Ronin

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“Like I said, don't care so much. Usually when someone wants something too badly, they'll trip over their own feet.”

— Ronin to Nya, "The Crooked Path"

Ronin
Information
Species	Human
Affiliation	Dark Samurai (non-canon) Ninja Replacements (in an alternate timeline) Kryptarium inmates Henchmen (formerly)
Occupation	Bounty hunter Thief Pawn shop owner
Weapon of choice	Obsidian Glaive (formerly; non-canon) Aeroblade Sword of Sanctuary (briefly) Katanas (in sets) Stud shooters (in sets) Flintlock musket (in sets)
First appearance	LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (non-canon) 70735 Ronin R.E.X.
Latest appearance	Ninjago City vs. Ninja 71741 Ninjago City Gardens
Status	Alive
Family	Unnamed (wife; non-canon) Unnamed (daughter; non-canon) Larry (cousin; non-canon)
Voiced by	Brian Dobson Steven Blum (Shadow of Ronin)

Ronin is a self-centered yet skilled thief and bounty hunter. Formerly based in Stiix with his airship R.E.X., Ronin made many mistakes; he made deals with the Soul Archer, and even "sold" Zane to Master Chen. However, looking to change his ways, Ronin sided with the ninja and oversaw Nya as she tried to master her Element. Morro forced Ronin to steal the Sword of Sanctuary, and lead the ninja into a trap. They made amends, and Ronin helped them fight the Preeminent and the Ghost Warriors in Stiix.

After the ghost invasion, the Police Commissioner hired Ronin to capture the ninja due to crimes they allegedly committed, and he agreed (at least partly because of the money) though they were framed. When the conflict with the Sky Pirates escalated, Ronin joined Jay's rag-tag team and raided Djinjago. Due to Jay's final wish, recent events were undone and Ronin never captured the ninja or joined Jay's team.

On the Day of the Departed, Ronin built himself a new mech and used it to help Jay defeat a resurrected Samukai.

Sometime in-between the Day of the Departed and the return of Acronix, Ronin opened up another pawn shop in Ninjago City and broke his leg while aiding the ninja in the fight against the Time Twins and their Vermillion army.

During Lord Garmadon's reign, Ronin was arrested and imprisoned in Kryptarium Prison. After he and members of the Resistance broke free, they helped defeat the Colossus and the Sons of Garmadon.

After the prisoners escaped from Kryptarium Prison, he was hired by Ninjago City Police to catch all the escaped prisoners. However, when he learned of the uncharted island, he employed all the remaining prisoners and, with the help of the fake Wojira, robbed the Keepers, who gave him their valuables believing that the fake Wojira was real and was going to punish them. When he was exposed and defeated by the ninja, he remained imprisoned on the island in the Keepers' prison, along with other prisoners that worked for Ronin.

After Nya's sacrifice to defeat Kalmaar and Wojira, he attended her memorial.

Over a year later, he confronted the Ninja in Kryptarium Prison and challenged them before being interrupted by guards.

History

Background

One night, a drunk Ronin was approached by an individual named "Sultan Archron" who offered Ronin a deal that he said would cost him no coin. Ronin agreed, not knowing at that moment that he was indebting his soul to the devious Soul Archer.

Having made an ill-advised deal with Soul Archer, Ronin knew that his soul would end up in the Cursed Realm should he not pay the Archer off on time. After the Archer was banished to the Cursed Realm himself, the deal was seemingly disintegrated. However, the ordeal left him paranoid, so he created an eyepiece to detect paranormal essence.

At some point, Ronin had an encounter with the ninja, ultimately abandoning them in a precarious situation.

Following the Nindroid crisis, Ronin was approached by Clouse for a capture and deliver job for Master Chen, only to later realize the intended victim was the newly-rebuilt Zane. Though Ronin wished to opt out of the assignment, Clouse threatened to harm Ronin's family should he not comply.

Ronin captured Zane and P.I.X.A.L. and sold them to Master Chen so the latter could lure the other four ninja into participating in the Tournament of Elements.

Shadow of Ronin (non-canon)

Following Chen's banishment to the Cursed Realm, Ronin planned to free him using the Elemental Forges in return for a large amount of money that he could use to pay his debts. Knowing that the ninja would no doubt interfere with his plans, he sent several of his warriors to the monastery atop Spinjago where they enlisted as Dareth's adult class to get close to the ninja.

