Ninjago Episode Plots

Return of the Overlord

Synopsis
When Garmadon uses his new Super-Weapon to turn Jamakai Village evil, he unwittingly unsettles the balance, allowing the spirit of the Overlord to cross over and possesses his body.[1]

Extended: The Ninja launch a rescue mission to get Nya and fight Garmadon once and for all. But when they arrive, they find the Stone Army, Garmadon, Nya and the new Super-Weapon have gone to the coast. The reason for this becomes clear: Garmadon is planning to fire missiles of Darkness into Ninjago, gradually turning it into his own image. The Ninja follow, but are stopped and held up by Nya, who has been polluted with Dark Matter and turned into a slave of the Overlord. They eventually overcome and imprison her, then go to the coast and try to reason with Garmadon. The group try but Garmadon says he cannot suppress his Evil and the Ninja are not in time to stop the firing of the Dark missiles from the Garmatron. The balance is shifted as Ninjago is infected by Darkness, and the Overlord betrays and possesses Garmadon, using him to retake a physical form and transforming him into a crocodile-like monster. The Ninja realize the real Dark Lord wasn't Garmadon, it was the Overlord. The reincarnated Overlord attacks Lloyd, who fights with him and tries to bring back his father. Garmadon tries, but the Overlord suppresses him and defeats Lloyd, wrecking the Destiny's Bounty in the progress. The Overlord then opens a portal to Ninjago City and goes through with the Garmatron, along with the Stone Army (and Nya). The Ninja are now stranded on the Dark Island, but Lloyd says, after spying a piece of their ship with the 'Destiny' symbol on it: "We didn't lose the war, today we just lost the fight.

Plot
When the Celestial Clock's countdown finally completes, a mighty beam of energy strikes the Stone Army's camp. As the energy fades, The Overlord proudly introduces Lord Garmadon to their completed ultimate weapon: the Garmatron, a massive, heavily-armed tank. As Lord Garmadon gazes in awe, a pair of Stone Soldiers arrive with Nya as their prisoner. The latter declares that her friends will find a way to stop Lord Garmadon, but the villain simply stuffs an apple in Nya's mouth and uses her as the "first test subject" for the Dark Matter.

Meanwhile, the heroes return to the beach, where Dr. Julien asks about the horns he just heard. Sensei Wu explains the situation: the Celestial Clock has ended its countdown, the final battle is about to begin, Lord Garmadon's ultimate weapon is operational, and Nya is a prisoner of the Stone Army. Kai assures a worried Jay that Nya will be too tough for the villains to break, and they will see her again. Master Wu turns to Lloyd, who is still dejected over the prospect of fighting his father, and reminds him that it is his destiny as the Chosen One—all of Ninjago depends on his victory. Misako tells her son that Lord Garmadon is just as reluctant at the prospect of battling his son, and the other ninja pledge their assistance in the final fight.

Reinvigorated by his friends' support, Lloyd leads the charge on Lord Garmadon's base camp, only to find it deserted. The Falcon leads them to massive tracks and a path of destruction leading towards the coast—Sensei Wu realizes that the ultimate weapon is not meant to attack the ninja, but to achieve Lord Garmadon's dream of remaking Ninjago into his image. Misako is horrified—the resulting influx of evil will upset the balance of the world, allowing the Overlord to return in full—and Lloyd resolves that they can't let Lord Garmadon fire a single shot.

The group moves on, but Zane is forced to say goodbye to his father, who is unable to keep up and decides to head back to the Destiny's Bounty. As they run, the ninja reflect on all of their adventures, but the jovial mood is broken when they sense an evil presence nearby. Suddenly, a crimson Spinjitzu tornado hits Cole and Lloyd and stops in front of the group to reveal Nya, corrupted by the Dark Matter into a feral slave of Lord Garmadon. Sensei Wu realizes that the villains are trying to buy time to fire the ultimate weapon, and he, Misako, and Lloyd carry onward while the ninja attempt to subdue Nya without hurting her.