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"While we're stuck waiting, why don't you tell us who's really under there?"
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Smoke creatures are a species that can shapeshift into other people or creatures.
History[]
Background[]
At some point, the smoke creatures were banished to the Underworld or have always lived there. The time passed, and the real name of these creatures was lost to history. At some point after Garmadon's takeover of the realm, the five creatures escaped to Ninjago.
Mask of the Sensei[]
With Garmadon's memories about Wu, one of the smoke creatures decided to take over Ninjago, starting with the small village of Ignacia.
In order to start off its conquest, the creature (in the form of Wu) destructively attempts to collect his self-declared 'Ninja Tax' from the villagers of Ignacia, angering them. However, it manages to rally the villagers under his control by promising to convert the village into the capital of his empire, making them all rich. Even as "Wu" goes off, Kai confronts him over his promise, only to learn his plans to destroy his home village in order to set an example. Enraged, Kai attacks Wu, only to be soundly defeated.
Meanwhile, Nya brings Cole, Jay, and Zane to help her reason with "Wu". The four of them decided to humor his demands before they can figure out a plan of action, but before they take their leave, Cole asks Wu if he wants tea, only for Wu to express disgust over the idea. Realizing their sensei must be an impostor, they decide to split up and find the items the Impostor Wu has tasked them to find; a scale from an angry dragon, dust from a river, a snowball from the desert, and a scroll from the safest place in Ninjago.
In his cave prison, Kai manages to recover from his defeat and discovers the identity of his fellow prisoner, the real Sensei Wu. Wu proceeds to reveal that the Skulkin had originally been tasked with keeping several horrible beings trapped in the Underworld, but when Garmadon got them to try to steal the Golden Weapons, they neglected their duties, allowing some of their prisoners to escape.
Later, "Kai" approaches a meditating Sensei Wu, revealing he's figured out a plan but needs a scroll to help. After being given Wu's grocery list (which should work as the scroll from the safest place in Ninjago), he reveals his identity as the smoke creature, only to be attacked from behind by Kai, the two of them having anticipated the trick.
Admitting his respect, the smoke creature taunts the two of them by shape-shifting into Samukai, Garmadon, Cole, Wu, and Nya, before deciding to get rid of them and turns into Flame. However, Cole, Jay, and Zane arrive to help, having figured out that the passage to the prison was placed in the Four Weapons shop. Under Wu's orders, Zane uses the Shurikens of Ice to create an icy mirror, and the smoke creature, noticing his reflection, reacts violently and in horror.
As they escape the collapsing prison, Wu reveals that the weakness of the smoke creatures is that they can't stand their own reflections. Meanwhile, Nya arrives in Ignacia and exposes the smoke creature, snapping the villagers out of their manipulation.
In the desert, the ninja and Sensei Wu gather to confront the smoke creature, where it attacks them in the form of a colossal crab. However, when the ninja threaten to destroy the items it needs, it attempts to negotiate, only for Sensei Wu to see through its lies. Angered, it reveals it had escaped the Underworld with four others of its species, and after shape-shifting into their opponents, battle their respective ninja counterparts.
Kai eventually manages to defeat the smoke creatures by using Spinjitzu to open an aquifer, the resulting water spout creating several reflective puddles. As a result of their time outside of the Underworld and seeing their own reflections, the smoke creatures dissipate and are dragged back into their prison, and the ninja go off to drink tea and celebrate.
Abilities[]
- Shapeshifting: They can take form of any creature of any size they want.
- Copying abilities: When shapeshifted into Spinjitzu master, it can do Spinjitzu, and when shapeshifted into a dragon, it can breathe fire.
- Memory reading: They can read the memories of the people around its victim to take a new form.
Weaknesses[]
- Connection to the Underworld: The creature can stay in the other realm for only one week. Otherwise, it will be dragged back to the Underworld. This can be prevented by an absurd list of items: a scale from an angry dragon, dust from a river, a snowball from the desert, and a scroll from the safest place in Ninjago.
- Reflection: The creature will dissolve if it will see its own reflection, which makes it weak against the Elemental Master of Ice.
Trivia[]
- Chronologically, they are the second enemies Ninja have ever fought, following Skulkin.
- Their abilities are more powerful than the three Elemental Powers combined:
- The idea of shapeshifting creatures who can read minds and turn into smoke will later be used on an alien creature in Comet Crisis. Presumably, they are not the same creatures.