Roy's Thoughts about Ninjago

I am a dude who has been into Ninjago ever since it began in 2011. I have many thoughts about it, both praising and admonishing it. This blog is to get these ideas out of my head and maybe share them around to those that are interested. I also write fanfiction from time to time. Feel free to ask me any questions about Ninjago you may have!

[royonninjago]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Since I haven’t done so yet, I thought I would post part one of my fanfiction here and provide a funny little story to go along with it. Its quite the snowball effect, so strap in.

Yesterday I was scrolling through Twitter mindlessly when I saw Tweets by Doc Wyatt, one of the writers for the Ninjago TV show. Something he’s known for is sometimes answering fan questions about Ninjago, and with this knowledge in mind I decided to see if he’s answered any more questions. He did, but the thing that immediately caught me off guard were Tweets between him and another Twitter account discussing some “leaked scripts” and the possibility of a new character, “Ranga”.

Here is the full Twitter thread if you wanna look at it: https://x.com/FucTanner5601/status/1804216607947837891

For those of you who probably don’t know, Ranga is a character I created for this fan-fiction. The namesake comes from the Tensei Slime character who is a Tempest Wolf, a.k.a a wolf that can magically control storms.

“Huh, that’s quite the coincidence” I thought at first, but then I scrolled down further and saw screenshots of these supposed scripts, and what I saw shocked me.

THEY WERE SCREENSHOTS OF A YOUTUBE VIDEO SHOWCASING MY FAN-FICTION AS A LEAKED SCRIPT FROM THE UPCOMING DRAGONS RISING SEASON 2 PART 2.

I decided to do some more digging to try and find out what the hell was going on, and I eventually stumbled onto this video: https://youtu.be/uhohAUxWzPA?si=QRbsWiOlOxNhvLpA

What I believe to have happened is that the kid who made this video was one day scrolling through AO3, and found this fan-fic. For whatever reason, he believed that this was not a fan-fiction, but a leaked script from Dragons Rising Season 2 Part 2, and because he wanted to be the first to cover a large scoop like could potentially be, he made a video and posted it to his YouTube channel. THEN some other random person with a Twitter account saw this video, believed it, and then went straight to Doc Wyatt to ask him about it. And that is why he is talking about “Ranga”.

Honestly, I’m kinda flattered and bewildered by the crazy snowball’s journey my fan-fic has gone on. The only thing that could possibly bring me down is people going after the people involved in this, so no one do that. One of them is an actual child.

BUT, if y’all do wanna read a fan-fiction so good that a 10 year old thought it was real, then you know where to find it!

Part 2 of “The Shock” is on it’s way.

[nyaskitten]

Watching the Duckbricks video on the DRs3 concept art from yesterday and.... yeah I was right... he said according to one of his many Doc Wyatt conversations, Doc told him the Five were never meant to be their own main villains or anything important like that... just glorified minions for Thunderfang... okay.

[royonninjago]

A fun headcanon that I have is that the term "Elemental Powers" isn't derived from the fact that people with these powers can manipulate the fundamental building blocks of the world around us. Instead, it refers to the fact that their powers are fueled by the same energy that the Source Dragons wield, and since they basically created everything one could call them "Elemental Beings".

I like this explanation because not only does it reframe everything to make more out there Elemental Powers like "Reflex" or "Balance" work much more naturally, but it also allows for people to be more creative when making their own OC Elemental Powers.

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Show: NINJAGO Legends: Monstrosity (Kai mini-series)

Song: To Ashes and Blood - WOODKID

So anyone else a changed man after watching this? Because this sure did something to my brain chemistry i MISSED 2D animation SO FREAKING MUCH

[royonninjago]

Thoughts about the Shatterspin Comic

Spoilers for the comic below. You've been warned.

I finished reading the Shatterspin comics earlier today and I seem to have come to a particular conclusion about the titular fighting technique.

Throughout the entire comic run, the version of Shatterspin that Garmadon uses and teaches to the Children of the Wolf is blue, and is seemingly incapable of creating the red and black shockwaves that Wolf Mask or the Forbidden Five's Shatterspin uses. However, near the very end of the comic Asa uses a Wolf Mask in conjunction with the Mallet and Gong of Shattering, which grants him something more akin to the Shatterspin we're all familiar with in the Show.

What I think this means is that there are two types of Shatterspin, one that anyone can practice and learn to master, and one that is only available to Elemental Masters. If I were to draw a parallel to Spinjitzu, the basic Shatterspin that anyone can learn is like normal Spinjitzu, but the enhanced version of Shatterspin is like Forbidden Spinjitzu, a powered up version of the basic fighting style locked behind a power item, the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu or the Wolf Mask and Mallet and Gong of Shattering respectively.

