How to Build a Dragon

Celestia, Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole and Wu had finished the "Firstbourne"

*For the similarity titled Season 11 episode, see How to Grow a Flower*.

**How to Build a Dragon** is the fourth episode of Hunted and the one hundred thirty-first episode overall of LEGO Ninjago & My Little Pony: Masters of Friendship. The title of this episode is a pun on the popular Cressida Cowell book series and DreamWorks movie franchise, *How to Train Your Dragon*. It is later used in the eleventh season episode, "How to Grow a Flower". The episode is based on LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu episode of the same name and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic episode, *The End in Friend*.

In the Realm of Oni and Dragons, the Ninja and the Alicorn princesses dare an elaborate escape from the clutches of Iron Baron and his Dragon Hunters. Back in Equestria, Rarity and Rainbow Dash begin to question why they are friends when they can't find anything they both like to do together.

## Production

This episode aired on July 10, 2018, on Mediacorp Okto in Singapore, one month and seven days ahead of its scheduled premiere in the US. It also aired on August 11, 2018, on Boomerang in Australia, released on TFOU MAX ​in France and aired on Nickelodeon in Denmark, Norway and Sweden on August 16, 2018.

## Plot

### The Very First Sonic Rainboom

Taking place where Fluttershy's story left off (as depicted in "Saving Faith"), Rainbow and the two bully Pegasi begin their race. They are to fly through the cloud rings toward the finish line. Rainbow Dash is already in the lead, and soon one of the bullies crashes into a cloud-pillar. Dash is bumped by the other bully and veers off course, but she catches up and takes the lead again. She tells the Cutie Mark Crusaders about how she found a love for the adrenaline and excitement of gaining so much speed. Her desire to win helps her beat the bullies and, most of all, perform the ultimate trick that was only told in legends: the sonic rainboom. She wins the race and obtains her mark: a rainbow colored lightning bolt. Rainbow Dash mentions in the Season 1 episode, "Call Upon a Cutie", that she was the first in her class to get a cutie mark.

### Why are we friends?

At the School of Friendship, Rarity was in a hurry to meet up with Rainbow Dash for their day out together. Starlight Glimmer stops her and asks her to serve as a brief example in Twilight Sparkle's school lesson. Eager to be an example for the school students, Rarity agrees and goes to Twilight's classroom, where she discovers that Rainbow Dash had been called upon for the same reason she was.

Starlight, teaching the students about compromise in friendship, explains that Rarity and Rainbow Dash perfectly exemplify compromise by finding time to spend together even though they have different interests and jobs. However, when asked how they are going to spend their day together, the two are unable to agree on an activity, with Rarity wanting to go shopping and Rainbow Dash wanting to play buckball. Gallus questions further how the two can be friends if they have nothing in common.

Rainbow and Rarity cite the mutual friends they share and the times Rainbow saved Rarity's life during the Best Young Flyer Competition and Rarity proved Rainbow's innocence of a crime she didn't commit, but they are unable to think of anything else. Starlight Glimmer states that friendships sometimes cannot be explained and must be seen in action.

### If we can fly like dragons

Another flashback shows Jay leaves his parents' scrap yard with Edna telling him to be back before dinner and not do anything reckless, to which Jay says he won't. In Ninjago City, Jay prepares to test his Mechanical Wings for the sixth time and immediately takes off. The wings perform pretty well, even managing to spin twice before it crashes into a billboard. As Jay slowly recovers, he is angered at his invention’s failure before seeing an old man in front of him, claiming to be a dreamer, like him.

In the present time, in the Realm of Oni and Dragons, Princess Cadance remembers Wu's words as a radio plays with someone repeatedly proclaiming "The Resistance never quits!" before realizing it is Lloyd. She tells her friends who believe she is insane again, though she tells them that she isn't and her reason.

