Master Trials

*“**Wu:** It appears your father's robe has imparted wisdom, but you still have a lot to master to earn the Sensei title.*

**Lloyd:** If that's the path I'm on, I'll take it one step at a time.”

— Wu and Lloyd's conversation at the end of Season 5, sparking Lloyd's training to become a master

## Master Trials

* Rebooted
* ToE
* Possession
* Skybound
* DiT
* DotD
* HoT

### Season

Rebooted
Tournament of Elements

Possession

Skybound

The Dark Island Trilogy

Day of the Departed

The Hands of Time

## Chronological Order

The **Master Trials** arc is the second arc in the first generation of *Ninjago*. It tells individual stories of each Ninja overcoming some trial, and leans into the plot of Lloyd someday becoming a Master.

Each of the six Ninja must go through trials in their own individual season. Zane learns that it's not about numbers, it's about family, Kai learns to think of people other than himself, Lloyd gets over the loss of his father, Jay learns that patience is a virtue, Cole learns to be "seen," and Nya and Kai each learn to embrace the past and the future. Each focus Ninja also gets a special edition suit, not like the others.

The focus characters of this arc, in order, are Zane, Kai, Lloyd, Jay, Wu, Cole, and Kai & Nya. This arc lacks an overall main antagonist.

The seasons the arc is made up of are the *Rebooted*, *Tournament of Elements*, *Possession*, *Skybound, Dark Island Trilogy*, *Day of the Departed*, and *The Hands of Time*, and makes up 48 episodes.

It is preceded by the Prophecy of the Green Ninja and succeeded by the Oni Trilogy. A midquel between this season and Season 8 was released to tie together the loose ends that remain after changes made because of *The LEGO Ninjago Movie* titled *Way of the Departed.* Chapters have been releasing infrequently by Tommy Andreasen on Twitter since 2017. It is considered "could-be-canon," as it doesn't conflict with canon, and serves to answer the remaining unanswered questions that *The Hands of Time* left.

## Chronology

### *Rebooted* (2014)

Victory in the final battle between the Golden Ninja and the Overlord has ushered in a new era of peace and begun a technological renaissance. Ninjago City has been rebuilt into a futuristic wonder and is now completely interconnected. Welcome to New Ninjago City. The ninja have found there is very little need for their heroics and have become teachers at Wu’s Academy. But peace is an illusion, as the Overlord began to digitally manifest itself inside of the "Digiverse," which connects all of New Ninjago City together.

Zane is the focus character for this season and the Digital Overlord is the main antagonist. The Nindroids serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Zane and his journey in what it's like to be human. This season features a special iteration of Zane's minifigure, being the battle-damaged variant. The collectible weapon of this season are the Techno Blades.

### *Tournament of Elements* (2015)

After the loss of Zane, the Ninja are split up. When hope of finding him at a Master Chen's Tournament of Elements rises up, they find that there are more Elemental Masters like them, and the Tournament is not as innocent as it seems.

Kai is the focus character for this season and Master Chen is the main antagonist. The Anacondrai Cultists serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Kai and his journey to learn that power isn't what makes someone special, and to accept himself. This season features a special minifigure variant of Kai featured in the TV show, that being Powered Kai. This version of Kai does not appear as a physical minifigure. The collectible weapons this season are the Jade Blades.

### *Possession* (2015)

A grieving Lloyd is possessed by the ghost of Morro– the Master of Wind and Wu’s first student. In Lloyd’s body, Morro renders the other Ninja powerless before stealing Wu’s staff. It contains three hidden symbols, the path to finding the Tomb of First Spinjitzu Master. Wu knows that if Morro finds the tomb, he will claim the Realm Crystal. This relic has the power to open the fabric between realms, enabling the powerful Preeminent to enter the Ninjago world. A special 11th episode was released in 2015 as a live puppet show titled *The Realm of Shadows*. It is a canon installment, although it does have some continuity errors. It features the return of Clouse after he escaped the Cursed Realm.

Lloyd is the focus character for this season and Morro is the main antagonist. The Cursed Ghosts serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Lloyd as he struggles against the possession of Morro. Lloyd learns to move on from the death of his father, as he starts his training to become sensei. A special minifigure was released for this season of Possessed Lloyd. The collectible weapons for this season are the Aeroblades.

