Stone Army

''This article is about the faction. For the episode, see The Stone Army (Episode).''

The Stone Army is a group of antagonists in Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. They first appear a few episodes into Season 2, and become the primary enemy faction for the rest of the series.

Beginnings
The Stone Army is far older than the Ninja or even the Serpentine, hailing from the time when The Overlord and the First Spinjitzu Master battled for control of Ninjago. In order to turn the tide in his favor, the Overlord created the Stone Army from dark materials hidden deep underground, giving them indestructibility and unwavering loyalty to his evil will. Commanded by energies within the Overlord's helmet, the new army threatened to overwhelm the First Spinjitzu Master, forcing him to split Ninjago in two, with the Overlord and his forces trapped on what would become known as the Island of Darkness. Some members of the Stone Army remained on Ninjago - apparently imprisoned by the ancient tribes - but they eventually fell into dormancy, awaiting their master's command once more. (The Stone Army)

The Stone Army
A Giant Stone Warrior was unearthed by Misako, and it was put on display in the Ninjago Museum of History. Unfortunately, the venom of the Great Devourer reanimated the exhibit; first the bobblehead merchandise, and then the Warrior itself. No less indestructible than when it was first created, it proved impossible for the Ninja to defeat, until Lloyd tricked it into falling down the massive sinkhole it had been excavated from.

The Day Ninjago Stood Still
While burrowing under Ninjago City in an attempt to bury it, the Serpentine came across a tomb containing a large portion of the Stone Army. The statues were brought to life once more when the Devourer's venom dripped onto their bodies, and they quickly overwhelmed the Serpentine forces before leaving the tomb, trapping the snakes underground. The Stone Army proceeded to wreak havoc on Ninjago City, forcing everyone to evacuate in the Destiny's Bounty; although the dark warriors nearly destroyed the ship's boosters, their victims managed to escape.

The Last Voyage
The Stone Army soldiers left in Ninjago City were eventually called back to the Island of Darkness by Lord Garmadon, who had allied himself with the Overlord and taken the Helmet of Shadows for his own, giving him command over the Stone Army. The army was then put to work mining the island for Dark Matter and constructing an ultimate weapon for the final battle. While working, a small party of Stone Warriors noticed Zane's Falcon flying over the island and disabled it with a shuriken.

Island of Darkness
The Stone Army continued working on the weapon, showing samples of Dark Matter to Lord Garmadon, when the Overlord sensed the Ninja's arrival. Bent on preventing his foes from interrupting his plans, Garmadon deployed a portion of his army around the island in search of the Ninja. Some of the Stone Warriors stayed in Garmadon's camp to study the Falcon, and were thus surprised when Zane arrived to retrieve it. The other Ninja also arrived, and the Stone Army narrowly failed to capture them as they made their escape.

General Cosu led a group of his fellow warriors in pursuit of the Ninja's new Power Drill as the latter headed for the Temple of Light. They continued to chase the Ninja up the mountain, but were hindered when Kai used his Fire Robot to attack them. By the time they penetrated the Temple interior, the Ninja had gained new powers, and the Stone Army finally suffered a defeat. General Cosu led the withdrawal as Lloyd used his Ultimate Spinjitzu Master techniques to create a massive golden dragon over the temple.

The Last Hope
Despite the new setback, the Stone Army continued working on their master's ultimate weapon, with some manning various vehicles around the camp perimeter in case the Ninja tried an attack. When the Overlord questioned Lord Garmadon's resolve, the latter attempted to prove his evil by barking orders at some nearby Stone Warriors, causing them to bump into each other in a panic.

Disguised as members of the Stone Army, the Ninja infiltrated the camp with Misako as an apparent prisoner. They ended up working with the Stone Warriors for a time until Cole blew their cover, and fought their way out when Misako managed to steal the Helmet of Shadows. When Nya showed up with the Power Drill to help the Ninja's getaway, the Stone Army pursued in their vehicles, but eventually broke off the chase to let Garmadon attack the Ninja with his new mecha. When Lloyd destroyed the robot, the Stone Army advanced, only for the Ninja to escape again. They caught up with the Ninja at the Celestial Clock, and managed to stall their foes until the countdown to the final battle ended. As the Ninja fell from the mountain, the Stone Army captured Nya.

Characteristics
The Stone Army appear as black-skinned soldiers with black and red armor and glowing green eyes. Their faces are heavily lined and their teeth are sharp fangs, adding to their inhuman appearance. Stronger members wear more elaborate armor resembling that of Samurai X.

Members of the Stone Army are indestructible, due to being made from a dark ore mined in the Island of Darkness. They are fairly skilled warriors and pilots, possessing a number of vehicles and machines to use against their foes. Additionally, they speak exclusively in a strange, presumably ancient, language consisting mainly of grunts, roars, and yells. As a result, Lord Garmadon relies on General Cosu to translate their words - however, they appear to understand modern Ninjago speech without their General needing to translate.

The Stone Army is extremely dangerous, but the full elemental power of the Ninja proves enough to defeat them. They can also be hindered by falls or obstacles, although their great strength and limitless stamina makes these temporary defences at best. Most pertinently, they are bound to serve whoever wears the Helmet of Shadows; if the helmet changes hands, so does the army's allegiance.