The Overlord

“Did you truly think you could defeat me? Your powers were a gift from me. It was I who possessed the serpent that bit your hand! It was I who corrupted the Great Devourer and set him against you! All that has happened was by my design! The Devourer was merely a pawn, set in motion by me to provide a worthy vessel for my return. Now, at last, I have such a vessel. I am complete!”

— The Overlord to Garmadon and Lloyd, "Dragon Form"

The Overlord
Information
Species	Spirit
Affiliation	Stone Army (formerly) Nindroid Army (formerly) Crystal army (formerly)
Homeworld/ Homeland	His void
Occupation	Leader of the Stone Army (formerly), the Nindroid Army (formerly), and the crystal army (formerly)
Weapon of choice	Golden Armor (formerly) Crystal weapons
Element/Essence	Darkness Golden Power (as the Golden Master; formerly)
First appearance	"The Stone Army" 70505 Temple of Light
Latest appearance	Ninja Unite! (non-canon) 66715 Ninjago Gift Set
Status	Alive (material being dormant)
Voiced by	Scott McNeil Christopher Corey Smith (LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids) Troy Baker (LEGO Dimensions)

The Overlord (also known as the Dark Lord) is the original evil spirit, the creator of the Stone Army and the source of all Darkness and evil. A primordial dark entity, he first manifested as a draconic being that challenged the First Spinjitzu Master, who was well aware of the creature's true nature. After a lengthy battle, the First Spinjitzu Master succeeded, defeating the Stone Army and trapping the Overlord on the Dark Island. Not willing to resign in defeat and wanting to take revenge, the dark entity corrupted a snake and sent it after the Spinjitzu Master's oldest son, Garmadon, to put his plan into motion.

Thousands of years later, a corrupted Garmadon was confronted by the Overlord's material being, who was reduced to an orb of dark energy. Influenced to join forces, Garmadon assumed command of the indestructible Stone Army and began construction of an ultimate weapon. Eventually, the Overlord revealed he was using Garmadon and possessed his body - commencing a metamorphosis that turned him into his monstrous original form. The ninja and Lloyd returned to Ninjago, where Lloyd fought and defeated the Overlord in the ultimate battle.

Sometime later, the Overlord once again returned a virus known as the Digital Overlord. With the help of Pythor and the Nindroids, the Overlord became the all-powerful Golden Master using the Golden Weapons and Lloyd's Golden Power. In a final effort to defeat the Overlord, Zane sacrificed himself, destroying both their physical forms. As the balance must be maintained, the Overlord survived, and his material being went dormant. A statue of him was to be placed in the Ninjago Museum of History's Hall of Villainy prior to the Time Twins' return.

During the Ninja's battle against the resurrected Garmadon to free the city from his control, the Overlord's ethereal being confronted Harumi in a void following her demise, coercing her into doing his bidding and reviving her. The Overlord adopted the title Crystal King, and once again sought to destroy the Balance - promising Harumi eternal peace in the darkness. A year after the Great Flood, Harumi assembled a council of villains to serve the Overlord, including Pythor, the Mechanic, Mister F, Aspheera and Vangelis, who performed a ritual to restore the Overlord's material being to a physical form. The Overlord waged a new final battle on the people of Ninjago, and was met with resistance from the ninja and their allies. Ultimately, the Overlord was defeated by Lloyd and the combined elemental might of Earth, Fire, Ice and Lightning, which took the form of the Golden Ultra Dragon. With his physical vessel destroyed, his material being returned to dormancy.

History

“So you know about how the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago, but what if I were to tell you in order for there to be light, there must be shadow, and within shadow, there is darkness. The blackest of darkness that existed from the very beginning. An evil spirit called The Overlord.”

— Misako to Ninja, "The Stone Army"

In the beginning

The Overlord fighting the First Spinjitzu Master

Light and Darkness have always been in balance since the very beginning, even before Ninjago's creation. In the First Realm there were two kinds of beings with unfathomable power: the Oni and the Dragon. The dragons had the power to create, while the oni had the power to destroy; and so, they waged war against each other. One day, a child was born of both powers, the First Spinjitzu Master, who left his homeworld with one single goal: to create a peaceful land without an eternal war. However, in the shadows casted by the First Spinjitzu Master's power lurked evil - the Overlord, a dark spirit that had always existed.

Shortly after the creation of Ninjago, the Overlord emerged into the realm in response to the light of the First Spinjitzu Master. He challenged the First Spinjitzu Master to a battle for the fate of Ninjago. The battle eventually grounded into a stalemate, so the Overlord created the Stone Army to turn the tide in his favor. At one point, the Overlord and his army took cover at the Temple of Fortitude to resist the First Spinjitzu Master's Golden Power.

Eventually realizing that he would be overcome, the First Spinjitzu Master used all of his strength to split Ninjago into two equal halves, which would later become two islands—one half remained as Ninjago, and the other became the Dark Island. This balanced the forces of light and darkness, stripping the Overlord of corporeal form and preventing him from leaving the Dark Island as it slowly sank beneath the sea. For thousands of years, he plotted the events that would lead to his return and the fulfillment of his revenge.

When Wu and Garmadon were still very young, the First Spinjitzu Master would tell the boys campfire stories of the Overlord.

At some point after his defeat, the Overlord corrupted a snake that would later become known as the Great Devourer and set his plan in motion, pinning the serpent on a young Garmadon, in order to corrupt his power and use Garmadon to create strife, as well as create a variety of other problems that would stem from the Great Devourer's influence, which would ultimately lead the Overlord to obtaining a worthy vessel to inhabit.

Legacy of the Green Ninja

The Stone Army

After being betrayed by Skales and falling into the Endless Sea, Lord Garmadon was carried to the shores of the Dark Island, now just a nondescript tropical island. Appearing before Garmadon as a pulsing sphere of purple energy, the Overlord guided the four-armed villain through the jungle, promising to fulfill his dream of remaking Ninjago in his own image. Although skeptical and suspicious of the mysterious being, Lord Garmadon followed the Overlord's instructions and activated a mechanism in a rock at the center of the island, causing the rest of the Dark Island to rise from the sea.

The Day Ninjago Stood Still

With the Dark Island restored, the Overlord had Lord Garmadon climb a series of rugged cliffs, assuring him that a great power lay at the end of his trial. Eventually, Lord Garmadon arrived in front of the Celestial Clock, and the Overlord told him to remove the Helmet of Shadows from its pedestal. As Garmadon placed the Helmet on his head, the hands of the Celestial Clock began to move. The Overlord explained that the helmet gave Garmadon control of the Stone Army, while the Celestial Clock was counting down to a crucial battle between good and evil—a battle that the Overlord intended to win.

The Last Voyage

When Lord Garmadon went to oversee the Stone Army's mining operations, the Overlord told him that the soldiers were searching for Dark Matter, a powerful evil material that could be used to construct an ultimate weapon for the forces of darkness. After hearing this, Garmadon became much more excited about mining.

Island of Darkness

As construction of the ultimate weapon continued, the Overlord warned Lord Garmadon that he sensed the presence of the ninja on the Dark Island. Garmadon responded by sending Stone Warriors across the island to hunt the ninja down, only to find them narrowly escaping capture in his own base camp. The Overlord realized that the ninja were looking for the Temple of Light, and told Garmadon about the location's significance.

Unfortunately for the forces of evil, the ninja succeeded in their quest, and the Stone Army was driven off by their renewed elemental powers and Lloyd's new "Golden Dragon" technique. Learning of this development atop the mountain where the Celestial Clock rested, the Overlord alleviated Garmadon's concerns by reminding him that their forces were also growing stronger, and the countdown to the ultimate battle continued unabated.

The Last Hope

As the ultimate weapon neared completion and the Celestial Clock neared the end of its countdown, the Overlord sensed a growing conflict within Garmadon. The latter insisted that he wanted nothing more than to consume Ninjago with darkness, but the Overlord questioned Garmadon's resolve, noting that the final battle would inevitably bring him into contact with Lloyd. His prodding caused Garmadon to explode with rage and redouble work on the ultimate weapon, pleasing the Overlord.

