Kalmaar

“This world was once ours. Then they came and despoiled the Endless Sea with their lands and their foul presence. But with the power of Wojira, I can correct this wrong!”

— Kalmaar to Trimaar, "Long Live the King"

King Kalmaar
Information
Species	Merlopian
Affiliation	Merlopians Royal Family of Merlopia
Homeworld/ Homeland	Merlopia
Occupation	King of Merlopia (previously prince) Ruler of the Endless Sea
Weapon of choice	Trident Spear (briefly)
First appearance	Five Thousand Fathoms Down 71754 Water Dragon
Latest appearance	Oldies 71756 Hydro Bounty
Status	Deceased
Family	Unnamed (ancestor; deceased) Trimaar (father; deceased) Benthomaar (adoptive brother)
Voiced by	Giles Panton

King Kalmaar was the ruler of Merlopia and the Endless Sea, Trimaar's son and Benthomaar's adoptive brother. Due to his deep prejudice for those who lived on land, Kalmaar became obsessed with reawakening a sea serpent known as Wojira so he can use her powers to destroy the surface world.

As years went by, Kalmaar was still searching for Wojira until he once managed to find a sea scroll depicting the Temple of Wojira. With the help of his adopted brother, whom he used, he got to the temple, stole the Wave Amulet from his kind and began experimenting with models of the real Storm Amulet in order to reawake Wojira.

When he learned the position of the real Storm Amulet from Nya, Kalmaar killed his father and blamed it on the ninja so he could become king of Merlopia. After he became king, he went on a quest to find the Storm Amulet for his main goal. Once he did, he was able to reawaken Wojira and take control of her with his trident. However, during his assault on Ninjago City, Kalmaar was ultimately devoured by Wojira after Benthomaar destroyed his trident, which resulted in him losing control of the sea serpent.

History

Prior to Seabound

On a trip with his father

Years ago, Kalmaar and Trimaar wandered around in the Endless Sea when Kalmaar saw a shipwreck. While there, Kalmaar tried to get Trimaar to tell him more about Wojira until Trimaar saw a baby being attacked by eels. After Trimaar fought the eels off, he introduced Kalmaar to the newest member of their family, Benthomaar. As years went by, Kalmaar ignored Benthomaar whenever he tried to please him because he was looking for anything about the Sleeper in the Deep. He was studying sea scrolls when Benthomaar visited him many times and tried to help him with it.

During the time, he began to sink several ships whenever he discovered one so he could appease his hatred for humans, as his father wouldn't. This allowed Kalmaar to sink a total of 50 ships.

Kalmaar studying in his room

Eventually, Kalmaar discovered that Wojira was in a temple at the Tartarus Trench and told his father about it. Trimaar, however, forbid Kalmaar into going there due to the trench being dangerous and filled with poisonous sulphur vents. Soon, Kalmar told Gripe that he needed someone that could help him swim through the Tartarus Trench safely, so he got Benthomaar to swim through there by saying that he was sorry for not seeing that he is part of the family.

Looking at the Temple of Wojira with his brother

Once they went to the Tartarus Trench, Benthomaar and Kalmaar swam passed the vents and made it to the Temple of Wojira. After Benthomaar saved Kalmaar from an eel, Kalmaar revealed to him that he still doesn't consider him as his brother and that it was only an act, and told him to leave him be. Benthomaar sadly obeyed, and before leaving the Tartarus Trench, he said that he hopes Kalmaar gets his wish.

After finding the temple, Kalmaar later stole the Wave Amulet from the other Merlopians so he can return it to Wojira.

Between A Big Splash and Unsinkable

After returning the Wave Amulet to Wojira, he tasked Glutinous and some of the Maaray Guards to use replicas of the Storm Amulet as a replacement for it. However, instead of awaking Wojira, it created an energy pulse that caused the marine life and Nya's powers to go out of control.

Later on, he ordered a group of manta rays to sink the Hydro Bounty when the ninja were at the Tartarus Trench.

Five Thousand Fathoms Down

Kalmaar threatening Glutinous

Kalmaar continued to make futile attempts to awaken Wojira with faux amulets along with some of the Maaray Guards. Glutinous explained that he needed more time, but Kalmaar yelled at him to try again. However, it failed, causing the following energy pulse to reveal Nya and Maya's location by making the former glow. Then, Kalmaar saw Nya and Maya, and began to shoot at them by using his trident. After seeing Nya using a water blast on the Maaray Guards after he powered down Maya's APS suit, he was surprised to find out that she was a Master of Water and soon resisted the water blast. He then knocked out Nya and took her and Maya as his hostages.