Ronin cornered

After his men were easily defeated by the ninja, Ronin himself arrived in stolen samurai armor and lured the ninja to the top of the mountain, destroying the village as he went. When the ninja cornered him, Ronin used the Obsidian Glaive to remove their memories, yet was only able to erase a few years before Wu fended him off. The memory thief claimed that he had done what he came for and escaped in R.E.X.

To make sure that the ninja would not regain their memories, Ronin sent his forces to Kryptarium Prison to steal the map to the Inky Lemonberry from Hibiki. They were unable to obtain it before the ninja arrived, however, though by then, Ronin had used the Obsidian Glaive on the Serpentine to make them believe they were still at war with the ninja. He sent the Constrictai to claim the Obsidian Scythe, but they failed.

Ronin and his forces attacked the ninja again at the Fire Temple while they were obtaining the Obsidian Sword. Ronin himself arrived at the temple in a large mech just as the ninja were leaving, but the mech, however, proved to be no match for the power of the ninja. Ronin was forced to retreat again in R.E.X., but not before he activated a device that would cause the volcano to erupt. The ninja just barely managed to escape in time.

Using the Lightning Forge

While the ninja journeyed to the Frozen Wasteland, Ronin constructed a new power source for the Nindroid Army and used them to attack Ninjago City as a diversion to buy him time to find the Lightning Forge. He returned to the Floating Ruins just as the ninja deactivated the power source, and used the Forge to attack them, forcing the ninja to flee.

Ronin using the Earth Forge to bury the ninja

Ronin sent his goons after the Fire Forge while he himself found the Earth Forge. He then went to the vault of Ice only to find the ninja there with both the Fire and Ice Forges. Ronin ambushed them with the Lightning Forge, though, Dareth and Zane managed to escape. Ronin caught up to them, however, and threatened to bury the rest of the ninja and Wu in dirt unless they hand over the Fire and Ice Forges. Dareth countered by attacking Ronin with the two Forges, unintentionally creating water, which when Ronin added lightning, shocked and discombobulated the Brown Ninja. Ronin grabbed the remaining Forges and left, his intentions now set on finding the Primal Fulcrum.

Ronin used the Obsidian Glaive to alter Misako's memory to believe that the ninja had betrayed her. He then sent her to the Fangpyre Tomb to find any clues to the Fulcrum's location. A Samurai that had been secretly watching her reported back to Ronin that the Fulcrum was hidden in Hiroshi's Labyrinth, and Ronin journeyed there to find it.

With Misako

When he entered the inner chamber where the Fulcrum was kept, Ronin found the ninja trapped as Misako had tricked them into activating a fail-safe. Misako ran to him, relieved that he was there, and expressed that she hoped she did a good job in trapping them. Lloyd, however, became furious at what Ronin had done to his mother, and managed to break one of his arms free. He fired a green beam at the Obsidian Glaive, destroying it. With his key weapon no more, and its effect starting to wear off on Misako, Ronin mocked the ninja before he left with the Fulcrum. To ensure he would not be followed, he destroyed the entrance to the room.

Ronin then traveled to Chen's Island to finish his plans, but the ninja manage to break free in time and traveled to the Island to stop him. Ronin then gave the orders to his troops to throw everything they had at them.

After the ninja find Ronin in Chen's Palace, he had already managed to put up a force field around himself and the Fulcrum, as he began to place the Elemental Forges on the Fulcrum. Wu then pleaded him to stop but Ronin refused, placing the final Forge on the Fulcrum and opening a portal to the Cursed Realm.

But the ninja did not stop and instead, entered the now giant-sized portal on their Elemental Dragons and the Ultra Dragon to stop him once and for all. After they had searched different portals to find him and manage to build an entrance to the portal he was hiding in, they were finely standing face to face with Ronin for one last time, but Ronin then revealed a triumph card. Using the remaining power of the Elemental Forges, Ronin conjured the elemental Golem and fought the ninja. But as the battle continued, the ninja managed to destroy each of the Forges that powered the elemental Golem, until they were all destroyed, and Ronin was then forced to flee on R.E.X. once more, but not before he saw a giant, green, ghostly arm (possibly Soul Archer's arm) coming out of the now closing portal, Ronin then managed to escape.

