Ninjago, Season 7: Hands of Time

[Ninjago Museum of History; The ninja clean out all the villain mannequin pieces after the events of the Day of the Departed battle]

Jay:
[holding the head piece of the Samukai mannequin] This ends now, Samukai! Nope. Pretending this is the actual Samukai doesn't make cleaning up the museum any more interesting. This is so lame. We're ninja, not janitors.

Lloyd:
[passing by, pushing a cart with the Chen mannequin] Come on, Jay. We're all kind of responsible for the damage to the museum. After all, if we hadn't had that massive battle on the Day of the Departed, this place would still be in one piece.

Jay:
Yeah, and whose fault is that, Cole?

Cole:
Okay. How many more times do I have to say, "I'm sorry for accidentally unleashing the ghostly forces of evil that attacked Ninjago?"

Jay:
How high can you count? [Cole lifts up the wheelbarrow's handles and his hands glow orange in Earth Punch, making him let go] Speaking of which, you're still not used to having your old, non-ghost hands back?

Cole:
Oh, I'm working on it.

Nya:
[struggling while carrying a box] This is exhausting. [sets the box down to straighten her back, and lays her head down on it] If I could go back in time, I'd tell Dr. Saunders we were too busy to help.

Zane:
Nya, you may recall that the rest of us once time-traveled. It can have devastating effects, and should not be used lightly. Certainly not to get out of labor.

Nya:
It's just an expression, Zane.

Kai:
[staring at a familiar painting] I... I don't believe it.

Nya:
What is that?

[The two siblings stand in front of a painting of their parents]

Kai:
I think it's a portrait of... our parents.

Nya:
[looks at the back of the painting] Whoa. This dates to when I was, like, 3 years old.

Kai:
Shortly before they disappeared. We know so little about them, Nya.

Nya:
Father was the Elemental Master of Fire. Mother was the Master of Water. [conjures a water ball]

Kai:
And they left us the old blacksmith shop and little else.

Nya:
They left us our powers.

[The ninja come across by looking at a giant portrait of Young Garmadon and Wu fighting together in a battle]

Lloyd:
Look at them, my father and my uncle, Ninjago's two greatest Elemental Masters. I wonder if I'll ever live up to their legacy.

Jay:
First Kai and Nya, now Lloyd. It's family picture day at the museum.

Cole:
Does anyone recognize this battle?

Zane:
P.I.X.A.L., analyze.

P.I.X.A.L.:
Facial contour mapping indicates this scene takes place 40 years ago during the Serpentine Wars.

Cole:
During the Serpentine Wars? But Ninjago was at peace. Who would they be fighting?

[On the Bounty, the alarms are going off]

Cole:
Um, weren't we just outside? When did we get here?

Nya:
How did we get here?

Zane:
My circuits are picking up an energy displacement.

Kai:
There was a displacement, all right. It displaced us right in here.

Lloyd:
What is going on?

Jay:
[covering his ears from the alarm] I don't know, but it's loud!

Nya:
[looks at some panels] These energy readings are off the charts. Where is it coming from?

Zane:
I'm trying to pinpoint the location.

Jay:
[still covering his ears from the alarm] How about pinpointing the location of the off button?! These alarms are giving me a... [Kai slams on a nearby console, turning the alarm off and calming Jay down] ...headache. Thank you.

Zane:
Hm, this is surprising.

Jay:
No, it's not. I've always had sensitive ears and—

Zane:
I meant, I think I know how we suddenly appeared on the Destiny's Bounty.

Cole:
How?

Zane:
The displacement we experienced was not caused by just any normal energy, it was temporal energy.

Jay:
Oh, well, temporal energy, of course. Everyone knows that's, um... powerful.

Kai:
You have no idea what temporal means, do you?

Jay:
I do not.

Lloyd:
It means time.

Zane:
Precisely. Whatever created that displacement can warp the very fabric of space-time.

Jay:
Which is powerful, right?

Zane:
Very. All the normal rules of existence no longer apply to such a force.

Jay:
[to Kai] Told you it was powerful.

Lloyd:
Jay, Cole, Kai, we get Acronix. Zane, Nya, use your Elemental Powers to put out this fire.

