Skales

Skales is a former major antagonist and now a minor protagonist in LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. A Serpentine from the Hypnobrai tribe, he was originally a Warrior who eventually became the Hypnobrai General, and later, the new Snake King.

Rise of the Snakes
Skales was among the Hypnobrai when their tomb was opened by Lloyd Garmadon. To his dismay, General Slithraa ordered them to obey the young human, which ended up with the Serpentine raiding Jamanakai Village for candy. Skales protested that the attack was a waste of their talents, but Slithraa - having accidentally hypnotized himself while attempting to hypnotize Lloyd - kept him in line.

When the Ninja attacked, Skales tried to hypnotize Cole, only to be interrupted by Nya attacking him. The snakes were eventually forced to retreat when the Ninja stole the Hypnobrai Staff from Slithraa, but Skales had secretly retained control over Cole, allowing him to spy on the Ninja. As he schemed, Skales maintained a facade of loyalty to Slithraa, but continued to question the competence of Lloyd. In private, Mezmo demanded to know why Skales refused to confront Slithraa directly, but Skales assured his subordinate that he had a plan that would be sprung when the time was right.

Home
Using his unknowing slave, Cole, Skales saw that the Hypnobrai Staff was hidden in the Monastery of Spinjitzu, along with the Sacred Flute. Before he could act on this knowledge, the Hypnobrai were led into Wildwood Forest to begin constructing an arboreal fortress for Lloyd. Skales complained about the menial task, earning another rebuke from Slithraa, but an opportunity arose when the Ninja attacked in a bid to bring the fortress down.

After the Ninja dealt significant damage to the fortress by severing two of its support ropes, Skales enforced his control over Cole, forcing the Black Ninja to attack his allies. With the Ninja occupied, Skales led the Serpentine in a retreat - when Lloyd protested, the scheming Warrior used one of the fortress' traps to imprison him. While Sensei Wu arrived with Nya and the Fire Dragon to break Skales's control over Cole with the music of the Sacred Flute, the Hypnobrai invaded the Monastery of Spinjitzu and burned it to the ground, reclaiming their staff in the process.

With the Hypnobrai staff in hand, Skales led his tribe back to their tomb, with Lloyd tied up as a prisoner. At the latter's urging, Slithraa demanded his staff back, but Skales refused, challenging his General to a Slither Pit for leadership of the Hypnobrai. After a fierce battle, Skales's mastery of "Fang Kwon Do" allowed him to overcome Slithraa and become the new General of the Hypnobrai.

With his new authority, Skales ordered Slithraa to obey him instead of Lloyd, effectively undoing the effects of Slithraa's botched hypnosis. Skales also banished Lloyd from the tomb, but not before the would-be evil overlord stole a map on his way out.

Never Trust a Snake
A few days later, the Hypnobrai were attacked by the Fangpyre tribe, who Lloyd had released in a bid for vengeance. Skales led his tribe into battle, but when Fangpyre General Fangtom saw the change in leadership, the fight was averted - Skales and Fangtom were actually great friends from before the Serpentine's imprisonment. Skales expressed relief that the Fangpyre had been released instead of the Constrictai, the Venomari, or the dreaded Anacondrai, commenting that there would have been "a tussle" if the other tribes had been brought against the Hypnobrai. He and Fangtom began debating what to do with Lloyd, but the latter snuck off before they could come to a consensus, heading for the Anacondrai Tomb in order to unleash the most powerful Serpentine of all.

Can of Worms
Skales eventually came into contact with Pythor, who had released the other two tribes and sought to unite them as part of a prophecy. Although Skales was skeptical, the last Anacondrai persisted, calling a meeting in the tunnels of Ninjago City and attempting to convince the Serpentine to join forces. Unfortunately, the Ninja interfered by throwing insults among the crowd, tricking the snakes into arguing with each other.

Skales noticed Cole running around on the walkways and sent a group of Constrictai to capture them. The burrowing snakes caught all but one of the Ninja, but that one - Zane - managed to free his comrades. Skales joined the horde of Serpentine pursuing the Ninja, but failed to prevent their escape when Zane froze the tunnel and rode away on his Snowmobile. As the snakes tried to maintain their footing, Skales again attempted to dissuade Pythor's attempts to unite the tribes, only for the Anacondrai to brush him off with fury.

