Lord Garmadon is the Master of Destruction, as well as the ninja's archenemy-turned-ally and former mentor. He is the First Spinjitzu Master's firstborn son, Wu's older brother, Misako's husband, and Lloyd's father. Garmadon grew up learning the art of the ninja alongside his brother. As a child, Garmadon was bitten by the Great Devourer, a serpent corrupted by The Overlord to infect the boy with evil in order for the dark lord to regain a worthy vessel for his return. The effects of the Devourer's venom would lead Garmadon down a darker path through which he would be continually tempted during his time as one of Ninjago's heroes. Around the time of the Serpentine War, Chen had Garmadon sign Wu's love letter for Misako, leading her to choose Garmadon. He and Misako had a son and named him Lloyd, whom he deeply cared for despite his corrupted soul. Ultimately, he lost himself to the venom's influence and became an evil warlord, banished to the Underworld after a climactic battle with Wu.
After allying with the Skulkin and Serpentine to claim the Golden Weapons, Garmadon later joined The Overlord—only to be used as a vessel for his return. After Lloyd defeated The Overlord, Garmadon was purified of evil and reunited with his family, hoping to atone for his misdeeds.
Garmadon became Master Garmadon, and during the Nindroid crisis, he grew closer to his son. After Zane sacrificed himself to defeat The Overlord a second time, Garmadon and the ninja journeyed to an island to rescue Zane. There, they were caught up in a conflict with Garmadon's old mentor, Master Chen, and his cult. Garmadon was banished to the Cursed Realm in a bid to defeat Chen's army. Later, during the ghosts' invasion of Ninjago, Lloyd met with his father one last time and wore his robes into battle. When the Preeminent was drowned by Nya, Garmadon died in the Cursed Realm's destruction and passed on to the Departed Realm.
Lloyd honored his father's life by pursuing the role of master. In time, however, a criminal syndicate known as the Sons of Garmadon sought to resurrect Garmadon's Oni side. Harumi led the group to success, reviving Garmadon as a monster with no good left in him. After nearly killing Lloyd and seemingly defeating the ninja, Garmadon reigned as Emperor Garmadon and wreaked havoc across Ninjago City.
He oppressed its citizens and sought out his son, who led a brave Resistance. After Wu and the original ninja returned to Ninjago, Lloyd defeated Garmadon by refusing to fight, and his father lost his powers. Garmadon was sent to Kryptarium Prison but warned Lloyd of a coming darkness.
When the Oniinvaded, Garmadon managed to convince Lloyd to release him in order to help the ninja fight. After using the Tornado of Creation with Wu and the ninja to vanquish the Oni, he headed off to parts unknown. He encountered the people of Two Moon Village, fought against Kuma's bears and the Red Crows, led by his old traitorous enemy, Mogra, and came to realize that what he really wants deep down is redemption.
Now determined to redeem himself from the sins he committed upon the people of Ninjago during his short-lived rulership, Garmadon sought out and moved in with Vinny, the cameraman of NGTV, and continued to learn about empathy by nurturing a plant named Christofern. However, once The Overlord and his Crystal army attacked Ninjago City, Garmadon breaks his vow of peace and helps to teach Lloyd about unlocking Oni Form. Subsequently, he assists the Ninja to fight The Overlord. Following the third defeat of The Overlord, Garmadon replants Christofern on a distant mountain and joins the ninja and their many allies in rebuilding the Monastery of Spinjitzu, having made amends with his son, family, and those who he wronged.
Garmadon is an Oni-like man with a demonic visage, red eyes and faint silver face markings. Following his resurrection in Sons of Garmadon, Garmadon gained a modified appearance of his "Lord" form from The LEGO Ninjago Movie. He wore black samurai armor that had the characters "evil" in Ninjargon, was torn on the left side of his chest and exposed his rib-cage, which had purple ooze dripping out of smaller cracks on his body, along with a towering horned helmet. Beneath his helmet is long white hair pulled back into a top-knot. The sash around his waist was navy blue and he was similar to his appearance before he was turned good, a difference being that the glint in his eyes is now yellow instead of dark gray and his teeth weren't always visible. When he transformed into an Oni, his head morphed into the shape of an Oni Mask with black curved horns. After the Oni's invasion, Garmadon formerly stopped wearing his helmet and removed his shoulder pads on his upper armor, he wore a rope sash to keep his sword on his back when living in the forest. When fighting Mogra for the freedom of Two Moon Village, Garmadon gained a new Oni Form, now keeping his human head shape, with horns on his head and his long white hair loose.
After more than a year since the Oni's invasion, Garmadon reemerged to fight the Crystal army, with his appearance further altered, most notably is the lack of his two extra arms due to Oni shapeshifting with purple gloves covering his hands. His armor has been repaired and he now sports a black robe with a silver trim over his armor with a circular symbol on the back. His sash is now purple like that of his original lord form and he has silver knee pads. When he transforms into his Oni Form, he regains his two extra arms with the addition of bat-like wings similar to the Skull Sorcerer. The armor he wears while in his Oni Form resembles that from The Lego Ninjago Movie but with broader segmented plates and purple sashes on the middle section. His head is still shaped like an Oni Mask but his horns are now silver and more straight and his face is more inhuman like a true Oni with triangular purple eyes and razor sharp teeth with more visible jagged silver markings on his face and the back of his head. When living at Vinny's apartment, Garmadon wore a tan and sometimes gray bathrobe on top of a purple robe covering his chest. He uses a purple belt to keep his bathrobe in place and wore gray sandals.
