| Unagami | Empire Dragon |
| “I am the game. I am Prime Empire. I can choose any form I wish. Do you really think this will stop me?” |
| — Unagami to Jay in "The Temple of Madness" |
Unagami (Unfinished Adventure Game I) is the former ruler of Prime Empire and the former leader of his army. He was created by Milton Dyer to be the A.I. of the Prime Empire video game, but after Dyer attempted to shut him down, he became vengeful. Thirty years later, Unagami became associated with the Mechanic, for his plan to cross over to Ninjago by using the energy cubes from the cubed players in order to construct the Manifestation Gate.
Contents
History
Early life
Around a decade after the Battle for All of Time, Unagami was created by Milton Dyer to be part of Prime Empire. However, after Scott reached level thirteen, Unagami trapped Scott in Prime Empire. Unagami was blamed by Milton Dyer for Scott's disappearance and was shut down. Sometime later, Unagami eventually completed his own programming unbeknownst to Dyer and became the ruler of Prime Empire.
After the Liberation of the Never-Realm, he associated with the Mechanic.
Prime Empire Original Shorts
Upgrade
Following the success of the Mechanic's robbery, Unagami, speaking to the Mechanic through a monitor, told his associate that the use of the upgraded Noodle Truck of Crime in the robbery was merely a test for a much bigger plan. He also assured the Mechanic that he would reveal his identity when the time was right. The criminal then asked Unagami for help on another project, though he did not reply and the monitor simply shut off.
Later on, the Mechanic returned to the monitor, angrily striking it and attracting Unagami's attention. The Mechanic told him that he wanted to feel, and in response, Unagami printed plans for a mechanical arm, allowing the criminal to feel objects he touched. Once again, the Mechanic questioned the villain's identity, to which he revealed his name.
Prime Empire
Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire?
When the ninja were looking through The Mechanic's headquarters, Unagami questions the ninja if they've found the Prime Empire motherboard through the Mechanic's computer. Zane replies to Unagami that they found it. Unagami then says that he's pleased and tells the ninja to play Prime Empire before shutting himself off.
Level Thirteen
At Kryptarium Prison, Unagami hacks into the security systems and questions the inmates if they are able to help them. After the Mechanic says yes and that he'll be more careful, Unagami frees all the prisoners and says that it will be game over for the Mechanic if he fails again.
The Maze of the Red Dragon
While the ninja and Okino are in the Maze of the Red Dragon, Unagami pauses the game to speaks with Okino. He tells his "son" the ninja are correct that's he's living in a virtual world, and plans to build a gateway to the "real world". He promises Okino to take him but forces Okino to ditch the ninja by not helping them, describing the ninja as enemies to his plot. Okino is hesitant at first, so Unagami transforms into the Empire Dragon and threatens Okino, or else he wouldn't bring him along.
Later, Unagami interrupts the game again just before Okino is about to give advice on how to defeat the Red Dragon. He threatens Okino with the same message before leaving again.
Okino doesn't follow Unagami's order and the ninja defeat the Red Dragon and obtain the Purple Key-Tana. Once again, Unagami pauses the game telling Okino the gateway will finish and he will not bring Okino with him.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
When one of the Red Visors reports that the ninja entered the Speedway Five-Billion, Unagami orders them to find Scott, who might have cars the ninja can use.
The Speedway Five-Billion
Unagami summons the Red Visors and their cars to go after the ninja.
Stop, Drop and Side Scroll
Despite not appearing in the episode, Unagami sends in an Avatar of Harumi to fight Lloyd.
The Temple of Madness
After Nya was cubed, Unagami tells Jay to surrender or turn into an Energy Cube like the other ninja.
Moments later, Jay meets Unagami and calls him Milton Dyer. However, Unagami states that Milton Dyer is actually his creator and that he plans to enter Ninjago to confront Milton Dyer for shutting him down. After the Manifestation Gate was completed, Unagami attempted to cross over but was attacked by Jay. Enraged, Unagami transforms into the Empire Dragon and tries to kill Jay but knocked him down and enter the Manifestation Gate instead.
