#but ninjago? I will go back to that I will have a great time

[mouschiwrites]

Hey! Can I request head canons about the ninja finding the reader (their partner) wearing their clothes?

Finally getting around to clearing out my inbox! Here ya go, friend!!

Ninjago - Ninjas Finding You in Their Clothes

Kai

He notices that you’re wearing his shirt the second he walks in the room

He has a very good memory when it comes to what clothes he owns, so when he sees them on you, he knows them in an instant

He smirks, leaning against the doorframe

He lets out a long whistle, startling you

“Looking fine, babe. I like the shirt.”

“Yeah? You like my shirt?”

His smirk grows, and he saunters over to you

His arms wrap around your waist and he pulls you into a kiss

He reminds you that it is, in fact, not your shirt

Cue the teasing that ends with you being chased around the house until Kai corners you and tickles you, refusing to let up unless you admit the shirt isn’t yours

As much as he likes seeing you in his clothes, he isn’t going to let you keep them

But he starts asking if you also want one whenever he gets a new clothing item, because he thinks you look totally hot in his clothing style

He just doesn’t want to have to give up any of his clothes; he needs them all to be available 24/7 for ✨fashion purposes✨

Cole

It takes him a second to realize it’s his hoodie you’re wearing

It’s the bagginess that he notices first; he’s a pretty big guy, so his clothes would most likely be at least a little big on you

The longer he looks, though, the more familiar the hoodie becomes

When he finally realizes, a huge grin blooms on his face

He walks up to you and envelops you in a bear hug, lifting you off the ground and swaying back and forth

He is absolutely elated that you’re in his clothes

He likes his clothes, and he likes you, so put those things together…

Perfection in his eyes

When he sets you down, finally allowing you to breathe again, he plants a kiss atop your head

“Please wear my hoodies more often. You look great.”

Even though they don’t fit you too well, Cole’s clothes are very comfy, so you take full advantage of his open-closet policy

What he loves most is getting something back after a while and finding that it smells like you <3

Jay

His initial thought is that you also happen to have a Starfarer shirt

He says as much, but when you give an amused giggle he gets suspicious

Going to his room, he finds his shirt gone

He comes running after you

“Thief! Get back here!”

“Heheheh, no!! It’s comfy!”

When he finally tackles you onto the couch, both of you laughing your lungs out, he peppers your face with kisses

He’s not really all that upset, he was just taken by surprise

In actuality he thinks you look great, and he tells you to keep the shirt

He thinks it’s cute that you borrow his clothes, and he probably tries to return the favor at some point

He’ll be over the moon if you let him wear your clothes from time to time

He’ll be really picky about what he takes, though, so you don’t have to worry about all your clothes suddenly disappearing

Except for hoodies. Lock them away. He will steal them all.

Zane

He notices you in his clothes immediately

He was aware that he was missing a tunic, so he made the connection pretty quickly when he saw you in it

At first he’s just confused

“Are all your clothes unfit for wearing? I did the laundry yesterday—”

“No, I just… wanted to wear yours.”

He’s still pretty confused, but he can tell that you’re happy so he lets it go

He knows it’s some kind of affectionate thing, but he doesn’t understand it personally

He starts purposefully putting some of his clothes in your drawers, just so you don’t have to “steal” them

He doesn’t care when you wear those, but he does get a little irked when you do steal from his wardrobe

Not genuinely upset, though; he just dislikes the confusion of finding something missing

As long as you let him know beforehand, he has no trouble letting you borrow whatever you want :)

And perhaps he’ll even let you keep it…..

Lloyd

Lloyd turns pink in the cheeks when he sees you in his shirt

The corner of your mouth quirks up mischievously when you see this

“Something wrong?”

“That, uh… is that my shirt?”

A smile curves his lips as he says it, but his face is still very much a dark shade of red

He thinks you look fantastic—but that’s only part of the reason that he’s blushing

The idea of you wearing something that he wore…

Indirect hug

He settles down next to you to give you a direct hug too :)

He thinks it’s cute to borrow each others’ clothes

To him it’s a sign of intimacy

So of course you guys set up an open-closet policy, and you guys often lounge in each other’s clothing

Nya

She gets so excited when she sees her shirt on you

She thinks all her clothes are nice, so she’s glad to see that you apparently agree

Enough to have stolen her shirt without asking, anyway

She wraps her arms around you from behind, pinching at the fabric and grinning

“Cute shirt.”

“Isn’t it? I got it from a place called ‘Nya’s Closet.’”

“That’s where all the good stuff is!”

She literally drags you to her room and starts pulling out clothes she thinks you’d look nice in

You guys have a little fashion show that ends late, with clothes everywhere, you in her pjs and her in yours

Needless to say, she’s more than happy to share her clothes

She knows they’re irresistibly stylish; she’s just happy you have good taste

Thanks for reading!! And thank you for your request :) take care duckies!! <33

(divider by saradika)

[stardustpr1ncess]

Bonzle is 100% without a shadow of a doubt a trans allegory. People have been trying their best to say Sora isn't transcoded, but Bonzle is 2 scenes away from looking at the camera and saying "Hello. I'm a trans allegory." I shall now go into detail on every piece of evidence for this claim because fuck you.

EPISODE 5: Bonzle is afraid of how her found family will react to learning she's a spell (trans) and worries she will be rejected because of it. Easy parallel to trans people being afraid of revealing they're trans post transition. There's also her conversation with Bitch Boy Master Wu, with her saying she feels great loneliness, and only after gaining a physical form (transitioning) she feels happy and her true self. Very common trans experience. Gonna also put all of the quotes for my evidence as well since I know there's transphobes (filth) that like Ninjago and will be scrambling to deny it when people start coming to this conclusion too.

"Bonzle: I-- I was afraid of what you'd think if you knew about my past... Wu: It's called loneliness... Bonzle: I feel like, for the first time ever, I've become who I was destined to be... Bonzle: I was afraid if you found out I wasn't a real person, you wouldn't want me to be in our family anymore."

EPISODE 6: Bonzle is apprehensive about meeting with Gandalaria, seeing as how she's only known Bonzle as a spell, aka pre transition. She worries if she will respect her identity, much like how actual trans people fear how their family, more specifically a parental figure, would react. Bit of a light episode but an important aspect, here's the quotes;

"Bonzle: The Sorceress. She only knows me as a spell. What if she doesn't believe in me as a real person?"

EPISODE 7: This episode is the sauce. Bonzle is reunited with Gandalaria and their conversation is nothing short of magical. Gandalaria immediately recognizes Bonzle, saying she was her greatest creation and had always hoped she'd come home, shattering Bonzle's fears. It's a fantastic contrast, showing how this interaction can go well for some people, while others get an interaction much more akin to Sora's parents. When she's informed of Bonzle's chosen name, Gandalaria immediately starts using it, saying it's a great name. However, for that juicy authenticity, Gandalaria accidentally says spell before quickly correcting herself saying Bonzle. IT'S LITERALLY SO FUCKING OBVIOUS BONZLE'S BONES MIGHT AS WELL BE BLUE PINK AND WHITE. Oh yeah, here's the paragraph of quotes;

"Gandalaria: It's you! My dearest! You've come home! Bonzle: You... You recognize me? Even in my boney physical form? Gandalaria: Oh, I would know your true essence anywhere. Bonzle: I was so afraid you wouldn't accept me for who I am now. Gandalaria Are you kidding? I put my heart, my soul into every spell I weave... The most complex spell I've ever woven, and the first of my creations to ever come back to me!.. Bonzle: I'm Bonzle. That's the name I chose when I became a person. Gandalaria: Well, that's a splendid name... If this Ras times it right, he could reverse the power spell-- uh, Bonzle here--."

EPISODE 9: This episodes importance comes from Jordana, who acts EXACTLY how transphobes do. She constantly calls her a spell (some sort of derogatory term), says she's playing person (like pretending to be a girl), and says she's helping her do what she was made for, like transphobes very creepy beliefs in reproduction. Literally you half expect Jordana to ask which bathroom Bonzle uses since she was a spell. THE QUOTES;

"Jordana: Settle down, spell. I don't know what you think you've been doing, playing person with your fake family, but I know your true purpose... You should thank us. We're helping you to do what you were created to do."

In conclusion the silly lego skeleton girl is one of them spooky transgenders. Lmk if there's anything I missed. Thank you for reading.

[iwritestuffthatiobsessover]

Ninjago Headcanons from an elder fan

Part 1

There is a group chat, and it pops off all hours of the day. And often the conversation is being texted in all caps, or voice messages of the ninja yelling at each other.

Skylor was added to it but left because there were too many notifications while she was working.