When the ninja managed to steal the Helmet of Shadows, Garmadon sent the Stone Army in pursuit, only for the Overlord to remind him that the ninja could control the army if one of them donned the Helmet. Acknowledging this possibility, Garmadon instead opted to pursue the ninja's Earth Driller with his Samurai Mech but failed to stop them from reaching the Celestial Clock. However, their unfamiliarity with the clock's design—coupled with the interference of General Kozu—prevented the ninja from replacing the Helmet of Shadows before the countdown finally ended. As Lord Garmadon wondered what was going on, the Overlord explained that the ultimate battle was about to begin, and led his servant back to his base camp, where the Garmatron was finally completed.

Return of the Overlord

As Garmadon admired the Garmatron, the Stone Army returned with Nya as a prisoner. The Overlord watched as Garmadon immersed Nya in Dark Matter, infecting her with evil and transforming her into a loyal servant of the Dark Lord. With the test complete, the Overlord accompanied his forces as the Garmatron left the camp and headed for the coast.

Upon arrival, the Overlord encouraged Garmadon to fire the Garmatron's main cannon across the ocean—its Dark Matter warheads would infect Ninjago piece by piece, remaking it in Garmadon's image. Unfortunately, Lord Garmadon was distracted when Lloyd, Master Wu, and Misako arrived and begged him to stop—although they failed to reach the villain, their interference prevented the Overlord from warning Garmadon about the main cannon's twenty-second warm up period. Despite this, the Stone Army managed to delay the heroes until the Garmatron could fire, thereby corrupting Ignacia.

As Lord Garmadon dropped Lloyd and General Kozu down a trapdoor and fired another shot of Dark Matter at Jamanakai Village, the balance between light and darkness shifted enough for the Overlord to begin manifesting in the world once more. At this point, the Overlord revealed that he had been using Lord Garmadon all along…the four-armed villain had only been a pawn in the Overlord's millennia-long plan to free himself and conquer Ninjago. Lord Garmadon angrily protested at this (both at being used and because the Overlord was "stealing" one of his previous plans), but the Overlord possessed his body, declaring that his "metamorphosis" had begun.

In an attempt to gain even more power, the Overlord set the Garmatron's sights on Ninjago City, only to realize that the ninja were interfering with the Stone Army's attempts to reload the cannon. He sent General Kozu to secure the bullets but ended up accidentally firing him into Ninjago City when Master Wu kicked the general into the Garmatron's loading port. The Overlord was then confronted by Lloyd, who was determined to stop the villain before he could corrupt any more of Ninjago.

A fierce battle erupted, with the Overlord gaining the upper hand. However, Lloyd called out to his father, and Lord Garmadon's attempts to reach out to his son caused the Overlord to weaken momentarily. Taking his chance, Lloyd launched a furious assault, and Lord Garmadon desperately struggled against the Overlord's control in order to avoid harming his own son. Unfortunately, the Overlord completely subsumed Garmadon's soul and overcame the Green Ninja's energy beam, trapping Lloyd in a sphere of darkness and hurling him across the beach, breaking his leg. Weary of the ninja's interference, the Overlord opened a portal to Ninjago City and led his army through it, leaving the ninja stranded on the Dark Island.

Rise of the Spinjitzu Master

The Overlord and his army appeared in the middle of Ninjago City, where the former immediately began bombarding everything in sight with Dark Matter fired from the Garmatron's turrets. The influx of darkness accelerated the Overlord's metamorphosis, allowing him to regain his original form. Leaving his helmet in the streets, the Overlord proceeded to transform the Garmatron into the Dark Fortress, setting Nya and the Stone Army to defend it.

When the ninja returned and attacked the tower, the Overlord let his minions do the work against his foes until Dareth gained control of the Stone Army by donning the Helmet of Shadows. He began spitting masses of darkness at the ascending ninja, corrupting Cole, Jay, and Zane. With Kai occupying his corrupted sister and the Ultra Dragon shot down, the Overlord turned to the top of the stairs to find only an injured, unarmed Lloyd standing against him. The Overlord scoffed at the Green Ninja's defiance, but Lloyd was able to unlock his full potential, becoming the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master.

Despite his own considerable power, the Overlord was overwhelmed by Lloyd's new abilities. Even taking the fight to the sky failed to provide an advantage, as Lloyd summoned the Golden Dragon to pursue the ultimate evil. Enraged at the mortal's persistence, the Overlord surrounded Lloyd in a massive sphere of darkness and attempted to devour him. In turn, Lloyd used his powers within the Overlord's mouth—the Dark Lord had only enough time to roar in fury and denial before he was obliterated, removing the taint of darkness from Ninjago City, the corrupted heroes, and even Lord Garmadon.

First return

Unbeknownst to the heroes, the Overlord was not destroyed by his battle with Lloyd although he was almost reduced to nothing. When Borg Tower was built in the former resting place of the Dark Fortress, the Overlord's ashes infected the network and his material being was reborn as a virus.

Rebooted

The Surge

The Overlord infects Cyrus Borg through his artificial limbs, transforming him into the villainous OverBorg. The Overlord proceeds to spread his corruption to all of the robots in New Ninjago City, and sends them after the ninja; however, they escape.

The Art of the Silent Fist

The Overlord collects residue of Lloyd's Golden Power to try to make a new vessel but soon runs out of power. The Overlord tells P.I.X.A.L. he needs more of Lloyd's Golden Power and changes his plan to capture Lloyd instead of getting the Techno Blades.

Blackout

The Overlord restored by Pythor.

After the power went out, a stranger stole a hard drive containing The Overlord and then put it in the computer, which was powered by Electro-Cobrai.

The Overlord is outraged that he failed to procure Lloyd. However, the stranger explains that his attack on the ninja was merely a plot for them to send the Falcon, of which he has hacked. With Lloyd heading into Hiroshi's Labyrinth, it will be the perfect place to spring a trap. Delighted by this news, the Overlord tells the stranger that he likes him due to the deviousness of the plan and laughs as his vengeance gets within reach.

The Curse of the Golden Master

Lloyd's location has been revealed and is clear for capture; however, the Stranger said that their low on power and he gets a tank full of Electro-Cobrai and is fully operational to capture the Golden Ninja to conquer his Power to become the Golden Master.

Enter the Digiverse

When the ninja entered the Digiverse in a bid to shut the Overlord down for good, the villain sent Pythor and the Nindroids to attack their physical bodies while he patrolled the Digiverse to attack their consciousnesses. His digital self was erased by the Techno Blades, seemingly destroying his consciousness, but before he was erased he escaped into his incomplete vessel.

Codename: Arcturus

Pythor and the Nindroids managed to recover the Mechdragon and retrieve the Overlord from within it. However, due to the incomplete transfer of Lloyd's golden power, the Overlord was left as an shapeless blob—not wishing the Nindroids to behold his weakened condition, he had Pythor conceal him.

Learning that Lloyd had divided his Golden powers between himself and the other four ninja, the Overlord initiated Codename: Arcturus, a backup plan to acquire the Golden Weapons from space. Despite the ninja's efforts, the Overlord and Pythor succeeded in completing their rocket and launching it from the Lost City of Ouroboros. Unbeknownst to the Overlord, however, the five ninja boarded the rocket just before it took off.

The Void

The Overlord is taken to Borg Tower by the Nindroids to await the arrival of the Golden Weapons.

The Titanium Ninja

He finally managed to get the Golden Weapons to become the Golden Master and create his mech. Later when his destructive reign begins, the ninja manage to head back to New Ninjago City and get the Indestructible and Invulnerable powers of the Stone Army to stop him including a pill which could shrink the Overlord. When Wu and Garmadon throw the pill to him, Pythor manages to get the pill which saved the Overlord; however, Pythor had to face the consequences of turning small and being chased by the Falcon. The Overlord then used beams of pure Golden Power to ensnare all of the ninja, except Zane. Zane then used the beams to get close enough to the Overlord to hang off of the Golden Mech. Zane then began to absorb the energy within the Golden Mech, weakening the Overlord. He then used the last of his strength to destroy the Overlord's physical vessel.