### *Skybound* (2016)

With the defeat of Morro’s ghost invasion, the Ninja have now become huge media celebrities. But dark forces once more threaten Ninjago as the Teapot of Tyrahn is rediscovered by the ghost of Clouse, Master Chen’s former right-hand man. He allows Nadakhan, an evil Djinn and captain of the infamous Misfortune’s Keep, to escape the teapot. After reassembling his pirate crew, Nadakhan returns to his home realm of Djinjago, to find it collapsing. This destruction, caused by the ninja defeating the Preeminent, leads Nadakhan to vow revenge. He refits his ship so it can fly and prepares to attack. Now they are Sky Pirates.

Jay is the focus character for this season and Nadakhan is the main antagonist. The Sky Pirates serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Jay as he struggles to live in the present and be there for his friends. He overfocuses on his reflection he saw of Nya, and ultimately learns patience. A special minifigure was released for this season of Pirate Jay. The collectible weapons for this season are the Djinn Blades.

### *The Dark Island Trilogy* (2016)

Thye are a set of graphic novels that chronologically it takes place between Seasons 6 and 7, it is not considered part of the Master Trials Arc. They are one of the first graphic novels to be directly tied in with the TV show, as evident by a mural of these events being drawn on the Monastery of Spinjitzu walls in Season 10. They follow the Ninja as they return to the Dark Island to rescue Misako and Ronin after they went missing on an expedition there. Once they arrive, they discover that Clouse has returned and is using the Sky Pirates to mine for Dark Matter. Once he has accumulated enough, he manifests his Shadow Army to take the Ninja out and use his Dark Matter to corrupt the Temple of Light. The Ninja stop him, and Clouse is banished to the Underworld.

Wu is the focus character for this installment and Clouse is the main antagonist. The Shadow Army serve as the villainous faction. They are one of the first graphic novels to be directly tied in with the TV show, as evident by a mural of these events being drawn on the Monastery of Spinjitzu walls in Season 10.

### *Day of the Departed* (2016)

When Cole returns to Yang's haunted temple to seek revenge on the former Airjitzu Master who turned him into a ghost, he accidentally uses a powerful Dark Magic blade that unleashes the spectral forms of Ninjago's greatest villains and traps himself in the temple! While Cole battles for his freedom, the Ninja must return their ghostly foes to the Departed Realm before they gain the power to remain in Ninjago forever!

Cole is the focus character for this season and Master Yang is the main antagonist. Yang's students serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Cole as he struggles to hold onto reality. In this special, he learns how to be "seen," and in the end becomes human again. A special minifigure was released for this season, being Cole's RX form. The collectible weapons in this installment are the Departed Blades.

### *The Hands of Time* (2017)

Shortly after the Day of the Departed, Master Wu awaits his old enemy Acronix to complete a battle they began 40 years ago. But Wu never should have faced such a powerful foe alone. Acronix hits Wu with the Time Punch, which causes him to start rapidly aging! Acronix escapes and reunites with his twin brother Krux, who has been living the past 40 years in disguise as the lovable Dr. Sander Saunders. During this time, Krux has been breeding a new slithering enemy: the Vermillion Warriors. There is a special 11th episode of this season that was featured in *Ninjago: Reimagined*, that shows what happened to Wu and the Time Twins after the events of *Lost in Time*.

Kai & Nya are the focus characters for this season and the Time Twins are the main antagonists. The Vermillion serve as the villainous faction. It focuses on Kai & Nya and their journey to find out what happened to their parents and learn to embrace the past and future. Special minifigures of powered up Kai & Nya were released for this season. The collectible weapons for this season are the Time Blades.