Jay:
Hang on, who put you in charge? Why can't I help with the flames?

Lloyd:
You think lightning is better than water and ice for stopping flames?

Jay:
Good point. Let's go!

Cole:
Okay, Master Wu, you've had your tea. Now can we talk?

Wu:
Ask any question you wish.

Cole:
Who did we fight in the monastery?

Zane:
That was Acronix?

Kai:
From the painting?

Lloyd:
Twins look alike!

Nya:
Or was it Krux?

Zane:
Is he from the future?

Kai:
How did he speed up time like that?

Cole:
Was he from the past?

Jay:
Who ate my pudding cup? [the other ninja stare at him] What? He said ask any question. I put my name on this. Just because we're in a new dojo doesn't mean we disobey the refrigerator rules!

Cyrus Borg:
[on television] The wait is over! The future has arrived! The BorgWatch. Launching today.

Acronix:
[watching] Incredible. A wall-mounted window for display thirty-second dramas!

Krux:
[turns the TV off] Those dramas are called commercials. Cynical films playing off of consumers' insecurities to convince them to purchase that which they do not need.

Acronix:
So cool. I am jealous, brother. You got to experience the last forty years of progress. Hot beverages at the touch of a button, a beadless abacus, instant communication.

Krux:
Worthless, all of it. [sighs] I absolutely despise modern life.

Acronix:
But it's filled with wondrous things we couldn't have even conceived of forty years ago! [holds up a BorgPad] Like this amazing thing.

Krux:
A BorgPad. Vile contraption!

Acronix:
I got it at the museum gift shop. A piece of glass that performs music… [plays music on the BorgPad]

Music:
Ninja, go! Ninja, go! Come on, come on…

Acronix:
[simultaneously] …creates a permanent visual record of any event. [takes a photo of Krux] There's even games!

Krux:
I hate those infernal devices most of all! Everyone perpetually plugged in, distracted like infants by bright lights and sound.

Acronix:
[distracted by his game] Yes! Smashed all the candy!

[Krux growls]

Cole:
Hey, I just realized... the mural we saw at the museum, that must be the battle Wu just told us about.

Nya:
But Dr. Saunders said the Hands of Time were a myth.

Zane:
History is art, not science. Even an expert such as Dr. Saunders can be mistaken from time to time.

Jay:
Ha! True that! Know how I know? 'Cause Acronix was a so-called myth, and we totally busted him! Haha!

Kai:
Yeah! Hahaha! Except now, there's nothing to do.

Lloyd:
Hm, the temple still needs unpacking.

Cole:
[sighs] Lloyd's right.

Jay:
Ugh, kinda wish we hadn't busted him. [to Nya] Hey, Nya. Wanna hang out?

Jay:
[carrying Nya's Samurai X suit] When I asked if you wanted to "hang out" I meant play video games or something, not pack and ship your Samurai X suit back to the cave. [Nya looks at her helmet, he sighs] You gotta let it go. You're the Water Ninja now.

Nya:
I know, but it's hard. I only inherited my Water power. Samurai X is something I actually created, with my own hands.

Jay:
[takes Nya's hands] These hands?

[Nya smiles. Kai comes into the room]

Kai:
Whoa! Sorry! [covers his eyes] Didn't mean to interrupt! Heh, I didn't see anything!

Nya:
What's up?

Kai:
[still covering his eyes] Something you need to see. Hurry! [runs into the doorway] Ugh.

[Jay and Cole attack some Vermillion warriors]

Jay:
Looks like somebody wants to play. Wish we had the rest of the team here to help.

Cole:
Well, say hello to our newest members: Lefty and Righty. [uses his Earth Punch but can't control it] Oops. Wow, if I'm not more careful, I can take all of us out.

Jay:
Lefty, Righty, nice to meet you. Also, DO BETTER!

[Kai, Jay and Cole are training]

Cole:
Zane is down, folks are disappearing all over town, and we can't do a thing to help! If we just knew why Acronix and Krux are taking people.

Jay:
You know, my theory—

Cole:
For the last time, they are not hostages.