The Wrath of Kalmaar

Kalmaar was listening to Nya and Maya telling each other about the Keepers and the Storm Amulet. Kalmaar introduced himself and warned them not to underestimate him. Maya greeted him politely, while Nya accused him of kidnapping them. Maya tried to diffuse the situation, acknowledging that they were trespassing in the temple. However, Nya mentioned that Kalmaar was evil. Kalmaar became offended and demanded the location of the island in exchange for sparing their lives. Despite his threat, Nya remained defiant and refused to divulge any information. Kalmaar became agitated and lost his composure, revealing his desperation to obtain the Storm Amulet. Nya refused to cooperate and dismissively called Kalmaar "Calamari". Kalmaar then threatend to shoot Nya with his trident, but was startled by Gripe, causing him to accidentally fire the top of the pole. Gripe apologized and informed Kalmaar that Trimaar wanted him at the Merlopian Palace. Kalmaar begrudgingly accepted and left the temple with Gripe.

With Gripe in the Merlopian Palace

He then arrived at the throne room, where he was greeted by Benthomaar and Trimaar. Kalmaar addresses Benthomaar as his adopted brother and expresses his pleasure at seeing him and Trimaar. Trimaar then questioned Kalmaar about rumors of another sunken surface vessel and was concern that Kalmaar was sinking ships again due to his hatred of surface-dwellers. Kalmaar lied about not being involve with the sinking. Believing the lie, Benthomaar defended Kalmaar, suggesting that sometimes ships sunk on their own. Trimaar questioned the possible explanation, pointing out that ships can't sink in the calm seas. Kalmaar suggested that the poor construction of the vessels may be to blame. Trimaar warned Kalmaar that any falsehoods would not be tolerated, and would be disappointed should he discover any deceit. Kalmaar acknowledged the warning and left the throne room, albeit with a hint of frustration. Kalmaar mentioned that Trimaar would be proud of him for the sinking ships if he had pride and dignity. Gripe raised a concern about the possibility of Kalmaar's father discovering the truth. However, Kalmaar was confident that his plan would not leave any evidence behind. He then told Gripe to make Nya and Maya tell him more about the Island of the Keepers and to get rid of them.

Long Live the King

In the Temple of Wojira, Kalmaar found out that Nya and Maya were gone when Gripe abruptly arrived and startled him once again. Gripe reported that they had escaped, but assured that he has released the Ripper Sharks to pursue them. Kalmaar expressed his frustration, as he needs Nya and Maya alive to obtain information about the Island of the Keepers. Glutinous interjected, informing Kalmaar that the Nya and Maya have been rescued by their friends and are aboard the vessel that survived Kalmaar's previous attack. Kalmaar was intrigued by the information and remarked that the ninja were more resilient than he had anticipated.

Killing his father

Kalmaar denied the allegations made by the ninja until he realized that they were talking about the sinking of the Hydro Bounty. He believed that Trimaar would've taken similar actions if he was serious about his responsibilities as King. Trimaar stressed the significance of maintaining peaceful coexistence between the sea-folk and surface-dwellers. Kalmaar expressed his desire to restore the Merlopians to their former glory by undoing the damage caused by the land inhabitants since their exsistance with Wojira's power. Trimaar opposed his resistance and asserted his authority as both Kalmaar's father and King. Nevertheless, Kalmaar remained resolute and used his trident to shoot Trimaar and two Maaray Guards. Kalmaar framed the ninja by placing his trident in front of them. He urgently called for help, lying that Trimmar had been attacked by the ninja.

Becoming the King of Merlopia

Benthomaar ran in and asked Kalmaar if Trimaar was truly injured, to which Kalmaar lied that Trimmer had been assassinated by the ninja. He proposed that they both assist in their own ways, with Benthomaar providing comfort in their father's final moments and Kalmaar fulfilling their father's last wishes by eliminating the ninja. Kalmaar commanded the guards to release the Ripper Sharks and flood the palace. Benthomaar was concerned for their father's safety, but Kalmaar reassured him that those who could only breathe air would not survive in the underwater environment. In the aftermath of Trimaar's passing, Kalmaar returned to the throne room and picked up his father's crown. However, his moment of reflection was interrupted by Gripe, who delivered news of the ninja's impending demise. In response, Kalmaar proclaimed himself King and donned the crown, also claiming his father's trident as his own. He struck the trident on the ground, causing the throne room and the other tridents to glow red. The Maaray Guards chant in unison, hailing Kalmaar as their new ruler.

Escape from Merlopia

As he takes possession of his new trident, Kalmaar striked it on the ground again, causing its glow to turn red. He expressed satisfaction with the result. Suddenly, Gripe startled Kalmaar, causing him to accidentally blast the throne. Gripe reported that the Ripper Sharks have been released as per Kalmaar's orders. Kalmaar acknowledged the news and requested that Gripe bring him the remains of the ninja. But Gripe mentioned that the ninja had vanished. As Kalmaar was confused by the news, the Maaray Guards arrived, and Kalmaar questioned them about the situation. They informed him that they were guarding the hangar bay, but Benthomaar dismissed them, claiming that Kalmaar had summoned them. Kalmaar ordered them to proceed to the hangar bay, realizing that Benthomaar was working with the ninja.