## Characters Introduced (by season)

* Cryptor - Richard Newman
* Cyrus Borg - Lee Tockar
* Min-Droid - Micheal Adamthwaite
* Nindroid Warriors - Vincent Tong
* P.I.X.A.L. - Jennifer Hayward
* Robo Usher 3000 - Brent Miller
* Selma - Jillian Michaels
* Skales Jr. - Alyssya Swales
* Arcturus - Scott McNeil
* Ash - Brent Miller
* Bolobo - Michael Adamthwaite
* Chamille - Marÿke Hendrikse
* Chen - Ian James Corlett
* Chope - Ian Hanlin
* Clouse - Scott McNeil
* Eyezor - Michael Donovan
* Gravis - Mark Oliver
* Griffin Turner - Doron Bell Jr.
* Jacob Pevsner - Paul Dobson
* Kapau - Alessandro Juliani
* Karlof - Scott McNeil
* Krait - Brent Miller
* Morro - Michael Donovan
* Mr. Pale - Kirby Morrow
* Neuro - Paul Dobson
* Restaurant Owner - Vincent Tong
* Shade - Andrew Francis
* Skylor - Heather Doerksen
* Tox - Ian James Corlett
* Bansha - Kathleen Barr
* Ghoultar - Paul Dobson
* Ronin - Brian Dobson
* Soul Archer - Brian Dobson
* Wrayth - Michael Adamthwaite
* Yang - Michael Donovan
* Clancee - Ian James Corlett
* Dogshank - Nicole Oliver
* Echo Zane - Brent Miller
* Flintlocke - Paul Dobson
* Lil' Nelson - David Raynolds
* Nadakhan - Scott McNeil
* Police Commissioner - Michael Donovan
* Krux - Michael Daingerfield
* Acronix - Ian Hanlin
* Blunck - Brian Drummond
* Libber - Kelly Metzger
* Machia - Kathleen Barr
* Maya - Jillian Michaels
* Raggmunk - Michael Adamthwaite
* Ray - Vincent Tong

## Battles

* Ninja vs. New Ninjago City
* Ninja vs. Nindroids
* Ninja vs. Techno Wu
* Ninja vs. Electrocobrai Nindroids
* Garmadon & Lloyd vs. Techno Wu and Pythor
* Ninja vs. Digital Overlord
* Garmadon vs. Techno Wu
* Ninja vs. The Golden Master
* Zane vs. The Golden Master
* Kai vs. Karlof
* Kai vs. Karlof (round 2)
* Jay vs. Bolobo
* Cole vs. Paleman, Shade, & Griffin Turner
* Kai vs. Skylor
* Skylor vs. Jacob Pevsner
* Kai vs. Ash
* Jay vs. Cole
* Neuro vs. Bolobo
* Griffin Turner vs. Gravis
* Team Lloyd vs. Team Cammille
* Shade vs. Tox (offscreen)
* Jay vs. Clouse
* Garmadon vs. Clouse
* Elemental Masters vs. Anacondrai Cultists
* Pythor & Lloyd vs. Prisoners
* Elemental Masters vs. Chen & his army
* Ninja vs. Mutant Fang Fish
* Lloyd vs. Morro
* Ninja vs. Morro-Lloyd
* Ninja vs. Wrayth
* Ninja vs. Yang's Temple
* Ninja vs. Soul Archer, Bansha, & Ghoultar
* Ninja vs. Nimbus
* Nya vs. Ronin
* Ninja vs. Morro-Lloyd (rematch)
* Nya vs. Ghosts
* Lloyd vs. Morro (rematch)
* Nya & Ninja vs. the Preeminant
* Ninja vs. Shadow Minions
* Kai & Nya vs. Clouse
* Clouse vs. Nadakhan
* Nadakhan vs. Nindroid Sentries
* Cole & Jay vs. Ronin
* Lloyd vs. Ronin
* Kai & Nya vs. Ronin
* The Mechanic & Kryptarium Prisoners vs. Ninja & Soto
* Ninjago City Police & Ninja vs. Sky Pirates
* Kai vs. Nadakhan
* Zane vs. Nadakhan
* Jay vs. The Tigerwidow
* Cole vs. Nadakhan
* Nya vs. Dogshank
* Lloyd vs. Flintlocke
* Cole, Lloyd, & Nya vs. Sand Eels
* Ninja vs. Nadakhan
* Jay, Nya, & Echo Zane vs. Sky Pirates
* Jay, Commissioner, Echo Zane, Ronin, Dareth, & Skylor vs. Sky Pirates
* Ninja & Sky Pirates vs. King Nadakhan
* Misako & Ronin vs. Sky Pirates
* Nya vs. Leviathan
* Nya, Jay, & Ronin vs. Sky Pirates
* Lloyd & Misako vs. Dogshank
* Wu vs. Shadow Wu
* Wu vs. Clouse
* Kai & Cole vs. Sky Pirates
* Ninja vs. Sky Pirates
* Wu vs. Clouse (rematch)
* Kai & Nya vs. Master Chen
* Zane vs. General Cryptor
* Lloyd & Misako vs. Pythor
* Jay vs. Samukai
* Dareth vs. General Kozu
* Cole vs. Yang's Students
* Cole vs. Sensei Yang
* Wu vs. Acronix
* Ninja vs. Acronix
* Ninja vs. Vermillion warrior
* Kai vs. Krux
* Jay & Cole vs. Vermillion
* Nya vs. Buffmillion
* Nya & Kai vs. Acronix & Krux
* Ronin & Dareth vs. Mutantmillion
* Nya, Kai, Cole, & Jay vs. Vermillion
* Ninja vs. Vermillion
* Kai, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, & Nya vs. Vermillion & Raggmunk
* Jay, Ed, & Edna Walker vs. Vermillion & Blunck
* Ninja & Ed Walker vs. Vermillion
* Ninja & Samurai X vs. Vermillion
* Wu & Ninja vs. Krux & Acronix
* Samurai X vs. Nya
* Jay & Cole vs. Vermillion
* Kai vs. Ray
* Lloyd vs. Blunck & Raggmunk
* Jay, Cole, Zane, & Lloyd vs. Vermillion
* Kai vs. Krux & Acronix
* Kai & Nya vs. Geotomic rock monsters
* Kai, Nya, & the Past Elemental Masters vs. the Iron Doom
* Kai, Nya, & Wu vs. Time Twins
* Wu vs. Time Twins