The Snake King
Following this failure, Skales accompanied Pythor into the Sea of Sand, where the latter hoped to unearth The Lost City of Ouroboros. Skales again expressed his concerns that Pythor was chasing an unattainable dream, only for the Anacondrai to find the dial that caused the city to rise from the sand.

With the city rediscovered, Skales began gathering the Serpentine for an announcement from Pythor, enticing his subordinates with the promise of a fight. Just before setting off in the Serpentine Bus, Lloyd ran up, disguised as a Hypnobrai Scout. Despite the rather shaky resemblance, Skales was fooled, simply telling Lloyd to close the door before he sat down.

At Ouroboros' Slither Pit, Pythor told Skales about his plan to unite the tribes by becoming the Snake King. He promised Skales the position of second-in-command if he played his part, and Skales agreed, stuffing cotton balls in his ears before joining his fellow Generals on the opposite side of the arena.

When Pythor declared his intentions to force the tribes to obey him by defeating all four Generals at once, Skales hung back, waiting for the right opportunity. Said opportunity arose when the other three Generals pinned Pythor to the ground; while they beat on the Anacondrai General, Skales slipped him the Sacred Flute. Pythor immediately turned the tide by playing the flute - although Skales was immune due to the cotton in his ears, he pretended to be reeling in pain like the other three Generals. At Pythor's signal, Skales threw down his staff, and subsequently joined the other Serpentine in bowing before their new supreme leader.

Tick Tock
With the tribes united, Skales joined Pythor in searching for a means of finding the four silver Fangblades, which could awaken the Great Devourer to destroy Ninjago. After a long, fruitless search, Skales warned Pythor that the tribes would begin asking questions if they didn't produce results soon - luckily, a brawl between Skalidor and Acidicus revealed the answer. When Pythor put all five Snake Staffs together over a piece of parchment, the combined anti-venoms created a map to the Fangblades.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Skales followed Pythor to the Mega Monster Amusement Park, where the first Fangblade was hidden.

The Royal Blacksmiths
Skales was among the group of Serpentine who accompanied Pythor to the Desert Pyramid in search of the second Fangblade. He nearly triggered a trap before Pythor stopped him from moving on, and watched as the Anacondrai used their prisoner - Lloyd - to reach the center of the pyramid. Unfortunately for the Serpentine, Lloyd reported that the Fangblade had been removed from its resting place.

Pythor eventually discovered that the Fangblade was now part of the Blade Cup, a trophy awarded to the winner of Ninjago's annual talent show. Disguising himself with a false beard, Skales was among the Serpentine watching the show, applauding the Treble Makers and sending his minions to try and hinder the Ninja's act. Despite the snakes' interference, the Ninja won the Blade Cup, but Pythor managed to retrieve the Fangblade anyway by attacking Cole's father, Lou.

The Green Ninja
Skales accompanied Pythor to the volcano behind the Fire Temple, where they uncovered the third Fangblade. Once again, the Ninja interfered, this time accompanied by Lord Garmadon, who sought to save his son. After Pythor had a group of Constrictai destabilize the volcano, Skales led the Serpentine's retreat, lingering just long enough to snap Pythor out of his rage when Kai knocked the Fangblade from his grasp. Later, on his way down from the volcano, Skales witnessed Pythor retrieving the Fangblade from a river of lava.

All of Nothing
While Pythor sought the final Fangblade, Skales waited with the bulk of the Serpentine forces in their new underground fortress beneath the Mountain of a Million Steps. He interrupted the other Generals' discussion about whether or not the Great Devourer really existed, reminding them that their leader would be back soon. When the Ninja arrived to try and steal the other three Fangblades, Skales led a group of Hypnobrai against Kai. His attempt to hypnotize the Red Ninja failed when Kai performed Spinjitzu with his eyes closed, but the Ninja were captured anyway when they triggered a trap at the bottom of the fortress.

When Pythor returned with the fourth Fangblade, the Serpentine called for a Slither Pit to celebrate their impending victory. Pythor was about to refuse, but Skales convinced him to allow at least one night of celebration, promising that they would head back to Ouroboros in the morning. Although Pythor reluctantly agreed, he made it very clear to Skales that no one was to let their guard down.