Trying to capture the ninja in Merlopia

In the hangar bay, the ninja and Benthomaar engaged in combat with the Maaray Guards as they board the Hydro Bounty. But Kalmaar arrived and ordered his men to stop them. Lloyd urged the others to escape while he stayed behind to confront Kalmaar. As the Hydro Bounty departs, Lloyd was struck by a blast from Kalmaar. The latter taunted Lloyd, warning him of the consequences of his actions. In response, Lloyd threw his sword at Kalmaar, who dodged it. Kalmaar ordered the Maaray Guards to pursue the escaping vessel, and he himself mounted his chariot. Kalmaar and the Maaray Guards pursued the ninja through the water, determined to blast them. In an attempt to thwart their escape, Gripe launched a torpedo at the Bounty. However, the missile missed its intended target and instead struck a building in Merlopia, narrowly avoiding injuring two of its inhabitants. Despite the potential danger to the sea-folk, Kalmaar urged Gripe to fire another torpedo, which he eventually did. As the ninja approached the opening tunnel, Kalmaar bid farewell to Benthomaar and commanded the guards to launch another attack. Three torpedoes were fired, with two of them being deployed by Kalmaar himself. However, the Wu Bots were deployed, causing the torpedoes to target them instead. This allowed the ninja to escape, while the Wu Bots' destruction resulted in the collapse of the tunnel, effectively halting Kalmaar and the guards' pursuit. In a fit of rage, Kalmaar let out a scream of anger.

Searching the location of the Island of the Keepers

The Storm Amulet

Kalmaar was engrossed in studying the sea scrolls when Glutinous made an entrance. The latter interrupted Kalmaar to impart information regarding the whereabouts of the Storm Amulet, stating that it was located within the storm belt. Upon scrutinizing the map, Kalmaar verified the veracity of the claim and directed the Maaray Guards to make preparations for a quest to retrieve the Storm Amulet.

Holding the fake amulet

Kalmaar, Gripe, and the Maaray Guards traveled to the Island of the Keepers and see the Hydro Bounty. When the ninja return with the fake Storm Amulet from Mammatus, the Merlopians ambushed them in the Hydro Bounty. Kalmaar addressed Benthomaar, mocking him for seeking solace among the land-dwellers. As Benthomaar implored Kalmaar not to harm his friends, Kalmaar asserted his authority and declared his intention to take what he desired. In an attempt to trick them, the ninja handed over the fake Storm Amulet to Kalmaar, who responded with a dismissive tone, knowing that it was a fake while the real amulet was at the Explorer's Club. Kalmaar mentioned his desire to harm the ninja, but instead decided to leave them alive and stranded. He proceeded to destroy the Hydro Bounty's control room, indicating that any future consequences would be their responsibility. He blamed Nya for her mistakes, which led to his discovery of the Storm Amulet. He left them to contemplate their actions until the islands and its inhabitants were destroyed by the Endless Sea. He bid farewell to Benthomaar and left the Bounty.

Riddle of the Sphinx

Threatening Clutch Powers

After the Trial By Sphinx, Kalmaar and the Maaray Guards made their entrance by breaking through a wall. Kalmaar demanded the amulet from Clutch, who instead handed over the amulet to Wu and fled in terror. Kalmaar then ordered Wu to bring him the amulet, but Wu challenged him to come and take it himself. A battle then ensued as the Merlopians fought the ninja and the Explorer's Club. Wu expressed uncertainty about Kalmaar's identity and warned him of future regret. Kalmaar declared himself as King and conqueror. Wu retaliated with a kick, prompting Kalmaar to shoot bolts at him and retrieve the Storm Amulet. Wu predicted the short-lived nature of Kalmaar's invasion and mentioned the arrival of the other ninja. However, Kalmaar shot more bolts, causing the amulet to fall out of Wu's hands. Kalmaar revealed that he had prevented the other ninja from returning and knocked Wu against a wall. The two then collide.

Papergirl

Riding a garbage truck with Kai

Kalmaar left the Explorer's Club, with the Storm Amulet at hand. Kai attempted to subdue him with a Fire blast, but Kalmaar evaded it. Wu intervened with a surprise kick, causing Kalmaar to drop the amulet. However, Kalmaar quickly recovered and dodged Cole’s hammer swing. He seized Cole's hammer and used it to launch him across. Kalmaar then turns his attention to Wu, attacking him as well. Kalmaar shot Kai with his trident, propelling him into a car, along with Ray. Kalmaar then addressed Antonia, commanding her to bring him the amulet immediately until Kai tried to hold him off. Kalmaar pursued Antonia and Nelson by jumping onto a car. However, upon realizing that the car was headed in a different direction, he promptly disembarked and leapt onto another vehicle that was traveling towards his intended targets. As the Maaray Guards cornered Antonia and Nelson at a bridge, Kalmaar demanded the return of the Storm Amulet and threatened dire consequences if his demand was not met. In a daring move, Antonia and Nelson rode off the side of the bridge to escape, so Kalmaar ordered the guards to stop them.

