Season 9: Hunted

Season 9 of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, subtitled Hunted, is the currently airing season; it is preceded by Season 8 and begins a week after its events. Master Wu is the mascot character, while there is no focus character. Iron Baron and Lord Garmadon serve as the main antagonists and the Dragon Hunters and Sons of Garmadon are the season's villainous factions.

Following the supposed demise of Wu and the original Ninja, Lloyd and Nya resist Lord Garmadon's tyrannical control of Ninjago City. The original Ninja are stranded in the Realm of Oni and Dragons, where they must save the Dragons from the barbaric Dragon Hunters. The season started airing in Australia in late June 2018, with the sets being released on July 2 in Australia. It will air in the United States on August 11, 2018.

Official Description
''While Lloyd and Nya resist Emperor Garmadon's oppressive hold on Ninjago City, Young Wu and the rest of the Ninja are stranded in a barbaric realm where fierce dragons are being hunted down by Iron Baron and his gang of Dragon Hunters. Lloyd must endure in NINJAGO City, the others need to find the fabled Dragon Armor if they ever hope to get back home to stop Emperor Garmadon once and for all.''

Marooned Ninja

 * Cole - Kirby Morrow
 * Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
 * Kai - Vincent Tong
 * Wu - Madyx Whiteway as a child, Paul Dobson as a teen and old man
 * Zane - Brent Miller

The Resistance

 * Dareth - Alan Marriott
 * Griffin Turner - Doron Bell Jr.
 * Karlof - Scott McNeil
 * Lloyd Garmadon - Sam Vincent
 * Misako - Kathleen Barr
 * Mistaké - Tabitha St. Germain
 * Neuro - Paul Dobson
 * Nya - Kelly Metzger
 * Paleman - Kirby Morrow
 * P.I.X.A.L. - Jennifer Hayward
 * Police Commissioner - Michael Donovan
 * Shade - Andrew Francis
 * Skylor - Heather Doerksen
 * Tox - Ian James Corlett
 * Ronin - Brian Dobson

Sons of Garmadon

 * Chopper Maroon - Sam Vincent
 * Garmadon - Mark Oliver in the present, Kai Emmett as a child
 * Harumi - Britt McKillip
 * Killow - Garry Chalk
 * Luke Cunningham - Michael Adamthwaite
 * Mohawk - Vincent Tong
 * Mr. E - Brent Miller
 * Ultra Violet - Maggie Blue O'Hara

Dragon Hunters

 * Arkade - Michael Donovan
 * Chew Toy - Scott McNeil
 * Daddy No Legs - Ian James Corlett
 * Faith/Heavy Metal - Kathleen Barr
 * Iron Baron - Brian Drummond
 * Jet Jack - Rhona Rees
 * Muzzle - Brent Miller
 * Skullbreaker - Michael Adamthwaite

Colossus, the giant rock titan built by Garmadon at the end of Season 8, returns.

Various unnamed Sons of Garmadon gang members and Dragon Hunters appear throughout the season. Rufus MacAllister also makes a cameo in "Radio Free Ninjago."

Sets
The banner on the Season 9 sets has the usual Ninjago logo in white next to young Wu wearing the Dragon Armor with a shadow of a Dragon behind him.

Flyers
 * 70644 Golden Dragon Master
 * 70645 Cole - Dragon Master
 * 70646 Jay - Dragon Master
 * 70647 Kai - Dragon Master
 * 70648 Zane - Dragon Master

Other Sets
 * 70650 Destiny's Wing
 * 70651 Throne Room Showdown
 * 70652 Stormbringer
 * 70653 Firstbourne
 * 70654 Dieselnaut
 * 70655 The Dragon Pit
 * 70658 Oni Titan

Spoiler Notes

 * Mr. E doesn't appear in the intro alongside Harumi, Ultra Violet, and Killow, foreshadowing his demise early in the season.
 * Instead, Ultra Violet appears to be wearing the Oni Mask of Vengeance in the intro, despite that never happening in the show.
 * According to Dan and Kevin Hageman, the Ultra Dragon was killed by the Dragon Hunters, and their skeletal remains have been made into Iron Baron's throne.
 * Most of the Elemental Masters from season four return in this season, including Karlof, Griffin Turner, Shade, Neuro, Skylor, Tox, and Paleman. They act on their promise from season four of helping the Ninja by joining the Resistance.
 * Several Elemental Masters, including Jacob Pevsner, Gravis, Ash, Chamille, and Bolobo, do not appear in this season. Bolobo is arrested, and Chamille presumably being a villain. The others are unknown.
 * This is the second season to not feature "The Weekend Whip" as the intro theme.
 * For April Fools day, Tommy Andreasen posted a status on Twitter with three events from Season 9, two of which are real and one of which is fake. The three events stated that the Ninja will speak the language of the dragons, that Dareth will unlock his true power, and that there would be a talking rat. Additionally, The Hagemen brothers hinted that if Dareth didn't get a power, he would get a pet Dragon.
 * A post from the Official Ninjago Facebook account included text in the Alphabet of Ninjago that translates to: "Dareth with the power of. . . ." hinting Dareth's powers.
 * Dareth temporarily gets an Elemental Power of "brown" from drinking one of Mistaké's teas.
 * Mistaké talks to Lloyd as a rat in "The Gilded Path."
 * By process of elimination, this means that the Ninja do not learn the language of the dragons
 * Tommy Andreasen had stated in an interview with Brent Miller that someone will die this season. The identity of this character was not stated. Later, in "Iron & Stone" these characters were revealed to be Mr. E and The Ultra Dragon. In "Saving Faith," Harumi died, and Mistaké was killed off-screen by Garmadon.
 * According to the Hageman Brothers on Twitter, Season 9's theme is "independence."
 * Jay seems to be the calmest Ninja even though he is usually the one who freaks out.
 * This lasted for two episodes, then he was back to normal.
 * In "Iron & Stone," Skylor revealed that her powers came back.
 * By the end of the season, Garmadon is still in his evil form and has not been changed back.
 * He’s locked up in Kryptarium Prison.

Antagonists

 * Iron Baron and Lord Garmadon served as the main antagonists of the First Realm and Ninjago.
 * Heavy Metal and Harumi served as the secondary antagonists of the First Realm and Ninjago. After Heavy Metal's redemption, Harumi became the sole secondary antagonist.
 * Other major antagonists include Ultra Violet, Killow, Jet Jack and Daddy No Legs.
 * Mr. E serves as a minor antagonist due to the fact that he was killed by Garmadon for failing to capture Lloyd.
 * The Dragon Hunters and the Sons of Garmadon serve as the villainous factions of the First Realm and Ninjago respectfully.