Ninjago Ao3 Summary I'm Throwing Out Here Just In Case I Ever Do On My Promise And Turn It Into A Fic

For for for for

mutant mayhem spoilers(???) ummm

sorry

To be completely honest, I don't really think Kai will become a centipede monster. I knowww it's sad but my reason as to why is pretty agreeable I think.

Usually, whenever a character is transformed into a monster or just a non-human in general, it's always been about accepting and overcoming parts of yourself youd rather hide. When Zane was revealed to be a nindroid, he learned that the others would accept him as their brother no matter what, and soon enough, it became a strength for him. Literally, he gained his true potential shortly after. He no longer sees him being a nindroid separate to his identity. He went from Zane, a ninja, to Zane, the titanium ninja. He's still him, always will be, just shiny :)

When Jay was turned into a Venomari, it became a reflection of his insecurities, the parts of himself he tries to mask with flashy bravado and exaggerated stories, especially around Nya, who he had a massive crush on. It ended similarly to Zane, where Nya said he would accept him no matter what. Flaws and all. Knowing this, He was able to gain his true potential too. Realizing that being himself was far better than covering it up with glitter and foundation.

Then when Cole became a ghost, it was a tragedy. He no longer felt like himself, no longer saw himself as a person. Instead a living husk of his former glory. But, with the encouragement and unyielding support of his teammates, his family, he learned to accept this new body of his, as inhuman as it was. It symbolized trauma, and the strength it takes to see the good in every bad situation. It carries later into the show, where even though he's back to being a human, the scars are still there. They will never truly go away, but he learned to accept himself as himself, weird ghost scars and all.

Lloyd is the definition of grappling with identity. From being the son of Lord Garmadon, to becoming the legendary Green Ninja, then the ultimate Spinjitzu Master, then returning to simply being the Green Ninja, knowing hes half Oni half dragon, and ultimately just Lloyd? He carries many versions of himself, each with parts he struggles to accept. He’s the textbook case of change: from idolizing his father to fearing he’ll become him. It’s this internal conflict that makes it so hard for him to see himself as anything other than a ninja. While we see him begin to accept his identity later in the series, DR shows us that he still has some ways to go before he truly feels at home in his own skin.

Nya's transformation was also just.. unwanted, in my opinion. It was about doing everything you can to protect the ones you love, even if it hurts you. She's very similar to Kai in this regard, and it's very realistic that they share similar ideals when it comes to how they view their role in the team. Nya thought that merging with the sea was the only option, and faced with Jay unconscious after drowning, she had no choice. It was unwanted change, similar to Cole. This time, however, instead of Nya bringing herself back, it was the others who brought her back. It's a beautiful way to show that family will go through hell and beyond if it means protecting the ones you love.

What does this all mean, however? Why do these transformations matter?

Well, here's an answer. Despite everything, despite the hardships, they all came out of it better. They came out of it having learned something positive about themselves, even though it scarred them tremendously. Think of it like a caterpillar. In order to transform into butterfly, they have to break down and rebuild. In the end, the transformations ended up becoming a reminder to stay strong and steadfast. And it's nice that everyone had a moment like that.

Weeelllll.... not everyone.

Kai is the only one who hasn’t undergone a non-human arc, and that’s surprising, considering he’s probably one of the first characters you'd expect to experience one. With his personality and tendency to hide things from others in fear of being shamed or shunned, an arc like that would benefit him. Right?

This is where monstrosity comes in I fear. And not in a good way.

I think this series will be contradicting what those arcs symbolized. I think it will become the opposite to what the other ninja experienced. I dont think Kai will turn into a centipede creature or just any monster in general. No, not really. And that might be confusing, because In order to survive the land of the monsters, you need to become one yourself, right?

But i still think Kai will be the only one not to undergo a non-human transformation. Not because it wont happen, but because he doesn't need to. In fact, I think it matches the others perfectly. Everyone in the team became a monster physically, but they stayed the same. Same likes, same hates, just with different colored skin or lack thereof. They didn't change, their views didn't change, their morals didn't change.

But Kais did.

And Kai is.

He is a monster.

Maybe not physically, maybe not literally,

But mentally. But his actions were.

And that's enough, isn't it?

Welcome to Tumblr stranger!!!!

Joined Tumblr right as the Ninjago Monstrosity trailer dropped….my fyp is already ROTTED💀

Kai after he gets home, looking in the mirror and just. Practicing.

His smile. His laugh. His quips. Practicing how to seem like himself so Lloyd doesn’t worry.

Thinking about Kai's fighting style in the realm of monsters, and how creative he had to get whenever he was (on the rare occasions) fighting without Rusty or Daidan to help him.