In Ninjago, the Resistance are in celebration of Lloyd's successful speech to the people, in which Nya, Skylor, and Misako compliment his words. Lloyd goes on to ask if there are more Elemental Masters who could join, only to find that the rest have either been captured, presumably became evil, or have an unknown status. After having his idea of allying with the Serpentine shot down as well, Lloyd tries to brainstorm ideas on who else can help. Dareth hints that he can help as well, to which Lloyd agrees by asking Dareth to get refills for their drinks.

### The "end" in friendship

Rainbow Dash and Rarity proceed with their day out together, and Starlight and her students observe them from the side to watch their friendship in action. The two start out by playing a game of buckball against Braeburn's Appleloosa team. However, Rarity is too preoccupied with designing a line of buckball-themed leisure wear to focus on the game, much to Rainbow's frustration. Afterward, the two go shopping at a clothing store, but Rainbow gets annoyed by all the glittery stuff on display and incredibly bored when Rarity takes so long picking what boots to purchase.

Later, Rainbow Dash and Rarity go gem-collecting in a cave, and they finally start to have fun together at first. But while Rarity is more concerned with collecting gems for a new piece of clothing she's working on, Rainbow is more concerned with finding hidden treasure. While trying to open what she believes to be a secret chamber, Rainbow accidentally knocks over Rarity's wagon, causing all the gems she collected so far to shatter into pieces.

Rainbow and Rarity's frustration with each other grows even more, with Rainbow accusing Rarity of not caring about anything she likes and vice-versa. Starlight assures the observing students that this is merely a disagreement that even close friends have from time to time, but Rarity and Rainbow are so upset about not liking the same things that they declare their day together—and their friendship—over.

### Having a same common

Rainbow Dash and Rarity sit with Starlight Glimmer in her guidance counselor's office and air their multiple grievances about each other. Tired of their constant complaining, Starlight suggests they put themselves in each other's shoes. In the school library, Starlight mentions that since Rainbow likes the Daring Do book series and Rarity likes Shadow Spade, they should read each other's favorite book in order to reconnect as friends, and Rarity and Rainbow begrudgingly agree.

When Starlight, Rarity, and Rainbow meet up again later to discuss the books they read, Rarity questions the over-the-top action sequences and ridiculous character names in Daring Do, and Rainbow critiques the overly detailed and boring clothing descriptions in Shadow Spade. When Rarity mentions certain plot twists in Shadow Spade, Rainbow reveals that she never actually read the book. As their arguing gets even worse, Starlight decides to bring in reinforcements to help resolve the matter.

### If you want to fly, I'll chase the sky

While Celestia, Kai, Zane, Jay, Cole and Wu are "guarding" the princesses, they make a plan on escaping before Cadance remembers what Wu told him the first time Jay met him and decide to make a mech that looks like a Dragon, which the hunters will believe is the Firstbourne to help out. Over the next few days, the Ninja, Celestia and Wu build the Dragon with parts smuggled out by hiding them in Dragon dung and get them before disposing of it.

As their Dragon was now complete, Cole was hoping to take a test flight, but despite losing weight by cutting sweets, it doesn't work. Wu instead insists he will do it.

### The case of the missing amulet

As Rarity and Rainbow Dash's arguing draws attention from nearby ponies, Starlight returns and alerts them to a problem back at the school. When Starlight arrives with Rarity and Rainbow, she explains that the Amulet of Aurora, one of the magical artifacts that Princess Celestia gave to the school, has gone missing. She explains further that the amulet can control water tides and summon tsunamis and that they must find it before it falls into the wrong hands.

With Rainbow Dash's expertise in treasure-hunting and Rarity's knowledge of mystery-solving, Starlight is confident that they can get the amulet back by working together while she works on a locator spell. In their inspection of Twilight's office, Rarity finds that the other artifacts are present and untouched, and Rainbow discovers a trail of glitter that leads out of the school and into the nearby woods.