As Antonia and Nelson navigated their way down to the main roads, Kalmaar mentioned his disdain for Antonia before noticing a garbage truck, which he mistook for a creature similar to the manta rays. He proceeded to commandeer the vehicle. Initially attempting to drive the truck without using his hands, Kalmaar quickly realized the necessity of doing so and adjusted his approach accordingly. As he got the hang of the truck, Kalmaar chased Antonia and Nelson down, only to be confronted by Kai, who leaped onto the vehicle and kicked him. In a sarcastic tone, Kai reminded Kalmaar of their previous encounter. The two engaged in another fight, with Kalmaar attempting to kick Kai. As they continued to fight, they suddenly realize that the bridge ahead of them was opening, causing them to crash into the water. Kalmaar emerges from the ocean, snatching the amulet and brandishing his trident at Antonia. He inquired about her identity, questioning if she is a ninja, an Elemental Master, a mystic, a Oni, Serpentine, or a Vermillion. Antonia denied each question, revealing that she was merely a papergirl. Kalmaar found the realization amusing, laughing at the idea that a papergirl came the closest to stopping him. He admitted that he may have underestimated humans before leaping back into the water and leaving.

Master of the Sea

Threatening Misako

At Ninjago Harbor, Kalmaar and the Maaray Guards were preparing to retreat into the Endless Sea. Kalmaar began to imagine the fate of Ninjago City once Wojira awakens, but was interrupted by the arrival of Wu, who kicked him back. Kalmaar threatened to destroy Wu by ordering the Maaray Guards to attack, but the Merlopians remained passive. Kalmaar then directed his anger towards his guards, urging them to take action. As the Maaray Guards attacked, Kalmaar remained confident in his ability to take the Storm Amulet and attempted to show his determination to Wu, mocking him. However, Misako intervened by delivering a swift kick, causing Kalmaar to stumble and drop the amulet. Kalmaar grabbed Misako by the leg to prevent her from getting the amulet. Kalmaar prepared to shoot Misako, but Wu tried to stop him, so Kalmaar shot him instead.

Kalmaar prepared to drown Wu and the rest by binding them together with an anchor and plunging them into the depths of the Endless Sea. Inquiring about the meaning of the term "ninja" in Ninjargon, Kalmaar interrupted Wu's response with a dismissive remark. He then ordered Gripe to release the anchor, causing the ninja to plummet into the water. However, Kalmaar soon realized that the other ninja had returned as they recused Wu and the others by utilizing the Hydro Bounty. Kalmaar began to fight Nya until Benthomaar declared that Kalmaar's aspirations of awakening Wojira were over. Kalmaar attempted to persuade Benthomaar to join forces with him since they're adoptive brothers, but Benthomaar refused. Kalmaar attempted to distract Benthomaar with a blast, but Benthomaar managed to dodge it. Unfortunately, Gripe took advantage of the distraction and attacked Benthomaar from behind.

Escaping with the real amulet

Kalmaar escaped to the Endless Sea on his chariot, carrying the Storm Amulet, while being pursued by Nya on a whale. Despite Kalmaar's torpedo attack, Nya evaded it and closed in. Kalmaar then replaced the real amulet with its counterfeit and suspended it in mid-air, allowing Nya to take it while he escaped with the genuine artifact.

The Calm Before the Storm

Awakening Wojira

Returning to the Temple of Wojira, Kalmaar summoned Glutinous with a commanding tone. He revealed that he had successfully obtained the Storm Amulet, and Glutinous was eager to know how. Kalmaar explained that he had outsmarted the ninja by using their own trick against them. Urging Glutinous to hurry to the sanctum, Kalmaar stood atop of Wojira's head. With a sense of triumph, Kalmaar declared that he would finally claim the realm of Ninjago. Notwithstanding Glutinous' apprehensions, Kalmaar proceeded with his plan and inserted the Storm Amulet into the designated slot. Upon awakening, Wojira was brought under Kalmaar's control as he struck the Wave Amulet with his trident. He then issued a command for Wojira to annihilate the surface world and all its inhabitants, with Ninjago being the first target of their attack. After two days, Kalmaar and Wojira successfully arrived in Ninjago City and unleashed a tsunami that flooded the entire area. Kalmaar commanded the end of all land-dwelling beings, while relishing in the chaos caused by Wojira's deluge.

Assault on Ninjago City

Trying to kill Nya

During a confrontation atop Wojira, Kalmaar engaged with Gayle and Vinny, but was interrupted by Wu and P.I.X.A.L., who guided the two to safety aboard the Bounty. With a hint of sarcasm, Kalmaar commented on the Bounty's flying capabilities before commanding Wojira to pursue the fleeing party by striking the Wave Amulet with his trident. He continued his pursuit until he spotted the Destiny's Bounty and ordered Wojira to chase after it. During the pursuit, Kalmaar was confronted by the ninja and ordered Wojira to launch an underwater attack against them, which proved successful. Despite a warning from Kai, Kalmaar mentioned his desire to destroy Ninjago City while claiming it as his own. When Jay arrived with his sub car, Kalmaar had Wojira attack him, but Nya intervened and halted Wojira with her water powers. Kalmaar expressed bitterness toward Nya, and the two adversaries charged toward each other, with Kalmaar standing atop Wojira.