Jay:
How can you be sure?

Cole:
No ransom note.

Jay:
Maybe they're gonna hypnotize them into being an army?

Cole:
Krux and Acronix already have an army, of Samurai snakes.

Jay:
Well, you know my other theories—

Cole:
Do not say alien abductions again, or dimensional rifts, or elven magic portals! [uses his Earth Punch on Jay] Sorry, it's just...I'm tired of speculating. We need to take action! Right, Kai? [notices Kai] Kai? You okay? You haven't been the same since you squared off against Krux. Did... did he do something?

Kai:
More like said something. No, nothing. I'm fine.

Cole:
Good, 'cause I was just saying it's time to stop guessing and to start fighting!

Kai:
So you're saying we capture one of those snake guys and bring them back here for Wu to question?

Cole:
I just want to fight somebody. But okay, we could do that too.

Lloyd:
That plan won't work.

Kai:
Why not?

Lloyd:
Because Master Wu still hasn't recovered from his battle with Acronix. He rambles. He passes out. I think he's a lot more hurt than he lets on.

Kai:
Oh, great! All this and now we have no leader, either?

Lloyd:
Uh, that's not exactly true. With Wu out of commission, the, um...logical successor would be, uh...

Cole:
The Green Ninja.

Lloyd:
Correct.

Cole:
Uh, Master Lloyd?

Kai:
"Temporary Master Lloyd", you mean.

Jay:
"...in Training".

Cole:
Okay, Temporary Master Lloyd in Training, we mere ninja await your words of wisdom, which I assume involve kicking some butt till we get a few answers, right?

Lloyd:
Wrong. Too random. We need a plan.

Kai:
We have one: go kick some butt.

Lloyd:
Really? Whose butt? Where?

Kai:
We'll work it out down there.

Lloyd:
No, we'll work it out here first. That's what Wu would do. Come on!

Kai:
Oh, yay, I just love sitting around and talking instead of doing.

Cole:
Cut him some slack, guys. He's doing the best he can.

Dareth:
Someone stole my trophies!

Ronin:
I have an alibi! Wait. Why would anyone steal your fake trophies?

Dareth:
I know! They were irreplaceable. Which is why I'm here to buy replacements.

Ronin:
You want world championships this time or just intercontinental?

Dareth:
Uh, um, let's mix and match.

Zane:
These snakes are behaving curiously.

Kai:
You think? 'Cause boosting scrap metal doesn't seem like, you know, normal snake behavior.

Cole:
Neither does reforming into unstoppable samurai things.

Zane:
I mean strategically. They appear more interested in keeping us away from their compatriots that are stealing metal, than they are in actually defeating us.

Lloyd:
Well, they finally have to deal with us at full strength. And—hang on, has anyone seen Jay?

Kai:
No. Now that you mention it, he wasn't with us when we arrived.

Cole:
You know, just once, it would be nice to go into battle with a full team.

Kai:
Well, don't tell us, tell Jay! He's the one who took off for wherever without saying a word to us.

Nya:
I'm sure he has a good reason.

Kai:
Well, I'm glad you're sure.

Raggmunk:
Ah, what are we going to tell the Hands of Time?

Blunk:
The moon was in our eyes?

Raggmunk:
That's... not bad. Actually, yeah, let's go with that.

[Cole, Jay, and Zane are playing with the Slow-Mo Time Blade]

Cole:
Whoa, amazing.

Zane:
It is unlike anything I have ever seen.

Jay:
So cool.

Zane:
I must urge caution, Jay. The Time Blade is a powerful weapon.

Jay:
Uh, you think I don't know that? Check this. [throws the blade at a stack of boxes] Boom! Ha! Eight bull's eyes in a row. Beat that.

Cole:
I did.

Jay:
Oh, really? When?

Cole:
When I got nine in a row.

Jay:
Okay, yeah, if you wanna count that.

Cole:
But watch this. [throws a box in the air and and blasts it with the Time Blade]

Jay:
Haha! You missed!

Cole:
Did I? Slow-moving target. Easy peasy, lemon. [jumps and slices the box] And that's how you recycle an empty box.