Pythor's fears turned out to be well-founded when Lord Garmadon led the Skulkin army into the fortress to ensure that he alone would rule Ninjago. Skales joined the other Serpentine in attacking the skeletons, and was knocked down by Kruncha after Nuckal distracted him with an odd dance. In the confusion, Lloyd freed the Ninja, and they escaped with the Fangblades.

The Rise of The Great Devourer
After Pythor reclaimed the Fangblades, he jumped off the Destiny's Bounty, where Skales was waiting on the lower platform of a Rattlecopter. Pythor lamented that the helicopter would never reach Ouroboros before the Ninja caught up, but Skales revealed that the Serpentine had already commandeered a tour bus for their use. When the Ninja pursued the bus, Skales was the first to notice them, prompting Pythor to ready the Serpentine for battle.

Skales personally went to ensure that the Ninja wouldn't reach the front car of the bus, confronting Cole one car back. He seemed to have the ninja trapped between himself and a group of Serpentine Soldiers, but Cole simply summoned his Tread Assault vehicle and blasted Skales out of the window with its cannon.

The Day of The Great Devourer
Pythor finally managed to unleash the Great Devourer, only to discover that he had no control over the beast when it consumed him and Sensei Wu. Fearing for their lives, the Serpentine retreated to the Fangpyre Tomb, with Skales arguing with Fangtom over whether or not he had known that this was how Pythor's plan would have turned out. Much later, the Generals heard cheering on the surface - realizing that the Devourer had been destroyed, Skales declared that the Serpentine would need a new leader.

Darkness Shall Rise
Skales gathered the Serpentine in the small cave near the ruins of the Destiny's Bounty to declare himself the new Snake King. However, Lord Garmadon arrived to entice the Serpentine to become his minions, demonstrating his power by using the Golden Weapons to restore the Destiny's Bounty as the Black Bounty. Despite Skales' protests that Garmadon wasn't even a Serpentine, the other snakes quickly flocked to join the four-armed villain, leaving Skales with only his fellow Generals.

Deciding that he needed a new approach, Skales and the other Generals hatched a plan from their temporary lair in the subway tunnels of Ninjago City - while Fangtom, Acidicus, and Skalidor robbed a bank to distract the Ninja, Skales would kidnap Lloyd for leverage against Lord Garmadon. The plan went off flawlessly, with Skales cornering Lloyd in the apartment he was using for training, but the arrival of Sensei Wu and Nya ruined the scheme. Skales was left in the local prison, swearing that the Ninja hadn't seen the last of him yet.

Ninjaball Run
The other Serpentine Generals used a Serpentine Bus to break Skales out of prison. While evading the police, he ended up driving into the middle of the annual Ninjaball Run - after some initial confusion, Skales became obsessed with winning the race, to the point of knocking Spitta off of the windshield when the Venomari Soldier was attempting to attack the Ninja's Ultra Sonic Raider. Unfortunately, the bus crashed into Ed and Edna's jalopy, the Darkley's school bus, and the Mailman's bicycle, creating a massive pile-up.

Eventually, Skales managed to get the bus out of the pile-up and drove to the finish line, where Lord Garmadon had lost the Black Bounty to Lloyd and the Ultra Dragon. Smugly noting that Garmadon was the one needing help now, Skales pulled up in the Serpentine Bus and helped the dark villain escape arrest.

Child's Play
Once again a second-in-command, Skales spent much of his time criticizing Lord Garmadon's failures against the Ninja. He continued grumbling as Garmadon led the Serpentine to the Ninjago Museum of History, where he planned to use the Mega Weapon to revive a ferocious prehistoric beast known as the Grundle. The Ninja attacked to try and stop the ritual, and Skales was forced to retreat along with the rest of the villains. He helped the other Generals snatch an ornate sarcophagus from the museum on their way out, but left it in the streets when it proved too bulky to force into a manhole that the Serpentine had escaped through,

The Stone Army
When Garmadon told the Generals about the fabled Island of Darkness, Skales scoffed at the notion, but opted to accompany Garmadon on his search, taking a Rattlecopter out to sea.

However, this was merely to set up another plot; while flying over the Endless Ocean, Skales claimed to see the island in the distance. When Lord Garmadon went to look, Skales pushed him out of the open door and into the ocean far below. The other Serpentine Generals immediately declared Skales as the new Snake King.