Nyad

Destroying Nya's physical form

Kalmar initiated his battle with Nya by deflecting her attacks and endeavoring to strike her with his trident. As a result, a minor shockwave was generated, which caused Nya to be pushed back. He persisted in his battle with her until he emerged victorious. Nya, however, vowed to return and leapt off of Wojira, escaping. Frustrated, Kalmaar commanded Wojira to pursue her relentlessly. Kalmaar spotted the Bounty and commanded Wojira to pursue the vessel and destroy it. Upon boarding the Bounty, Kalmaar and his guards discovered that the ship was empty and on autopilot. Frustrated by the discovery, Kalmaar struck the screen with his trident send out a search party to look for the ninja. During the search, declared his intention to find Nya, asserting his power over the realm of Ninjago as it would be claimed as his own.

At the Ninjago City Police Station, Gripe bursted through the door, startling Kalmaar by the sudden intrusion. Maintaining his composure, Kalmaar demanded an update on the search for the ninja. Gripe reported that they have yet to find any trace of the ninja, but have encountered the Police Commissioner. Kalmaar ordered Gripe to take him to the Commissioner for further questioning. Upon entering the police station, Kalmaar confronted the Commissioner and questioned about his identity, to which the latter responded as the Police Commissioner. Kalmaar was confused by the title of "Commissioner," while Gripe suggested that it could be some kind of ruler. The Commissioner explained that he asserts his duty to safeguard Ninjago City's people and property, to which Kalmaar retorted that he had failed in his responsibility. Kalmaar demanded to know where the ninja are, promising mercy in return. The Commissioner refused to divulge any information, prompting Kalmaar to repeat his inquiry. Suddenly, Wojira detected something, and Kalmaar and the Maaray Guards rushed to the roof to investigate. There, they encountered Nya, who was identifed as "the girl" by Kalmaar.

The Turn of the Tide

Fighting his brother

Kalmaar was impacted by the force of Nya's water blasts, leading him to observe that she had assimilated with the Endless Sea, akin to Nyad. He deemed Nya's act of sacrifice as imprudent and attempt to blast her. However, his attacks proved futile as they passed through her. Kalmaar stated that Nya's sacrifice would be in vain, as she lacked the ability to overcome him and Wojira. Nya responded to Kalmaar's aggression by delivering a forceful kick in retaliation. Kalmaar braced himself for Nya's next move, anticipating a final strike. However, their confrontation was abruptly halted by the arrival of the other ninja. Kalmaar activated his trident and administered an electric shock to Nya, causing her to disintegrate and appear to have been killed. Kalmaar issued an order to Wojira to eliminate the remaining ninja. Jay, grieved by Nya's alleged demise, seized Wu's staff and confronted Kalmaar in combat. Kalmaar rebuked Jay's actions as an imprudent assault, citing that his sentiments had clouded his judgment. He persisted in fighting Jay, ultimately triumphing in dislodging him from Wojira's head. In a display of contempt, Kalmaar jeered at Jay, proclaiming his frailty and imminent death.

Wojira devouring Kalmaar

Benthomaar took it upon himself to intervene and engage in combat with Kalmaar, with the unwavering resolve to safeguard his friends and repudiate Kalmaar's assertion of being his brother and King of Merlopia. Despite Kalmaar's insults regarding Benthomaar's origins, he remained steadfast in his vow to avenge their father's death. Kalmaar successfully disarmed Benthomaar and destroyed his spear, thereby demanding his submission to the King. In an act of aggression, Kalmaar forcefully kicked Benthomaar off Wojira. Benthomaar retaliated by throwing an arrow that destroyed Kalmaar's trident, resulting in the loss of his hold over Wojira and his crown. Kalmaar was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Wojira attempted to dislodge Kalmaar by forcefully hitting her head against the Ninjago City Police Station. Despite Kalmaar's subsequent efforts to regain control by commanding the destruction of the ninja, they proved unsuccessful as Wojira forcefully hurled him into the air and subsequently devoured him whole, resulting in his demise.

Other appearances

Farewell the Sea

Exactly one year after Nya's sacrifice, Kai revealed to Cole and Zane that ever since the flood, he took his anger out on Kalmaar whilst training kids how to fight against other villains and prevent outcomes such as Nya's departure. Kai also used cardboard cutouts of Kalmaar as training dummies for his students as well.

Crystastrophe

Upon realizing that someone was trying to warn him about the Overlord's return for months, Wu showed Lloyd and Nya the newspaper clippings he was given. One of which was the Great Flood, which had Kalmaar on top of Wojira.