Zane:
[sees that the box is not empty] That box was not empty.

Jay:
[sees a ruined stuffed teddy bear, screams in shock, and picks it up] Mr. Cuddlywomp… uh, is a teddy bear I used to love when I was five, but now he's totally lame and—

Cole:
We know you still sleep with him.

Jay:
And I don't care who knows it! [hugs his toy sadly] Mr. Cuddlywomp…

Krux:
What are you doing?

Acronix:
[on his BorgWatch] Sharing this with all my Instabook followers. "Achieved... total... victory."

Krux:
Why must you ruin every good moment with your modern techno-garbage?

Acronix:
And why must you be so stubborn about staying in the ancient past?

Cole:
One question: How are we supposed to get to the museum? Our vehicles got trashed by the snakes.

Lloyd:
Uh, we have the Supersonic Raider Jet.

Jay:
Uh, actually, hehe, my dad's still kind of working on that. We can take the Lightning Bike.

Nya:
Kai and I have our old bikes.

Lloyd:
What about me and Zane?

Misako:
Well, I was saving this for your birthday, but… [presses a button, revealing a new ship] The Destiny's Shadow.

Kai:
Oh, come on! First Jay, now Lloyd? Does everyone get a new ride for their birthday!? [notices everyone else staring at him] Uh, I said that out loud, didn't I?

Lloyd:
[on the Destiny's Shadow with Zane] I have no idea what any of these buttons do. And it doesn't come with a user's manual.

Zane:
On it. P.I.X.A.L., please do a vehicular spec analysis. Oh, right, she's still offline. I'll do it myself. The Destiny's Shadow has four offensive weapons, seven defensive systems, five transformative reconfigurations, and one mini-fridge. [offers Lloyd a beverage] Beverage?

Lloyd:
Uh, maybe later.

Jay:
You wouldn't happen to have a reconfigurable amphibious vehicle with you, would you?

Lloyd:
No.

Zane:
Actually, we might. Let me access those specs again. Reconfiguration three of the Destiny's Shadow is the Experimental Amphibious Multi-Terrain Assault Vehicle, XAMTAV.

Jay:
Ha! What a catchy name. XAMTAV. Heh. Sounds like a laxative. No wonder Kai was so jealous.

Wu:
Kai, Nya.

Kai:
Master Wu.

Wu:
Where are we?

Kai:
Long story, but we're back in time. Forty years. When you, Garmadon, and the Elemental Masters fought Krux and Acronix at the monastery. Only this time, the good guys are losing.

Nya:
We have to help you.

Kai:
Not just you you. Young you, too, Wu. Oh, that's a mouthful.

[In the Samurai X Cave, Zane is hooked up to a computer and shows clips from the ninja's adventures]

Zane:
Long before time had a name, the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago using four Elemental Weapons. But when he passed, a dark presence sought out to collect them all, Lord Garmadon.

Nya:
This is what you wanted help with? I didn't know Nindroids kept diaries.

Zane:
This is not a diary, it is a backup of our adventures. I returned from our latest search for Master Wu and thought it pertinent that someone record the story of Ninjago.

Nya:
I should've brought popcorn. Now let's make history.

Zane:
As I was saying, Lord Garmadon wanted the Elemental Weapons, but Sensei Wu, his brother and son of the First Spinjitzu Master, found four ninja to collect them first. Kai, Master of Fire. His desire to protect friends and family burns as hot as his temper. Jay, Master of Lightning. His humor and heart echo louder than thunder. Cole, Master of Earth. His body and spirit are solid as a rock, but strong muscles cannot hide his softer side. Last but not least, Zane, Master of Ice. Cool and calculating with a head for strategy. [Nya clears her throat] I was gonna mention you, Nya, once you became a ninja.

Nya:
How about "Nya, future Master of Water, the original Samurai X, expert mechanic and pilot, not just Kai's sister and Jay's girlfriend?"

Nya:
We're looking for an aircraft and you think boat?

Jay:
Nya, we've been on at least two flying pirate ships.

Nya:
You have a point. So many of the vehicles we've encountered have been... unconventional.

Jay:
What about my Storm Fighter?

