (season 12)
Producer(s)
  • Erik Wilstrup (pilot episodes)
  • Irene Sparre (seasons 1–6)
  • Louise Barkholt (2016–2019)
  • Tommy Andreasen (2016–2019)
  • Nelson LaMonica (2016–2019)
  • Simon Lucas (seasons 8 and 9)
  • Cerim Manovi (seasons 8 and 9)
  • Robert May (season 10)
  • Vicky Kjaer Jensen (season 10–present; co-producer, 2016–2019)
  • Ryan Pears (season 11–present)
Running time22 minutes (seasons 1–10)
11 minutes (season 11–present)
Production company(s)
DistributorThe Lego Group
Release
Original network
Picture formatHDTV 1080i
Original releaseJanuary 14, 2011 (2011-01-14) 
present
Chronology
Related showsLegends of Chima
Nexo Knights
External links
Website

Ninjago began with two pilot episodes in January 2011, which were followed by two 13-episode seasons that aired from January to November 2012. Both the Lego theme and the series had an intended shelf life of three years, so the second season was originally intended to be the last. However, continued success of the series and its product line led to the show continuing ever since with thirteen seasons being produced as of 2020.

The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen, two Danish film producers. In Denmark, where the series' original production companies are located, Ninjago premiered on Nickelodeon. It airs on various Nickelodeon networks internationally and on Cartoon Network in the United States, United Kingdom and Poland. In Canada, the series is broadcast on Teletoon and YTV.[2]

Overview

The show is mainly set in the realm of Ninjago, a place loosely inspired by East Asian myths and culture. While featuring several historically designed buildings and traditional clothing, Ninjago is in a modern setting, incorporating large metropolises with skyscrapers, current-age (and futuristic) vehicles, modern electronics, semi-robotic exo-suits, and other futuristic technology.

Synopsis

Pilot Episodes (2011)

Long before time had a name, the First Spinjitzu Master created the realm of Ninjago with 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 sons swore to protect the weapons from evil, but the older brother, Garmadon, was taken over by darkness and aimed to wield all four weapons so he could recreate Ninjago in his own image. In the ensuing battle between brothers, the younger brother Wu cast Garmadon down to the Underworld, hiding the weapons across the land and placing a guardian at each hiding spot. In anticipation of Garmadon's return, Wu seeks out four talented young Ninja to learn the ways of the Ninja, master the art of Spinjitzu, and find the Golden Weapons before Garmadon and his minions can claim them for their maniacal machinations.

Season 1: Rise of the Snakes (2011-2012)

Since Lord Garmadon's disappearance, peace has returned to Ninjago. Rather than prepare for his return, the Ninja have become lazy, playing video games and eating junk food instead of continuing their training. With their guard down, they find themselves thrown back into action when Garmadon's son Lloyd releases the five warring tribes of Serpentine, a race of snake-people who once ruled over Ninjago before being sealed away in underground tombs. Now led by the treacherous Pythor P. Chumsworth, last of the fearsome Anacondrai, the vengeful snakes seek to find the four Silver Fangblades to awaken the Great Devourer, an indestructible giant serpent that grows the more it consumes. To stop them, the Ninja make new allies as they try to overcome emotional barriers and unlock their True Potential and trying to learn the identity of the legendary Green Ninja spoken of in a prophecy.

Season 2: Legacy of the Green Ninja (2012)

With the Golden Weapons now in Lord Garmadon's possession, the Ninja begin training Lloyd so that he can face his father one day and save Ninjago, something which he was afraid to for the sake of their bond. Garmadon works to thwart the prophecy by recruiting the masterless Serpentine and merging the Golden Weapons into the powerful Mega Weapon. After Garmadon's last attempt ended with Lloyd being aged into a teenager, like his four mentors, he attempts to change the events of the past. The original four Ninja follow Garmadon and use the Golden Weapons of the past to destroy the Mega Weapon, restoring the timeline and sending the Golden Weapons into space.

While Garmadon ends up on an island with a disembodied voice called the Overlord, the venom of the Great Devourer seeps into catacombs beneath Ninjago and animates the Stone Army, trapping the Serpentine underground in the process. Along with Misako, Lloyd's mother, the Ninja travel to the Dark Island to stop Garmadon. The Ninja fail to stop the countdown to the final battle, and the Overlord is revealed to be the dark lord from the prophecy. He possesses Garmadon and heads to Ninjago, with the Ninja in tow. After they found a way out of the Island, Lloyd uses his newfound Golden Power to defeat the Overlord, purge Garmadon of his evil, and become the Golden Ninja.

Season 3: Rebooted (2014)

After the Overlord was defeated by Lloyd, Ninjago City was in complete ruins. However, a man named Cyrus Borg believed that if they worked together, they could achieve anything. In a matter of weeks, Ninjago had been rebuilt into a futuristic metropolis, and was now New Ninjago City.

Without an enemy to fight, Ninja became teachers at Master Wu's Academy. One day, they received clearance for a field trip to Borg Industries. But upon arrival, they learn that the Overlord survived the final battle and is trapped in the Digiverse as a virus. Cyrus Borg realizes this and gives the Ninja the Techno Blades, which are the keys to destroy the Overlord.

The Overlord uses P.I.X.A.L. (an android who works at Borg Industries) to create an army of Nindroids from Zane's blueprints and plans to capture Lloyd, as his Golden Power will help him escape the digital realm. The hard drive containing the Overlord is later stolen by Pythor, revealed to have survived being eaten by The Great Devourer.

He captures Lloyd, and the Overlord drains him of most of his Golden Power. Though the Ninja defeat him in the Digiverse, the Overlord escapes the digital realm half-formed. Lloyd then splits his remaining Golden Power among the four Ninja therefore restoring their Elemental abilities, knowing that the power would be a big responsibility for him to bear alone.

The Overlord, needing to complete his transformation, sends the Nindroids to space to retrieve the Golden Weapons from the constellation Arcturus, which they succeed in doing. The Overlord becomes the Golden Master, fulfilling an old Serpentine prophecy, and wreaks havoc on New Ninjago City. With no other option, Zane sacrifices himself to destroy the Golden Master. However, he survives, trapped in the systems and rebuilds himself using titanium.

Season 4: The Tournament of Elements (2015)

After the loss of Zane, the team is split apart, and Lloyd seeks to rebuild it. But everything changes when they find out that Zane is alive, and that crime lord, Master Chen, invites the Ninja and the other Elemental Masters to a Tournament, so that he can steal their powers in order to complete a spell that will turn him and his worshippers into Anacondrai.

Season 5: Possession (2015)

After Garmadon's sacrifice to stop Chen and the Anacondrai Cultists, Lloyd is faced with the loss of his father and depression. However, when he is possessed by Morro, former student of Master Wu and the Elemental Master of Wind, the Ninja must stop him from finding the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master and cursing the Sixteen Realms by releasing his master, the Preeminent, while learning a new fighting style, Airjitzu, along the way.

The Ninja become stronger as they find new friends, face their fears, and find secrets that have been hidden. The Ninja face many new adventures as Lloyd is possessed. They uncover the three secrets of Airjitzu, retrieve the Sword of Sanctuary, and locate the first Spinjitzu's Master's tomb.

Master Wu reveals that Nya can have the control over the element of Water as her mother did. She joins the Ninja and unlocks her True Potential to save Ninjago from being destroyed by the Preeminent.

At the end of the season, the Preeminent gets destroyed with Morro and the other ghosts in the village of Stiix. Sensei Wu tries to pull Morro out of the grasp of the Preeminent, but the hold of the Preeminent is too strong, and Morro dies as soon as he hits the water. The ninja and the people of Stiix celebrate, as they have finally defeated Morro and the other ghosts, as well as the Preeminent.

Season 6: Skybound (2016)

Clouse (the only escapee from the Cursed Realm), finds the Teapot of Tyrahn and frees the evil Djinn, Nadakhan, from it. Nadakhan then traps Clouse in it by making him "wish it all away." Nadakhan proceeds to frame the Ninja, making them wanted criminals. The Ninja try to find Clouse in Stiix but are forced to flee because they are chased by the citizens, who are angry with them for destroying their town. In an attempt to rescue the ninja, Misako pilots the Destiny's Bounty but it ends up crashing through the doings of the police. The Ninja manages to split up and escape but Misako gets arrested.

Meanwhile, Nadakhan finds Master Wu in the Domu library and hears him saying, "Be careful what you wish for," before imprisoning him in the Teapot of Tyrahn. When Misako is left in a room handcuffed, Nadakhan comes and tricks Misako into telling him the secret location of the Realm Crystal and also imprisons her in his teapot. Ronin is then hired by the Police Commissioner to find the Ninja and bring them to justice. While the Ninja split up into three teams of two, Jay and Cole discover that Nadakhan can shapeshift, explaining how he framed them. After Ronin cunningly captures all of the Ninja, they are brought to Kryptarium Prison.

Nadakhan goes to the location of the Realm Crystal in the Hiroshi Labyrinth Stronghold and steals it. At Kryptarium Prison, the Ninja find Captain Soto and he tells them how to catch a Djinn, the answer being to use a drop of Tiger Widow venom to weaken Nadakhan. After freeing Soto and themselves, Captain Soto tells them that the last Tiger Widow lived on an island not found on any map but in a lantern hidden on Misfortune's Keep.Meanwhile, Nadakhan (who was once a pirate) freed his crew from different realms from which they were banished to. The police were focused on finding the Ninja but unknown to them, Nya and Jay were disguised as policemen and had logged in to the police system. They searched for Nadhakan's ship but found nothing.

Meanwhile, Cole and Lloyd flew on their Elemental Dragons back to the last known location of Nadhakan's ship only to find electric wiring and other metal parts. Zane and Kai went to the crash site of the Destiny's Bounty only to find the need to escape, leaving their ship behind. Meanwhile, Nadakhan and his crew visit to his home realm, Djinjago, but it was slowly falling apart. Nadhakan's father, the Djinn King, told Nadakhan that the Sixteen Realms were all interconnected. When the Ninja destroyed the Cursed Realm, they also destroyed Djinjago. Nadhakan's father gave him the Sword of Souls, a sword that had the power to hold life forces. Nadhakan then slashed the Teapot of Tyrahn with it, causing the souls of Clouse, Master Wu, and Misako to transfer into the sword. He then returned to Ninjago and swore the Ninja would pay for their actions. However, the Ninja learned much about the true enemy and got the only thing needed to stop him, though they were taken down by the Djinn one by one.

The pirates try to break Jay through different methods after capturing him to make him use his final wish but failed every time. Even after the rescue, both Jay and Nya were the only ones left and went into hiding in order to organize their plans, though Jay was shaken over the loss of their comrades. During their last confrontation, Jay was pushed into the portal made by Traveler's Tea and Nya was captured. Jay gathers a team to help him to save his comrades, though he was unable to save Nya in time.

Fortunately, Nya helped Jay to get the sword to save his friends and they crashed the wedding. Jay manages to make a final wish that all of the events transpired should not happen in the first place, mourning over the loss of Nya. Due to the venom and the purity of the wish, Nadakhan gave Jay what he wants by reversing time and return back to the point where everything started.