From here on out this is just conjecture, but there's two more things I would like to touch on. First, assuming that Ras was correct about the statement of Shatterspin being an advanced and corrupted form of Spinjitzu, then how is it exactly that? At no point in the comics does anyone do the whole jump up, kick back, whip around and spin routine that comes with Spinjitzu, so what gives? Obviously, this is a question no one can answer since we don't really know what Spinjitzu is in the first place. Where does the tornado come from? Is it just a visual indicator that the user is spinning around very quickly, or it is an actual power that comes from the soul or something?

Regardless of what it actually is, I believe that Shatterspin is just a different utilization of this Spinjitzu power. Where Spinjitzu uses this mystical energy to create a tornado of energy around the user, that same energy is instead used for a full out offensive attack. The same power source, but different ways it can be put to use.

Point the second, what the hell is going on with Asa? Is he an Elemental Master or not? Something that gets me is the specific wording that both Ras and Zaiden Kane uses when describing Shatterspin. Ras says that it is a technique only available to Elemental Masters, but Zaiden Kane says that one must possess the spark of Elemental Mastery. Are those two things the same but worded differently, or is having the spark of Elemental Mastery different from being an Elemental Master? Asa is never explicitly shown using any Elemental Powers as far as I'm aware, but when he uses a Wolf Mask and the Gong of Shattering the Mask disappears like it does when Cinder and Jay uses Shatterspin. That whole last fight opens up so many questions, and I'm frustrated because they probably won't ever be answered.

Do you have any thoughts on the full release of the Shatterspin comic? If Asa is an Elemental Master, what do you think his powers are? I'd love to hear what you all are saying!

[royonninjago]

Poll Time! What soda is the cool and mysterious Rogue drinking?

Cola

Root Beer

Dr. Pepper

Some sort of fruit flavor

Voting ended onMar 25, 2025

[royonninjago]

As someone who also has a ponytail and a widow’s peak hairline, I say good for him. Live your best life, Rogue

[taddymason]

Okay, maybe I'm a little biased because of the whole Dad Jay AU and Kaida thing, but I truly believe it's necessary for Jay to find someone who loves him for who he is now and who also wants to protect him, and vice versa. Yes, it's completely understandable what the ninjas are going through and wanting Jay to be exactly the person he was before; it's not unreasonable to attribute all his changes since the merge to just the amnesia/shatterspin. Jay would even do the same.

But all Jay knows now is that no one loves him for who he is. For as long as he can remember, he's been a weapon, a tool, or a vessel for a person who's no longer there. Even if Nya and the others only want the best for him, from Jay's perspective, they want to bring back a someone who's dead.

That's why I think it's the best time for Jay to find someone who loves him just the way he is, someone maybe just as lost and alone, so he can form his own circle to realize what he's capable of before returning to the team.

[royonninjago]

Anyone else feeling rather… evil tonight?

My cat is glowing red, too, and I don’t know how to feel about that

[royonninjago]

Something I think is really interesting to me about the Wolf Clan is that in the Shatterspin comics, it is confirmed that they not only persisted after the Forbidden Five, but they continued to do so for thousands of years.

They even seemingly managed to learn an inferior form of Shatterspin without any Elemental Mastery or even the gong, just the techniques of Shatterspin and the innate power of the Masks.

Also, not only do the few people in the Wyldness at that time know of the Wolf Clan, but they also seem to revere them. How does that happen? A violent clan of warmongers using evil magic powered masks going from feared conquerors to respected protectors throughout the realm.

I want to see more people talking about this, or even writing about this in fanfics. At the very least I wanna touch on these topics if I can ever get my Shatter Squad AU off the ground.

[royonninjago]

Yo! I made a thing for the Ninjago Big Bang 2024-2025! It has some wonderful art to accompany it! Check it out!

Summary:

After the Tournament of the Sources, Jay finds himself at the base of a lonely mountain, huddled over a small fire, cold and hungry, stewing in his own resentment and self pity. His solitude is broken when a familiar but not-so-friendly face approaches, offering him the chance of a lifetime. However, Jay learns the hard way that all choices have their consequences, and that opportunities are not freely given, but earned.

[royonninjago]

Pro tip, if you wanna improve your Zarkt minifig, add the “Black Plant Flower Stem with Bar and 3 Stems Short”, also known as piece #68211, from the Dragonian Storm Village set to the top of hit funny hat

[royonninjago]

Something Interesting about the Forbidden Five's Elemental Powers

We still have little in the way of the actual personalities of the rest of the Forbidden Five, but now that I'm pretty sure that we have all their Elemental Powers (assuming there isn't a mistranslation or something), I think I've stumbled across a pretty interesting link between all of them.

