Ninjago S14 E12

## Plot

This is yet another lower tier episode like in season 11, but luckily, this one still continues the main plot briefly, even if the protagonists and antagonists are more like side characters in this episode. It focuses on Antonia and Nelson once again. Because nothing super dangerous has happened in the city lately, all of the routes are open, but naturally, not everyone can experience life threatening and distressing events and just bounce back, so two kids are on trauma leave, and another kid's bike is in the shop. Also, it's Antonia's last day as a papergirl, which shocks everyone, especially Nelson. She asks him if he thought she'd be a papergirl her whole life. She's going to work at an ice cream place called the Dairy Dragon. Nelson tells her that she can't quit. She's the one who taught him that the news never sleeps. She points out that she'll make more money off the tip jar than she would all week delivering papers. What they do doesn't matter, so she might as well get a job that pays better. Nelson goes after her, and she tells him that she was wrong about what she told him before. The news isn't important. Every day gets crazier. If it's not giant fire snakes, it's a dragon, or some evil video game. Cue the silent Unagami cameo. And also the Merlopians attacking the city. Nelson tells her that it's about not giving up, even when you lose. While they're eating lunch, she tells him that she's okay with quitting. He sadly accepts that there's nothing he can say to make her change her mind and leaves. She goes after him and assures him that he'll be fine without her. They're still friends. When they pass by the Explorers' Club, a hole is blown through the wall. Kai and Wu attack Kalmaar, and he drops the amulet, which lands near Nelson and Antonia. Kalmaar easily –and smoothly, I might add. Seriously, that fight animation is amazing– defeats Wu, Cole, Kai, and Ray. Yeah, Misako disappears during this episode, only to suddenly reappear in the next one. I don't like it. If you take the time to think about it, the show doesn't have the best track record when it comes to giving its female characters the spotlight. I'm not saying we need to have an equal number of girl main characters to balance out the main cast, but it'd be nice to have Pixal, Misako, or even Skylor contribute more. I bet Pixal could even carry her own season. It already took them this long to give Nya a solo focus season. Her previous ones always had her share the spotlight with Jay or Kai. Speaking of which, Kai tells Nelson and Antonia to not let Kalmaar get the amulet. He goes after them as they bike away and takes control of a truck. Kai gets inside and fights him. Nelson and Antonia are able to jump across a drawbridge. Unfortunately, Kalmaar and Kai aren't so lucky, but Kalmaar, being a sea creature, is easily able to survive it and get back on land. Their facial expressions are amazing and hilarious. Kalmaar gets the amulet back and asks Antonia who she is. He laughs when he learns that she's a papergirl. Of everyone who's tried to stop him, an ordinary person with no powers came the closest. Perhaps he underestimated humans. He jumps back in the water and swims away. Kai is still down there. Is he still scared of water and can't swim? Antonia dives in and rescues him. He's not breathing, so Nelson performs CPR on him. Wu, Cole, and Ray show up and ask him what happened. Nelson and Antonia tell them which way Kalmaar went, and that he got away with the amulet. Antonia apologizes for not being able to stop him. Wu tells her that she did all she could, and thanks her for it. Cole tells her that the important thing is that they were here. If they hadn't been, Kai might not have made it. They go after the Merlopians. Antonia tells Nelson that he was right, and she's decided to stay. As Nelson leaves, he passes by a sign that's supposed to be Ninjargon for "Ninjago City - The city that never quits!" Episode 12 starts with Bentho telling the others the story of Wojira's defeat. Even the first spinjitzu master, the keepers, and the Merlopians working together couldn't defeat her. Nyad, the first elemental master of water, leapt onto her head and saw that the amulets were the source of her power. In order to defeat Wojira though, she merged with the water and became the ocean itself. She was able to get the amulets off of Wojira, who fell into a deep sleep, but her transformation could not be reversed. She sacrificed herself to save the world. The first spinjitzu master gave the Wave Amulet to the king of the Merlopians, and the Storm Amulet to the chief of the keepers for safekeeping. With the realm safe, he created Ninjago. I still love the yin yang symbols that double as dragon continents. Before Kalmaar can leave with the Storm Amulet, he stops to monologue, which gives the land heroes time to catch up and fight him again. Unfortunately, Wu is forced to surrender when the Maaray guards, which is the official name of this season's villainous faction, point their tridents at Kai, Cole, and Ray, who are in the water, and Kalmaar takes Misako hostage before she can get the amulet. They're tied up, and Gripe drops an anchor in the water to drown them. However, they're saved by the arrival of the Hydro Bounty. The others cut them free and return or give them weapons, like guns. Bentho saves Nya and tells Kalmaar that his mad dream of awakening Wojira is over. He offers his brother a chance to rule together as a family, but Bentho tells him that he's not falling for that again. Kalmaar reveals that he didn't need him to fall for it… just distract him long enough for him to blast him. Bentho dodges it, but then Gripe shows up behind them and blasts him. Bentho tells Nya to stop Kalmaar from getting away. She uses her powers on a whale to go after him. The others can't do anything except watch the other Merlopians leave. We don't see what happens underwater, which annoys me, even if we get a flashback to it in the next episode. There's a huge splash of water. Jay is especially concerned, but Nya returns to the ship. Kalmaar got away… but she got the Storm Amulet. Maya congratulates her on saving the city. Nya says she couldn't have done it without her. Later on, she finishes giving Bentho a tour of the monastery. They train in the courtyard, since Jay started an electrical fire that destroyed the practice room, which he blamed on Kai. They talked it over, and decided to have Bentho stay with them for now. They know his home is the sea, but with Kalmaar still down there, it's not safe for him right now. He agrees to stay. It's revealed that Ray and Maya have been running the blacksmith shop since they were freed. I guess this is one of the reasons that explains how Wu and the ninja have money to buy things like food, gear, and other supplies, since full time hero work in Ninjago doesn't seem to pay. Nya says goodbye to her mom and hugs her. She was pretty mad when she stowed away on the sub, but now she's glad she came. She's glad they were together for this. Maya should've believed in her. She's a better elemental master than she ever was. Maya is glad that she got to see that on one last adventure with her daughter, but Nya says it doesn't have to be their last adventure. While playing billiards with Lloyd, Zane, and Jay, Bentho asks about the Storm Amulet. Luckily, they've dealt with this sort of thing before, and they have friends that can help. Instead of keeping it underneath Borg Tower or in Hiroshi's Labyrinth though, Cole is personally delivering it to… Shintaro?! Oh my god! Yes! I honestly never expected to see it or its characters again, or at least not so soon after season 13. Murtessa, Gulch, Chompy, and the Upply get silent cameos, and Hailmar and Queen Vania even get lines. The Storm Amulet will be kept in their vault. After all, a high mountain and the bottom of the ocean are pretty much exact opposites. The only way to get it further away would be to throw it into another realm. It's weird that they don't look into more ways to destroy dangerous artifacts though. After all, that's what they were originally going to do with the Fang Blades. Sure, some of them come in handy later, like the armor of the Golden Master, but the Realm Crystal caused them quite a bit of trouble in seasons 5, 6, and 10, thanks to villains using it for their own purposes. Anyway, Vania orders Hailmar to seal the vault and double the guard. He says he will, and asks what the amulet is. Cole simply tells him that it's "Something that must never see the light of day again." Rest in peace Kirby. That line delivery was great. However, part of the amulet breaks off after they leave, confirming that it's the fake amulet. Dang it Zane! All you had to do was scan it again just to be sure, and it's possible that what happens in the next four episodes could've been avoided.