As both Jay and Nya realizes that they were the only ones who remembered the events, both of them embraced and rekindled their relationship, much to the others' confusion over what happened. The reunion of the Lightning and Water Ninja was broadcast all over Ninjago by Dareth. At the same time, Clouse found the teapot, but this time got chased away by the citizens, which fortunately prevented the same events from happening again. At the same time, Yang's Haunted Temple was seen floating in the sky, marking a new future challenge against the Ninja.


Day of the Departed (2016)

On the Day of the Departed, the Ninja hurriedly travel across the Sea of Sand, en-route to the Ninjago Museum of History. Upon their arrival, Wu reminds them of the holiday's significance: for remembering fallen ancestors and cherishing family. Dr. Saunders arrives, greeting Wu and the Ninja before presenting the museum's new exhibit, the Hall of Villainy, which houses life-sized mannequins of the major villains fought by the Ninja over the years, as well as a plaque describing the rare Yin-Yang Lunar Eclipse.

Cole finds a painting of Master Yang, as well as the Yin Blade, which is on display. Cole calls out to Saunders and asks what the weapon is, but realizes nobody is paying attention to him. Cole hears Yang's voice imploring him to "close the circle." Realizing he's fading away as one of the departed, Cole takes the Yin Blade and sets off to face Yang.

The Ninja divide for their own personal memorials: Lloyd and Misako commemorate Garmadon at the Corridor of Elders; Kai and Nya remember their mother and father at their blacksmith shop; Zane remembers his father in Birchwood Forest; Jay spends time with his mom and dad at their junkyard, and Wu goes to the old monastery to remember his father. Realizing everyone is out celebrating, Ronin decides to steal from the deserted houses. Cole arrives at Yang's Temple, which is still floating in the sky. Cole confronts Yang, who he attempts to strike with the Yin Blade but misses, instead of smashing it into an orb. Consequently, the Departed Realm is opened, and the spirits of the Ninjas' old enemies escape while Cole is detained by Yang's students.

The spirits possess five of the six mannequins in the Hall of Villainy, bringing them to life. Speaking through a painting, Yang tells the villains they can remain in Ninjago by slaying the Ninja that defeated them. Pythor then enters the museum and joins the villains as they discuss who to go after. Chen chooses to go after Kai and Nya, Pythor chooses Lloyd, Cryptor chooses Zane, Morro chooses Wu, and Kozu chooses Dareth, which leaves Samukai with facing Jay. Pythor proposes they gather reinforcements from the Hall of Sidekicks to better have the chance of defeating their enemies.

Cole is imprisoned in Yang's temple, where he learns of Yang's history. Yang taught his students to master Airjitzu, and around this time he found the Yin Blade, which contains enough dark magic to imbue immortality. Yang tested the blade on himself, but its powers backfired, turning him and his students into ghosts and defacing his temple. Yang then reveals to Cole that he plans to use the Yin Blade to tear open the Rift of Return to revive himself, while the revived villains distract the Ninja so they won't thwart his plans as Cole realizes his friends are in danger because of him. At that moment, the villains begin their attack on the Ninja all around Ninjago. With help from Eyezor and Zugu, Chen uses his dinosaur mech to attack Kai and Nya, who flee on the Raider Bikes. Cryptor and three Nindroids confront Zane in the snowy forest.

Meanwhile, Samukai fights Jay as Krazi and Frakjaw apprehend his parents, and Pythor fights Lloyd and holds the latter's mother captive. Kozu and several Stone Warriors confront Dareth, who was responsible for taking control of the Stone Army. Wu gets a bad feeling as Morro confronts him, though Wu is pained at having to fight his former student again, he states that he won't hesitate to do it. However, Morro reveals he really has no intention of revenge; instead he tells Wu of Yang's plan and they set off to reunite the Ninja.

Back at the Temple of Airjitzu, Cole breaks free and makes his way up through the temple after escaping his captors, fighting Yang's students along the way as Yang opens the Rift of Return. One by one, the Ninja defeat all the revived villains, except Pythor, who flees after realizing he can't win his fight. In the meantime, Yang does Airjitzu to reach the Rift, but Cole stops him, and a fight breaks out between them. The Ninja reunite at the museum, telling each other what happened before Wu arrives with Morro, who the Ninja prepare to attack but Wu stops them and Morro proves his innocence by unveiling Yang's plan and how the Ninja forgot Cole.

The Ninja journey to Yang's temple while Morro's spirit peacefully returns to the Departed Realm. Cole battles Yang as the Ninja fly over on the Bounty. Yang soon overpowers Cole and mocks him as being another forgotten ghost. However, with his friends approaching and calling out to him, Cole's heightened vigor makes his arms rock-solid, and with them, he shatters the Yin Blade. This act frees Yang's students, who Cole tells to cross through the Rift and after they do they become human again. Yang admits he failed his students and wanted to live forever so no one would forget him, to which Cole says he'll be remembered as the creator of Airjitzu. Together, they ascend towards the Rift, but Yang tells Cole that someone has to remain in the temple as a ghost to be the "master of the house" due to the curse. Yang then decides to settle his own "debts" and launches Cole through the Rift just as it starts to close.

The shockwave of the Rift closing causes Destiny Bounty to have a hard landing at the Airjitzu temple. The Ninja soon start to worry if Cole didn't make it in time as Jay states he'd give anything to have his friend back. At that moment, Cole emerges from behind a rock a human again. The Ninja celebrate the return of their friend before looking at the restored Temple of Airjitzu which Cole suggests they make into their new base.

Not long after, the Ninja and their allies gather around a fire outside of Yang's temple after Cole told the story. Jay asks him if he was going to tell the story every time the holiday comes to which Cole replies only if Jay admits he was scared the temple was still haunted to which the latter states that were the case but says he was wrong as there are no more ghosts. Cole confirms this while looking back to the temple and winks at Yang, who stands inside and winks back in return.

Season 7: The Hands of Time (2017)

Acronix, one of the Hands of Time, passes through a time vortex and is challenged to a fight by Master Wu. After the arrival of the Forward Time Blade, Acronix hits Wu with a Time Punch which accelerates his aging one day per hour. Even with the intervention of the Ninja, Acronix escapes and reunites with his brother Krux. Now the two Hands of Time have a plan that could change history and revert Ninjago back to its old-fashioned roots. They control an army of Serpentine known as Vermillion, from the eggs of the Great Devourer, who can form into Samurai using metal. The Vermillion began capturing Ninjago builders, including Cyrus Borg, and stealing metal. All to build the Iron Doom, which can travel time, using the Time Apparatus to utilize all four Time Blades. With Master Wu unable to fight, P.I.X.A.L. offline, three other Time Blades scattered throughout time, and a mysterious new Samurai X to learn the identity of, Lloyd leads the team to stop the Time Twins and save Master Wu. The adventure soon proves personal to Kai and Nya, when it turns out their parents could have ties to the villains.


Season 8: Sons of Garmadon (2018)

One year after Wu and the Hands of Time were lost in time aboard the Iron Doom, the Ninja have scattered across Ninjago, tackling missions while searching for their master's whereabouts. In their absence, Ninjago City has been overrun by a cult-like crime syndicate known as the Sons of Garmadon who worship the evil Lord Garmadon. When a mysterious relic known as the Oni Mask of Vengeance is stolen from Borg Industries, the Ninja are summoned by the Royal Family, who ask the heroes to protect the three Oni Masks (The Oni Mask of Deception, the Oni Mask of Vengeance, and the Oni Mask of Hatred), relics from the First Realm which when united would allow the Sons of Garmadon to resurrect a purely evil Garmadon, as well as their adopted daughter, the Jade Princess Harumi.

In order to stop the Sons of Garmadon from desecrating his father's sacrifice, Lloyd and the Ninja attempt to find the identity of their leader, the Quiet One. They attempt to determine the location of the elusive Oni Mask of Hatred, while learning secrets about the origins of Ninjago itself. In the process, Lloyd begins to bond with Harumi who has also lost her parents. But as they grow closer, the Ninja make the startling discovery that Harumi is the Quiet One.

Season 9: Hunted (2018)

With Emperor Garmadon in ruling Ninjago City with an iron fist and the original four Ninja as well as Wu are stranded in Realm of Oni and Dragons after the Colossus destroyed the Destiny's Bounty, any ally of the Ninja and citizen is hunted and imprisoned in Kryptarium Prison. Lloyd, Nya, and the rest of their remaining allies, including a portion of the Elemental Masters, form a resistance to endure and fight back against Harumi, the Sons of Garmadon, and Lord Garmadon himself. Unbeknownst to them, the other Ninja are alive and thanks to Mistaké's Traveler's Tea, they are in the Realm of the Oni and the Dragon. Here, the barbaric Dragon Hunters, led by the power hungry Iron Baron, capture Dragons and exploit their Elemental Powers to sustain their society. As Dragons are the only beings who can ferry between Realms, the Ninja and a teenage Wu must find the mythical Dragon Armor once worn by the First Spinjitzu Master himself, in order to convince Firstbourne, the mother of all Dragons, to allow them to ride her children out of the Realm so they can rejoin the fight against Lord Garmadon, and save Ninjago.

Season 10: March of the Oni (2019)

Shortly after Lord Garmadon's defeat, Ninjago is slowly returning to normal. However, Garmadon calls out to Lloyd to warn him about some dark forces that will soon conquer Ninjago, although Lloyd refuses to listen, believing that his father can't be trusted. Garmadon's warnings soon come true when the Oni invade Ninjago through the Realm Crystal and prove too much for the Ninja to handle. With no other choice, the Ninja form an uneasy alliance with Garmadon to defeat the Oni and save Ninjago from darkness. Will they prevail or will the legacy of Ninjago be lost forever? Lloyd and Garmadon venture into the clouds both not petrified because of their oni blood. They meet the Omega at Borg Tower which is where the oni are coming from. After a battle with the Omega and the other oni, Lloyd destroys the Realm Crystal with the Sword of Sanctuary but it fails to stop the oni. They both find out that the Armour of the Golden Master scares the oni. They take the armour with them and escape with Pixal who stayed back to save them both because the other ninja were saving people at the NGTV news building. While they are saving hostages, Cole falls inside the clouds and is seemingly petrified. After Lloyd and Garmadon return, they return to the Monastary or Spinjitzu to melt the armour down for Kai to reforge the Golden Weapons. Kai is successful then the oni attack. Cole is somehow not petrified and then he goes to the monastery to help them. When all hope seems lost, they do the Tornado of Creation. It results in the oni’s downfall but the Golden Weapons lose their power. The celebrate the defeat of the oni with their friends and they all put a painting of their hand prints in a circle.

Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu (2019-2020)

Part 1: The Fire Chapter

Six months after they defeated the Oni, the Ninja have become relaxed, lazy, and out of shape. In order to keep their skills and powers intact, they search for activity or a threat to face. Strangely enough, Ninjago has been in a state of lasting peace. However, Zane begins suffering odd visions of him being killed by Aspheera, Queen of the evil Pyro Vipers, as well as a mysterious castle guarded by the dragon Boreal and home to the Ice Emperor and his Blizzard Samurai. While Zane remains unsure about these frightening visions, the Ninja find their quest when Professor Clutch Powers discovers a mysterious Ancient Pyramid which supposedly only a Ninja could survive exploring.

