Garmadon

Lord Garmadon (or Emperor Garmadon) is the power-hungry lord of Destruction and the corrupted form of the Ninjas' benevolent former mentor, Master Garmadon. He is the First Spinjitzu Master's firstborn son, Wu's older brother, Misako's husband, and Lloyd's father. When he was a child, he was bitten by the Great Devourer and infected with evil, which led him down a darker path through which he trained under Master Chen. Before his change was complete however, he met Misako, and they had a son named Lloyd, whom he cared for deeply even despite his increasingly more wicked heart. The corruption transformed him into the evil mastermind who was struck down in battle with his brother and banished to the Underworld. He sent the Skulkin to retrieve the Golden Weapons and grant him incredible power. Later, Garmadon allied with the Ninja to save his son from the Serpentine, but betrayed them and stole the Golden Weapons. He later allies with the Overlord and gains control of the Stone Army, but was used as a vessel for the original evil's rebirth. After Lloyd defeated the Overlord, Garmadon was purified of evil and reunites with his family, hoping to atone for his misdeeds.

Garmadon became a master, and during the Nindroid Conflict, grew closer to his son and taught him many valuable lessons. He swore never to fight again but abandoned this promise when he was forced to rescue Lloyd. After Zane sacrificed himself to defeat the Overlord, Garmadon embarked on a journey to an island with the Ninja, where they sought to rescue Zane. However, they were caught up in the Tournament of Elements, which was hosted by Master Chen. During the ensuing conflict, Garmadon was banished to the Cursed Realm to unleash the Anacondrai generals, who vanquished Chen's army.

Not long after, Lloyd met with Garmadon one last time, and wore his father's robes into battle. When the Preeminent was drowned, the Cursed Realm was destroyed, killing Garmadon. On the Day of the Departed, Lloyd and Misako went to the Corridor of Elders to commemorate Garmadon. While there, Lloyd fought Pythor, and found that even in the afterlife his father gave him strength.

One year later, a criminal syndicate known as the Sons of Garmadon, under the leadership of Harumi, sought out to resurrect him as Lord Garmadon with the use of the Oni Masks, since Harumi considered him to be the true hero over the Ninja after Garmadon destroyed the Great Devourer, the same beast that killed her parents. With his Oni blood and the masks' influence in his revival, Garmadon was raised from the dead at the Temple of Resurrection and turned purely evil once more—this time devoid of his positive traits and completely soulless. When Lloyd battled his revived father, Garmadon broke the bond he shared with his son and unlocked his True Potential, and therefore gaining access to his recessive element of Creation. With those combined elements, the more powerful than ever Lord Garmadon created a massive Colossi to help him rule Ninjago and destroy the Ninja, when Kai, Zane, Cole, Jay, and Baby Wu escaped to the Realm of Oni and Dragons, and the powerless Lloyd, Misako, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L fled Ninjago City, Garmadon with the support of Harumi and the Sons of Garmagon, proclaimed himself as the new Emperor of Ninjago.

Early Life
Garmadon was born to the First Spinjitzu Master, a being from the Realm of Oni and Dragons, whom left to escape the war between both sides. He created Ninjago, and much, much later fathered Garmadon and his younger brother, Wu. Garmadon took after his father's Oni heritage, and inherited the power of Destruction.

When Garmadon and Wu were young children, they were very close and shared a brotherly bond. One day, the two were sparring and Wu's katana was accidentally knocked over the wall of the Monastery. Despite his father's warnings to stay within the safety of the Monastery, Garmadon went to retrieve it as Wu was too scared, and found the katana easily. Before he could pick it up, he was bitten by a strange green snake and passed out.

Garmadon was ill for a time, tended to by his father and brother. Unbeknownst to anyone, Garmadon had been bitten by the Great Devourer, infecting his very being with pure evil, and awakening an undying thirst to destroy. As a result, Garmadon became increasingly violent and selfish, blaming Wu for his change. After his father passed away, Wu and Garmadon swore to protect the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu. The next few centuries were filled with turmoil as Garmadon constantly fought the evil growing inside of him, along with countless outside threats, such as Samukai and the Skeleton Army. It was during this time that he sought a more controversial teaching and trained under Master Chen. By emerging as victor in a battle against rival Clouse, he was granted lordship and made Chen's right-hand, where he gained the title: Lord Garmadon. Under Chen's advice, Garmadon signed a letter that Wu has written to Misako, a girl both brothers loved. As a result, Misako fell in love with Garmadon.

It was around this time that a war broke out between Man and Serpentine. Though Chen encouraged him to side with the snakes, Garmadon refused to fight for Chen and instead left to join Wu and the Elemental Masters to protect Misako. The sons of the First Spinjitzu Master led the Elemental Fighters into battle against the Anacondrai in Birchwood Forest. However, due to Chen's manipulation, the battle turned sour and the Alliance was forced to flee. While regrouping in Jamanakai Village, Garmadon noticed a flute player controlling a small snake, thus inspiring the masters to use Sacred Flutes to lock the Serpentine away in tombs.

Arcturus and the other Anacondrai generals, however, were put on trial by the humans and deeming them guilty of war crimes, Garmadon banished them to the Cursed Realm. Chen and Clouse meanwhile were exiled to a secluded island for their war crimes.

Eventually, the two Elemental Masters of Time, Krux and Acronix, would betray the Elemental Alliance after assuming their element was the strongest in all of Ninjago. After most of the masters are defeated in a fight between the Time Twins and Elemental Alliance in the forest below the Monastery of Spinjitzu, Garmadon questioned what they should do, with Wu getting an idea.

Wu had Maya and Ray forge the Time Blades in order to absorb the element of Time from Krux and Acronix. As Wu returned to the monastery with a bag, Garmadon questioned if they were ready, to which his brother replied that they were. Acronix and Krux soon arrive, and after a lengthy battle at the monastery, Garmadon and Wu successfully managed to absorb the twins' power from them. Knowing Time was too dangerous for anyone to control, Garmadon and Wu used the Time Blades to open a time vortex, where they discarded the blades. However, Krux and Acronix broke free from their captors and soon followed the blades, and thought to be lost in time, though Wu saw a vision of when Acronix would return within the vortex.

Peace returned to Ninjago and soon after, Garmadon and Misako married. Years later, Garmadon and Misako had a son, Lloyd. As the Devourer's venom continued to corrupt him, Garmadon began to grow distant from his family—nonetheless, he remained deeply fond of them and secretly hoped that Lloyd wouldn't follow the path of evil he was slowly being drawn towards.

Around this time, Garmadon finally succumbed to the Devourer's poison, attempting to claim the Golden Weapons for himself. After a climactic battle with his brother, Wu's used his special power with his kimono, summoning a lightning bolt that struck Garmadon, disfiguring him and causing him to fall to the Underworld, where he was confronted by Samukai, King of the Underworld and the Skulkin Fire General. Determined to escape his new prison and claim the Golden Weapons, Garmadon defeated Samukai in a duel, allowing him to take control of the Underworld and the Skulkin Army so he could take over and rule Ninjago.

Way of the Ninja
After a decade of teaching the skeletons about Spinjitzu, Lord Garmadon sent them to steal the map leading to the Golden Weapons from Kai and Nya's blacksmith shop, Four Weapons. Kruncha and Nuckal claimed the map and captured Nya, who Garmadon decided would be a useful asset.

The Golden Weapon
When the Skulkin failed to retrieve the first Golden Weapon, Garmadon changed tactics; he ordered Samukai to pursue Cole, Jay, Zane, and Kai on their search for the weapons, but to hold back just enough to let the Ninja claim them.

King of Shadows
Once the Ninja secured three of the four weapons, Garmadon tricked Kai into going into the Fire Temple by using a false image of Nya to lure him. He then forced Kai to use the Sword of Fire to free Nya, before summoning Shadows to take the powerful Sword. Master Wu arrived just in time to save Kai, but he was not able to stop Garmadon from awakening the Fire Dragon to stop them from leaving. In desperation, the master used the Sword of Fire to cut off a platform of rock and fall into the Underworld. Garmadon then ordered Samukai, who had already stolen the Scythe of Quakes, the Nunchucks of Lightning, and the Shurikens of Ice, to return to the Underworld and retrieve the Sword of Fire.