## Series Impact

* The Overlord and Pythor both return after being seemingly destroyed in their respective seasons.
* Zane and P.I.X.A.L. are last seen in Borg Labs after Zane rebuilds himself. The two of them will be abducted by Ronin and brought to Master Chen's Island shortly afterward between Seasons 3 and 4.
* The name "Arcturus" is mentioned in Season 3, belonging to a constellation named after a Serpentine general during the Serpentine War. It is revealed in Season 4 that that general led the Anacondrai army but was banished to the Cursed Realm for his crimes.
* The Ninja are now each able to use their Elemental Power without the use of a weapon thanks to Lloyd giving up his Golden Power. Previously their powers were tied to Lloyd and the Golden Weapons.
* It is implied that Zane's father, Dr. Julien, passed away off-screen.

* Season 4 begins with Lloyd running through a simulated gauntlet trying to retrieve the armor of the Golden Master, previously worn by the Overlord in *Rebooted*, forged from the gold of the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu.
	+ The Golden Armor is presumably locked away in the vaults of Hiroshi's Labyrinth. It is revealed in the *Oni Trilogy* that it was in fact housed there until it was moved to the vaults below Borg Tower.
* This is the first time we are shown other Elemental Masters besides the Ninja.
	+ Ash, the Elemental Master of Smoke is introduced.
	+ Bolobo, the Elemental Master of Nature is introduced.
	+ Chamille, the Elemental Master of Form is introduced.
	+ Gravis, the Elemental Master of Gravity is introduced.
		- One of Gravis' ancestors, perhaps the previous Master of Gravity, is depicted in flashbacks of the Serpentine War.
	+ Griffin Turner, the Elemental Master of Speed is introduced.
		- It is noted that he inherited his Elemental Power from his grandfather.
	+ Jacob Pevsner, the Elemental Master of Sound is introduced.
		- One of Jacob's ancestors, perhaps the previous Master of Sound, is depicted in flashbacks of the Serpentine War.
	+ Karlof, the Elemental Master of Metal is introduced.
	+ Neuro, the Elemental Master of Mind is introduced.
	+ Mr. Pale, the Elemental Master of Light is introduced.
	+ Shade, the Elemental Master of Shadow is introduced.
		- One of Shade's ancestors, perhaps the previous Master of Shadow, is depicted in flashbacks of the Serpentine War.
	+ Skylor, the Elemental Master of Amber is introduced.
		- It is noted that she inherited her Elemental Power from her mother.
	+ Tox, the Elemental Master of Poison is introduced.
	+ In the Serpentine War flashbacks, there is one unidentified Elemental Master that rides a gray and yellow Dragon.
* The origins of the Ninja's Elemental Powers are also gone into detail about.
	+ Kai & Nya's parents, Ray & Maya the Elemental Masters of Fire and Water are introduced.
		- They are not named until *The Hands of Time*, and it is not made explicit that Nya inherited her mother's power until *Possession*.
	+ Cole's grandfather is introduced.
		- In *Master of the Mountain,* it will be revealed that Cole's mother, Lilly, inherited the Element of Earth from him and passed it onto Cole.
	+ The previous Master of Ice is revealed, but it is not shown how his powers were passed onto Zane until *Sons of Garmadon*.
* Chen mentions that he knows the truth of what happened to Kai and Nya's parents. It's implied that he was just lying to Kai in order to gain his trust, but this does foreshadow the sinister truth behind their disappearances when Kai and Nya were young.
* Pythor returns again in Season 4, having been shrunk by the Nano Pill Cyrus Borg developed during *Rebooted*. He is grown up again by the end of the season and plots his return.
* The Stone Samurai Warrior that the Ninja defeated in *The Stone* is seen incarcerated at Kryptarium Prison.
* In flashbacks of the Serpentine War, Kai and Nya's parents Ray and Maya are shown using their respective Elemental Powers, Fire and Water. This was meant to foreshadow Nya inheriting her mother's Elemental Power in the following season.
* In Chen's vault of items, multiple things are shown encased in glass that have been seen in previous seasons.
	+ Lloyd's snake radio is shown.
	+ A painting depicting Anacondrai Warriors in battle is on display.