Ninjago: Decoded

The Digital Overlord in Ninjago: Decoded.

It was discovered that a fragment of the Overlord's encoded essence was inside of Zane's systems from when the Ice Ninja was rebuilt. The fragment of malevolent code had slowly grown and eventually gained sentience as the result of years locked away festering in a memory loop, feeding off Zane's subconscious trauma. When Nya and Zane looked over the Nindroid's memory banks to create a record of the ninja's journeys, they unintentionally gave the virus access to Zane's systems, which swiftly spread at an alarming rate throughout the Nindroid. Ultimately, the Overlord's fragment was erased by the ninja directing their happiest memories at the virus' source code.

Second return

Similar to the aftermath of his battle with Lloyd, the Overlord's material being went dormant. However, his ethereal being would strive on, feeding upon the violence of future conflicts. Over the coming years, he would devise a plot to restore himself to the mortal plane.

Crystalized

A Sinister Shadow (flashback)

The Overlord meeting with Harumi

During the Liberation of Ninjago, following Harumi's death, the Overlord's ethereal being would reach out to Harumi under an alias, holding her spirit in a state of limbo. Having watched her for years and seeing the potential she could provide him, he offered her a second chance at life in exchange for serving him. Harumi was reluctant due to the fact that she didn't even know him. The Overlord verbally lamented that he wasted his time, having hoped to procure a great ally, and mockingly wished her well in the Departed Realm. Scared at the thought of death, Harumi frantically accepted the Overlord's offer, and he proceeded to resurrect her.

The Overlord introducing himself to Harumi

The Overlord gave Harumi a crystal containing his dark essence and told her to go to the Oni Temple, where she placed the crystal inside the Oni Mask of Hatred's pedestal, crystalizing the temple and reawakening his material being. Within the enlarged crystal, the Overlord manifested as a shadow and revealed his true identity to Harumi. Harumi was initially horrified of the destructive monster she unwittingly unleashed upon Ninjago once more, but the latter claimed that he actually wants Ninjago to be at peace, saying that destruction actually comes from the battles between good and evil but could stop it by destroying the Balance. This convinced Harumi to serve the Overlord once more, so the Overlord then ordered her to create an army made out of Vengestone, which would allow them to block the ninja's Elemental Powers.

A year after the Great Flood ended, the Overlord began to recruit the ninja's enemies by forming the Crystal Council. With the help of his second-in-command, Harumi, he was able to have Mister F, Aspheera, Vangelis, Pythor, and the Mechanic become the council's members and join the crystal army. During the assembling, the Overlord had Harumi meet up with Lloyd after he and the others were arrested and put to Kryptarium, wanting him to know about the Crystal Council and their attack on Ninjago.

Darkness Within

After the Crystal Council steal the four Golden Weapons, Aspheera performs a ritual with her new staff to transform the weapons into the Weapons of Destruction. With their new power, the Overlord begins to emerge from his crystal as the Crystal King, and repeats a familar phrase to Lloyd during the events of The Final Battle, "It ends, now," as he laughs menacingly.

The Coming of the King

After gaining his physical form as the Crystal King, the Overlord reaffirms Lloyd that he has truly returned and recalled the times Lloyd, Garmadon, and the First Spinjitzu Master battled him, saying that despite their efforts, they always fail to destroy him. But after hearing Lloyd saying that he could beat him a third time, the Overlord attempts to intimidate the Green Ninja by bestowing his council new powers and weapons, and moments later, turn his temple into a floating Crystal Island. He then gave Lloyd two options between working for him, or die. However, Lloyd chooses neither and escapes. The Overlord then orders Harumi and the rest of the council to destroy Lloyd. As they did so, the Overlord goes to the room that had the Vengestone Guards, being proud that Harumi did what he asked her to do. Using his powers, he brings the Vengestone Guards to life by crystalizing them.

Crystastrophe

After rising out of Primeval's Eye and heading to the farmers' village, the Overlord confronts Harumi about not finishing Lloyd when she had the chance, leading him to assume she may have feelings for him. This gives the Overlord an opportunity; since every time he faces the ninja they get stronger, he decides to corrupt their powers instead. By using their loyalty to Ninjago to their disadvantage, the Overlord tricks the ninja into coming to him. The Overlord starts launching Crystal Warriors into the farmers' village.

Brave But Foolish

After arriving in Ninjago City, the Overlord and Harumi saw Zane approached them in his Golden Dragon Jet. The Overlord was confident in the island's ability to disable Zane's vehicle, as it had done in the past. To their surprise, Zane fired missiles that hit the temple, causing the two to fall over. The Overlord quickly realized that the ninja's vehicles were shielded in some way. Meanwhile, Nya used cables from the Destiny's Bounty to pull the temple away. In response, the Overlord released the Dragonides, who attacked the ninja and damaged to most of their vehicles.

Wu confronted the Overlord, who questioned his belief in victory. Wu responded with unwavering determination, and the two engaged in battle. The Overlord utilized his powers of Darkness, while Wu recounted stories shared by the First Spinjitzu Master about the Stone Wars. The Overlord dismissed the First Spinjitzu Master's efforts, claiming that he only maintained balance by dividing Ninjago, staving off the Dark Lord's wraith for only so long. The Overlord declared that the end was near, with no more delays. Despite this, Wu vowed to oppose him as long as he lived. The Overlord knocked Wu off the Crystal Island, determined to eliminate him first for that reason. The Overlord, harnessing his powers, channeled the energy of Ninjago City through the central crystal, causing the city to be drained of its vitality. The Overlord reveled in the realization that his true power was now evident. He unleashed a blast upon the Destiny's Bounty, engulfing it in flames. Seated upon his throne, the Overlord savored the beginning of the end, knowing that his eternal reign of darkness had commenced.

An Issue of Trust

The Overlord rants to his council for not finding the ninja, then Harumi plays a radio transmission intercepted by Mister F, the Overlord then orders the council to destroy the warehouse and leave the ninja for him. Lloyd and Garmadon soon arrive on the Crystal Island and engage in battle with the Overlord.

Dragon Form

The Overlord confronted Lloyd and Garmadon, mocking their belief that they could easily thwart him. He asserted that his form was merely a vessel he could transform at will. The Overlord enveloped himself in the infectious crystals, initiating a transformation. Lloyd called out for Harumi, convinced their united strength could overcome the Overlord. However, Harumi was skeptical, suggesting that the conflict could only end with one side of the balance emerging victorious, and doubted Lloyd's chance of winning. Lloyd countered her doubts. As the Overlord completed his transformation into the Crystal King Centaur, he asserted that it was Lloyd who was mistaken. The Overlord launched a fierce attack, swiftly severing the left arm of Lloyd's mech with a single stroke of his sword. He then attempted to force Lloyd off the edge of the Crystal Island. Garmadon, witnessing the assault, instinctively rushes to defend Lloyd, but the Overlord easily dispatched him, sending Garmadon sprawling aside. With a powerful strike, the Overlord sent Lloyd's mech hurtling off the structure, leading Lloyd and Garmadon to charge at their formidable adversary.

However, the Overlord subdued them before subjecting them to a relentless barrage of electrical shocks. He reveled in his superiority. He took pride in admitting his role in the corruption of the Great Devourer, asserting that every disaster they have endured since the Devourer's bite was a result of his machinations. The Overlord articulated that this scheme was designed to facilitate his resurgence with a proper form. Now, in his guise as the Crystal King, he proclaimed his fulfillment, eagerly anticipating the downfall of Garmadon. Yet, Harumi, upon discovering that the Overlord was also culpable for the demise of her parents, intervened, severing his hand with her katana. Nevertheless, the Overlord retaliated by unleashing a powerful electric shockwave that forced all three backward. As the Crystal Island approached the newspaper warehouse, the Overlord regenerated his hand and asserted their failure, drawing upon the energy of the central crystal.