The next threat to Ninjago is close, as the tomb serves as a prison for Aspheera. After she is unwittingly released by the Ninja, she steals Kai's powers and uses them to revive her army of Pyro Vipers, preparing to conquer Ninjago and exact revenge on somebody who betrayed her thousands of years ago. The Ninja are left trapped in the pyramid, but are eventually rescued by P.I.X.A.L., and attempt to stop Aspheera's campaign of conquest. The Ninja soon learn about the Scrolls of Forbidden Spinjitzu, which grant the user great powers, but can also corrupt them, as well as that Wu is the one that Aspheera is looking for, as he befriended her back when they were children and taught her Spinjitzu, but she betrayed him and used it for evil, taking over the Serpentine, leading to Wu and Garmadon defeating Aspheera using Forbidden Spinjitzu and imprisoning her inside the pyramid.

After Aspheera steals one of the two Scrolls of Forbidden Spinjitzu from the museum, the Ninja go after the other, just as Aspheera and her forces attack the Monastery of Spinjitzu. Using the second scroll, the Ninja defeat Aspheera, but Zane is hit with a spell aimed at Wu and gets transported to the Never-Realm. Wu volunteers to go to the Never-Realm on his own and rescue Zane, but the Ninja overpower him and go there themselves, before Wu could warn them that there is no way of return.

Part 2: The Ice Chapter

The Ninja arrive in the Never-Realm and are brought to a village where they reveal their agenda and help the locals fend off the Blizzard Samurai, led by the mysterious Ice Emperor and his right-hand man Vex. The Ninja believe that Zane was captured by the Ice Emperor and decide to stay at the village, where Kai unsuccessfully attempts to regain his powers, Cole leaves to find the Traveler's Tree in order to collect some leaves for the Traveler's Tea that would help them get back home, along the way befriending Krag, the last survivor of the Yeti species (as they were all slaughtered by the Blizzard Samurai), and Lloyd leaves to find Zane's mech. Along the way, he 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 as well, who kidnaps Lloyd and takes him to the Ice Emperor, revealed to be none other than Zane: after being banished to the Never-Realm decades ago (as he was sent 60 years into the past), he lost his memory and was manipulated by Vex, a Formling who wished to exact revenge on his people for mocking him due to not being able to change his form. Zane was convinced that he was the Ice Emperor, the rightful ruler of the Never-Realm and the two of them then dethroned the true ruler of the realm, Grimfax. Zane used the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu to corrupt Grimfax's warriors, turning them into the Blizzard Warriors, later also freezing the Formlings and massacring the Yetis. Lloyd tries to get Zane to remember who he truly was, but fails, as the scroll corrupted him as well.

Lloyd is locked up, where he meets Akita's brother Kataru. The two soon form and alliance with Grimfax (who became the commander within the Blizzard Samurai army after being forced to work for Zane by Vex) to dethrone Zane and liberate the Never-Realm. Eventually, Kai recovers his powers, destroying Boreal, and Zane recovers his all of his memories after Vex attempts to kill Lloyd. Zane stops him, before destroying the scepter to undo the effects of the Forbidden Scroll and restore peace to the Never-Realm. Afterwards, Grimfax becomes King of the Never-Realm once again, Vex is banished for his crimes, and all the Ninja say goodbye to their newfound friends and allies, returning home in Ninjago.

Season 12: Prime Empire (2020)

When the old, legendary video game "Prime Empire” resurfaces, Players begin to disappear. Jay loves games, but after playing "Prime Empire", he too enters the game. The other Ninja soon find out that the creator of the "Prime Empire" has disappeared as well, and nobody has seen him in many years. They discover that the creator's name is Milton Dyer. With the suspicion that Dyer is actually Unagami, most of the Ninja enter the game so they can stop his avatar, while Zane and P.I.X.A.L. remain outside to find Dyer in the real world. The Ninja arrive in the game while Zane, Cyrus Borg and P.I.X.A.L are escaping the mechanic. They meet Scott, who then leads them to Jay. The Ninja go to a place where they get the purple Key-tana from Okino, a NPC. Then the ninja go to Terra Technica to get the green Key-tana. They are short on money to enter the Speedway Five-Billion race because Kai spent money on a new avatar and when they are attacked by Red Visors, they have to pay money to upgrade their weapons. They enter a dance competition and win 500 credits. They sign up and start building their vehicles. Lloyd decides to let Racer Seven, another NPC who is programmed to lose, join their team. But she is followed by Red Visors when she decides to meet Lloyd at Scott’s garage. Scott ends up sacrificing himself to let them escape. The Ninja win the race but Kai and Cole are cubed. The remaining ninja go for the final Key-tana. Lloyd decides to participate in a fight to earn, where he fights a game version of Harumi. They get the Key-tana but with the consequence of Lloyd getting cubed. In the real world, Zane finds out the location of Dyer only to get captured by the Mechanic. P.I.X.A.L. finds Dyer on a roof and asks if he is Unagami. He says no, and reveals that Scott was a test player and when he asked Unagami to give Scott an intense game, Scott was trapped and when Dyer finds out, he panics and shuts the game down, but Unagami survives. Zane is forced to give the Prime Empire motherboard when Wu is captured. In the game, Jay and Nya reach the Temple of Madness with Nya getting cubed after being killed by Sushimi. Jay faces Unagami and follows him to the real world with his Cyber Dragon. Zane is used to power the real world portal, but is saved. Jay gets his powers back and lures Unagami on to of Borg Tower. Dyer, Zane, Wu, and P.I.X.A.L. arrive and Dyer apologizes to Unagami who forgives him. Unagami makes the Red Visors and Whack Rats return to the game and lets out the good NPCs, Kai, Cole, Lloyd, Nya, Scott, and other players trapped inside the game. Meanwhile, Unagami and Dyer hold hands and walk as Jay says, “He’s home.”

Season 13: Master of the Mountain (2020)

The ninja are invited to the beautiful Shintaro Kingdom to celebrate the young Princess Vania’s birthday. At first glance, the Ivory City looks like a pristine place, but the ninja soon uncover a dark, obscure, long-forgotten underworld: The Dungeons of Shintaro. Once inside, they must fight their way to freedom through a maze of tunnels paved with dangers and strange creatures ruled by the merciless Skull Sorcerer. The ninja must choose their path wisely… get ready to go deep underground. When the Ninja arrive, they meet King Vangelis and his daughter Vania, who takes an interest to Cole. Lloyd is suspicious about her because of what happened to him and Harumi. When Cole is sleeping a purple creature comes into his room and has possession of his mother’s Lilly’s necklace. Cole and Vania go the Dungeons of Shintaro and meet the Skull Sorcerer. Vania goes to alert her father while Cole fights the Skeleton warriors with whips and is captured by the Skull Sorcerer. Vania alerts the ninja and her father and the king agrees to send his soldiers down to the dungeons. The ninja go there while Vania and Wu stay and cover their absences. The ninja are then captured as well but they escape with help from the Mino creatures. They also help the Munce and Geckles escape to help them get the Shadow and Ivory Blades. Jay, Nya, and Lloyd escape with the Munce, while Kai and Zane escape with the Geckles Cole has gone to another tunnel. Nya, Jay, and Lloyd meet the Queen of Munce who takes a liking to Jay, but is annoyed when she finds out Nya is engaged to him. They both fight for him with Nya winning and her becoming the new Queen of Munce. Meanwhile on the surface, Princess Vania decides to aid Cole after he is attacked by bats. Vania takes Cole to the surface and informs Wu about the Ninja's predicament and they go to the throne room to consult King Vangelis. Vania and Cole tell Vangelis about the Skull Sorcerer, leading King Vangelis to reveal, to Vania, Wu, and Cole's shock, that he is in fact the Skull Sorcerer. Vangelis presses a button opening a trap door beneath the floor, and Cole and Wu fall into the abyss, and Vania jumps in after them. Upon surviving their landing, Wu, Cole, and Vania are met by three men who call themselves "The Lowly" who go on to reveal that they were sent by Vangelis many years ago to retrieve the Skull of Hazza D'ur, and upon returning to the surface, Vangelis chooses to keep the skull, which "The Lowly" insist must be destroyed, upon which they were banished in a similar way to Cole and Wu. The Lowly and Cole team up to make their ascent to the surface. Meanwhile, Nya and Kai try to lead the Munce and Geckles respectively to a peace meeting, when they are ambushed by the newly resurrected undead dragon, Grief-Bringer, who forces the two peoples into a stronghold, upon which the Ninja are tricked into believing that if they surrender, the Munce and Geckles can go free. However, the Skull Sorcerer chooses to enslave both the Geckles and Munce and the Ninja are captured. Meanwhile, Cole, Wu, Vania, and the newly proclaimed "Upply", make it to the surface where they are confronted by the royal guards, who were given orders by King Vangelis to arrest the Ninja. Upon fighting them off, Cole ventures back underground to fight the Skull Sorcerer. Cole is initially unable to overcome the Skull Sorcerer, but after he learns the powerful "Spinjitzu Burst", he defeats the Skull Sorcerer, and he is arrested and overthrown. With Princess Vania proclaimed the queen of Shintaro, the Ninja leave Shintaro and prepare for their next adventure.

