Escape from Merlopia

Escape from Merlopia is the seventh episode of the fourteenth season of Ninjago and the 171st episode overall. It aired on April 25, 2021, paired up with "The Tale of Benthomaar."https://www.tvpassport.com/series/ninjago-masters-of-spinjitzu/202758 It released in the US on November 19, 2021, alongside The Island and the rest of the episodes of Seabound.
==Synopsis==
Aided by Benthomaar, the ninjas fight their way through the palace to the Hydro Bounty but must escape Kalmaar's forces along the way.https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/65bd4aa5-c5a0-4178-97e9-ff03f0914ccc/ninjago-masters-of-spinjitzu-65bd4aa5-c5a0-4178-97e9-ff03f0914ccc/episodes/season-3/episode-11
Extended: Using their scuba-respirators, the ninja survive the palace flooding but are pursued by Ripper Sharks. Benthomaar comes to their aid and leads them to the hangar bay. As a battle breaks out, the ninja launch the Hydro Bounty. A chase through Merlopia ensues as Kalmaar and his forces try to shoot down the Bounty. The ninja narrowly escape, now with Benthomaar as their new ally.https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/Ninjago/127358468
==Plot==
The ninja are trying to open the gates to escape the Ripper Sharks but fail. One of the sharks breaks through the Ice wall to attack Lloyd, but Nya holds them back with her powers. The door soon opens letting the ninja in while blocking out the Ripper Sharks. The ninja meet Benthomaar, who already knows the truth of what happened. He leads them to the hangar bay, having to lie to some guards to get in. They enter only to find the place full of guards, and now caught, they must fight their way to the Hydro Bounty. During the battle, Lloyd hops in one of the APS suits and fights a few of the guards. P.I.X.A.L. jumps in the ship and gets to the controls. In the throne room, Kalmaar is talking to Gripe when the Maaray Guards sent by Benthomaar ask what he needed them for. Kalmaar is shocked by this and realizes that Benthomaar is helping the ninja. 
Meanwhile, in the hangar bay, Nya, Zane, Jay, and Maya get in the Bounty, continuing fighting guards. Three far from Maya start shooting her from top, but Benthomaar comes to defend her when Kalmaar bursts in the room and orders his guards to attack. Lloyd says he will stay back and hold to the guards off while they escape on the Hydro Bounty. After throwing the guards around for a little, Lloyd is shot by Kalmaar who says that the ninja will regret coming to Merlopia with Lloyd replying that he already does and throws the sword from the suit at Kalmaar. He jumps into the water with the Hydro Bounty and they start escaping, but Kalmaar chases them.
Swimming through the city, Kalmaar tells his guards to throw missiles at the Hydro Bounty, the ninja dodge them, and the missiles hit some rock that make some boulders. Kalmaar repeats his order, but Gripe hesitates and tell the King that if they miss they could hurt other Merlopians. However, Kalmaar does not care and keeps telling them to fire, but they still miss and almost hurt others. Coming near a cave, the ninja try to get there in time to escape Kalmaar, who is at the time shooting missiles at the Hydro Bounty. The missiles are getting close to the ship, but P.I.X.A.L puts some sort of devices out to lure the missiles somewhere else, and when they enter the cave the devices stick on the outing and the missiles close the cave in, leaving Kalmaar blocked off from the ninja, who yells in anger.
After escaping, Lloyd comes in and Nya introduces everyone to Benthomaar. Jay asks him why he is helping them, and Benthomaar tells the ninja Kalmaar's plan. Then Nya tells Benthomaar that they know the location of the second amulet. Benthomaar tells them that they must hurry up to beat Kalmaar and stop him, and Nya tells P.I.X.A.L. to set course for the Island of the Keepers.
==Appearances==
===Characters===
====Cast====
*APS suit - Kelly Metzger
*Benthomaar - Cole Howard
*Gripe - Brian Drummond
*Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
*Kalmaar - Giles Panton
*Lloyd Garmadon - Sam Vincent
*Maaray Guard - Brent Miller
*Maya - Jillian Michaels
*Nya - Kelly Metzger
*P.I.X.A.L. - Jennifer Hayward
*Zane - Brent Miller
====Mnentioned====
*Trimaar
===Creatures===
*Wojira (mentioned)
===Items===
*Benthomaar's arrows
*Benthomaar's spear
*Samurai X suit
*Storm Amulet (mentioned)
*Tridents
**Kalmaar's trident
*Wu Bots
===Vehicles===
*APS suits
*Hydro Bounty
*Kalmaar's chariot
===Locations===
*Endless Sea
**Merlopia
***Merlopian Palace
****Throne room
****Hangar bay
*Island of the Keepers (mentioned)
===Species===
*Humans
*Manta rays
*Merlopians
*Nindroids
*Oni/Dragon/Human hybrids
*Ripper Sharks
==Transcript==
For the transcript of the episode, click here.
==Trivia==
*Narrator: Benthomaar
**In the Japanese version of the episode, the narrator is Jay instead of Benthomaar.
===Continuity===
*Benthomaar followed his father's dying wish for him to help the ninja escape Merlopia.
*The scene from this episode in which the Maaray Guards attack the ninja is used in "Golden Hour," when the Time Twins and Wu are seen on top, fighting each other.
**This episode does not contain the precise angle seen in the short.
===Errors===
*The episode is titled "The Escape from Merlopia" in some sources, such as CITV and TV Passport.https://www.itv.com/hub/ninjago-prime-empire/2a7227a0081https://www.tvpassport.com/series/ninjago-masters-of-spinjitzu/202758
*Although P.I.X.A.L. had a black face border underwater in the previous episode, it is missing in this episode.
*Kalmaar starts referring to the ninja as "ninja" despite having not heard the term from any of them previously.
**It is likely that he educated himself in between episodes, or that he was aware of them by studying the surface world.
==Videos==
Escape from Merlopia - S3 Ep 11 - LEGO Ninjago- The Abyss and the Flood
Ninjago - Maximum Mayhem - Cartoon Network UK
==Gallery==
For the gallery of the episode, click here.
==Translations==
==References==
de:Befreiung aus Merlopia
es:Escape de Merlopia
ru:Побег из Мерлопии
Category:2021
Category:Episodes
Category:Episodes of Seabound