Weapons of Destiny
Master Wu snuck into Lord Garmadon's Dark Fortress and confronted his evil brother in the throne room. Garmadon sent a horde of Skulkin to retrieve the Sword of Fire, but Master Wu easily defeated them with Spinjitzu. Unperturbed by this, Garmadon sat on his throne and forced Wu to battle Samukai, who was wielding the other three Golden Weapons. The Skulkin general was victorious and took the Sword of Fire.

However, Samukai refused Garmadon's order to give the weapons to him, planning to use the weapons to reclaim control of the Underworld. At this, Garmadon laughed, revealing that Samukai's betrayal was the final step in his plan. As the Skulkin General of Fire disintegrated and transformed into a portal, Lord Garmadon explained that not even he could wield the power of all four Golden Weapons at once—instead, he had intended to create a portal to a dimension where he could become strong enough to do so. With that, Lord Garmadon entered the portal, vowing to return one day and claim the Golden Weapons so that he could remake Ninjago in his own image.

Tick Tock
When the Serpentine were released and united under Pythor, Master Wu left the Ninja to seek aid, but not before revealing to them some of his and Lord Garmadon's past together. Wu then used Traveler's Tea to open a portal to the dark dimension in search of Lord Garmadon.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Upon arrival, Wu immediately discovered Lord Garmadon, who had developed an extra set of arms in order to possess the Four Golden Weapons. Garmadon dueled his brother with new weapons and a group of Mud Monsters, but halted his attack when Wu managed to warn him that Lloyd was in the hands of the Serpentine. Forming an alliance with his brother in order to save his son, Garmadon led Wu across the wastelands in search of a way to return to Ninjago.

The Royal Blacksmiths
As they climbed the Mountain of Madness, Garmadon and Wu were beset by Craglings. The brothers used Spinjitzu to fend off the rock beasts, and continued their journey. Eventually, they found a portal that sent them back to Ninjago.

The Green Ninja
Once Master Wu returned to the Destiny's Bounty, he explained the situation; Lord Garmadon would be staying with them until Lloyd was rescued from the Serpentine. Although the Ninja were skeptical of his cause, they agreed, and promptly discovered that their old foe had picked up several odd habits, such as brushing his teeth with a dagger, "sunbathing" in the middle of a raging storm, and eating nothing but Condensed Evil. During his stay, Garmadon was forced to deal with the suspicions of Kai, who was the most distrustful of his motives. The two ended up fighting after Kai spotted Garmadon holding the Golden Weapons. Kai eventually triumphed—however, to his disappointment, Garmadon allowed himself to be defeated as he was only gathering the Weapons at Wu's request. Despite the other Ninja's disapproval, Kai remained highly suspicious of Garmadon.

Lord Garmadon accompanied the Ninja to the Fire Temple, in order to both retrieve a Fangblade and save Lloyd from the Serpentine. There, Lord Garmadon defeated several Serpentine and saved Lloyd, but the temple ended up collapsing due to the volcano's instability, causing Lloyd to lose his footing and become separated from the group. Despite his protests, Garmadon was forced to leave with the other Ninja before the volcano could erupt. Fortunately, Kai managed to save Lloyd by unlocking his True Potential. Back on the Destiny's Bounty, Garmadon was reunited with his son at last, and genuinely thanked Kai for saving Lloyd. He later learned that Lloyd was the Green Ninja. Lord Garmadon's pride in his son's great potential was deflated somewhat when everyone realized that this meant Lloyd was destined to meet his own father in a battle for the fate of Ninjago.

All of Nothing
Lord Garmadon stayed aboard the Destiny's Bounty while the Ninja were searching for the final Fangblade. When Lloyd suggested that they instead focus on retrieving the other three, Lord Garmadon pointed out that they had no idea where the Serpentine were hiding. This led Nya to realize that the snakes were hiding underground, and the two Garmadons remained aboard the ship while the Ninja investigated the Serpentine's main base located in the Constrictai Tomb.

Unable to resist such an opportunity, Garmadon attempted to hack into the Destiny's Bounty computer systems to gain information on the Ninja. When Lloyd discovered him and accused him of betraying the Ninja's trust, Garmadon admitted that he couldn't help it, having evil literally running through his blood. He also took the opportunity to tell Lloyd that Master Wu had a great destiny set for him, and that Lloyd could still make whatever choices he wanted for his life. When Nya reported that they were captured by the Serpentine and being held hostage, Lord Garmadon attempted to help, but Lloyd refused to allow him, demanding for his father to leave instead.

However, Lord Garmadon returned in short order, breaking into the Serpentine's Underground Fortress with the Skulkin Army in tow—thanks to Lloyd, he had realized that he did have a choice: the choice to fight the Serpentine and ensure that he would be the one taking over Ninjago. While the skeletons fought the snakes and Lloyd freed the Ninja, Lord Garmadon personally engaged Pythor in combat, although the Anacondrai quickly broke off the battle to make his escape. After retrieving the Fangblades from Pythor, Lord Garmadon and the Ninja escaped back to the Destiny's Bounty.

With the Fangblades in the Ninjas' possession, Garmadon decided to depart, believing that he was no longer needed. Before he left, he assured Lloyd that he was very proud of his son's destiny, even if it meant that they were destined to battle each other for the fate of the world.

Day of the Great Devourer
Unfortunately for Lord Garmadon, Pythor snuck aboard the ship and reclaimed the Fangblades, allowing him to return to the Lost City of Ouroboros and awaken the Great Devourer. As Lord Garmadon was visiting Ninjago City's tea shop, looking to return to his dark dimension, a news report showing the Ninja struggling to contain the Devourer came on the nearby television. He immediately hurried to the battlefield, arriving just after the Great Devourer defeated the Ultra Dragon, and told the Ninja that the only way to defeat the Devourer was to use all four Golden Weapons at once—which only he could do.

Despite their suspicions, the Ninja relinquished their weapons to Garmadon, informing him about the weak spot on the Devourer's head. Lord Garmadon asked the Ninja to prevent the beast from moving so he could get a clear shot at its weakness, before running off with an evil laugh. He proceeded to observe the Ninjas' battle against the Great Devourer from atop a skyscraper—when the serpent was immobilized, he dealt the finishing blow, proclaiming it was out of revenge for turning him evil. He disappeared in the aftermath of the Devourer's destruction, taking the Golden Weapons with him.

Darkness Shall Rise
After sneaking out of Ninjago City, Garmadon found the remaining Serpentine and won them over by demonstrating his newfound powers, recreating the destroyed Destiny's Bounty as the Black Bounty. Offering the new ship to the Serpentine, Lord Garmadon gained the allegiance of the snakes—apart from Skales and the other Generals—and led them aboard the Black Bounty.

Lord Garmadon directed the Black Bounty to the Golden Peaks, the birthplace of the Golden Weapons, where Garmadon could uncover the secrets pertaining to the power of the Golden Weapons. He also informed the Serpentine of the prophecy of the Green Ninja, explaining that he must prevent Lloyd from reaching his true potential. Chokun suggested killing Lloyd, only to be sent to the brig under Garmadon's orders who subsequently forbidding the Serpentine from hurting Lloyd. Instead, Garmadon explained that they would focus on destroying Master Wu and the other four Ninja—without his teachers, Lloyd would never reach his full potential, and Garmadon's plans could continue. Eventually, the Black Bounty arrived at the Golden Peaks, where Lord Garmadon united the Golden Weapons into the Mega Weapon.

Pirates Vs. Ninja
Shortly after, the Serpentine generals (apart from Skales) joined Garmadon's cause and he proudly presented the Mega Weapon before them. However the generals began to question if Garmadon actually knew what the weapon did, causing Garmadon to note that he just didn't have anything to use it on. At that moment, a serpentine entered the bridge and reported that they had sighted the Ultra Dragon. Realizing this to be the perfect opportunity to use his new weapon, he ordered the Black Bounty to pursue. Though he tried to use the weapon to destroy, it did nothing and eventually the dragon got away.

Hastily blaming the Serpentine's poor navigation skills for ruining his shot, he retreated to his cabin to angrily ponder why the weapon refused to obey him. In the process, he stumbled upon the journal of Captain Soto, the original owner of the ship, and wished for a better crew to man the Black Bounty. This time, the Mega Weapon responded, recreating Captain Soto and his crew of pirates, but Garmadon was severely drained of energy in the process. He then realized that the Mega Weapon could only create, not destroy, shortly before being locked in the brig (along with the rest of his Serpentine crew) by the pirates. After Captain Soto's crew was apprehended, Lord Garmadon reclaimed control of the Black Bounty and escaped from the Ninja.