		- This is the more historically accurate version of a painting that is on display at the Ninjago Museum, featured in Season 2, which Skales remarks as totally innacurate.
	+ The Blade Cup, that was previously in Lou's possession, is displayed.
	+ Zane's pink gi is on display, even though it is supposed to just be Zane's white gi changed color, which was eventually washed out.
		- It is entirely possible that this is a fake that Chen uses to gloat.
			* The same goes for all of the items he has on display.
* When Cole sees Zane for the first time, he says "What's the matter? It's like you've seen a ghost!" foreshadowing the fact that Cole becomes a Ghost in the next season.
* Similarly, when the Anacondrai Warriors are invading Kyrptarium Prison, one of them pranks a guard by turning invisible, and when the guard is spooked he says "come on, everyone knows there's no such thing as ghosts."

* The Cursed Realm, which is mentioned in Season 4, is shown off in full in *Possession*.
	+ The 16 Realms are also introduced formally, however several of the other realms have been previously known to us before knowing they existed on different plains (those being the Underworld, Realm of Madness, and the Cursed Realm.)
* Garmadon officially dies for the first time in Season 5, as he perished inside of the Cursed Realm along with the rest of the ghosts and Chen.
* The Ninja's future reflections are shown off, showing that Kai, Zane, Jay, and Nya go on to live into adulthood and that Jay and Nya get together at some point.
	+ Cole's reflection is left ambiguous. It is possibly retconned in Season 6 that he sees no reflection because of his invisibility power he gains later, but because of the frequent trope of Cole and near-death falls, it's possible that is not the case anymore.
	+ Jay's future reflection shows him wearing an eyepatch, foreshadowing his involvement with the Sky Pirates in the following season.
		- Jay does wear an eyepatch in the same spot in the next season, however the events are erased from the timeline and he no longer needs to wear it.
* Morro is revealed to be Wu's first student, and that he was originally thought to be the Green Ninja. We are shown in flashbacks that he went through the same ritual that the other Ninja did to decide if it was true.
	+ There is a continuity error in this flashback, as the Fire Sword shown in Morro's possession resembles just a regular golden katana. It is confirmed from the creators that this is an animation error.
* Yang's Haunted Temple is shown for the first time here. It is established through the context of the season that Yang and his students are not the same as the cursed ghosts from the Cursed Realm, as they are not bound to the Preeminant.
	+ It is also in this season that Cole turns into a ghost.
	+ Airjitzu, a second martial art similar to Spinjitzu, is introduced. This ability gives the Ninja the power of flight.
* Clouse somehow escapes the Cursed Realm and is able to wander Ninjago as a ghost. The first thing he does when he escapes is try to raise the YinYang Dragon into a Shadow Dragon to plunge Ninjago into shadows. This results in failure, and Clouse gets away once again, able to roam Ninjago as a ghost.
* Nya is revealed to be the Master of Water in Season 5, inheriting that Elemental Power from her mother Maya. This was foreshadowed in the previous season when Ray and Maya are shown in flashbacks during the Serpentine War using their respective Elemental Powers.
	+ Nya unlocks her true potential in the final episode, in a similar vein as when the original four Ninja did in Season 1.
* When Lloyd is under the possession of Morro, the original four Ninja's Elemental Powers no longer work. This is because of their lingering connection to Lloyd's Energy power, which dwindles as the series goes on.
* The character Ronin is introduced in Season 5, having first appeared in the non-canon videogame, *The Shadow of Ronin*. It is suggested when the Ninja first encounter him that they have met before, and Ronin "left them in the mouth of a..." It is unclear what this scenario could be referring to, but it is assumed that it may be the events of the videogame.
	+ In *Way of the Departed* it is revealed that the Ninja's first encounter with Ronin occurred before *Rebooted*, meaning it could not be the event of *TSoR*.

