The Blood Moon

:Not to be confused with the actual moon.
The Blood Moon is the first episode of the second season of Ninjago: Dragons Rising and the 21st episode overall.
==Synopsis==
Arin and Sora investigate a mysterious break-in at the junkyard while a sleep-deprived Lloyd suffers from stress dreams about warriors wearing masks.https://www.netflix.com/title/81519765
LEGO's YouTube Channel: Just when they thought they could relax, the ninja notice something strange happening in Ninjago. How strange? Kreel being best friends with the ninja strange...https://youtu.be/OwyrgJTvT64
ITVX: While protecting Ninjago City from daily threats, the Ninja encounter a new Elemental Master in league with an old enemy.https://www.itv.com/watch/ninjago-dragons-rising/10a4725https://youtu.be/k_I_SYQMkcE
Extended: Back in the swing of things, the Ninja, including new members Arin, Sora, Wyldfyre, and a larger Riyu protect Ninjago City and the Crossroads from daily threats. A new Elemental Master named Cinder emerges alongside a villainous army in Wolf Masks. Lloyd's visions warn him of a Blood Moon and a dreaded future to come. Meanwhile, Ras and Jordana unlock a new threat to the Merged Lands.https://mojtv.hr/m2/tv-program/emisija.aspx?id=120873035
==Plot==
left|thumb|Ras at the Shadow DojoIn the Wyldness, Ras and Jordana walk in the Forest of Spirits. Jordana expresses her astonishment at the abundance of vegetation, which contradicted everything she had been taught in Imperium. Ras explains that the Wyldness are divided into several different territories than just the Lava Wastes. He scoffed at the Imperians' narrow-minded assumptions, blaming their self-absorption for their ignorance of the other realms than their own realm. But the Merge had brought about a significant change, forcing the inhabitants to confront the mysteries that lay beyond their borders. Soon, they stumbled upon the entrance of the Shadow Dojo. Ras used the Source Dragon Energy Jordana extracted to open the doors. He declared that he will achieve what no one had accomplished in centuries by unraveling the enigmatic secrets hidden within the Shadow Dojo. Standing before a large gong, Ras held a wolf-shaped mask. He announced that once the Blood Moon returns, the most formidable beings in the Merged Realms would be brought together once more. Ras declared that once they were assembled, no force would be able to stand against them.
thumb|Ninja to the rescue
On someone's phone in Ninjago City, they film a couple of people about to break dance when the Mechanic interrupts and activates two mechanical tentacles he has on his back, and was about to attack them when Arin saves the break dancers before the Mechanic notices the filming individual and moves for them, only to be forced back by Arin, who uses Spinjitzu before landing on a nearby rooftop and taunts the former. The Mechanic knocks over a car and then prepares to head for Arin, only to be knocked down by Lloyd, who takes off his hood and looks up at his student as the former did the same before waving to the individual as multiple likes and comments start to appear on the screen. They later film Zane and Nya putting out a fire at the Crossroads while Sora and Riyu carry residents to safety as more likes and comments appear on the screen. They later film Riyu lifting Wyldfyre towards a cat in a tree to get it down, but it immediately charged at her and started to scratch her, resulting in her falling off. Riyu then moves to lift Kai towards Fugi-Dove on an opposing branch and tries to get him down as even more likes and comments appear on the screen.
left|thumb|The ninja dancing
They later film Lobbo, whose mech was out of control in the middle of Ninjago City with Arin retorting it happened again before he and Lloyd manage to get him out, and Sora uses her Technology to turn the mech into a DJ set, resulting in nearby citizens moving closer to dance, joined by Arin, Sora, and Wyldfyre. Soon, a woman appears, identifying herself as NinjaFanInfinity. The individual holding the phone then turns it around, identifying himself as SpinjitzuForDays99. He turns the phone back to the dance floor as Riyu had just joined in with NinjaFanInfinity saying they're coming live at the sight of the ninja's latest victory. SpinjitzuForDays99 says it was rescuing three people from Lobbo's out of control mech before showing him thanking Lloyd, Kai, Zane, and Nya before joining in on the dance floor as multiple likes and comments continuously appear on the screen. NinjaFanInfinity then responds her likeness on how the ninja, both new and classic, are working together as SpinjitzuForDays99 puts the phone back to the two, hoping their fans are hitting the 'Like' button and to check out their ninja merchandise.