Personality

“Just because my father is willing to share this world with an inferior and obviously lesser species, doesn't mean I am.”

“You mean, the surface-dwellers?”

“I mean any creature that's not of our royal blood.”

— Kalmaar and Benthomaar, "The Tale of Benthomaar"

Kalmaar's anger

Kalmaar was a cruel person who had little regard for anyone except himself and his goals. He was willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted, even going as far as to killing his own father to carry out his plans of awakening Wojira. Kalmaar heavily despised all beings that live on land such as humans, and while the other Merlopians were happy to coexist with them, Kalmaar did everything in his power to commit mass genocide against humanity.

Although Kalmaar claimed that the land-dwellers should be punished for "banishing" the Merlopians, it quickly becomes clear that Kalmaar's hatred is based only on his own prejudices, which he is completely unwilling to reflect upon and not out of concern for his people. This prejudice does not only extend to surface-folk, but to all who are not of the royal Merlopian bloodline by his own admission. This can be seen in the fact that Kalmaar completely ignored the fact that Wojira was also a threat to the Merlopians, showing that Kalmaar didn't care what kind of mischief he brought upon his people as long as he could satisfy his hatred. Further proof of this is when Kalmaar ordered the torpedoes to be fired at the ninja despite the risk of harming innocent civilians. This resulted in the death of several Maaray guards, but although Kalmaar noticed this, he didn't really care.

He was also quite manipulative and exploited off of others, as he used his adopted brother, Benthomaar to pass through the poisonous vents to get to the Temple of Wojira. Afterwards, he showed no gratitude for his brother's assistance and instead insulted Benthomaar by saying he will never see him as family, showing his cold-hearted nature.

Kalmaar lying to his brother

While he was very arrogant, Kalmaar did not underestimate his enemies when they actually posed a threat to him. He also developed some degree of respect towards Antonia for being a "mere papergirl" who was able to keep the Storm Amulet away from him the longest. Ultimately, however, it is clear that there is no real respect in these words, as Kalmaar continued to see land-dwellers as inferior compared to sea folk. His arrogance added to his short temper, as he was not tolerant of failure and would become incredibly angry if things did not go his way.

Kalmaar was shown to be very intelligent and seemed to have a knack for learning new things, specifically over the legends of Wojira. Despite this, Kalmaar did not seem to understand sarcasm, as shown when he exchanged remarks with Kai in a truck while fighting him.

Appearance

Kalmaar during his youth

Kalmaar has purple skin with a pink tinge. He has small tentacles around his mouth that resemble a short mustache. From the sides of his head, two skin formations emerge at the top, with five growths connected by translucent blue membranes. The same formation is also on the back of his head. He has fairly large green eyes with yellow irises and black reptilian pupils. In the sets, however, his eyes are blue with pink irises and blue pupils. He has a number of small sharp teeth in his mouth. His chest and abdomen are bright blue with marked abdominal muscles and he has five tentacles instead of legs. He wears an unbuttoned purple vest with pale pink and blue trim and two chest pockets. He also has a gold belt around his waist with several gold chains topped by a sharp formation. He has the same chains on his chest, as well as gold gloves. As king, he wore the golden crown of the King of Merlopia on his head.

When he was young, his formations on his head were slightly smaller, as were the tentacles on his face. He did not have chains on his body at the time, although he had the same belt. The shirt he wore was fastened with a gold buckle and had sleeves with the same hem as the shirt he later rebuilt on his vest as he grew up. He also didn't have gloves.

Weapons and abilities

Abilities

• Merlopian physiology: Kalmaar was a Merlopian, an ancient sea folks who live in the Endless Sea. He could breathe underwater and on land. Being a Merlopian Royal, Kalmaar had tentacles which he could use as legs or as additional arms.
  • Tentacles: Kalmaar had physically capable tentacles able to destroy Benthomaar's spear. He was also able to easily disarm his opponent using his tentacles as they act as a secondary pair of arms.
    • Suction cups: Kalmaar had suction cups on his tentacles that allowed him to stick onto walls and physical surfaces.
  • Amphibious survival: Kalmaar was able to survive on both land and on water.
• Manta ray calling: By producing a sound using his mouth, he was able to call over manta rays.
• Hand-to-hand combat: Kalmaar was able to perform hand-to-hand combat very well. He was able to hold against several of the ninja and defeat his adopted brother.
• Intelligence: Kalmaar was very intelligent, with his father even referring to him as "[Kalmaar] the Scholar." He manipulated people to do his bidding and was able to trick Nya into taking the fake Storm Amulet.

Weapons

• Trident: Kalmaar owned a powerful trident that was able to shoot powerful electrical bolts capable of murdering someone or injuring them. It was used it to control and command Wojira to do his bidding, until it was broken by his brother Benthomaar.

Vehicles

Carriages

• Kalmaar's chariot
  • Kalmaar rode it after he became king.
  • It first appeared in "Escape from Merlopia."

