Season 8 was like 6 years ago(I feel old) and I know ppl have differing opinions on the Mr Echo thing (but it was intended, made it to storyboard and blocked animation and then dropped, soooo) but. I can see his recruitment p easily tbh. Bc the whole reason Dr J was in that lighthouse was because he was resurrected, forced there, and ordered to build Skulkin vehicles by Samukai. But Samukai in the flashback we see has already been deposed as leader of the Skulkin/Underworld. Which means the orders to do so most likely came from Garmadon.
And since Mr. E is one of the head honchos, he's likely an early arrival to the team, so I don't think Harumi has a whole lot figured out at this point, she's just got her Trauma and some Bad Influence Friends and an obsession with Lord Garmadon. So. Like. Plausible deniability road trip that she's just visiting important markers of Ninjago's recent past, all of which involve Lord Garmadon in some meaningful way; its sightseeing, its cathartic, and it gives her time to develop her dream Motorcycle Gang/Resurrection Cult. She's not looking for anyone at the Lighthouse, but she is looking for vehicle blueprints so she can be the Koolest leader on the block. But oops she looks in the basement and there's an Echo.
And she's flipping out bc??? A Ninja???? In the Lighthouse basement??? I mean it makes sense that it would be this one but???
Except this rusty old robot has no idea what she's talking about with this Ninja stuff, he's just waiting for his dad to come back.
And Harumi pauses.
Because how long has he been waiting? He's not sure, he had no proper way to measure time in the basement, and he doesn't have the best view of his clockwork heartpiece. But it was after his father saw a strange ship docking; Echo was worried it was the People who had locked up his father in the first place, but instead his dad sounded happy when he saw whoever was out there. It could have been a front, though, as clearly it was never safe to let Echo back out. Then Dr J popped down briefly, while everyone above was resting, to tell Echo he was desperately needed elsewhere, that it wasn't safe to bring Echo, but that he'd be back in no time.
And the pieces are fitting together for Harumi. And she's like. Your dad's dead, bro.
And he's like. What? Did he die doing what was needed of him?
And she's like. Oh, no. He died a few years later.
And he's like. Why didn't he come back for me????
And she's like. Probably because they kept him away.
And he's like. Who's they?
And she's like. The Ninja I was talking about earlier.
And it surely can't be hard in universe to find pictures of Zane and Dr J post s2-pre s3, so she pulls one up and shows Echo who is freaking out bc why is that one kind of like him and Harumi explains that that was the droid his father created first, that he became a Ninja, and that hes probably the one who took their father away and kept echo waiting for years.
But Echo has doubts, shocked as he is abt a new older brother, he wants to believe the good in the situation so he's unsure. But Harumi mentions that the Ninja's failures to uphold more than their self preservation/interests has led to uncountable losses and devastation in Ninjago time and time again, before delving into her own story. And she seems so kind, and so hurt, and I do think there's a genuine connection btwn these two that forms from this shared emotional torment that they decide came from the Ninja, and now Echo is more receptive.
And then Harumi gets to start her Garmadon pitch because wait! If Echo was made here, then that could only have happened because of Lord Garmadon. And she reiterates that he's the reason she and her city could have even survived The Great Devourer. And maybe Echo's family-by-creation left, maybe they were untrustworthy and lacking, but that's OK bc if you look at it all a certain way, Garmadon is more of a father to Echo than Dr J was. And Echo is a vulnerable, overwhelmed mess who just found out his dad fucked off for years without him and also died, and also he has a brother??? Who their dad clearly seems to have favored??? Did they even know about Echo??? Did they delight in their life free of him???
Basically. Kinda Spinel-core but getting abandoned and left completely alone does that to you. Especially when the first person to find you after being abandoned is a deeply hurt and misguided teen who is probably kinda desperate for someone, anyone else to see the Ninja the way she sees them.
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more of kai making an Executive Decision woop woop badoop
"…hey, Kai?"
Kai knew that tone of voice. That was the I have a question and it might make you mad tone of voice he knew all-too-well from when Nya was little.
He paused the game and glanced at Lloyd. "Yeah, squirt?"
"Why aren't you trying to be the Green Ninja like the others anymore?" asked Lloyd, his voice small.
Kai couldn't bring himself to tell the whole truth, but he could tell some of it. "Eh, once you've seen one Green Ninja competition, you've seen 'em all."
Lloyd's cheeks puffed out. "No, I mean, you wanted it a lot! Now it's like you don't even care! It's weird. You're weird."
Kai sighed and slumped forward. "I guess I just had a bit of a wake-up call or something. It was you, me, and the Fangblade in the volcano. Sure, we had our whole competition going, and if I got the Fangblade, I'd win, but…you didn't see your dad before we got there. The dramatics, his refusal to play nice? It was just like me the time he'd had the Skulkin kidnap Nya, except this time it'd been done to him."
Kai smirked and mussed up Lloyd's hair. "Plus I may or may not have been worried about you, too, so the Fangblade would've been a hollow victory anyway."
"Hah, hey-!" Lloyd spluttered.
"I just…" Kai went on, "…after seeing you and your dad together, I don't think it could be me. But even if it is, I promise you, Lloyd, we'll do everything in our power to find a way out of this dumb destiny thing and keep Garmadon around for you."
Lloyd took a shaky breath. "R…really?"
"Really," Kai said. "In fact, I'll do you one better. Whoever the Green Ninja is, he'll work the hardest out of all of us for it. I personally guarantee it."
Kai caught a glimpse of Wu's hat as he shifted just out in the hall. Wu must really be out of it if Kai just caught him eavesdropping.
"And no matter who it is, we'll have his back all the way, and we'll have your back all the way," Kai continued. "Your dad's surprisingly harmless when he's not being compelled to do great evil, y'know. Even if that harmless evildoing does get on my last nerve."