In his youth, he had brown hair that varied in shade but is typically depicted on the darker side. As a child, Garmadon appeared as a normal boy with a bowl-cut, he wore a white tunic with a red and sometimes purple lotus symbol and dark tan pants. Originally, his face appeared identically to his son's at the same age, while his eyebrows have changed and his eyes appear larger in more recent appearances. After he was bitten by the Devourer, his eyes briefly turned red. As a young teenager, he had long, tousled hair tied up with a purple bandana, identical to Lloyd in The Island. He had a small scar on his left cheek. He wore a dark blue chest plate and pants with a purple belt and brown knee pads. He also wore brown shoulder pads. As a young adult, he had a swept-back, tousled hairstyle similar to Lloyd's original teenage form, and his eyes glowed red while being tempted by the venom. He wore a black kimono with red kanji and hanzi (roughly meaning "spin ninjutsu"), showing his status as a Spinjitzu Master.[3] Because of the Great Devourer's bite, in the final stages of his corruption, his skin became pale and his eyes turned red permanently, like the evil ninja he created.
Upon being struck by lightning and falling into the Underworld, he gained a very similar appearance to Mystake's true form. His body became completely black, with silver facial markings and visible glowing ribs and teeth. His hair gained a spiked/on-end appearance while turning black like the rest of his body. He wore a purple sash around his waist, his old ninja-obi with the upper part torn off, and later gained Samukai's helmet—a silver samurai helmet with a bone on it.
His time in the Realm of Madness gave him four arms and a segmented silver chest plate. After arriving on the Island of Darkness, he claimed a new helmet that also gave him control over the Stone Army, which he wore until Dareth took possession of it.
At the end of "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master", Garmadon was reverted to a normal man, free of the evil energy that had corrupted him. He appeared as an old man similar in appearance to Master Wu, but with a full head of graying hair instead of a white beard. His old outfit had been transformed into the "special" kimono he wore in "Battle Between Brothers," a predominantly black kimono with white sleeves and silver Chinese characters written on the front of the kimono.
In Rebooted, his face is slightly different, and he has donned an official master gi that was mostly black with a white sleeved, gray overcoat and a green belt, along with a crest of a black dragon in a gold circle. This same symbol appears on his back.
In Tournament of Elements, his gi remained mostly black, but its design was altered to have gold accents. His hair appears to be a darker shade of gray than before. It was also revealed that he had an Anacondrai tattoo on his back from his days as Chen's right hand. He later turned into an Anacondrai but was reverted to normal after his banishment to the Cursed Realm.
Age[]
Garmadon is thousands of years old. He and his younger brother's long lifespan is a result of them being the sons of the First Spinjitzu Master, who also lived for thousands of years before finally succumbing to his mortality. According to Mystake in "Two Lies, One Truth," this is due to their Oni blood, in addition to their dragon heritage. According to Tommy Andreasen, Garmadon might be 4,000-5,000 years old, but it's unclear.[4]
Garmadon and his brother have a peculiar aging pattern. Ages ago, they were children when he was bitten, and they grew to be young men by the time their father passed away.[5] Their aging stagnated at some point, and millennia later, they were still physically in their late teens during the events of the Serpentine War, as Garmadon stated in "Only One Can Remain" that he was Lloyd's age (physically) while training under Chen. Decades later, they were physically in their early 30s when he was banished.[6] Only a mere decade later, by the beginning of the events of the series, they both appeared as old men, though Garmadon would only show his true age after he was purified of his evil.
For possible explanations on Garmadon and Wu's seemingly rapid aging, see the Trivia section.
As a small child, Garmadon was described as being "thoughtful and caring". While his younger brother, Wu, was impatient and reckless, he was cautious of disobeying their father.[9] He appeared to have a stubborn streak, as he was frustrated when he couldn't understand his father's wisdom and refused to trust Aspheera on the grounds of her being a snake, nearly coming to blows with Wu over the latter. However, he was willing to put aside his differences with his brother to defeat the sorceress. After Garmadon and Wu stopped Aspheera's rule over Ninjago and both lost their father's trust, their personalities changed, with Garmadon becoming reckless and impatient while Wu became the responsible one.[10][11]
This as a result, led to Garmadon being bitten by the Great Devourer, and beginning to take on darker, more megalomaniacal aspects to himself, which caused him to turn against his family even when they sought to help him. He would suddenly become temperamental and experience aggressive outbursts. As a teenager, he was in denial over the fact that anything was wrong with him, while it was clear to his brother and father he was no longer the same boy. He did his best to fight the evil within him, showing great determination by keeping the beast's venom from fully controlling him for ages.
Garmadon struggling with his corruption.
Under Chen's influence, the Great Devourer's venom would continue to grow and pester at him. As a result of his master's teachings, Garmadon felt the need to win at all costs and would even resort to blatant cheating in order to achieve his goals. He would even go so far as to lie in order to win Misako's heart, though, despite all this, his true, good side managed to prevail at times, such as through guilt and virtue.
Likewise, when Chen sought to ally with the Serpentine, Garmadon managed to summon enough of his strength to resist the temptation given to him by both his master and the venom and refused, siding with his friends and family. During the war, he went on to fight with bravery and displayed great intelligence after creating the Serpentine's only known weakness, the Sacred Flutes.
Garmadon completely consumed by the evil within.
