The Invitation

The Invitation is the first episode in the fourth season of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu.

Plot
A group of Nindroids patrol a jungle, unaware that Lloyd is watching them from behind some flowers. Suddenly, the Green Ninja takes action, defeating the robots one by one. He then enters a cave and dodges some lasers, before using his Spinjitzu to destroy some more Nindroids. Lloyd hangs a rope by his ribs, and travels down to Borg Industries, attempting to obtain armor. It is revealed to be a test to which Wu complains that he requested all the Ninja, not just Lloyd. The Ninja of Creation attempts to explain the situation, though Borg understands that Zane's death affected all of them, revealing that he hasn't heard from P.I.X.A.L. since the memorial. Lloyd then decides to get the team back.

Jay now hosts his own T.V. show to find a new hero for Ninjago. He introduces the player as Cathy, a returning contestant and asks why she came back after losing last time she competed. She states that a Ninja never quit and starts jumping through obstacles. However, she fails but is proud to have gotten farther than the previous  time. The game is over; Jay goes to his dressing room. Unbeknownst to the Master of Lightning, Lloyd appears. He tells Jay to visit Wu and consider rejoining the team. Jay declines, due to his hatred against Cole for Nya's feelings towards him and Lloyd disappears, while telling him to visit him if he changes his mind.

Cole is shown to have become a lumberjack. Out of nowhere, the Green Ninja appears again. Lloyd tries to convince Cole to get on the team, but Cole refuses, being sick of fighting, Serpentine, Nindroids and Jay. Meanwhile, a huge chunk of wood rolls towards the people of Ninjago, so Cole makes rocks to stop it. Lloyd leaves, also telling Cole to visit him if he changes his mind.

Kai is now wrestling in underground slither pits as the Red Shogun and defeats Kruncha before taking a break. As he sips some juice, Lloyd arrives and asks Kai to return. Like his friends, Kai says refuses, saying Lloyd doesn't need a team and wishing it was him who gave his life instead of Zane. Lloyd reminds him he always wants to be the one, using his obsession of becoming the Green Ninja as an example before telling him to think about someone other than himself. Lloyd goes away telling Kai the same thing he did to his other teammates.

Kai goes to the park to see the statue of the Titanium Ninja (now covered in moss and bird dookie) as well as the Falcon before deciding to take up Lloyd's offer. However, Kai isn't the only one to meet the Green Ninja at Chen's Noodle place, as Jay and Cole had also been convinced to meet Lloyd there too. The Master of Fire reaches for sushi but Lloyd stops him, telling him to explain his plan first. Lloyd informs the Ninja his new plan: hiring a new Ninja. The others completely dislike the idea, saying Zane is not replaceable. They quickly get interrupted by a thug and his accomplices robbing the register. Fighting the thugs and easily defeating them, Lloyd asks how they could walk away from this kind of action. The gang immediately run out the back, where the Ninja follow only to see the three have disappeared. The foursome soon see a drawn picture of Zane attached to a shrine. They also see a plate of fortune cookies, each with an invitation to a Tournament of Elements hosted by Master Chen, the owner of the Noodle House. They're surprised to see the invites saying that Zane is alive and will be freed if they participate and win. They decide to accept and avoid telling anybody due to the invite's recommendations.

At Garmadon's Monastery, The former lord sees blueprints for the Destiny's Bounty and questions Nya if she plans to rebuilt the ship. She says yes and asks him to see if Lloyd wants to join in. In his room, the green Ninja finishes packing and comes close to taking his weapons when his father comes in and asks him where he's going. Lloyd lies and tells him that he and the others are going fishing to strengthen them and questions if there are other elemental masters, which Garmadon becomes suspicious of. Lloyd tells him to ignore the question and leaves; Garmadon soon sees that Lloyd left his fishing poles behind and upon seeing a takeout box of Chen's Noodle House, he realizes that Lloyd had lied to him.

At the docks, the Ninja see the other elemental masters while realizing their suits give them away. Lloyd soon approaches and explains what happened with his father. A ferry soon arrives, and everyone begins boarding when a woman in orange looks back at Kai, causing him to ignore everything Lloyd says. A man soon stops the Ninja, telling them that as masters of Spinjitzu, they'll have a favorable advantage before throwing Jay's nunchucks into the sea. They soon begin boarding the ship when Garmadon comes and tries to stop them, warning them that Master Chen is a dangerous man. Lloyd retorts by saying that they have to find Zane. Against the better judgement of Clouse, Chen's ex-second-in-command, Garmadon accompanies the Ninja on board, where they meet the other Elemental Masters.