Possession

Ghost Story

Ronin stole Master Yang's Airjitzu scrolls from the Ancient Library of Domu and returned to Stiix. He was also briefly seen at the Biker Tavern as Morro arrived and left before he summoned Wrayth.

Stiix and Stones

As Ronin was setting a pot out that hid the scroll at his shop in Stiix, the ninja arrived seeking it. The thief attempted to sell them weapons such as Aeroblades or Jadeblades, but they were relentless in asking for the scroll and he offered the price of 200 but raised it to 400 when he learned of its value. Kai attempted to barter with him, but due to his poor negotiating skills, they settled on the price of 450. After the ninja left the shop in search of money, Ronin pulled the scroll out and inspected it.

That night, he was confronted by Soul Archer and Morro who also sought the scrolls. Ronin tried to stall by trying to purchase the Allied Armor of Azure, but they were interrupted when the ninja arrived. After Morro escaped with the scroll, he rescued Kai and told him there was another way to learn Airjitzu: in exchange for this information, however, he had the Red Ninja give him all the ninja's shares of the tea farm (much to the shock and anger of his friends) as compensation for his shop being destroyed.

The Temple on Haunted Hill

Ronin comes to the tea shop and tells Misako, Nya, and Wu about the deal he and Kai made. When a customer is leaving, Ronin takes the treat Misako gave the man and points out it's a business, not a charity. Nya pays him to take her to her Samurai X Cave. On their way, Nya gets Ronin to reveal that he made a bet with the Soul Archer, and if he did not pay him back, then his soul would go to the Cursed Realm. When they find out that Morro has already arrived in the cave, he uses an Aeroblade to take out one of the Soul Archer's arrows. After Nya's mech got possessed, Ronin saves Nya and takes her outside where the ghosts try to take Ronin's R.E.X. but fail when Nya makes it rain. Ronin then told Nya that she is a Water Ninja.

Peak-a-Boo

During the journey to the Wailing Alps, Ronin observed the team's training in learning Airjitzu and continuously mocked them over their failed attempts due to trying to have fun as Wu closed the tea shop for a week. He mocked Jay when he went over the flag and in turn, Jay stole the fruit he was eating.

Kingdom Come

Ghoultar was brought aboard the Bounty and Ronin questioned the ghost along with Wu and Nya. However, when the ghost refused to answer, Wu and Nya left, leaving Ronin in charge of the prisoner. When they were along, Ghoultar suggested he make good on the deal he made with Soul Archer, to which Ronin quickly silenced him and promised he would keep up his end in due time. Later when Kai got the Sword of Sanctuary from Morro, Master Wu says they can now find the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master, though Ronin killed everyone's mood by pointing out they still didn't know where the tomb is.

The Crooked Path

While the ninja set up a ghost security system and Wu and Misako try to figure out the last clue, Ronin washed R.E.X. while observing Nya's training. Upon hearing she unlock her powers after overcoming her fear of failure, Ronin told her not to try so hard: as a result, she reversed the falls of the droplets while lecturing him on why she works hard. Before he could get back to washing R.E.X., he was telepathically contacted by Bansha, who told him to bring Morro the Sword of Sanctuary in exchange for removing his curse.

Ronin began to look around the tea shop for the blade only to nearly get caught by the ninja. As they discussed how they could find the tomb, Ronin snuck out and went to search in the side buildings only to find Nya with the sword, having picked up on his plan due to his advice. The two began fighting, he is kicked in the leg by her and questions it as she replies he knows what he was going to do (she had seen a future in which he kisses her) before he knocks her down and he gets the sword. As he attempts to get away, Nya alerts her friends and he is surrounded by the ninja who end up falling for their ghost traps. He enters the shop and is blocked by Wu and Misako though he uses the sword to counter their moves and escape out the back. He then fooled them into thinking he escaped in R.E.X. by setting her on autopilot and sailed down a stream on a raft only to be caught by Nya. Although she learned how to reverse water, she wasn't strong enough to pull Ronin's raft back giving him the chance to escape.

