Secret of the Wolf is the twenty-third episode of the eleventh season of Ninjago and the 121st episode overall. It aired in Malaysia on September 21, 2019, on October 7, 2019, in Australia, and on October 25, 2019. It also aired in the United States on January 4, 2020, paired up with "Krag's Lament." However, in most other countries, this episode was paired up with "The Last of the Formlings."
Extended: Lloyd and his wolf companion, "Red," continue their trek towards the Ice Emperor's Castle. Unfortunately, Vex sees them coming though his corrupted ice shard and convinces the Emperor to conjure forth an Ice Behemoth to destroy them. At the same time, the Ice Emperor also conjures forth, Boreal, the Forbidden Ice Dragon, to destroy the village which survived his first attack. Lloyd manages to defeat the Ice Behemoth by leaving it at the bottom of a frozen lake, but the fight is costly and Red is injured. Lloyd bandages the wolf's injured paw and tries to keep the animal warm during the night. He awakens the following morning to find a young girl in place of the wolf! Lloyd discovers that "Red" is actually a Formling named Akita, who can transform at will into a wolf. Unfortunately, this also means that for the past three days, Lloyd has been baring his soul and confiding all his deepestsecrets to a wolf that is actually a human. Lloyd is furious, feeling betrayed by Akita... They argue, and in the heat of the moment, decide to part ways. But Akita's injured leg rears up and Lloyd reluctantly returns to help her. She apologizes for having deceived Lloyd and offers to share her own story.[3]
Plot[]
Red and Lloyd using the Titan Mech, and Lloyd discusses the Sons of Garmadon much to Red’s dislike. When the storm begins to get worse, they pick up the pace in order to reach the Castle of Ice.
Grimfax being punished by the Ice Emperor.
Back at the Castle of Ice, Grimfax and the rest of the Blizzard Samurai head to the Ice Emperor's throne room. He comments on his successful win by putting out the Hearth Fire, but Vex asks why the Hearth Fire is relit. Vex asks the Ice Emperor to punish him, and Grimfax is nearly frozen before being spared. When Vex asks what to do with the strangers and the Green Ninja, the Ice Emperor commands them to release the Ice Dragon, Boreal.
Meanwhile, Lloyd and Red continue to walk until they face the Ice Behemoth. Lloyd, in his Titan Mech, fights the Ice Behemoth, but both fall down a cliff. Red is able to wake up Lloyd, but it also revives the Ice Behemoth. Red tries to help, but she is kicked by the Ice Behemoth. Eventually, they reach a frozen lake where Lloyd cuts the ice open, causing the Ice Behemoth to fall through.
Lloyd comes to find Red unconscious, but still having a heartbeat. Lloyd sets a shelter and wraps a bandage around Red's leg before sleeping. The next day, Lloyd wakes up to find Akita in her human form. Shocked, Lloyd is upset with her and believes she deceived him. He then walks away from her and heads to the Castle of Ice, but Akita follows Lloyd. Once again, Lloyd is upset to see Akita and they both begin to argue. Lloyd then gallops off, and Akita tries to follow, but whimpers, due to her injured leg. Lloyd comes back and apologizes for being so harsh. She accepts the apology and plans to tell Lloyd her story.
Lloyd and Akita glare at each other.
At the Castle of Ice, the Ice Emperor awakens Boreal by striking his staff on the ground repeatedly, disturbing the prisoner, who looks out his cell window to see it fly off for the Great Lake.
According to the extended version of the official description, this episode takes place three days after "An Unlikely Ally."
Continuity[]
This is the first episode where Akita's human form is seen.
This is the first and only time Harumi is mentioned in the season.
Lloyd mentions Harumi when he resumes listing all the things that went wrong in his life to Akita.
When Vex tells the Ice Emperor about the green-outfit stranger, the latter pauses for a moment and appears perplexed, almost as if he knew the stranger was Lloyd and who he is.