Roots

Lloyd, Garmadon, and Harumi tried to thwart the Overlord's attempt to access the central crystal. The Overlord repelled Garmadon's assault while simultaneously casting Harumi and Lloyd aside with ease. He then unleashed a surge of electricity that violently propelled Garmadon into a crystal structure, an act that appeared to result in Garmadon's demise. As Lloyd grieved for his fallen father, the Overlord coldly admonished him not to mourn, ominously predicting that Lloyd will soon share Garmadon's fate. Fueled by rage, Lloyd channels his Oni Form and launched an attack against the Overlord, who is taken aback by the transformation. However, upon catching a glimpse of his Oni Form reflected in the central crystal, Lloyd faltered and reverted to his normal state. The Overlord derided Lloyd as a fool for his moment of indecision before forcefully expelling him from the Crystal Island. Seizing the opportunity, the Overlord successfully used the central crystal again, resulting in the crystallization of all of Ninjago. Unbeknownst to him, his plan to corrupt the Elements of Creation had failed, as the ninja were compelled to sacrifice their Elemental Powers to thwart the Overlord's ambitions. With Ninjago now crystalized, the Overlord planned to end Harumi for her betrayal, but his intentions were interrupted when he spotted Lloyd atop the Golden Ultra Dragon.

The Overlord pursued Lloyd around the Crystal Island. However, Lloyd evaded the attacks, ultimately managing to subdue the Overlord atop the temple, which shattered the central crystal in the process. The Golden Ultra Dragon unleashed a powerful assault, channeling the four Elements of Creation to immobilize the Overlord. His physical form was then destroyed by a strike of the dragon's tail, thus freeing Ninjago and its inhabitants from his darkness once again. With his physical form destroyed yet again, his material being returned to dormancy.

Other appearances and mentions

Day of the Departed

During the ninja's tour of the Ninjago Museum of History's latest exhibit, the Hall of Villainy, Dr. Saunders stated that there were still many more statues to be added, including ones of the Overlord and the Golden Master. Based on this statement, it is possible the Overlord would have had more than one statue in the museum.

Green Destiny

During the Liberation of Ninjago, Jay references the Final Battle and the Nindroid crisis by mentioning the Overlord.

After Hunted

As the Overlord Dragon in the Legacy of the Green Ninja mural.

As the Golden Master in the Rebooted mural.

After the reconstruction of the Monastery of Spinjitzu, a mural was created, depicting the major historical events the ninja had faced. Several parts of the mural depicted the Overlord as both the Overlord Dragon and the Golden Master.

Personality

As the epitome of evil and Darkness in the universe, the Overlord is shown to be a very cruel, domineering, and manipulative entity, although is often reliant on metaphysical concepts (the Final Battle, the prophecy of the Golden Master, and the final prophecy of Quanish the Elder). Not surprising from the embodiment of evil, the Overlord disregards all things heroic and instead devours on anger, hatred, and conflict. When those qualities build up over time, the balance is shifted in his favor and he is able to reenter the world by gaining a new physical form.

While usually nasty and aggressively commanding to his armies, the Overlord has shown a sense of respect to two individuals: Pythor and Harumi. However, said respect was never genuine as the Dark Lord had no qualms with leaving the former to his shrunken fate, and was fully ready to execute the latter for her betrayal against him.

The Overlord does not take failure lightly, as shown with him berating the Nindroid Army for failing to capture his nemesis, Lloyd Garmadon, so the Dark Lord could take Lloyd's Golden Power for himself, and was also going to kill his Council had Harumi and Mister F not intervened with information about the ninja's whereabouts.

Adding to his manipulative nature, the Overlord coerced Harumi into serving him so he could bring "peace under the darkness", but this later proved to be a lie when he unintentionally showed his true colors when he spitefully revealed to Lloyd and Garmadon that he was the one who corrupted the Great Devourer and sent it against the latter to make sure that he had a worthy vessel for his return one day, and that he was actively creating and instigating all of Ninjago's conflicts in the first place so he can reduce not only Ninjago, but all of the realms of Creation, to lifeless oblivions which he can rule supreme for eternity.

Appearance

During Misako's telling of Ninjago's origins (seen in "The Stone Army"), the Overlord was depicted as a towering mass of dark fire with a vaguely humanoid shape.

When Lord Garmadon arrived on the Dark Island, the Overlord appeared as an orb of purple energy with a pale yellow core. The orb pulsed as the Overlord spoke.

After possessing Lord Garmadon's body, the Overlord began his transformation to his original form, which started out as larger, more demonic version of Garmadon. Notable differences included longer limbs ending in clawed hands and feet, short spikes erupting from his shoulders and back, glowing purple eyes, elongated reptilian jaws filled with long fangs, Garmadon's armor fusing with his own body, and the lack of a purple sash. In "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master," the Overlord completed his transformation, a monstrous black dragon with four long feelers on its face, massive, tattered black wings instead of four arms, a broad, toothy mouth, and Garmadon's fused armor having now become the entity's underbelly.

As a digital virus, the Overlord would appear on screens as a purple mist-like background with reddish-yellow eyes that pulsated whenever he spoke.

"Enter the Digiverse" saw the Overlord appear in two different forms. The first was that of a shadowy armored humanoid, as he was in the process of transforming into the legendary Golden Master. When confronting the ninja inside the Digiverse, he took a shadowy humanoid form of great size made out of black and blue ash that possessed a number of tentacles.

In "Codename: Arcturus," the Overlord had become a pulsing amorphous, pink, white, and red blob with glowing red eyes due to his interrupted transformation into the Golden Master.

In "The Void," the Overlord's being had stabilized into that of a completely blank, black armored humanoid with glowing red eyes with faint purple energy trailing from his back that appeared similar to a short cape as his body was nearly complete.

In "The Titanium Ninja," the Overlord assumed his semi-golden master form as a black and purple humanoid figure with a face akin to the mid-metamorphosis form he assumed in Garmadon's body with a pair of glowing red eyes. Furthermore, he was adorned with golden skeletal armor and a black helmet with even more purple energy trailing from his back that appeared similar to a larger full cape. After completing his Golden Master form by fusing with his mech, he experienced a growth spurt of enormous proportions where his armor gained a more ornate appearance and his torso and legs had completely disintegrated with vibrant, flickering purple flames taking their place with mechanical black and gold machinery attached to him in place of his legs, which Zane would ultimately use to hold himself in place when the master of ice presumably died.

After regaining a physical form in "Darkness Within" as the Crystal King, the Overlord has a black face with two large gray-white horns, pink glowing eyes, sharp teeth, and gold accents on his face. His horns, bare a strong resemblance to the horns on the Oni Mask of Deception. There also appear to be several tusks from the underside of his face. He is also seen having a tall metal neck from underneath his face. His torso closely resembles that of his Golden Master form, though with a few notable differences; his Golden Master symbol is present but now glows pink. There are also glowing pink parts in between the armor, and there are two crystals of the same color on the upper portion of his torso, with the addition of gray shoulder pads. He gains four golden arms which end in gray hands, similar to when he possessed Garmadon, though he lacks the claws and elongated limbs, having humanoid arms and hands, which goes for the same case for his legs, which are dark gray with yellow and purple accents and patterning.

In "Dragon Form" and "Roots," the Overlord transforms into a Centaur-like creature in order to fight Garmadon, Lloyd, and later Harumi. In this form, his size increases greatly, though not to the extent of his Dragon nor Golden Master forms. His entire body appears to be made of impenetrable gray stone with large infectious crystals, four legs and two bulky arms with indigo nails, a golden chestplate and a torso that resembles his form whilst wearing the Golden Armor. He also gains four crystal wings which allow him to fly. He also gains a golden crown on top of his head with two crystal horns protruding out of it. In this form, he describes himself as a complete being similar to before his banishment to the Dark Island.

