# Ninjago: Rise of the Snakes

Rise of the Snakes (also titled Rise of the Serpentine on the DVD release) is the first season of the animated television series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (titled Ninjago from the eleventh season onward). Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen created the series. It revolves around the adventures of four teenage ninja who live in the fictional world of Ninjago and fight against the forces of evil. The season aired from 2 December 2011 to 11 April 2012 following the pilot episodes. It is succeeded by the second season, titled Legacy of the Green Ninja.
Rise of the Snakes introduces the central character Lloyd Garmadon (voiced by Jillian Michaels). It follows the story arc of the character's development to becoming the prophesied Green Ninja. In this season, Lloyd is depicted as a young boy who serves as a minor antagonist to the ninja team. The storyline focuses on his attempts to become an evil warlord by taking control of five Serpentine tribes before turning from the path of evil. Lord Garmadon returns as an unlikely ally of the ninja team, while Pythor P. Chumsworth and a legendary snake named the Great Devourer are introduced as the season's main antagonists. The season also develops the character of Nya as she maintains a secret identity as the mysterious Samurai X.

## Voice cast
### Main

* Jillian Michaels as Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja and Elemental Master of Energy
* Vincent Tong as Kai, the Red Ninja and Elemental Master of Fire
* Michael Adamthwaite as Jay, the Blue Ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning
* Brent Miller as Zane, the White Ninja and Elemental Master of Ice
* Kirby Morrow as Cole, the Black Ninja and Elemental Master of Earth
* Kelly Metzger as Nya, Kai's sister
* Paul Dobson as Sensei Wu, the wise teacher of the ninja
* Mark Oliver as Lord Garmadon

### Recurring

* Ian James Corlett as Skales
* Michael Dobson as Pythor P. Chumsworth
* Paul Dobson as Acidicus
* Mark Oliver as Dr. Julien
* Colin Murdock as Ed
* Jillian Michaels as Edna
* Brian Drummond as Kruncha and Nuckal
* Kirby Morrow as Lou
* Mackenzie Gray as Mistaké
* Mackenzie Gray as Fangtom
* John Novak as Slithraa

## Production
### Development

Brothers Dan and Kevin Hageman, who were the writers for the series from its initial launch until the tenth season, developed the idea for the character of Lloyd. Series co-creator Tommy Andreasen stated that Lloyd's story arc as the Green Ninja was conceived immediately after the character was created, although the mystery of the identity of the Green Ninja was built up over the course of ten episodes and finally revealed in the episode titled The Green Ninja.

### Animation

The animation for the first season was produced at Wil Film ApS in Denmark. The season was created with a 22-minute format that would continue until the release of the eleventh season.

### Direction

The episodes for Rise of the Snakes were directed by Justin J. Murphy, Michael Hegner, Martin Skov, and Peter Hausner.

## Release

The first episode of the season titled Rise of the Snakes was released on 2 December 2011 on Cartoon Network. The subsequent episodes were released throughout the following months until the season finale Day of the Great Devourer, which was released on 11 April 2012.

## Synopsis

The mischievous son of Garmadon named Lloyd mistakenly opened many of the five serpentine tribes and got tricked by an Anacondrai named Pythor. The Ninja tried to discover the true identity of the Legendary Green Ninja; and to stop Pythor and the five serpentine tribes from finding the four Fang Blades to unleash the Great Devourer. That originally bit Garmadon with its venom as a child.

