another thing I think is really interesting is Cole's position as team leader in the early days?? Part of it was just how he handled the group in the pilot, but the supplemental stuff framing him as the leader emphasized it more too. And it wasn't just the chapter books.
This is from the 2011 November-December issue of LEGO Life. This magazine is really how I found out about the series and started getting excited for it, and it says right there that he's the leader. I don't know why they tried to downplay it in later stuff and sort of act like it never happened. It might be to emphasize Lloyd as leader? Or for all I know it was a holdover from an earlier draft that never got passed along as something to stop saying explicitly.
I can get a full set of pictures this afternoon if you want to see everything Ninjago-related it has to offer!! I know it's not as much fandom history as it is just normal Ninjago history, but it made a fan outta me and I've been here ever since.
(and hey, it's still history preservation!)
It IS still history preservation! And I'm glad you're bringing this up- you can also see the slight impact this had on early fandom, too, at least from what I've seen and can remember.
And I think this can still be found slightly in the fandom today, with Cole's characterization and the way we sort of treat him.
My guess is that he was originally created to be the leader when the Pilots were all that was truly planned. And then, when they continued on with the show, and decided they wanted a Star Wars influence with Lloyd being the chosen one and Garmadon's son, it slowly transitioned away from the earlier plan.
And these books and pieces of media were likely given the early ideas and drafts, like how most Movie Novelizations are. They got an unchanged script or show bible when it had continued on and grown from what it was.
And, I'd love to see what else you have! So much of what the fans had early on definitely affected the way the fandom grew and changed! It's really fun and super interesting to see!