* Clouse returns in Season 6 after evading capture at the end of *Realm of Shadows*. He is now looking for the Teapot of Tyrahnn, which he finds in the undone timeline and loses track of in the prime timeline.
* Clancee, a Serpentine featured in Season 6, is said to not belong to any specific tribe as he is a hybrid of two, presumably one being a Hypnobrai.
* Nadakhan was first defeated by Captain Soto and his crew. "Destiny's Bounty," and "Misfortune's Keep" both share a naming scheme because of this.
	+ In the episode *Misfortune Rising*, one of the Ninjago City buildings claims to have just been repaired after the last pirate attack (in reference to the events of *Pirates vs. Ninja*,) and then are subsequently attacked by the Sky Pirates.
* Kai is brought to the past by Nadakhan (or a vision of the past,) where he meets his father, Ray. This is before he had met his mother and was selling weapons for cheap.
* Jay is revealed to have been adopted by Ed and Edna Walker, as he was left on their doorstep as a baby. His real father's name is Cliff Gordon, and his mother was the previous Elemental Master of Lightning.
	+ It's worth noting that Nadakhan did not influence these events at all, he just made the truth to Jay clearer.
* Jay dons his eyepatch in Season 6 after having been previously foreshadowed when he was in the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. After the events of this season are erased, he no longer needs to wear it.
	+ Additionally, the matter of Cole lacking a reflection is addressed in this season, as Cole gains the ghostly power of turning invisible. Due to these events also being erased, it's possible Cole still believes his destiny is uncertain.
* Season 6 establishes that "sister realms" are a concept within the 16 realms, and because of the balance, if one realm falls, another must as well. This is evident in the destruction of the Cursed Realm causing the realm of Djinjago to collapse.
* The end of Season 6 shows a glimpse of the Temple of Airjitzu remaining floating in the air, even after the events of the season are undone. While the cause of this is unknown, it is meant to foreshadow the importance of this location in subsequent installments *Day of the Departed* and *The Hands of Time*.
	+ Sensei Yang and his students are seen in this season during the erased events, as they are forced out of their temple to make way for Nadakhan's wedding.
* The pirates of Misfortune's Keep are sent back to their original states, stranded between the 14 Realms.
	+ Nadakhan is also returned to the Teapot of Tyrhann, which is lost in a scrapyard for the time being.
* In the erased timeline the Realm Crystal is shattered. While this is not important in and of itself, it establishes that it *can* be destroyed in the first place.
* The Realm Crystal, as of Season 6, is being held in Hiroshi's Labrynth, a location original featured in *Rebooted.*
* Dr. Julien's lighthouse makes a reappearance in this season after being first seen in Season 2. While Dr. Julien has been deceased for about two years at this point, his creations still roam the building. It is revealed that he built a replica of Zane out of the scraps he had named Echo Zane.