Powers and abilities

“Did you hope to defeat me so easily? This form is but a shell; a vessel which I command, and change at will!”

— The Overlord, "Dragon Form"

Abilities

• Immortality: The Overlord is able to survive any lethal or fatal wound inflicted upon him such as the complete destruction of his physical form due to his status as the wellspring of all darkness and evil. Also, in the show itself, all statements related to the Balance claims that shifting it allows the Overlord, as Dark part of it, to gain a stronger and more direct presence upon the world.
  • Regeneration: The Overlord's spirit showed the ability to recover after its destruction in "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master" by Lloyd's Golden Power. He is also capable of repairing any damage afflicted upon his pure vessels.
• Beyond-Dimensional Existence: The Overlord exists in an unknown void, that was shown in "A Sinister Shadow", during his dormant state and for a full return to the physical world and mortal plane of existence he needs a physical form.
  • Manifestation: The Overlord uses avatars in order to interact in the mortal plane.
• Abstract Existence: The Overlord exists as the dark part of the Balance and as the conceptual source of all evil in the Universe and as evil itself.
• Levitation: In his spirit and Crystal King form, he was able to float freely, allowing him to travel on the Island of Darkness and the Crystal Island.
• Resurrection: The Overlord has the ability to resurrect souls from the Departed Realm (whether he can only resurrect newly souls or ones that have been departed for a while as well is currently unknown). He used this power shortly after Harumi’s death after she vowed to serve him.
• Enhanced Perception: He also appeared to have some form of enhanced perception, as he immediately sensed the ninja's arrival on the Island of Darkness. The Overlord also has some kind of perception of living beings (it is not known whether it was thermal vision or the Overlord sees the souls of beings themselves).
• Enhanced Strength and Durability: After using Lord Garmadon's body to retake a physical form, the Overlord gained enhanced physical strength and high durability, easily able to take Lloyd's attacks and overpower him.
• Possession: As shown by the example of Lord Garmadon and the Borg Industries systems, the Overlord is able to possess objects, making them his hosts. Upon possessing Garmadon, the Overlord caused a mutation in his body, turning him into a dragon so the Overlord could regain his original form.

Powers

• Darkness: The Overlord possesses the elemental essence of Darkness. Whilst in control of Lord Garmadon's body, he gained the ability to release dark energy from his hands. He usually fired this energy as offensive beam attacks, which could overpower Lloyd's energy beams and break his leg, but he could also use it to fly; by releasing small "jets" of energy from his lower pair of hands, the Overlord was able to hover in the air or propel himself at varying speeds.
  • Darkness Materialization: The Overlord can give life to inanimate statues. He uses this ability to give life to the Stone Army and the Crystal Warriors, in which the latter were created by having parts of them be replaced with the infectious crystals.
  • Dragon form: Over time, the Overlord can turn into his original dragon-like form, from which his strength and durability increased even further, due to his massive size. He could fly with the use of his large wings, breath dark fire, and spit masses of pure darkness that corrupt anything they hit (much like the Garmatron's Dark Matter shots). At the end of his battle with Lloyd, he displayed the ability to transform himself into a large orb of shadows that engulfs his foe—within the orb, his head grew to many times its original size, although it is unclear if this was purely an ability, or if his host body kept him physical. Even before his transformation as the Golden Master, he was the most powerful enemy the ninja ever met.
  • Crystal Creation: As the Crystal King, the Overlord can create his own crystals that can bestow anyone or anything his powers, or infect them.
    • Strength Bestowal: Upon giving Harumi a crystal, he allowed her to move massive hunks of debris to escape a collapsed building following her resurrection.
    • Telekinesis: As the Crystal King, the Overlord can use his crystals to levitate and move objects of great size (in this case the Crystal Island by using the central crystal) at will. This is similar to when he used Golden Power as the Golden Master to move all of Ninjago City and turn it into a fortress.
    • Crystallization: As the Crystal King, the Overlord can use his powers to crystallize terrain, people, objects, and even entire cities. Once Crystallized, said objects, people or terrain are under his full control, and whatever powers they possessed are also under his command as well. He wished to use this power to crystallize the ninja, and thereby gain dominion over the Elements of Creation.
    • Shapeshifting: As the Crystal King, the Overlord can change shape and size at will, as shown when he shifted his form to be that of a giant centaur-like creature.
• Golden Power (formerly): As the legendary "Golden Master," his powers grew to be equivalent to, if not greater than the First Spinjitzu Master. Once he gained this power, he used it to turn Ninjago City into a colossal fortress, gathering the largest buildings into a near impenetrable wall. Soon after this, he tried to shoot Kai with a beam of Golden Energy. He was also able to use Golden Energy to levitate cars in mid-air, and even threw one at Nya. Eventually, as the Ninja were traveling down a street in their vehicles, the Overlord shot them with a massive ball of golden energy, sending them all huddling further down the street. After this, he used his newfound powers to perform Spinjitzu for the first time, becoming a massive golden tornado. When the ninja got Stone Armor, the Overlord, like the Golden Master, shaped roof tiles into a massive arm and hand in an attempt to crush the ninja; despite this, he failed to crush them. At the end of the episode, he was powerful enough to ensnare the ninja with beams of Golden Power. Though, this shouldn't have been possible as the stone armor the ninja were wearing was supposed to be resistant to the might of Golden Power. However, the Overlord had grown in strength and power tremendously by that point in the episode, which may have been the reason why he was able to overpower the stone armor.
  • Spinjitzu: As the Golden Master, The Overlord had the ability to use a giant version of Spinjitzu.

Vehicles

Tanks

• Garmatron
  • This vehicle was built for Garmadon and the Overlord to launch Dark Matter into Ninjago. However, after betraying Garmadon, the Overlord took possession of the Garmatron.
  • It first appeared in "The Last Hope."

Mechs

• Overlord Mech
  • A large mech that the Nindroids created for the Overlord after he became the Golden Master.
  • It first appeared in "The Titanium Ninja."

Relationships

Main article: The Overlord's relationships

Allies Stone Army (formerly; destroyed) Great Devourer (deceased) Nindroid Army (formerly) Crystal army (formerly)

Enemies Lloyd's family Garmadon (former ally) First Spinjitzu Master (first arch-enemy; deceased) Lloyd (second arch-enemy) Wu (temporary ally) Ninja Dareth Cyrus Borg Harumi (former ally) The Resistance

Official descriptions

Season 2 (Museum)

The Overlord is the source of all evil in Ninjago. He was the arch-enemy of the First Spinjitzu Master. The Overlord launched an all-out attack on Ninjago. He was defeated, and apparently destroyed, by Lloyd Garmadon, the Gold Ninja. But the Overlord is not so easily eliminated. The high-tech Borg Industries was built on the site of his last battle. The Overlord infiltrated the Borg computer systems and became the Digital Overlord. Now he plans to take revenge on Lloyd and conquer Ninjago once and for all.

Arch-enemy of the First Spinjitzu Master and the source of all evil in the world. Also known as the Dark Lord, the Overlord was consigned to Dark Island after the First Spinjitzu Master split the land in half. Existing as a spirit, the incredibly powerful Overlord plotted to return to the human plane of existence, using Garmadon and the Stone Army as his pawns. He is a skilled manipulator who has directed events from behind the scenes for centuries. His original form is a dragon.

Season 3 (Museum)

The Overlord was the arch-enemy of the First Spinjitzu Master and the source of all evil in the world. Also known as the Dark Lord, the Overlord was consigned to Dark Island after the First Spinjitzu Master split the land in half. Existing as a spirit, the incredibly powerful Overlord plotted to return to the human plane of existence, using Garmadon and the Stone Army as his pawns. He is a skilled manipulator who has directed events from behind the scenes for centuries. His original form was a dragon. Although the Overlord was defeated by Lloyd in the final battle, he was not destroyed. He survived as a computer virus in Cyrus Borg’s Digiverse and was able to take over the whole city, thanks to Borg’s technology being everywhere. But the now Digital Overlord was not satisfied. He was trapped. To escape the Digiverse he needed Lloyd’s Golden Power. The Ninja were able to reboot the Digiverse, but it was too late: the Overlord had already taken physical form. He sent his Nindroids on a space mission to retrieve the Mega Weapon, the remainder of the four Golden Weapons, to become the prophesized Golden Master. He was finally destroyed by Zane.