Decades after his victory during the Serpentine War, despite his love of Misako and their son, Garmadon eventually was unable to fight on any longer and ultimately succumbed to the influence of the Great Devourer's venom. Under its control, he became noticeably far more sinister and megalomaniacal, ruthlessly insulting his father's legacy and showing no hesitation attempting to murder his brother over the Golden Weapons. Upon being banished to the Underworld, his evil continued to fester as he mercilessly stole Samukai's authority, refusing to give up, even in exile.
From there, he would hone his skills of manipulation, and afterward also displayed mocking sarcasm to his enemies, relishing in their dilemmas. He was also noticeably vengeful towards his brother, even more so as a result of his banishment and because he blamed Wu for the Great Devourer infecting him.
One thing that the venom of the Devourer failed to suppress, however, was his love for Misako and Lloyd; this same quality was enough for Garmadon to briefly side up with Wu in order to rescue Lloyd from the Serpentine; even saving Wu several times and genuinely thanking him for watching over Lloyd. Likewise, he was unable to bring himself to harm Lloyd, even under the influence of the Overlord, instead feigning eagerness to fight, when in reality he was insecure over his deteriorating relationship with his loved ones. Indeed, he would also fight back the venom by offering to save Misako by having her rule at his side and also showing betrayal upon learning she had tricked him.
After countless years of inner torment, Garmadon was finally at peace.
After being purged of the Great Devourer's venom after a decade of scheming and manipulating, Garmadon's true, good side finally begins to show through. However, as a result of his crimes, he was left to feel tremendous guilt. To cope, he began to live in solitude, training pupils to defend themselves, and was extremely pacifistic, relying exclusively on the Art of the Silent Fist in combat. Despite this, he was unwilling to let his personal guilt place his loved ones in danger, and he promptly withdraws his vow in order to later rescue his son and friends. Additionally, Garmadon would later refuse to take hostages, regardless of who they were, in order to accomplish any goals.
As a master, Garmadon was also noticeably different in that while his brother was generally more cryptic and vague, Garmadon was far more down-to-earth and practical, making his advice and instruction to the ninja more direct and not hesitating to emphasize their wariness of his former master Chen. He also acted very fatherly to his son and built a greater relationship with him.
Ultimately, without the venom of the Great Devourer, Garmadon proved to be incredibly selfless as well; upon the need, he willingly had himself banished to the Cursed Realm in order to save Ninjago from the Anacondrai warriors and likewise emphasized the defeat of the Preeminent over his own safety. Because of his virtuous and altruistic side, for a time, Garmadon changed his legacy from that of a vile Dark Lord to a benevolent hero, his good side being remembered forever by his friends and family.
The newly-reborn Garmadon, supposedly soulless and devoid of all of the light in his heart.
Once resurrected via the Oni Masks, initially it appeared that all of Garmadon's positive traits were obliterated; he himself proclaiming that of all his previous roles, only one returned—destroyer. All of Garmadon's love for his son and family, something even the Great Devourer's venom could not destroy in his previous evil self, had all but vanished. This was seen when Garmadon had shown no remorse or hesitation in attacking his son, wife, and de-aged brother.
It seemed that his desire for destruction and power was all that remained in his soulless heart. Despite this, Lloyd still believed there was some part of his father left within him and desperately attempted to bring this out of the newly reborn Garmadon, but to no avail.
Since then, Garmadon has shown his brutality and willingness to do anything to stay in power, whether that be threatening or even killing members of his own loyal forces, even Harumi herself, should they fail him. As Ninjago's dictator, he shows little mercy to those who ally with or may harbor his son, capturing them should they be found.
Garmadon struggles with his hesitance to destroy his son and reach his full potential.
In spite of all this, a strange oddity exists within his behavior. Garmadon has shown slight bits of mercy. Besides, not killing any of the ninja's allies and sparing Harumi, despite her failures, Garmadon has shown mercy to Lloyd. Initially facing him without holding back, and thus, unlocking his True Potential, Garmadon didn't finish Lloyd off. This was seen again, when he did the same as his Colossus creation was on the verge of crushing his son and his friends and stopped after hearing his son's pleas.
Confused by his own persistent hesitance, Harumi helped Garmadon realize that though only his Oni side resurrected, his affection for Lloyd still encompassed all parts of him. When Harumi became his honorary daughter and she died, Garmadon was deeply saddened and enraged at Lloyd and tried to destroy Ninjago City. Despite this rage, Garmadon later saved Lloyd from certain death twice and ordered him to fight him rather than holding back and dodging his attacks. Garmadon revealed that his true motivation for unlocking his True Potential was to become powerful enough to defend Ninjago against a dark new threat he witnessed while in the Departed Realm, showing that despite his evil, he truly wanted to protect Ninjago and greatly respected what his father created, though his desire was to ultimately conquer it. This wish to protect his home realm is one of the few traits he retained from his old self, eclipsing his previous attachments, whether entirely for selfish reasons or some lingering sense of duty.
Garmadon gave up after he lost his powers, asking Lloyd to finish him. Too dejected to show rage when Lloyd spared him, he warned him of the incoming darkness, and repeated himself as he was taken to Kryptarium Prison. He made no attempt to resist the officers, as he had no hope that anyone but himself at full power had any chance against the Bringers of Doom, not even his own son.
Garmadon tries to understand the meaning of life.