Characters

Main

  • Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon (voiced by Jillian Michaels in seasons 1–7 and Sam Vincent in seasons 8-present) – The Green Ninja and Elemental Master of Energy. The current leader of the Ninja, son of Garmadon and Misako, nephew of Master Wu, and the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master. He frequently wields either a sword or dual swords.[3] Lloyd's powers are vaguely defined, a fact admitted by his friends, but he possesses the ability to manipulate green energy and passively shield his body. Lloyd made his debut in Season 1 as a mischievous child wanting to be an evil warlord just like his father. This resulted in childish schemes that were often foiled by the original four Ninja. Lloyd was eventually captured and reformed by the Ninja and Master Wu, Lloyd's paternal uncle, and eventually discovered his destiny as the Green Ninja. While initially mischievous and naive, Lloyd has been tempered by experience and time into a mature and capable ninja. Though still the youngest, he has emerged as the natural leader of the Ninja, displaying wisdom beyond his years. Lloyd greatly appreciates his friends, saying that it was them who taught him the "importance of being brave, of being strong, and most importantly, being good". He believes the team's strength comes from "no one being more important than the other". Lloyd can still be rash in matters of family (especially regarding his father).
  • Kai (voiced by Vincent Tong) – The Red Ninja and Elemental Master of Fire. Like Lloyd, he frequently wields either a sword or dual swords. His elemental power grants him limited pyrokinesis and fire immunity. Kai is fiercely loyal to his friends and family, often willing to do anything to ensure their safety. He often acts on emotion instead of reason, causing him to be hotheaded, cocky, and rash. He also has a strong sense of responsibility, feeling enormous guilt in situations where his friends suffer, such as when Zane sacrificed himself and when Lloyd was possessed. Kai is the elder brother of Nya and son of Ray and Maya.
  • Jay Walker (born Jay Gordon) (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – The Blue Ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning. He frequently wields nunchucks and more recently, a kusarigama. His elemental power grants him limited electricity manipulation. He is also a skilled mechanic and technologically savvy. Jay is inventive and quick-witted, often using comedy to alleviate stressful situations. He is easily excitable and prone to freaking out when in crises but like the other Ninja is intensely loyal to his friends, especially his girlfriend Nya. He is the son of Cliff and the previous Elemental Master of Lightning and was adopted and raised by Ed and Edna Walker.
  • Zane (voiced by Brent Miller) – The White/Titanium Ninja and Elemental Master of Ice. He frequently wields three-pointed shuriken and, more recently, a bow and arrows. His elemental power grants him limited cryokinesis. Zane is intelligent and calculating, often providing intel to the other ninja as it applies to their situation. Initially, he lacked normal social skills. It was later revealed that this was due to Zane secretly being a nindroid, a fact unknown to both the Ninja and Zane himself. Though he is still logical and matter-of-fact, his brotherhood with the other Ninja have enabled him to pick up more human characteristics such as humor. He is the son/creation of Dr. Julien.
  • Cole (voiced by Kirby Morrow) – The grounded and solid Black Ninja and Elemental Master of Earth. He frequently wields a scythe and, in recent additions to the series, a war hammer. His elemental power grants him limited earth manipulation and super strength. The original leader of the Ninja, he is very loyal to his friends and family and has a special love for food, especially cake. He is the son of Lou and Lilly.
  • Nya (voiced by Kelly Metzger) – The Silver/Maroon Ninja, Elemental Master of Water, and original Samurai X. She frequently wields a sword and, more recently, a spear. Her elemental power grants her hydrokinesis. Originally not a part of the Ninja team, Nya joined when her skills as an elemental master of water were needed to combat the threat of the ghost. Tough and determined, she refuses to let anyone tell her what to do. Though she can sometimes be stubborn, Nya true does care about her friends and family often making the most mature decisions of the group and serving as emotional support. A skilled mechanic, she often constructs vehicles for the other Ninja. Nya is Kai's younger sister, daughter of Ray and Maya, and girlfriend of Jay.
  • P.I.X.A.L. (Primary Interactive X-ternal Assistant Life-form) (voiced by Jennifer Hayward) – A female Nindroid who was originally an assistant to her creator/father Cyrus Borg. She joined the Ninja's team after being influenced by her fellow robot Zane. She was disassembled in season 4 but then uploaded into Zane's systems as an artificial intelligence system. In season 7, she secretly rebuilt herself and became the new Samurai X. She often provides technical support to the Ninja while serving as Zane's love interest.
  • Sensei/Master Wu (voiced by Paul Dobson, Caleb Skeris as a baby, Madyx Whiteway as a child) – The wise, old master of the Ninja who frequently wields his father's staff. He is Lloyd's uncle, younger son of the First Spinjitzu Master, and brother to Garmadon. Because of his Oni heritage, Wu has lived for over a thousand years.
  • Lord/Sensei/Emperor Garmadon (voiced by Mark Oliver, Kai Emmett as a child) – Lloyd's father, Wu's older brother, and older son of the First Spinjitzu Master. Garmadon was a main antagonist for the first two seasons but was later cleansed of evil and became a Sensei to the Ninja. In season 4 he was sacrificed to the Cursed Realm to stop Master Chen's Anacondrai Army. Garmadon was revived in season 8 by the Sons of Garmadon as a being of pure evil and proceeded to conquer all of Ninjago and proclaimed himself as the Realm's new Emperor. However at the end of season 9, Garmadon's reign of terror was finally brought to an end and he and the Sons of Garmadon were all arrested and locked up in Kryptarium Prison. In season 10, he was released to help the Ninja defeat the Oni, after which he left to an unknown part of Ninjago. Because of his Oni heritage, Garmadon has lived for over a thousand years.

Ninja Allies

  • Dareth (voiced by Alan Marriott) – The bumbling self-proclaimed "Brown Ninja" and Grand Sensei of Dareth's Mojo Dojo. He is a frequent ally of the Ninja both by choice and coincidence.
  • Mistaké (voiced by Mackenzie Gray Seasons 1–2, Mark Oliver Season 4, Tabitha St. Germain Seasons 8–9) – An often grouchy old lady who is old friends with Master Wu. She owns a tea shop that sells rare tea with magical properties. In season 9, she revealed to securely be an Oni in disguise. In the same season, it is implied that she was killed by Garmadon.
  • Cyrus Borg (voiced by Lee Tockar) – A tech genius and head of Borg Industries, he is the creator/father of P.I.X.A.L. who has invented all sorts of cutting edge electronic tools and gadgets. He first sought out the Ninja after the Digital Overlord overtook his systems and has built a variety of tools, security systems, machines, and vehicles to assist the Ninja.In season 3, the Overlord often turned him evil.
  • Ronin (voiced by Brian Dobson) – A mercenary motivated by self-interest who will assist the Ninja if it suits his needs and will easily double cross them if he is paid well.
  • Police Commissioner (voiced by Michael Donovan) – The head of Ninjago police, he was originally introduced in season six as an antagonist who pursued the Ninja when they were framed for committing various crimes. Since the Ninja were proved innocent, however, he has assisted them both personally and with the full backing of the police force.

Family Members

  • First Spinjitzu Master (voiced by Jim Conrad) - The Inventor of Spinjitzu, father of Wu and Garmadon, and grandfather of Lloyd. Originally from the Realm of Oni and Dragon, he created the realm of Ninjago and fought the Overlord to a standstill. He died long before the start of the series.
  • Misako (voiced by Kathleen Barr) – Garmadon's wife and Lloyd's mother. Misako is an archaeologist.
  • Dr. Julien (voiced by Mark Oliver) – An inventor and the creator/father of Zane and Echo Zane. Zane presumed that he was dead until Dr. Julien revealed that Samukai revived and imprisoned him. He briefly joins the Ninja when they find him at a lighthouse, and died sometime between seasons 2 and 3.
  • Ed Walker (voiced by Colin Murdock) – The adoptive father of Jay and the husband of Edna Walker, as well as the co-owner of Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk.
  • Edna Walker (voiced by Jillian Michaels) – The adoptive mother of Jay and the wife of Ed Walker, as well as the co-owner of Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk.
  • Lou (voiced by Kirby Morrow) – Cole's father, Lilly's husband, and notable member of the Royal Blacksmiths, a famous song and dance troupe.
  • Ray (voiced by Vincent Tong) – Kai and Nya's Father, Maya's husband, and former Elemental Master of Fire. He previously fought alongside his wife under Masters Wu and Garmadon as part of the First Elemental Alliance during the First Serpentine War. He is a skilled blacksmith.
  • Maya (voiced by Jillian Michaels) – Kai and Nya's mother, Ray's wife, and former Elemental Master of Water. She previously fought alongside her husband under Masters Wu and Garmadon as part of the First Elemental Alliance during the First Serpentine War.
  • Jay's Mother (voiced by Kelly Metzger) - Cliff Gordon's wife and the former Elemental Master of Lightning.
  • Lilly (voiced by Erin Mathews) - Cole's mother and former master of Earth. She passed away before the start of the series but previously freed Shintaro Mountain from evil. In doing so, she became legend to the Geckles and Munce.

Skulkin

The Skulkin are a breed of living skeletons who were once ruled by Samukai. After becoming their leader, Garmadon sent the Skulkin to Ninjago to find the Four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu, to which they do so. The Skulkin are defeated by the Ninja, though Samukai tries to use the Weapons himself. The power of the weapons destroys him, allowing Garmadon to escape his imprisonment and leaving the Skulkin leaderless. However, Garmadon rebands the Skulkin and leads them to rescue the Ninja and help them steal the Fang Blades from the Serpentine, as part of the temporary alliance Garmadon made with the Ninja to stop the Serpentine's leader Pythor from unleashing the Great Devourer, the very same giant snake who turned Garmadon evil. The Skulkin are willing to help along with this because, as Kruncha comments "Everybody hates snakes."

  • Samukai (voiced by Michael Kopsa) – The four-armed Skulkin Ruler of the Underworld until Lord Garmadon defeated him in single combat and took over. He led the attacks on Ninjago, sent by Garmadon to retrieve the four Golden Weapons. He attempted to betray Garmadon by keeping the weapons for himself but, unable to control the power of the four golden weapons at once, was instead overloaded with power and killed. His body created a portal to another realm with Garmadon traveled though to amass more power. He temporarily returned on the Day of the Departed seeking revenge on Jay.
  • Kruncha (voiced by Brian Drummond) – A brutish Skulkin General who served under Samukai and was part of the raids to retrieve the Golden Weapons. After the Skulkin's defeat, he found himself roaming Ninjago and taking odd jobs with Nuckal.
  • Nuckal (voiced by Brian Drummond) – A crazy Skulkin General. He served under Samukai and was part of the raids to retrieve the Golden Weapons. After the Skulkin's defeat, he found himself roaming Ninjago and taking odd jobs with Kruncha.
  • Wyplash (voiced by Michael Dobson) – A paranoid Skulkin General. Unlike Samukai, Kruncha, and Nuckal, he was not part of the Golden Weapon raids. After the Skulkin were defeated, he attempted to ambush Nya but was soundly beaten by the lone warrior.

Serpentine

The Serpentine are a warrior race of humanoid serpents. Originally a race created by the First Spinjitzu Master, they held a prophecy that foretold the coming of the Golden Master. Their attempts to warn the humans resulted in a war that culminated with them being driven underground, partly because both sides were manipulated by Master Chen. Released by Lloyd Garmadon, the Serpentine attempted to conquer Ninjago several times under the leadership of Pythor, Lord Garmadon, and finally Skales. However, after losing in battle to the Overlord's Stone Army, the Serpentine made a home for themselves underground and later aid the people of New Ninjago City escape the Golden Master's attack and then against Master Chen's army of fake Anacondrai. The Serpentine tribes, according to one of the show's creators Tommy Andreason, may have been transported from Chima.

