Ras

> "*Beatrix was not my Master. She was only a tool. I thought I could use her technology to find other Source Dragons, but she proved unreliably. However, there are other ways to achieve our goals.*"
> ― Lord Ras to Jordana.
>
>

**Lord Ras** is a tiger-humanoid from the Wyldness who once served as the leader of the Claws of Imperium. Before the Merge, Ras moved to Imperium and assisted Empress Beatrix to gain control of the kingdom. Despite being a capable commander and a highly professional warrior, he has failed multiple times to stop Arin, Sora, and Lloyd from freeing and escaping with the dragons Imperium had captured. Consequently, Ras was stripped of his title as leader of the Claws and imprisoned for his failures by Empress Beatrix, who now decided to do the job herself. During the MergeQuake Storm, Ras managed to escape his cell, and in the aftermath, recruits Jordana for her achievement in extracting energy from a Source Dragon on behalf of his master.

## History

### Background

Ras had a mission to assist his Master in gaining control over the realms. He understood that harnessing the dragon power of the Source Dragons was crucial to accomplishing this. Thus, he departed from the Wyldness and embarked on a journey to Imperium. His strategy involved utilizing the kingdom's advanced technology to capture the Source Dragons. Ras approached the Royal Family of Imperium with a bold claim, asserting that he possessed something truly extraordinary that could greatly benefit the kingdom. He explained that he and Levo were well aware of the eventual decline of the dragon power that had been crucial in powering Imperium. Ras proposed with capturing a Source Dragon, which would provide an unlimited supply of dragon energy to sustain the kingdom. However, Levo disagreed, dismissing Source Dragons as mere myths and emphasizing the peaceful coexistence between dragons and Imperians. Despite Levo's skepticism, Ras persisted in his attempts to convince him, arguing that a single Source Dragon could enable them to conquer all realms. This led to disagreements, with Ras criticizing Levo for his lack of foresight. Levo made it clear that Imperium had no need for Ras' offers. As Ras left the throne room, he cast a final glance towards Beatrix, respectfully bowing to her before exiting the Imperium Palace.

As Ras prepared to depart, he unexpectedly encountered Beatrix, intentionally mistaking her for Zeatrix. Beatrix agreed to Ras' proposal of assisting Imperium in capturing Source Dragons. Curious, Ras inquired if Beatrix would defy her own father. Beatrix revealed that she had fallen out of her father's favor due to Zeatrix inheriting Elemental Powers. Ras expressed his belief that Elemental Powers were frequently bestowed upon those who were unworthy of them. He further acknowledged Zeatrix's future role as the ruler of the Imperium due to her being the firstborn. In response, Beatrix informed Ras that if he assisted her in ascending to the throne, she would provide him with the necessary resources to capture the Source Dragons. Accepting her proposition, Ras acquiesced, addressing her as Empress. Ras plotted to sabotage Emperor Levo's hover chariot, which resulted in a catastrophic crash that claimed the Emperor's life. He also had the Imperium Guards arrest Zeatrix.

After Beatrix ascended to the throne as Empress of Imperium, she established the Claws of Imperium, an organization led by Ras. Utilizing the vast resources of Imperium, Ras successfully captured one of the legendary Source Dragons. As time passed and the realms merged due to the Merge, Ras set his sights on a young dragon named Riyu, recognizing his crucial role in his grand scheme.

### The Merge: Part 1

After the Claws of Imperium have succeeded in capturing Riyu for Ras' plan, Ras contacted Rapton, who assured Ras that everything had been taken care of as they start the transfer in the next day. Ras tells Rapton not to let his confidence get the best of him, as rare dragons such as Riyu are considered to be dangerous. As Rapton continued to be arrogant, Ras warned him that he didn't want any interruptions in the plan, ending the call.

The next day, Ras received news of Riyu's escape and made his way to the Crossroads. He censured Rapton for his failure and went to confront Arin and Sora. Arin tried to fight Ras, but the humanoid tiger grabbed him by the foot and threw him to the ground. He then defeated Sora by dodging her attack and threw his golden hammer at the SA Mark 01, dismantling it. Before he could finish her off, however, Riyu came up behind him. Ras used an Imperium Sword to shoot the baby dragon, taunting him that he plans to capture his entire herd. Suddenly, a MergeQuake appeared in the sky, much to Ras' satisfaction. He then instructed Rapton and the Claw Hunters to take the two teenagers and Riyu to a prison train, not wanting any further hindrances in the plan.

### The Merge: Part 2

Rapton reached out to Ras to inform him that they had successfully captured a Matriarch Dragon. Ras remained stationed in his hover chariot to see what would happen next. Soon, Lloyd was able to defeat Rapton and the Claw Hunters with his Spinjitzu, which was augmented by dragon power. Following this, Ras returned to Imperium. On his way, Ras informed Beatrix that Lloyd had managed to establish a connection with the Matriarch Dragon, meaning that they could now pursue more Source Dragons like the one that Imperium had previously captured.

### Crossroads Carnival

Because Beatrix wanted to use the Photac to hunt down dragons, Ras intercepted the ninja's call to the police and freed Dorama from his cage.

