Well it’s finally over, after 11 years I’ve finally been freed from this franchise.
As far as how crystallized ranks with the other seasons. If seasons 6,8,9,13, and 14 are peak ninjago I hate to say but crystallized really doesn’t hold up in the second half.
I will say seeing the overlord again was very nice, honestly, the whole series does feel like it has led up to this point and I’d say this would be a great place to end the series.
Maybe not Seabound, but the other seasons you mentioned, plus Tournament of Elements and Possession are definitely peak Ninjago. And the ending was nice for a season finale, but for the whole saga? It was just a tad disappointing. Though I did really enjoy Garmadon in this season, his moments with Christofern were adorable and his dynamic with Lloyd was very interesting. And I don’t like how Zane never got a confrontation with the Crystal King, even for old time sake. In the end, though, it just turned out to be a victim of its hype, much like the season preceding it. “Inner Steel” was a poor choice for background music in the closing shot, the Ninjago Overture or “Maybe I’m Departed” would have fit so much better.
On this topic, I think we’ve already received potential news for what 2023 holds for Ninjago: a book called “Quest for the Lost Powers.” Going off of the description, which states that “the ninja will face an all new challenge that they have never seen before … or have they?,” I’m desperately hoping and praying that it will indeed end up having a connection to Skybound and feature Nadakhan’s big comeback as the main villain.
It sounds likely from that description. But I think it’s weird to bring back another villain right after a big villain comeback season.
Still it is strange that the Clouse related villains did not make an appearance. Nadhakan (freed by Clouse), Acronix and Krux (corrupted by Clouse) are still out there, as well as the Sky Pirates (lead by Clouse). We need a Clouse council one day, so I can complain about how ridiculously overpowered that would be.
Accidentally leaks the plot of the book.
I don’t follow Ninjago; what’s going on here? I’ve seen a lot of people talking as if the line is finally being retired, yet there’s also discussion of what’s going to happen next year.
What’s the deal?
The series has ended with Crystalized, but it will get a sequel series next year, maybe different animation style, maybe 20 minutes again, maybe some new characters, nobody knows.
The original saga with Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Nya, Lloyd, and co. just ended with the finale of Crystallized, and a new saga is beginning next year, set in the same universe but featuring perhaps different characters.
Apparently this is non-canon
It’s headcanon potential. And just as some certain other headcanon potential was finally turned into canon in this season I guess it’s good enough to justify a connection.
I just had a wild thought
That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking for some time now, perhaps Wu is old and sick and summons the now grown up and married ninja to his side for one last time so that he can come clean and tell the story of his past once and for all before he finally dies. (Garmadon would still be alive and well because he’s fully Oni, who I assume can live for an extremely long time.)
That way we can still retain the old characters, and show a clear time skip without replacing the main cast with completely new faces or making a spinoff in which the original ninja are reduced to once-in-a-blue-moon cameos. It could work in a style similar to the Metru and Hordika years; if Bionicle did a prequel before, why can’t Ninjago do one now?
Exactly! Love that
They could also mention all the elemental masters battles
That I would enjoy. Especially since it would feel less repetitive than the recently deceased storyline.
Oh man… Tommy Andreasen is leaving Ninjago
Sad. I wonder if he will work on other Lego related projects in the future or did he leave Lego for good?
Only time will tell…
I’m a little nervous, honestly.
I’ve been with Ninjago since Day One. I’ve watched it go through many twists and turns, ups and down, and changes over the years. Unlike most people on these boards, I still enjoy it, but the more time goes by, the more it feels like it’s worn out its welcome. We’ve had season after season after season, with three “final battle” chapters, and villains we thought were gone for good coming back for revenge because the show needed an iconic villain for its “climax.” And the sets, for as well-designed as they are, tend to get REALLY repetitive. Every wave is basically: oversized motorcycle, a jet, a bad guy base, a big jeep/4X4, a bigger vehicle, a mech, and a dragon or two. Heck, @LegoDavid wrote an entire opinion piece about it:
BUT, with all that said, I do still find some enjoyment in Ninjago. Since I’ve been there since Day One, there’s definitely a nostalgia factor. Despite the sets feeling repetitive, the majority of them are well-designed, and many of the waves have interesting themes to them. For me, some of the standouts include Master Of The Mountain, Skybound, Hunted, The Island, and Rise Of The Snakes. And, of course, the 2011 sets are really unique for their time, and they have an even bigger nostalgia factor for me.
And as for the TV s h o w…it’s definitely got an “oh, it’s made for kids heehee!” feel to it, but it’s kind of hard to get mad at it. Not because it’s “too childish” or anything like that, but because there does seem to be some amount of effort put into it. The characters have distinct personalities, and there is character development (even if it’s not as prevalent in the more recent seasons), and many of the episodes have good messages to them. And there just seems to be this huge amount of passion coming from Tommy Andreason. From the quality of the material he and his crew put out, and from his interactions with fans, I can tell he really cares about Ninjago and its world and characters. Many would argue that Ninjago has only lasted as long as it has because the corporate executives have forced it to continue so they can make more money-and those people are right. But even though Ninjago is only continuing out of necessity, there is still effort being put into it. And that, I appreciate. To quote myself…
But I’m worried that with Tommy Andreason gone, Ninjago might lose that “creative spark.” I know he didn’t single-handedly pump out 12 years of Ninjago by himself, but he was still a pretty big driving force. We know that Ninjago is gonna be starting a “new story” next year, but it’s something about which we know frighteningly little. Some 2023 set names have been leaked, and they include the original ninjas’ names, but those are most likely just Core/EVO sets. They’re not part of the “rebooted” franchise or whatever it is we’re getting next year. In any case, if Tommy Andreason isn’t involved, then…will it be as good? Or will it just devolve into what the detractors are having us believe: a soulless brand that only exists to make money?
Side note: This quote aged rather well:
Take a close look at these images:
Where have we seen them before??
Can anyone guess??
Main villain has a pink/purple army of crystal beasts!!!
So, new teaser just dropped.
Very interesting…
