(Ninja are sailing the Destiny's Bounty away from Ninjago City.)
Nya: We're going as fast as we can, but this ship needs some fine tuning for sure.
(Jay busily types away on the UHF, looks around cautiously and finds himself looking at Garmadon.)
Garmadon: (Inspects the buttons.) Hmm.
Jay: (Yells in surprise.) Aalgh! (Walks to the rest of the Ninja.) Am I the only one freaking out about this?
Kai: (Sarcastically) Why freak out? Our derange, psychotic, arch-nemesis is now our house guest.
Zane: I find the term "freak out" inadequate and imprecise. I prefer to say I am deeply troubled.
Nya: (Whispers nervously.) Lloyd? Are you sure he can be trusted?
Lloyd: No. Of course not.
Jay: (Garmadon walks around inspecting the buttons.) Of course not?! That's not what you're supposed to say. You're supposed to say "yes."
Lloyd: What choice do we have? If Master Wu is right, and we're under attack by the Oni, then my father may be our best chance. And anyway, he doesn't have his powers back, so how much trouble can he really cause?
(Garmadon presses a button. Sails fold in and the thrusters turn off. Everyone looks at him, Garmadon walks away.)
Zane: Did he just turn off the—
Kai: (Ship starts to plummet.) Oh, great.
Ninja: (Screams.) Ahhh!!
Jay: He shut off the engines! We're gonna crash!
Nya: Zane, the emission switch! Hit the emission switch!
(Zane starts for the emission switch, but Kai crashes into him, pulling him farther away from the emission switch.)
Jay: Ah! I can see the ground! It's getting really close, really fast! (Zane makes his way for the emission switch again, hitting it just in time for the Destiny's Bounty to rise up into the air.)
Ninja: (Sigh, getting back their breath.)
Garmadon: Hmm. That button should be labeled.
Nya: (Shouts in annoyance.) Ugh! It is labeled! It says "Don't push while in motion!" (Garmadon climbs down the ladder.)
Zane: Perhaps it would be wise to accompany your father, Lloyd, to prevent further... mishaps.
Lloyd: (Sighs in anger.) Ugh, I can't believe I have to babysit my own father. (Rushes after his father.)
Garmadon: (Stares at a door.) Where does this go?
Lloyd: Nowhere. That's a closet. (Garmadon opens it anyway. A mop and a broom fall out. Lloyd sighs and picks it up, putting it back.)
Garmadon: (Turns to the door across.) And this one? (Opens it and jumps in.)
Lloyd: (Follows in.) That's our sleeping quarters.
Garmadon: This is where you sleep? In this tiny... compartment?
Lloyd: It's not a compartment, it's a cabinet. We're on a ship, remember?
Garmadon: (Walks toward the Ninjas' pictures.) And what are these?
Lloyd: Just pictures.
Garmadon: Do they celebrate some conquest, or victory?
Lloyd: No, they're just pictures. (Garmadon stares at the picture of a reformed Garmadon and younger Lloyd.) You know, memories, good times. (Walks toward the pictures, smiling, and remembering the good times.)
Garmadon: (Picks up the picture of him with Lloyd.) Who is that?
Lloyd: (Smiles.) That's you. (Looks at Garmadon sadly.) Don't you remember? (Garmadon turns around, thinking about the picture, and throws it.) Wha— (Tries to catch it. The glass picture breaks.) Hey!
Garmadon: Sentimentality is a weakness. If you wish to defeat the Oni, you would do well to banish such feelings. (Walks out.)
Lloyd: (Picks up the broken picture, and glares angrily at Garmadon.) Fine. (Puts the picture down.) I didn't like that picture anyway. (Starts to walk out and stops. Walks back and picks up the broken picture, placing it propped up gently, and looks at it sadly at the former connection between his father and him.)
Kai: (Sweeps the deck with Jay.) So? Did you pop the question yet?
Jay: No, I'm waiting for the right time.
Kai: There may not be a right time, Jay. You gotta just do it.
Cole: (Pops up around the corner.) Do what?
Kai: Jay's gonna ask Nya to be his Yang.
Cole: What?! Seriously?! (Flips onto the deck with them.) That's great! Why am I always the last person to know these things?
Jay: Shh! Will you keep your voice down, please?