Zane will take selfies in the middle of the battle and send it to the group chat

Nya begs him to stop doing it but Zane thinks it's hilarious

Kai is a material girl; he does his skincare, haircare, and body care and will often pester Nya about where she goes to fix herself up for dates.

Ninjas who ride cycles also wear helmets, which increases their attractiveness by 200%.

Lloyd has taken on the man bun. Yes, it does work out for him.

Jay is severely underrated. He's strong, average-sized, and has freckles all over. This dude is a ninja and commonly climbs high places to practice his element. He's got to have that nice upper body strength.

Cole's the tallest, heaviest, and strongest. He's pure muscle, but he's also a gentle giant when he's not in battle. Even sparring, he'll go easy in an effort to not hurt his friends.

He will, however, pick Jay up and just carry him out of the room if he gets too aggravating.

Nya will still tinker with mech, and often spends time with Pixal doing so. They're lesbians, and Nya taught Pixal how to be more self-assured and independent.

Pixal's life revolved around serving other people, and she had to be taught how to serve herself.

Zane and Pixal are similar to how the D:BH androids function. They can download any file, and research anything, but once it comes to human experiences and emotions, they have to take their time and learns from being hands-on.

That's why it took so long for Zane to catch on to simple emotions and phrases, and why he still has trouble even if he's made improvements.

Zane and Nya are close friends, they were the oddballs before Lloyd showed up.

Nya and Lloyd are also really close because of this, and while as a child he loved to annoy her, he actually really looked up to her.

Babysit isn't the proper wording, but Nya definitely looked after Lloyd and taught him the basic functions of how to take care of himself.

Kai as well, the Smith's were the closest thing to a pair of siblings Lloyd could've had growing up, and their bond still stays strong.

Lloyd still clings onto remnants of his short childhood. He will do things to heal his inner child.

There's articles and social media posts catching him swinging on a swingset with Cole, or getting icecream with Kai. He'll even go to a comic-con or two...or ten.

While the ninja aren't necessarily paid for their efforts, the city will give them a check every so often whenever Ninjago is saved by a big baddie.

However, if there are casualties or if the city is destroyed (Ex. The Great Devourer), that money will go back into repairing the city.

But, Nya keeps the finances in check, and knows how to haggle for anything the team may need (she threatens the salespeople).

But even with the extra money, some will seek a second responsibility. Pixal will do hybrid part-time jobs, and Jay will pick up a delivery contract for example. Something to take a break from daily training and punching bad guys.

They still have their golden weapon vehicles because I said so, and I like people on motorcycles. They also have spare backups that Nya has built from scratch. She almost strangled Jay for crashing that one.

And yes, Nya has a motorcycle, too.

But all in all, they've found each other as family, and it's ride or die with all of them. Especially Zane.

[purpleleafsyt]

I think one reason why Dragons Rising is such a high quality season to me is it's obvious that the writers are more aware of the scope it's going to achieve

Because, with a few notable exceptions, ninjago spent a lot of it's runtime thinking it was going to end on This Season or were unsure if another season was going to be renewed. Because of this, nearly every time a season introduced a new plot or idea it would have to wrap that up in the same season, or keep that idea in the background just in case. Additionally, the writers could've never known this show was going to be 16 seasons long. This causes a lot of... strange writing choices

Which isn't so much the case for Dragons Rising!! The writers know this is going to be a multiseasonal show. We already have a season 2 confirmed, and everyone, myself included, is pretty confident it's going to run for longer than that.

So many things were established in DR s1 because the writers knew that they wouldn't have to explain it all, that these ideas could come back later on. We have setup for the next plotline in Ras' master, and it's so refreshing to see Ninjago attempt to be a continuous show. I'm genuinely excited to see where they're going to take everything, and what paths they decide to go down

It's not the only reason why I think DR is great so far, but it is a pretty big one

[lightning-and-dragons]

Here's a random thought I had while rewatching Ninjago.

What if Jay, instead of being adopted by the Walkers, was adopted by Dr. Julien? Just imagine all of the fluff and angst that could come from it.

Edit as of May 26, 2024: Now on A03!

Jay could've learned all of his building skills from Dr. Julien, and when it came time to build Zane, Jay helped out a bit. There are bits of Jay's mechanics in Zane, little pieces that only Jay created, so that there was always a part of him with Zane.

When Zane was activated, much like waking up, he and Jay hung out together ever second of every day. They grew up together, learning all there was to learn side by side. Jay never thought that Zane was odd, and he knew that Zane was his brother, despite being made of metal.

Zane always thought as Jay as his older brother, because he was. Jay loudly taught Zane all that Dr. Julien didn't, even convincing Zane to learn how to dance and sing. He was a constant in Zane's life, one that he was thankful for.

Jay grew to be a joy that Zane still struggled to understand, because how can someone be so happy all of the time? And Zane began to be a steady presence in Jay's life when his nightmares became too vivid, rubbing his back comfortingly every time Jay woke up sobbing.

They ate every meal together, trying new recipes as often as they could. Dr. Julien taught Zane how to cook, Jay sitting back and tasting as they went. They were a family, made up of broken pieces of both hard pasts and machine parts, but they were as flesh and blood.

And Dr. Julien mourned the day that he would have to say goodbye to the both of them. He knew who they were both meant to become. He knew what he had to do.

Jay cried when he learned that Dr. Julien had to hide away, and didn't eat for days when he learned that Zane would get his memory wiped. He was going to lose his father and his brother, and despite Dr. Julien's assurances that he wouldn't truly loose Zane, Jay knew that what they had would never return. Not when all of Zane's memories were gone. There relationship would never be the same.

Zane would forget all that they had done together, all of the games of tag in the snowy forest, all of the inside jokes the two had been collecting, even the stories Dr. Julien would tell them every night.

Zane didn't understand why Jay was sad, and was even more confused when Jay accepted a job at a junkyard, more than two day's travel away. He didn't understand why Jay was crying when he wrapped Zane in a hug, telling him that he was the best brother he could ever have. He didn't understand that when Jay said goodbye, he meant it.

--------------------------------------------------

Zane becomes a ninja, being led up the steps to the Monastery by Master Wu, and Jay is waiting for him. At the sight of his brother, one he hadn't seen for years, a flood of joy filles his heart, causing a bright smile on his face. All he wants to do is run up to Zane, wrap him in a big hug, and tell him all of the adventures he's had. But before he can, Zane gives him a smile, and introduces himself, his eyes friendly, yet giving no spark of recognition, no joy at seeing his brother again.

"Hello. I am Zane."

Zane didn't recognize him. He didn't know Jay. He didn't recognize his own brother.

With a heavy heart, Jay knows that the plan worked. His father was gone, and Zane forgot everything. And now, for everything to go as Dr. Julian wished it, Jay had to pretend that he didn't know Zane. He had to pretend that Zane was a human. That Jay hadn't helped build him. That they hadn't grown up together. That Jay wasn't his brother long before they were ninja.

So he rebuilds their relationship from the ground up, starting with his name.

"I'm Jay! It's great to meet you!"

--------------------------------------

Zane grows to see Jay as a little brother, and gladly lets Jay taste the food he makes, ignoring the sad look in Jay's eyes when he does so. He learns that Jay loves to invent, that he's especially fond of cold weather despite him being the Master of Lightning, and enjoys reading books before resting for the night. Jay tries to read to Zane, but Zane is more confused by the practice, and Jay soon stops, his voice soft as he says goodnight.

Jay learns to talk to Zane like they are just meeting, pushing away the inside jokes they once shared, and tried to make new ones. He tastes Zane's cooking, trains beside him, and plays videogames with him. It's good, it's nice, but it's not the same. He still misses everything. He still misses his brother. Every part of him wants flip that memory switch, make Zane remember, but he couldn't. He couldn't do that to Zane or his father.

Zane was happy. Dr. Julien was safe. And that was all that mattered.

--------------------------------------

Zane does eventually learn he's a robot, back in Jay's childhood workshop, in the woods that they both had called home. Jay has to pretend that he didn't know, and acts shocked around the others. But Jay never counted on Zane finding the memory switch so soon, and flipping it.

Zane remembers. After all of those years, he remembers.

As soon as Jay saw Zane's eyes, right after he defeated the Treehorns, he saw a recognition that he hadn't seen in years, one that reminded him of late nights talking, making pillow forts, drawing on blueprints while singing songs that they made up as they sang.

Jay expected Zane to be mad. He no doubt wondered why Jay didn't tell him the truth, why Jay hid away, pretending to be a stranger. Why Jay had lied for so long. And he would be angry with him, wouldn't he? For lying about everything they were? Everything Zane himself was?

Jay prepared for the worst.