Double Trouble
Now aware of the Mega Weapon's power and limitations, Lord Garmadon called his Serpentine together for a brainstorming session on how to beat the Ninja. Despite claiming that there were no bad ideas, he had several Serpentine thrown overboard for their poor suggestions (such as creating another group of pirates, recreating the Great Devourer, or making a really big ham sandwich) before hitting upon the idea of making evil mirrors of the Ninja themselves. Using spare clothes the Ninja left aboard the ship, Garmadon used the Mega Weapon to create the Bizarro Ninja and sent them to eliminate their counterparts. When the Bizarro Ninja were destroyed, Garmadon contacted the Ninjas' Ultra Sonic Raider to vow that he would get his revenge, only for Lloyd to cut the transmission with his newly-honed powers over lightning.

Ninjaball Run
For his next attempt, Lord Garmadon created a false company, "Darnagom Enterprises," and attempted to destroy Dareth's dojo, where the Ninja were training Lloyd. To get the money they needed to save the dojo, the Ninja entered the annual Ninjaball Run—when Garmadon found out, he joined the race himself with the Black Bounty. When the ship's cannon fire missed the Ultra Sonic Raider (thanks to the Ultra Dragon bumping into the Black Bounty, and the Serpentine warriors failed to prevent the Ninja from refueling on the fly, Garmadon used the Mega Weapon to create a vast chasm that the Ninja would never be able to cross.

Unfortunately for him, Nya had recently installed a flight mode in the Raider, allowing the Ninja to catch up to the Black Bounty and narrowly win the race. Enraged and disbelieving, Lord Garmadon left his ship to protest the results—thereby giving Lloyd the chance to reclaim the Black Bounty with his Ultra Dragon. Still weakened from the use of the Mega Weapon, Lord Garmadon was only saved from arrest when Skales pulled up in the Serpentine Bus, forcing him to allow the Serpentine Generals back into his army in return for the escape.

Child's Play
Lord Garmadon led the Serpentine into the Ninjago Museum of History, where he used the Mega Weapon to revive a prehistoric monster called the Grundle. The Ninja interfered with the process, forcing the villains to retreat, but the Grundle was still revived—unbeknownst to Garmadon, the Ninja themselves had also been reduced to children as a side effect. Due to departing, Garmadon did not witness the Ninjas' confrontation with the Grundle, or Lloyd's defeat of it using a magic tea that turned time forward again. As a result, the Grundle was fossilized yet again, the four Ninja were returned to their proper ages, and Lloyd aged out of childhood.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Bent on destroying the Ninja once and for all, Lord Garmadon retreated to Ouroboros, which he apparently repaired at some point to make it livable again. While preparing his forces for a final assault, he was ambushed by the Ninja, including a teenage Lloyd. Shocked at his son's growth and improved powers, Garmadon fled, wishing that the Ninja had never existed in the first place—this gave him the idea to create a portal to the past and change the future to ensure that Lloyd would never become the Green Ninja.

Disguising himself as a Skulkin, Lord Garmadon snuck aboard the Skull Truck and deliberately prevented the skeletons from abducting Nya, intent on removing Kai's motivation to become a Ninja. On the way back to the Underworld, he overheard Nuckal commenting that he thought he saw two Kais, and realized that the Ninja of the present had followed him to the past. Lord Garmadon was in the Skulkin camp in the Forest of Tranquility when the Ninja secretly delivered Nya to the skeletons; to counter the Ninjas' interference, Garmadon sought the aid of his own past self, quickly explaining the situation and formulating a new plan.

When Past Kai saved Nya in the Fire Temple, he found himself attacked—not by his own shadow, but by the present version of Lord Garmadon. The present Ninja were forced to intervene, but Garmadon held them off until Jay suggested using the Golden Weapons of the past against the Mega Weapon. The combined energies sent the Mega Weapon into space and undid all of the changes to the past—with the present apparently changed so that Garmadon never created it in the first place.

The Stone Army
With his Mega Weapon destroyed, Lord Garmadon pursued other means of gaining power; namely, seeking out the Island of Darkness mentioned in Captain Soto's journal. Taking the Serpentine Generals along, Garmadon rode a Rattlecopter over the Endless Ocean, looking for any sign of the island. At that point, Skales tricked Garmadon by claiming to see the island—when Garmadon went to look, the Hypnobrai General pushed him out of the Rattlecopter and declared himself leader of the Serpentine.

Ironically, Skales's betrayal led Garmadon to the object of his quest; when he came to, he found himself on the shores of the Island of Darkness. the Overlord appeared before him and led him to a large boulder with four handles, telling Lord Garmadon that this was the first step towards his true destiny. When Garmadon turned the dials, the full Island of Darkness arose from the sea, and the Overlord revealed his plans to upset the balance of the world so that Garmadon could remake Ninjago in his own image.

The Day Ninjago Stood Still
To Lord Garmadon's dismay, the next step towards his destiny involved scaling a series of rugged cliffs and mountains. He demanded to know why he had to prove his evil worth to the Overlord, but the enigmatic entity merely urged him onward, promising that a great power awaited at the end of the trial.

Gritting his teeth, Garmadon carried on, eventually arriving in front of a strange clock with a dark helmet on a pedestal. At the Overlord's command, Garmadon took the helmet, causing the clock's hands to begin moving—the Overlord revealed that the former would give Garmadon control over the Stone Army, while the latter was counting down to the final battle between light and darkness.

Pleased with this new development, Garmadon triumphantly announced his return to the darkened skies above.

The Last Voyage
With the Stone Army at his command, Lord Garmadon began traveling the Island of Darkness, observing the army's operations. He was confused to see most of the soldiers working in mines, but the Overlord explained that they were searching for a dark material made of concentrated evil, which they could use to build an ultimate weapon against the Ninja. Garmadon laughed maniacally at this, declaring that he liked the sound of that.

Island of Darkness
Lord Garmadon proceeded to set up a base camp where the ultimate weapon could be constructed, monitoring the Stone Army's progress on both building the weapon and mining Dark Matter. The Overlord appeared again there, warning him that the Ninja had made it to the Island of Darkness in search of the Temple of Light. Garmadon deployed his forces to capture the Ninja, only to eventually learn that the heroes had succeeded in their quest, enhancing their powers far beyond their previous limits—worse yet, Lloyd had gained the power of the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master, making him even stronger.

Atop the cliff where the Celestial Clock rested, Garmadon commented that the Overlord's army wasn't as indestructible as they had thought. The Overlord was unperturbed, claiming that their strength was also growing—the ultimate weapon would be completed just as the countdown reached zero, and then nothing would stop darkness from overwhelming the light at last.

The Last Hope
As the Celestial Clock continued to count down, Lord Garmadon began increasing the defenses around his camp, worrying that the Ninja might try to attack him directly before the ultimate weapon could be completed. The Overlord commented that his resolve seemed to be wavering, despite Garmadon's denials. The Overlord's prodding over his reluctance to kill Lloyd eventually caused Garmadon to snap at nearby soldiers, telling them to double their effort on the ultimate weapon's development.

When General Kozu came in to report capturing a prisoner, Garmadon was surprised to see his wife, Misako. They former couple argued about Garmadon's path to evil, and the villain admitted that he had wanted Misako to see things his way so she could rule by his side. As he lamented that Misako was one of a very small number of people who could truly understand him, Garmadon realized that he had been tricked—Misako had stolen the Helmet of Shadows in a last desperate attempt to halt the Celestial Clock.

Enraged at the deception, Garmadon pursued Misako and the Ninja in a massive, four-armed robot that proved immune to anything his foes threw at him. When the Overlord reminded him that the Ninja could turn the Stone Army against him if they wore the Helmet of Shadows, Garmadon resolved to chase them down personally, conducting a furious chase through the jungle. Just when he finally had the Earth Driller in his grasp, Lloyd arrived and disabled the robot with a powerful blast.

Lord Garmadon emerged from the wreckage, weakened and vulnerable, but his son hesitated to kill him, allowing the Stone Army to catch up with the Ninja. Garmadon left the rest of the chase to his minions as he regained his strength, but eventually noticed a strange beam of energy soaring over the trees. The Overlord told him that the countdown had ended and the final battle was about to begin, leading Garmadon back to the base camp and revealing that the ultimate weapon was finally complete. Presented with the weapon—dubbed "Garmatron" by the Overlord—Lord Garmadon gleefully declared that it was more beautiful than he could have imagined and joined the Overlord in laughing triumphantly.

