(Lloyd confronts Zane in the Throne Room of the Castle of Ice.)
Lloyd: It's time we finished this, Zane, once and for all.
Ice Emperor: My name is not Zane!
Lloyd: Yes, it is! (He throws off his hood.) And you're going to remember it, if I have to knock it into your thick Nindroid skull!
Akita: You... know the Emperor!
Lloyd: He's not an Emperor. He's my friend. He's the one I'm here to rescue. It's hard to explain, but I can't let you hurt him, Akita.
Akita: (She growls and her anger helps break her hand free from the corrupted Ice.) My will is not yours to command!
Lloyd: (He grabs her arms.) Akita, no! This isn't the way! You're letting your anger control you!
Akita: Stand aside, Lloyd. Or fall with him!
Lloyd: I won't let you hurt Zane! He's my—Gah! (The Emperor smacks his staff against both of them.)
Ice Emperor: There is no Zane! (He knocks Akita down and blasts his Ice at her.)
Lloyd: No! (He does Spinjitzu, blocking the Ice.)
(Meanwhile, Kataru and Grimfax are trying to hold off Vex and the Blizzard Samurai for Lloyd. They try to run away in one direction and then the other, but find themselves surrounded on all sides.)
Vex: Well, well, well... (Grimfax and Kataru exchange glances and both choose to fight. They are able to resist the army, but not for long. The Blizzard Warriors chain Kataru up and the rest of them jump on Grimfax.) Lock this traitor in the dungeon and throw the animal in with him. The rest of you, follow me! (They storm off to the Throne Room.)
(The Ninja and Krag jump out of the Land Bounty.)
Cole: I hope P.I.X.A.L. wasn't expecting us to bring the Bounty back in one piece or anything.
Nya: (She touches Boreal.) It's Ice. It's pure ice! It's an Elemental creation!
Kai: What?
Cole: Are you sure?
Jay: The Emperor must be an Elemental Master of Ice, just like Zane! What are the odds?
Nya: Oh, no! How could I be so foolish?
Jay: What?
Nya: The Emperor. What if he's not an Ice Elemental like Zane? What if he is Zane?
(Cole, Kai, Jay, and Krag gasp.)
Cole: What?!
Kai: Zane would never hurt anyone.
Nya: Not in his normal state, no. (Boreal starts to gain consciousness.) But he was holding the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu when Aspheera blasted him into the Never-Realm!
Cole: Which Master Wu said would corrupt anyone whoever held it.
Jay: What about the time difference? How do you explain that?
Nya: I can't, but it's the only thing that adds up. Somehow, Zane is the Ice Emperor.
Kai: We gotta warn Lloyd before he g— (Boreal is fully awake and tosses the Land Bounty off him.) RUN! (They sprint off and leap out of the way as Boreal blasts his Ice out. He smacks his tail against Kai and he sails through the air.) Ahhh!! Ungh!
Nya: Kai! (She runs off to him and Boreal crawls after her.)
Jay: Nya, look out! (He blasts his Lightning at Boreal, but it has no effect.)
Cole: (He sees the Land Bounty and uses his Earth Punch.) Hunh-yah! (Krag punches the Land Bounty and Boreal leaps into the air, blasting his ice at them. They jump away.)
Nya: Kai, say something. (Boreal lands behind her and Nya sees the ice stalactites, reminding her of her lesson on mastering control over ice.)
Past Sorla: You must only remember who you are.
Nya: I am Nya, Master of Water. I am Nya, Master of Water. I am Nya, Master of Water! And you will obey! (The stalactites break off and plunge down, covering Boreal.)
Jay: Nya! You did it!
Cole: Haha! I knew you could do it! (The ice starts moving and Kai wakes up to see Boreal burst out of stalactites.)
Nya: I'm sorry. I tried.
Kai: No. (Boreal leaps out and roars. Jay fires lightning at him, but Boreal blocks it.) No. (He conjures up his Fire and his eyes glow red.) No MORE! (Boreal blasts his ice at him and Kai spreads his fire, engulfing him in it. Boreal bursts into water and disappears. Panting, Kai falls back and Nya and Jay catch him.)
Nya: Your powers, Kai! They're back!
Jay: Haha! Better late than never!
Cole: Come on! Let's get to Zane and Lloyd! (They run off to the castle.)
(Lloyd leaps away from Zane. Zane blasts his ice at him and Lloyd blocks it with his Energy, then throws it off. Akita watches as Lloyd dodges Zane's blasts.)
Lloyd: (He races around a corner and Zane pursues him. Lloyd ducks as Zane blasts ice at him and runs up a pillar, returning the ice, followed by his blows of Energy at him.) Wake up, Zane! (Zane knocks him to the ground, grabs his feet, and whips him around.)
Ice Emperor: (He blasts his ice at Zane and covers his whole body, except for his head.) Yarh! (He laughs evilly.)
Akita: Lloyd! (She throws her dagger at Zane, but he ducks and it sails past him. Zane blasts his ice at Akita, covering her.) AHHH—
Lloyd: No! Akita. Zane. Please.
Ice Emperor: I told you. There is no Zane!
Vex: Do it, Master. Finish it!