Lloyd managed a wobbly grin at that. "Yeah, heh, I know."
"Aw, don't get all mushy on me!" Kai complained with a laugh. He still lifted his arm in time for Lloyd to slam into his side and hold on for all he was worth.
Kai pretended not to notice the growing damp spots in his gi, instead silently rubbing little circles in Lloyd's back the same way he would for Nya.
The events of the day seemed to catch up to Lloyd as he Definitely Didn't Cry, Kai Would Back Him Up On That, and eventually he blinked blearily up at Kai. "You gonna make me go t' bed?"
"I mean, not if you don't wanna," Kai said. "You oughta know I stick it to The Man by now, you little gremlin. Bedtimes, shmedtimes. Live by your own rules."
Lloyd giggled sleepily and wriggled a bit deeper into Kai's chest and the couch. "M'kay. Th'nks, Kai."
And then he made Kai's heart swell and break a little at the same time.
"Hope it's you."
And then he was out like a light.
Kai's eyebrows shot up. Wow, show this kid the tiniest scrap of affection and he really became the cuddliest, most trusting little monster to ever monster, huh?
Destiny could wait until at least the end of puberty. If it had a problem with that, it could take it up with Kai's fists.
Kai carefully manuevered the controller up so he could use both hands to save the game and turn off the console, then set the controller aside entirely and reached blindly for the blanket that had fallen off the back of the couch during their tournament.
"Here," said Nya from behind him, pushing the blanket into his hand.
Kai tilted his head back to look in mild surprise.
It looked like Wu hadn't been the only eavesdropper- literally everyone else in the Bounty stood at the doorway, looking in solemnly.
"I hadn't thought of it that way," admitted Jay.
He didn't even have to say it out loud.
Zane shook his head. "Nor did I."
"Kai, you know we can't guarantee that we'll find a way," scolded Cole weakly.
"That's why I didn't," Kai countered. "I said we'd try. That much, I know we can do."
Nya chuckled sadly. "We'll probably have to give him self-defense lessons if we're planning to upend his father's fate."
Kai thought about it for a second. Since he knew intuitively what Lloyd's destiny was meant to be, he knew fighting skills were probably in the kid's future anyway.
"Yeah, probably," he said out loud.
"We can all teach him," said Zane.
"Never pegged myself as a teacher, but this would be worth it," agreed Jay.
"It'll be tough," Cole warned. "We'll all need to get better at taking responsibility. Remember, Lloyd doesn't have an element."
Kai pointedly did not look in the direction he'd seen Wu's hat in.
"If we're doing this, we have to be able to keep him safe, then to teach him to keep himself safe, even with how strong our enemies tend to be," continued Cole.
Kai nodded firmly. "And we will."
They had to.
Lloyd grumbled in his sleep and weakly smacked in the general direction of Kai's face. "…sh'ddup."
"You got it, tiny," Kai said without a moment's hesitation.
"Eh, it won't be the first time you've stepped up to the plate," remarked Nya in a whisper. She gave Kai's forehead a kiss, grinned smugly at his disgust, patted him on the head, and started ushering the other ninja out. "Sweet dreams, softies."
"Excuse you, I am the epitome of aloof!" Kai hissed.
"Sleeeeeeeep," groaned Lloyd.
"Alright, alright," said Kai immediately.
Nya shoved her hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles, but then she and the rest were back outside.
Only Wu was left, out of sight from where the others had been standing.
"You cannot keep his fate away forever," Wu informed him wearily. "Believe me, Kai, I have tried this before. This is not my first attempt at doing so for someone in my family. Destiny has spoken."
Oh, huh, right. Garmadon was Wu's brother just as much as he was Lloyd's dad.
"Then I refuse to listen. You'll just have to tell destiny to take a rain check or something," Kai declared. "If it wants him to fight his freaking father, it can at least wait until he's grown up some."
Wu searched Kai's eyes for something.
Kai just held his gaze with a firm almost-glare. "I figured it out in the volcano, Sensei. All my training to be the best ninja was never to become the Green Ninja. It was to protect him. If I have to protect him from whatever bull they're writing in the Cloud Kingdom, then fine. If I have to protect him from his own destiny, fine! I'm not letting the only one on this dang boat who can relate to Jay on Father's Day just lose that."
Lloyd chose that moment to sit bolt upright, his elbow jamming directly into Kai's sternum, and tell Kai with the utmost urgency, "Hurry, Kai, we gotta catch up to Fritz Donnegan and his crew! They're gonna leave for the Golden Planet Of Light without us!"
Kai wheezed and fought to get his breath back, then took a look at Lloyd's face.
His eyes were barely even open.
Kai smirked before he even realized it. "Well, you go tell Fritz I just gotta finish up here, alright, little man? I'll be right behind you."
Lloyd "looked" over his shoulder, then back at Kai, his eyebrows scrunching up worriedly.
"Promise. Won't be long," Kai said, guiding him back down.
After a long moment, Lloyd nodded. "…kay." He then burrowed back into Kai's side as if he'd never sat up at all.
Whatever Wu was looking for, he seemed to find it as he watched them, and he sighed in resignation. "Very well. I hope you have a plan for when the truth inevitably comes out?"
"I do my best work when I'm winging it," scoffed Kai. He glanced down at the sleeping Lloyd for a moment. "Besides, he's nine. It'd be worth anything to hold this off even a little longer."
"…good night, Kai."
Wu leapt up into the rafters, likely heading to his room to meditate.
Kai shifted in place with a sigh, tossed the blanket over himself and Lloyd, and settled in for the night.
(Unbeknownst to any of them, Nya stood just a few feet past the door, frozen in place with horrified eyes, her hands pressed over her mouth, and a shiver running up her spine.)
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