The Greatest Fear of All

"The Greatest Fear of All" is the ninth episode in the fourth season of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, and the 43rd episode of the series as a whole.
== Official Description ==
The ninja reunite with Wu and turn to the aid of a shrunken Pythor in order to figure out how to defeat the unstoppable Anacondrai - but before they can get answers, Pythor is abducted by the Anacondrai and Chen uses his essence to make his worshippers' transformation into Anacondrai permanent.
== Plot ==
The Ninja and the Elemental Masters are continuing the journey back to New Ninjago City, making up for lost time as they're a day behind Chen (having left Dareth on the island and going back to get him). As everyone enters the city, Lloyd reminds them that no matter what Chen does, they must stick together. As they land, the citizens see Skylor as a Serpentine, they panic and run off. Garmadon realizes they're the first ones anyone saw; Chen hasn't attacked yet. Lloyd then tells him that he and Skylor must get out of sight, before telling the Elemental Masters to protect the people. As they leave, Skylor notices her hand changing back to normal.
At the same time in their hideout, Chen also notices he's changing back, and questions it, as attacking at that moment would prove disastrous. Kapau and Chope reveal that the spell's effects continue onto the next page: in order for the spell to become permanent, they need the essence of a true Anacondrai. Zugu then informs them of the Ninja and the Elemental Masters arriving, to which Chen decides to switch plans.
At the Samurai X Cave, the six Ninja, Nya, and Garmadon are greeted by Master Wu, Misako, and the Falcon. Wu is happy to see Zane again and compliments his form though Misako is initially surprised by Garmadon being a Serpentine, she is told the situation by Kai and Skylor, the latter soon being comforted by Misako. Garmadon also thanks Wu for looking after his wife, though feels guilty about the letter upon hearing him say "as any good brother should." Lloyd informs them that while the elemental fighters are on standby, none of them know where Chen will strike first, with the first attack resulting in the first succumbing to war. Jay questions how they defeat an enemy they barely know about, while Wu, with help from the Falcon, decides to find someone who does.
The Ninja, Wu, and Garmadon travel to Kryptarium Prison, where Master Wu hopes to find out how to defeat the fake Anacondrai by asking a real Anacondrai. Upon their arrival, the Warden lets them in, and shows them the prison cells housing a variety of inmates. The group heads to the corner of the room, where they find a miniscule Pythor talking to a small basketball in a playhouse. Pythor is very displeased to see the Ninja, and when Jay asks how they can defeat the fake Anacondrai, Pythor says that he won't speak to them, but changes his mind upon seeing Garmadon's new appearance, and begins talking with them.
In the meantime, Kapau and Chope break into the prison, stealing the Warden's keys and heading for the main cell hall. The intrusion is announced over the prison's intercom, which makes all the prisoners excited, except for Pythor, who tells Garmadon that there's no way to defeat an Anacondrai, because they have no weaknesses. At that moment, Kapau and Chope enter the main hall, with Cole, Kai, and Jay going in to battle. Zane soon notices Garmadon's hand change after a drop of Pythor's venom falls on it and deduces that Pythor holds the key to keeping the transformation permanent. Wu and Lloyd realize they have to keep the serpentine away from them or else danger will be started.
Wu then has Zane join in attacking the invading cultists, while his group escapes. Wu, Garmadon, and Lloyd depart with Pythor, although they barely escape the prison after Warden initiates a full security lockdown. Kapau and Chope prove to be formidable adversaries for the Ninja, while Pythor explains to Garmadon that Chen tricked the Serpentine and the first Elemental Masters into battling each other.
Master Wu, Garmadon, and Lloyd manage to escape the prison with Pythor, making it into a basketball court—but a group of Anacondrai Copters and Battle Mechs converge on the area, surrounding the group. Lloyd does Spinjitzu and knocks some of them down, but drops Pythor in the process. Inside the prison, the Ninja battle Kapau and Chope. When Kai and Jay unleash their elements on Kapau, he drops his sword, which lands in front of No-Eyed Pete's cell. With help from his parrot, the blind pirate manages to use the sword to flip a switch near his cell, which opens all of the cells in the main hall—freeing the Kryptarium's prisoners. A massive battle breaks out, with the Ninja battling various old enemies, including pirates, skeletons, Nindroids, and the Giant Stone Warrior, before escaping from the main hall as Cole breaks through various prison cells.
In the basketball court, Lloyd searches for Pythor, while Wu and Garmadon battle various fake Anacondrai. Master soon manages to find Pythor, but he is seized by an invisible fake Anacondrai warrior moments before the Ninja crash into the court. As the fake Anacondrai leave and Kryptarium's freed prisoners rush towards the basketball court, the Ninja escape with an ice ramp built by Zane. After escaping the court, Kai destroys the ramp, leaving the prisoners behind in the court with the Warden and the prison's officers surrounding them, ordering them back into their cells.
The fake Anacondrai return to their camp, with Chen taking Pythor out of a bottle, and setting him down onto a running wheel, then placing a Swamp Rat behind him after he protests. Pythor begins slithering away, which causes him to sweat, and the sweat is obtained by Chen, who uses it on himself to make the Anacondrai transformation permanent. In the meantime, a group of noodle trucks head out into a desert.
The Ninja return to the Samurai X Cave where Nya reveals to them of the situation and she had left communicators with the Elemental Masters who ready to confront them. However, the trucks unexpectedly split up, sending the Elemental Masters spreading out across Ninjago, including the Ninja. Nya readies the Bounty for battle, while Garmadon attempts to tell Misako about the letter, but he stops when the power goes out.
The Ninja and the other Elemental Masters pursue Chen's noodle trucks across Ninjago using their Elemental Dragons, while Chen and the remaining fake Anacondrai depart from the camp, leaving Pythor to be eaten by the Swamp Rat.
At the Samurai X Cave, everyone begins to get relieved that the people are safe but Skylor realized her father's strategy and tells them as Master Wu realizes that the trucks were creating a diversion to spread the Elemental Masters out and leave Ninjago defenseless, and orders everyone to stop the trucks. After all of the trucks are crashed or stopped by the Elemental Masters, they open the trailers up—only to find that they're empty, with no fake Anacondrai inside. Every master realizes this and the fear that so many people are in danger causes them to lose control of their Dragons, leaving them stranded.
As this happens, Chen's army converges on Jamanakai Village and begins to wreak havoc with Chen laughing at his success.
Wu reiterates his quote "The greatest victories has no battles" as their worst fears have been realized. Garmadon then proclaims that the new Serpentine War has just begun.
== Characters (In order of Appearance) ==
* Ash
* Bolobo
* Chamille
* Chope
* Cole
* Captain Soto
* Dan Hageman
* Dareth
* Eyezor
* Griffin Turner
* Gravis
* Jay
* Kai
* Kapau
* Karlof
* Kevin Hageman
* Kruncha
* Lloyd Garmadon
* Misako
* Master Chen
* Nya
* Nuckal
* Neuro
* Paleman
* P.I.X.A.L.
* Pythor
* Sensei Garmadon
* Sensei Wu
* Shade
* Skylor Chen
* Tox
* Zane
* Zugu