The Hatching

*“One master of Time was bad enough, but like the hands on a clock, there were two.”*

— Wu

**The Hatching** is the second episode of the seventh season of *Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu* and the 66th episode overall. It aired on May 16, 2017 in the United States on Cartoon Network.

## Synopsis

*The Ninja learn more about Krux and Acronix - the two fallen Elemental Masters known as the Hands of Time - and are sure that this threat has finally been eliminated. But with Wu out of action and suffering from the effects of the Time Punch, the Ninja discover a new enemy in their midst: The Vermillion Warriors. And the Ninjas have no idea who controls them...*

## Plot

Shortly after their battle against Acronix, the ninja meets with Wu at the Temple of Airjitzu. Wu is distressed, being tended to by Misako and drinking many cups of tea. Seeing that his students are anxious as well, Wu allows them to ask anything they want, to which they all blurt out different questions like, Cole asked who did they fight in the monastery, then Zane asked if that was Acronix, then Kai, asked if he's from from the painting, Lloyd said that Twins look alike, Nya asked if it was Krux, Zane asked if he was from the future, Kai, asked how did Acronix speed up time like that, Cole, asked if he was from the past, Jay, then asked who ate his pudding cup, the ninja stare at him. Jay replies by saying Wu said ask any question. Jay put his name on it. Just because they're in a new dojo doesn't mean they disobey the refrigerator rules,then the others stare at him again. Jay asked what's Acronix's story. Wu opts to tell them about the origins of Acronix. Forty years ago, during the Serpentine War, the Elemental Masters defeated the Serpentine. They were aided by the Time Twins—Acronix and his brother Krux, who were the Elemental Masters of Time. After the war's end, Acronix and Krux realized that with such a powerful element as Time, they could easily rule Ninjago. They betrayed the Elemental Alliance and fought them in a series of battles. Yet despite their best efforts, the Elemental Masters were unable to defeat Acronix and Krux.

In the meantime, Acronix comes to see the technological advancements that have come about in his forty year absence. Krux is pestered by many of the advancements, such as commercials and technology created by Cyrus Borg. Despite Krux's animosity towards it, Acronix immerses himself in the new technology.

Due to the twins' powerful elements, a young Wu forged four blades out of Chronosteel, which made them capable of absorbing elemental powers. With help from Garmadon, Wu battled Acronix and Krux at the Monastery of Spinjitzu. Ultimately, Wu and Garmadon managed to absorb Acronix and Krux's elements into the blades, stripping them of their powers. The brothers were then sent into a Temporal Vortex along with the blades, leaving them lost to time. Wu knew that Acronix would return forty years later, and as such, awaited his arrival. As the ninja ask more questions, Wu falls asleep, and the ninja head off. Nya talks with Jay about her feelings, saying that while she's the Water Ninja, she felt proud of being Samurai X because it was an identity she created.

In Ninjago City, Cyrus Borg unveils his latest creation—the BorgWatch, a device that allows people to easily tell time. As a group of spectators listens to Borg, they suddenly run off upon the arrival of a Samurai-like warrior. The ninja race to the scene, and they continue with the strategy of one person dealing with their adversary. Kai enters the building to confront the warrior, who is after Cyrus Borg, but he is swiftly beaten. Cole uses his element to destroy the warrior, leaving pieces of armor and several red snakes. However, the snakes slither into the armor, reforming the warrior—a Vermillion soldier. The ninja work together to battle the soldier using Spinjitzu, as Krux and Acronix watch from a rooftop in the distance. They dispatch two more Vermillion soldiers to fight the ninja. As the ninja battle the three soldiers, Zane escapes with Cyrus Borg down an alleyway. As Borg asks why they're after him, the two are met by Dr. Saunders. Borg is surprised by Saunders, and Zane is suddenly struck down. Nya uses her hydrokinesis to dismantle the soldiers, yet the Vermillion snakes are able to swim. Jay uses his electrokinesis to electrocute the water, sending the snakes slithering into the sewers. The ninja then find that Cyrus Borg is gone, and Zane has been shut down.