The Visual Dictionary

This is the physical form of the Overlord, the source of all evil in Ninjago. The Overlord has sapped the Golden Ninja's golden power in order to become the Golden Master - a legend of Serpentine lore who will conquer all of Ninjago, starting with its capital city. The Overlord combines the four Golden Weapons of Ninjago to create his mechlike armor.

Visual Dictionary New Edition

Sporting four arms and super-crooked teeth, the Overlord in spirit form looks truly sinister. It's no suprise that he's one of the toughest opponents the ninja have to face.

71772 The Crystal King

Quick! Lloyd is on his own and needs your help! Charge into battle to take on The Crystal King, who has transformed himself into a terrifying Centaur creature with 4 legs and powerful wings. Watch out for his large sword and the 3 dangerous warriors by his side. You might be outnumbered, but it is crucial you repel their invasion of NINJAGO® City. Be Brave! Be Ninja!

Teamwork is needed to defeat a new opponent!

A new super villain called the Crystal King is on the prowl.

He wants to recruit a group of villains to take over NINJAGO® City.

The ninja must unite and call on all their allies to crush this new adversary.

Very Bad Bunch

The Crystal King leaves nothing to chance. He recruits an entire council of generals to carry out his orders. The ultimate goal: to conquer the home of the ninja.

Crystalized

This powerful new enemy is at the center of the NINJAGO® world’s troubles. His centaur-like figure and powerful sword make him a dangerous enemy to battle, but even more threatening is his mastery of the infectious crystals, which seem to corrupt everything they come in contact with. With a formidable army behind him, can anyone stop The Crystal King?

Series Finale

The Crystal King threatens to plunge NINJAGO® City into darkness once and for all! Will the united power of the ninja and their allies be enough to protect their home from absolute destruction? Buckle up and get ready for the epic action-packed finale to find out how it all comes to an end!^{[citation needed]}

The Crystal King

The Crystal King is the alias the Overlord has given himself during his new attempt to conquer NINJAGO® City. The Overlord is the original evil spirit who can never be completely defeated. Now he wants to form a council of the ninja’s greatest enemies, to harness their dark forces and launch another invasion. Driven by revenge, when he clashes with the ninja he can turn himself into a fearsome centaur creature with four legs and wings. The Crystal King has a floating Crystal Temple from where he launches his attacks.

Appearances

Sets Boxed Sets 70505 Temple of Light (in Garmadon's body) 70728 Battle for Ninjago City (Golden Master) 70666 The Golden Dragon (Legacy) 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu (Legacy Golden Master and Dragon; painting) 71699 Thunder Raider (Legacy) 71742 Overlord Dragon (Legacy Golden Master and Dragon) 71771 The Crystal King Temple (Crystal King) 71772 The Crystal King (Crystal King; two-armed and Centaur) 71774 Lloyd's Golden Ultra Dragon (Crystal King) 66715 Ninjago Gift Set (Legacy Golden Master and Dragon) Magazine Gifts 892294 Overlord (Crystal King; two-armed) 112218 Lloyd vs. Overlord (Legacy Golden Master) Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu Season 1: Rise of the Snakes 1. "Rise of the Snakes" (mentioned) 4. "Never Trust a Snake" (mentioned) Season 2: Legacy of the Green Ninja 20. "The Stone Army" 21. "The Day Ninjago Stood Still" 22. "The Last Voyage" 23. "Island of Darkness" 24. "The Last Hope" 25. "Return of the Overlord" 26. "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master" Season 3: Rebooted 27. "The Surge" 28. "The Art of the Silent Fist" 29. "Blackout" 30. "The Curse of the Golden Master" 31. "Enter the Digiverse" 32. "Codename: Arcturus" 33. "The Void" 34. "The Titanium Ninja" Season 4: Tournament of Elements 42. "The Day of the Dragon" (indirectly mentioned) 44. "The Corridor of Elders" (flashback; no lines) Day of the Departed "Day of the Departed" (mentioned) Ninjago: Decoded 1. "Legacy" (video) 2. "Vehicles and Mechs" (video) 4. "Ninjago's Most Wanted" (video) 5. "The Digiverse and Beyond" (video) 7. "Beasts and Dragons" (video) 8. "Rise of Garmadon" (video) 9. "Prophecy of the Green Ninja" 10. "Greatest Battles" Season 8: Sons of Garmadon 81. "Game of Masks" (indirectly mentioned) Season 9: Hunted 94. "Green Destiny" (mentioned) Tales from the Monastery of Spinjitzu 1. "Master Class" (painting) 2. "Green and Gold" (painting) 3. "The Weekend Drill" (painting) 5. "Blue Lightning" (painting) 6. "Samurai X-Treme" (painting) Season 10: March of the Oni 95. "The Darkness Comes" (painting) 97. "The Fall" (mentioned) 98. "Endings" (mentioned) Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu 99. "Wasted True Potential" (painting) Season 13: Master of the Mountain 145. "Shintaro" (painting) Season 14: Seabound 165. "A Big Splash" (painting) The Virtues of Spinjitzu 1. "Curiosity" (painting) Season 15: Crystalized 186. "A Painful Promise" (mentioned) 187. "Ninjago City vs. Ninja" (mentioned) 188. "Kryptarium Prison Blues" (mentioned) 191. "The Fifth Villain" (mentioned) 192. "The Council of the Crystal King" (mentioned) 193. "A Sinister Shadow" 194. "The Spider's Design" (mentioned) 196. "Darkness Within" 197. "The Coming of the King" 198. "Return to Primeval's Eye" (mentioned) 199. "Crystastrophe" 200. "Christofern" (mentioned) 201. "A Lesson in Anger" (mentioned) 202. "Brave But Foolish" 203. "Quittin' Time!" (mentioned) 204. "Return of the Ice Emperor" (mentioned) 205. "Safe Haven" (mentioned) 206. "Compatible" (mentioned) 207. "Distress Calls" (mentioned) 208. "An Issue of Trust" 209. "Dragon Form" 210. "Roots" Ninjago NXT 2. "Oldies" (mentioned) Books Golden Days (flashback) The Splinter in the Blind Man's Eye (mentioned) Dark Island Trilogy Dark Island Trilogy, Part 1 (artwork) Ninjago Magazine 17. The Echo! (flashback) 98. The Arrest! (mentioned) 99. Shintaro Revisted! (mentioned) Legacy Edition 18. Dark Matter Comics Video games LEGO Ninjago: The Final Battle (non-canon) LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids (non-canon) LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (non-canon) LEGO Dimensions (non-canon) Legendary Ninja Battles (non-canon) Golden Legacy (non-canon) Crystalized (non-canon) Ninja Unite! (non-canon)

Behind the scenes

• Regarding the inspiration for the character, Tommy Andreasen said, "The Overlord was entirely Kevin and Dan's idea… we needed something bigger and badder [than the Serpentine]…"
• In original concepts for "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master," Wu, after seeing Misako and Garmadon reconcile, would walk away with the Overlord manifesting inside him as the screen faded to black.
• When asked why they brought the Overlord back for Rebooted, the Hageman Brothers stated, "we thought the ultimate battle would be the end. S3 taught us how expansive the stories could be."
• The Hageman Brothers have stated that the Overlord "is too one dimensional " and "is awesome, but hard to break new ground since he's such a massive baddie. I ask you — how would he evolve?"
• Tommy Andreasen once called him "Bruno," saying, "We don't talk about Bruno." This is a reference to the character from Disney's Encanto and the song about him.
• When asked how much of a threat would the Crystal King be on a scale of one to ten, Tommy Andreasen replied that if 10 refers to "the end of the world as we know it… 12?"
• The Crystal King's face is based on the LEGO piece for the Oni Masks from Season 8: Sons of Garmadon, although it has a slightly more complicated shape.
  • The gray horns are also the same as on the Oni Mask of Deception.
• The Overlord's black virus-like orb design in "A Sinister Shadow" is similar to his spirit pink orb design in Legacy of the Green Ninja.