Creatures

• Manta rays
  • Like all Merlopians, Kalmaar rode on top of manta rays to travel across the Endless Sea.
  • They first appeared in "Unsinkable."
• Wojira
  • Due to his hatred of humans and other inhabitants of the land, Kalmaar sought to awaken Wojira so he could use her to destroy Ninjago and the rest of the surface world.
  • She first appeared in "The Keepers of the Amulet," albeit pictured.

Relationships

Main article: Kalmaar's relationships

Family Trimaar (father) Benthomaar (adoptive brother) Allies Merlopians Wojira (formerly) Manta rays Ripper Sharks Pythor (non-canon) The Mechanic (non-canon)

Enemies Ninja Kai and Nya's family Wu Misako Ninjago Police Eels Explorer's Club Antonia Nelson

Official descriptions

Prince Kalmaar's Plan!

This deep sea prince from the kingdom of Merlopia is bent on flooding all dry land so he could rule it all. With his scientist Glutinous and his gang of eels, stingrays and sharks, he wants to awaken the legendary sea serpent Wojira to create his ocean world!

Sinister Squid

This slippery crook is not to be trifled with! Prince Kalmaar is the chief villain of the underwater kingdom of Merlopia and with each of his eight tentacles he has committed at least one evil deed!

Appearances

Sets

• 71754 Water Dragon
• 71755 Temple of the Endless Sea
• 71756 Hydro Bounty

Ninjago

Season 14: Seabound

• 168. "Five Thousand Fathoms Down"
• 169. "The Wrath of Kalmaar"
• 170. "Long Live the King"
• 171. "Escape from Merlopia"
• 172. "The Tale of Benthomaar" (flashback)
• 173. "The Storm Amulet"
• 174. "Riddle of the Sphinx"
• 175. "Papergirl"
• 176. "Master of the Sea"
• 177. "The Calm Before the Storm"
• 178. "Assault on Ninjago City"
• 179. "Nyad"
• 180. "The Turn of the Tide"

Season 15: Crystalized

• 181. "Farewell the Sea" (pictured)
• 199. "Crystastrophe" (pictured)

Ninjago NXT

• 2. "Oldies"

Ninjago Magazine

• 79. Shore Chaos
• 82. In the Belly of the Whale
• 83. 4 Feet High and Rising (visualized)
• 84. Here Comes the Flood!

Video games

• Abyss (non-canon)
• LEGO Brawls (non-canon)

Etymology

In some languages, "kalmar" means squid. His name could also be a play on the word calamari, which is a type of squid dish. Nya also refers to Kalmaar as "Calamari." The suffix "maar" comes from the Latin word root "mar," meaning "the collection of organisms at the bottom of a body of water" and "ocean or pool" respectively. However, in-universe, the suffix "maar" means "sea."

He is named after Tommy Kalmar, one of the crew members in charge of the franchise.

His name is also possibly inspired by the Kalmar union (A union of Sweden, Denmark and Norway during the 15th and early 16th centuries).

Behind the scenes

• According to Bragi Schut, Kalmaar is one of Ninjago's worst villains.
  • He also replied that Kalmaar will be tough to top for future Ninjago villains.
• According to Tommy Andreasen, Kalmaar is his favorite WildBrain villain. He also noted that his motivation is basically racism.
• Giles Panton, his voice actor, considers Kalmaar one of his "mains."
• His name is similar to that of Kalmah, one of the Barraki warlords from BIONICLE.
  • Interestingly, both characters are antagonists in their respective lines' ocean-themed storylines and have squid characteristics (Kalmaar is a humanoid squid; Kalmah had tentacles and used squid as weapons).
• His face resembles that of Gill-Man's from The Creature from the Black Lagoon.
• He is similar to the Squid Warrior from LEGO Atlantis, as they are both based on squid, have tentacles instead of legs, have mustache in the form of the tentacles, live underwater and use a trident as a weapon.
• He is also similar to Pythor in several respects.
  • Both are purple non-human villains without legs and with a new head mould designed just for them.
  • Both first appear in the fourth episode of the season where they serve as the main antagonist.
  • Both speak with a British accent.
  • Both committed murder of at least three members of their own kind.
  • Both have eyes of a different color on the physical minifigure than in the show.
  • They both wish to awaken a giant serpent: Wojira and the Great Devourer respectively.
    • Coincidentally, both were devoured by the ones who they wished to re-awaken. However, while Pythor survived albeit with his completely bleached scales, Kalmaar didn't survive. Also, Pythor awakened the Great Devourer in the penultimate episode, whereas Kalmaar awakened Wojira earlier.
      • Pythor was also devoured by the Great Devourer almost immediately after awakening it, while Kalmaar managed to control Wojira for longer.
• Kalmaar shares similarities with Ocean Master from DC Comics:
  • Both are born of royalty to an underwater Kingdom.
  • Both took control of their kingdoms after their father's deaths and declared war on the surface world.
• He is similar to Aspheera, as both were able to overthrow a person of a higher rank (Trimaar and Mambo V).
• He is also similar to Vangelis:
  • They served as the evil member of their families.
    • Both families also have a good member (Benthomaar and Vania), who helped the ninja and learn the truth of the evil family member.
  • They brought back a creature that was known for terrorizing people: Wojira and Grief-Bringer.
  • They tricked their own guards by telling tell them that the ninja were the enemies: the Maaray Guards and the Army of Shintaro
  • They both also have backstory about working together with some of the ninja's allies (Benthomaar and the Upply) to find something important (the Temple of Wojira and the Skull of Hazza D'ur), but later betray them after they found it.
  • They seek glory for their kind, despite lying to them: the Merlopians and the Sky Folk.
• While he has yellow-green eyes in the show, in the sets they are blue-pink. He also has gold armor in the sets which Trimaar has in the show instead.
  • According to Michael Knap the reason for this is that "we did not have the option to make the eyes yellow and the TV show need more detail."
  • His father, King Trimaar, has similar eyes in the show as Kalmaar in the sets.
  • Because of this, his headpiece is technically more accurate to Trimaar than it is to him.
• Like Wojira, Kalmaar has several teal spots on his face on his minifigure that did not appear in the show.
• His minifigure's blue sections are more teal rather than in-show cyan.