Kai: He's been planning it for weeks.
Cole: Weeks? Haha! You gotta just do it, Jay. It's like ripping off an old bandage. The sooner you get over it, the better. (Smiles. Kai and Jay look at Cole in surprise.)
Jay: Um, did you just compare Nya to an old bandage? (Cole blinks back in realization.)
Kai: Nice. Way to go, Cole. (Cole grins sheepishly.) Way to take the romance out of it.
Zane: (On the speakers.) All hands to the bridge. (Kai, Jay, and Cole race for the bridge. Garmadon casually leans on the rail. Kai hands signals to Garmadon that he is watching him.)
Garmadon: Ahem. (The Ninja take up fighting stances in case Garmadon makes any sudden movements.) The Oni entered this realm through a portal or rift between our world and theirs. There are only one or two ways this is possible. And, I'm willing to wager, it would've been through the Realm Crystal. To stop this darkness from spreading, the crystal must be destroyed.
Zane: (Looks up on information about the Realm Crystal, typing faster and faster.) The Realm Crystal is currently housed in the new high-security vault, below Borg Tower.
Nya: That's smack in the middle of Ninjago City!
Kai: Uh, we just escaped from there, remember? It's engulfed in a giant, black cloud of destruction, and now you're asking us to turn around and go back?
Garmadon: I asked nothing. I am telling you that if you wish to stop the darkness, the crystal must be destroyed.
Cole: And I'm telling you, forget it. Just one of those black cloud tentacle things touched my foot for a second, and nearly froze me solid. We wouldn't last a minute inside the darkness.
Garmadon: That is correct. You are merely human. I, however, am Oni. I can enter the darkness, make my way to the crystal, and destroy it. I will of course, require a weapon.
Cole: Ha! Fat chance!
Lloyd: Do you really expect us to just hand you a sword and let you go?
Garmadon: If you wish to live, yes.
Lloyd: Well, forget it! No way! I wouldn't trust you with a-a-a—
Kai: A pillow. (The other Ninja except Zane look at him disapprovingly.) It's the most harmless thing I could think of.
Lloyd: (Turns to Garmadon.) It's not going to happen. You're not going anywhere, not without me. I'm your son, remember? (Walks up and stands before Garmadon.) I'm Oni, too.
Garmadon: No. (Pushes Lloyd back. The Ninja take up their stances again.) You are part Oni. That means you might survive.
Lloyd: Well, I guess we'll find out. (The Ninja watch Garmadon as he walks out.)
Jay: (The ship arrives at Ninjago City.) Wow. Will you look at that?
Nya: Yeah. Pretty creepy, huh?
Jay: Yeah. But also kind of beautiful in a weird way, isn't it?
Nya: What are you talking about? (Jay glances at her in surprise at her tone.) No, it's just creepy.
Jay: Well, I just meant the-the colors and clouds or not. Never mind. (Shakily holds the Ying-Yang token behind his back. Gulps.) It's times like these, you realize what's really important in life.
Nya: (Smiles.) I guess.
Jay: (Turns back to look at his Ying-Yang symbol nervously.) So, um, Nya, I've been wanting to ask you something for... a long while.
Nya: Okay.
Jay: (Coughs, preparing him.) Ehem. Eh-eh-hem.
Nya: You okay?
Jay: Yeah, ehem, yeah. (Garmadon comes up behind Nya. Jay falls backwards, in surprise.) Yah! (Garmadon smiles, satisfied for ruining Jay's moment.)
Nya: What do you want?
Garmadon: Absolutely nothing. (Walks away.)
Nya: That guy gives me the creeps. (Sighs. Turns back to Jay.) What were you gonna say?
Jay: Uh. (Sees Garmadon climb down the ladder. Scratches his head.) It can wait.
(The Ninja are getting Lloyd ready for his journey.)
Zane: (Places a camera over Lloyd's head.) This will allow us to see what is happening inside the cloud.
Kai: You sure you want to do this, Lloyd?
Lloyd: I'll be fine. Don't worry.
Garmadon: That assumption is unfounded. You are mostly human, that side of you is weak.
Lloyd: It's also stubborn. Let's go. Give him a sword, Cole. (Cole pulls the sword out, watching Garmadon.)