  • The Great Devourer – A giant snake worshipped as a goddess by the Serpentine, known to be very dangerous and deadly with the ability to increase its size by consuming anything in its path, including its own kind. The Great Devourer is the main cause of the events in the series as it was responsible for turning Garmadon evil through its venom, and it was the Anacondrai General Pythor intended to release to exact revenge on the people of Ninjago. But the Great Devourer proved to be beyond anyone's control, swallowing Pythor and Sensei Wu alive, the former suffering side effects from exposure to the serpent's stomach acid, and running rampant on Ninjago with the Ninja unable to subdue it. However, in the end, the Ninja manages to lure the Devourer into a trap during its siege of Ninjago City, allowing Lord Garmadon to destroy the Great Devourer with the power of the Golden Weapons in revenge for the grief and madness it caused to him. Despite its death, the monster's venom still seeps into Ninjago City's sewage system, eventually reawakening the Stone Army. However, the Stone Army was eventually destroyed, and upon the Overlord Dragon's defeat Garmadon was cleansed of the Devourer's venom and its effects. It is proven to be female in season 7.
  • Anacondrai – An honor-bound anaconda-type Serpentine tribe that is the most feared of the Serpentine, able to turn themselves invisible. They are known for their purple coloration, and unlike other Serpentine tribes they all-not just their generals-have snake tails in place of legs. While their leading members were exiled to the Cursed Realm, the rest of the Anacondrai were trapped underground and apparently resorted to cannibalism until only Pythor remained. However, Master Chen and his group of cultists sought to bring them back, using dark magic to become Anacondrai themselves.
    • Pythor P. Chumsworth (voiced by Michael Dobson) – The General and last remaining member of the Anacondrai Tribe and former Snake King of the Serpentine, unique among his kind due to his elongated neck and habit of swallowing people larger than himself. Unlike his kind, Pythor is cowardly and dishonest yet has an arrogant sense of pride. While his tribe were sealed away, the Anacondrai Tribe had no food source and ultimately fell to starvation with Pythor becoming the sole survivor. Upon being released, Pythor pretended to be Lloyd's ally to steal the map to the Serpentine tombs to release the Constrictai and the Venomari Tribes. Soon after finding the lost city of Ouroborus, through deceit and an alliance with Skales, Pythor becomes the first Snake King of all Serpentine. It becomes clear soon that Pythor had been driven insane by his imprisonment and his hatred of the surface dwellers, using the allegiance of the tribes to unleash the Great Devourer to exact revenge on people of Ninjago for locking up the Serpentine underground. As the series progressed, Pythor finally managed to collect all four Silver Fang Blades, despite the oppression from the Ninja, Lord Garmadon, and the Skulkin, realizing too late that the Great Devourer would consume everything in its path, including himself alongside Sensei Wu. In season 3, Pythor is revealed to have survived his ordeal within the Great Devourer's stomach with his scales bleached white as he went into hiding. Still bent on revenge against the humans, Pythor aids the Overlord by converting Sensei Wu into Tech Wu and then tricking the ninja into giving him a beacon leading him to Lloyd. This season also revealed a fascination with a breed of electric eel/water snake known as electrocobrai, which he used as a power source for the Overlord and his creations. He swallows the shrinking pill that was meant for the Overlord in "The Titanium Ninja" and is chased by the Falcon. In season four he is among the many inmates of Kryptarium Prison-living in a dollhouse inside of a cell-and reveals to the ninja that the Anacondrai were tricked into attacking the humans during the war. He is captured by Chen and his sweat is used to make the Fake Anacondrai permanent, but he manages to discover a means of defeating them by releasing the spirits of the Anacondrai Generals. In gratitude for finally making them proud, Arcturus restores Pythor to his original size, though not his former coloration. He appears to be fond of the name "Rodrigo", as he applied this name to a toy basketball he owned while in prison and a rat that he tamed and rode into the final battle with the Anacondrai Cult.
    • General Arcturus (voiced by Scott McNeil) – General and leader of the Anacondrai Tribe and Supreme Leader of the Serpentine during the First Serpentine War. He and the other Anacondrai generals were banished to the Cursed Realm after being defeated by the Elemental Alliance. The ghosts of the Anacondrai generals were later freed in order to defeat Chen's Anacondrai Cultist Army.
  • Hypnobrai – A cobra-type Serpentine tribe that specializes in mind-control. They were locked in a frozen tomb in a tundra. All of them have red eyes they use to hypnotize victims (which explains that their name is a pun on "Hypnotize"). The symbol of the staff and the Hypnobrai has a hypnotizing shape like a swirl. Their color is blue.
    • Skales (voiced by Ian James Corlett) - Leader and general of the Hypnobrai Tribe and current Snake King of Serpentine following the perceived death of Pythor. Originally ranked a warrior, Skales became general after challenging and defeating then general Slithraa. After being defeated time and time again by the Ninja he and the rest of the Serpentine found themselves trapped underground by the Stone Army. The Serpentine then reformed, took an oath of pacifism, and began to live peacefully alongside the other inhabitants of Ninjago. Skales settled down, started a family, and has assisted the Ninja in matters relating to snakes. Like all Hypnobrai, Skales can hypnotize his foes if they stare into his eyes. He is also a master of the ancient art of Fang-kwon-do.
    • Slithraa (voiced by John Novak) – The former leader and general of the Hypnobrai Tribe. After accidentally hypnotizing himself, he became a servant to Lloyd Garmadon and led his tribe in accomplishing the childish schemes of the young boy. Frustrated by being ordered around by a boy, Skales saw an opportunity to rise in power. After another failed scheme, Slithraa was challenged by Skales to a match in the Slither Pit for the right to lead the Hypnobrai. Slithraa was subsequently defeated by Skales and demoted to warrior.
  • Fangpyre – A pit viper-type Serpentine tribe who specializes in venomous bites that transform the victim into a Serpentine (depending on their element) with snake-like traits. Strangely if a Fangpyre bites a vehicle, it transforms instantly. But if they bite a person, it takes a long time for them to transform (probably because the person's immune system fights the transformation). Their anti-venom, as with the other Serpentine Tribes, is located inside the staff of their tribe. If a Fangpyre bites another Fangpyre, the Fangpyre grows another head, resulting in the slightly comedic quirk that each head speaks halves or thirds of a sentence if it is long enough. The sign of the staff and the Fangpyre are fangs with a snake tongue sticking out.
    • Fangtom (voiced by Mackenzie Gray) – The two-headed leader and General of the Fangpyre Tribe. He is old friends with Skales and, like all Fangpyre, has the ability to turn anyone or anything into a snake by bitting and injecting them with his poisonous venom.
  • Constrictai – A boa constrictor-type Serpentine tribe who specializes in constricting anyone and burrowing underground at a fast speed. They're also the shortest and the dumbest of all Serpentine tribes, but they are second strongest after the Anacondrai. The sign of the staff and the Constrictai is orange and has three rings connecting to each other representing constricting. The anti-venom in the staff awakens those knocked out when being choked. They were sealed within the Mountain of a Million Steps until released by Pythor.
    • Skalidor (voiced by Michael Dobson) – The powerful leader and general of the Constrictai Tribe. Like all Constrictai, Skalidor has the ability to burrow underground and possesses abundant strength.
  • Venomari – A spitting cobra-type Serpentine tribe with odd tusks and multiple eyes who specializes in spitting a hallucination-inducing venom. They were sealed in a tomb within the Poisonous Bogs until Pythor released them. The symbol of the staff and the Venomari is green with drops of venom coming out of the symbol.
    • Acidicus (voiced by Paul Dobson) – The intelligent leader and general of the Venomari Tribe. Like all Venomari, Acidicus has the ability to spit venom at his foes which causes fear inducing hallucinations.
  • Vermillion – The Vermillion are an artificially created faction by Krux, the spawn of the Great Devourer and masses of snakes coming together to take a single, intelligent humanoid form.
    • Machia (voiced by Kathleen Barr) – The Supreme Commander of the Vermillion Tribe with Gorgon-like hair.
    • Raggmunk (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – General of the Vermillion Tribe.
    • Blunck (voiced by Brian Dobson) – General of the Vermillion Tribe.
  • Pyro Vipers - A tribe of Serpentine named by Gayle Gossip. They are the reanimated, zombified corpses of the Serpentine race during the days of the First Spinjitzu Master. Joined by the Elemental Cobras and Fire Fang, they're led by Queen Aspheera to wreak havoc on Ninjago, acquire the Forbidden Scroll and banish Master Wu to the Never-Realm. Their fate after attacking the Monastery of Spinjitzu is unknown.
    • Aspheera (voiced by Pauline Newstone) - A sorceress of the ancient Serpentine who desired to learn Spinjitzu. In exchange for learning combat, she released Garmadon and Wu from the dungeons after they trespassed on the valley against their father's law. Based on Aspheera's development, she and Wu became friends for the next few months/years, and Wu has her master Spinjitzu. However, she betrays her promise to Wu, to never use Spinjitzu for evil, and overthrows King Mambo with the intention to conquer Ninjago for herself. Garmadon and Wu arm themselves with the Forbidden Scrolls on staffs and defeat Aspheera in the throne room. She blames Wu for not teaching her Forbidden Spinjitzu and turning on her, believing that her actions of mutiny were acceptable. When she's sentenced to magical entombment, she swears vengeance on Wu. Around a thousand years later, Jay and Nya accidentally set her free when the Ninja are exploring the pyramid in the Desert of Doom. It was a vision predicted by Zane since the season's beginning. Aspheera steals Kai's fire powers and revives the mummified Serpentines. She destroys the pyramid, summons an army of cobras and her Fire Fang serpent. She comes to conflict with the Ninja multiple times upon seizing the Forbidden Scroll. She corners Wu, Kai, Jay, and Cole in the Monastery's cave, and fights P.I.X.A.L.'s Titan Mech. The fight is joined by Lloyd, Nya, and Zane, who have found the second Forbidden Scroll. Aspheera is defeated by Zane and locked in Kryptarium Prison in Garmadon's cell, but not before banishing Zane to the forsaken Never-Realm.
    • Char (voiced by Brian Drummond) - Aspheera's second in command, who displays attraction to his mistress and immense loyalty. He behaves like an immature child, which gets on Aspheera's nerves, but serves fiercely to the end.
    • King Mambo The Fifth (voiced by Michael Dobson) - The king of the Serpentine during the days of the First Spinjitzu Master, who has Garmadon and Wu imprisoned after breaking their truce. He was overthrown by Aspheera but restored to his rightful place on the throne when Wu defeats Aspheera. He then sentences Aspheera to magical entombment as punishment.

Overlord's Forces

  • The Overlord (voiced by Scott McNeil) – The Ultimate Evil who fought the First Spinjitzu Master to a draw. Lloyd defeated the Overlord in the Season 2 finale by unlocking his Golden Powers. The Overlord returned in Season 3 as a digital entity who seeped into and took over the technology of New Ninjago City.
  • General Kozu (voiced by Paul Dobson) – The four-armed general of the Overlord's Stone Army. He is the only member of the Stone Army that can speak English.
  • General Cryptor (voiced by Richard Newman) – The general of the Overlord's Nindroid Army.
  • Min-Droid (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – A member of the Nindroid Army who is shorter the rest of his robotic brethren because the factory that produced him ran out of metal. He is highly sensitive about his size and teasing at the hands of the other Nindroids (especially Cryptor) have given him a short-tempered and vicious disposition. Despite his size, he is actually a capable and observant fighter.

Anacondrai Cultists

  • Master Chen (voiced by Ian James Corlett) – Skylor's father and leader of the Anacondrai Cultists. He was exiled to an island after allying himself with the Serpentine and betraying humanity during the first Serpentine War. He later attempted to steal the powers of the elemental masters to transform him and his followers into powerful Anacondrai warriors to conquer Ninjago but was defeated and banished to the Cursed Realm. Chen was destroyed when the Preeminent was dropped into the ocean. He was later resurrected by Yang seeking revenge on Kai and Nya.
  • Clouse (voiced by Scott McNeil) – A dark sorcerer and Chen's right-hand man. He and Garmadon previously trained under Master Chen before the First Serpentine War. He was sent to the Cursed Realm after being defeated by Garmadon, but escaped the realm before its destruction. After the reversal of Season 6, he fails to release Nadakhan from captivity but releases his crew to serve him and bring doom to Ninjago on the Dark Island. Wu turns Clouse's spell against him and banishes him to the Underworld where he is currently imprisoned.
  • Eyezor (voiced by Michael Donovan) – A smug one-eyed general of Chen's cult. He oversaw transportation of goods from the noodle factory to Chen's off island noodle house.
  • Zugu (voiced by Brian Dobson) – A hulking general of Chen's cult. He oversaw production of goods in Chen's noodle factory as well as the prisoners who were forced to make them.
  • Kapau (voiced by Alessandro Juliani) – A comical cultist. Never seen without Chope.
  • Chope (voiced by Ian Hanlin) – A comical cultist. Never seen without Kapau.