But Zane pulled Jay into a hug, crushing him in his comforting grip, letting Jay rest his head on his shoulder, rubbing his back steadily like he did when they were young. Jay began to cry, sobbing, shaking in Zane's arms, and Zane only held him tighter.

"Jay! I remember! You're...you're my brother. My brother!"

Jay nodded, unwilling to let go, unable to speak. Zane didn't let go.

And Zane would never let go again.

[harvsboy]

SOME DATING HC FOR ZANE NINJAGO COULD BE LIKE CUDDLING KISSING IDC 😼😼😼HAVE A GREAT DAY

dating zane headcanons (gn!reader)

masterlist || hub

a/n; I LOVE U SM ANON OMG /P honestly I started writing these and I had so much fun that it almost never ended- I would also like you to note that these are thoughts that have been built over 8 years<3

cw; kissing, slight bit suggestive, mentions of making out, cutesy relationship stuff

tags; @riverwritez @titishq @asterjaxx @luv4luci (send an ask to be added!)

when Zane first starts to have feelings for you, he doesn't know what to do. he's sure his power source is going haywire, or that he's short circuiting.

he self scans OFTEN

overheating anytime you look at him, and overheats more from the panic of not knowing what in the fuck is wrong with him.

as most of the ninja do- he goes to nya.

he explains everything, all of his symptoms, the way your glances make him panic and overheat.

she smiles almost immediately, instantly knowing that he's twitterpated.

he doesn't know what that is.

"you like them, Zane"

"yes, I do?"

he's simply confused as ever, but eventually nya seems to explain it well enough and his eyes light up at the realization

he likes you

it takes him a few months, but eventually works up the courage to ask you out

he'd planned the first date for weeks ahead of time

he wanted it perfect!

and, it was.

a nice picnic in a park, a beautiful lunch and hours of conversation

your first kiss was under a cherry tree, he initiated it.

now onto the actual relationship bit--

obsessed with kissing, like always & constantly

and honestly, he'll kiss anywhere he can reach.

forehead kisses? check. cheek kisses? check. full on make outs? oh you fucking bet your ass.

he just finds it entertaining and intimate, no words are needed when he can just kiss you and hold you

obviously he has to keep in mind you actually need to breathe after a while

he's still a whore for kissing

he loves loves LOVES any affection

especially cuddling, of any kind

although is incredibly partial to spooning and having you sit in his lap

holding your hand at all times

especially in public!!

if you hold onto his fingers, he melts

holds you close to him when you're walking on a side walk or on the street. makes sure you're facing on the other side of traffic where you're safe!

kisses.

loves to come up behind you and wrap his arms around you

amazing at communicating SOMEHOW

does take a few months to get really good at it but ngl he's better than you at it

parallel play is a constant

he'll be cooking and you'll be doing whatever else

nothing needs to be said, yet you'll often stare and watch him

he's simply so beautiful, you can't help it

i feel like he's the fella to have occasional nightmares so when he wakes up, he usually clings to you and kisses your cheek

you wake up too and play with his hair until he goes back to sleep

he's on edge until you kiss him or pet his hair, and then he's relaxed again

did I mention he likes to make out?

like- alot.

he's very affectionate

plays with your hair, brushes it and styles it. if it's long enough to braid, he braids it every night or whenever you let him.

if you play with his hair, he melts. like instantly. purrs like a little kitten

adores cheesy romcoms

the holiday is his favorite

i don't know why, it just is!

overall a very affectionate and attentive partner and I think I would die happy if I were to be his<3

[the-ninjago-historian]

New Article! Scrapped Season Concepts!

We've all heard of the scrapped Cowboy inspired season of Ninjago. But few know there was many more ideas that were ultimately scrapped! Today, we'll be looking at this scrapped season, along with many other abandoned concepts from Lego Ninjago artist Matt Betteker! And try to unlock some of the mystery behind them! Let's go!

1: The Dawn Of The Devourers, Lloyd vs Pancho, The Race, and Adventure

Clearly inspired by Western movies, this epic adventure seems it would have pitted the Ninjas against a Great Devourer riding band of outlaws, (One of which is named, Pancho) in search of perhaps some sort of treasure! This concept is extremely interesting, since it shows the existence of multiple Great Devourers! One of which looks a bit like Wojira! This season also seems to take inspiration from Incan civilizations, going by the jungle tomb-like building in the concept Adventure, and the Incan style Pyramids in the background of Lloyd Vs Pancho. Overall, this seems like it would have been an epic season. I can only imagine what the concept titled, The Race would have looked like animated. I honestly wonder why it was scrapped.

(I love the little detail of Cole manning the guns and Wu driving the wagon. Good father and son teamwork. Lol.😂)

2: The Lightning Temple and ThunderTown

What are these concepts for? Who's to say. It could be a very early version of Prime Empire. Going by the circuitry style painting on the temple in the concept called Temple Of Lightning, and the overall lightning themed atmosphere. OR, it could be an early design for the Island of the Keepers. Whose to say? But either way, it's a really cool concept and I'd love if they could reuse it some day.

3: Clockwork, The Ancient Ones Return, The Gold Army Meets Fibo, and The Gold Collector

This concept looked like Crystalized, Master Of The Mountain, and Hands Of Time all rolled into one!!! The gold and white color palette seems incredibly similar to Shintaro's. Meanwhile, clockwork patterns and style are reminiscent to Hands Of Time! And last but not least, the floating island looks almost like the Crystal Kings from Crystalized! This season would have had all sorts of crazy stuff! The main villain, (Known as The Gold Collector,) seems to have been very interested in two things. Gold, and Clockwork stuff. And it seems he or she would have been collecting gold to perhaps bring back the Golden Army shown in the artwork The Gold Army Meets Fibo. Who is this mysterious Fibo? A time traveler perhaps? Look at the flowing swirls of clock styled energy surrounding him. Very intriguing.🤔

If Ninjago had a steampunk inspired season like this, I would have been thrilled! It's to bad this concept was abandoned. But I would love to see what fans do with it!

4: Hunt For The Lava Hammer, and Cole Lava Blade

An early version of Master Of The Mountain, or something else? Going by the mining style machines and side characters in the backgrounds of both these pieces, this could have been a mining themed season centered around Cole. Even Cole's outfit is designed to look like a mining or construction outfit. Almost reminiscent to Lego City's Volcano Explorers line.

5: The Dragons Tribe, and Hunt For The Elemental Shurikens

There isn't much to say about this one. As we can't really take many clues from it. But going by Lloyd's outfit, and the lush green plant life, I believe this could be an early version of The Island. What really interests me is these Elemental Shurikens. What are they? Unfortunately, it doesn't say. But I'm sure they would have been interesting! Also, look at that dragon guarding her nest. The patterns on her are beautiful!

6: The Journey of Lloyd

All these piece were under one title. The Journey Of Lloyd. How mysterious.👀 So what is this collection of concepts? Just by looking, you can tell this was no ordinary season. The muted color palette and the more mature atmosphere all seem to point to something bigger. Was this perhaps a scrapped version of the Ninjago Movie? Or something else? Perhaps a Lloyd centric story, in which he goes an epic adventure all his own! Whatever's is was, it looks amazing. The love how much more mature and darker it feels. Surely a concept worthy of a nail biting, heart racing, action movie!

7: The Dragon Mask

A single concept amongst the others caught my eye. It didn't seem to fit with any of the other concept seasons. What is this dragon mask? It could be an early version of the Dragon Forms seen in Crystalized. But whose to say? Still, a very striking design! Feel free to comment your theories about it!

Want to look at the artwork straight from Matt Betteker himself? Here's his Art Station account with the exact art pieces we went over today.

Thanks for reading everyone!

[destinysbounty]

Huh. I just dug up an old fan-theory i came up with back when i was like 15. And while its definitely way too weak to hold up against any real scrutiny, it at the very least makes for some mildly interesting fanfic fodder so i thought id share it with the greater fandom hivemind.

(Dont come at me about the holes in this theory btw, i was practically a baby when i came up with this and it was one of my first attempts at theory-crafting. Trust me, ive come a long way since then)

Anyway, the theory goes like this:

While in the lighthouse, Dr. Julien builds a replica of his son. But try as he might to get it to turn on, it never actually works. Whatever special spark brought the first Zane to life is inexplicably absent from this one. So he locks it away in his basement, and never gives it the light of day again. This is the reason Dr. Julien never told Zane about Echo, or brought him with them - because at the time, Echo wasnt even functional. Wouldnt even turn on. Was nothing more than a lifeless shell collecting rust in the basement.

So how, then, did Echo become sentient by season 6? Great question! But uhh heres where the theory kinda starts to go off the rails. So buckle up, folks.