Garmadon: (Waits patiently.) Hmm.
Cole: Uhh, you sure about that? (Lloyd nods. Garmadon stares at him impatiently. Cole nervously tosses the sword. Garmadon pretends to look at the sword. Cole turns his back around.)
Garmadon: (Leaps in the air at Cole.) Hi-yAH!
Kai: (Pulls his sword from behind him.) Look out!
Cole: (Screams.) Agghh! (Jumps back in time as Garmadon strikes the sword.)
(Cole pulls out his hammer quickly, and blocks Garmadon's moves. Garmadon knocks him aside as Jay faces him. Garmadon tosses Jay's nunchucks over his shoulder, and throws Jay on top of Cole. Lloyd Spinjitzus to Garmadon, but Garmadon leaps over him, landing on Kai, then on Zane, and swings his sword at P.I.X.A.L.. Nya jumps down from the bridge with her sai out, but Garmadon blocks her from striking him and kicks her over him. He jumps up to fight P.I.X.A.L. Zane shoots at him, only for Garmadon to strike the arrow aside.)
Nya: (Attempts to fight Garmadon again.) Ha-yah! (Garmadon kicks her back into Kai after he blocks her.) Unh!
P.I.X.A.L.: (Garmadon grabs P.I.X.A.L. by the throat.) Unh. (Garmadon throws her into Zane.)
Cole: (The Ninja take up stance behind him.) Try that again. (Places his hammer firmly in his hand.) Now that I'm ready.
Garmadon: (Slowly summons up his powers as the Ninja look on in surprise. Looks at his powers.) Hmm. That's better. (Jumps off the ship.)
Cole: Okay, what the heck was that?
Lloyd: Conflict fuels him.
Zane: He was powering up.
Jay: He did that just to get his powers back?!
Cole: (Stomps angrily towards Lloyd.) I. Do. Not. Trust. Him!
Nya: Lloyd, are you sure you want to go through with this?
Lloyd: (Looks at the Ninja.) No. But I don't really have a choice. (Jumps off the ship with his sword and parachute bag.)
Nya: Lloyd! (The Ninja watch Lloyd as he dives into the city.)
Zane: The camera beam. Come on! (Ninja run to see Lloyd's progress.) He opened his parachute.
Nya: (Sees tentacles in the camera.) What are those?
Kai: They look like... tentacles.
Cole: (Shouts in disgust.) Ulgh. That's one of the things that grabbed my foot. Ewulgh. It was terrible.
(Lloyd lands on the ground, takes off his parachute, and puts the sword behind his back. Lloyd starts to choke on the air. Garmadon summons his dark power. Lloyd continues to choke, gasping for air.)
Nya: Oh, no! (Lloyd continues to gasp for air.)
Cole: We have to get him out of there.
Zane: Wait. (Lloyd recovers and continues walking.) Look!
Nya: (Sighs, relieved.) He's okay. (Everyone sighs, relieved.)
Lloyd: (Walks up to his father.) I-I'm okay.
Garmadon: Hmm. That was foolish. You are fortunate to have survived.
Lloyd: Like you care.
(Lloyd and Garmadon start walking down the street towards Borg Tower. Occasionally, lanterns flicker light, then die out. Lloyd finds himself looking at people that were turned to stone, unable to escape the darkness.)
Lloyd: (Gasps.) Oh, no! Dr. Borg! Can you hear me? Cyrus!
Nya: Oh, P.I.X.. (P.I.X.A.L. gasps.) It's your father.
Garmadon: He has fallen into darkness.
Lloyd: What does that mean? (Waves his hand in front of Cyrus Borg.) Is he still alive?
Garmadon: Yes, but in a deep slumber. Nothing you do will wake him.
Lloyd: Well, there has to be something. He's my friend. (Decides to take him.) Grab his legs.
Garmadon: (Disgustingly) What?
Lloyd: Grab his legs, I'll get his arms. If we can get him back to the temple, maybe Wu can get him a potion or something.
Garmadon: (Continues walking away.) Only the destruction of the Realm Crystal can save him now.
Lloyd: Hey. (Runs up to Garmadon.) Hey! (Stops him.) Ninja don't leave friends behind.