He soon arrived in Stiix and found out the Ghost Warriors were hiding out in his old shop. After Ghoultar confirmed he brought the real sword, Morro allowed him his soul back but changed the deal: he now wanted Ronin to capture the ninja so they wouldn't interfere with the Preeminent's return. Ronin refused as he now saw the ninja as his friends, something the ghosts found hard to believe. However, he wasn't allowed to leave and was possessed by Morro so he could send them off to the Caves of Despair. Afterward, he left Ronin in Stiix while he, Soul Archer, and Bansha took Lloyd to find the tomb, and Ghoultar went to finish off the ninja, claiming he was no longer of any use to them. Ronin then sent R.E.X. to save the ninja and explained everything in a recorded message, giving them the coordinates to the real tomb, wishing them luck in stopping Morro and telling them this would be the last they hear from him and if Nya wants an explanation as to why it would be because he cares.

Curseworld, Part I

Staying in Ninjago City during New Years', Ronin ate at Chen's Noodle House and made friends with Skylor. While watching the festivities at Stiix, he learned of the Ghost attacks and traveled there in R.E.X., arriving just as Lloyd began fighting Morro. Using all the money he made, he dumped it on his shop which Morro was levitating in midair, causing it to come crashing to the ground, though couldn't find Morro.

Curseworld, Part II

Ronin soon began ordering the civilians to get on the ferry and obtains the Sword of Sanctuary to fight off the Preeminent's tentacles. When everyone is boarded, Ronin battles Morro over the Sword, which he eventually lost. He then took to driving the ferry until the Preeminent's destruction at Nya's hands.

Skybound

Public Enemy Number One

Ronin is shown to have been hired by Ninjago City Police to catch criminals they couldn't catch. Although still friends with the ninja, he tries to catch them in exchange for his criminal record being erased and a big budget from the cops.

He first catches Lloyd and Zane by having the library close early, hacks into Zane, and after a brief fight with Lloyd, stunned him with an electric rope. He later used Zane's beacon to lure Kai and Nya to the Corridor of Elders and trap them in a narrow passage where he places a simulated rock to block their path and arrest the two siblings.

He soon went to Mega Monster Amusement Park where Jay and Cole went and turned on a roller coaster before the two separate thanks to Cole's ghost ability, making him invisible. His attempt at the electric rope on Jay failed before soon shutting off the roller coaster he was on, causing him to fall into a bag by a waiting Ronin. He easily caught Cole by following a trail of funnel cake crumbs because he was a nervous eater, thermal vision to see him despite his ghost ability and stuns him with his electric rope, remarking himself as a winner.

My Dinner With Nadakhan

Ronin was seen near the end where he and the Commissioner rescue Lloyd, Cole, and Nya from Tiger Widow Island and telling them that they found the message from Jay about stopping Nadakhan. With them on board, they flew back to Ninjago City to prepare to rescue Jay.

Wishmasters

Ronin was seen helping the ninja build the Raid Zeppelin 2.0 for the mission against the Sky Pirates.

Operation Land Ho!

To stop Nadakhan from marrying Nya, Jay assembles a team consisting of Dareth, Soto, Skylor, Echo Zane, the Police Commissioner, and Ronin. When Jay asked Ronin to help, Ronin was getting arrested. While in Djinjago, he gave everyone garden tools to use as weapons while Jay was in the Djinn Blade freeing the ninja.

The Way Back

As everyone thanked Jay's team for freeing them, he asked for a cash reward only to be met with glares from Kai and Lloyd. As the five ninja went to rescue Nya, he stopped Dareth from going with them before taking a jet back to Ninjago City with Jay's team, Wu and Misako.

Dark Island Trilogy

Dark Island Trilogy, Part 1

Ronin was hired by Wu to travel with Misako to the Dark Island following a couple of missing fishermen, as the master himself was too busy but was insisted she not travel alone. Once arriving at the island, they discovered various mutant beasts. The two attempted to return to Ninjago for help, but their boat was ambushed by the Sky Pirates who boarded their ship. Ronin attempted to defend Misako but was knocked overboard by a wave and was forced to swim back to the Dark Island.

Using bits and pieces found around the island, Ronin constructed himself a mech to defend himself from the Sky Pirates. A few days later, Ronin was awoken by Jay and Nya who had arrived. After Nya saved the mercenary from a Leviathan, Ronin explained what had happened and tried to convince them to help him off the island, but the two ninja were adamant that they wouldn't leave without the others. Reluctant to be left alone, Ronin accompanied Jay and Nya into the jungle.