### Beyond Madness

Ras entered the Advanced Systems Lab with two Imperium Guards, demanding answers about the Photac, to which Dr. LaRow hesitated to give a definitive response. Ras insisted on receiving a clear answer, prompting Dr. LaRow to admit that while Dorama could make the original Photac work, activating the copies was beyond his capabilities. Dr. LaRow explained that only Sora possessed the necessary skills for that task. Frustrated, Ras stormed out of the lab.

### Writers of Destiny

Ras and Beatrix had Rapton and the Claw Hunters go over to the Cloud Kingdom and capture the Ice Dragons while the ninja were distracted from fighting the tentacled beasts. When Rapton called Ras to him that the plan went well, Ras gloats about Imperium's victory.

### Mindless Beasts

As Sora was forced to activate the Photac in order to save her dragon companion, Ras explained that the dragon's energy would still be drained until the device was operational. Ras ordered Dorama to begin the extraction process as Sora was fixing the device. In the midst of Sora's repairs, Ras listened to Dr. LaRow's taunts to Sora, saying that with the Photacs, Imperium can capture all dragon-kind, even the Source Dragons. However, Ras silenced her.

After Sora completed the Photac, Ras marveled at the Photac Beast that had been summoned and ordered Dorama to stop the extraction process. With the Photac now complete, Ras declared that nothing could stand in the way of Imperium.

### I Will Be the Danger

Ras ordered Rapton to gather the Claw Hunters and bring them to the Advanced Systems Lab. Yet, Rapton was hesitant, as their orders were to prevent the escape of the dragons. Despite his reservations, Ras remained adamant about taking immediate action and abruptly terminated the communication. Before long, Rapton and the Claw Hunters reached the lab, where Ras commanded them to mount the Photacs.

### The Calm Inside

Lord Ras was ordered to return to the Imperium Palace. As he went back Ras discovered that Riyu had been apprehended by Percival and was now back in custody. Beatrix reminded Ras of the crucial role Riyu played in the ongoing plan, despite the ninja's constant interference. Beatrix then ordered Ras to bring in Dr. LaRow so that she could extract all of Riyu's dragon energy. However, Ras was hesitant to comply, explaining that the energy was required for the plan. Beatrix was unhappy with Ras's reluctance and scolded him, stating that she would not take orders from anyone, including outlanders like Ras. The outburst enraged Ras, but he had no choice but to comply and call in Dr. LaRow.

As Dr. LaRow and Jordana began the extraction process, Ras watched, only to be interrupted by a sudden attack on the Imperium Palace by the dragons. Ras and Beatrix quickly evacuated the palace and confronted Lloyd and the dragons. When the battle continued, Ras drove his hover chariot into Sora and attacked the dragons with his hammer until the arrival of the other ninja coincided with the Monastery of Imperium emerging from the ground.

### The Battle of the Second Monastery

Despite more of the ninja arriving, Ras led the Claws of Imperium into battle. Ras commandeered one of the Photac Beasts to engage in a fight with the dragons, but was eventually knocked off from the Photac by the Fire Dragon. When the ninja and the dragons retreated to the Monastery of Imperium, Ras attempted to break into the monastery but was informed by Dr. LaRow that Arin and Sora had escaped. Ras expressed his disappointment to Dr. LaRow, stating that she only had to keep an eye on them. Ras returned to the Imperium Palace.

Confronting Arin and Sora, Ras offered them the choice between surrendering or perishing, with the result being that Riyu will be his in either case. However, Arin and Sora refused to surrender, engaging in a fierce battle with Ras. Despite his attempts to attack them, Ras continued to miss his targets, causing frustration and anger to build up inside him. He belittled the duo, claiming that they were too insignificant to even begin to understand his plan. Ras threw his hammer at Arin, knocking him unconscious. He then punched Sora, causing her to collide with the control panel of Riyu's cage, and rebuked them for not giving up when they had the chance. But doing so allowed Riyu to break free, unleashing his dragon power and activating Sora's Technology. Utilizing her powers, Sora trapped Ras in Riyu's cage, immobilizing him and ending the battle.

Days later, Ras received a summons to the throne room accompanied by the Claws of Imperium. He intented to launch more dragon hunts, but Beatrix had different ideas by wanting the ninja gone. Ras tried to convince her of the potential benefits Imperium could gain from just one Source Dragon, but before he could finish, Beatrix commanded the Claws to arrest him for his failure. One of the Claw Hunters restrained Ras with handcuffs, leaving him confused. In an attempt to defend himself, Ras retaliated with a kick, only to be instantly incapacitated by an electric shock from Rapton. Ras pleaded with Beatrix, emphasizing that his plan would not succeed without his involvement. Beatrix, on the other hand, warned Ras that with the dragons gone, he would be placed in the Imperium Prison.

### The Temple of the Dragon Cores

Ras was in his cell at the Imperium Prison, where he caught sight of an Imperium Guard using their tablet. He intently observed Beatrix's speech about any Imperian daring to broach the subject of the dragons' escape or the energy crisis would face immediate arrest.