Trivia

• In the Portuguese dub of the shows, his name translates as "Lord of Lords".
• The Overlord is the source of all evil in the universe and is the very concept of evil personified.
  • The Overlord's darkness is strongest in the four realms the First Spinjitzu Master created.
• The Overlord and the First Spinjitzu Master were the second beings with powers similar to Elemental Masters in the realm of Ninjago, following Nyad.
• The Overlord views the environment with thermal vision in his "spirit" form.
• The Overlord is the only character in the overall series who is nigh-immortal, as he cannot be truly killed or destroyed, even in corporeal form unlike the Source Dragons.
  • The Overlord's spirit is eternal because he is part of the balance. Misako said in "The Stone Army" that "in order for there to be light, there must be shadow", and since the Overlord is the source of all darkness (both the essence and other definitions associated with evil), he's part of the balance.
    • However, it's unknown what exactly allows the Overlord to be nigh-immortal: the fact that he is part of the Balance or his very nature, since in "Crystastrophe" Wu mentions Overlord's indestructibility as part of his very existence.
    • Sometime after Crystalized, the Merge occurred, which combined the four realms plagued by the Overlord's darkness with the other realms. It's unknown if all the realms are now infected with the Overlord's darkness.
• According to Misako in "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master", the Overlord's original form is a dragon.
  • This may explain why his possessed Garmadon, Golden Master, and Crystal King forms both resemble his dragon form in some way, even though neither the backstory of the Overlord nor the prophecy of the Golden Master show them in this fashion.
  • His depiction in the legend is likely due to the ability he demonstrates at the end of "Rise of the Spinjitzu Master". Similarly, the same episode reveals the Golden Mech used by the First Spinjitzu Master. Neither the mech nor the dragon are depicted in the legend, although the former's revelation better reveals why the First Spinjitzu Master was able to split Ninjago.
    • The book Secret World of the Ninja, which shows this same legend, describes him as growing stronger, despite his lack of a physical form. This is either an error (as the same book says Dr. Julien was interrogated by the Stone army instead of the Skulkin), or an indication that his dragon form isn't fixed like his Golden Master one.
    • Because of this, it's likely he could become just a shadow-sphere back then, but not when he regains it in the present since he's technically still possessing Garmadon.
    • The Overlord's possession of Garmadon is similar to Zuul and Vinz Clortho's possession of Dana and Louis in the first Ghostbusters movie.
  • His dragon form more closely resembles that of a Wyvern.
• During the prophecy of the Golden Master, the symbol of the Overlord can be seen on the Golden Master's chest. This foreshadows the Overlord becoming the Golden Master.
• His minifigure form of his "Golden Master" appearance has sloped legs, instead of a cape as shown in the television series.
• Like the First Spinjitzu Master, the Overlord can wield all four Golden Weapons at once, as shown when he wore the Golden Armor in "The Titanium Ninja".
• He is the first villain in the series to use Spinjitzu against the ninja, not counting corrupted Nya in Episode 25. However, he was not the first villain chronologically to use Spinjitzu, as the Forbidden Five are known for inventing a variation known as Shatterspin thousands of years ago.
• He would have gotten rid of or betrayed Pythor eventually, as he did with Garmadon.
• A statue of his dragon form was part of the ninja exhibit at the Ninjago Museum of History.
• The Overlord and Morro are the only two Elemental Masters (if the Overlord can be considered an Elemental Master) to take over the body of another Elemental Master: Garmadon for the Overlord, Lloyd for Morro.
  • Both of these hosts are related to each other.
• Years before the Overlord Dragon set was released, another LEGO version of the Overlord Dragon was shown in an official Ninjago video about the story of the Green Ninja.
• According to Tommy Andreasen on X, the Overlord could potentially be the most powerful antagonist in the series, if he had the right vessel. It is unknown if this vessel was any of his previous forms, as it is open to interpretation if he is the most powerful villain the ninja have faced.
• The Overlord, alongside the Source Dragons, are the oldest known characters in the series, having always existed.
  • While he has always existed, the Overlord is not the first evil to actively threaten the universe, as the Oni have sought to destroy the Realms of Creation long before the Overlord ever manifested as a physical being for the first time.
    • Misako's words about his primordial origin were used even after the release of March of the Oni in The Book of Elemental Powers. In addition, a description on LEGO.com calls the Overlord as the original spirit.
    • The Ninjago magazine, Dark Forces!, claims that the Overlord always existed.
• According to Tommy Andreasen, the Overlord does not submit to the writing of fate by the monks of the Cloud Kingdom. This means that it is not affected by any objects that somehow "know" the fate of the one against whom they are directed. It's also possible that Overlord transcends the very concept of causation, based on its nature.
• When asked on the chances of the Overlord and the First Spinjitzu Master being brothers he answered, "...It's like you don't know me at all."
• The Overlord is the embodiment of darkness and evil and needs a vessel to use his powers. However, as Misako states in "The Stone Army," he will be "trapped from this world" for as long as the balance is sustained. For instance, he was only able to use Darkness while he possessed Garmadon. When his transformation into his original form was complete and in his Crystal King form he could use his full powers. In his Golden Master form, he had both Darkness and the Golden Power.
• The Overlord states, "My master plan has been in the works since the beginning of time." In truth, the Overlord was likely referring to the beginning of Ninjago's time as the Realm of Oni and Dragons predates Ninjago's creation.
• In the Legacy sets, the Overlord received an updated design that seems to be an amalgamation of his possessed Garmadon and Golden Master forms. This design did not make an appearance in Tales from the Monastery of Spinjitzu. It is unknown if it is canon in any way.
  • Despite his very different appearance, the set he appeared in was meant to relive the Ultimate Battle with the Golden Ninja and the Overlord.
• According to Tommy Andreasen, it's doubtful that it will ever be revealed whether the Overlord or the Omega is stronger, with the Omega "gone" and the Overlord currently in a weakened state.
• The image on a screen in Borg Tower during "Level Thirteen" greatly resemblances the Digital Overlord's appearance.
• Tommy Andreasen once referred to 45th US President Donald Trump as "The most recent incarnation of the Overlord."
• As the Crystal King, he is the fourth main antagonist of their season with a secret identity that isn't obvious to the ninja for the majority of a season. The first three are the Quiet One, Unagami, and the Skull Sorcerer.
  • The Crystal King is the third title that the Overlord famously goes by to be revealed, preceded by the Dark Lord (from the Green Ninja prophecy), and the Golden Master (from the Curse of the Golden Master).
    • The ninja mistook two of his titles twice for characters they were already familiar with: Dark Lord (they thought it referred to Garmadon) and Golden Master (the ninja mistook Lloyd for being the Golden Master).
• As the Crystal King, he is the fifth most frequently appearing main antagonist in a single wave, as he was released in up to three sets with exactly the same appearance. The first four are Garmadon, Vex, Unagami, and Kalmaar.
• The Crystal King is also a name of a monster in LEGO Power Miners.
• As the Crystal King, he is one of the five main antagonists that doesn't appear in the first episode of their season, the others being Pythor, the Preeminent, Vangelis, Kalmaar, and Beatrix.
• As the Crystal King, he is the first WildBrain main antagonist to have two physical variants in a single wave of sets.
  • However one of them is non-canon.
• The Overlord (in Dragon and Centaur forms), Morro, Nadakhan, Unagami and Vangelis are the only main antagonists which can fly.
• He is similar to Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars franchise. Both of them are the overarching antagonists of their respective stories, both of them manipulate the then-villainous father of the protagonist but eventually turns against them, and both of them regenerate years after their initial defeat.
• The Overlord, Garmadon, and Unagami are the only villains to be the main antagonist in more than one installment of the TV series.
  • The Overlord in the second half of Legacy of the Green Ninja, Rebooted, and Crystalized.
  • Garmadon in the pilot episodes, first half of Legacy of the Green Ninja, and Hunted.
  • Unagami in the Prime Empire Original Shorts and Prime Empire.
• Though Tommy Andreasen state that the Overlord being an Oni would be left up to interpretation, there have been some lines of dialogue and other implicit evidence within the show that suggest that the Overlord may have some connection to the Oni and that their powers might be linked with each other.
  • Tommy Andreasen's personal theory was that the Stone Wars never happened, and that the Overlord is the living embodiment of the First Spinjitzu Master's Oni side that the latter, literally, cast aside. Should this theory ever be canonized in the show, then it would imply that the Oni have Darkness, and is closely tied to Destruction.
    • Both the Overlord and the Oni are ancient evil entities that have very similar powers and motivations to corrupt and conquer Ninjago.
    • The Overlord is referred to as the "blackest of darkness" by Misako in "The Stone Army," while the Oni are called the "impending darkness" by Garmadon in "Green Destiny."
    • When the Overlord corrupted the Golden Weapons, they became the Weapons of Destruction in "Darkness Within."
    • Wu states that the Overlord feed off of anger and conflict allowing to manifest himself in "Crystastrophe," something that enhances the power of Destruction.
    • Garmadon states that the only thing that can destroy the Overlord's vessel is the Oni Form in "Safe Haven."
    • The Overlord stated that Lloyd and Garmadon's powers were a gift from him in "Dragon Form."
• With the revelation in "Dragon Form" that the Overlord has been pulling all the strings and was indeed the one who corrupted the Great Devourer and had it bite Garmadon to set his plan in motion, it can logically be stated that the Overlord is the overall main antagonist of the Masters of Spinjitzu series, as his existence and actions created a metaphorical chain of ripple effects throughout the course of the series.
  • The Overlord's corruptive rampage in the Stone Wars would force the First Spinjitzu Master to divide the continent in two, sacrificing half of the land he created to spare future generations from enslavement under the Overlord, surfacing the events of the Dark Island Trilogy.
  • The Prophecy of the Golden Master would create tension between the Serpentine and humans that Aspheera would use to stage a coup until Wu and Garmadon's intervention leaving her to swear vengeance leading to the events of Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu and continue the uneasy truce between man and snake for the next millennium.
  • The Great Devourer's influence caused by the Overlord and by corrupting Garmadon led to the events of the Serpentine Wars, and for Garmadon to train under Chen, and thus tempted to take credit for Wu's love letter to Misako, and ultimately, Garmadon's banishment to the Underworld would lead to the events of the pilot episodes within the coming years.
    • The First Spinjitzu Master would send his sons out into the wilderness to find a possible cure for the Great Devourer's venom, leading to the events of Spinjitzu Brothers.
    • The Great Devourer would lay eggs that produced her Vermillion children, which Krux would use for an army leading to the events of The Hands of Time 40 years prior.
    • Ironically, the Overlord would be responsible for the existence of Lloyd, his new sworn enemy. With the boy seeking to follow in his father's footsteps as a child, this led to the major events of Rise of the Snakes, with him unleashing and uniting the five Serpentine tribes, who sought out to summon the Great Devourer, and due to the resulting deaths of Harumi's parents led to the events of Sons of Garmadon, Hunted, and March of the Oni by extension in the years to come.
  • With Garmadon's temptation to steal the Golden Weapons led to the events of Legacy of the Green Ninja with the Mega Weapon (and ultimately with Rebooted, with the Mega Weapon's destruction and colliding into space). However, the events of Rebooted were in set following Garmadon's arrival at the Dark Island, allying with the Overlord and unknowingly offset the Balance, which allowed him to cross over into Ninjago, and was defeated by the hands of Lloyd, only for Cyrus Borg to have built Borg Tower in the same location of the Dark Fortress, tainted by the Overlord's ashes, during Rebooted, which allowed the Overlord to resurface digitally.
    • Following Zane sacrificing himself to defeat the Overlord, this led to the other ninja and Garmadon to participate in the Tournament of Elements in the season of the same name with Garmadon ultimately sacrificing himself to the Cursed Realm.
    • Garmadon's sacrifice would lead to the events of Possession, following Morro's escape from the Cursed Realm, and Skybound following Clouse's escape from the Cursed Realm and freeing Nadakhan.
      • Cole becoming a ghost by Master Yang in "Possession" would lead to Cole's seeking revenge on Yang, surfacing the events of "Day of the Departed."
    • Chen's banishment would cause the Mechanic's incarceration, leading to the latter having a prominent role for Prime Empire and Crystalized.
  • Following Harumi's resurrection by the Overlord, she traveled to the Kingdom of Shintaro and negotiated with Vangelis to pay for Vengestone supplies in the Dungeons of Shintaro, surfacing the events of the Vengestone buyer arc in Master of the Mountain, while the plot line of Master of the Mountain would've happened either way, given that the Geckles and Munce were forced to mine for the material years before Hunted meaning that Vangelis has been selling Vengestone to other people before Harumi. After the Battle for Shintaro Mountain, Harumi hired Miss Demeanor for more Vengestone smuggling during "A Big Splash", kickstarting the events of Seabound, and later "Farewell the Sea". With enough Vengestone in hand, this finally led to the Overlord setting his long awaited plan in motion, capping it off with Harumi recruiting Pythor, Aspheera, Vangelis, the Mechanic and Mister F as generals for the Overlord's Crystal Warriors, the Council stealing the Golden Weapons and crystalizing them and empowering them with the Overlord's power, finally leading to his full return and set to destroy the Balance again in Crystalized.
• As the very conceptual aspect of evil, the Overlord is indirectly responsible for the very existence of the evil, malevolent, and negative actions that the inhabitants of the universe commit. Thus it can be logically suggested that the Overlord is the posthumous overarching antagonist of the Dragons Rising series.
• The Overlord has the distinction of being the only villain to be the main antagonist of both a WilFilm ApS and WildBrain season.
• According to the Hageman Brothers, it's possible the Overlord had tampered with the Perfect Match system to say that Cole was Nya's perfect match in order to create conflict within the ninja team.
  • Tommy Andreasen later stated that it's possible but most likely not the case.
• The Overlord in Rebooted is similar to Monstrox from the unproduced Season 5 of Nexo Knights, as they are both evil forces established in former seasons recreated as a digital virus.