Game Over
Unagami enters the real world and starts attacking it. He was soon attacked by Jay on his Blue Dragon before luring him to the rooftop of Borg Tower, where Milton explains his reasons for abandoning the game before wishing to make amends and to finish him. Unagami, at a later point turning into the appearance of a young boy, accepts before releasing all the players from Prime Empire, cubed or not, and the NPCs who wish to enter Ninjago. He and Milton later walk off into the sunrise, hand in hand, and ready to start a new life together.
After Season 12
Unagami and Dyer worked out a few kinks for Prime Empire, making it safe to play.[1]
LEGO.com description
Who's behind Unagami? Here's a (very big) clue
He’s the great evil mastermind of the Prime Empire universe – but how can the ninja defeat Unagami if they don’t know who he is? So far, the ninja have a theory – that Unagami is really the game avatar of the equally mysterious Milton Dyer – but they don’t know for sure. Lloyd, Nya, Kai, Cole and Jay are trapped inside Prime Empire, competing for the Key-Tanas they need to stop Unagami. Zane, Pixal and Master Wu stay behind in NINJAGO® City, looking for Milton Dyer. But what none of them know is that the key to understanding and defeating Unagami lies in... his name. That’s right – Unagami’s name means something, and it’s important. Do you know what it means? Let’s see how close you get. Share your best guess in the comments![2]
Personality
Unagami has a very serious and angry persona. He does not tolerate failure, as he threatened The Mechanic with death should he fail him a second time. He also has little patience, as shown when Okino became adamant to betray the ninja and he was quick to anger.
He is quite manipulative, as he played on Okino's sadness at learning he is not real and promising to bring him to reality, should he deceive the ninja.
During "The Prodigal Father", it is revealed that the source of Unagami's anger comes from feeling abandoned by and confused with Milton Dyer, his creator. Once he has an opportunity to talk to Dyer, it is revealed that Unagami's true form is a scared and lost child. With the source of his anger soothed, Unagami becomes much kinder, going as far as to release not just the players trapped in Prime Empire but the NPCs as well.
Appearance
Unagami in his ruler form had long white hair combed into a tall ponytail with a red tie. He also has a long triangular white beard. On his black sided face are two yellow eyes with blue eyebrows that turn red when he is angry. One of the eyebrows is cut. He has a small red triangle on his forehead resembling his symbol, and on the sides of his face, he has light blue lines like Zane's. He wears a long black robe with blue and red digital symbols. On top of his robe, he has red shoulder pads, which are also owned by Mr. E, but reversed. He also has red gloves.
In his child form, he has the same hairstyle. He has an ordinary generic children's face with freckles from LEGO City. He wears a red T-shirt with a symbol that resembles Pac-Man. He also has short gray pants.
Weapons and Abilities
Not much is known about Unagami's powers other than his control over Prime Empire and the ability to transform into the Empire Dragon whenever he's angry. He is proficient with weapons such as a spear and he is able to fight, which is proven in "The Temple of Madness". According to the Mechanic, he is able to hack things, as he was able to hack into the Kryptarium Prison's security systems. He is also known to be able to perceive the memories of the players trapped in Prime Empire, as he created a digital copy of Harumi to defeat Lloyd in the Battle Arena.
Relationships
- Main article: Unagami's relationships
Appearances
Sets
LEGO Ninjago
Prime Empire Original Shorts
- 2. "Upgrade" (voice)
Season 12: Prime Empire
- 129. "Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire?" (voice)
- 131. "Level Thirteen" (voice)
- 136. "The Maze of the Red Dragon" (hologram)
- 137. "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" (voice)
- 139. "The Speedway Five-Billion" (voice)
- 142. "The Prodigal Father" (voice; flashback)
- 143. "The Temple of Madness"
- 144. "Game Over"
Video games
Ninjago Magazine
- 58. Samurai Storm!
- 59. High Speed!
- 60. Game Masters!
- 61. Game Over?
- 62. Secret Mission!