Dark Island Trilogy, Part 2

Ronin, Jay, and Nya eventually came across Zane and Cole who had allied with Monkey Wretch and secured the Titanium Ninja Tumbler and the Ultra Stealth Raider. Using the vehicles, Ronin and the ninja helped free the fishermen, Lloyd, and Misako from the Sky Pirates. The pirates then fled towards the Temple of Light and Ronin and the others pursued them.

Dark Island Trilogy, Part 3

Ronin participated in the final battle at the Temple of Light, notably being forced to battle members of the Shadow Army without his mech.

Day of the Departed

On the Day of the Departed, Ronin briefly attended the Royal Blacksmith concert outside the Ninjago Museum of History. Noticing the large turnout, he presumed that Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk would be deserted and journeyed there in his mech to do some scrap hunting.

Ronin saves the Walkers.

Upon arriving at the junkyard, however, he found Jay, Ed, and Edna under attack by the Skulkin, commanded by a resurrected Samukai. Ronin then used a mech suit and rescued Jay's parents, briefly giving his reasons for being present while allowing Jay to take on his enemy. After the Skulkin were defeated, Ronin was rewarded with a bag of scrap metal while being told by Ed that all he needed to do was ask for some.

Wu's Teas (non-canon)

Music Night, Parts 1 and 2

Ronin was at Steeper Wisdom when the ninja were performing as a band.

Inspection Day

Ronin introduced the ninja and Master Wu to the health inspector. He told them Steeper Wisdom is in good quality before witnessing trash flying all over the place, earning them a bad score.

The Taste Test

Ronin was able to convince Wu to enter a taste test competition with Steeper Wisdom's tea against the Robot Manager's coffee shop to win a golden mug. When she won, he cheered. Wu reminded him that they lost, but he replied saying he owned both shops, and the mug was painted and had wood glued on the bottom. While the ninja went back inside the shop, Ronin accepted the prize and the attention he's getting from the audience.

The Hands of Time

The Hands of Time

Ronin was helping Misako and Dareth bringing in the ninja's belongings in their new HQ while the ninja were helping Dr. Saunders. When they were disturbed by the arrival of the Forward Time Blade, which sped up Time by a minute, Misako, Dareth, and Ronin were all suspicious but couldn't jump to any conclusions.

Scavengers

When Dareth rushed to Ronin to buy new trophies, they were disturbed by Vermillion, so he took his Salvage M.E.C. to tell the ninja. He aided the ninja alongside Dareth to fight the Vermillion. However, Dareth broke Ronin's leg in the process by mistake.

Prior to Sons of Garmadon

At one point, presumably after his leg healed, Ronin was hired by Kai and Zane to take them to the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master in their search for Wu.

In an effort to clear his name, Ronin made a deal with the Police Commissioner to run a "School for Crooks," a criminal reform course partially designed to stifle by the rising threat of a new criminal gang reported to be recruiting members.

One night, Ronin was tracked down by Kai and Skylor, though he kept his face hidden from the two ninja. After a lengthy chase, he revealed his identity and explained what the "School for Crooks" was and how he had simply fled from Kai and Skylor because he would get fewer students if it seemed that he was working with the ninja.

As Kai and Skylor bid farewell, Ronin mentioned his appreciation for the Puffy Potstickers at Chen's Noodle House.

Hunted

Firstbourne

As Dareth was passing by a TV store, he saw Ronin attempting to flee on TV, but the latter ends up being arrested by the Sons of Garmadon.

Two Lies, One Truth

While sharing a cell with Misako at Kryptarium Prison, Ronin passes the time by whistling, before telling Misako that he hopes Lloyd figures their situation out. Misako assures him that he will, which Ronin shrugs off as being easy for her to say, as she's Lloyd's mother.

Green Destiny

Ronin breaks free with Karlof and Griffin Turner

While in his cell, Ronin overhears the guards saying the ninja have returned, which he's happy to hear. With help from Griffin Turner and Karlof, Ronin breaks free from his cell along with the other inmates, before they escape the prison and head for the city.

Ronin helps in bringing down the Colossus

Ronin makes it back to Ninjago City, where he helped bring down the Colossus along with the people of Ninjago.

When the ninja celebrated for their victory, Ronin can be seen in the audience cheering on his allies.