On deck, Lloyd questions Garmadon about his knowing Clouse while Kai questions him about the other elements. Garmadon explains that they were led to believe they were special, yet never question where or how the got their powers. He then states everyone on board is a descendant of an original elemental master, guardians to the First Spinjitzu Master. Kai then realizes the same thing goes for Nya, though he states she can't do what he can; Garmadon only says power can be awoken when needed most. He goes on, saying the fighters serve no master, yet unlocked their true potentials. He uses a pale stranger turning himself invisible with the power of Light as one example, then uses Griffin Turner, master of Speed as another. Kai question him about the hooded woman, though Garmadon says he doesn't recognize everyone; he then warns the Ninja they will gun for them as they fight with honor, which means nothing where they're going. The woman is soon being pulled by a brute wearing gauntlets, annoying Kai to take action. The brute, introducing himself as Karlof, states he only wants her cloak, though Kai begins to insult him and his gauntlets. Despite the woman and Garmadon telling him to ease up, Kai continues insulting Karlof until he punches the red Ninja across the deck. Jay, Cole and Lloyd attempt to intervene, but Garmadon tells them Kai needs to be the one to end what he started. The red Ninja soon gets back on his feet and starts shooting fireballs at Karlof: however, he blocks them all with his gauntlets while also revealing his element: Metal. The two brawl all over the ship until Karlof pins Kai down; just before he finishes it, Clouse calls them off. The woman apologizes to Kai and helps him up; unbeknownst to him, a strange energy flows from his arm and into hers.

Clouse announces that they've reached Chen's island, then calls Chen, telling him that Garmadon has returned. Garmadon states he swore to never return and while the Ninja wonder where they will find Zane, Chen checks up on the newly-revealed Titanium Ninja being kept under lock and key. As Chen says he holds all the cards, Zane is shown awakening in his cell.

Cast

 * Lloyd - Jillian Michaels
 * Kai - Vincent Tong
 * Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
 * Cole - Kirby Morrow
 * Nya - Kelly Metzger
 * Sensei Wu - Paul Dobson
 * Sensei Garmadon - Mark Oliver
 * Clouse - Scott McNeil
 * Karlof - Scott McNeil
 * Master Chen - Ian James Corlett
 * Cyrus Borg - Lee Tockar
 * Skylor - Heather Doerksen
 * Turner - Doron Bell Jr.
 * Serpentine Announcer - Paul Dobson
 * Cathy - Jillian Michaels
 * Nuckal - Brian Drummond
 * Kruncha - Brian Drummond
 * Thug - Vincent Tong
 * Moglar - Kirby Morrow
 * Lumberjack - Michael Adamthwaite

Errors

 * In one shot when the Ninja were waiting for Chen's ferry to arrive, Kai spoke with Jay's voice.

Trivia

 * Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer have released twelve known pieces of music used in season 4 of Ninjago. Of the twelve tracks, seven of them are from this episode, One is from Only One Can Remain, another from Ninja Roll, and three are from The Corridor of Elders.
 * This is the first episode where the Serpentine are living peacefully in Ninjago alongside its human inhabitants.
 * The Anacondrai Cultists are the first major Ninjago antagonists to be humans. Previously, the ninja have fought skeletons, Serpentine, the Stone Army and the Nindroids, and in the following season they fight ghosts. The only other human antagonists in the series were the pirates, Lloyd Garmadon (who was briefly an antagonist), and Lord Garmadon, who was corrupted.
 * Garmadon is the first Sensei who has a new outfit in the series. Sensei Wu has had on the same outfit for the entire series up to Winds of Change.
 * This is the second Ninjago episode where Zane does not have a speaking role, with first being Way of the Ninja, although he does have a brief cameo at the end in both episodes.
 * Garmadon reveals there are other elemental warriors besides the Ninja, all of which inherited their powers from the bodyguards of the First Spinjitzu Master, with newly revealed elements being: Smoke, Light, Gravity, Nature, Mind, Metal, Form, Sound, Speed, Amber, and Poison.
 * He also states and implies that Nya has an elemental power that can be unlocked.
 * Skylor is introduced, as is Titanium Zane.
 * This is the first appearance of the Anacondrai Cultists.
 * The episode's airdate was a constant debate until it finally aired on February 23, 2015.

Goofs

 * An animation overlook results in Kruncha and Nuckal's voices being switched.
 * In some scenes, Jay and Griffin Turner's hair is orange instead of brown.