thumb|Lloyd's vision
Sometime later, Arin watches influencer Intelligent George in the hangar bay, talking about how most of the ninja were seen, but Wu, Cole, Jay, and P.I.X.A.L. are still missing. Soon, the supercomputer started to glitch, but it was Sora, who was responsible telling Arin not to listen to George's theories before they both ride Riyu out to the training ground, interfering Alfonzo Frohicky's cleaning duty before the latter gives them a telegram from Kreel, claiming to be their friend. As they bring up the training course, they find Lloyd sleeping on it before he wakes up and heads inside, where he comes across Kai and Zane playing Lava Zombies in Arin and Sora's room, both noting Lloyd's tiredness and tell him to get some sleep, until he ends up fainting, where he gets visions of warriors in wolf masks, a red moon, Beatrix, and a mallet and gong. Waking up so suddenly, Lloyd makes his way to Wu's shrine, where he tries to ask for guidance before Arin came out, wondering what is happening to Lloyd before the former gives him some advice, which makes Lloyd retort how Arin is supposed to be the student.
left|thumb|Ras's recruit
At the Shadow Dojo, Ras and Jordana look over some scrolls with Jordana frustrated over being unable to read them, due to it being in a language classified as forbidden before they meet someone emerging from smoke, whom Ras refers to as another recruit.
The following morning, Arin, Sora, and Riyu visit Kreel's Junkyard, where it had been ransacked, despite them believing it was always like it was. Kreel is adamant that it was ransacked and talks about how she sells all kinds of items, including mech parts. She then started to go on about how she is friends with them before taking a selfie with them.
Back at the monastery, Sora watches Intelligent George in the hangar bay. Arin arrives and points out that Sora was the one who said George makes all of his stories up. Sora agrees with him but goes over some of her observations. She noticed that the "Night Ghost" hadn't infiltrated department stores like George stated, but rather antique shops. Weirder yet, they hadn't stolen anything. Sora theorizes that somebody is looking for a particular artifact and suggests that they go on a field trip, deciding not to tell Lloyd.
thumb|All-Realm Antiques Emporium
Sometime later, they arrive at the Crossroads. After checking all of the antique shops, they fail to find anything meaningful other than the common story of somebody breaking in yet not stealing anything. Suddenly, Riyu runs off, smelling a noodle cart. Arin and Sora follow, and Arin notices All-Realm Antiques Emporium, an antique shop nearby the cart that had just opened up. Arin exclaims that they may have found the next target of the "Night Ghost." He suggests that they get noodles and participate in a stakeout.
Hours pass as Arin and Sora sit atop a roof of a building. Riyu digs through a dumpster in a nearby alleyway for noodles. An elderly lady walks by, catching the attention of Sora and Arin. She proceeds to throw away a garbage bag and makes a remark about people throwing out perfectly good dragons upon seeing Riyu. Sora and Arin start to have a discussion about having elemental powers and Spinjitzu. This conversation distracts them from noticing Cinder's initial arrival in a puff of smoke. When he approaches the door of the antique shop, Arin and Sora first notice him and halt their conversation. They see him disappear in a puff of smoke to get under the door, which is locked.
Back at the monastery, Lloyd wakes up breathing heavily. He walks through the hall and finds Alfonzo. The latter explains that he is cleaning up a mess from Arin, Sora, and Riyu, and tells Lloyd that they went on a stakeout after Lloyd asks where they are.
thumb|Lloyd experiences another vision
Cinder emerges from the All-Realm Antiques Emporium holding the Mallet of Shattering, as Arin, Sora, and Riyu order him to freeze, landing in a circle around him. Cinder laughs, talking about how he was warned that the ninja would catch on to him. He states that he didn't come alone, as two Wolf Mask Warriors drop into the encounter. They start to fight, as Cinder disappears into smoke clouds to attack Arin, Sora, and Riyu. He orders the Wolf Mask Warriors to get the Mallet of Shattering to Lord Ras, as he continues to fight. The mallet gets tossed in the fight, and Lloyd eventually arrives to aid Arin, Sora, and Riyu. He then sees a Wolf Mask Warrior and experiences another vision. Cinder throws a smoke bomb at the ninja, and he escapes with the mallet and his warriors.
left|thumb|Ras's army
Cinder and his warriors arrive at the Shadow Dojo, where organized rows of Wolf Mask Warriors watch him hand the Mallet of Shattering to Ras. Ras tells the Wolf Clan to prepare to feel power that they had never known before, as he strikes the Gong of Shattering with the mallet. Everybody wearing a Wolf Mask experiences them start to glow, as Ras smiles to himself upon viewing his army.