March of the Oni

Endings

He and several of the ninja's other allies visited the monastery to celebrate their victory over the Oni.

Prior to The Island

Not long after the attack by Unagami, Ronin was hired by the Ninjago City Police to assist in the hunt for the escaped Kryptarium inmates, capturing Fugi-Dove in the process, but he soon realized he could use the escaped inmates to his advantage. He discovered the Island of the Keepers and the tribe that lives there. With his new crew, he constructed a fake Wojira and exploited them of their treasures.

The Island

The Tooth of Wojira

The fake Wojira sails back into the cave the crew has set up base in, with Jay in tow. The crooks are concerned with how upset Ronin will be that the Keepers sacrificed a person to them, instead of jewels. Jay manages to escape and does battle with the escaped inmates. The other ninja join soon after. Jay queries who would be behind such an operation, as Ronin steps out and reveals himself. He began battling the ninja before realizing he could make an escape, so he jumped onto his Wojira boat and began driving away with all the treasure he stole from the Keepers. Before he can escape, however, Twitchy Tim sails in on a catamaran and crashes directly into Ronin's getaway ship. He was then captured and placed behind the Keepers' cell.

Seabound

The Turn of the Tide

After the events on the Island of the Keepers, Ronin was transferred to Ninjago City and entrusted to the police, although he was briefly released on parole and attended Nya's memorial under the supervision of the Commissioner.

The Sea Beast!

A couple of days after Nya's memoral, at the Ninjago Harbor, Ronin disguised himself to hide his appearance and was hosting an auction for a fake sea monster hidden under a big blanket. Miss Demeanor and her henchmen attended the auction so that they could use the sea monster to attack the city. Luckily the ninja stopped her and her henchmen by throwing the trash they found on the beach before. After the criminals were arrested. the ninja discovered the identity of the mysterious seller and how his sea monster actually looked. The Commissioner later gave Ronin a warning for selling fake items.

Relationships

Main article: Ronin's relationships

Family Unnamed (wife; non-canon) Unnamed (daughter; non-canon) Larry (cousin; non-canon) Allies Ninja (formerly) Chen (formerly) Dark Samurai (non-canon) Serpentine (non-canon) Nindroid Army (non-canon) Elemental Golem (non-canon) Ghost Warriors (unwillingly; formerly) Ninjago City Police (formerly) Ninja Replacements (in an alternate timeline) The Resistance (formerly) Kryptarium inmates Henchmen (formerly) Miss Demeanor (briefly)

Enemies Hibiki (non-canon) Ninja Ninjago City Police The Preeminent Ghost Warriors Sky Pirates Shadow Army Skulkin Vermillion Sons of Garmadon Keepers Zippy

Weapons and abilities

Abilities

• Eye scanner: Ronin has a scanner strapped to his eye that has thermal vision and a paranormal scanner.
• Bounty hunting: Ronin is an experienced bounty hunter able to capture targets rather easily by using a combination of devices and strategy.
• Expert strategist: Ronin is excellent at creating and putting strategies into place, as he was able to con the Keepers for a long amount of time.
• Hacking: Ronin was easily able to hack into Zane's systems.

Weapons

• Aeroblade: Ronin owns an Aeroblade that he keeps in his shop.
• Sword of Sanctuary: Ronin briefly owned the Sword of Sanctuary that he used against Nya.

Vehicles

Mechs

• Ronin's Mech (non-canon)
  • It first appeared in LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin.
• Salvage M.E.C.
  • Ronin used it on the Day of the Departed and during the attack of the Vermillion.
  • It first appeared in Dark Island Trilogy, Part 1.

Ships

• Ronin's monster
  • Ronin used it during his camouflage as Wojira.
  • It first appeared in "The Gift of Jay."

Other

• R.E.X.
  • Ronin's aerial vehicle which also works as a submarine.
  • It first appeared in LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin.

LEGO.com descriptions

Possession

Ronin is a thief who is interested in one thing and one thing only: money. He once made a bad bet with Soul Archer, so now he has to come up with something valuable to pay the ghost off. When he crosses paths with the Ninja, Ronin gets a chance to be a hero. But will he take the risk, when there's nothing for him to gain?