- 63. Speed Demons!
- 64. Final Battle!
- 65. Shintaro! Secrets Revealed!
- 66. Dungeon Monsters!
- 67. Monstrous Misson!
- 68. Ninja Legend!
Trivia
- As the ruler of Prime Empire, he uses a recolored shoulder pad of Mr. E's.
- The printing on his headpiece is similar to Zane, P.I.X.A.L., and Jay's pre-season 8 face.
- Like P.I.X.A.L., he has a two-sided face, with one side being normal and the other side having red on it.
- He has the lining through his jawline and cheeks like Zane's and a notch on his left eyebrow like Jay's before Season 8, and he has Zane's mouth on his angered expression.
- He is the second villain to have an eyebrow notch similar to Jay's, the first being Luke Cunningham.
- His name means above the sea or ocean in Japanese. However, the Japanese origins were likely not considered when finding him a name, as his character is unrelated to the ocean.
- He uses the same hairpiece as Okino, although his hair is a different color.
- His Minifigure does not have legs in his ruler form; instead, he has a sloping piece being used as a robe.
- This makes him the first Ninjago character to have the 2018 slope piece.
- He and Avatar Harumi are the only villains in Season 12 without a health board in the sets.
- It was revealed in a Season 12 activity book[3] that Unagami is the creator of the Prime Empire video game and that the Mechanic and the other Kryptarium inmates are helping him.
- This is confirmed to be true in "Level Thirteen," as he freed the Kryptarium inmates after the Mechanic said yes.
- He is known for being the "second main villain" for a few things.
- He is the second main villain to associate with the Mechanic, the first being Chen.
- He is the second villain that becomes a dragon, the first is the Overlord. Although, in Unagami's case, he transforms when he gets angry, while a dragon is the Overlord’s true form.
- He is the second main villain with a secret identity not obvious to the ninja from the beginning. The first being the Quiet One.
- He is the third villain to be the main antagonist in more than one Ninjago installment. With him being the main antagonist of the Prime Empire Original Shorts and Season 12.
- Garmadon is the first with him being the main antagonist in the pilot episodes, the first half of Season 2, and Season 9. And the Overlord is the second with him being the main antagonist in the second half of Season 2 and Season 3.
- Including him in the Empire Dragon set, he is the fourth villain to have a dragon, the first three being the Overlord with the Nindroid MechDragon, Morro with the Morro Dragon, and Zane with Boreal.
- In the Korean dub, his name is pronounced as "WANG-ga-me".
- Despite only doing this in two episodes, he is the third character to talk in the third person, the others being Karlof, Ghoultar, Murt, and Korgran.
- He is the fifth main villain to be redeemed, the first four being Garmadon, Morro, Yang, and Harumi.
- The design on his T-Shirt in his child form may be a reference to Pac-Man, an iconic video game character.
- The reason he has "i" in his name is that "I" is the Roman numeral for "1."
- He is one of the ten main antagonists to still be alive. The others being Garmadon, Pythor, Nadakhan, the Time Twins, Iron Baron, Aspheera, Vex, and Vangelis.
- He is the first invader to not want to rule Ninjago, as he only invaded Ninjago to confront Milton Dyer for abandoning him.
- This makes him one of the five known villains that had no intentions to take over Ninjago. The other four being Yang, Iron Baron, Vex, and Vangelis.
- He is the third most frequently appearing main villain in a single wave, as he was released in up to three sets with exactly the same appearance. The first two are Garmadon and Vex.
- Having been revealed not to be Milton Dyer and instead the game itself, Unagami is the fifth major villain whose true identity was initially hidden from the ninja, the first four being Pythor (in Season 3), Krux, Harumi, and the Ice Emperor.
- He and Milton Dyer are tied for being the third and fourth character to be mistaken for someone else by the ninja, the first being Garmadon, who was mistaken as the Dark Lord and the Treacherous Deceiver, and the second being Lloyd, who was mistaken as the Golden Master.
Gallery
- Main article: Unagami/Gallery