Return of the Overlord
Shortly after the completion of the Garmatron, the Stone Army arrived before Garmadon, presenting his recovered helmet as well as a prisoner—Nya. Garmadon tested the Dark Matter on Nya, transforming her into a loyal servant. Ordering Nya to ambush the heroes if they followed him, Lord Garmadon boarded the Garmatron and set out for the coast, accompanied by the Overlord and the Stone Army.

After arriving on the coast, Garmadon ordered the Stone Army to begin loading Dark Matter into the Garmatron's main cannon, but his actual attack was delayed when Lloyd, Misako, and Master Wu arrived. Garmadon furiously denied their pleas to stop his actions, declaring that he was too far gone for any hope of redemption—the only way he could reunite with his family was to make them (along with the rest of the world) as evil as he was. With that, Garmadon activated the Garmatron's main cannon, only to discover that the weapon required a twenty-second warm-up period. Lloyd attempted to stop the countdown, and briefly grappled with his father before Kozu pinned him down, allowing the Garmatron to fire on the village of Ignacia. Trying to prevent Garmadon from firing again, Lloyd summoned his powers in an attempt to escape Kozu's grip. In response, Garmadon used a hidden trapdoor to drop Kozu and Lloyd out of the Garmatron.

With Lloyd out of the way, Lord Garmadon fired his next Dark Matter missile at Jamanakai Village, upsetting the balance of light and darkness enough for the Overlord to begin manifesting in Ninjago. It was then that Garmadon discovered the truth: the Overlord had no intention of letting him rule Ninjago. Outraged at being a pawn in the Overlord's game, Garmadon furiously insisted that Ninjago was his to conquer, but the ultimate evil simply laughed as he possessed the four-armed villain's body to begin his metamorphosis.

During Lloyd's battle against the Overlord, the former asserted that Lord Garmadon was still alive and unwilling to harm him. At this, Lord Garmadon briefly retook control of his body from the Overlord, leaving himself open for Lloyd's assault. Unfortunately, the Overlord soon regained control, completely subduing Lord Garmadon's mind and taking full control of his body.

Rise of the Spinjitzu Master
Garmadon was thought to have been destroyed after Lloyd defeated the Overlord, as his body had been completely transformed into that of the Overlord's true form. However, Garmadon awoke amid the rubble calling for Lloyd, completely purified of evil—not only was he himself again, but the dark magic that had given him four arms and the Devourer's venom that had turned him evil in the first place had all disappeared. Amazed and overjoyed at his new appearance, Garmadon happily reunited with his family, telling Master Wu that it felt good to be free of evil at last, He was last seen walking off with Misako and Lloyd, eager to catch up on the bonding time he had missed due to his curse.

After the Final Battle
Hoping to make up for all of his evil actions, Garmadon made a vow never to fight again. He and Misako moved far away from New Ninjago City where they constructed a new monastery to teach the next generation of Ninja how to battle without fighting.

The Art of the Silent Fist
Fleeing the Digital Overlord, the five Ninja and Nya traveled to Garmadon's Monastary to seek refuge. That night, they partook in Garmadon's lesson on the Art of the Silent Fist, a martial arts style that involves misdirection and avoiding the attacks of enemies. He handily defeated Lloyd in a sparring session, invoking his son's anger, but cautioned his son against giving in to such feelings, having been overcome by rage himself in the past. Upon learning that the Nindroids are seeking Lloyd and his golden powers, Garmadon volunteered to travel with Lloyd and get as far away from the Digital Overlord's grasp as possible.

Traveling to Nya's old Samurai X Cave, Lloyd and Garmadon took her all-terrain vehicle to help expedite their journey. As night fell, the pair stopped by a nearby river to drink. However, they were subsequently tracked down and attacked by the Nindroid MechDragon. As they fled Garmadon accidentally fired the vehicle's cannons while attempting to find an afterburner to increase their speed, much to his dismay. The other four Just as the dragon was about to capture them however, the Ninja succeed in shutting down the power to all of Ninjago, and the Dragon collapsed in front of them. Though Lloyd believed they should return, Garmadon remained firm in continuing to put distance between themselves and New Ninjago City until the Overlord has been permanently deleted.

Blackout
As father and son passed through a rocky gorge, Garmadon paused to teach Lloyd about the importance of balance by having the Green Ninja balance rocks. Upon placing a boulder atop the pile, Lloyd lost control and the rock tower collapsed. Giving up, Garmadon determined that they should continue forward, though without the use of the Golden Dragon.

Garmadon and Lloyd eventually came to a broken bridge, prohibiting their path forward. Garmadon saw this as an opportunity for Lloyd to unlock more of the First Spinjitzu Master's powers and ordered his son to move the mountain in front of him to create a path across. Though the Golden Ninja managed to move pieces into place, he lost focus at the end and the bridge crumbled. Frustrated, Lloyd summoned the Golden Dragon to create a Golden Path for them, much to Garmadon's dismay.

Their path eventually took them to a large mountain that they were forced to scale. Lloyd joked that Garmadon's former extra set of arms would of come in useful here, though Garmadon noted that his son's sense of humor lacked in comparison to his Golden Power. As the master reached the top of the mountain, he was alarmed to see that Lloyd had stopped to help a Ravture youngling. As he feared, the father was not far away and attacked the duo. Garmadon began to frantically climb away only to be grabbed by the father ravture and thrown off the mountainside. It was then that Lloyd found himself able to move mountains and managed to create a hand to catch his father.

The father and son ravture were reunited and left, while Lloyd created a stairway down the mountain with his newfound abilities. On their way down, the Falcon arrived with a message from Nya warning them of a mysterious Stranger who had taken the hardrive containing the Overlord. As the message ended, Garmadon noted that they were near Hiroshi's Labyrinth and determined they should head there to hide. Lloyd agree and they descended into the forest to get lost.

The Curse of the Golden Master
Garmadon and Lloyd make it inside of Hiroshi's Labyrinth, and Lloyd comments that whoever made it through the jungle was better than him. Garmadon also comments that there is an oasis at the middle of the jungle, that no one has seen before.

When they make it to the oasis however, they only have a moment to rest as Techno Wu and a squad of Nindroids ambush the duo. Garmadon faces his brother again as Lloyd escapes, yet Wu is victorious and Garmadon is taken aboard the MechDragon. When Pythor steals Lloyd's power, the Overlord comments that Garmadon is no use to them, and he throws him overboard. As the MechDragon flies off, Garmadon surfaces and vows that he will find Lloyd again.

Enter the Digiverse
Garmadon followed the MechDragon back to New Ninjago City where he disguised himself as a Nindroid to sneak into Borg Tower. He arrived in Borg's Office just as Techno Wu was about to suspend the program, thereby trapping the Ninja in the Digiverse. Garmadon flung his assimilated brother out the window before revealing himself and attacked Pythor, as the latter expressed surprise that Garmadon broke his oath. Garmadon claimed that as they took his son, he had done away with his oath never to fight again.

After the Serpentine managed to escape in a Hover-Copter, Garmadon slid down the side of the building where he faced Techno Wu again. The battle quickly turned against Garmadon's favor and he was forced to retreat to the very edge of the cell tower. However just as Techno Wu prepared to finish him off, the Ninja successfully reboot the system, thereby returning Wu to his regular self.

The brothers returned to Borg's Office where the Ninja, P.I.X.A.L., and Nya celebrated their success.

Codename: Arcturus
Garmadon accompanied Wu and the other Ninja back to the Temple of Light wherein Lloyd returned his elemental powers to the four Ninja. Garmadon voiced his disprovable of the plan to Wu, who in return reminds him that it was Lloyd's choice, not his and encourages the Ninja to take risks. Garmadon remained optimistic, knowing that as the protectors of Ninjago, they were without the luxury of rest.

Once back in New Ninjago City, Garmadon arrives at Borg Tower where P.I.X.A.L. and Wu are busy trying to figure out the Nindroid's mysterious project "Arcturus." Garmadon comments that he and Wu once defeated an ancient Serpentine General by the same name. They later discover that the Overlord intends to retrieve the Golden Weapons from space, where they were sent following the Mega-Weapon's destruction-an event that only Garmadon and the four Ninja who traveled back in time can remember due to their involvement in it. He, Wu, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L. follow the Ninja to Ouroboros just in time to witness the Arcturus rocket launch with all five Ninja aboard. Garmadon is outraged that Wu would allow such a thing, but nevertheless watched as the rocket departed for the heavens.