Lloyd: Zane. (Zane pauses and shakes his head in confusion.)
Vex: I'll do it. (He grabs one of the Blizzard Warrior's spears and walks toward Lloyd, gloating.) Hmm, hmm. Some savior you turned out to be. You couldn't defeat the Emperor. You couldn't protect your friends.
Ice Emperor: "Protect"?
Vex: You couldn't even protect yourself.
Ice Emperor: Protect those who cannot protect themselves. (Memories start rushing in, backtracking all the way to when he and P.I.X.A.L. took their picture under a tree. He gasps. Vex prepares to kill Lloyd, but Zane knocks his spear away.) Vex! (He rips off his mask, revealing his true voice.) Don't! (Zane knocks Vex back and looks at his scepter. He leaps up and smashes it to pieces.) Hoi-yah! (The curse of the Scroll lifts from the Never-Realm. All the Ice Fishers and the Formlings are freed from the ice. The Castle returns to normal and ice disappears off Akita, who collapses.)
Zane: (He throws off his helmet and runs up to Lloyd.) Lloyd!
Lloyd: I knew you'd remember. I knew it!
Zane: Thank you, Lloyd. (He helps Lloyd up.) Where are the others?
Vex: (He growls and charges at Zane with his spear.) Roar-rgh! (Zane sees Vex and freezes him.)
Akita: (She picks herself up to see Kataru, the rest of the Ninja, Krag, and Grimfax charge in.) Kataru!
Kataru: (He swings her up, hugging her.) Akita!
Nya: Zane!
Kai: Lloyd! (The Ninja run up to Lloyd and Zane and hug them. Krag happily watches them.)
Akita: (Narrates.) So ended, the reign of the Ice Emperor. I was reunited with my brother, Kataru. (Akita and Kataru run after each other in their animal forms.) And the King was restored to his throne.
Warriors: (Cheering.) Yeah!
Akita: (Narrates.) His people and my people were released from their curse. (Akita, Kataru, and two Warriors see to Vex's banishment.) Vex the Formless was banished from our lands. (Vex turns around, furious, and runs off.) And peace returned to the Never-Realm. (The Great Lake is seen at peace.) After many days, the time at last came when the Ninja hoped to return to their own realm. (The Ninja and Krag walk into Sorla's home where she inspects the Traveler's Tree's flowers.) But this, was not so simple.
Sorla: (Shakes her head sadly.) I have consulted the spirits of the Hearth Fire and I have learned of this Ninjago. It is far from here. The leaves of the Traveler's Tree will not have the strength to bear you home.
Cole: But I-I can get more! (Elbows Krag.) Right, Krag? (Krag nods excitedly.) You can help me up back the mountain and-and we can—
Sorla: It is no use. No amount of leaves will suffice. If we only had something more portent.
Cole: (He thinks and remembers the berry he pretended to eat. The Ninja watch him search himself.) Sorla, what about this? (He opens his hand and reveals the berry. Sorla smiles.)
Ninja: (Cheers.) Haha! Yeah!
(Back at the Monastery of Spinjitzu, Wu sadly looks at a new picture of all the Ninja and P.I.X.A.L. he took in front of the Monastery.)
P.I.X.A.L.: Master Wu, come quickly! (She leaves.)
Wu: (Drops the picture and races after P.I.X.A.L.) What is it? (He arrives to see a pink berry-shaped portal open up and the outlines of the Ninja come through.) It's them! They're back! (He and P.I.X.A.L. hug each of the Ninja.) Nya! Kai! Zane!
Zane: Master Wu! It is good to see you!
Wu: (He wipes his eyes.) You too, Zane! You too!
P.I.X.A.L.: (She runs up and jumps on Zane.) Zane!
Zane: Whoa-ah! (Laughs.)
Wu: Welcome home, all of you.
P.I.X.A.L.: Where are Cole and Lloyd? (Zane turns back to the portal and she does the same.)
(On the other side of the portal, Lloyd and Cole say goodbye to their friends they grew so close with.)
Cole: Well, so long, buddy. (Krag whimpers, begging for another hug.) Alright, bring it, buddy. Give Cole a hug. (Krag picks him up happily and squeezes him.) Whoa! Okay, okay. Take it easy! (Krag puts Cole down nicely and he walks to the portal. He waves goodbye and Sorla goes up to comfort Krag. Cole waves his final goodbye and walks through the portal.)
Lloyd: (He scratches his head.) Well, I guess this is— (Akita leans over and kisses Lloyd on the cheek. Akita smiles and Lloyd blinks several times, unsure what just happened.)
Sorla: Lloyd, you must hurry. The portal is closing. (He turns to see the portal grow smaller. On the other side, the Ninja, Wu, and P.I.X.A.L. wait anxiously.)
Lloyd: Take care of yourself.
Akita: You too. (Lloyd runs over to the portal and leaps in just as it disappears. Kataru walks up to a saddened Akita.)
Kataru: Come, little sister. I know what will cheer you up. (They transform back into their animal forms and run off together.)
Akita: As for Lloyd, my brother thinks I will never see him again. But I think he is wrong. (She reaches a cliff and howls to the sun.) "Never" is a very long time.
(End of the episode. For more information, click here.)