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | 1 | "Rise of the Snakes" | Peter Hausner | Kevin & Dan Hageman | December 2, 2011 (2011-12-2) | 1.19 |
| Peace has returned to Ninjago, and the Ninja have grown complacent. Rumours of Lord Garmadon's return prompt them to investigate, but they only find his son, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, causing mischief. Driven by a desire to become like his father, Lloyd fortuitously uncovers the Tomb of the Hypnobrai Tribe of the Serpentine and releases them. The Ninja come across the prophecy of the legendary ‘’Green Ninja’’ and, believing one of them is destined to become him, begin fighting amongst themselves, while the Serpentine attack Jamanakai Village. |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Home" | Justin Murphy | Kevin & Dan Hageman | December 2, 2011 (2011-12-2) | 1.34 |
| The Ninja resume their training, preparing for the looming threat of the Serpentine. A mysterious falcon leads Zane to a treehouse, built for Lloyd by the Hypnobrai. The Ninja confront Lloyd and the snakes, leaving the Monastery unguarded. Upon returning, they find the Monastery in ruins, but Zane and the Falcon again, find them a new home – a ship called the ‘’Destiny’s Bounty’’. |||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Snakebit" | Martin Skov | Kevin & Dan Hageman | January 25, 2012 (2012-1-25) | 1.77 |
| Cast out by the Hypnobrai's new General, Skales, Lloyd releases the Fangpyre Tribe from their tomb, and leads them against the hypnobrai. While settling in the Destiny's Bounty and preparing it to be their new headquarters, the Ninja are visited by Jay’s parents – Ed and Edna. When the Fangpyre Raid Ed and Edna's junkyard, looking for vehicles to convert into weapons, Jay must rush to save his parents from their transforming venom. |||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Never Trust a Snake" | Peter Hausner | Kevin & Dan Hageman | February 1, 2012 (2012-2-1) | 2.47 |
| After a meeting with Skales, the Fangpyres refuse to fight the Hypnobrai, and the two tribes join forces. Looking for new allies, Lloyd releases Pythor – the last of the Anacondrai Tribe. Pythor initially pretends to be his friend, but eventually betrays him too, stealing his map that shows the locations of the two remaining snakes tribes. Sensei Wu takes Lloyd under his wing. |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Can of Worms" | Justin Murphy | Kevin & Dan Hageman | February 8, 2012 (2012-2-8) | 1.99 |
| Lloyd moves in and plays pranks on the Ninja (including turning Zane's ninja suit pink) to trick them into fighting amongst themselves. Wu encourages him, hoping to teach the Ninja a lesson about unity. Meanwhile, Pythor releases the Venomari and Constrictai Tribes from their tombs and plans to unite them under his leadership. The Ninja infiltrate their meeting and, inspired by Lloyd's pranks, manipulate the tribes into fighting each other. Pythor discovers them, and they are nearly captured, but Zane's pink suit enables them to hide and escape. |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Snake King" | Martin Skov | Kevin & Dan Hageman | February 15, 2012 (2012-2-15) | 2.18 |
| Pythor finds the ancient Serpentine city of Ouroboros, and declares himself to be the Snake King, the destined leader who will reawaken The Great Devourer – an ancient, seemingly immortal beast who will consume all of Ninjago. Lloyd, who witnesses all this, is discovered and imprisoned. The Ninja, now wearing new ZX suits, attempt to rescue him, but are nearly captured themselves, only to be saved by the mysterious Samurai X, who Kai discovers to be Nya. |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Tick Tock" | Peter Hausner | Kevin & Dan Hageman | February 22, 2012 (2012-2-22) | 2.44 |
| When the four Ninja follow the mysterious falcon into the woods, they stumble on a hidden workshop where Zane learns the secret about his past; he is a nindroid designed to 'protect those who cannot protect themselves', as said by his deceased father. The discovery of his past allows Zane to become the first ninja to unlock his true potential, and defeat a giant deer monster known as the Treehorn queen Meanwhile, Master Wu travels to the realm of madness to find Lord Garmadon. |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" | Justin Murphy | Kevin & Dan Hageman | March 7, 2012 (2012-3-7) | 2.21 |