==Appearances==
===Characters===
====Cast====
*Alfonzo Frohicky - Andrew McNee
*Arin - Deven Mack
*Cinder - Ian Hanlin
*Intelligent George - Bill Newton (screen)
*Jordana - Diana Kaarina
*Kai - Vincent Tong
*Kreel - Kelly Sheridan
*Lloyd - Sam Vincent
*NinjaFanInfinity - Diana Kaarina (screen)
*Riyu - Brian Drummond
*Ras - Brian Drummond
*SpinjitzuForDays99 - Deven Mack (screen)
*Sora - Sabrina Pitre
*Zane - Brent Miller
====Non-speaking====
*Beatrix (dream)
*Fugi-Dove (screen)
*Lobbo (screen)
*Nya (screen)
*Security Bots
*The Mechanic (screen)
*Wolf Mask Warriors
*Wyldfyre (screen)
===Mentioned===
*Arin's parents
*Forbidden Five
*Levo (indirectly)
*Ras' master
*Wolf Mask Claw Warriors
*Wyldness' ancients
====Miscellaneous====
*Cole (pictured)
*Jay (pictured)
*P.I.X.A.L. (pictured)
*Wu (pictured)
===Creatures===
*Dragon Matriarch (screen)
*Egalt (dream)
*Riyu
*Source Dragon of Energy (mentioned)
*Source Dragon of Motion (dream; pictured)
===Items===
*Arin's grappling hook
*Gong of Shattering
*Mallet of Shattering
*Robo-arm (screen)
*Tea
*Wolf Masks
*Wyldmelons (mentioned)
===Events===
*Liberation of Imperium (mentioned)
*Ritual of the Blood Moon (mentioned)
*The Merge (screen)
===Locations===
*Wyldness
**Blood Moon (dream)
**Boiling Beach (mentioned)
**Diamond Glaciers (mentioned)
**Forest of Spirits
***Shadow Dojo
**Chima
***Forever Rock (mentioned)
**Lava Wastes (mentioned)
*Imperium (mentioned)
**Kingdom of Imperium (video)
*Land of the Three Mountains (video)
*Ninjago (realm)
**Ninjago
***Crossroads
****All-Realm Antiques Emporium
****Kreel's Junkyard
***Mountains of Impossible Height
****Monastery of Spinjitzu
***Ninjago City (screen)
===Species===
*Cats (screen)
*Dogs
*Dragons
**Mountain Dragons
**Source Dragons (mentioned)
*Frogs
*Geckles
*Humans
*Merlopians
*Nindroids
*Oni/Dragon/Human hybrids
*Tigers
*Wolves (pictured)
==Transcript==
For the transcript of the episode, click here.
==Trivia==
===Cultural references===
*The Mechanic using technological tentacles might be a reference to Doctor Octopus from the Marvel Comics.
===Continuity===
*This episode marks:
**The first season premiere in the franchise to have an intro sequence since "The Darkness Comes."
***This also marks the first time since March of the Oni where every episode so far has an intro sequence.
**The first appearance of Ninjago City since the Merge.
**The first appearance of Fugi-Dove since "Roots," as well as the third named character apart from the Ninja and Wu from the original series to show up in Dragons Rising.
***The first being Gulch from Master of the Mountain who appeared in Season 1 of Dragons Rising, then The Mechanic from Skybound who appeared in The Elemental Mechs shorts. Fugi-Dove was first introduced in Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu. 
**The first appearance of Zane in his Mech suit.
**The first appearance of the element of Smoke since "The Day of the Dragon."
*The disco music that plays near the end of the short appears to be similar to the Terra Technica Dance-Off in "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back".
*When NinjaFanInfinity and SpinjitzuForDays99 are filming the ninja celebrating, Arin can be seen doing the Electric Jaya, Jay and Nya's dance move from "The Calm Before the Storm."
**This also means that Arin is the first character to do the Electric Jaya that isn't the creator aside from Jay.
*In Lloyd's vision, Egalt flying in front of the Blood Moon and shooting flames at him is similar to his first vision back in Battle of the Second Monastery, when the Energy Source Dragon flew in front of the orange moon and shot fire at him. It is unknown if there's any possible connection between these two visions, though.
*Sora reminds Arin of the time Riyu once hid in a dumpster. This happened in "Mindless Beasts".
===Errors===
*During the end of saving the city once again, Kai is wearing his suit.
*During the scene where Arin, Sora, Wyldfyre, and Riyu dance, a frozen model of Lloyd t-posing is wearing his Merge suit with his hair clipping through his mask.
**After Lobbo high-fives Lloyd, the camera turns and the frozen model can still be seen in the crowd, despite Lloyd being with Lobbo at this moment.
*The banner on All-Realm Antiques Emporium is missing two Ninjargon 'N's and states out 'Grad Openig Sale'.
==Videos==
Ras at Shadow Dojo - LEGO NINJAGO® Dragons Rising - Season 2
The Blood Moon - LEGO NINJAGO® Dragons Rising - Season 2
LEGO® NINJAGO Dragons Rising - Social Media Ninja
The Blood Moon - LEGO NINJAGO® Dragons Rising - Season 2 Episode 1
==Gallery==
For the gallery of the episode, click here.
==Translations==
==References==
de:Der Blutmond
es:La Luna de Sangre
fi:Verikuu (jakso)
hu:Vérhold előtt
pl:Krwawy Księżyc (odcinek)
ru:Кровавая луна (эпизод)
Category:2024
Category:Episodes
Category:Episodes of Season 2 (Dragons Rising)