### A friendship-repairing adventure

As Rainbow Dash and Rarity follow the trail of Azurantium through the woods, Rarity discovers claw prints in the dirt, and Rainbow sees the Azurantium trail lead over a bubbling swamp. With the swamp too deep for Rarity to wade through and the steam geysers too hot for Rainbow to fly over, Rarity constructs a raft out of tree bark and vines. Rainbow is surprised and impressed by Rarity's ingenuity and resourcefulness, and she uses her wings to propel the raft forward, carrying herself and Rarity safely over the swamp. At the other end of the swamp, Rainbow and Rarity lose the trail of Azurantium, and they encounter a Bufogren, a large, frog-like creature with six eyes, overly sensitive ears, a soft-speaking voice, and horrible-smelling breath. Rarity and Rainbow ask the Bufogren about the Amulet of Aurora, but they are unable to endure his foul breath long enough to hear him talk. Using some nearby mint leaves and a tuft of cloud collected by Rainbow Dash, Rarity produces a paste that, upon ingestion, leaves the Bufogren's breath smelling minty fresh. They ask him again about the amulet, and the Bufogren points them to a trail of Azurantium leading up the mountain. Rarity tells Rainbow Dash to fly up and retrieve the amulet, but Rainbow brings Rarity along, not wanting to leave her behind in the swamp. On a ridge up the mountainside, they come across a locked door, and Rarity picks the lock using the stiletto heel of one of her recently purchased boots. Rainbow apologizes to Rarity for the harsh words she said earlier, admitting that some of her interests are actually cool. Likewise, Rarity apologizes for treating Rainbow's interests as less important than her own. The two reconcile with a hug and head through the unlocked door together.

### Firstbourne appears

At night, Wu flew the dragon mech before a shot from Iron Baron knocks the tail off and the Ninja break Luna, Cadance, and Twilight free before they notice a dragon in the air. They believe it to be Wu but he crashes down as the Ninja and alicorns realize it is the real Firstbourne. As she was firing among the camp, Wu, the Ninja, and the alicorns provide a distraction for Kai to free the Dragons before they get out themselves. However, Firstbourne mistaken the Ninja as the enemies, so she swallows Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole and Wu into its gullet. Iron Baron ended up covering with manure, and he asked the Dragon Hunters to hunt the Ninja and the alicorns using the Dieselnaut.

### Epilogue

On the other side of the door, Rarity and Rainbow Dash wind up back at the School of Friendship, and at the end of the trail of Azurantium, they find Spike holding the Amulet of Aurora. Starlight reveals that they set up a fake artifact theft to get Rarity and Rainbow to work together and resolve their differences. Rarity and Rainbow admit that they truly needed this lesson, and the students learn that two individuals don't have to love the same things in order to have fun together and that sharing in each other's interests makes their friendship interesting and exciting.
With a little time left in their day together, Rainbow and Rarity decide to go shopping for new buckball gear for Rainbow and buckball fan attire for Rarity so she can cheer for Rainbow during games.

Back in Ninjago City, Dareth has his new powers but he saw some intruders attacking the Garbage Depot.

## Cast

* Bufogren - Jason Simpson
* Chew Toy - Scott McNeil
* Cole - Kirby Morrow
* Daddy No Legs - Ian James Corlett
* Dareth - Alan Marriott
* Gallus - Gavin Langelo
* Griffin Turner - Doron Bell Jr.
* Harumi - Britt McKillip
* Hunter #1 - Brian Drummond
* Hunter #2 - Brent Miller
* Iron Baron - Brian Drummond
* Jay - Michael Adamthwaite
* Kai - Vincent Tong
* Karlof - Scott McNeil
* Lloyd - Sam Vincent
* Misako - Kathleen Barr
* Mistaké - Tabitha St. Germain
* Nya - Kelly Metzger
* Ocellus - Dewyn Dalton
* Princess Cadance - Britt McKillip
* Princess Celestia - Nicole Oliver
* Princess Luna - Tabitha St. Germain
* Rainbow Dash - Ashleigh Ball
* Rarity - Tabitha St. Germain
* Sandbar - Vincent Tong
* Silverstream - Lauren Jackson
* Skylor - Heather Doerksen
* Smolder - Shannon Chan-Kent
* Starlight Glimmer - Kelly Sheridan
* The Overlord - Scott McNeil
* Twilight Sparkle - Tara Strong
* Ultra Violet - Maggie Blue O'Hara
* Wu - Madyx Whiteway (kid); Paul Dobson
* Zane - Brent Miller

