Day of the Departed

Day of the Departed is a LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu TV special. It is preceded by Season 6 and will be followed by Season 7. A teaser featuring the opening scene was released on August 18, while the official trailer was released on September 30. Day of the Departed aired on October 29, 2016 in the United States. It follows the Ninja as they commemorate their ancestors and fallen friends on a sacred holiday. Sensei Yang manipulates Cole into ushering in the return of the Ninjas' arch-enemies - forcing them into an unexpected and dangerous conflict.

An alternate version of the episode was released on January 31, 2017. This version is not in english and was produced by a different company than the original TV series.

Synopsis
On the Day of the Departed, the Ninja hurriedly travel across the Sea of Sand, en-route to the Ninjago Museum of History. Upon their arrival, Wu reminds them of the holiday's significance: for remembering fallen ancestors and cherishing family. Dr. Saunders arrives, greeting Wu and the Ninja before presenting the museum's new exhibit, the Hall of Villainy, which houses life-sized mannequins of the major villains fought by the Ninja over the years, as well as a plaque describing the rare Yin-Yang Lunar Eclipse. Cole finds a painting of Sensei Yang, as well as the Yin Blade, which is on display. Cole calls out to Saunders and asks what the weapon is, but realizes nobody is paying attention to him. Cole hears Yang's voice imploring him to "close the circle." Realizing he's fading away as one of the departed, Cole takes the Yin Blade and sets off to face Yang.

The Ninja divide for their own personal memorials: Lloyd and Misako commemorate Garmadon at the Corridor of Elders; Kai and Nya remember their mother and father at their blacksmith shop; Zane remembers his father in Birchwood Forest; Jay spends time with his mom and dad at their junkyard; and Wu goes to the old monastery to remember his father. Realizing everyone is out celebrating, Ronin decides to steal from the deserted houses. Cole arrives at Yang's Temple, which is still floating in the sky. Cole confronts Yang, who he attempts to strike with the Yin Blade but misses, instead smashing it into an orb. Consequently, the Departed Realm is opened, and the spirits of the Ninjas' old enemies escape while Cole is detained by Yang's students. The spirits possess five of the six mannequins in the Hall of Villainy, bringing them to life. Speaking through a painting, Yang tells the villains they can remain in Ninjago by slaying the Ninja that defeated them. Pythor enters the museum and joins the villains as they discuss who to go after. Chen chooses to go after Kai and Nya, Pythor chooses Lloyd, Cryptor chooses Zane, Morro chooses Wu, and Kozu chooses Dareth, which leaves Samukai with facing Jay. Pythor proposes they gather reinforcements from the Hall of Sidekicks.

Cole is imprisoned in Yang's temple, where he learns of Yang's history. Yang taught his students to master Airjitzu, and around this time he found the Yin Blade, which contains enough dark magic to imbue immortality. Yang tested the blade on himself, but its powers backfired, turning him and his students into ghosts and defacing his temple. Yang plans to use the Yin Blade and open the Rift of Return to revive himself, while the revived villains distract the Ninja so they won't thwart his plans.With help from Eyezor and Zugu, Chen uses his dinosaur mech to attack Kai and Nya,who flee on the Raider Bikes. Cryptor and three Nindroids confront Zane, while Samukai fights Jay as Krazi and Frakjaw apprehend his parents, and Pythor fights Lloyd. Kozu and several Stone Warriors confront Dareth, who was responsible for taking control of the Stone Army. Morro has no intention of revenge; he tells Wu of Yang's plan and they set off to reunite the Ninja. Cole makes his way up through the temple, fighting Yang's students along the way as Yang opens the Rift of Return. One by one, the Ninja defeat all the revived villains, except Pythor, who flees after realizing he can't win his fight. In the meantime, Yang does Airjitzu to reach the rift, but Cole stops him, and a fight breaks out.