The Void
Garmadon returned to Borg Tower with Wu, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L. where they were able to contact the Ninja and provide help in their attempt to take over the comet-bound ship. However, their communications were discovered by Pythor who lead a squad of Nindroids to attack Borg Industries.

The four managed to escape to Garmadon's monastery and re-established contact with the Ninja.

The Titanium Ninja
The Ninja manage to return to Ninjago City by salvaging the parts of the Nindroids' ship to create a new, smaller one. They meet with Garmadon and their other allies before heading into the city, which has been occupied and ransacked by the Golden Master, in an attempt to reach the Temple of Fortitude. Garmadon and Master Wu meet the other Ninja there, with Cyrus Borg giving them a pill they can use to shrink the Golden Master while Garmadon and Wu devise a plan to make him consume it.

The Ninja, along with Garmadon and his brother, run across rooftops towards the Golden Master—whose powers don't affect them due to their Stone Warrior armor, which wards off the golden power. Upon reaching Borg Tower, where the Golden Master has created a massive "spider-web" using his golden powers, Garmadon and Wu work together to propel the pill towards their ancient adversary, but Pythor intervenes and devours it. The Golden Master then seizes Garmadon and the other Ninja, except Zane, who sacrifices himself to freeze the Golden Master, with both being killed in the process.

Garmadon attends Zane's funeral, and joins his brother and the Ninja as they crowd around each other and watch snow fall from the sky.

The Invitation
Garmadon was going to join his brother and Nya in rebuilding Destiny's Bounty. He went to ask his son for help but the latter told him that he was going on a fishing trip with his friends as Garmadon was happy they reconnected. Lloyd then ask his father if there were others with elemental powers like them as Garmadon question this as Lloyd casted it aside and left without his fishing rod. Garmadon notices this and spots a takeout carton and realizes Chen was involved with son's mysterious behavior.

With this knowledge, Garmadon deduces Lloyd and the other Ninja were going to Chen's Island. He immediately followed them to the docks, where the Elemental Masters began boarding Chen's Ferry. While there Garmadon encountered his old rival Clouse, who is still working with Chen. Garmadon tries to stop the Ninja but they are insisted on going due to the fact that Zane may still be alive and this was a chance to find him. After failing to dissuade his son from going, Garmadon decides to join him on the journey. Clouse initially refuses to let Garmadon on the ship stating there was no room, but Garmadon boards anyway after knocking off a grunt and Clouse allows this act.

On the ferry, Garmadon tells the Ninja about Clouse being a dangerous wizard and Chen's second-in-command. Soon, the Ninja meet various people using different kinds of powers as Kai asks Garmadon why he or Wu never told them there were other with abilities like them as Garmadon explains there were things they didn't want them to know as he tells the Ninja about the Elemental Masters who are descended from previous elemental users. When Kai noted the same went for him and his sister, Garmadon tells a confused Kai that Nya might have power as well since it just needed to be unlocked. Garmadon makes note of a few of the masters but there were some he did not Kai eventually starting and nearly losing a fight with Karlof. Clouse then tells the crew that they're about to reach Chen's Island before calling Chen and telling him that Garmadon has returned. Garmadon tells the Ninja that he swore never to return to the island while the Ninja contemplate whether they'll be able to find Zane.

Only One Can Remain
Garmadon reveals to the Ninja that Master Chen was previously his master, during a period in Garmadon's life when he took the path of evil. During the Serpentine War, Chen betrayed the Elemental Masters by siding with the Serpentine before being exiled to his island fortress as part of a deal for his surrender. After the tournament bracket is revealed he is kicked out of Chen's fortress by Clouse, but sneaks back in during the first round. After catching Clouse using his dark magic to sabotage Lloyd, Garmadon attacks him, the grapple enabling Lloyd to claim one of the Jadeblades. He then takes part in the group's discussion regarding the urgency of finding Zane.

Versus
After suffering continued ill treatment from Chen's minions, Garmadon joined the others in observing various battles, including Kai's fight with Ash and the confrontation between Bolobo and Neuro. Garmadon expressed confidence in Neuro's ability to succeed, and was proved right despite Bolobo's early advantage. Unfortunately, the Ninja were soon forced to contend with an unpleasant development: Chen changing the tournament roster so that Jay and Cole were forced to battle each other. He wisely reasoned that the pair would have to reconcile or fail, and was pleased when they renewed their friendship. Unfortunately, Cole was forced to forfeit in order to insure that at least one of them would continue to advance in the tournament.

Ninja Roll
Garmadon joined his pupils in observing a battle between Skylor and Jacob Pevsner, and noted that Jacob's power over Sound had grown since he had last encountered him. After hearing the Ninja speculate as to whether Skylor and Kai might be related due to her use of Fire, Garmadon revealed that she was the Master of Amber. He would then join Clouse and Chen in observing Lloyd's Thunderblade battle with Chamille, and intervened when Clouse attempted to sabotage Lloyd with his dark magic.

Spy for a Spy
Garmadon and the remaining Ninja were heartened by the fact that they had managed to form an alliance with the other competitors, only for Chen to mislead the group by telling them that his intent was to award his Staff of Elements to the winner of the tournament.

Things start looking up as they learn from a disguised Nya—who had infiltrated Chen's Kabuki—that there was a spy in their midst. The Ninja soon receive a fortune cookie from Skylor that says Cole and Zane will be breaking out very soon as they express relief that Cole manage to find their friends. Garmadon later joined the Ninja in attempting to uncover the spy, providing the helpful hint that a minion of Chen would have an Anacondrai tattoo on their back like his.

Spellbound
Garmadon and the remaining contestants boarded Chen's Blimp and were flown high above the island, where they learned that the next task would be hunting the fugitive Nya. However, as they were dropped onto the island, it was determined that the parachutes left for them by Chen were one short given Garmadon's presence. As he and Lloyd fell, Lloyd struggled to summon his Elemental Dragon, which Garmadon revealed was due to his fear. Both grabbed onto a parachute, and Garmadon attempted to sacrifice himself so that Lloyd could use it, but Lloyd refused and managed to summon his dragon instead. Working together, the pair soon discovered that Nya had left a false trail for her pursuers and a real one for her friends.

Along the way, Garmadon revealed to Lloyd the full details of his previous allegiance to Chen and how he received the title of Lord from him after defeating Clouse. Likewise, he explained their involvement in the Serpentine Wars, including his adding his own signature to Wu's letter to Misako. He also revealed that he had never told Misako or Wu the truth, but that he didn't regret being Lloyd's father. Lloyd then encouraged him to come clean with his wife and brother, and Garmadon agreed to do so. Unfortunately, they found Nya just in time to learn Chen's true plan: to use the stolen powers to turn him and his Anacondrai Cultists into Anacondrai.

The Forgotten Element
Garmadon, Nya, and Lloyd soon assault Chen's Fortress in a bid to rescue the others and stop Chen's plan. Garmadon was forced to battle Clouse, who gained the upper hand due to his use of an Anacondrai Blade. Captured and imprisoned alongside Nya, Garmadon was mocked by Chen and Clouse, who visited them to taunt them over his victory over Lloyd. Garmadon angrily questioned the location of his son as Chen stated he will take Lloyd's power at the ceremony which Garmadon can't attend as Chen was still hurt at his leave. Nya wondered how Chen beat Lloyd which Chen stated he had help revealing Kai was the one who did so.

Garmadon was angered Chen turned the Ninja against each other as he did their ancestors before grabbing Skylor, attempting to use her as way to be released but Chen and Clouse called his bluff. With Nya, Garmadon was left at the mercy of Clouse's Anacondrai Serpent, while the villains leave though not before Kai winks at them revealing it was all a ruse relieving them. Sometime later, Clouse's pet serpent arrived which Garmadon viewed as karma accrued by his role in destroying the Great Devourer. However, a jailbreak of the Elemental Masters—aided by Cole, Zane, and Jay Roto Jet—resulted in their escape, and they soon intervened in Chen's ceremony returning the powers to the Elemental Masters, forcing Chen, Clouse, and a few henchmen to flee.