## Locations Visited

* Ninjago
	+ Ninjago City
		- Garbage Depot
		- Borg Tower
		- Mistaké's tea shop
* Equestria
	+ Ponyville
		- School of Friendship
	+ Swamp
	+ Mountain
* Realm of Oni and Dragons
	+ Dead's End

## Trivia

* The title of this episode is a pun on the popular Cressida Cowell book series and DreamWorks movie franchise, *How to Train Your Dragon*.
* When Kai tames the Wind Dragon, it is similar to that of the scene from How to Train Your Dragon when Hiccup tames the Night Fury Dragon, Toothless, for the first time.
* This episode is similar to "Leap of Faith" in that both include the Ninja as the captives of a villain who is exploiting their Elemental Powers, and building something in order to escape.
	+ Oddly enough, "Iron & Stone" features Luna, Cadance, and Twilight being forced by this power-exploiting villain (though Iron Baron hadn't learned about their powers at that point), to fight another power user for the villain's entertainment.
* Iron Baron exclaims "Manure! I hate manure!" after being covered in dragon dung, referencing the iconic line of the character Biff Tannen in the Universal Pictures film trilogy, *Back to the Future*.
* Scootaloo is mentioned in this episode.
* The foreign artifacts from "Firstbourne" appear in this episode, but this time it is the Amulet of Aurora.
* It's revealed by Karlof that Chamille has possibly become a villain, Skylor confirmed that Bolobo was captured by the Sons of the Overlord, and Griffin says that the Serpentine refuse to help the Ninja due to the Time Twins using snakes as their army.
	+ Because Chamille's Element allows her to shapeshift, her absence in the season was probably decided upon by the show creators for practical reasons (to explore Mistaké's shapeshifting abilities instead).
* Harumi is nearly killed by the Overlord, but she is saved by revealing that she knows the location of the Resistance's base.
	+ The Overlord's method of trying to kill Harumi is similar to Darth Vader's preferred method of execution—telekinetically choking his subordinates who fail him.
* Jay has a flashback of meeting Wu this episode, similar to how Zane and Cole had one last season.
* This is the first episode to recount the flashback of how the Mane Six earned their Cutie Marks. In this case, it was Rainbow Dash.
* The events of "The Chosen One" are mentioned in this episode.
	+ Also, the MLP episode "Rarity Investigates!" is mentioned as well.
* The Ninja and the Alicorn Princesses escape the Hunters' grasp and free the Dragons from the Dead's End.
* The Firstbourne is seen for the first time.
* At the end of the episode, Firstbourne swallowed the Ninja and Wu, leaving the Alicorn princesses behind.
	+ This also happens to Beohernie swallowed Zane and Fluttershy in a later episode.
* Dareth temporarily gets powers from drinking tea, confirming one of the three April Fools spoilers.

## Differences between this episode, the original Ninjago episode, and MLP episode, "The End in Friend"

* Firstbourne did not swallow Kai, Zane, Cole, Jay and Wu in the original Ninjago episode.

## Errors

* When Kai approaches and befriends the Wind Dragon, he is in his Sons of the Overlord outfit.
* Rarity's reflection in a gemstone doesn't reflect her hard hat, only her hard hat's bow and headlamp.
* When Starlight yells "enough" while counseling Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the lock of hair on the back of her mane is missing.