Gallery

Main article: The Overlord/Gallery

Translations

The Overlord

Language	Name
Bulgarian	Върховния Лорд
Chinese (Simplified)	黑暗之主
Chinese (Traditional)	黑暗島主
Czech	Pán temnot (S2) Overlord (S3 onward)
Dutch	Opperheer (S15)
Finnish	Overlord Yliherra (Day of the Departed, S15)
French	L'Overlord
German	Ultraböses
Hungarian	Sötét Úr
Japanese	オーバー卿
Korean	오버로드
Polish	Overlord ("The Stone Army") Mroczny Władca
Portuguese (BRA)	Lorde Supremo Overlord ("Blackout"-"Enter the Digiverse", S15)
Russian	Оверлорд
Spanish	El Gran Tirano
Ukrainian	Надволодар

Crystal King

Language	Name
Chinese (Simplified)	水晶之王
Chinese (Traditional)	水晶國王
Czech	Křišťálový král
Dutch	Kristalkoning
Finnish	Kristallikuningas
French	Roi de Cristal
German	Diamant-König (show) Kristallkönig (sets)
Hungarian	Kristály Király
Italian	Re Crystal
Japanese	クリスタルキング
Korean	크리스털 킹
Norwegian	Krystallkongen
Polish	Kryształowy Król
Portuguese (BRA)	Rei de Cristal
Russian	Хрустальный Король
Ukrainian	Кришталевий Король
Vietnamese	Chúa tể Crystal