Garmadon's desperation to save Ninjago from the Oni makes him fully willing to actually call his son and ask for his help. Although he was still considered the ninja's archnemesis and he treated them rather condescendingly, he is not heartless, as shown by how he repeatedly saves Lloyd even though he claimed it was to increase their chances of victory and attempts to fathom the ninja's sadness after Cole was thought to have died. His time with the ninja during the Oni invasion impacted him to the point he developed a longing to understand humans and be one of them; he even willingly gave the Armor of the Golden Master to them so that they can reforge the Golden Weapons to battle the Oni. With the understanding about Garmadon's true intent clear to them, the ninja are more than happy to let Garmadon battle against the Oni leader Omega in return. Although at first, he refused to join the ninja to create the Tornado of Creation, Garmadon had a change of heart once he saw the Oni's darkness begin to spread over the monastery's mural wall, covering a picture of Lloyd's face. He immediately aided them in defeating the Oni for good. Despite being relieved that the Oni were gone and the ninja were victorious, Garmadon decided to leave. However, Garmadon did take time to look back at Wu, who briefly bids him farewell, leaving on an amicable note in spite of his crimes.
Garmadon contemplating after helping the ninja in the Oni's invasion.
After his experiences in the fight with the Oni, Garmadon was clouded by uncertainty, as he was usually the one conquering Ninjago, not defending it.
Eventually, he decided to go to Vinny, of NGTV news after encountering him on the Destiny's Bounty. Vinny eventually let him in his apartment, on the condition of a vow of peace. He then proceeded to teach him the nature of goodness. Deciding to try it, Garmadon shapeshifted until he had only two arms.
Garmadon learns how to empathize by caring for a plant.
Vinny then gave him a plant, which was the key factor to Garmadon letting go of his anger. Naming the plant Christofern, Garmadon began to learn about compassion through caring for it. Christofern flourished under his care, and Garmadon became very devoted to it; even putting up a vow for non-violence by restraining himself away from any battle that befalls on Ninjago for the next couple of months; even Wu himself is quite surprised to see that Garmadon has come a long way of rethinking his life.
Upon witnessing the Crystal army attacking the apartment complex and damaging Christofern, Garmadon withdrew his vow for non-violence as he furiously attacks the Crystal Warriors before personally agreeing to help Wu and the Ninja in defeating the Overlord and his armies. Upon being told by Lloyd that he's incapable of showing compassion, Garmadon tries to prove this wrong by presenting Christofern (in a soda can) as a very good example, but Lloyd angrily claims that plants don't count and that they can't feel anything like people do, which left Garmadon very saddened. However, upon witnessing Garmadon taking down a crystallized Serpentine without killing him, Lloyd finally realizes that the plant is helping Garamdon in developing compassion, and apologizes to Garmadon by admitting that he may have a slight chance of showing it.
Despite getting himself in good graces with his family again, Garmadon finds himself upset because no one trusts him due to his past crimes. He even admitted that he truly understands the Ninja's mistrust towards him and assured that in spite of their past feud with him, he makes good on his intent to help them out; even trying to help Lloyd achieve his Oni Form by all means necessary. Before heading over with Lloyd to confront the Overlord, Garmadon demanded to know if Lloyd trusts him, though he is frustrated when Lloyd tries to avoid the issue by giving him a complexed answer.
With a proper understanding between each other despite everything that has happened, both Garmadon and Lloyd willingly worked together to put up a fight against the Overlord; Garmadon even voiced his disappointment towards Harumi for siding up with the Overlord. He even became furious upon learning that the Overlord was the one who created the Great Devourer that turned him evil in the first place, which drove Harumi to turn against the Overlord (as her family was murdered by the Great Devourer) and side with Garmadon and Lloyd. Garmadon also makes good on his intent to help Lloyd unleash his Oni Form by faking his death after being defeated by the Overlord, though it was all for nothing, as Lloyd repressed his Oni form after seeing his reflection on the central crystal, allowing the Overlord to knock him off the temple, much to Garmadon's disappointment, which he expresses after the battle.
Garmadon patching things up with Lloyd
Following the defeat of the Overlord and his armies, Garmadon happily reunites and reconciles with his family; even helping Lloyd vouch for Harumi when the ninja stared at her. He then replants Christofern in a hill before announcing his intent on spending the rest of his life helping his family and the others rebuild Ninjago. He even passes a floorboard for Lloyd to use while giving a genuine smile as they help rebuild the Monastery, implying that he's making good on his intent to show empathy and rectify his past crimes to become a better person.
Weapons and abilities[]
Abilities[]
Spinjitzu - Like his brother, Master Wu, Garmadon has the ability to perform Spinjitzu, with his version channeling the power of Destruction instead of Creation.
Catjitzu - Using a special form of Spinjitzu, invented by Nineko, Garmadon can walk on ropes, jump high with the help of Spinjitzu tornado and jump down in the same way.
Shatterspin - Much like the Forbidden Five, Garmadon is capable of performing Shatterspin without wearing a Wolf Mask that is powered by the Gong of Shattering. What sets Garmadon apart from most other users of Shatterspin is that his version of the technique appears in blue rather than red.
Destruction - Garmadon has the ability to control the elemental essence of Destruction. He is able to invoke Destruction daggers to help him in combat, and he is able to gain more power by battling opponents. After being bitten by the Great Devourer, his power became unbalanced.[12] After being purified of evil after the Overlord's defeat, Garmadon's Destruction returned to balance.[13] After being resurrected by the Oni Masks, he uses Destruction in combat for the first time, manifesting it as purple energy, similar to when he was possessed by the Overlord (not to be confused with Darkness), in the form of blasts, shields and strong explosions. He can also use Destruction to telekinetically choke and even tear apart others from certain distances, as he did with Mr. E, as well as enhance his strength to superhuman levels, which makes him able to easily break through brick walls. He was even powerful enough to blast both his son, his brother, and Firstbourne off the top of Borg Tower greatly weakening all three of them. Along with Lloyd, his powers over Destruction is enhanced by Darkness, albeit through the Great Devourer's venom, since their powers were a gift from The Overlord.[14]
Colossus - He controlled the being with his Destruction element that is created by his dormant control over Creation. As seen in "The Gilded Path", he was able to channel his destructive powers in the form of a weak destructive blast to summon and control his dark creation Colossus.