Basically the theory goes that when Zane died at the end of s3, his soul still lingered in Ninjago. And his disembodied spirit eventually found itself drawn to a vessel that was similar to the one he'd lost - one his father had built yet long abandoned. But his new body lacked the memory storage contained within his old one, and his resurrection effectively gave him almost complete amnesia. All he could remember was his name and his purpose (to protect those who cannot protect themselves).

Meanwhile, when Titanium Zane says hes a replica, hes actually completely right about that. Some fragments of his code left behind from his visit to the Digiverse gained sentience and inherited Zane's elemental power, creating the Zane we know and love today.

But the original Zane, the one that died fighting the Overlord, actually ended up becoming Echo Zane. Which then would have explained why Zane had so many holes in his memories after being resurrected, and why his sixth sense became much less active as well - he was only made from fragments of the real Zane's code, after all.

Now, as the big smart grownup i am today, i can look back at this theory my baby self had crafted and poke about a million holes into it. But...idk, i always feel nostalgic about this theory in spite of all that. Not just bc it was one of my first fan theories ever, but also bc it would have such fascinating narrative implications if true.

Like, the idea of Mr. E being Echo? Well, if we apply that to the concept of Echo being the Original Zane, then his hatred for Current Zane takes on a whole new dimension. It also gives me a lot of emotions about the whole Ice Emperor situation, as well as Zane's apparent discomfort towards his own statue.

And what kind of position does that put the rest of the gang in? If they had to choose between saving one or the other - the Zane who died for you, or the Zane who lives for you - which one would they choose? Could they choose? How long do you have to love a replica before it starts to feel more authentic than the original? And in that case, who becomes the 'real' zane? The one you love, or the one you lost?

Again. This theory has more holes in it than the Titanic. Cut me some slack, i was an idiot child and also a novice at making theories. But giving credit where its due, i do think it at least raises some interesting concepts. And Ive always casually wondered what would happen if it turned out to be true.

Like i said. Fanfic fodder.

[aroninshonour]

I don't think anyone will actually understand just how much I love Ninjago

I love everything about it

The funny moments, the sentimental moments, the straight up sad moments or moments that make me angry

I love it all

I can't truly hate any character from it, everyone has their flaws but at the same time everyone has something to genuinely love about them

I physically cannot hate ANYONE from the show

No matter who it is

I will always find something to love about them

I don't think I can actually hate anyone...never had it in my heart to do that

But everything about it, the show(s), the movie, the fandom, the books, the good and the bad I'm here for it all

I will still stand by it and I will always respect everyone's opinions on their aspects of the show

But Ninjago always held a special place, it's always been there and it always will be

The stupid smiles on their faces, the stupid angst the stupid dumb celebratory moments the ninja get only for it to be ruined moments late, I love it all

The edits people make, the funny, the angsty, the nostalgic, the happy, the silly, the sad, and the angry, it always gets me

Everything about this show reminds me how much it means to me, how much it has *always* meant to me.

Words aren't even enough to describe this feeling, I don't know what it's called but whatever it is I'm so damned glad I've stuck around long enough to feel it

Maybe there's a ton of people out there who feel the exact same as I do and just don't know how to describe it well, and maybe there isn't

After all...it's just a silly kids show, right? A stupid, fun, silly kids show that I will never stop watching, that I will always love no matter what happens

I will forever be greatful that my 8 year old self found this damned lego show back in 2016 and watched it from beginning to end and loved every single aspect of it, every single moment of every minute of that show

I love Ninjago so much it makes me feel sick(In a way) but I don't even care because it is that special to me

Thank you Ninjago for just existing and feeding my fixations for all these years, and continuing to do so<33

Thank you Ninjago fandom for making all the silly shit you do and for the love of the fsm don't ever stop, y'all mean so much and you make everything so interesting with your silly creative minds<33

I hope someone can kind of connect with me on this but ykw if I'm on my own in this aspect of certain things that's okay too

And thank you to those who have put up with my excited fixation on this silly little show, and maybe even joined in on my excitement, hope you enjoyed it if you have!

Ninjago, I love you, and always will, thank you for literally just existing<33

Anyways sentimental rant over gonna go write or draw haven't decided yet<33

[jasmine326]

Hello and thank you for coming to my Tedtalk.

Okay, how in the Hell is Lloyd Garmadon's son??

I am about to go off about this because it's honestly bothering me. There are many pieces of evidence pointing against Lloyd being Garmadon's son but there is nothing. NOTHING. Solid enough to really mean anything and it really makes me angry.

Me and my friend just recently got back into Ninjago from originally being into it when we were kids and we have proposed the idea that Lloyd is not in fact Garmadon's son.

Evidence 1:

This man, Lloyd, has blond hair. BLOND. You know what color hair misako had before she became an old hag? and Garmadon before he was fully evil? Brown. They both had brown hair.

You see this?? You see this shit!!? There is clearly some fowl play here.

Evidence 2:

There is no noticeably evil influence over Lloyd. Garmadon was bitten by the great devourer when he was very young and it almost immediately began to take effect in him. This venom took hold in every aspect of his being, mental, emotional, and physical. This is more speculation than anything admittedly but if it was powerful enough to change his entire completion it would have affected his DNA and therefore would have affected his child.

Evidence 3:

The timeline doesn't fit. Garmadon had left for the underworld a while ago, how old was Lloyd when we first see him? Like 12 maybe, at most. Wu and misako are young adults in the picture above and that picture is from right before Garmadon left for the underworld. Misako I guess could have greyed that much in a little over a decade, but Wu?? No. Absolutely not. Completely impossible for that amount of aging to happen in 13 years at most. This amount of time is a generous estimate.

The Theory

Garmadon is not the father. You know who is? Wu. Lloyd has to be Wu's kid. Wu has blond hair, the same hair color as Lloyd. Misako always seemed more affectionate towards Wu than she did towards Garmadon, even after the second season when he became good again. Wu was there when Garmadon had left and misako had no one. Wu wanted to take Lloyd in off the street and give him a loving family when the serpentine had all left him to fend for himself and when the ninja couldn't care less for him. He went to the entire underworld to fetch his brother, the downfall of Ninjago itself, so that Lloyd could be saved from the snakes.

The Flaw:

Basically the only flaw in this argument is the fact that recessive genes exist. This argument, however, IS BULLSHIT BECAUSE GUESS WHAT FUCKERS THAT'S NOT HOW STORYTELLING WORKS. You don't make a character blond with two brunet parents when the blond is actually from those two parents. And recessive genes also do not account for the timeline of when garmadon left and when Lloyd was born.

The only question we're left with is why. Why did this happen? Why doesn't Garmadon know? Why doesn't Wu say anything?

Honestly, couldn't tell you. My friend and I have some thoughts though. They think that Misako sleeps around a lot and they don't know that Lloyd is Wu's kid. That or they told Garmadon that Lloyd is his son in order to give the dark Lord an emotional attachment to something and therefore a weakness of sorts. Really I'm not sure what to think, I think maybe Misako knows who's kid he is but it's possible Wu doesn't. Potentially Misako was with Wu and she received the letter that was from Garmadon that actually turned out to be from Wu and she decided to dump Wu for Garmadon even though she had already gotten pretty close to him, close enough to make Lloyd even. This theory doesn't go with the timeline but you know it's whatever, that's just a theory after all.

[colesluvr]

HELLO‼️‼️ I saw you were doing Ninjago requests so i was wondering could you do one where the reader(gn) is based off koyuki from demon slayer ⁉️ it could be something like any of the ninja of your choice being tasked to take care of the reader. i don't care if it's romantic or platonic i just want to see what the ninja would do in the situation ‼️THANK YOU‼️‼️

Safe & Sound | Cole Brookstone x GN Reader

Sooooo, I never watched demon slayer, but I did do my reaserch on this character! I hope this isn't too bad, I'm not a huge fan of this piece of writing, bit I you all will like it. Thx for the req!!

Also I, i think I took "taking care of Y/N" in a different term, my bad :(

The sound of Y/N's cries of pain caused Cole to instantly go into big brother Cole mode. He jumped over the couch and ran to the doors of the Monestary. The big doors entered his vision and almost instantly he threw the doors open to see Y/N in Kai's arms.

They were crying and screaming in pain, reasuuring words came out of Kai's mouth as the reached Cole. "They were crying and screaming in pain, reasuuring words came out of Kai's mouth as the reached Cole.

"It hurts, it fucking huhurts!" Tears filled their eyes. In slo-motion, Cole looked at Y/N's leg. It looked twisted and bruised. It looked...broken.