The Day of the Dragon
Following much of the Anacondrai Cultists' capture, Garmadon was with the five Ninja, exclaiming his pride within the five, saying that they did what the original Elemental Masters could not: stick together. After getting a message from Griffin Turner from Neuro, Garmadon and Cole used the Roto-Jet to help assist in finding Chen's remaining forces and the captive Skylor. Unfortunately, the pair got into a dogfight with Clouse and Chen, the former leaping onto the Roto-Jet to sabotage it. Garmadon exited the craft to engage his former classmate, and knocked him off the plane. Their battle resumed on the ground, with Clouse opening a portal to the Cursed Realm in an effort to rid himself of Garmadon and claim his old title of Lord. However, Garmadon managed to drag Clouse into the portal before climbing over him to escape it, which caused him to remark on his dislike of Magic.

Sadly, Garmadon's victory would be short-lived, as Chen used Skylor's powers to fuel his spell and turn the Anacondrai Cultists—including Skylor and Garmadon—into Anacondrai. Garmadon assured a sad Lloyd he was still on his side as Chen's forces soon overpowered the Elemental Masters with sheer strength, speed, and numbers causing them to retreat to the palace. While near, Garmadon was nearly attacked by Jay, who confused him for one of the Cultist, but Lloyd explained it as Jay told Garmadon to pick a body and sticking with it. The Masters then watched as Chen's army escaped the island, leaving Garmadon and his young allies apparently stranded. However, Zane and Kai's success in summoning a Titanium Dragon and Elemental Fire Dragon inspired the others to overcome their fears summon forth their own Elemental Dragons, and they set out for Ninjago. Garmadon rode on Lloyd's Dragon and told the Masters a battle from the past had returned but stated they will rise to face off against it.

The Greatest Fear of All
Flying back on Lloyd's Dragon, Garmadon and the others arrived back in New Ninjago City only to find that Chen's forces had yet to attack. Having their allies watch the city, the Ninja made their way to the Samurai X Cave where they were reunited with Wu and Misako, who was surprised at his appearance. Wu's pleasure at seeing him reminded Garmadon of his shameful secret, but they accompanied the Ninja to Kryptarium Prison to see Pythor. Chen's forces came looking for the snake as well, and a drop of Pythor's venom fell on Garmadon's hand, transforming it again as Zane realized that was why the Cultists came for Pythor: to maintain the transformation. Now aware of Chen's reason for not attacking, Garmadon, along with his brother and son, attempted to escape with the last true Anacondrai in tow. During this, the trio learned that Chen had lied to both sides during the Serpentine War. Unfortunately, they were confronted by more Cultists, resulting battle in which they lose Pythor to the Anacondrai Cultists and were forced to prepare for the inevitable invasion.

Back at the Samurai X Cave, Misako took note of Garmadon's sad look and grabbing his hand, she asked him about it as he attempted to tell his wife the truth about the letter but was interrupted with the power shutting off. Much to the horror of the allied heroes, the Anacondrai Cultists succeeded in luring the Elemental Masters away from New Ninjago City and various settlements, allowing them to invade unopposed. After Wu stated their fears have come true, Garmadon sadly remarked "The new Serpentine War has just begun."

The Corridor of Elders
The Destiny's Bounty 2.0 was soon in the air and Nya attempted to communicate with the Ninja, though Chen took control of the airwaves. Chen then told everyone about Garmadon's secret about his letter which was actually Wu's, infuriating Wu upon discovering that his brother claimed his letter as his own. Before a fight could break out, Skylor calmed Wu down before anyone could get hurt. He was reunited with Lloyd, who noticing Wu and Misako shunning him was because they found about the letter.

He is later seen on the Bounty at the cannons helping their allies take down the Anacondrai Cultists at the Corridor of Elders. Despite their efforts, Chen's army it through the path just as Lloyd appears on the ship with Pythor who tells in order to save Ninjago, Garmadon would need to be banished to the Cursed Realm so the Anacondrai Generals' spirits could curse Chen and his army. Garmadon willingly accepted this, feeling that he couldn't make up for all the evil he had done with what time he had left in his life. Wu and Misako were initially resistant, but in the end supported his choice having forgave him for his deceit while Lloyd was angered at his father's choice and left.

Wu recited the banishment spell as he tells his brother and wife to apologize to Lloyd for him but the latter appeared and accepting his father's reason finished the spell himself, banishing Garmadon and releasing the Anacondrai Generals who cursed and banished Chen and his army. Garmadon's likeness was then carved into the Corridor alongside those of the other fallen Elemental Masters.

Curseworld, Part II
After being tricked by Morro, Lloyd eventually awakened in the Cursed Realm, and began searching around. Soon enough, he finds his father bound in chains and kneeling on the ground. Lloyd approached him and tried to break the chains, to which his father replied that they were unbreakable.

Garmadon explained that the Cursed Realm was really the stomach of the Preeminent, and the Preeminent was the embodiment of the Cursed Realm. Lloyd became distraught, seeing that there was no way he could save his father, but Garmadon encouraged him to save Ninjago and defeat the Preeminent. Garmadon then told him that whatever happened to him, he'd always be a part of Lloyd, and that at some point every boy must become a man, but it's their decision as to what kind of man they want to be. By some means, Lloyd obtained his father's master robes, and then departed the Cursed Realm to face off with Morro.

As the Preeminent closed in on the boat containing the fleeing citizens of Stiix, Nya unlocks her True Potential, creating a giant tidal wave that knocks the Preeminent over and sends it sinking into the depths of the Endless Ocean, killing the beast and destroying the Cursed Realm and its inhabitants, including Garmadon. Upon returning to Ninjago from another realm, Lloyd expressed his feelings that his father was "in a better place."

Day of the Departed
Lloyd and Misako traveled to the Corridor of Elders in order to memorialize Garmadon with a lantern on the Day of the Departed. Unfortunately, they were attacked by Pythor, who was eager to send Lloyd to join his father in the Departed Realm. However, the memory of his father gave Lloyd the courage and resolve to fight back and force Pythor to retreat.

The Hands of Time
Though deceased in the present, a young Garmadon appears during the conflict with the Time Twins.

Pause and Effect
Garmadon appears in a hallucination of Wu's, asking his brother why he let him fall into the darkness.

Secrets Discovered
While not seen, his voice is used by the mysterious Samurai X, telling Nya that they could be Garmadon. However, she tells the figure that Garmadon sacrificed himself and that he was gone forever.

Lost in Time
In the past, young Garmadon and Wu send the Time Blades into the time vortex at the Monastery of Spinjitzu, with young Krux and Acronix soon following. Young Garmadon questions what happened to Krux and Acronix, with young Wu stating they chose to be lost in time than face their punishment, saying it wasn't the outcome they hoped, but Ninjago was nonetheless safe. At that moment however, the Iron Doom lands in front of the gate of the monastery, with the future versions of Krux and Acronix emerging from the device, gloating over the master's overconfidence.

After Machia orders the Vermillion Warriors to attack, young Garmadon and the masters begin to fight back, but are forced to push the Vermillion out of the monastery, where they struggled to keep them out. Eventually, Kai and Nya arrive, where they act as their parents. Young Garmadon questions them, saying he thought the forging of the Time Blades tired them out before re-engaging the Vermillion.

However, Acronix soon calls back all of the Vermillion after betraying Raggmunk, Blunck, and Machia, forcing the Vermillion's component snakes to become absorbed by the Iron Doom, causing the device to gain life as it became under Krux and Acronix's full control. The masters tried to defeat the massive beast, with young Garmadon and Wu trying to preform Spnijitzu on it, but is knocked aside.

Garmadon would later watch the battle between the Iron Doom and the Fusion Dragon, noting that even the mighty can still fall.

After Master Wu gives the past Reversal Time Blade to his younger self, young Garmadon sends young Wu to dispose of it in the Boiling Sea.

Sons of Garmadon
Though Garmadon was still deceased, a cult following, led by Princess Harumi, sought to resurrect him in a purely evil version of his Lord form with the use of the Oni Masks. Harumi believes he is the real hero as he defeated the Great Devourer on the same day she lost her biological parents. In her quest, she was successful in finding all three Oni Masks.

