Way of the Ninja

Way of the Ninja is the first pilot episode of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, and thus the first episode of the entire series.
==Plot==
At Four Weapons Blacksmith, Kai and his sister Nya are hard at work crafting weapons when Sensei Wu comes by. The old man explains that he knew Kai and Nya's father, but Kai drives him off after an exchange of insults.
Moments later, a dark cloud appears over Ignacia, heralding the arrival of the Skulkin. Atop the Skull Truck, Nuckal begs to lead the attack, claiming that he's "dying to go down there" - beside him, his fellow General Kruncha irritably reminds him that they're already dead. Nevertheless, the Skulkin commander, Samukai, orders his troops to attack, and the Skull Truck races towards the blacksmith shop, surrounded by skeletal motorcycles.
Seeing the approaching skeletons, Nya wonders what's going on, but Kai simply tells her to stay in the shop while he confronts the invaders. Donning armor and taking up a sword, he challenges the Skulkin forces, doing surprisingly well despite the undead warriors' physical and numerical advantages. Wielding a bamboo staff, Nya joins in - despite Kai's warnings - and the two of them manage to fend off the Skulkin soldiers. Unnoticed, Kruncha and Nuckal sneak into the store, searching for something. After a scuffle with each other, the Generals find what they seek on the back of the shop's sign - a large piece of parchment.
With the soldiers defeated, Kai challenges Samukai himself, but the four-armed skeleton quickly overwhelms him. Kai is eventually knocked down and disarmed, but Sensei Wu intervenes before Samukai can deliver the finishing blow, knocking the Skulkin General around with a strange golden tornado of energy. After exchanging a few taunts, Samukai throws his daggers at a nearby water tower, forcing Sensei Wu to save Kai before the structure collapses. Retreating to the Skull Truck with his fellow Generals, Samukai tells Kruncha to "take the girl!" In response, Kruncha fires the truck's bone hand, snatching Nya as the skeletons retreat.
Kai thanks Sensei Wu for saving him, but demands to know what just happened. Sensei Wu explains that the Skulkin were acting on the orders of Lord Garmadon, the evil older brother of Sensei Wu himself. They have been battling for most of their lives, with Garmadon constantly seeking a means of escaping his prison in the Underworld. Wu then tells Kai that he sensed the "Fire" within him, which will allow Kai to save Nya - but first, he must train to become a Ninja. Confused but determined to save his sister, Kai agrees.
At the Monastery of Spinjitzu, Sensei Wu immediately puts Kai through the training course in the courtyard. After a few tries, Kai successfully completes the course, prompting Sensei Wu to tell him that his final test will be tomorrow. Satisfied with his progress, Kai prepares for bed, only to be ambushed by three mysterious black ninja.
==Cast==
*Cole - Kirby Morrow
*Garmadon - Mark Oliver
*Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
*Kai - Vincent Tong
*Kruncha - Brian Drummond
*Nuckal - Brian Drummond
*Nya - Kelly Metzger
*Samukai - Michael Kopsa
*Wu - Paul Dobson
*Zane - Brent Miller
==Notes==
* Parts of this episode along with parts of The Golden Weapon and King of Shadows appeared in the Season 2 episode, Wrong Place, Wrong Time.
* In Sensei Wu's story, the First Spinjitzu Master's hair is different than its appearance in the episode Tick Tock and a few other flashback episodes as well as his statue in Grave Danger. The designs of the young Garmadon and Wu are also different than how they appear in An Underworldly Takeover and subsequent episodes.
* Wu's line from this episode saying, "You're not even ready to face my pinky toe" was later reused when Kai quoted the same line when they're training Lloyd in Pirates vs. Ninja.
** Ironically, LEGO minifigures don't have any toes or fingers.
* Sensei Wu's legend of the Golden Weapons is later seen on TV screens in The Day Ninjago Stood Still and The Surge in the NGTV news building and Borg Tower respectively.
* This episode is referenced in season 10 episode The Fall, in which Kai says to Nya, "I'm a terrible blacksmith, remember? You used to tell me that all the time."
* Vincent Tong released an image of the first page of this episode's script on Twitter on January 14, 2016, to celebrate the five year anniversary of Ninjagohttps://twitter.com/VincentTong007/status/687667844788555776.
* Some airings of this episode place it and The Golden Weapon together as a single episode, due to the combined time length being 22 minutes, the normal length of an episode until Season 11.
* Although it is the first episode of the series, numerically, until Rise of the Snakes became the first episode of the series.
==Errors==
* When Nya tells Kai he made his sword too quickly, her eyebrows are somewhat off-model.
* When Master Wu corrects Kai when he failed to say "Spinjitzu," his staff shortens in length.
* Jay, Zane, and Cole's have their weapons out when they sneak up on Kai, however after Kai says "Whoops!" their weapons are no longer in their hands, but rather on their backs.
==Gallery==
MoS01Course.png
MoS01KaiMove.png
MoS01KaiWorking.png
MoS01LegendWeapons.png
MoS01Mountain.png
MoS01MustTrain.png
MoS01NyaFight.png
MoS01SamuBattle.png
MoS01ShortStaff.png
MoS01SkulkinTalk.png
MoS01Toothbrush.png
MoS01TrainingArea.png
MoS01WuInspects.png
MoS01HideWeapon.png
MoS01KaiFather.png
MoS01LegendDragon.png
Category:Ninjago
Category:Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu — Pilot Episodes
Category:2011 media