Garmadon: First, I am not a Ninja. Second, I'm not a fool. And third, there are Oni out there, and we won't have a chance against them, if we're dragging a friend along like a human suitcase! So, you better decide, do you want to win or claim to your foolish ideals and perish? (Walks away.)
Lloyd: (Runs back to Cyrus Borg.) If you can hear me, we're going to fix this. I promise. (Slowly walks away, looking back at Cyrus Borg. Zane comforts P.I.X.A.L., who is shocked and horrified of the news of Cyrus Borg. Lloyd follow Garmadon, looking back once more at Cyrus Borg.)
(People run around frantically in the room of the NGTV News building.)
Vinny: Mayday. Mayday! Anyone out there? Anyone?! (Hits and shakes one of the TVs.) We're stuck on the 23rd floor of the NGTV news building. If anyone can hear me, please respond. (Hits another TV.) Anyone? Anyone at all? (Hits the keys and continues hearing static.)
Gayle: Vinny? You still messing with that radio? We got a broadcast in ten minutes.
Vinny: Uh, boss, I don't think anyone else is out there. (People continue running around the room.) I think we might be the last people in the whole city.
Gayle: The news never sleeps, Vinny. Come on. (Walks away to prepare for a broadcast.)
Vinny: You're right, Miss Gossip. Be right there. Anyone is out there? (Radio finally reaches the Ninja.) Anyone can hear me?
Zane: Come in.
Vinny: (On the Ninjas' radio.) Vinny Folson...
Zane: Come in. We hear you.
Vinny: (Continues speaking away.) ... NGTV news, signing off. (Vinny signs off. The rest of the Ninja and P.I.X.A.L. walk over to Zane.)
Kai: What was that?
Zane: I believe it was a distress call, but we have lost the audio.
Cole: Can you trace the signal?
Zane: I will attempt to triangulate the source. (Starts typing faster and faster.) There! Several miles east of us. It appears to be a television station in the outskirts of Ninjago City.
Cole: Maybe some people who didn't evacuate in time.
Kai: We got to help them.
Jay: What about Lloyd? We can't just abandon him.
Nya: If someone's in trouble, Lloyd would be the first person to tell us to help.
Zane: That may be, but Lloyd would be incorrect. There's literally nothing more imperative than the success of his mission. If he fails, all of Ninjago is lost.
P.I.X.A.L.: Perhaps-perhaps there is a way to be in more places than one. I can remain behind in the Samurai X Mech, while you take the Bounty and investigate the distress call.
Nya: What if you run out of fuel?
P.I.X.A.L.: That would not be good. Let us hope you are back before that happens. (Takes Zane's hand.)
Zane: (Smiles determined.) We will be back. (P.I.X.A.L. smiles and let's go, pressing a button on her wrist for the Samurai X Mech to come.)
(P.I.X.A.L. hops into her mech and launches into the air. The Ninja look up to her as she flies. P.I.X.A.L. hovers in the air and looks back at the Destiny's Bounty.)
Nya: (Zane looks at P.I.X.A.L. one last time.) She'll be okay. (Nya turns the Bounty around to take up the distress call. P.I.X.A.L. flies down to a building to save her fuel, only to fly straight up into the air, just as the darkness comes up near her and chases after her.)
Lloyd: (Turns the corner, and immediately hides, gasping.) Uh, oh.
Garmadon: (Peaks around and chuckles.) Oni. (Oni look around from the base of Cyrus Borg Tower, keeping watch.)
Lloyd: What do we do? Maybe we can sneak around behind them, or find a manhole, or some—
Garmadon: I have a plan. Follow me. (Walks toward the Oni.) Uh, greetings, Brother Oni. How are you? Love what you've done with the place. (The Oni strike the ground with their weapons, casting darkness.) Now! (Leaps at the Oni, pulling out his sword. Runs, trying to slice the darkness.
(Lloyd uses Spinjitzu, but the darkness knocks him over. Looks around and sees the darkness approaching. Yells in surprise and slices the darkness. Garmadon starts punching and kicking the Oni, only to find they too, know how to fight. Garmadon summons his power and strikes one of the Oni off the steps. Lloyd runs up to his father. He turns around to see the other Oni get up from his fall and face him. The Oni strikes his sword out of his hand, and uses the darkness to carry it away from him. Lloyd leaps for the sword, but misses. Garmadon strikes his Oni with his power. Lloyd lies there, staring at the Oni that is getting ready to kill him, but Garmadon lunges at the Oni.)