Dread on Arrival
Having successfully acquired the three Oni Masks, the Sons of Garmadon gather in the Temple of Resurrection in the Royal Palace to finally revive him. Harumi performs the ritual using the masks and hair taken from his family: Lloyd, Wu, and Misako. A portal to the Departed Realm is opened, and Garmadon's spirit can be heard howling in pain on the other side, already being corrupted by the Oni Masks. Harumi chants and calls out to him, and he groggily answers back, laughing evilly. Before Harumi succeeds in her plan, the Ninja are able to use Spinjitzu to halt the resurrection process, seemingly preventing Garmadon's rebirth. The Sons of Garmadon are arrested and the Ninja think themselves victorious, but it is too late – a dark hand can be seen rising from the pedestal at the temple afterwards; Lord Garmadon has returned to Ninjago, corrupted and with all light absent from his soul.

True Potential
Lord Garmadon, now resurrected, makes his presence known by scaring two garbage men, repeatedly saying "She calls me." He later steals their truck to break Harumi out of custody before taking over Kryptarium Prison and freeing all of the members of the Sons of Garmadon. While using the basketball field to practice, Harumi tells him in order to reach his true potential, he must face Lloyd. His son soon arrives later that night and they fight, with Garmadon gaining the upper hand, all the while rejecting Lloyd's pleas. He soon throws Lloyd through a wall into a locker room, leaving Lloyd struggling to breathe before continuing to fight him with ease due to his injury.

After proclaiming he has no son, Garmadon throws a defeated Lloyd outside of the prison. Harumi soon proclaims they can spare the weakened and labored breathing Lloyd, as they prepare to head to Ninjago at dawn, so Garmadon can be proclaimed its new emperor.

Big Trouble, Little Ninjago
With his new potential, Garmadon conquers a village by demonstrating his powers over creation, creating the giant "Colossi." The Colossi rampages through Ninjago City, destroying much in its path. While this happens, Garmadon tells Harumi that his brother is close before leaving. Soon enough, Garmadon confronts Misako and Toddler Wu as they leave Dareth's safehouse. Before Garmadon can destroy Misako with his powers, Nya arrives and saves her. After Lloyd escapes with Toddler Wu, Nya and Misako fight off Garmadon.

After the Ninja' near destruction at the hands of the Colossi, and their departure from Ninjago to the Realm of Oni and Dragons, Garmadon, turned emperor, takes control of Ninjago while Lloyd, Misako, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L. go into hiding.

Pilot (2017 Museum gallery)
''Bitten by the Great Devourer as a child, Wu’s brother slowly filled with evil to become Lord Garmadon, the arch nemesis of good ninja everywhere. When his son Lloyd defeated the Overlord, he was finally freed of the poison that flowed through his veins! Master Garmadon has now taken the oath of peace. He helps mentor the ninja, though his training methods are very different from Wu’s. Garmadon is a man of tradition and doesn’t like modern technology at all.''

''Evil mastermind Lord Garmadon is trapped in the Underworld, so he orders Samukai to find all four Golden Weapons. But when the four-armed skeleton king recovers them, he tries to take their power for himself, only to be instantly vaporized! This opens a portal to another realm, giving Lord Garmadon a possibility to escape. He knew that their power would corrupt even the most loyal henchman. This was his plan all along!''

Rise of the Serpentine (2017 Museum gallery)
''There’s much more to Lord Garmadon’s story than meets the eye. We see him mentor his son, even though they’re destined to meet in battle, and as we delve into his shared past with the ancient Serpentine tribes, we discover he didn’t choose to be the way he is. Can he avenge himself on the ancient horror that cursed him all those years before?''

Legacy of the Green Ninja (2017 Museum gallery)
''With the help of the Serpentine, Lord Garmadon forges the Mega Weapon from the Four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu. This unspeakable power gives him new ways to try and destroy the ninja. But when he is betrayed by the Serpentine and abandoned on an island, he meets the Overlord. Garmadon learns that fate has brought him there for a destiny far greater and more sinister than even he had ever imagined.''

Rebooted (2017 Museum gallery)
''Garmadon, Lloyd’s father and the ninja’s former enemy, has been cured of the poison that turned him evil. He is particularly focused on rebuilding his relationship with Lloyd and helping his son unlock his potential as the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master. Garmadon hopes to teach Lloyd to focus on his mind and not just rely on his powers.''

Tournament of Elements (2017 Museum gallery)
''Garmadon is confronted by the ghosts of his past during the Tournament of Elements adventure. He accompanies the ninja to Chen’s Island because he knows all too well the depths of evil and treachery in his former teacher’s heart. He also faces the revelation that he won Misako’s heart long ago through trickery. In the end, Garmadon sacrifices himself to save the world and atone for his past.''

Sons of Garmadon
''Bitten by the Great Devourer as a child, Wu’s brother turned evil and became Lord Garmadon. When his son Lloyd defeated the menace of the Overlord, Garmadon was finally freed of the poison that flowed through his veins. He became a loving father to Lloyd. When last seen, Garmadon had sacrificed himself to save the NINJAGO® world and was lost in the Cursed Realm.''

Personality and Traits
As a child, Garmadon was especially mature for his age, using phrases of wisdom to his younger brother during their youth. However, upon being bitten by the Great Devourer, he began to take on darker, more megalomaniacal aspects to himself which caused him to turn against his family even when they sought to help him. The evils were something that he tried his best to fight with, showing great determination by keeping the beast's venom from fully controlling him for centuries.

However, under Chen's influence, the Great Devourer's venom would continue to grow and pester at him. As a result of his master's teachings, Garmadon felt the need to win at all costs and would even resort to blatant cheating in order to achieve his goals. He would even go so far as to lie in order to win Misako's heart, though despite all this, his true, good side managed to prevail at times, such as through guilt and virtue.

Likewise, when Chen sought to ally with the Serpentine, Garmadon managed to summon enough of his strength to resist the temptation given to him by both his master and the venom and refused, siding with his friends and family. During the war, he went on to fight with bravery, and displayed great intelligence after creating the Serpentine's only known weakness, the Sacred Flutes.

However, despite this victory and the love of Misako, who would go on to be his wife, Garmadon eventually was unable to fight on any longer and ultimately succumbed to the influence of the Great Devourer's venom. Under its control, he became noticeably far more sinister and megalomaniacal, ruthlessly insulting his father's legacy and showing no hesitation to murder his brother over the Golden Weapons. Upon being banished to the Underworld, his evil continued to fester as he mercilessly stole Samukai's authority, refusing to give up even in death.

From there, he would hone his skills of manipulation, and afterwards also displayed signs of mocking sarcasm to his enemies, relishing in their dilemmas. He was also noticeably vengeful towards his brother, even more so as a result of his banishment and because he blamed Wu for the Great Devourer infecting him.

One thing that the venom of the Devourer failed to suppress, however, was his love for his wife and Lloyd; upon being told that his son was in danger, Garmadon didn't hesitate to save his arch-nemesis and brother in order to rescue his son. Likewise, he was unable to bring himself to harm Lloyd, even under the influence of the Overlord, instead feigning eagerness to fight, when in reality he was insecure over his deteriorating relationship with his loved ones. Indeed, he would also fight back the venom by offering to save Misako by having her rule at his side, and also showing betrayal upon learning she had tricked him.

After being purged of the Great Devourer's venom after countless years of scheming and manipulating, Garmadon's true, good side finally begins to show through; However, as a result of his crimes, he was left to feel enormous guilt. To cope, he began to live in solitude, training pupils to defend themselves, and was extremely pacifistic, relying exclusively on the Art of the Silent Fist in combat. Despite this, he was unwilling to let his personal guilt place his loved ones in danger, and promptly broke his vow in order to later rescue his son. Additionally, Garmadon would later refuse to take hostages, regardless of who they were, in order to accomplish any goals.

As a master, Garmadon was also noticeably different in that while his brother was generally more cryptic and vague, Garmadon was far more down-to-earth and practical, making his advice and instruction to the Ninja more direct and not hesitating to emphasize their wariness of his former master, Chen. He also acted very fatherly to his son, and built a greater relationship with him.

Ultimately, without the venom of the Great Devourer, Garmadon proved to be incredibly selfless as well; upon the need, he willingly had himself banished to the Cursed Realm in order to save Ninjago from the Anacondrai Cultists, and likewise emphasized the defeat of the Preeminent over his own safety. Because of his virtuous and altruistic side, Garmadon ultimately changed his legacy from that of a vile Dark Lord to a benevolent hero, being remembered forever by his friends and family.