Shapeshifting - Due to being part Oni, Garmadon has their capacity of Shapeshifting. He is notably able to change parts of his body like get rid of his two extra arms and grow them back at will as seen in "Christofern" or to grow wings from his back when he was in his Oni form (see below). Garmadon being able to grow two more arms during his journey in the Realm of Madness was maybe thanks to his Oni Shapeshfting power.
Oni Form - Due to being part-Oni, Garmadon can reach a Oni form and enhance his strength and other capabilities, using Destruction and channeling his anger, letting his Oni side take over, similar to an Elemental Master user in their Dragon Form. However, if weakened, he would revert back to normal.
Creation - Despite Destruction being his primary element, Garmadon is part Dragon and could access the power of Creation after unlocking his true potential, even though he is mostly Oni in form. Using his full power, he was able to use the environment to create an enormous Colossus. Unlike Wu's, Garmadon's comes in the form of purple energy.
Animation - Garmadon was able to give life to an inanimate collection of rocks to create the Colossus.
Dark Magic - Despite his dislike for dark magic, Garmadon manage to use dark magic summon weapons, and cast various spells that banish people to other realms.
Weapon summoning - Garmadon can summon weapons from a distance or from thin air. This was shown in "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," where he summoned 4 weapons (a bo staff, a double-bladed dagger, a staff with shurikins, and a scythe) from a distance. He later summoned 4 swords by pulling them out from his back in "The Royal Blacksmiths." In his current form, he can create Destructive daggers, which he used to fight Lloyd and Wu at the top of Borg Tower.
Family psychic link - As seen in "Green Destiny" and "Big Trouble, Little Ninjago" Garmadon and Wu are able to sense each other's presence probably because of their particular link and their special heritage. Garmadon notably sensed Wu's presence when he returned from the first Realm with the four ninja and told him he knows they're here.He also sensed his son's presence when the latter was in Borg Tower and close enough to him.[15]
Shadows - In his first appearance, Lord Garmadon was able to summon and duplicate shadows, dark entities able to harm physical beings while the latter could not do the same. Similarly, during his stay in the Underworld, he had the ability to use his powers to create a shadow duplicate of himself in order to interact with Ninjago to some extent.
Wielding the Golden Weapons - During his time in the Realm of Madness, he gained the power of doing what was seemingly impossible for him to achieve: to wield all four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu at once. In addition to this newfound ability, he gained two extra arms to help him hold each weapon more easily—though this new power still left him feeling weak upon using the Mega Weapon. Upon being purified after the Overlord's defeat, Garmadon lost his extra pair of arms, and therefore, the power to wield all four Golden Weapons. It is unknown if he could wield the four Golden Weapons after his rebirth.
Skilled combatant - Garmadon is a skilled fighter, being proficient in martial arts and the use of many different weapons. Initially, after being cured, he repressed his power by refusing to fight, but he eventually returned to being an active combatant in order to save his son. He is also skilled in swordsmanship as he often wields two identical katanas and later four after he gained 4 arms. Even powerless, while they were caught off-guard, he still outmatched all of the ninja and later several Oni (while also protecting Lloyd) with only one sword. During his battle with the Time Twins, Garmadon, unlike Wu gained the upper hand while fighting each of the twins.
Fishing - Garmadon is very good at fishing and has often been with his father, brother, or both to fish when he was a child.[16] He can also swim, as he and his brother Wu often went swimming in the lake.[9]
Mega Weapon (formerly): Garmadon eventually fused the Golden Weapons into the Mega Weapon, which he wielded until its destruction in "Wrong Place, Wrong Time."
Bo staff (formerly): During the Serpentine War, Garmadon used a staff and fought Arcturus forcing him to flee. Following his purification, Garmadon vowed against using weapons, though he used the bo staff as a walking stick, much like his brother Wu.
Katanas: Garmadon also wielded katanas during his youth. Before he gained 4 arms he often duel-wield two katanas in battle. Following his evil side, he often wielded four swords. After his resurrection, Cole reluctantly gave him a sword to defeat the Oni. However this katana was destroyed by The Omega when he attempted to destroy the Realm Crystal. Garmadon still owned several katanas as seen in his flashback in "Christofern".
Sensei Wu's evil brother who was banished to the underworld after he failed to collect all the four golden weapons. Now plotting to rise to power once again and recreate Ninjago in his own image.[link unavailable]
Rebooted
Garmadon is the brother of Sensei Wu. As a young man, he was bitten by The Great Devourer and became Lord Garmadon.
Merciless and sinister, he became an enemy of Sensei Wu and the ninja team.
It was only when the Overlord was defeated that Garmadon was freed from the darkness.
He no longer believes in violence of any kind, and is focused on trying to raise his son, Lloyd, the right way.
But is he really reformed, and can he stick to being peaceful in the face of the Nindroid threat?[17]
Tournament of Elements
Element: All
Height: Four and a half bricks
Hobbies: Spending time with his son and trying to make up for past evil acts
Home base: Ninja DB X
Weapon: Nin-Jo
Garmadon is the brother of Sensei Wu. As a young man, he was bitten by The Great Devourer and became Lord Garmadon.