| Jay and Nya have to cut their first date in the Mega-Monster Amusement Park short, as the Serpentine arrive to retrieve the first of the four Fang Blades needed to awaken the Great Devourer. To make matters worse, Jay pricks his hand on the fang of a skeletal Fangpyre, triggering a transformation. The other three ninja fail to stop Pythor and the Serpentine from retrieving the first Fangblade. Jay unlocks his true potential, saving Nya and overcoming the transformation, while Nya reveals her Samurai X identity. In the Realm of Madness, Wu finds Lord Garmadon, now with four arms, and tells him that Lloyd has been captured. |||||||
| 9 | 9 | "The Royal Blacksmiths" | Martin Skov | Kevin & Dan Hageman | March 14, 2012 (2012-3-14) | 1.76 |
| The four Ninja go undercover as a dance troupe, and enter a talent contest in their quest to win "The Blade Cup", in which one of the Fangblades is hidden, taken from its tomb by Clutch Powers. They ask Cole's father to train them, the leader of one particularly famous dance troupe, the “Royal Blacksmiths”, who turns out to be more demanding than Sensei Wu. Lacking confidence in their chances, Cole contemplates stealing the cup, but is berated by his father and decides to make him proud by winning the cup. Pythor collapses the stage and steals the cup, while Cole finds his true potential and saves his father. Garmadon returns to Ninjago with Sensei Wu. |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "The Green Ninja" | Peter Hausner | Kevin & Dan Hageman | March 21, 2012 (2012-3-21) | 2.62 |
| The Ninja are suspicious when Lord Garmadon moves in to help search for his missing son, but realize they have to work together in their attempt to rescue Lloyd from the Serpentine while they dig for the third Fangblade in the heart of the Fire Temple. Kai, after being held back by his ambition to become the Green Ninja, reaches his true potential and rescues Lloyd. It is also revealed, though Kai's own realization, that Lloyd is the destined Green Ninja. This causes grief to both Wu and Garmadon, since their family has now been further divided, because one day Lloyd will have to fight Garmadon to save Ninjago. |||||||
| 11 | 11 | "All of Nothing" | Justin Murphy | Kevin & Dan Hageman | March 28, 2012 (2012-3-28) | 2.02 |
| At a suggestion from Lloyd to steal back the three Fangblades as Pythor goes for the fourth, the Ninja and Sensei Wu try to infiltrate the inner sanctum of the Serpentine and walk right into a trap. When Lloyd's rescue mission does not go as planned, it is up to Lord Garmadon to save them. Garmadon and the Skulkin Army battle against Pythor and the Serpentine, allowing Lloyd to release the Ninja and get the Fangblades. Garmadon leaves Lloyd to follow his own path and the Ninja plan to destroy the Fangblades, but Pythor follows them in secret. |||||||
| 12 | 12 | "The Rise of the Great Devourer" | Martin Skov | Kevin & Dan Hageman | April 4, 2012 (2012-4-4) | 1.90 |
| Upon arriving at Torchfire Mountain, the only place where the Fangblades can be destroyed, Pythor reveals himself and steals the blades back, leaving the Ninja to die. Nya saves them, as Samurai X, and they head to the lost City of Ouroboros to try to stop Pythor. After a battle on a Serpentine Truck-fortress, all arrive in the city. Pythor awakens the Great Devourer, but Sensei Wu pins him in place, and forces him to watch what he unleashed. Unable to escape, they are both swallowed by the Great Devourer. |||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Day of the Great Devourer" | Peter Hausner | Kevin & Dan Hageman | April 11, 2012 (2012-4-11) | 3.34 |
| The Ninja must fight to save Ninjago. In the end, only Lord Garmadon, using the Four Golden Weapons, can destroy the Great Devourer. He manages to kill the snake and Wu is shown to have survived, but Lord Garmadon vanishes with the Weapons and Lloyd must accept the fact that he must face him one day. |||||||

## Ratings

The first season of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, which was released on Cartoon Network, achieved the top position on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 pm with children aged 2–11 and 9–14.

## Accolades

Director Peter Hausner was nominated in the category of "Directing in a Television Production" at the Annie Awards in 2012.

## Other media

The season was accompanied by a related app titled Rise of the Snakes, which was released for iOS on 22 March 2012. The game involves fighting as one of the main ninja characters against the Serpentine and includes six battle arenas.