Once resurrected via the Oni Masks, all of Garmadon's positive traits are gone, he himself proclaiming that of all his previous roles, the only one that returned is the "Destroyer." All of Garmadon's love for his son and family, something even the Great Devourer's venom could not destroy in his previous evil self, has vanished. His desire to dominate and lust for power is all that remains in his soulless heart.

Age
Garmadon is several hundreds of years old. He and his younger brother's long lifespan is a result of them being the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master, whom lived for thousands of years before finally succumbing to his mortality.

Garmadon and his brother have a peculiar aging pattern. Ages ago, they were children when he was bitten, and they grew to be young men by the time their father passed away. Their aging stagnated at some point, and centuries later, they were still physically young men during the events of the Serpentine War. Decades later, they were physically in their early thirties when he was banished. Only a mere decade later, the beginning of the events of the series, they both appeared as old men, though Garmadon would only show his true age after he was purified of his evil.

Appearance
As a child, Garmadon appeared as a normal boy with a brown bowl-cut. As a young man, he had a swept back, tousled hairstyle similar to Lloyd's teenage form. He wore a black kimono with red kanji, showing his status as a Spinjitzu Master. Because of the Great Devourer's bite, in the final stages of his corruption, he gained pale skin and glowing red eyes. Upon being struck by lightning and falling into the Underworld, his body became completely black, with a lined face and visible ribs and teeth. His hair became quite messy-looking while turning black like the rest of his body. He wore a purple sash around his waist, his old Ninja-obi, and later gained Samukai's helmet—a silver samurai helmet with a bone on it.

His time in the Realm of Madness gave him four arms, an armored chest plate, a darker helmet, and new blades. After arriving on the Island of Darkness, he gained a new helmet that also gave him control over the Stone Army, which he wore until Dareth took possession of it.

At the end of "Rise of The Spinjitzu Master," Garmadon was reverted to a normal man, free of the evil energy that had corrupted him. He appeared as an old man similar in appearance to Master Wu, but with a full head of graying hair instead of a beard. His old outfit had been transformed into the "special" kimono his brother wore in "Battle Between Brothers," a predominantly black kimono with white sleeves and golden Chinese characters written on the front.

In Rebooted, he donned an official master gi that was mostly black with a white sleeved, gray overcoat and a green belt, along with a crest of a black dragon in a gold circle. This same symbol appears on his back.

In The Tournament of Elements, his gi remained mostly black, but its design was altered to have gold accents. It was also revealed that he had an Anacondrai tattoo on his back from his days as Chen's right hand. He later turned into an Anacondrai, but was reverted to normal after his banishment to the Cursed Realm.

Following his resurrection in Season 8, Garmadon gains a modified appearance of his "Lord" form from The LEGO Ninjago Movie. Due to the ritual being halted before Garmadon could be complete, part of him, notably on the left side of his chest, has bones revealed, with glowing purple ooze coming out from his body.

Weapons
Lord Garmadon was never seen fighting directly in the pilot episodes, and was thus never seen wielding any weapons. In Season 1, he was seen using a variety of weapons, including katanas, scythes, knives, and spears. He usually carried weapons in all four of his hands, but occasionally used fewer in order to hold them with multiple hands (thereby increasing the force of his blows).

In "Day of the Great Devourer" and "Darkness Shall Rise," Lord Garmadon briefly wielded all four of the Golden Weapons, but eventually fused them into the Mega Weapon, which he wielded until its destruction in "Wrong Place, Wrong Time." After arriving on the Island of Darkness, he was largely content to remain out of direct combat once again, with his possession of the Helmet of Shadows allowing him to command the Stone Army in his stead. However, he manned some of the Army's strongest vehicles, including the Samurai Mech and the Garmatron.

Following his purification, Garmadon vowed against using weapons, though he does use a Nin-Jô as a walking stick, much like his brother Wu.

Powers and Attributes
Like his brother, Master Wu, Garmadon has the ability to perform Spinjitzu, with his version channeling the power of Destruction. After being bitten by the Great Devourer, his power became unbalanced. He is also a skilled fighter, being proficient in martial arts and the use of many different weapons.

In his first appearance, Lord Garmadon was able to summon and duplicate Shadows—dark entities able to harm physical beings while the latter could not do the same. Similarly, during his stay in the Underworld, he had the ability to use his powers to create a shadow duplicate of himself in order to interact with Ninjago to some extent.

During his time in his dark dimension, he gained the power of doing what was seemingly impossible for him to achieve: to wield all four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu at once. In addition to this newfound ability, he gained two extra arms to help him hold each weapon more easily—though this new power still left him feeling weak upon using the Mega Weapon.

Upon being purified at the Overlord's defeat, Garmadon lost his extra pair of arms and subsequently, the power to wield all four Golden Weapons. In addition, Garmadon's Destruction returned to balance. Initially after being cured, he repressed his power by refusing to fight, but he eventually returned to being an active combatant in order to save his son.

After being resurrected by the Oni Masks, Garmadon began to unlock his True Potential. He uses Destruction in combat for the first time, manifesting it as a purple energy, similar to when he was possessed by the Overlord. He has super strength, able to easily break through brick walls. After fully reaching his dark potential, he gains the power of Creation, as he is also a descendant of the dragons. Using his full power, he was able to use the environment to create an enormous Colossi.

Appearances
{{Scroll|
 * 2256 Lord Garmadon (Evil)
 * 2505 Garmadon's Dark Fortress (Evil)
 * 2506 Skull Truck (Evil)
 * 2507 Fire Temple (Evil)
 * 9446 Destiny's Bounty (Four-armed)
 * 9450 Epic Dragon Battle (Four-armed)
 * 70505 Temple of Light (Four-armed, Overlord)
 * 70725 Nindroid MechDragon (Master)
 * 70750 Ninja DB X (Master, Tournament)
 * 70643 Temple of Resurrection (Four-armed)

Pilot Episodes

 * "Way of the Ninja" (pictured)
 * "The Golden Weapon"
 * "King of Shadows"
 * "Weapons of Destiny"

Season 1: Rise of the Snakes

 * 4. "Never Trust a Snake" (dream)
 * 7. "Tick Tock"
 * 8. "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"
 * 9. "The Royal Blacksmiths"
 * 10. "The Green Ninja"
 * 11. "All of Nothing"
 * 13. "Day of the Great Devourer"

Season 2: Legacy of the Green Ninja

 * 14. "Darkness Shall Rise"
 * 15. "Pirates Vs. Ninja"
 * 16. "Double Trouble"
 * 17. "Ninjaball Run"
 * 18. "Child's Play"
 * 19. "Wrong Place, Wrong Time"
 * 20. "The Stone Army"
 * 21. "The Day Ninjago Stood Still"
 * 22. "The Last Voyage"
 * 23. "Island of Darkness"
 * 24. "The Last Hope"
 * 25. "Return of the Overlord"
 * 26. "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master"

Season 3: Rebooted

 * 27. "The Surge" (pictured)
 * 28. "The Art of the Silent Fist"
 * 29. "Blackout"
 * 30. "The Curse of the Golden Master"
 * 31. "Enter the Digiverse"
 * 32. "Codename: Arcturus"
 * 33. "The Void"
 * 34. "The Titanium Ninja"

Season 4: The Tournament of Elements

 * 35. "The Invitation"
 * 36. "Only One Can Remain"
 * 37. "Versus"
 * 38. "Ninja Roll"
 * 39. "Spy for a Spy"
 * 40. "Spellbound"
 * 41. "The Forgotten Element"
 * 42. "The Day of the Dragon"
 * 43. "The Greatest Fear of All"
 * 44. "The Corridor of Elders"

Season 5: Possession

 * 54. "Curseworld, Part II"

Day of the Departed

 * "Day of the Departed" (statue)

Season 7: The Hands of Time

 * 65. "The Hands of Time" (pictured)
 * 66. "The Hatching" (flashback)
 * 67. "A Time of Traitors" (pictured)
 * 71. "Secrets Discovered" (voice)
 * 72. "Pause and Effect" (hallucination)
 * 74. "Lost in Time" (past)

Season 8: Sons of Garmadon

 * 77. "The Oni and the Dragon" (pictured)
 * 82. "Dread on Arrival"
 * 83. "True Potential"

Video Games

 * LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids (non-canon)
 * LEGO Ninjago: Tournament (non-canon)
 * LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (non-canon)
 * LEGO Dimensions (non-canon)}}