Merciless and sinister, he became an enemy of Sensei Wu and the Ninja team.
It was only when the Overlord was defeated that Garmadon was freed from the darkness.
He no longer believes in violence of any kind, and is focused on trying to raise his son, Lloyd, the right way.
But is he really reformed, and can he stick to being peaceful in the face of the Nindroid threat?[18]
Tournament of Elements (Ninjagopedia)
Garmadon is my brother and has, for better and worse, always been my greatest adversary. When we were children, we sparred together. When we grew older, he won the heart of the woman I loved. While he was the evil Lord Garmadon, I fought his reign and prevented him from conquering Ninjago. But now he is back to his old self and making up for lost time by being Misako’s husband and Lloyd’s father. He is a very wise man and a skilled Spinjitzu fighter. We are very alike in many ways. He holds all the elemental powers within him. We also share the same love for avoiding battle and when we are forced to fight, our favorite weapon is the simple Nin-jo staff.[19]
Pilot (2017 Museum)
Bitten by the Great Devourer as a child, Wu’s brother slowly filled with evil to become Lord Garmadon, the arch nemesis of good ninja everywhere. When his son Lloyd defeated the Overlord, he was finally freed of the poison that flowed through his veins! Master Garmadon has now taken the oath of peace. He helps mentor the ninja, though his training methods are very different from Wu’s. Garmadon is a man of tradition and doesn’t like modern technology at all.
Evil mastermind Lord Garmadon is trapped in the Underworld, so he orders Samukai to find all four Golden Weapons. But when the four-armed skeleton king recovers them, he tries to take their power for himself, only to be instantly vaporized! This opens a portal to another realm, giving Lord Garmadon a possibility to escape. He knew that their power would corrupt even the most loyal henchman. This was his plan all along!
Rise of the Serpentine (2017 Museum)
There’s much more to Lord Garmadon’s story than meets the eye. We see him mentor his son, even though they’re destined to meet in battle, and as we delve into his shared past with the ancient Serpentine tribes, we discover he didn’t choose to be the way he is. Can he avenge himself on the ancient horror that cursed him all those years before?
Legacy of the Green Ninja (2017 Museum)
With the help of the Serpentine, Lord Garmadon forges the Mega Weapon from the Four Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu. This unspeakable power gives him new ways to try and destroy the ninja. But when he is betrayed by the Serpentine and abandoned on an island, he meets the Overlord. Garmadon learns that fate has brought him there for a destiny far greater and more sinister than even he had ever imagined.
Rebooted (2017 Museum)
Garmadon, Lloyd’s father and the ninja’s former enemy, has been cured of the poison that turned him evil. He is particularly focused on rebuilding his relationship with Lloyd and helping his son unlock his potential as the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master. Garmadon hopes to teach Lloyd to focus on his mind and not just rely on his powers.
The Tournament of Elements (2017 Museum)
Garmadon is confronted by the ghosts of his past during the Tournament of Elements adventure. He accompanies the ninja to Chen’s Island because he knows all too well the depths of evil and treachery in his former teacher’s heart. He also faces the revelation that he won Misako’s heart long ago through trickery. In the end, Garmadon sacrifices himself to save the world and atone for his past.
Sons of Garmadon
Bitten by the Great Devourer as a child, Wu’s brother turned evil and became Lord Garmadon. When his son Lloyd defeated the menace of the Overlord, Garmadon was finally freed of the poison that flowed through his veins. He became a loving father to Lloyd. When last seen, Garmadon had sacrificed himself to save the NINJAGO® world and was lost in the Cursed Realm.[20]
2019
Garmadon – the ninja bitten by evil!
The son of the First Spinjitzu Master and elder brother of Wu, who went on to train a team of ninja heroes, Garmadon’s life could have turned out quite differently. But he was bitten by the Great Devourer as a child, poisoned with evil and became a warlord intent on destruction.
Him and his wife Misako had a child, Lloyd, who grew up to be a good and skilful ninja under the tutelage of Wu. And it was Lloyd who defeated the Overlord and finally freed his father Garmadon of the poison that had flowed through his veins.
Garmadon became a loving father to Lloyd, going on to sacrifice himself to save NINJAGO® world. The story didn’t end there though, as Harumi and a crime syndicate called the Sons of Garmadon resurrected him in his evil form!
This complex character is at the centre of so many NINJAGO stories and kids love role-playing with the Garmadon minifigures that feature in lots of action-packed LEGO® NINJAGO® building toy playsets.[21]
Wu's older brother and a son of the First Spinjitzu Master. Bitten by a vile snake as a child, Garmadon gradually filled with evil to become Lord Garmadon, the greatest villain in the world of Ninjago.
The name "Garmadon" was created by mixing up most of the letters of the word "Armageddon."[22] This was most likely thought of by a writer named Robert Henley.[23] He was originally meant to be called "Demic", from the word "pandemic".[24][25]The Hageman Brothers and Tommy Andreasen disliked the name "Garmadon", but because "Demic" could not be cleared by the legal department, "Garmadon" is what they settled with.[26]
Behind the scenes[]
In early concepts, Garmadon, not Lloyd, was the one intended to release the Serpentine.[27]
Though Garmadon is his first and only name, it became his son's last name, which is a custom in some real-world cultures.[28] He and his brother do not have a last name.[29] This is because the First Spinjitzu Master did not have a last name.[30]
Despite the fact that he still had Destruction,[13] his Spinjitzu color was erroneously different in the Tournament of Elements intro, being a dull silver color instead of dark purple.[31]
It was also a dull silver in art for Tournament of Elements.[32]
According to Tommy Andreasen, the reason for Garmadon's death in Possession was that the Hageman Brothers felt that there was only room for one master, and to progress Lloyd's character.[33][34]
Garmadon and the Overlord are the only villains to be the main antagonists in more than one season.
