The Glitch is the sixth episode of the twelfth season of Ninjago and the 134th episode overall. It aired on April 5, 2020, in Australia, paired up with "I am Okino." It aired in the US on July 26, 2020, but was released on the app on July 10 to people logged in.
Extended:The Samurai guide, Okino, leads the ninja into the first of Terra Karana's deadly challenges: The Forest of Discontent, made up of deep, dark woods, filled with booby-traps. As the ninja fight their way through it, they begin losing lives, but with Okino's help, they survive and reach the middle of the forest. There, they are ambushed by the Whack Rats but the ninja are able to fight them off. Lloyd ties up the leader, a rat named Richie. In order to procure his release, Richie tells Lloyd that he knows about a "glitch" in the game, which will allow the ninja to bypass the rest of the booby-traps and reach the other side of the Forest. Okino soon realises Prime Empire is not a real place, merely a simulation and he is part of it. Lloyd releases Richie, who guides the ninja to the glitch and into an ambush by Red Visors. Okino comes to their rescue and helps the ninja escape.[2]
Plot[]
Okino meets the ninja.
After Okino introduces himself, Lloyd tells Okino his and the other ninja's names and who they are. Okino, doing as he is programmed, pledges his service to the ninja. As they begin to thank him, Kai asks Okino what he means by "failing his previous masters" and how many were there. Upset, Okino points to the many swords he stuck in the ground that belonged to his fallen masters. Unnerved but still determined to escape the game, the ninja give Okino their word to get through the trials. Okino agrees and swears to help them.
Okino leads the ninja to the Forest of Discontent. As Kai is confused by the name, three bushes send spikes flying towards them; Okino easily deflects them with his sword and tells a scared Cole that the spikes were called "Thorns of Discontent." Lloyd points out that they came from the bushes. As the ninja ready their new prime controllers and call out which bush to defeat, Kai "claims" that he will look for bushes from behind. With the team giving Kai odd looks, Kai merely explains that he only has one life left.
"Ninja versus bushes!"
The ninja, ready (except for a wary Kai), charge for the bushes. They dodge and deflect the thorns that flew towards them and use beams from their weapons to destroy the bushes. Cole explains his fondness over their new weapons, when a thorn flies and hits him in the back, killing him. As he re-spawns, Cole sees that he has lost a life, much to his dismay. Okino explains to the group that the forest was dangerous, even saying that "the ground cannot be trusted" as they venture inside.
As the team and Okino travel through the forest, they complain about the darkness and not being able to see. Jay then opens his inventory and pulls out two torches for him and Cole. The problem now is that they could see what danger awaited for them. Nya then asked if what Okino said earlier was true; The Key-Tana being in a maze. Okino confirms this as a yes, as it was to be guarded by a dragon. Lloyd questions on how this was going to be a problem, as they have all faced dragons before. Okino denies this and tells them how strong this one really was.
As they continue walking, Nya accidentally jumps into a pit. She then begins to sink into it as teeth surround her. Jay and Cole attempt to pull her out in vain and Nya screams as the sand and teeth swallow her. respawning, Nya is upset as well to see that she has also lost a life. Questioning what that was, Okino explains to Lloyd that was Swampteeth and reminiscences what he said earlier about the ground.
The ninja ambushed.
Okino and the ninja eventually reach a point where he thinks the upcoming obstacle could be Strangler Vines. Lloyd finds out it's not, but they are ambushed by the Whack Rats. The ninja defeat the Whack Rats and Ritchie is tied up. They interrogate him and Ritchie reveals that Unagami orders them to ambush the ninja. Lloyd then comments about Unagami preventing the ninja from winning the game which confuses Okino. The ninja then explain to Okino that Prime Empire is not a real-world and Unagami is the creator of the world. Originally, Okino doesn't believe it causing Jay thinks he is not programmed to understand the truth.
Realizing Unagami is playing dirty, the ninja are about to leave, but Ritchie urges the ninja to cut him down because he has an itch. Ritchie then tells the ninja that there's a glitch in the game that can allow the ninja to bypass the Forest of Discontent. The ninja end up letting Ritchie down and he begins scratching his body.
Inside the glitch.
Ritchie guides the ninja to the glitch and he jumps in. Okino is confused at the sight as the rest of the ninja enter as well. The ninja are teleported to a purple cubed room. They walk forward and all of a sudden, the Red Visors appear and begin shooting the ninja. The ninja pull out their prime controllers to defend themselves as Ritchie looks on before leaving the room. The ninja begin to lose lives until Okino enters and fights the Red Visors allowing the ninja a chance to escape. Everyone but Lloyd is able to escape because Lloyd wants Okino to come along. Okino decides to stay with Lloyd as he pushes him through the portal.
The ninja and Okino land outside the Forest of Discontent. Lloyd thanks Okino, but he is kneeling realizing the world he lives in is not real. Okino thinks he's a pawn, but Lloyd downplays the idea as he tells Okino that he made his own decision, not Unagami. Lloyd then tells Okino to trust in himself and in the ninja as friends and as an ally to help them get past Terra Karana.