So, did you pop the question yet?
No, I'm waiting for the right time.
There may not be a right time, Jay. You gotta just do it.
[pops up around the corner] Do what?
Jay's gonna ask Nya to be his Yang.
What?! Seriously?! That's great! Why am I always the last person to know these things?
Shh! Will you keep your voice down, please?
He's been planning it for weeks.
Weeks? Haha! You gotta just do it, Jay. It's like ripping off an old bandage. The sooner you get over it, the better.
Um, did you just compare Nya to an old bandage?
Nice. Way to go, Cole. Way to take the romance out of it.
The Oni entered this realm through a portal or rift between our world and theirs. There are only one or two ways this is possible. And, I'm willing to wager, it would've been through the Realm Crystal. To stop this darkness from spreading, the crystal must be destroyed.
The Realm Crystal is currently housed in the new high-security vault, below Borg Tower.
That's smack in the middle of Ninjago City!
Uh, we just escaped from there, remember? It's engulfed in a giant, black cloud of destruction, and now you're asking us to turn around and go back?
I asked nothing. I am telling you that if you wish to stop the darkness, the crystal must be destroyed.
And I'm telling you, forget it! Just one of those black cloud tentacle things touched my foot for a second, and nearly froze me solid! We wouldn't last a minute inside the darkness.
That is correct. You are merely human. I, however, am Oni. I can enter the darkness, make my way to the crystal, and destroy it. I will, of course, require a weapon.
Do you really expect us to just hand you a sword and let you go?
If you wish to live, yes.
Well, forget it! No way! I wouldn't trust you with a… a… a-
A pillow! [Cole, Jay, Nya and Lloyd look at him disapprovingly] It's the most harmless thing I could think of.
[pushes Lloyd away and walks towards the entrance] Again, your sentiment clouds your judgement. The Realm Crystal is all that matters. Two of us stand a better chance of victory than one.
Fine! I don't care either. We work together until this is done, and then you go back to your jail cell. [Garmadon turns around, smiling evilly] What?
Why are you smiling like that?
That's not a happy smile. That's an evil, "I've-got-something-up-my-sleeve" smile.
Really? How's this? [smiles in the same way]
[Kai, Jay, and Nya run up to check on Lloyd, and Zane checks on P.I.X.A.L.]
P.I.X.A.L.! Are you okay?
[Zane lifts the cover and P.I.X.A.L. crawls out]
So am I. Nobody has to worry about me.
[sees the other ninja sad] What? What is it? [notices Cole's missing] Where's Cole? [the other ninja look away] Where's Cole? [grabs Kai] Somebody say something! Where's Cole?!
Lloyd, he fell... into the cloud.
AAryan
What are you talking... (He realises now) (Shocked) NO! He's not...?
[about to cry] I... I'm so sorry.
[saddened] He's... He's really... gone?
It was my fault. I pulled the thrust lever the wrong way, and... [starts crying]
[Jay and Kai comfort her]
It wasn't your fault, it was an accident.
It could have happened to anyone.
[Lloyd looks down in sadness, but Garmadon interrupts their moment]
Yes, I do. We are wasting valuable time! [holds up the Golden Armor] All that matters now is this.
What about the Realm Crystal?
[sighs] It didn't work, but this will! They fear it.
Cole was our friend. He was more than a friend, he was family! But you don't understand that, do you? Oh, what's the point? You're never gonna get it! Because you don't care about anyone but yourself!
[angrily] Every moment you delay risks our survival!
[screaming angrily] There's more to life than SURVIVING!! AUGH!! [stomps off in anger]
How do you reason with that? [turns to Zane] You, Nindroid, if any of you are capable of logical thought, it is you. Tell them!
[upset and angry] I'm happy to say, you are mistaken. At this moment, even I am incapable of logical thought.
[He walks away, P.I.X.A.L. and the other ninja following. Garmadon stares in surprise]
What do you want, Vinny of NGTV News?
VVinny
Oh, uh, I just looking for the bathroom.