2017 Museum gallery

Ronin is a master thief who disposed of the things he stole by selling them in a pawnshop he owned in the City of Stiix. He is in it for the money and, most of the time, cares only about himself. At some point in the past, Ronin made a bet with Soul Archer and lost his soul, then didn’t pay up. When Soul Archer escaped the Cursed Realm, he went after Ronin for payment. Ronin had to do services for the ghost in order to get his soul back. The ninja encountered Ronin when they traveled to the City of Stiix in search of the Scroll of Airjitzu, which Ronin had stolen. Ronin demanded a very high price for the scroll. He later traded information on another way to learn Airjitzu to Kai in exchange for the ninja team’s shares in Master Wu’s tea farm. This made him a partner in the business. He is resourceful and clever, but his attitude still brings him into conflict with some of the ninja. Ronin still struggles between his new life as an ally of the ninja and his old, when the only things that mattered were profit and survival. Deep down, he has a good heart, he is just reluctant to show that sometimes.

Appearances

Sets 70735 Ronin R.E.X. (2015 version) 70592 Salvage M.E.C. (Salvage M.E.C. pilot) 71741 Ninjago City Gardens (Legacy) 112015 Cole vs. Ronin (Legacy) Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu Season 5: Possession 46. "Ghost Story" (no lines) 47. "Stiix and Stones" 48. "The Temple on Haunted Hill" 49. "Peak-a-Boo" 50. "Kingdom Come" 51. "The Crooked Path" 53. "Curseworld, Part I" 54. "Curseworld, Part II" Season 6: Skybound 56. "Public Enemy Number One" 58. "Misfortune Rising" (pictured) 60. "My Dinner With Nadakhan" 61. "Wishmasters" 63. "Operation Land Ho!" 64. "The Way Back" Day of the Departed "Day of the Departed" Wu's Teas 3. "Music Night, Part 1" (no lines; non-canon) 4. "Music Night, Part 2" (no lines; non-canon) 7. "Inspection Day" (non-canon) 19. "The Taste Test" (non-canon) Season 7: The Hands of Time 65. "The Hands of Time" 68. "Scavengers" Ninjago: Decoded Season 8: Sons of Garmadon 77. "The Oni and the Dragon" (pictured) 79. "Dead Man's Squall" (pictured) 80. "The Quiet One" (pictured) 83. "True Potential" (pictured) 84. "Big Trouble, Little Ninjago" (pictured) Season 9: Hunted 85. "Firstbourne" (no lines) 87. "Radio Free Ninjago" (pictured) 90. "Two Lies, One Truth" 94. "Green Destiny" Season 10: March of the Oni 95. "The Darkness Comes" (painting) 96. "Into the Breach" (pictured) 97. "The Fall" (pictured) 98. "Endings" (no lines) Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu 99. "Wasted True Potential" (painting) 100. "Questing for Quests" (painting) Prime Empire Original Shorts 1. "Let's Dance" (painting) Season 13: Master of the Mountain 145. "Shintaro" (painting) The Island 161. "Uncharted" (TV screen) 164. "The Tooth of Wojira" Season 14: Seabound 180. "The Turn of the Tide" (no lines) Season 15: Crystalized 187. "Ninjago City vs. Ninja" Ninjago Magazine 85. Can Jay Save Nya? Books Dark Island Trilogy, Part 1 Dark Island Trilogy, Part 2 Dark Island Trilogy, Part 3 Way of the Departed (non-canon) School for Crooks Video games LEGO Ninjago: Tournament (non-canon) LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (non-canon) The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame (non-canon)