The Day Ninjago Stood Still
After his coronation (complete with a new golden crown), Skales ordered the Serpentine to dig under Ninjago City, planning to bury its inhabitants like they once were. While digging, the snakes found an ancient tomb filled with strange statues. As the Serpentine inspected the room, some of the Great Devourer's venom dripped from the ceiling onto the statues, instantly bringing them to life.

Skales ordered the Serpentine to attack, but the Stone Warriors proved invulnerable. Acidicus questioned if they should retreat from the losing battle, but Skales demanded that they hold their ground. However, Skales quickly realized that the door to the tomb was closing as the Stone Warriors left. Unable to reach the entrance in time, the Hypnobrai General could only scream in fury and dismay as the Serpentine were sealed underground once again.

The Curse of the Golden Master
Following the Overlord's defeat-which the Serpentine were aware of but remained underground for-Skales and his people made the tomb of the Stone Warriors their new home. Skales found himself a wife -a purple Hypnobrai-and the two had a son whom they named Skales Jr. After New Ninjago City's power was knocked out, Skales left the tomb to go grocery shopping, and returned to find the Ninja-minus Lloyd-waiting for him. Skales soon explained that the Serpentine had adopted a new way of life, seeking to care for the next generation and vowing never to return to the surface again.

Skales and his fellow Serpentine shared with the Ninja the tale of the Golden Master, a feared being of legend who would possess the power of the First Spinjitzu Master. Their cavern was then attacked by the Nindroids, but the Ninja were able to defeat them after discovering that they were powered by Electrobrai. Learning that Lloyd was in danger, the Ninja asked if Skales would join them, but the Hypnobrai refused. He did, however, inform them that he knew of only one Serpentine who utilized Electrobrai: his former master, Pythor.

Abilities and Weapons
Apart from the standard Hypnobrai ability to hypnotize others with his gaze, Skales has trained in a martial art called "Fang-Kwon-Do." The only known maneuver of this martial art involves mesmerizing the opponent with swaying body motions and delivering a jumping kick to their chin when they let their guard down. In combat, Skales appears proficient in the use of several weapons, including dual swords (used during the Slither Pit against Slithraa), the Hypnobrai Staff (his preferred weapon after becoming a General) and a Major Spear (his "default" weapon on his Ninjago.com profile).

Arguably, Skales' most dangerous weapon is his mind - he is an ambitious plotter who constantly seeks new means of getting more power or subverting a disliked leader. He is also patient, limiting his insubordination to questioning of orders and general grumbling until an opportune moment arises to make his move, and generally comes up with effective strategies against his foes, exploiting their physical and mental weaknesses. However, his arrogance can occasionally subvert his intelligence, causing him to make mistakes that lead to defeat.

Ninjago.com Description
Rank: General/Warrior

Warrior and second in command of the Hypnobrai tribe. Although maybe not for long. Masters the ancient art of Fang-kwon-do.

When he sees Slithraa fall under Lloyd’s control, Skales sees an opportunity to fulfill his own ambitions for control. Raiding villages for candy is beneath him, not to mention a complete waste of his Hypnobrai powers.

Skales sets his own cunning plans in motion. He schemes to strike at the Ninja from within and patiently waits for events to unfold in his favor.

Trivia

 * Skales is the most frequently seen Serpentine in Ninjago's first season, appearing in twelve out of thirteen episodes. He was only absent from "Snakebit."
 * Skales has an especially pronounced emphasis on the letter "s" when he speaks.
 * Before the Slither Pit battle, Skales' appearance was identical to Slithraa's current appearance, and vice versa.
 * Skales has acted as a second-in-command for three other villains: Slithraa, Pythor, and Lord Garmadon. Incidentally, he has betrayed all of them in some fashion; he usurped Slithraa as General, denied any knowledge of Pythor's goals when the Great Devourer was unleashed (albeit after Pythor himself was eaten), and pushed Lord Garmadon into the ocean to regain control of the Serpentine.
 * Aside from Pythor, Skales is the only Serpentine that is referred to by name.

Set Appearances

 * 9444 Cole's Tread Assault
 * 9446 Destiny's Bounty