### Gangs of the Sea

Ras paced restlessly within his cell, emitting low growls under his breath, until he eventually settled on his bench. He became aware of the surveillance camera fixed upon him. He glared toward the security camera, while Rapton taunted him for his misfortunes.

### Absolute Power

Ras was visited by Beatrix in his cell, where he tries to ask for his release in order to continue their efforts, but she refuses before dealing with the ninja when they infiltrated the front gate.

### We Are All Dragons

Ras overhears the people chanting 'We are all dragons' in retaliation for Beatrix's deception and looked out to see two guards appauld as well, amusing him.

### The Power Within

When the MergeQuake Storm occurred, it took out the power, therefore, Ras used it as an opportunity to escape. In the aftermath, he approaches Jordana, who had been disgraced, and offered her a proposal to work for his master as she managed to extract energy from the Source Dragon, and kept a small sample, to which she agrees.

## Official descriptions

### Ras expects answers...

*The ninja have faced some tough adversaries, but not many as fearsome as tiger-humanoid Ras. He demands total focus, competence and loyalty from his minions, so it’s probably best he doesn’t find out you’ve been working on your autobiographical one-man musical instead...*

### THE STRESSMAKERS

*This fearless creep is a real tough cookie in a **terrifying tiger mask**. He does not tolerate any mistakes. If anyone messes up, **he deals with things himself!***

### Boss of the Claw Hunters

*No one is as **fearless** as Ras. He despises mistakes. Then he becomes even scarier than he already is and puts things to rights with **full force.** This villain is not to be trifled with!*

### His head

*On the outside, the head is **fearsome** and on the inside it is full of **nasty plans.** On the surface, he serves the **Empress** and hunts dragons. In the back of his mind, however, he has **cunning** intentions that will surprise you.*

### 1st appearance

*When his right-hand man **Rapton** once again fails to get his act together, Lord Ras is furious! So he arrives and makes short work of it. Ras imprisons **Arin, Sora** and **Riyu** before they can escape.*

## Relationships

### Allies

* His master
* Dr. LaRow
* Dorama
* Imperium Guards
* Jordana

### Enemies

* Ninja
	+ Arin
	+ Sora
	+ Lloyd Garmadon
	+ Kai
	+ Nya
	+ Zane
* Dragons
	+ Source Dragons
* Beatrix - Former Ally and Former Superior
* Rapton - Former Ally
* Claw Hunters - Former Allies

## Appearances

### Sets

* 71789 Kai and Ras's Car and Bike Battle
* 71793 Heatwave Transforming Lava Dragon
* 71795 Temple of the Dragon Energy Cores
* 71796 Elemental Dragon vs. The Empress Mech
* 892309 Lord Ras

### *Ninjago: Dragons Rising*

#### Season 1

* 1. "The Merge: Part 1"
* 2. "The Merge: Part 2"
* 3. "Crossroads Carnival"
* 4. "Beyond Madness"
* 5. "Writers of Destiny" (hologram)
* 6. "Return to Imperium" (mentioned)
* 7. "Mindless Beasts"
* 8. "I Will Be the Danger"
* 9. "The Calm Inside"
* 10. "The Battle of the Second Monastery"
* 11. "The Temple of the Dragon Cores" (no lines)
* 12. "Gangs of the Sea" (no lines)
* 18. "Absolute Power"
* 19. "We Are All Dragons" (no lines)
* 20. "The Power Within"

### Ninjago Magazine

* 105. *One Ninja Alone...?* (screen)
* 106. *Probationary Potential!* (visualized)

## Trivia

* He is the fourth character in the *Ninjago* franchise to have the title of Lord. The first three were Garmadon, Belgrave, and Mogra.
	+ However, he is the second Lord to appear in the show physically. Belgrave is only mentioned in Seabound and Mogra only appears in the comic series *Garmadon*.
* Before he was revealed to be from the Wyldness, Doc Wyatt joked about the possibility that Ras is from the world of Fabuland, another LEGO theme.
* Ras shares many similarities with Vex, another antagonist from the series. Both were outsiders who sought an alliance with a ruling figure, Grimfax for Vex and Levo for Ras, but were rejected. Both became a second-in-command to a powerful "master" who helped them dispose of the original rulers who rejected them, Zane for Vex and Beatrix for Ras, and then were appointed as tyrants who gained control of an entire realm, the Never-Realm for Zane and Imperium for Beatrix. Both were ultimately stripped of their ill-gained position by the very individuals that elevated them in the first place.
	+ Unlike Vex, Ras had an actual master that he genuinely served.

## Translations

 German
 Thai

## References

1. ↑ "The Power Within"
2. ↑ Jump up to:2.0 2.1 "Absolute Power"
3. ↑ "The Calm Inside"
4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7com2GFHHJk
5. ↑ *Metal Mayhem!*
6. ↑ Jump up to:6.0 6.1 6.2 *Monster Hunt Chaos!*
7. ↑ https://twitter.com/otherland71/status/1702814848847860073