Garmadon is similar to Anakin Skywalker, as both gained a nefarious reputation when turned to the dark side, transformed into a black-clad entity, manipulated by a greater evil who brought them to the dark side (Overlord for Garmadon and Palpatine for Anakin), and finally able to redeem themselves with help of their archenemy that turned out to be theirson.
The difference, however, whereas Anakin died in peace soon after he redeemed himself, Garmadon survived longer.
Their LEGO minifigures also have the same hair piece, albeit in different colors. Garmadon had the exact same hair piece as Anakin's minifigures from Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars.
Garmadon is also similar to Scar from Disney's The Lion King franchise as both turn against theirbrothers after being bitten by asnake and corrupted by its venom.
In February 2018, Tommy Andreasen stated that Garmadon may not have found his True Potential.[35] This was confirmed when he reached his True Potential in the penultimate episode of Sons of Garmadon.
In his reborn form, the word "evil" is written on his armor in Ninjargon.
Garmadon is the third character to announce the title card at the beginning of an episode, having first announced it in "Big Trouble, Little Ninjago", the second being Lloyd throughout the rest of Season 8.
Garmadon in Season 9 is similar to Logan from Fable III; both were thought to be some tyrant to rule their respective areas and had a resistance against them led by someone related to them but they were really trying to prevent coming darkness that the protagonists now has to deal with.
As Lord Garmadon, he has six minifigures with different appearances: original, with four arms, possessed, Reborn, and Legacy (with 4 arms and another with 2 arms).
On the LEGO website, a picture of the Overlord was inaccurately shown on Garmadon's description,[36] though this was later corrected.[21]
Garmadon's March of the Oni characterization is Tommy Andreasen's favorite portrayal of him because he is "both intimidating, scheming, playful, sarcastic, funny, and with some compassion. Struggling to understand himself and humanity."[37]
Tommy Wu (left), purified Garmadon (middle), and Master Garmadon (right)
Purified Garmadon in "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master" and "The Surge" has Wu's face without the beard and 3D mouth. This face design is also used for "Tommy Wu" in the 2014 blooper reel. Purified Garmadon's face design was changed for the subsequent seasons, possibly in order to more easily differentiate Garmadon and Wu.
According to Tommy Andreasen, the in-universe reason for Garmadon's face design change could be age.[38]
Garmadon is the most frequently appearing villain in sets because he appears in most seasons, those being the pilot, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (in his master form), 8, 9, 10, and 15.
Mark Oliver compared the resurrected Garmadon to the monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, describing how Garmadon lacked full awareness and was in awe at the environment around him at first, which can be heard through his more primitive-sounding voice.[39] The Hageman Brothers also said they and Oliver "talked literary references when discussing the new Garmadon."[40]
When asked why Garmadon has white hair in his comic series, Tri Vuong replied: "It seemed natural to me that Garmadon's hair would be white because his eyebrows are white! I know he had black hair before but for some reason, I feel like the modern Garmadon would have white hair and had assumed that's what other people thought too. Didn't realize it would come as such as shock but I'm glad its been pretty well received so far."[42]
Lord Garmadon has led four of the twenty major villainous factions at some point in the original series: the Skulkin, the Serpentine, the Stone Army, and the Sons of Garmadon.
"Spellbound" explains the reason Garmadon was called "Lord Garmadon" at the beginning of the show: he defeated Clouse to attain the title of Lordship from Chen. It also explains how he won Misako's heart by signing the love letter written by Wu, which Chen intercepted.
Garmadon is the only villain to appear in an intro opening shot as of Hunted.
In "Curseworld, Part II," in the Preeminent, he appears to be a physical being, not a ghost. This is because when someone is sent to the Cursed Realm, their physical body remains intact; it's only when they leave the Cursed Realm that they become a ghost, as seen with Clouse.[44]
He is the first villain who appears in the series to have a vendetta against Wu, followed by Morro, the Time Twins, and Aspheera.
There have been many parallels between Garmadon's statements or teachings from before and after he was evil or from before and after his initial death.
In many episodes when he was evil, he said he wanted to make Ninjago into his own image, and in "The Corridor of Elders," a statue of him was carved into the stone in the Corridor of Elders, literally making part of Ninjago into his image. In the episode, he told Lloyd, "I yearned to make the world in my image. I never realized I already had, in you."
In "All of Nothing," Garmadon told Lloyd that "Every boy has a choice to grow up to be whoever they want to be," reflecting on how Lloyd was able to choose his own destiny, unlike Garmadon. Later in the episode, before saying goodbye, he told Lloyd, "You're a good boy. Soon, you'll be a great man." In "Curseworld, Part II," Garmadon's final on-screen words to his son were "There comes a time when every boy must become a man. What sort of man, is up to him."
In "Curseworld, Part II," he told Lloyd, "Whatever happens to me, wherever I am, I will always be with you." This is reflected when Lloyd draws strength from the memory of his father when fighting Pythor and lifting one of the broken Corridor of Elders statues in "Day of the Departed."
In "The Forgotten Element," Garmadon told Lloyd that "Chen grows strong by taking from others. But real power does the opposite. It empowers those around you. Like the way you've empowered me." Lloyd used a similar sentiment against Garmadon in "Radio Free Ninjago," where he said that "fighting me may make you feel powerful, but you're about to see what real power is."