VVinny
Right. Uh, thanks. [starts to leave]
VVinny
Uh, s-sure, fire away.
What could possibly be more important than survival?
VVinny
Oh, well, lots of things. Friendship, man, and-and-and love, and harmony, and trust, and truth, and courage, and you know, all the stuff that makes life worthwhile. Without those, I mean, what's the point? Right?
Huh, indeed. You may leave now, Vinny of NGTV News.
[At the back of the Bounty, Nya is crying over Cole's fall]
[opens the door] Hi, sis. You okay?
I just can't help thinking, if only I'd pushed the handle the right way.
[sits next to her] Hey, it was an accident. Cole loved you like a brother. I mean, a sister. I mean a— [sighs] …you know.
I just... can't believe he's gone.
Neither can I. But Cole would want us to keep fighting. And you're the brains here, sis, so...
You're the one who's always building everything and coming up with all the plans, you and Zane, and Zane's not much use at the moment.
Yeah. Right. Okay, let's set a course for the Monastery of Spinjitzu. It has a forge.
To melt down the Golden Armor. Kai, the Golden Armor was forged out of the Weapons of Spinjitzu, so...
So if we can melt it down and forge it back into weapons, we can use those to fight the Oni!
Ha, no hat's a great idea. I'll tell the others. [realizes something] W-w-w-wait, the Weapons of Spinjitzu were forged at the Temple of Light. You can't just go to any old blacksmith.
I'm not. I'm coming to you.
Me? Uh, are you crazy? I'm a terrible blacksmith, remember? You used to tell me that all the time.
You're the Elemental Master of Fire, Kai. Your fire can melt down the armor. You're the only chance we have.
So a future of all Ninjago depends on my blacksmithing abilities?
[The mountain rumbles, and Nya, Lloyd, Master Wu, and the Oni turn to see the Earth Driller bursting out]
[jumps out] Hey, guys! Couldn't wait for me, huh?
Th-Th-Th— We thought we'd lost you—y-you, jerk!
You can't get rid of me that easily.
Zane! Wake up, Zane! Cole's about to beat your high score!
[wakes up, gasping, and shouts in surprise] Jay! [gasps for breath] I just had a terrible nightmare!
Oh, I'm afraid it's not a dream, Zane. It's real, Cole's about to beat your high score.
Not that. I had a nightmare, something terrible is going to happen. There was an evil serpent with a weapon, and it zapped me with it, and there was an ice castle, and a dragon, and a—
Shh, relax, Zane. It was just a dream.
Zane, when was the last time one of your visions actually came true?
All of my visions have come true.
Like the vision about the Titanium Dragon, and the vision before that about the Green Ninja, and the time before that about the—
Okay, okay, but this is different. Now seriously, Cole is about to beat your Lava Zombie score and I don't want to miss it, so come on!
[The ninja are relaxing in a hot tub]
Kai, a little heat, please.
[He summons a flame and sticks it in the water. The ninja laugh and sigh]
[slurps from his guzzler hat] Ah, this is the life!
We heard it, pal. Fighting all those bad guys, saving Ninjago.
[They look up as a crash is heard]
I can't believe we're back to this.
After every big victory, you get lazy, complacent, careless.
We're recovering. We're resting our muscles.
I am! Look at yourselves! You've gone soft. You do nothing all day but play video games, and eat cake, and soak in this... this...
[looks around the water] Hot tub?
[enraged] IT'S NOT A HOT TUB! It's the sacred Bell of Divinity! Out! Out! All of you! [the ninja all complain at once] Emergency meeting in the monastery, in three minutes!
[Wu is meditating in front of his incense candles in his quarters as Lloyd comes in]
Master? [waits for a reply] Is it okay to speak? I don't want to interrupt if you're meditating. [pauses] You're meditating. I'll wait.
[Wu peeks at Lloyd as he looks around. Eventually, he decides to meditate as well. Lloyd peeks at Wu, then sighs impatiently. He then gets up, accidentally kicking Wu's candles. Wu opens his eyes and closes them irritably. Lloyd coughs, and Wu gives up]
Me and the guys decided we're going on a quest. To get back in shape and hoard our ninja skills?