Domination.

Each one of their powers roughly translates to a form of control or manipulation, which could play into why they're so dead set on conquering every realm in existence. As for my why I think this, here is my reasoning:

Brute Force This power represents domination through violence and right of conquest. It is the oldest and rawest form of control, representing the concept of might makes right. From what we've seen of Nokt and his "everything is war" mentality, I feel that this is especially fitting.

Fear This power represent domination through sheer terror and psychological manipulation. This form of control is a lot more primal than Brute Force, as it exists inside everyone. We haven't gotten as much screen time with Rox, but what we have seen is that she is much smarter than Nokt as she not only is a prolific wielder of Theroxian magic and is the one who created the Wolf Masks, but I think that it can be inferred that she was a large contributor to the "Elements of Betrayal" plan, if not the mastermind behind it.

A quick aside, but since Doc Wyatt has confirmed that Nokt and Rox are the leaders of the Forbidden Five, I think what that means is that they take leadership roles depending on the situation. Rox is more of a big picture strategic and plan making type of leader that decides what to do, when do to it and how it should be done. Meanwhile, Nokt is the on the ground leader that leads troops into battle and makes quick on the fly decisions that affect the flow of battle. This especially seems to be the case within the context of that flashback scene of Rox making the Wolf Masks while Nokt returns from battle with Zarkar as a prisoner.

Also, from here on out it is purely speculation based on the rest of the Five's Elemental Powers and their designs and motifs surrounding them.

Swarm This power represents domination through mob mentality and group think. I know that in the teaser trailer it looks like they're just controlling a large amount of and turning into a swarm of insects, but since this Element is called "Swarm" and the one who wields it is a giant bug person, I think it's safe to assume that any insect that operates under a hive mind is fair game. Besides, this one seems to be pretty self explanatory, after all how many people have done something just because other people are also doing it? As the famous "I can't remember who said it" once said, "a person is smart, but people are stupid".

Misfortune This power represents domination through superstition and faith. For thousands of years, people have been living in a chaotic and unpredictable world, and to cope they have been turning to the supernatural to rationalize it. And, historically speaking, those who have claimed to be in control of these supernatural forces have become very powerful and influential within their communities. And, historically, not all people with this kind of power have used it for exclusively good intentions. I mean, look at the shit that went on during the dark ages and the crusades and you'll understand what I mean. A miscellaneous and not fully formed thought I've had is about the chains around Zarkt's body and his Element being Misforture paralleling Pandora's box being locked up and holding in all the world's evil and misfortune. If someone who knows Greek mythology could put the pieces together then that would be cool.

Decay This power represents domination through culture and tradition. I admit this one is a bit of a stretch, but I think that the best parallel for this power is how eventually all institution erode and lose their sense of purpose, eventually becoming ripe for someone to usurp their power and influence for their own selfish needs. It's a story that has been told and repeated for as long as civilizations have existed, and as a mummy person Kur would be perfect for this Element since they most likely have seen the rise and fall of empires and would know exactly what to do. Read into that how you want.

I'm interested to see how the other members of the Forbidden Five are as individuals and how they interact with the Ninja and each other. If you have any other ideas to add on or refute or whatever, I'd love to hear them!

[royonninjago]

An idea we’ve had hammered into our heads by Dragons Rising is that the Source Dragons are where all Elemental powers come from. And with the new information coming to light about Thunderfang wanting to become a Source Dragon, that begs the question, does he have any elements associated with him? Maybe that’s where the Forbidden Five’s Elements come from and why they’re so vague and esoteric?

[royonninjago]

Reblogging this for no particular reason...

[royonninjago]

Happy 14th Anniversary Ninjago! I've been a fan ever since the pilots aired in 2011 at just the right time for it to get lodged in my brain like a parasitic worm!

In honor of the past year and what comes next for Dragons Rising, I made a little edit that's been on my mind for literal months. Enjoy!

The song is Undead Lullaby by JT Music, here is a link to the full song.

[royonninjago]

An idea we’ve had hammered into our heads by Dragons Rising is that the Source Dragons are where all Elemental powers come from. And with the new information coming to light about Thunderfang wanting to become a Source Dragon, that begs the question, does he have any elements associated with him? Maybe that’s where the Forbidden Five’s Elements come from and why they’re so vague and esoteric?

[royonninjago]

In honor of Zarkt's Elemental Power being revealed as Misfortune, I made this. I hope I'm the first one to make this joke

[sepublic]

Zarkt’s gonna be quaking if he ever meets Mord:

Maybe it’s a good thing the ninja kept him from participating in the Tournament of the Sources…