* The Rock Roader, Titanium Ninja Tumbler, Ninja Stealth Raider, and Ronin's Salvage M.E.C. all make their first appearances in The Dark Island Trilogy, explaining how they came about in *Day of the Departed*.
	+ It is revealed that the Ninja's vehicles were built by Monkey Wretch using Dark Matter (and subsequently purified by the Ninja,) and Ronin's mech was built by him from scraps he found on the island.
* The Sky Pirates make their return in the Dark Island Trilogy, although with their memories wiped from the previous season. They are now led by Clouse. At the end of the graphic novel series, they are imprisoned in Kryptarium.
	+ Although the show acknowledges that the events of *The Dark Island Trilogy* did occur, the Sky Pirates are never mentioned nor seen in the prison at any point in the series.
	+ The Ninja, except for Jay and Nya, do not remember the events of *Skybound*, so they do not know who the Sky Pirates are.
* There is a continuity error when Kai meets Clouse for the first time in *DIT* Part 3, he mentions that Garmadon had taken care of him in the Corridor of Elders, referring to the events of the fourth season's finale, "*The Corridor of Elders*," in which Garmadon sacrificed himself to banish Chen and his army to the Cursed Realm, despite Clouse being sent to the Cursed Realm prior to this episode during his battle with Garmadon in "*The Day of the Dragon*."
	+ It is possible that Kai was not aware of their battle in the jungle and just assumed that Clouse had been banished along with Chen and the rest of the Anacondrai Cultists
	+ Another continuity error is when the Ninja are surprised to see Clouse is alive as a ghost, although they had previously encountered him in the canon live stage play, *The Realm of Shadows.*
* At his defeat by Master Wu, Clouse is banished to the Underworld in a similar fashion to his rival, Lord Garmadon.
	+ As of now his fate remains unknown.
* At the end of the books Master Wu has a vision seeing the two twins lost to time and a significant event occurring during the holiday Day of the Departed, foreshadowing the events of *Day of the Departed* and *The Hands of Time*.
* It is revealed during *The Splinter in the Blind Man's Eye* that Clouse was only able to enlist the help of the Sky Pirates in this event due to Fenwick's meddling with destiny after he was banished from the Cloud Kingdom.
* The golden statue of a Hypnobrai general, which was previously seen in "*Winds of Change*" shortly before Morro possessed Lloyd, can be seen at the entrance of the Hall of Villainy.
* The Helmet of Shadows makes its return in *Day of the Departed*, having last appeared in "*Rise of the Spinjitzu Master*." In its last appearance, it served the same purpose—for Dareth to control the Stone Army.
* *Day of the Departed* is the first installment in the series that makes reference to Cole's deceased mother. When lighting a candle with his father, Lou, they light it for his mother Lilly.
	+ In the first draft of the script, Cole and Lou were going to light a lantern for Cole's aunt, but it was changed to imply it was his mother. In "*Attack of the Cursed Specters*", (the Chinese only version of this special,) however, the first draft of the script was used.
* Almost every main antagonist from installments past return in *Day of the Departed*.
	+ Samukai returns from the Departed Realm, having been destroyed by the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu in *The Golden Weapons*. When Samukai is defeated, his soul is returned to the Departed Realm.
	+ Pythor returns from out of the blue and decides to fight with Lloyd. This is his attempt to take over Ninjago, in reference to a line he said in the episode *The Corridor of Elders*. When Pythor is defeated, he runs off, not to be seen again.
	+ General Kozu returns from the Departed Realm, having been destroyed following the Overlord's defeat in *The Ultimate Spinjitzu Master*. At his defeat, his soul is returned to the Departed Realm.
	+ General Cryptor returns from the Departed Realm, also having been destroyed following the Overlord's defeat in *The Titanium Ninja*. At his defeat, his soul is returned to the Departed Realm.
	+ Master Chen returns from the Departed Realm, having been killed along with the Cursed Realm in *Curseworlds Part II*. At his defeat, his soul is returned to the Departed Realm.
		- At one point, Kai asks Nya if she thinks that they'll ever find out what actually happened to their parents. This hints to the next season, The Hands of Time, where the siblings do find out what actually happened to their parents.
	+ Morro returns from the Departed Realm, also having been killed along with the Cursed Realm in *Curseworlds Part II.* In line with the events of that episode, he remains redeemed, and attempts to help Wu defeat the other villains and save Cole. After all is said and done, his soul is returned to the Departed Realm.