The Ninja reunite at the museum, telling each other what happened before Wu arrives with Morro, who proves his innocence by unveiling Yang's plan. The Ninja journey to Yang's temple while Morro's spirit peacefully returns to the Departed Realm. Cole battles Yang as the Ninja fly over on the Bounty. With his friends approaching, Cole's heightened vigor makes his arms rock-solid, and with them he shatters the Yin Blade. Yang's students cross through the rift and become human again. Yang admits he failed his students and wanted to live forever so no one would forget him, to which Cole says he'll be remembered as the creator of Airjitzu. Together, they ascend towards the rift, but Yang tells Cole someone has to remain in the temple as a ghost to be the "master of the house". Yang returns to the temple while Cole passes through the rift and becomes a human again.

The Ninja and their allies gather around a fire outside of Yang's temple, which has been cleansed after the rift was closed. Jay admits he was scared during the event, though everyone is happy to be safe and reunited. Cole looks back to the temple and winks at Yang, who stands inside and winks back in return. Those surrounding the fire let their lanterns float into the night sky, concluding their celebration.

Main Cast

 * Cole - Kirby Morrow
 * Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
 * Kai - Vincent Tong
 * Nya - Kelly Metzger
 * Sensei Wu - Paul Dobson
 * Sensei Yang - Michael Donovan
 * Zane - Brent Miller
 * Lloyd Garmadon - Jillian Michaels

Guest Cast
Several characters appear in the episode, but do not have voice actors. Three Nindroids, two Stone Scouts and two Stone Swordsmen all appear in the episode. Eyezor, Zugu, Krazi and Frakjaw also appear, yet do not have speaking roles, as well as Yang's students. Statues of Dr. Julien and Garmadon are also seen. Gayle Gossip makes a cameo in the crowd of people at the concert.
 * Master Chen - Ian James Corlett
 * Cryptor - Richard Newman
 * Dareth - Alan Marriott
 * Dr. Saunders - Michael Daingerfield
 * Edna Walker - Jillian Michaels
 * Ed Walker - Colin Murdock
 * Kozu - Paul Dobson
 * Misako - Kathleen Barr
 * Morro - Andrew Francis
 * P.I.X.A.L. - Jennifer Hayward
 * Pythor P. Chumsworth - Michael Dobson
 * Ronin - Brian Dobson (Credited as "Ronan")
 * Samukai - Michael Kopsa
 * The Royal Blacksmiths singing voice - Jeppe Riddervold

Errors

 * The Fangpyre symbol is visible on Pythor's Anacondrai Staff replica
 * In the shot before Jay connects the Ultra Stealth Raider Jet to the rest of the vehicle, his eyebrows are absent.
 * In the shot where he comes back to life, Chen no longer has his Departed Jade Blade and black gloves, despite having both when he was a statue. As Yang said, the Departed Blades are needed for the villains to be resurrected, so in actuality Chen's lack of a blade meant he never had a chance of being revived.
 * When Samukai is first seen at the junkyard carrying Edna, he's wielding two bone daggers. Yet afterwards, the daggers are nowhere to be seen, having been replaced by a bone axe.
 * After being brought back to life, Cryptor's mannequin no longer has shoulder armor. The armor is absent all throughout the scene up until the last shot when Pythor proposed they go to the Hall of Sidekicks. This shot, as well as all the scenes after it, featured Cryptor with the armor on.
 * During the credits, Paul Dobson is listed as having voiced Kozu and Pythor, but he only voiced Kozu. His brother, Michael Dobson, voices Pythor. In fact, both Michael and Paul were credited for voicing Pythor with their names sitting next to each other.
 * The revived Nindroids, Stone Warriors and Fake Anacondrai were meant to have a green/ghostly appearance to them, but due to an animation mishap they do not.
 * When the Chenosaurus' boxing gloves are replaced by buzzsaws, the gloves disappear in thin air.
 * As Samukai does rock-paper-scissors with Kozu, Morro's statue can be seen on in the background, despite Morro being in possession of it at the time.
 * Cole's Spinjitzu appears normal when the Ninja arrive at the museum, yet later, when he fights Yang's students in the temple, his Spinjitzu has a ghostly appearance.
 * When the Ninja arrive on the Bounty and Kai says "we have to help him!", he and Lloyd were wearing their Jungle Robes.
 * When Kozu jumps onto the stage, there is a Stone Swordsman instead of Stone Scout.
 * When Lloyd was about to be attacked by Pythor, he had a Golden Katana strapped to his back, despite him not having it on his back during the first half of the special.

Trailer