Elemental Masters

  • Skylor Chen (voiced by Heather Doerksen) – The Elemental Master of Amber and Master Chen's daughter. She has the ability to copy other elemental powers. She originally operated as a spy for her father and was tasked with disrupting the Ninja and their alliance. Though she helped her father steal the elemental powers of the other masters, Kai convinced her to switch sides and she ultimately betrayed Chen and helped to return the stolen elemental powers. It is revealed by Chen that Skylor inherited her powers of Amber from her mother. She has reappeared as an ally of the Ninja and romantic interest of Kai.
  • Karlof (voiced by Scott McNeil) – The Elemental Master of Metal and engineer from Metalonia. He has the ability to turn his entire body into metal and grow slightly in size.
  • Griffin Turner (voiced by Doron Bell) – The Elemental Master of Speed. He has the ability to move at super speeds.
  • Shade (voiced by Andrew Francis) – Also known as Shadow, the Elemental Master of Shadow. He has the ability to disappear and move in shadows.
  • Neuro (voiced by Paul Dobson) – The Elemental Master of Mind. He has the ability to read minds and manipulate thoughts.
  • Paleman (voiced by Kirby Morrow) – Also known as Mr. Pale, the Elemental Master of Light. He has the ability to generate light and turn invisible.
  • Tox (voiced by Ian James Corlett in Season 4, Maggie Blue O'Hara in Season 9) – The Elemental Master of Poison who is capable of producing toxic clouds.
  • Jacob Pevsner (voiced by Paul Dobson) – The blind Elemental Master of Sound, who wields a guitar in combat and has the ability to manipulate sounds.
  • Bolobo (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – The Elemental Master of Nature. He has the ability to control plants.
  • Chamille (voiced by Maryke Hendrikse) – The Elemental Master of Form. She has the ability to shapeshift.
  • Ash (voiced by Brent Miller) – The Elemental Master of Smoke. He has the ability to create smokescreens and transform into smoke.
  • Gravis (voiced by Kirby Morrow in episode 37, Mark Oliver in all other appearances) – The Elemental Master of Gravity. He has the ability to levitate and alter gravity.
  • Krux (voiced by Michael Daingerfield) – One of the co-Elemental Masters of Time and Hand of Time along with his twin brother Acronix. He originally disguised himself as the museum curator Dr. Sander Saunders until his true identity was revealed. He had the ability to pause and reverse time.
  • Acronix (voiced by Ian Hanlin) – One of the co-Elemental Masters of Time and Hand of Time along with his twin brother Krux. He had the ability to speed up and slow down time.

Ghosts

A faction of cursed, corrupted spirits associated with Morro and summoned by him from the Cursed Realm through the use of the Allied Armor of Azure. The spirits of the Cursed Realm appear to have elemental abilities to transform and possess objects and organisms. As ghosts they are immune to most forms of physical attack, but are vulnerable to water as it is ever changing, which can cause them to dissolve into ectoplasm. Their only other vulnerability is to Deepstone, a substance mined from beneath the ocean floor, which can either contain them or be forged into weapons for use against them, such as the Aeroblades the ninja obtain from Ronin. While Morro leads the group in the field, their true master is the Preeminent, Queen and embodiment of the Cursed Realm.

  • The Preeminent – The embodiment of the Cursed Realm and the master of Morro and the Ghost Warriors. Her ultimate goal is to retrieve the Realm Crystal from the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master and assure in her arrival to curse all 16 Realms, including Ninjago. She resembles a massive eyeball with tentacles. Though her minions allowed her to cross into Ninjago, she was defeated when the Ninja and their allies dropped her into the ocean.
  • Morro (voiced by Michael Dobson in episode 44, Andrew Francis from 45 onward) – The Elemental Master of Wind and leader of the Ghost Army who has the power to control air and wind. A former pupil and student of Master Wu who was believed to be the legendary Green Ninja. When the Golden Weapons did not react to Morro (proving that he was not destined to be the Green Ninja), he was enraged and left Master Wu's care, determined to prove destiny wrong. He was eventually banished to the Cursed Realm and returned as a ghost. The envious Morro then possessed Lloyd and simultaneously schemed to both unleash his new master, the Preeminent, and steal the mantle of Green Ninja from Lloyd. He was killed while being dragged into water by the Preeminent. During Day of the Departed, he is resurrected by Yang and possesses a statue of himself. The resurrected villain picks Wu as his target, since they left things unsettled. However, it is revealed that this was a ploy and it is shown he has learned his lesson because he instead warns the old master and his pupil about Yang's plan. With his mission accomplished, he is thanked by Wu and he bids his former mentor farewell before going back to the Departed Realm.
  • Bow Master Soul Archer (voiced by Brian Dobson) – Morro's Second-In-Command and a Ghost Warrior who wields a bow and arrows that can turn its targets into ghosts. He once won a bet with Ronin and seeks to collect.
  • Chain Master Wrayth (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – A tough ghost warrior who wields a chained whip that can turn its targets into ghosts. He rides a transformed bike, similar to Marvel's Ghost Rider.
  • Scythe Master Ghoultar (voiced by Paul Dobson) – A dimwitted ghost warrior who wields a scythe. He is often distracted by food.
  • Blade Master Bansha (voiced by Kathleen Barr) – A ghost and dark sorceress who wields a double-bladed dagger. She had telepathic powers, the ability to create sonic screams, and can possess targets from a great distance.
  • Sensei/Master Kodokuna Yang (voiced by Michael Donovan) – The Creator of Airjitzu and current guardian of the temple on Haunted Hill. He accidentally turned himself, his students, and his temple into ghosts or ghost-filled places after arrogantly attempting to use the Yin Blade to gain immortality.

Sky Pirates

The Sky Pirates are a motley crew of renegades who are led by Nadakhan, a Djinn from Kingdom of Djinjago.

  • Nadakhan (voiced by Scott McNeil) – Djinn leader of the Sky Pirates and captain of Misfortune's Keep. He can grant three wishes to anyone within earshot. The prince an son of Khanjikhan if he is wed to anyone on Djinn land he will become all powerful and have unlimited wishing power.
  • Flintlocke (voiced by Paul Dobson) – Nadakhan's mustachioed second-in-command who dresses like an old-time aviator and is known for never missing a shot.
  • Dogshank (voiced by Nicole Oliver) – A massive pirate who wears a helmet that conceals most of her head.
  • Doubloon (voiced by Vincent Tong) – A sinister looking general who resembles a Japanese demon in Samurai armor.
  • Monkey Wretch (voiced by Ian James Corlett) – A fierce mechanical monkey.
  • Clancee (voiced by Ian James Corlett) – A Green Serpentine with a right peg leg who is constantly stuttering.
  • Squiffy (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – A human who wears a patch over his right eye. His real name is Landon.
  • Bucko (voiced by Brian Dobson) – A human who wears a patch over his left eye. His real name is Colin.

Sons of Garmadon

  • Princess Harumi (voiced by Britt McKillip) – Also known as the Jade Princess, the Quiet One, and her nickname Rumi. She was adopted by the Emperor and Empress of Ninjago after her parents were killed in the destruction of the Great Devourer. Blaming the Ninja for her parents' deaths she accordingly idolized Garmadon after he defeated the Devourer. She secretly created and led the Sons of Garmadon (a criminal biker gang) to uncover the three Oni Masks in order to resurrect Garmadon and exact revenge on the Ninja. As part of her plan, she orchestrated an attack on the royal palace to capture the Oni Mask of Deception which resulted in her adoptive parents' deaths. She then gained the Ninja's trust by exploiting their sympathy for her adoptive parents' deaths and pretended to be in love with Lloyd, who promised to protect her from the Sons of Garmadon. Harumi then successfully used the Ninja's protection as a cover to locate and acquire the Oni Mask of Hatred. Though the Ninja eventually discovered she was the Quiet One, they did not succeed in preventing the resurrection of Lord Garmadon which resulted in the fall of Ninjago. She and the Sons of Garmadon ruled Ninjago as underlings of Lord Garmadon and assisted him in hunting down the remaining Ninja and members of the resistance. During the a battle between Skylor and Garmadon over the control of the Colossus, Harumi was killed by a collapsing building, but not before helping another family to escape. She appears again in Season 12 as an AI pitted against Lloyd who is trying to get the last Keytana
  • Mr. E (voiced by Brent Miller) – The silent and robotic third general of the Sons of Garmadon. Also known as the Man in the Green Mask, he and five other members stole the Oni Mask of Vengeance. He frequently wore the Oni Mask of Vengeance. He was later destroyed by Emperor Garmadon for failing to capture Lloyd.
  • Ultra Violet (voiced by Maggie Blue O'Hara (Seasons 8-9), Sharon Alexander (Season 11-onward) – The unhinged second general of the Sons of Garmadon. She frequently wears the Oni Mask of Hatred, sharing it with Harumi. She despises Zane the most of all the Ninja.
  • Killow (voiced by Garry Chalk) – The hulking first general of the Sons of Garmadon. Also known as the Big Man. He frequently wears the Oni Mask of Deception.
  • Luke Cunningham (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – An avid biker. Also known as the Man in the White Mask, Luke and four other members accompanied Mr. E in the theft of the Oni Mask of Vengeance. He was arrested and later interrogated by the Ninja, where he accidentally revealed the location of the Sons of Garmadon.

Dragon Hunters

  • Iron Baron (voiced by Brian Drummond) – The authoritarian leader of the Dragon Hunters. He sought revenge on the Firstbourne but was ultimately killed by her after attempting to wear the Dragon Armor.
  • Faith (voiced by Kathleen Barr) – Also known as Heavy Metal, Faith is Iron Baron's second-in-command and original wielder of the Dragonbone Blade. She was the first Hunter to defect upon discovering Wu is a son of the First Spinjitzu Master, destined to look for the Dragon Armor. Following Iron Baron's death, she takes over as leader of the Dragon Hunters.
  • Daddy No Legs (voiced by Ian James Corlett) – A Dragon Hunter who has no legs and uses a spider-leg apparatus to get around.
  • Muzzle (voiced by Brent Miller) – The right-hand man to Daddy No Legs. He speaks in a language only the Dragon Hunters can understand.
  • Jet Jack (voiced by Rhona Rees) – The former rival and current second-in-command of Heavy Metal. She is never without a jetpack.
  • Chew Toy (voiced by Scott McNeil) – An overweight and mentally unstable Dragon Hunter.
  • Arkade (voiced by Michael Donovan) – An almost living arcade, with arcade functions on his frontside.
  • Scar (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) – A Dragon Hunter who calls himself "Scar the Skullbreaker."