	+ Nadakhan does not make a return due to the fact that he still remains inside of the Teapot of Tyrhann, and no one remembers the events of *Skybound*, so a statue is not made of him.
	+ Clouse does not make a return due to the fact that he is still trapped within the Underworld.
* *DotD* marks the first appearance of Doctor Sander Saunders, curator of the Ninjago Museum of History. While it is unknown at the time, he is actually the faux identity of Krux, one of the Time Twins.
	+ Even though this is his first appearance, it is implied in *The Hands of Time* that he has been there for years, as Nya says that she remembers him from "boring school field trips."
* Lloyd and Misako visit the Corridor of Elders to honor Garmadon.
* Cole officially returns to human form in the special, having been a ghost since the events of *Temple on Haunted Hill*.
	+ As a result of passing through the rift into the Departed Realm, on his forehead remains a remnant of the rift.
	+ Cole also unlocks his RX ability (also known as his Earth Punch,) which becomes his signature move for the rest of the series.
* Yang remains a ghost at the end and leaves his Temple for the Ninja to reside in, putting aside their differences finally.
* At the end of the special Cole is seen telling the story of this episode to the Ninja, and Jay is annoyed that he's telling it. The writers imply that this can be interpreted as Cole telling them the story in the future, but since the Ninja's designs change in two seasons, it is highly unlikely.
* This special establishes that the Departed Realm isn't completely and utterly closed off. This will be used in future plot points featured in Seasons 8 and 11.
* The fate of Kai and Nya's parents, Ray and Maya, was revealed, after being alluded to since the pilot episodes. Master Chen's taunts in Season 4 and *Day of the Departed* about the truth of their parents foreshadowed the sinister secrets.
* More details on post-Serpentine War are revealed.
	+ It is revealed that Krux and Acronix, the Masters of Time, also fought in the war. After defeating the Serpentine, the two brothers believed that they had the right to rule the world and rebelled against the Elemental Masters. They were defeated, and their powers were absorbed into the Time Blades. One of the twins was foreshadowed in *Day of the Departed* as Krux was under the disguise of Doctor Sander Saunders.
		- It is revealed that the cause of Kai & Nya's parents' disappearances was because they were kidnapped by Krux to make armor for their Vermillion Army.
		- It is also revealed that the Great Devourer had offspring, and Krux has been cultivating them since her death to create the Vermillion army.
	+ Jay's mother, the Elemental Master of Lightning, is also revealed to have been in the war as well. She married Cliff Gordon and is said to be going on her honeymoon with him after the war is over.
* Lloyd officially reaches the status of Master at the end of Season 7, since his training began in *Curseworld Part II*.
* In the Temporal Vortex at the end, several shots of past events are shown.
* In *Golden Hour*, the sequel episode released in 2021, Wu's final battle with the Time Twins is shown.
	+ It is confirmed that the effects of the Reversal Blade on him caused him to de-age as he battled with the Time Twins.
	+ The crack created by Wu's head when he hits the monastery wall resembles the Royal Family of Ninjago's lotus symbol. This is a reference to the fact that the Royal Family seemingly appeared out of nowhere in Season 8, and it suggests that their existence was caused by this change to the timeline.
	+ Wu's teenager and child design are the same as the forms he takes as he begins to age again during the events of *Hunted.*
* It is implied in Season 8 that the time travel shenanigans from Season 7 caused the Ninja's designs to be changed, but this is not the case.
* P.I.X.A.L. finally gets her body back after having been compressed to be in Zane's brain since *Tournament of Elements*.
	+ She becomes the new Samurai X, taking the mantle from Nya. Her identity remains a secret until the next season.
* The ancient Hypnobrai sarcophagus returns in this episode since it first appeared in *Child's Play*.
* Karloff reappears in Season 7 after having been captured by the Vermillion.
* When the Time Twins alter history to make it so they won the War for all of Time, they caused the future to be altered and New Ninjago City to be reverted to its pre-technological state. In this scene, the Temple of Fortitude is seen. This is the first time it makes its reappearance since Season 3.
* Season 7 is the final season where the Ninja's Elemental Dragons are shown off. It is implied in the could-be-canon novel *Way of the Departed* that the Ninja have lost touch with their powers due to the disappearance of Master Wu, but a better explanation may just be that they have been continually out of tune with their powers as the seasons go on. Since the Dragon's introduction in Season 4, they get used less and less until Season 8 when they are completely dropped.