Trivia

• He is the second prince to appear in Ninjago, the first being Nadakhan.
• He is fourth main antagonist that doesn't appear in the first episode of their season, the first three being Pythor, the Preeminent, and Vangelis.
• He can be considered to be Krux's opposite for several reasons.
  • While he and Krux are villains who are older brothers, Krux and Acronix are biological brothers. Krux genuinely loves Acronix unconditionally despite hating his brother's new quirk of loving technology and willing made compromises as long as it helps them with their plan to rule Ninjago together. Kalmaar and Bethomaar are adoptive brothers who hate each other, mainly because Kalmaar's racism towards any non-Merlopian prevented him from accepting Benthomaar as his own family and willing to kill everyone in Ninjago which causes the latter to disown him.
  • Krux never considers betraying Acronix and is very protective of him to the point of ditching one fight to help him win another and waiting decades for him to return. Kalmaar makes it clear he never saw him as his brother especially after he sided with the Ninja and isn't afraid of attempting to murder him.
• He is the first character to kill a sapient character onscreen in a WildBrain episode.
• He is the first character to commit parricide (killing of a parent), as well as the first to commit regicide (killing of a king) onscreen.
• Kalmaar is the third character who speaks with a British accent. The first is Pythor and the second is Killow.
• He is the tenth known king in Ninjago, the first nine being Pythor, Skales, Khanjikhan, Nadakhan (in an alternate timeline), Mambo V, Grimfax, Atta the Ratta, Vangelis and Trimaar.
• He is the third child of a monarch that is shown to succeed their parent, the first being Nadakhan (in an alternate timeline) and the second being Vania.
• He knows of Oni, Serpentine, and Vermillion.
• He knows how to drive, albeit poorly.
  • The reason for this was because he believed that the vehicles in Ninjago were creatures ridden by people for transportation, similar to the manta rays.
• He has received several nicknames from the ninja, like "Calamari" from Nya and "Tentacles" from Kai.
• Kalmaar's voice actor, Giles Panton, often replies to people on Twitter with mini-videos talking in the voice of Kalmaar.
• Kalmaar is the only main antagonist in the WildBrain era to appear in every episode of their season from their debut onwards.
• According to Giles Panton:
  • "Kalmaar is the handsomest, strongest, and most intelligent of all the Merlopians."
  • Kalmaar would consider Pythor insignificant.
  • The only human food that Kalmaar likes is pizza.
  • If Kalmaar met Clay Moorington from Nexo Knights, a great battle would ensue.
• Kalmaar is one of the seven main antagonists not currently known to be alive, the other six being Chen, Morro, the Preeminent, the Time Twins, and the Omega.
• He is the fourth most frequently appearing main villain in a single wave, as he was released in up to three sets with exactly the same appearance. The first three are Garmadon, Vex and Unagami.
• According to Tommy Andreasen, there is no information about his mother.
• During his death, Kalmaar still thought he had killed Nya, as she did not return until after Wojira devoured him.
• Despite that in Kalmaar's description in Mech vs Monster! it is written that "with each of his eight tentacles he has committed at least one evil deed," in fact he has only five tentacles.
• Kalmaar's Polish voice actor, Krzysztof Prałat also voices Chen.
• Kalmaar is the last main antagonist introduced in the original Ninjago TV series, due to the inclusion of returning villains from past seasons in Crystalized.
• Kalmaar makes an appearance in the Ninjago NXT mini-movie "Oldies", even if he died in his debut season.

Gallery

Main article: Kalmaar/Gallery

Translations

Language	Name
Ukrainian	Калмаар