In "Blackout," when Garmadon was struggling to climb the mountain and Lloyd jokingly told him about his four arms, he replied by wishing he still had his four arms.
The Great Devourer's venom did not introduce evil into Garmadon's body; rather, it amplified the negative qualities that were already present.[45] Specifically, "It enhanced the destruction which was already in him."[46]
According to Tommy Andreasen, though this statement shouldn't be considered canon, he theorized that the Great Devourer's venom also unlocked the Oni side of Garmadon.
He has Oni and dragon blood like his father, brother, and son.
At the end of "True Potential," Harumi refers to Garmadon as "Emperor Garmadon." He later goes on to declare himself the emperor of Ninjago before being defeated by Lloyd and sent to Kryptarium Prison in "Green Destiny".
Garmadon's dominant power is Destruction, but he has the power of Creation as well (in order to use it, he had to unlock his True Potential).
Although in "True Potential," he denied Lloyd as his son. But during Hunted, he still refers to him as "my son," possibly hinting at his fondness for him returning.
Garmadon's original "Lord form" has a striking resemblance to Mystake's true form.
During his confrontation with Wu in "Green Destiny," Garmadon is able to correctly call the Dragonbone Blade his father's sword. How Garmadon knew this is unknown, as he was not in the Realm of Oni and Dragons nor had Wu known about it prior to its retrieval.
It is revealed in "The Fall" that Garmadon has lost some of the memories from his pre-resurrection life. However, he does recognize the Golden Armor.
In Tommy Andreasen's opinion, Wu and Garmadon are twins while Garmadon was created first.[47]
According to Tommy Andreasen, there are three possible reasons for why Wu and Garmadon aged so quickly between "Battle Between Brothers" and the beginning of the series, despite having been young for so long.[48]
In an interview with Brent Miller, he hinted it had to do with Wu and Garmadon being apart from each other and from the Golden Weapons, as Garmadon was banished to the Underworld and Wu hid the weapons shortly after.[49]
In the live-chat of an episode of the Eljay Johnsen Show, he confirmed a fan's theory that one reason may be that Wu and Garmadon share an intrinsic connection of some sort that was severed by Garmadon being banished to the Underworld, affecting their mortality.[50]
He also said another explanation could be tea.
The reason Garmadon and Wu were designed to look much younger in "Battle Between Brothers" is likely because at that time, the idea of Lloyd's character did not exist, so there was no need for a shorter time gap between Garmadon's banishment and the beginning of the series. A description from a 2011 LEGO Club Magazine supports this, stating that Garmadon had been gone for thousands of years.[51]
According to Nya in "Rise of Garmadon," "Garmadon wasn't truly evil or truly good. [...] There were always elements of both, Lord or Master."
It's unconfirmed whether he can create an energy dragon like his brother can.[52]
The evil ninja's eyes and pale skin are identical to Garmadon when he was younger and under the Great Devourer's influence, most likely due to being created by him.
He is the first main villain to have a child who is a protagonist. The second was Chen with Skylor and the third was Vangelis with Vania.
It is the only relationship out of three that also appears in more than one season, as the relationship between Chen and Skylor only appeared in Tournament of Elements and the relationship between Vangelis and Vania only in Master of the Mountain.
Garmadon once said, "We can win a thousand times, yet all it takes is one defeat for everything to come undone."[53]
Even in his original Lord form and his resurrected form, Garmadon is not always a villain in terms of the story structure. In Rise of the Snakes and March of the Oni, he was an anti-hero, helping the ninja in various ways.
His appearance is the opposite of his brother, because Garmadon has no beard and has hair, while Wu only has a long beard and no hair. Garmadon's main color is black, while Wu's is white. Garmadon's element is Destruction, while Wu's is Creation, which are also polar opposites.
In Tommy Andreasen's opinion, Wu and Misako have been in a romantic relationship since the Second Serpentine War.[54][55] Andreasen also believes Garmadon would have approved of Wu and Misako's relationship as part of his redemption for the wrong he did in the past.[56]
Garmadon's resurrection in "Dread on Arrival" by a cult that worships him is nearly opposite of how he originally died after he sacrificed himself in "The Corridor of Elders" to defeat a cult that worshiped the Anacondrai.
When asked if Garmadon would get 6 arms after using the Mask of Vengeance, Tommy Andreasen said that the power of Oni is probably already in him,[59] so it would have no special effect and he would be an Oni with an Oni Mask.[60]
He is the first most frequently appearing main villain in a single wave, as he was released in up to three sets with exactly the same appearance. The other four are Vex, Unagami, Kalmaar, and the Crystal King.
According to Mark Oliver, he and Monstrox from Nexo Knights would not be friends because Garmadon would be upset with the heavy-handedness of Monstrox.[61]
It is possible that resurrected Garmadon has some connection to the Oni. He correctly remembered that he knew the Dragonbone Blade was his father's. He also knew the Oni were coming, which may be another reason for his eagerness to learn how to use his power from Harumi.
The physical variant of his Oni Form depicts him with two arms, silver horns, and red eyes, while in the show, he has four arms with an upper torso piece similar to his movie upper torso piece, wings, pink eyes, and white horns.
He seems to prefer his upper right arm when he shakes people's hands.[62]
Sometimes he internally refers to himself as "G".[63]
Garmadon is taller than average humans with his four arms, however, when only retaining two arms he appears to be the regular size of a normal human.[64]
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