Blizzard Samurai

  • Ice Emperor (voiced by Brent Miller under the pseudonym Graeme Pailsade) - Ruler of the Never-Realm and Leader of the Blizzard Samurai. He is revealed to be Zane later in the season. Zane connected himself to Lloyd's Titan Mech via plug, and attempted to run a system diagnostic, only to have the plug pulled by Vex. This resulted in Zane's memories being erased. Vex manipulated Zane into conquering the Never-Realm and the latter became more bitter as time went on, using the Scroll of the Forbidden Spinjitzu as his scepter. He regains his memories and turns the Never-Realm back to normal by destroying his scepter.
  • General Vex (voiced by Michael Kopsa) - Ice Emperor's Second-In-Command and general of the Blizzard Samurai. He was a Formling, but was excluded and mocked for being unable to find his form, likely a thought of his clouded mind. He manipulated Zane into conquering the castle and making ruthless decisions against the other inhabitants of the Never-Realm. Once Zane regained his memories and destroyed his scepter, Vex was banished further into the Never-Realm.
  • Grimfax (voiced by Brian Drummond) - The leader of the Blizzard Warrior army. He was the ruler of the Never-Realm before Zane and Vex usurped him. He sides with Lloyd and Kataru later in the season. Once Zane regained his memories and destroyed his scepter, Grimfax reclaims his throne and aligns with the Formlings to banish Vex.

Formlings

  • Akita (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain) - A Formling with the ability to change into a wolf. She accompanies Lloyd after saving him, in order to kill Zane for her twin brother, Kataru, and the Formlings. She reunites with her brother when Zane destroyed the Scroll of forbidden Spinjitzu.
  • Kataru (voiced by Cole Howard) - Akita's twin brother, and a Formling with the ability to change into a bear. He was thought to be dead when Zane attacked his village, but was later revealed to be a prisoner. He helps Lloyd and Grimfax to help bring Zane back to normal. He reunites with his sister when Zane destroyed his scepter.

Prime Empire

  • Unagami (voiced by Dean Redman) - The AI software that composes Prime Empire (created as Unfinished Adventure Game I). Unagami constructed a doorway from Prime Empire to Ninjago with the aid of the Mechanic, and soon agreed to undo his evil deeds after reuniting with his creator, Milton Dyer.
  • Sushimi (voiced by Vincent Tong) - A sushi chef and inhabitant of Prime Empire. He is a member of Unagami's army and is the final boss of Prime Empire when the player reaches the Temple of Madness.
  • Scott (voiced by Adrian Petriw) - A beta-tester of Prime Empire who has been trapped in the game for over 30 years. After sacrificing himself to aid the Ninja, he was able to escape Prime Empire and return to Ninjago City.
  • Okino (voiced by Alessandro Juliani) - A Samurai that guided players to the Purple Key-Tana in Terra Karana. He decides to go on his own adventures after learning that he can make his own decisions. He soon escapes Prime Empire to protect Ninjago City from the Whack Rats and Red Visors.
  • Racer Seven (voiced by Shannon Chan-Kent) - An AI in Prime Empire and a racer in the Speedway Five-Billion race. She aids the Ninja in the race and wins them the second Key-Tana, and soon escapes Prime Empire to live in Ninjago City.

Shintaro Kingdom

  • Princess Vania (voiced by Sabrina Pitre) - The Princess of the Kingdom of Shintaro and daughter to King Vangelis. Vania takes an instant liking to Cole and aids the Ninja upon the discovery of mines beneath Shintaro. She becomes the Queen of Shintaro following her father's defeat, and pledges her alliance to Cole and the Ninja.
  • King Vangelis / The Skull Sorcerer (voiced by Deven Mack) - The King of the Kingdom of Shintaro and father of Princess Vania. Vangelis reveals himself to be the Skull Sorcerer, who has enslaved the Munce and Geckles to mine for vengestone to sell off to an unknown buyer.
  • Hailmar (voiced by Brian Drummond) - The right-hand man of King Vangelis and leader of the Winged Guards of Shintaro.

The Mines of Shintaro

  • Skull of Hazza D'ur (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) - The previous sorcerer of the Dungeons of Shintaro, who is now a green skull allied with the Skull Sorcerer.
  • Murtessa (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain) - The queen of the Munce who takes an instant liking to Jay and challenges Nya for his hand in marriage.
  • Murt (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) - A member of the Munce who possesses a low intelligence.
  • Gulch (voiced by Andrew McNee) - The leader/chancellor of the Geckles.
  • Gleck (voiced by Brian Drummond) - A member of the Geckles who possesses a locket that belonged to Cole's mother, Lilly.

The Upply

  • Fungus (voiced by Ian James Corlett) - A member of the Upply and a skilled alchemist magician, who was betrayed by King Vangelis and cast into Rock Bottom of the Shintaro Mountain, and formed a team with Cole, Wu, and Vania to return to the surface.
  • Korgran (voiced by Paul Dobson (actor), English-born Canadian voice actor) - A member of the Upply and a skilled warrior from Metalonia, who wields a sentient axe that only he can hear. He was betrayed by King Vangelis and cast into Rock Bottom of the Shintaro Mountain, and formed a team with Cole, Wu, and Vania to return to the surface.
  • Plundar (voiced by Adam Trask) - A member of the Upply and an expert thief who determines all of his decisions through a set of dice. He was betrayed by King Vangelis and cast into Rock Bottom of the Shintaro Mountain, and formed a team with Cole, Wu, and Vania to return to the surface. He also has a pet spider named Adam who joined the group on their quest.

Others

  • Captain Soto (voiced by Alan Marriott) – The leader of a band of pirates, and the original captain of the Destiny's Bounty. Soto was resurrected by Garmadon in the second season and has served as a minor antagonist ever since. He served as an ally to the Ninja in the sixth season, yet reverted back to his evil ways following Jay's final wish.
  • Lil' Nelson (voiced by David Reynolds) - The honorary Purple Ninja. In season 6, he was confined to a wheelchair due to breaking his legs, and was made a Ninja for a day for the Grant-a-Wish Foundation. In season 11, he became a paperboy.
  • The Mechanic (voiced by Michael Antonakos (Season 6, Season 11-onwards), Alan Marriott (Season 8) - A former noodle truck repairman and recurring antagonist. In season 6, he intimidated the Ninja while in prison, hoping to steal robotic parts from Zane. He reappeared in season 8 as a minor character, fighting Kai and Zane before being frozen by the latter. He despises Nya the most of all the Ninja. His most prominent role was in season 12, where allied himself with Unagami and assisted the AI in escaping Prime Empire into the real world.
  • The Omega (voiced by Zach LeBlanc) - Leader of the Oni and a dangerous combatant. He and the rest of the Oni are presumably killed when the Ninja combined their powers to perform a Tornado of Creation.
  • Krag (voiced by Brian Drummond) - The last surviving yeti in the Never-Realm whom Cole befriends.
  • Antonia (voiced by Brynna Drummond) - A papergirl who mentors Nelson.
  • Fugi-Dove (voiced by Adrian Petriw) - A Kryptarium Prison inmate who claims he is the Ninja's 'frequent, and well known, archenemy.' He despises Jay the most of all the Ninja. Despite his claims of being a famous outlaw, he has no criminal record for unknown reasons, implying he may suffer from delusions of grandeur. However, it is still unknown why he is imprisoned in Kryptarium and how he had no criminal record despite being imprisoned.
  • Clutch Powers (voiced by Ian James Corlett) - A famous adventurer and suspended member of the Explorers Club. He is the series' interpretation of the same character from the 2010 LEGO film LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers, though the two version are independent of each other.
  • Milton Dyer (voiced by Mark Hildreth) - The creator of Prime Empire who went missing after people began disappearing into the videogame. He was later found by P.I.X.A.L. and helped to stop Unagami by apologizing to the latter for abandoning him and the building a new life with him.

Episodes

SeasonSubtitleEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
Pilots4January 14, 2011 (2011-01-14)
1Rise of the Snakes13December 2, 2011 (2011-12-02)April 11, 2012 (2012-04-11)
2Legacy of the Green Ninja13July 18, 2012 (2012-07-18)November 21, 2012 (2012-11-21)
3Rebooted: Battle for New Ninjago City84January 29, 2014 (2014-01-29)April 16, 2014 (2014-04-16)
Rebooted: Fall of the Golden Master4July 13, 2014 (2014-07-13)November 26, 2014 (2014-11-26)
4The Tournament of Elements10February 23, 2015 (2015-02-23)April 3, 2015 (2015-04-03)
5Possession10June 29, 2015 (2015-06-29)July 10, 2015 (2015-07-10)
6Skybound10June 9, 2016 (2016-06-09)July 15, 2016 (2016-07-15)
SpecialDay of the Departed1October 29, 2016 (2016-10-29)
7Hands of Time10May 15, 2017 (2017-05-15)May 26, 2017 (2017-05-26)
8Sons of Garmadon10April 16, 2018 (2018-04-16)May 25, 2018 (2018-05-25)
9Hunted10August 11, 2018 (2018-08-11)August 25, 2018 (2018-08-25)
10March of the Oni4April 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)
11Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu:
The Fire Chapter
3015June 22, 2019 (2019-06-22)August 10, 2019 (2019-08-10)
Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu:
The Ice Chapter
15December 14, 2019 (2019-12-14)February 1, 2020 (2020-02-01)
12Prime Empire16July 19, 2020 (2020-07-19)August 30, 2020 (2020-08-30)
13Master of the Mountain16July 6, 2020 (2020-07-06)July 11, 2020 (2020-07-11)

Production and development

In 2009, LEGO proposed to make a series on ninja, deciding that there would be four ninja with elemental powers. Later, Tommy Andreasen and Thomas Fenger created the martial art of Spinjitzu.

Broadcast and release

In the United States, two pilot episodes, later split into four episodes total, were shown on Cartoon Network on January 14, 2011. They were released in Europe on January 24, 2011.[4] The pilot episodes focused on Kai as he goes from being a blacksmith to a Ninja to save his sister, Nya. Due to the popularity of the pilot episodes, the first season was launched from December 2011 – April 2012 alongside a new line of sets marketed as "Rise of the Snakes". The pilot episodes were released on DVD in March 2011, and the first season became available on DVD in Region 1 on June 26, 2012.[5] The series as a whole has an estimated budget of kr 37 million (approximately £4.6 million or US$6.7 million).[6]

Due to the positive reception of the pilot, a full series was commissioned and began broadcast in December 2011. The first five episodes of season 1 aired in Canada on November 25 and the first two in the United States on December 2. The season once again aired in Canada and the United States from January 11, 2012, to April 11, 2012. Season 1 focused on the four original Ninja as they try to find out who will be the Green Ninja.

Lego Ninjago was recommissioned for a second season, which premiered on July 18, 2012, to an audience of 2.8 million. Season 2 focused on Lloyd as he trained to become the Green Ninja in order to face and defeat his father.

In June 2013, Warner Bros. announced that a movie based on the toyline would be made, though it would take a different approach to the TV series. It was written by the Hageman brothers, who also wrote the story for The Lego Movie.[7] It was released on September 22, 2017.

A third season, "Rebooted", premiered on January 29, 2014. Season 3 focused on Zane as he and the other Ninja helped defeat a new, technological threat.

In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on 21 July 2014 on Cartoon Network.[8]

Season 4 premiered on February 23, 2015 in North America and Great Britain on Cartoon Network.[9] Season 4 focused on Kai as he and the other Ninja try to find a new and improved Zane on a secluded island, where they participate in a tournament.

On June 8, 2015 LEGO released the trailer for the fifth season, titled "Possession."[10] It premiered on June 27 in the United States. Season 5 focused on Nya during her training to be the Water Ninja while the others fight Wu's first student, whose ghost has possessed Lloyd.