Yeah, except, um, the thing is, we can't think of a quest. We were hoping you had a quest tip.
Suggestion? Idea? For a quest?
Have you become so lazy, you can't even find something to do on your own? Don't come to me for a quest tip! Go out and find a quest! Adventure does not come to the idle, it comes to those who seek it! So seek!
Right. O-okay. We'll seek.
[At nightfall, the ninja are sitting around a fire]
I see only one option: The digestive system of a beetle is very slow. There is a good chance the Thermolytic Inverter is still intact inside Beohernie's stomach.
If one of us were to be ingested, we might be able to retrieve the device.
If we can get inside Beohernie's stomach—
…We should in theory be able to retrieve the Inverter and exit again. Either through the creature's mouth or through the other end of the digestive—
[shakes his head vigorously] Lalalalalala, I don't wanna hear this!
Yeah, of all the bad ideas I've heard, and I've heard a few… Lookin' at you, Kai, this takes the cake!
The facts are indisputable. We need the Inverter. The Inverter is inside the beetle. Ergo, one of us must enter the beetle and retrieve it.
Don't tell me you're considering this!
I'm open to other suggestions if anyone has one.
How do we decide? Who gets to... you know, be—
It was my idea. The responsibility is mine.
No, I'm the responsible one.
Guys, guys, you're both too valuable to risk. It should be someone expendable, like Jay.
Well, look who's talking!
[Kai, Nya, Jay, and Cole start arguing]
Guys, guys! We're going to settle this like adults.
Actually... I'm sitting this one out.
Aspheera stole my powers, remember? I can't help! I mean, Jay had to save me just now. Jay!
Huh, that's a weird way of saying thanks.
Just go without me. I'll only get in your way.
[puts a hand on Kai's shoulder] Powers don't make a hero.
Dude, that's just something that people with powers say to make people without powers feel better.
That's not true! We need you.
[Fireballs start falling]
We don't have time to argue! The people in that museum need help!
She's right! We gotta go!
[to Kai] If you change your mind, you'll know where we'll be.
[Kai, lying in a hammock, is holding fish on sticks]
CChildren
[run over to Kai] Hey! Fire Maker! Fire Maker! Fire Maker!
C1Child #1
Make the fire! Make the fire!
C3Child #3
Cook mine! Cook mine!
Okay, okay, one at a time.
[He cooks their fish, and they leave, chattering happily]
C2Child #2
Oh, yeah! You were right! Look at his big gang!
Hey, where are you going? There's more where that came from! Fire Maker has more miracles!
Fire Maker has more miracles?
Eh, just keeping the kids entertained.
Ah, okay, as long as you're not straining yourself.
[Cole is telling the story of how Aspheera banished Zane to the Never-Realm, using his paper drawings on sticks, to some children in the Great Lake]
[as Zane] Put down the staff and surrender, Aspheera. Your days of evil are over. [as Aspheera] Never! I will have my revenge if it's the last thing I do! [a child gasps in fear] Take that, Wu! Zap! Zap! [drops Wu's stick; as Zane] No! Look out, Master Wu! [as Aspheera] Zap! Zap! Ahh! [clashes Zane and Aspheera's sticks until Zane's stick snaps in half] Oh, no! [picks up Nya's stick] Zane is gone! [puts down Nya's stick and picks up his stick] What did you do to my friend? [as Aspheera, cackling. The children cower together as the story gets more intense] Take that! I banished him to the one place from which you can never return. The Never-Realm! [one of the children faints while the rest start crying and run away] Wait! W-W-W-Woah! Hey! Wait, it's okay, look, it's not real, it's just a story! [waves Aspheera's stick and it snaps in half; he chases after the children, while Kai, Nya, and Jay are working outside] It's just paper! I drew them!
What did you tell them, Cole?
Nothing! I was just telling them about Zane and Aspheera, and how she blasted him into the Never-Realm.
You think that story is appropriate for little kids?
Five to thirteen? Absolutely.