Behind the scenes

• In several instances, Ronin's name has been spelled "Ronan." Despite being called "Ronin" in the series' merchandise, in other areas such as the TV show's credits, he has been called "Ronan." When Jay Vincent released Ronin's theme, the piece was titled "Ronan," presumably due to this being the character's name in the scripts.
• His name is likely from the Japanese word rōnin (浪人,　ろうにん) meaning "a samurai who serves no master", which fittingly describes him as in the TV show, he works alone until he decides to ally with the ninja.
• The orange color of Ronin's arm and shoulder is simply meant to depict armor, not a robotic arm like the Mechanic's.
• In his samurai armor in Shadow of Ronin, Ronin has a recolored version of Kozu's torso and recolored legs of the Stone Swordsmen.
• Just like many characters in the series (some others being Wu and Garmadon), Ronin resembles a Star Wars character, in this case, Han Solo. Both are older men without special powers, relying on weapons to defend themselves. Both also have debts to pay, and they do dirty work as long as they get paid. They are anti-heroes as they are neither good nor bad, just people who do jobs for either side, but ultimately they choose to fight beside the heroes. They also have a fast ship that they fly around with.
• His backstory with Soul Archer is similar to Jack Sparrow's backstory with Davy Jones, mainly because of the fact that a living man owes money (or his soul) to a supernatural entity, and if they cannot pay, they would suffer (Ronin would be banished to the Cursed Realm, and Jack would work for eternity on Flying Dutchman).
• Ronin is treated differently in the Ninjago TV show than he was treated in the game.
  • In the show, Nya, Wu, and Misako did not know who he was or recognize him (even though in the game, they had all met him).
  • The series treats Ronin more as a thief than the mercenary he was in the game and even tries to give him a sympathetic backstory, by stating that he made a bet with the Soul Archer and had to pay him back or else he would be taken to the Cursed Realm, explaining his crocked motivations in the game.
  • Also, in the game, he had an army of Dark Samurai, but in the series, he says he's always been on his own.
• In "Day of the Departed" and Season 7 he does not wear his hat. This change is probably due to the design of the physical minifigure, as the original minifigure had a hairless hat, but it was added in a show where there is the possibility of combining hair and hat into one piece, his second minifigure did not have a hat, so he did not have it in the show as well in The Island. However, this does not explain the reason for adding the hat in Season 9.
• Although his hair was orange in LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin, in seasons 5, 6 and Day of the Departed, his hair is brown. However, that changed in Season 7, since he has orange hair as well as in the sets and the original video game.
• His design in Hunted is a combination of his design in Season 5 and "Day of the Departed", as although he wears his Day of the Departed suit, he has a hat and a bandana. He also doesn't have gloves, although he's never done this before.
• In The Island, Ronin is seen with his Legacy appearance, as well as the lazy-eye effect seen on Dareth and post-movie Cole pre-WildBrain. Additionally, he wears a rice hat rather than a conical hat.

Trivia

• Even though Ronin is often framed as morally gray and referred to as such by the creators, he leaves the ninja on a positive or heroic note in every season in which he has a significant role except The Island.
• He is the only boss in LEGO Ninjago: Tournament app that is unplayable.
• In the first half of Skybound, specifically "Public Enemy Number One", Ronin opposes the ninja and is the one who gets them arrested, all for the money. He later chooses to help the ninja by joining Jay's team, starting in "My Dinner With Nadakhan."
• Ronin is currently in his late 30s.
• Tommy Andreasen stated that in his head, he imagines Ronin has three children and a demanding wife.
  • This is further explored in Chapter 22 of Tommy Andreasen's non-canon novel, Way of the Departed. His family appears to disapprove largely of his work, but he does it to provide for them.
• Although the video game, Shadow of Ronin, is non-canon, in "Stiix and Stones," Kai references a previous encounter with Ronin involving him leaving them in the mouth of something. This indicates some kind of equivalent off-screen adventure happened involving Ronin, though definitely not the exact events of the game.
  • At one point, Tommy Andreasen posted a drawing of his interpretation of the event Kai was referencing. In his mind, however, this event takes place before Tournament of Elements and relates to how Zane was captured by Ronin.
• The Hageman Brothers once jokingly stated that Ronin was killed when he was snorkeling and was hit by Skales Jr. on a jet ski.
• He is the second character to first be an enemy, then an ally and then an enemy again to the ninja. The first is Pythor.
• He is the first ally of the ninja to become a main antagonist.
• Ronin is the first character from a video game to have appeared in the TV series.
• Ronin is one of the four main antagonists to have appeared before the installment where they are the main antagonist, the others being Morro, Yang, and Krux.
• It was implied in Chapter 23 of Way of the Departed that Ronin's last name is "Kognito," making his full name "Ronin Kognito," a pun on "incognito."
• According to Tommy Andreasen, he hopes to develop Ronin's character more in the future.
• When asked why Ronin committed crimes on the Island of the Keepers, Tommy Andreasen jokingly replied that "He needed the money to buy all that Vengestone (Oops! NO SPOILERS!)"

Gallery

Main article: Ronin/Gallery