"Wha-What happened?" Cole asked as Nya rushed behind her brother with you in his arms, still crying from the pain. "They-They were gone for not even 10 seconds and they were jumped by thugs! A-A store was getting robbed and-and me and Kai thought Y/N would be find catching one thug, but suddenly four more jumped them and-" Tears stained her cheeks from her pervious crying, but new fresh tears started to form as they ran into the Med Room.

Another one of Y/N's screams caused Cole to look back up at Kai who placed them on the bed. He tried to stop them from curling in on theirself so Zane could get a better look at your leg.

"Gaaaaha! Ihit hurts!" Y/N cried, tears falling from their cheeks. Kai squeezed their hand as Zane examed their leg. It was bruised from the calf and down, a little banged up, but hopefully nothing to serious.

"I know, but you moving around like this will make it hurt more." Kai tried to calm them down, but they curled around even more. Cole soon walked into their vision, causing them to turn their head toward him.

"Hey, hey. I know this hurts, but you're doing great, Y/N. Just a couple more seconds. Zane is putting the cast on as we speak, just look at me, try not to focus on the pain." Cole spoke over your cries and groans. Kai allowed Cole to take the lead, not stopping him because it seemed to work. Zane was able to put the cast on quicker with him moving Y/N's leg as much.

"What's your favorite color?" Cole asked, making eye contact with Y/N.

"Uh-AH-Uh.." It took them longer to say an answer, "F-FC! GAh!"

"Good. Good. Uh, how about movie? I love movies!"

"Uh-F/M!!" You cried you our favorite movies name as Zane finished the cast.

"There we go," Zane smiled as he looked at Y/N who still cried. "Thank you, Cole."

Cole waved him off, saying it was nothing. Y/N's eyes closed, they took deep breaths relieved the pain was over.

"When-When will they get better? Like, when will their leg heal?" Kai asked, tapping his foot as he looked at Zane. Zane thought for a moment, "I cannot be certain, but possibly in the next 4-6 months."

"Hah?!" You cried, slamming your head back to the pillow. Cole asked for Zane and Kai to go out of the room to talk about this and he'll let Y/N know when they'll get better.

Y/N watched as Cole escorted the two out of the room and closed the door a tad. He smiled back at you before asking you if you needed anything.

-

Two months have passed and during the time period, Lloyd was able to get Y/N some crutches. They were already doing fine on the cast, by fine you mean Cole basically carrying them aroun like royalty. Cole wanted to make sure they were comfortable with the crutches, so he stood by their side as they used them for the first time.

Almost cried when Y/N almost ran into a wall, such a gentlemen.

"Cole. I can grab it-"

"Nah-uh. You sit your butt back on that bed and I'l get for you."

They've pretty much gotten use to him bossing them around, but they weren't really complaining. He was their best friend after all.

-

"You rang?" Cole grinned as he entered Y/N's room when their soup. Y/N was 4 months in recovery, having doctor appointments for their leg now and then, Y/N's should be healed un the next month if they just sit and try not to put pressure on the leg. Although they've been doing well without cole's help, they could never tell him that.

He's been trying to hard to help Y/N feel better, he's even attempted to sleep in the same room if they need water, use the bathroom, or get a midnight snack because he knows how much they love those.

"I actually rang Jay, but it's always fun to see your face. Even though I see everyday now." You joked, "Well, Jay was out on a mission with the others so," Cole shrugged as he sat down on the bedside as he placed the soup on the dresser by your bed.

"Wait, don't tell me you stayed behind on a mission to take care of me?" You asked and Cole blew gently on the spoon with soup. "Okay, I won't."

You have him a 'are you serious' look as he locked eyes with you. "Y/N, I'm sorry, but I just want to be here for you since I wasn't when you got hurt! I want to see you get better with my own eyes."

"Cole," You laughed, "I've been doing fine, I barely need the crutches anymor-" Cole cuts you off by gently shoving the spoon into your mouth. "All I hear, "Aw, thank you Cole for taking such great care of me! I haven't complained at all after the past 6 months."

You swallowed the soup and chuckled, "I sound nothing like that, dork."

It was quiet for a moment, Cole stll feeding them now and then. before he did again, Y/N spoke. "I..actually am thankful for you, Cole. I mean it. Thank you for taking care of me these past 6 months." Cole smiled, wiping soup off your chin with his thumb.

"Anything for you, Y/N. You know that. I wouldn't just sit back and relax knowing my friend's hurt-"

You grabbed Cole and engulfed him in a hug. He paused, not wantinh to hurt you if he moves. Suddenly, he smiled, hugging you back.

"Thank you," You spoke.

"You're welcome, Y/N."

[mouschiwrites]

HI, I love your stuff! I loved the whole brainwashed thing with the Ninjago team, but what would happen if it was them brainwashed? How would they react after you got them out of it? Or maybe just their reaction to you getting captured could be one be a fun one too? Don't know, just throwing ideas out there. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK 💜💜💜

Yes ofc!! Thank you for your kind words!! :D

Ninjago - How the Ninjas Act When You Get Captured

Jay

When he first heard you were captured, he froze where he stood

Then he comes alive with an entirely new level of anxiety

He’s running around, shaking people by their shoulders, talking at a million words a second, pulling his hair, the whole chalupa

He struggles to calm down enough to actually come up with a plan to save you

Someone has to restrain him so he stops disturbing the others while they think

He finally shuts up when they come up with the final plan

Then he’s all ears

He ends up doing more than his part to save you; he’s more violent with his opponents and he even takes over tasks that the others were supposed to do

He’s sort of ruining the plan, but fortunately it all turns out okay

He finds you tied up in a room, and he practically melts with relief

Throwing his arms around you, he buries his face in the crook of your neck

He stays like that for a while, and you realize that he’s crying

“I’m so sorry… I’m so glad you’re okay… I’m sorry…”

“Hey, it’s okay, love. But, uh… do you mind untying me?”

He sniffs sharply, snapping up and nodding aggressively

He keeps his hands on you the whole time

He insists on holding hands while you flee the base, even though that made it difficult to run

When you got back to the Bounty, he refused to leave you alone

He was scared that you’d be taken again, even when you were miles and miles away from danger

He’ll probably be extra clingy for the next while for the same reason

Cole

At first he didn’t believe it when he heard you were kidnapped

He had to hear the news a few times for it to really register

Then he had to sit down; the room seemed to be spinning

Luckily his teammates were able to pull him out of his stupor with a grounding hand on his shoulder

He was eager to come up with a rescue plan

In a rare display of initiative, he makes most of the plan himself, dishing out orders with surprising authority

And he maintains a leadership role throughout the mission, keeping tabs on everyone and their tasks

Of course, that doesn’t mean he neglects his own responsibilities

He actually gives himself the most important jobs, wanting to make sure that they’re done just as he planned

This includes locating and procuring you

When he finally finds you, he runs over and begins untying you

Once you’re free, he lifts you off your feet in a tight bear hug

His hand is pressing your head firmly against his chest, and he’s peppering you with kisses

“Oh my lord. Oh man. You’re safe. You’re safe, right? Oh lord.”

“Yes, I’m okay, Cole.”

You attempt to wrap your arms around him too, but they’re pinned to your sides too tightly

Eventually he realizes that he’s losing time, so he takes you by the hand and leads you away

When you’re back on the Bounty, everyone tells you about what a great leader he turned out to be

But you notice that their praises are going in one of Cole’s ears and out the other

He’s just staring at you, a little smile on his face as he rests his head on his arm

He’s holding your hand, gently brushing his thumb over your fingers

When they finally leave you alone again, you ask why he’s looking at you like that

“I’m just glad you’re back. Safe. I love you.”

Kai

His initial reaction was a violent panic, and he tried to run to your rescue right away

Luckily someone stopped him; he wouldn’t have even known where to look

Once the initial panic wore off, he was filled with rage

Partially at himself

He was impatient in making a rescue plan

Every time they couldn’t agree about something, Kai would snap, shouting a decision the others were scared to refute

So the plan was admittedly pretty sloppy

And of course Kai barely even stuck to it

He just barreled into action, bashing every head he could get his hands on

He was on an absolute war path, and the others just ended up kinda watching him

Blind as his rampage might have been, he was doing a good job of clearing out enemies

By some miraculous coincidence, he found himself in the room you were being held in

His rage dropped like a mask, and his face was suddenly tender as he bolted to your side

He cupped your face in his hands, turning it from side to side to check for injuries

“Y/n! Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Did they hurt you??”

“I’m fine, Kai. We should hurry.”