Acronix and Krux scheme in their underground lair, with Acronix remarking that they lost much of the soldiers' armor in the conflict. Krux assures him that he has his best blacksmiths working on creating more. Acronix asks if they'll be able to make enough for all the Vermillion snakes, and Krux says that he has bigger plans. He opens a door that heads deep into the sewers, leading to an underground nest of Vermillion snakes and eggs.

## Appearances

### Characters

* Acronix
* Cole
* Cyrus Borg
* Dareth
* Garmadon
* Jay
* Kai
* Krux
* Lloyd Garmadon
* Misako
* Nya
* Wu
* Zane

### Miscellaneous

* Cole's grandfather (flashback)
* Elemental Master of Ice (flashback)
* Elemental Master of Gravity (flashback)
* Elemental Master of Shadow (flashback)
* Elemental Master of Sound (flashback)
* Jay's mother (flashback)
* Maya (flashback)
* Ray (flashback)
* Unknown Elemental Master (flashback)
* Yang (painting)

### Events

* Battle for All of Time (flashback)
* Serpentine War (flashback)

### Items

* BorgWatch
* Chronosteel
* Staff of the First Spinjitzu Master (flashback)
* Time Blades
	+ Forward Time Blade
	+ Pause Time Blade (flashback)
	+ Reversal Time Blade (flashback)
	+ Slow-Mo Time Blade (flashback)
* Pudding cup
* Vermillion eggs

### Locations

* Ninjago
	+ Ninjago City
		- Borg Store
		- Ninjago Museum of History
	+ Jamanakai Village (flashback)
	+ Birchwood Forest (flashback)
	+ Monastery of Spinjitzu (flashback)
* Temple of Airjitzu

### Species

* Humans
* Nindroids
* Oni/Dragon/Human hybrids
* Serpentine
	+ Anacondrai
	+ Constrictai
	+ Fangpyre
	+ Hypnobrai
	+ Venomari
	+ Vermillion

## Cultural references

* The title of this episode is likely not only a reference to the introduction of the Vermilion but could also be a reference to the 2008 film, *The Happening*, or the 1977 Stephen King novel (and its 1980 film adaption), *The Shining*. Additionally, Acronix makes a reference to *The Shining* in the prior episode.
* Acronix is briefly seen playing unnamed parodies of real-life apps "Candy Crush" and "Fruit Ninja" on the BorgPad.

## Continuity

* Footage from "Spellbound" is used when Wu talks about the Serpentine War, which was revealed in the previous episode to have taken place 40 years ago.
* This episode reveals that the white-haired, blue-robed Elemental Master seen in "Spellbound" was a former Elemental Master of Ice.

## Errors

* When Cole and Kai ask their questions to Wu, their voices are switched.
* Mark Oliver and Lee Tockar return to voice Garmadon and Cyrus Borg respectively in the episode, though they are not credited. Alternatively, Brian Dobson is credited as voicing Ronin, despite not appearing in the episode.
* During the battle between the Time Twins, the other Elemental Masters disappear throughout the scene.
* During a flashback, Wu erroneously refers to the Elemental Master of Earth as the Master of Metal.
	+ In the same flashback, one of the Elemental Masters is referred to as the Master of Smoke. However, this Elemental Master is revealed to be the Elemental Master of Sound in "Lost in Time".
	+ Wu also skips over the Elemental Master of Ice and Elemental Master of Gravity when naming the Elemental Masters.
	+ Additionally, when Krux and the Master of Sound blink, their left eye opens before their right. However, in both cases, they could have been winking.
* In Wu's flashback, when Acronix and Krux were getting ready to attack Wu and Garmadon with Time, Acronix's right hand was green and his left hand was blue, but in the next scene, the colors are switched.
* In the last shot of Dareth speaking to Gayle, a man wearing a tuxedo in the background suddenly has a coffee cup when in previous shots he didn't have it.
	+ It also disappears when Cyrus Borg prepares to unveil the BorgWatch.
* Dareth's mouth doesn't move when he says "Good" after saying "You guys got this?".
* After Jay says "Oh, what, that Earth Punch thing? Like that worked so well last time!" his mouth continues to move.