Season 6, "Skybound," was released on June 8, 2016. It tells the story of Nadakhan, a djinn, and his pirate crew who are trying to bring Kingdom of Djinjago to the skies. Season 6 focused on Jay trying to defeat the powerful Nadakhan before it was too late.[11][12]

A Halloween special called "Day of the Departed" was released on October 29, 2016, with Sensei Yang as the vllainous faction. The special focused on Cole, who is fading from existence.[13]

A seventh season, titled "The Hands of Time," was released in May 2017. The plot focused on Kai, Nya and their parents, with the main villains being the Elemental Masters of Time (Acronix and Krux) and their army of Vermillion Warriors, trying to rewrite history.[14][15]

The eight season, "Sons of Garmadon," featured redesigns to closely resemble visually The Lego Ninjago Movie, and was released April 16, 2018 in the US. It focused on the Ninja trying to prevent Garmadon's resurrection, albeit with no good in him, by a criminal organization, the Sons of Garmadon (SoG), via three Oni Masks.[16]

The ninth season, "Hunted," premiered on June 30, 2018 in Australia. It is the first season where there is no one focus character due to the season's plot being split between two separate plot lines. The first trailer, released in Japan confirmed that the Elemental Masters would return as part of the resistance.[17]

The tenth season, "March of the Oni," premiered on April 19, 2019. It focused on Garmadon and the Ninja trying to prevent a demonic force of darkness called the Oni from destroying Ninjago and all the other realms. This is the shortest season to date, featuring only 4 episodes.[18]

The eleventh season, “Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu,” premiered on June 22, 2019. The episodes were cut down to an 11-minute format, and new art styles were used.

The twelfth season, "Prime Empire," premiered on June 19, 2020 in the United States. This season continues the trend of the 11-minute episode format, but consists of only 16 episodes rather then the previous 30, starting a new trend for seasons to come.

The series has been nominated twice for awards. Peter Hausner was nominated at the 39th Annie Awards for his direction, but lost to Simpsons director Matthew Nastuk. The composers, Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent, were nominated for the BMI TV Music Award, which they won.[19]

All episodes feature a theme song called "The Weekend Whip," performed by The Fold. The song is remixed in each season to fit the theme, except for Season 8-10, where the song is not played at all.

Home media

Name Release Date
US UK
Pilot 27 March 2012[20] 2 June 2014[21]
Season 1 26 June 2012[22] 23 June 2015[23] 16 February 2015[24] 2 November 2015[25]
Season 2 5 March 2013[26] 31 August 2015[27]
Season 3 5 August 2014[28] 15 August 2016[29]
Season 4 21 July 2015[30] 7 November 2016[31]
Season 5 16 February 2016[32] 27 March 2017[33]
Season 6 14 March 2017[34] 17 July 2017[35]
Day of the Departed 7 February 2017[36] 22 January 2018[37]
Season 7 3 October 2017[38] 2 October 2017[39]
Season 8 8 January 2019[40] 1 January 2019
Season 9 N/A N/A
Season 10 N/A N/A
Season 11 N/A N/A
Season 12 N/A N/A
Season 13 N/A N/A

Reception

Critical reception

Overall, the show has been well received by critics and fans.

The pilot episodes received an overall positive reception, with critics praising the characters, plot, music and the overall exciting and fresh tone that has been brought to this LEGO theme.

The first season received genuinely positive reviews, more so than the pilots. Fans and critics praised the character development, musical score, pacing, storytelling and fun nature of the series. Mixed reception was aimed towards the annoying nature of the Serpentine, however this was an extremely minor complaint. People continued to praise how unique and surprising this theme continued to be and how well a full LEGO TV-series could work.

The second season received high critical acclaim. The first half of the season was not as acclaimed as the second half however, due to the filler nature the first six episodes had to them. The second half of the season continues to be viewed as the best run to come out of the entire franchise. The storytelling, continued character development, musical score and cinematic tone lead to continuous praise and positive reviews. Fans and critics alike felt as if the season was "the perfect way to close off this incredible TV series." While many fans and critics were saddened that the series was supposed to conclude after this season, everyone else saw it as "the highest note for the series to go out on."

Following the theme's revival in 2014, the third season, much like the second, received high critical acclaim. Fans and critics appreciated the change in tone in introducing technology as the main focus, as well as the season's pacing. The character development and musical score continued to receive praise, however the airing of the season in which two episodes were released every two months highly irritated majority of fans. The season finale was a high point of critical acclaim, still standing out as one of the series' best reviewed episodes. Many praised the season for developing the character of Zane and Garmadon, as well as the introduction of P.I.X.A.L.

The fourth season continued to receive high amounts of critical praise. The new characters - mainly Skylor, Chen and Clouse - were major highlights to majority of fans. The Mortal Kombat-esque tone present to the season was highly praised by fans, as well as the character development, music, pacing and focus on Garmadon's character. Fans describe the season as "a major step in the right direction to keep this franchise feeling fresh, fun and exciting." As of 2018, this season is often looked at as either the best or second best season of the entire series. Fans praised the introduction of other Elemental Masters, and often look at this season as Ninjago's biggest step forward into new territory.

The fifth season has received mixed to generally positive reception from fans. Critics and fans praise the genuinely darker tone to the season, as well as the characters of Morro and Ronin, as well as Nya's character arc throughout the season. The idea of ghosts and possession was also praised by fans alike. However this season holds the most criticism of any Ninjago season. The Cloud Kingdom, the more slower pacing and crossover with LEGO Legends of Chima were the main points of criticism here. However the season still received mainly positive reviews.

The sixth season received much more positive reviews however. Fans and critics commented on how unique the season is and how it stands out from other seasons. The focus on Jay and Nya and the character of Nadakhan are main points of critical praise here, as well as the higher focus on action and character development, with many people commenting on how far Ninjago has come since its beginning in 2011. Much like the fourth season, this season is seen as one of, if not, the most unique season in the Ninjago franchise, and is seen as one of the series' best seasons.

The halloween special Day of the Departed received mainly mixed reception. Whilst fans and critics praised the dark tone, recurring old characters and story idea, majority of reception was negative. This is due to the lack of development for Cole, being the focus character, the short and underwhelming action sequences and a disappointing conclusion. An alternate version of the special was released on January 31, 2017, released for countries such as China. Though produced in Chinese, this version was far more critically applauded than the original, with many addressing how it's overall nature and pacing were "more fun and thrilling" and the fight scenes were "intense and well choreographed".

The seventh season also received mainly mixed reception. The introduction of the Elemental Power of Time was well received, as well as the story conclusion of Kai and Nya's parents - Ray and Maya - and the masters of Time themselves, Acronix and Krux. The negative reception was aimed at the more somber and dull tone present throughout the season. The animation of the seventh season was also a high point of criticism. The season finale was a high point of critical praise however. The season is often considered to be the weakest season of the series, just in front the Day of the Departed special and behind the fifth season.

The eighth season has received critical acclaim, receiving the most amount of praise since the second season. The animation, more complex storytelling, a deeper yet darker tone, new characters and in-depth character development have been extremely high point of praise so far. Prior to the season premiere however, the redesigning of the Ninja was a strong point of hate within the community. Over time however, said complaints have lowered as fans have adjusted. However, said hatred still exists. The character development of Lloyd, Zane and Cole have been high points of praise, as well as the new characters of Harumi, Mr. E, and Ultra Violet. The battle of Zane vs. Mr. E has even praised as the best battle and moment in the season. Fans also praised the larger role of P.I.X.A.L., as her character had now become "relevant". The character of Harumi in particular has been highly praised for having more complex and mature motivations compared to previous Ninjago villains. Her characterization, relationship with Lloyd, and portrayal by Britt McKillip has also been extremely well received. Fans and critics have referred to the eighth season as their favourite, with writers Dan and Kevin Hageman themselves called season eight their favorite.

The first trailer for the ninth season has been loved by fans alike so far, with many describing it as "the next perfect step for the series" and "a perfect companion season for the eighth, yet still strong enough to be its own story".

Awards and nominations

The series has been nominated twice for awards. Peter Hausner was nominated at the 39th Annie Awards for his direction on the show, but lost to Simpsons director Matthew Nastuk. The composers, Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent, were nominated for the BMI TV Music Award, which they won.[19]

In other media

Video games

The Ninja appear as playable characters in Lego Dimensions. Additionally, a large range of Ninjago mobile games have been released. Three video games have been released.

A video game called Lego Battles: Ninjago was released in April 2011. It was based on the two pilots of the series, and it features some of the characters who appear in the original episodes.

Lego Ninjago: Nindroids is an action-adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita,[41] The game was developed by Hellbent Games and co-published by TT Games Publishing July 29, 2014.[42][43] Lego Ninjago: Nindroids was announced March 2014 as the second video game based on the LEGO Ninjago line of play sets.[42] The game was targeted at a younger audience.[44] The game has the same plot as the third season of TV series.[42] In the game, the player assumes the role of a Spinjitzu Master tasked with defending the New Ninjago City from The Overlord's evil Nindroid army.[41][42] The game contains 30 levels consisting of puzzles and battle sequences.[41] NintendoLife thought this game was beginning to evidence the formulaic nature of the Lego universe of video games,[43] while JeuxVideo thought the game was repetitive.[44] The game was in the top-10 best-selling list of games for PlayStation Vita in New Zealand in May 2017.[45]

Lego Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin is an action-adventure game developed by TT Fusion and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in March 2015.[46] The game was released initially for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita,[47] and later for iOS[48] and Android.[49] The game further adapts the TV series,[50] and serves as a sequel to Lego Ninjago: Nindroids.[46] Although non-canon to the TV series, it takes place just after the fourth season, the original voice cast don't reprise their roles for the characters, due to recording studios being in different locations, instead they are voiced by American actors. After Garmadon sacrificed himself and was sent into the Cursed Realm, Lloyd left the team to cope with losing his father. The remaining members meet the new threat Ronin, a mercenary, who partially erases the Ninja's memories. The Ninja travel to the Toxic Bogs, after which they have a vision of weapons that can restore their memories. They collect the weapons and go to see Lloyd, who takes them to see his mother for help. Once they find the Primal Fulcrum, the Ninja free Lloyd's mother from Ronin's control. Ronin freezes them and grabs the remaining elemental forges. He plans to use the Fulcrum to bring back Chen from the Cursed Realm. The Ninja chase Ronin into a portal, where the Ninja have a final battle with Ronin; he escapes and knocks the Ninja's weapons into the abyss. The ending reveals the game was a story told by Kai. In an epilogue, Dareth steals the Helmet of Darkness to control the Stone Army. Warner Brothers announced the game in December 2014.[51] The game is single-player.[52] It has new gameplay items, though the gameplay and characters are familiar.[51] The game was targeted at a younger audience.[53][52] Both PocketGamer and Nintendo Life said the game negatively felt the same as the previous games in the Lego series.[52][46] PocketGamer praised the better graphics but was frustrated with the controls on iOS, especially with time-sensitive actions.[52] Nintendo Life appreciated the humor but thought the graphics had issues on the 3DS.[46] The game was in a top-10 best-selling list of games for PlayStation Vita in New Zealand in May 2017.[45]

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