His face remained tender as he carefully untied you

He then insisted that he carry you out

Your objections were readily ignored, and he ended up picking you up bridal style mid-protest

He was weirdly undampered by the extra weight

It actually gave him more energy to have you in his arms, and he managed to jog all the way back to the ship

This was only possible because he’d already knocked out every guard and soldier in the vicinity

When you get back, he apologizes sincerely (he still blames himself :( ); you’ll have to be the one to comfort him

Lloyd

He’s actually pretty calm when he hears you’ve been captured

On the inside he’s freaking out, but he knows that panicking won’t do you any good

So he buries his feelings for the sake of efficiency

He’s a little withdrawn during the plan-making process because of his anxiety

He makes sure to do his part flawlessly though, especially because he knows your safety relies on it

When he finally finds you he gets right to untying you and asking if you’re hurt

His worry shines through a little with all the questions he presses on you

He barely waits for you to respond to all of them; the second you get up, you’re wrapped in a gentle hug

He’s a little afraid of hurting you, so he doesn’t squeeze too hard

But you know from the hug that he’s been worried sick (if the questions weren’t telling enough)

He forgets the mission for a moment, completely lost in the relief of having you in his arms again

You’ll have to snap him out of it to get him back in the game

He trusts you to handle yourself, so he’ll take the lead, only looking over his shoulder a couple times to make sure you’re following

When you get back to the Bounty he gives you another hug

It’s tighter this time because now he knows you’re not hurt

“I’m so relieved that you’re safe. I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise.”

“Then let’s not think about it.”

He’ll let you have your moments with the other ninjas (who are all also glad you’re back :) )

Then he’ll make you both some tea and sit down with you

He encourages you to talk about it, but if you aren’t up to it he’ll do the talking

He’ll tell you how worried he was, and how he knows now that he simply can’t be without you

You’ll talk long into the night, sorting out your feelings from the whole affair together :)

Nya

Much like Kai, she was ready to jump into action the second she found out you were gone

She doesn’t blame herself too much; she’s mainly angry at your captors

And they’ll get the worst of it when she’s unleashed upon them

She won’t go on a totally destructive war path, but lord help any soul unlucky enough to stand in her way

She’s hasty in her plan-making

She actually made the plan as she was running to your rescue

The others scrambled to keep up, knowing it was pointless to reason with her when she got like this

Despite being an impromptu plan, it was actually pretty efficient

Of course, some people (cough cough everyone except Nya) had to improvise to patch the holes in their instructions

But it wasn’t all that disastrous

The only disaster was the state of the place when you guys left

Nya beamed when she found you, not even bothering to untie you before lifting you up and hugging you

She sets you on your feet, looking you up and down before locking eyes with you

Tears brim her warm brown eyes, and she pulls you into a second hug

This one is more emotional; in a few moments you can feel tears soaking through your clothing

She sniffles suddenly, pulling away and patting your shoulder

“Right then. Shall we go?”

“Yes, please.”

When you get back to the Bounty, she insists on having you by her side while she steers

You’ll rest your head on her shoulder, and she’ll lean into your touch

Once she gets to the point that she can switch to autopilot, she hugs you yet again

This time she murmurs about how worried she was, how much she missed you, and even how much she loves you

She smiles softly to herself when she finishes speaking, closing her eyes and rocking back and forth gently

She’ll have you stay in the cockpit with her until she’s ready to go to bed; she doesn’t want to lose sight of you anytime soon

Zane

Out of all the ninjas, he was the most calm when he heard you’d been kidnapped

Of course, he had an initial reaction of shock, but after that he was cool as a cucumber

He couldn’t deny the strange anxiety bubbling in his chest, however

He knew it was because he cared for you, and he wanted you back badly, but it was still a strange sensation

Probably because no one else made him feel that way

As usual, he was an integral part in the process of strategizing the rescue mission

Anxiety be damned, he was going to give his all

And he kept this attitude for the whole mission

Even when he saw you, he asked rather stiffly if you were okay before untying you and guiding you to safety

He gave no indication of his worry, nor his care for you in general

This wasn’t intentional, though; he was only trying to stay in optimal performance

Once you get back to the ship, then he’ll reveal how he was feeling

He’ll wait until you’re alone to say anything

This exacerbates your suspicion that he wasn’t worried at all, but you were immediately reassured when he sat before you

He was close enough that your knees were touching

He stares deep into your eyes

When he speaks his voice is filled with the tenderness he lacked earlier

“I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you since this all happened. I was only trying to execute the mission before, but now I’m here. I’ll listen if you want to talk.”

“Zane…”

Whether you take him up on his offer or not, he’ll be sure to reassure you he loves you before your conversation is done :)

And he insists that you guys cuddle close when you go to sleep

(For your comfort as much as his own)

Thank you for this request! And thanks for reading, take care lovelies <33

(divider by saradika)

[basicallyjaywalker]

Wanna ramble about a moment/character in ninjago you think people need to talk about more?

I don't know who you are anon, but I'm glad you asked!

I am desperate for people to character-analyze Wu. I'm desperate for a lot of character analysis including Nya but since I got a lot of my Nya feelings out with some lovely folks the other night (edit: the other night was a month ago dw about it. this took a minute) I'm going with Wu this time

Master Wu to me is such an interesting case of a character who it is so easy to ignore the bits of the show that hint at his wider issues and traumas. He is a man defined heavily by his family and by his past. A lot of criticism he gets, I think, is due in part to that.

I've mentioned before that I've been rewatching S1 with a friend of mine and intermittently pausing to infodump on them about interesting character things I notice from that season. A lot of that has been Wu-focused because despite having seen RotS dozens of times throughout my life (watching it on CN, watching it on Netflix when only it and Legacy were around, rewatching it with friends) I have only just started noticing the seeds of character written in.

I might also just be reading too much into things, but hear me out

In S1 (and by extension, the pilots), Wu is characterized as your typical old wise teacher. In the first few minutes of EP1: Rise of the Snakes, he is chewing out the Ninja for playing video games instead of training. The line he uses? "Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today."

It's a line that gets repeated throughout the series. In fact, it gets repeated that very episode when the ninja go (pun not intended) to fight the Hypnobrai and a literal pre-teen. At first, it seems to just be a piece of wisdom. Some old proverb Wu's picked up over the years, possibly one he even coined himself. However, in EP7: Tick Tock, Wu tells the story of who, possibly, first told him this.

(Source: Tick Tock/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom, highlight added.)

It was Garmadon. Now, I'm not gonna dwell too long on Garmadon, if you spend five minutes talking to me you'll learn he was the first character whose story I obsessed over and I want this essay to be about Wu, but I think he plays a role in Wu's overall story, as does Wu's family as a whole.

Prior to this, Wu and Garmadon's relationship has been more of a sibling rivalry taken to a good vs. evil extreme. We didn't know why Garmadon was evil and we didn't know about Wu and his relationship as kids. However, this scene establishes the backstory. They were, as Wu puts it, "the best of friends." That is, until Garmadon gets bit by the Devourer going to get the katana Wu lost.

Now, I know the Devourer bite was destined to happen because of the Overlord or some shit, but Wu doesn't. As far as he's concerned, Garmadon getting bit was a direct consequence of both his mistake and his cowardice. He lost the katana. He was too scared to get it. Garmadon went over instead. Garmadon got bit.

The scene goes on to show the FSM tending to Garmadon in the aftermath. Wu is watching from behind the door, likely told to stay back, but concerned. And in his POV, we get this intense moment, where Garmadon turns, looks directly at him (his eyes turning bright red for the first time), and says "It's all Wu's fault!"

(This clip should begin at the start of Wu eavesdropping. If it doesn't, skip to 0:58. I highly recommend also paying attention to Wu's body language during this scene.)

The camerawork does a great job of showing how this probably felt for Wu. It zooms in, Garmadon's voice echoes, and the background blurs. We see in the flashback that this is a moment Wu has etched into his memory. Not to mention, he was likely a very young child when this happened. LEGO characters' ages are weird, but Wu in this scene has the Big Eyes, which always seem to be used for characters under 12. We don't know exactly how much older Garmadon is to my knowledge, but he doesn't have the Big Eyes, so he's probably closer to 12 and a few years older than Wu for sure.

Imagine that. Being in elementary school and your older siblings gets hurt. They're acting strange. They're lashing out at your father. Then, they blame it all on you. They're hurt because of you. Wouldn't you internalize that?

I could go on about Wu's relationship with Garmadon, but again, I think I've spent enough time on it and I don't want to only focus on that. It's an important part, but there are others.

Let's talk about Wu's relationship with his dad.

Now, I have not yet read the Spinjitzu Brothers series. I cannot speak to any development of Wu and the FSM's relationship in there. I have, however, read The Book of Spinjitzu and blogged some of my thoughts on it here, including some of what it says about Wu.