Nya:
How is that unconventional?

Jay:
It's not, I just really love it.

Nya:
Stop suggesting your own vehicles!

Jay:
My parents' jalopy?

Nya:
Or your parents' vehicles.

Jay:
But they have so many!

Nya:
You're not helping.

Jay:
Sorry. I thought it would be easier to recognize a blueprint for a vehicle I was familiar with.

Cole:
You trapped Jay inside Zane's head?

Nya:
Don't be dramatic. I merely digitized Jay's mind and uploaded him into the processing center of Zane's memory core.

Cole:
You just took what I said and added a bunch of big words. Sounds like you want me to possess Zane. Like— Like a ghost.

Nya:
Not a ghost. Your body will be resting comfortably in a Borg reclining terminal until you get back.

Cole:
I still don't like it, but I'll do it for Zane. Let's go!

Kai:
Ugh, we still don't know who's behind this, and Cole gets to fight a dangerous monster while I'm cooled up inside Zane's mind trying to solve a puzzle.

Jay:
It's a Ninjigma. Heh! You're just mad because I'm gonna solve it first.

Nya:
Need I remind you boys that whoever is hacking Zane could be listening to our every word? I say we show them that they messed with the wrong Nindroid!

Kai:
I still don't get it.

Jay:
[slowly] Do you need me to talk slower, Kai?

Zane:
Borg may have created the Digiverse with good intentions, it was taken over by the Digital Over-Over-Over-Over—

Nya:
It looks like the corrupted code spread to this memory.

Jay:
Maybe some of these pictures are traps.

Kai:
Now you say something.

Jay:
It's a Zane puzzle, so Zane's picture has gotta be a safe move.

Kai:
You know, sometimes I forget that Zane isn't human.

Jay:
Really? Heh! Because he's covered in metal, you know.

Nya:
The corrupted code seems confined to Zane's secondary systems for now. I can temporarily reroute his memory functions through the Samurai X Computer to buy you some time, but not much.

Kai:
That means if we don't solve these puzzles soon, Zane might lose control...for good.

Nya:
What's the next puzzle?

Jay:
Ooh! It's a riddle! Lucky for you guys, I'm even better at riddles than I am at puzzles. Haha. "Feed me and I grow, always hungry. Give me something to drink and I die, always angry".

Kai:
That sounds like it could be Fire. These symbols must be the possible answers! Look, there's a tiny flame!

Nya:
Careful. One wrong answer could break down the rest of Zane's security system.

Jay:
Lightning bolt, drop of Water, Smoke— Ew! Is that a foot?

Zane:
The foot symbol denotes Speed. This appears to be a puzzle about the Elemental Masters.

Kai:
Guys, I love a good story as much as the next guy, but I still think the answer is Fire.

Jay:
Hmm, I wonder why you'd choose Fire. What was it you were the master of again?

Kai:
Some of those aren't even on this puzzle! The answer is Fire, guys. Fire!

Zane:
Kai's impatience gives me an idea. Perhaps we should consider the Elemental Masters as a whole rather than as individuals. What did they desire? What did they accomplish?

Kai:
How is that—

Jay:
Well, they ended the Serpentine War, and they stopped Krux and Acronix from taking over the world.

Nya:
They gave their powers to the next generation of Elemental Masters.

Jay:
That's right. We're the Elemental Masters now. And you know what I just realized? "Feed me and I grow, always hungry." But we all like to eat. "Give me something to drink and I die, always angry." But only one of us is angry all the time and can't swim. [realizes] It's Kai. The answer must be Fire!

Kai:
Wha— That— What?

Zane:
I have been running logic scenarios since we began the puzzle, and Fire is a 99.9 percent match.

Kai:
What?

Nya:
That's three votes for Fire. Me, Jay, and Zane.

Kai:
What!? Ugh!

Zane:
We did it! The answer was Fire.

Kai:
The answer was never not Fire!

Jay:
I just wanted to be sure.

Jay:
Oh, no. There's more paths? How am I supposed to know which way to go?

Cole:
That's what makes it a maze.

Jay:
Now more walls? This maze is cheating!