Lloyd: You-you saved my life.
Garmadon: (Pushes Lloyd away and walks towards the entrance.) Again, your sentiment clouds your judgement. The Realm Crystal is all that matters. Two of us stand a better chance of victory than one.
Lloyd: (Replies angrily.) Fine. I don't care either. We work together until this is done, and then you go back to your jail cell. (Garmadon turns around, smiling evilly.) What?
Garmadon: What, what?
Lloyd: Why are you smiling like that?
Garmadon: Maybe I'm happy.
Lloyd: That's not a happy smile. That's an evil, I've-got-something-up-my-sleeve smile.
Garmadon: Really? How's this? (Smiles the same smile.)
Lloyd: That's exactly the same.
Garmadon: No, it isn't.
Lloyd: Yes, it is.
Garmadon: No, it isn't! (Summons his power. Lloyd looks at him fearfully, and positions himself into a fighting stance. Garmadon throws his power. Lloyd ducks, and the power hits an Oni that was coming up behind them. Lloyd gasps, turning back to look at the Oni rolling down the stairs.) Shall we continue? (Turns and walks in, with Lloyd behind him.
(Lloyd sees people who have been turned to stone that were unable to escape in time. The Cyrus Borg Tower symbol flickers slightly. Lloyd runs up to Garmadon, and tries to jump down.)
Garmadon: Ah-ah-ah. Power before youth. (Jumps, with Lloyd coming after him. They go through an elevator door.) Follow the darkness.
Zane: (Watches the camera.) He must be nearing the source of the darkness. The Realm Crystal seems to be interfering with the signal. (Cole joins up with Zane.)
Garmadon: (Sees the room and looks at Lloyd.) This is it. (Jay joins up to watch, while Lloyd and Garmadon enter the room. Darkness is pouring out of the Realm Crystal, with whispering voices heard in the room.)
Jay: (Sees the crystal, and shakes Zane.) There it is! Destroy it! Quick!
Zane: He cannot hear you.
Garmadon: (Pulls out his sword, looking at the crystal.) Hmm. (Strikes at the crystal, but is blocked by an Oni staff.) Hi-yah! (The staff breaks the sword to pieces and throws Garmadon against the wall.) Ahhh!!
(Lloyd sees Garmadon slump on the ground, and looks back to see the darkness form into the shape of the Oni leader. Kai has joined up with the rest of the Ninja, and they all watch in surprise at the formation of the Oni. The Oni finishes his formation and strikes the floor with the staff, lightning flashing behind him. The Ninja look at each other in fear and shock.)
Lloyd: (Garmadon gets up.) What's that?
Garmadon: Whatever it is, it's about to experience my full wrath. (Summons his power into four mini swords. He lunges at the Oni.) HI-YAH!! (He attacks the Oni, but within a few seconds, the Oni throws him against the wall. Lloyd gasps in surprise. Garmadon tries to regain his power, but does not have enough anger in him to do so. Lloyd does Spinjitzu, trying to get passed the Oni, only for him to be thrown against the wall as well. Lloyd yells in pain, and the camera is damaged, disconnecting the Bounty's signal from Lloyd's camera.)
Kai: (Starts typing frantically.) Zane! How do we get the signal back?
Zane: The signal is lost, Kai.
Lloyd: (Groans) Who are y-you?
Oni: I am the Omega! The Destructor! The Bringer of Doom! (Marches towards them. Points his staff at them.) Are you the protectors of this realm?
Lloyd: (Nods and gets up.) Yes. I am.
The Omega: (Points at Garmadon.) And you?
Garmadon: Usually, no, but well today... yes!
The Omega: You are an Oni. (Garmadon gets up.) Yet, you fight to preserve this realm. (He leans a bit back, seemingly disgusted.) Why?
Garmadon: (Sighs.) If anyone is going to destroy Ninjago, it'll be me, not some Oni usurper with a walking stick. (Smacks the staff away.)
The Omega: Then perish with them! (Holds up his staff, getting ready to strike at them.)
(End of the episode. For more information, click here.)