For those who haven't read it, first, there is a Google Drive folder floating around with all of the canon spinoff books/graphic novels in it. Here's the link if you wanna read them!

The FSM is an... intriguing figure. I mean, in the series he's basically god? He made the entire world. That's already a very high bar to live up to. Then, in Book of Spinjitzu, there's a few specific parts that, when I read them, signaled that Wu internalized a specific message when he was young.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 3).

Wu does not want to disappoint his father. It is up to him (and Garmadon until he turns evil) to "uphold the legacy of Spinjitzu" and, by extension, his family. He says he was "very young" when this was explained to him. Considering he seems to already be training at an elementary age, "very young" means VERY young.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 16).

Here, we again see Wu being very aware that he has some large burden to carry. Something else interesting here is that the thought of the Green Ninja Prophecy is already weighing on him too. His considering if he might be the Green Ninja is of extra interest because of how the Green Ninja Prophecy and the--I wouldn't call it obsession, possibly fixation?--with who it is factors into his later actions, but we'll get to that later.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 19).

This one in particular gets me because it comes after Wu mentions Garmadon becoming more evil. It is a statement of power. Wu knows that the legacy of Spinjitzu now rests in his hands alone. He cannot let himself fall the way Garmadon did. He cannot disappoint his father. Whether or not the FSM intended it, Wu always knew the fate of the world rested, at least in part, upon his shoulder. He knew this from the time he was a young boy and it remains in his mind to this day.

Now, these quotes are indirect, but they all point to one clear idea: As a child, Wu internalized the idea that he alone is responsible for keeping Ninjago safe. He will play a pivotal role in its history.

There's not evidence in this book that the FSM's was a bad father, per se. However, just because one doesn't set out to harm their children, doesn't mean they won't. I often say Wu has an "Atlas complex," which I have no idea if it is an actual concept but use it to refer to this idea. Wu feels as though he is responsible for holding up the world, much like Atlas. He must keep the balance, he must solve the Green Ninja prophecy, he must make his father proud.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, page 61).

I'm going to get further into what this means for Wu as a teacher to the current Ninja Team, but for now let's look at Wu's first foray into teaching.

Morro. Wu's Biggest Mistake.

That might seem like an overstatement, but it's not.

(Source: Ghost Story/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom)

Okay he says regret, not mistake, but I was paraphrasing.

Let's turn back to his quote about his destiny. Wu writes, "Is my life's mission to be the Green Ninja? Or maybe it will be to find the Green Ninja and protect him (or her)??"

From a very young age, Wu was not only aware of the Green Ninja but prophecy but also thinking about his place in it. We see this again when he takes Morro in and trains him.

(Source: Ghost Story/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom, highlight added)

A big thing Wu is criticized for here is making Morro believe he is meant to be more. That he is the Chosen One. And Morro, being a young homeless orphan just now given some semblance of power and protection, latches onto that. And I can see it, but when you take into account the above that he was trained from (likely) a younger age than Morro and given a similar level of responsibility, it becomes more understandable. Wu is just doing what he was taught. He doesn't believe that he is harming Morro until it is too late.

This is the entire story, but I'm specifically going to be discussing 1:36 onwards here. I also wanted to add that rewatching this scene made me lay down on the floor! What the fuck! But I digress.

There's a lot going on in this scene. For one, Wu washing his hands of Morro in some ways, but not others. He turns his back on Morro when he tells him that destiny has decided, but looks at him again when Morro storms out. He goes to save Morro from the Grundal, but decides that he cannot "teach those who would not listen." Most importantly, when Morro leaves to go find the Tomb of the FSM, Wu leaves the door open. He waits for Morro to return, but never goes after him. And Morro never comes back.

Wu gives Morro's fate a dismissive response at the end of his ghost story ("I am saddened he was banished to the Cursed Realm") but it's clear he still cares deeply about him in the finale of the season.

Wu's VA in this is phenomenal btw. That "Please Morro!" and "MORRO!" make my heart ache.

Morro believed Wu stopped caring, but he didn't. Even after all he's done, even after trying to destroy all of Ninjago--destroying what Wu had spent his life trying to protect--Wu tries to save him. He begs for Morro to come with him. Morro refuses, Wu watches him perish.

Someone else Wu is close to is gone. Wu again considers himself responsible. Everything is his fault.

And finally, we reach Wu today. A cautious, secretive man. He loves his students, this much is clear. Even as early as the pilots, he drops his wise teacher persona to joke around with them.

As with Morro, he trains them like his father did him. He even uses the same methods his father used when he trains them.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, page 32)

While he is hard on the Ninja, wanting them to succeed and training them to help defend the Realm, he lets his guard down more than it seems he did with Morro. He also learned a valuable message from his experience with Morro when he hides the Green Ninja Prophecy from the Ninja, getting angry when they start to push themselves in the same way Morro did upon learning about it. It's clear he doesn't want a repeat.

Now, I can't speak for later seasons (I will eventually) but this fear of repeats, his students going down a dark path because they're tempted by power or greatness, losing someone else, likely drives Wu not telling them other important information. That is just a passing thought though.

Final notes:

I'm currently in the process of rewatching S7: Hands of Time. I actually got this ask right after finishing EP68: Scavengers, which opens with Wu having a nightmare. In it, he and Misako are walking outside of Yang's temple. While walking, Misako delivers this line in response to Wu reminiscing about the time they've spent together:

(Source: Scavengers/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom)

This line, to me, is Wu's subconscious trying to tell him something he needs to hear. It's hinting at what might be his greatest flaw. Wu is haunted by his past, by his mistakes. He finds it difficult to tell others because of both his guilt and his desire to not put that worry upon them. In this very season, he makes the mistake of trying to face his past on his own, and he nearly dies for it.

In the same episode, you see Wu trying to make sure Lloyd doesn't make the same mistakes.

(Source: Prev)

Wu stresses the important of the team. It's as if he sees Lloyd blaming himself for what happened to Wu, sees him doing the same thing Wu has, and is trying to prevent him from doing the same thing. This is further emphasized when, after Wu falls asleep (well, fakes falling asleep), Lloyd says "Wu's mistake was going in alone. So was mine."

Master Wu is, like many characters in this show, someone who is more complex than meets the eye. He is not just a wise, old teacher. He is a man who, throughout his life, has made mistakes and carries the weight of each of them on his shoulders. He is a man who tasks himself with making up for those every day. He is a man who wants better for his students, his family.

Until the day he dies, he will guide and protect his students. And possibly? Even after death too.

[iamsonormalaboutninjago]

Ninjago movie influence appreciation post: ✨

The Ninjago movie influenced the show a lot yet there are still a lotta parts which aren’t talked about as much as they should be~

The redesigns are either great or okay | A lotta the people who hated them when they came out have either left the community or just accepted that this is how ninjago is gonna look. Which isn’t a bad thing, personally I love the redesigns cause they all look more grown up.

Each ninja got a specific weapon | Before the movie the main four had their usual weapons but Lloyd and Nya had the same weapons as Kai. It’s not bad on its own but making each ninja have a specific weapon just adds a little more individuality to them, plus it created a great situation in Dragons Rising where the new ninja can get their own special weapons too :>

The original plot for S8 SUCKED | the original idea was for it to be a direct continuation of Hands of Time, but due to the movie they were forced to add Garmadon. Most people don’t like Hands of Time but both the haters and the enjoyers can agree that the original S8 plot is mediocre at best. IMO it might’ve killed the series, ninjago was starting to go into a rut where not everyone enjoyed the new seasons, and another Hands of Time might’ve been the end of it.

Color coordination | maybe it’s the impeccable autism but I love how the ninja have very clear colors now. The OG’s (besides Cole) didn’t change that much and Nya got to be (almost) consistently the gun metal gray ninja, which would’ve been awkward if they didn’t swap Cole to having black and orange as his main colors. It’s just simpler and I like how Nya isn’t a coin toss every season now.

Garmadon got to come back | yes it does diminish his sacrifice in ToE but at the same time he’s a very dynamic and good character in the show. He brings out Lloyd’s personality more, he’s a great metaphor for the struggle to being a good person, and he’s consistently the snarkiest character in the roster. At least in Crystalized where him belittling Lloyd and the overlord is what gets me through the slug that is the crystastrophe.

If there’s anything else that the Ninjago movie did that was good for the show please inform me I’d love to know more (:

[realityandrebirth]

Green

Three scenes from an alternate universe. | A piece I'm never going to finish.

Warnings for mentioned/implied death.

.

The Chosen Hero

When she first met him, Harumi thought Lord Garmadon's weapons were glowing with the power that allowed him to kill the Great Devourer. But that was a long time ago, and Harumi had not only learned that the Golden Weapons were not his, but that they were glowing because of her.