All of those monsters are impossibly bigger than him, and he needs to use something to hoist himself up in order to actually reach the head and neck. Him using his fire to heat his soles so it sticks to the skin in a mess of boiling flesh. Using daggers to anchor himself repeatedly to go upwards, then finishing it quickly with a slash to the back of the neck and hoping it falls forward instead of backward.

Then when other monsters gather around the new corpse, littered in a linear pattern of scars and burns, all in a line, same as the other few, a rumor spreads among the half sentient monsters.

A giant centipede of fire and steel, some say.

It finds a victim and coils around it, using its hundreds of legs to constrict it before finishing off in one strike, one says in awe.

It never eats it prey, leaving it to rot on the ground instead to show dominance, another says to its mate.

Even with its size, it's never been seen. It burrows underneath the ground, waiting for a chance to burst out and strike, a mother says to its young. Warning.

And the rumor grows, twisting into something more fantastical. Until one day, a lizard made of rotting wood and bone stumbles upon Kai, right on top of another monster, covered in black blood, catching his breath. The lizard scurries to its nest, and the rumor twists into something closer to the truth.

There is no centipede, it screeches. More gather around it.

It's small, and that's its way of trickery. It hides in plain sight, waiting for something to grow confident. To grow complacent and take its size for weakness.

It moves like no other. In flashes of red and orange and waves of blood and muscle. The fire and shadow are fond of this one, always hovering around it. Keeping it unseen.

Its eyes are as hollow as the abysmal ocean, devoid of mercy. Any it sees are guaranteed death, and those it spares are left mangled. Dying of their injuries. It never eats, never takes, only kills in slashes of flame and iron. It was never seen until now, no name it holds either.

After the rumor spreads further, more seeing the nameless monster in person, Kai develops a title. A warning for the ones who know it. There are many, some still calling it the fire centipede, another calling it the killer of giants, but there is one name that has gained popularity. That has made its way into the stories of every mother whispering to their young.

And now, when Kai pulls out his sword in a blaze of yellow and red, he finds that some scurry away. Screeching something he swore he could make out.

Fire Demon, they scream in fear, running off. Fire Demon, they cry out, warning others. Fire Demon, they think in horror, as none have survived it.

Fire Demon.

Imagine me, in the middle of the afternoon doomscrolling, seeing a notification that Lego uploaded a new video.

Then, thinking it's a Dr s3 video, click it all excited thinking I can get some Kai crumbs.

Holy shit.

Years. Years of watching seasons full of comedic relief Kai, with seasons with SPECKS of Kai screen time. Just waiting for the day that he gets the spotlight he so deserves.

Just waiting for the writers to take advantage of his angst potential instead of automatically going to Lloyd or killing Zane for shock effect. Watching DR s2 over and over and over again because that's the only way I can see my boy in his beautiful developed self.

Reading fics and comics and headcanons because that's the only way I can really see his trauma acknowledged. Only way I can see how much he cares for his family. Writing my own oneshots out of PURE DESPERATION to see him actually put something into the plot.

Then.

I see it.

Kai fans. We won.

Glkhfnfodasfhfdfgocdypdylclhfcgkxk

Oh.

Oh no.

I just had an epiphany.

Yknow how Lloyd woke up just outside the monastery, then remarked how it looked different? What if, that's not actually the original monastery? Just another realm version like the others? What if the original,

Was where Kai ended up in?

Was in that realm?

And then maybe there's a huge plot thing where they have to activate all the different monasteries, and they're just missing one, so they have to go to the realm of the monsters themselves to activate it.

Oh my god that's the plot of s4 isn't it.

If I'm right I'm never living this down.

Is that…

IS THAT FUCKING BORG TOWER???? DID NINJAGO CITY GET PUT IN THE MONSTER LANDS????

Will never understand why some people don’t love torturing their favorite characters

(Please don’t mind how dark it is)

Thinking about how Zane just came up with a plan to gain the trust of the Sons of Garmadon, that involved letting Cole get captured. (Yes, in case it wasn't clear, it was part of this plan to get Cole to sing and put on the "wrong song" to get the spotlight on him.)

And the best part of that plan was... Zane had no plan for rescuing Cole. Zane, the calculating machine, didn't bother to map out an escape plan for Cole. He just fully believed that Cole would be able to escape on his own.

And you know what? Cole did escape on his own, using nothing but his own wit and strength (and terrible singing). And he never bore a grudge against Zane for using him and putting him in danger without even telling him first.

These guys just have 1000% trust in one another and I am here for it.