Ronin

Ronin is a self-centered yet skilled ex-thief and bounty hunter. Formerly based in Stiix with his airship R.E.X., Ronin's 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 an army of ghosts in Stiix.

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

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 a pawn shop in Ninjago City, and was injured while briefly 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 The Resistance broke free, they helped destroy the Colossus and defeat the Sons of Garmadon.

History

Ronin, at one point, became indebted to Soul Archer, who threatened to have him banished to the Cursed Realm if he didn't pay him back. Ronin was reluctant to pay him, but after he was banished to the Cursed Realm, the deal had seemingly disentegrated.

Following the The Overlord's destruction, Ronin captured the newly-rebuilt Zane and P.I.X.A.L. and sold them to Master Chen so he could lure the other four Ninja into participating in the Tournament of Elements.

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 Ninjas' 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 have 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 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 saw 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 own ghost traps. He enters the shop and is blocked by Wu and Misako though 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. Afterwards, 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 a clean record and a big budget from the cops.

He first catches Lloyd and Zane by having the library close early, hack 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 at 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!

In an effort 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 5 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. Following Jay's final wish, he was placed back in the police department, presumably with no memory of the events of the season.

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 fisherman, 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 Pirate Crew 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.

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.

The Hands of Time

The Hands of Time

Ronin was helping Misako and Dareth bringing in the Ninjas' 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 Season 9

Not much is known about Ronin after Dareth broke his leg, but he was able to recover from his injury.

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

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 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.

Wu's Teas (Non-canon)

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.

March of the Oni

Endings

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

Appearances

Relationships

Main article: Ronin (Relationships)

Abilities and Weapons

Ronin wields a Deepstone Aeroblade (it is unknown what element, if any) and briefly, the Sword of Sanctuary. He also has a paranormal scanner strapped to his eye,^[1] and an airship he named R.E.X. that he uses to escape a dilemma or as a transportation.

Ninjago.com Description

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?

Notes

• 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 scripts, he has been called "Ronan." When Jay Vincent released Ronin's theme, the piece was titled "Ronan" due to that being the character's name in the script. 
• He is also revealed to have an Aeroblade, although it is unknown which element (if any) it is or how he obtained it and the other Aeroblades.
• Just like many characters in the series, 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 or 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.
• Ronin was responsible for Zane and P.I.X.A.L. being held captive by Chen in Season 4.
• He is the only boss in LEGO Ninjago: Tournament app that is unplayable.
• His past with the Soul Archer is similar to Jack Sparrow and the debt he made with Davy Jones, the difference is that Ronin must pay in money, where as Jack had to pay in souls, either his or other people's.
• 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.
• Ronin is the third person to kiss or almost kiss Nya (seen in the reflection of the Sword of Sanctuary in "The Crooked Path"), the first being Bizarro Jay and second being Jay himself.
  • This implies that he may have romantic feelings for her, also being the third person to do so.
• 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. 
• In the first half of Season 6, Ronin opposes the Ninja and is the one who subsequently gets them arrested, all for the money. He later chooses to help the Ninja by joining Jay's team.
• Ronin is currently in his late 30s.^[2]
• On March 30, Tommy Andreasen stated that in his head, he imagines Ronin has three children and a demanding wife.

Gallery

Ronin's 2015 minifigure

Ronin's 2016 minifigure

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References

1. ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/835344699426750464
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/799535958081306625