"I can't be the Green Ninja," she told him. "I don't want to defeat you! I hate the ninja!"

"I know," Garmadon said, "and that is why I took you in. Had the ninja realized who you were, they would have forced you to fight against me–but I changed that!" He glanced back at her with a grin. "With the Green Ninja on my side, my victory is assured!"

Harumi nodded, but she still felt uneasy. The sea air was cold, and she had never been so far from Ninjago. "Why didn't you tell me before?" she said.

"I was afraid you would want to fulfill the prophecy. I understand now I had no reason to worry." Garmadon adjusted the sail and squinted through the fog. "If my calculations are correct, we should be reaching the dark continent soon…"

She wrung her hands together. "I'll never fulfill the prophecy," she said. "I won't be their Green Ninja."

"Yes, that's what I'm counting on. A-ha!"

The sailboat ran aground. Garmadon stepped out into the shallow water and picked up Harumi, putting her on his shoulders. "This will give us what I need to conquer Ninjago," he said. "I will rule over them as Lord Garmadon–and you will be my princess! Let's go!"

Harumi nodded. "The ninja will pay," she said.

.

The Prized Possession

"Fix your posture," the ghost hissed. "Pull back harder. You've got living muscles, boy. Use them."

"I know what I'm doing," Lloyd said, and he set the arrow loose. It sailed through the forest brush and pierced the center of the target he had drawn on a tree. Soul Archer examined it and nodded in approval–the highest possible praise from him.

"Your targets won't be trees," he said. "Your next lesson is moving targets."

"I can hit moving targets," Lloyd said. "Ghoultar, throw me a puffy pot sticker!"

"Okay!" Ghoultar bellowed, and he tossed one of the dumplings into the air. An arrow promptly pinned it to a branch. While Ghoultar mourned the wasted food, Lloyd turned to Soul Archer with a smirk, only to be met with a disapproving scowl.

"I'm not training you to show off, boy," he said. "You have a destiny to fulfill."

"I know!" Lloyd protested. "I'm ready for it!"

He yelped as a third ghost grabbed his hoodie and hoisted him off the ground. "You'll be ready when she says you are," Bansha hissed. "You have a long way to go before you can think about seeing your father again."

Lloyd clenched his jaw. "I will be worthy of serving the Preeminent," he said carefully. "I will free my father and kill the Green Ninja."

Bansha dropped him. "Then get back to work," she said.

He stood up and summoned another ghostly arrow. "Moving targets," he said to Soul Archer. "What do I need to know?"

It was easy to hit every mark when he pictured Harumi's face on the target–the girl who had stolen his father from him.

.

The Quiet One

"Your parents built this?" Harumi said, following the prince deeper into the palace. The floor was stone carved with intricate runes and symbols, and the air was cold enough to make her shiver.

"They had it commissioned," Morro said. He didn't seem bothered by the cold. Harumi knew very little about the adopted son of Ninjago's emperor and empress, just that he was a sickly child who shared a name with Master Wu's first student. For a long time, his adoption had not been announced for fear he would die before adulthood, but as it went, the heir had outlived his parents. He looked healthy enough, Harumi thought to herself, keeping an eye on him.

"It was done in utmost secrecy," he continued. "The contractors were paid very well. My parents had very specific needs."

"Did they need a haunted mansion?" Harumi muttered.

Morro laughed. "They needed a temple."

He stopped at the entrance of a large room. Harumi peered over his shoulder and gasped.

The three oni masks the ninja had failed to protect lay on three pedestals. Harumi's hand went to her sword.

"What's the matter?" Morro said, not looking at her.

"You have the oni masks," she hissed. "You're working with the Sons of Garmadon!"

"I'm more than working with them," Morro said. "Disarm her."

Harumi didn't know what he meant until a blow hit her shoulder. She yelped and dropped her sword. Strong arms wrapped around her middle and hoisted her up in the air. She recognized Killow's laugh as she struggled.

"What do you want?!" she shouted. "You have the oni masks! Now what?!"

Morro turned away. "My parents wanted a child," he said, "and after several failed attempts, they didn't think they would ever have one. They resorted to drastic measures."

"What are you talking about?!"

More Sons of Garmadon appeared out of the shadows. Morro snapped his fingers. "They had very specific needs," he said again. "They needed an obedient child, someone to teach and train, to mold into their image. A quiet one, even."

Harumi grit her teeth. "You're awfully chatty for the Quiet One," she snapped.

"I was not the child they wanted, no." Morro turned around and grinned. "They may have built the Temple of Resurrection, but they had no idea who they would get."

Her eyes widened. Memories flashed in her mind; You lost your parents? Morro said. I'm sorry to hear it. It must have been a tragedy.

She shook her head and planted a kick directly in Killow's gut. He swore and dropped her. Harumi darted away before he could grab her again. The rest moved to restrain her–Morro raised a hand and they froze.

"I'll make a deal with you," he said. "You let me resurrect who I want, and maybe I'll give you a turn."

[rainbow-flavoured-skittles]

Can you tell me more about your bad endings au? Like, from where in the timeline are each of them? Cole is probably either from the day of the departed or that fall from season 10 but I don't know about the others lol

dlfahslhfjhkehjkhldfds yes! and you're absolutely right about where Cole's timline split lol

Cole - during DotD, the ninja forget about him as in canon, but he doesn't go after Yang. this means they don't get attacked by any of their past villains, but Cole also doesn't go through the rift because it's never opened in the first place. so he spends a few years wandering around ninjago forgotten, until he finally snaps and goes after Yang. the details after that are a bit blurry, but he uses dark magic to become human again and "kill" Yang. after that he goes after the ninja and becomes one of their enemies, though they still can't remember him

Kai - his timeline splits the earliest out of all the ninja, meaning that he is the baby of the group. during the volcano scene in s1, where he would have saved Lloyd and gained his true potential, he doesn't. he went after the fangblade instead, but that meant his version of Lloyd died. they still manage to defeat Pythor and the Great Devourer, after that the ninja basically shun/reject him because of what happened to Lloyd. he ends up running away and becomes this lone vigilante-type figure who stops crime in hopes of "atoning" for Lloyd's death

Nya - during s6, Nadakhan kills Jay. she ends up going through through the rest of the season alone as the rest of the group are picked off until she's the only one left. she doesn't go to the lighthouse or gather up people to help her though, and goes after Nadakhan on her own. she pretends to be his bride and kills him at the wedding with the venom. then she escapes, or maybe sinks the ship and kills the rest of the crew. either way, she continues being the last remaining ninja, since the rest of them were in the sword when the ship sank, and is still doing that when multiverse shenanigans happen

Jay - also from a s6 timeline! the season goes exactly as it did in canon, but he doesn't use his final wish to reverse the timeline. he uses it to wish he was far away from Nadakhan. so he gets his wish and immediately regrets it because the rest of the ninja are still with Nadakhan. when he finally finds his way back to the ship he learns that the rest of the ninja are also dead. he tries to start a resistance to stop Nadakhan but fails and ends up doing it on his own. he's still trying and failing when the time twins arrive, who cause the entirety of ninjago to go to ruin, which is also about the time he'd meet the rest of the alternate ninja

Zane - the ninja don't go after him in s4. they assume it was a prank or joke. so Chen's plan fails and he keeps being held prisoner for years. eventually he escapes, somehow, kills Chen, and gets off the island. at that point the oni trilogy has passed and he realises how long it's been. he becomes really bitter towards the ninja for not even trying to find out if he was alive and actually starts to hate them, though he can't force himself to become a villain, so he just. doesn't let them know he's alive. he doesn't go to the monastery or help behind the scenes, he just goes back to his father's old workshop and lives there. he probably got a decently happy ending compared to the others actually

Lloyd - Garmadon actually succeeds in killing the ninja when he destroys the Bounty, so the earlier parts of the season just play out as in canon. they gather up a resistance and try to fight back against him, but then Nya gets executed and he's the last remaining ninja. he continues with the resistance, and when he finds the remains of the Bounty also finds that his brothers are dead rather than evidence that they're alive. this doesn't go well, obviously, and he starts bordering on insanity and vowing to kill Garmadon. he shuts out Misako and the rest of the resistance and is just about to go after Garmadon when he gets pulled into the multiverse

and now we arrive at when these versions of the ninja would meet each other. I'm still not sure on the details, but they end up in some sort of multiverse in-between space and attempt murder on each other before they sort everything out. none of them particularly want to stick together, but Lloyd convinces them. they figure out a way to go to different universes/timelines together and try to find one to live in, as well as going back to some of their original universes to cause chaos