The Curse of the Golden Master

(The ninja return to the city.)

Kai: What happened?

Cole: No power, that's what happened.

Zane: Are we too late? (They step on a tripwire, alerting the civilians.)

Man: Outsiders must answer to the Postman!

Postman: Return to sender!

Cyrus: Ah, you finally made it. Don't mind the savages. Since power went out, everyone here has grown a bit bored. Their imagination knows no bounds. (He sees P.I.X.A.L..) P.I.X.A.L., amazing! You're...powered.

Postman: You need to stay in character, Borg. This is no fun if we're not all committed.

Cyrus: Oh, I'll have you committed if you don't all leave us at once. Now shoo! (They leave.) We have real problems to address. P.I.X.A.L., what's powering you?

P.I.X.A.L.: Zane gave me half of his heart.

Cyrus: Thank you, Zane. I am greatly indebted. Unfortunately, the hard drive was stolen with the digital imprint of the Overlord. You'll be unable to erase him with your Techno Blades until we find it.

Jay: Aw, don't worry, we already had a little run in with the red-handed suspect. Or, should I say white-handed? He left behind a white scale. Get this, he's Serpentine.

Cole: Unh. (He takes off the covers for a manhole.) Lucky for us, the last Serpentine were sealed within a tomb right under the city, so it's about time we pay them a little visit.

Cyrus: Approach with caution. I've also lost a few valuable prototypes. He may be armed and extremely dangerous.

Jay: We know, and uh, ahem, just for the record, when those prototypes are made available to the public, could you let me know? They're just the coolest gadgets. (Zane allowed P.I.X.A.L. to enter the manhole before him.)

Cyrus: Uh, P.I.X.A.L., where are you going? Now that my assistant has an unlimited power supply, there's an infinite amount of good to be done. (Zane nods at P.I.X.A.L..)

P.I.X.A.L.: As you wish, Mr. Borg. (The ninja go in as P.I.X.A.L. and Cyrus leave.)

Cole: Watch your step, Nya. We don't know the last time this ladder was used.

Nya: That's thoughtful of you, Cole.

Jay: Hey! How about you watch where you're watching, Cole? Huh?

Nya: Uh, aah! (The rung she stepped on broke.) Uh, guys. A little help?

Cole: Oh, is that a threat? 'Cause coming from you, it sounds like some of your best material.

Jay: Hahaha! There's a reason nobody liked you.

Nya: Aah! (She falls and sighs.) My knights in shining armor.

Cole and Jay: It was his fault! (They point at each other.)

Zane: Let's keep our eyes peeled. Our mystery suspect could be anywhere down here.

Kai: Serpentine. Never thought I'd see them again.

(In a secret base, the Stranger is planning on ways to find power for the Nindroids.)

Overlord: We know where the Golden Ninja is, so why are we doing nothing about it? I must escape this wretched digital prison!

Stranger: Patience. The Golden Ninja won't go down without a fight, and we've already depleted our Electro-Cobrai. Before we take his Golden Power, we need more power of our own.

Overlord: Then find more. Once I become physical again, and rid the scourge that is the ninja, I will walk Ninjago with the power to rule this world, and beyond!

Stranger: Don't worry. I'm one step ahead of you. (He holds a pamphlet for the Ninjago City Aquarium.)

(Lloyd and Garmadon trek in Hiroshi's Labyrinth.)

Lloyd: How anyone got through this jungle is beyond me.

Garmadon: Hiroshi's Labyrinth. Legend says no one has ever escaped its deadly maze except for Hiroshi himself. But the maze is no match for your powers. This is the perfect place to hide from the Overlord's clutches.

Lloyd: Hide. That's all I ever seem to do.

Garmadon: Your Golden Power only strengthens his cause. We must not lose sight.

Lloyd: But I miss my friends. What good is being all powerful if I can't ever have any fun?

Garmadon: The Golden Power needs to be protected, honored. Evil forces will seek it, try to take it for their own. It seduces. Even your friends may one day covet it.

Lloyd: My friends would never hurt me.

Garmadon: He who holds the power has a tremendous obligation. You must be prepared to handle this journey alone. Even without me one day.

Lloyd: Yeah, I know.

Garmadon: Keep your chin up, son. Legend also states there is a jewel inside the maze, the most beautiful oasis no one has ever seen before. Perhaps we will be the first.

(The ninja approaches the Serpentine village inside the tomb.)

Kai: Tomb of the Stone Army. It's been sealed since the Serpentine were trapped here.

Zane: It appears the seal has been opened. (They hear Skales whistling.)

Skales: Aah! Not you again!

Cole: Skales. Something told me you'd be behind this. Search his bag.

Skales: Aah! This is harassment. I've done nothing wrong.

Jay: Except steal the hard drive. Where is it? What are you hiding?

Kai: (He searches his bag.) He's hiding...groceries? And the latest issue of Ninjago Times.

Skales: What can I say? I'm a sucker for the crossword. Sorry, you've got the wrong snake.

Skales Jr.: Daddy? Are you okay?

Selma: Stay inside, Skales Jr.

Kai: Skales Jr.? Uh, you have a son?

Skales: We've been busy since you left us. And we prefer to keep it that way.

Skales Jr.: Is this about the Golden Master? Is he going to hurt us?

Skales: That is only a story, son. They were just leaving.

Zane: Golden Master? Is this about Lloyd?

Skales: Like you, we have our own legends. But I guess in ours, you are the bad guys.

Nya: What legend?

Selma: They have a right to know. If we're going to shed a new skin, we must open our home to others.

Skales: Oh, all right. Let's go, surface dwellers. If you'd like to hear of the Curse of the Golden Master, follow me.

Kai: I don't like Serpentine, but I don't like curses either. If this has anything to do with Lloyd, we need to know. (They follow Skales inside the tomb.)

(Dareth leads the ninja's students to the aquarium.)

Curator: We may not have power, but we still have sharks!

Dareth: All right, everyone. Stay together, stay together. Come on now.

Brad: Why do we have to do our field trip at the aquarium? Can't we go to the Toxic Bogs or anywhere else not so lame?

Dareth: 'Cause until your regular teachers get back from saving the world, I'm in charge and I have the responsibilities of making sure nothing bad happens to you. Now, single file. (The students form a line.) Did I ever tell you I am fluent in the language of the sea?

Sally: Great, Mr. Dareth.

Dareth: That's Mr. Brown Ninja to you, Sally.

Boy: (He and another student watches a shark attack a group of fish.) Whoa! And I thought Mr. Dareth had a big mouth.

Dareth: I heard that! (He turns to a security guard.) Ahem. Excuse me. Which way to the Electro-Cobrai exhibit? I hear it's shocking.

Police: (Sighs.) That way.

Dareth: All right, all right, my precious minnows. Come on. Follow me. (The children excitedly run to the exhibit.)

Boy: All right! (The stranger becomes visible.)

Police: Hey, hey, you! Come here. (He disappears again.) Whoa! Shocking. (He presses the alarm button, but remembers there is no power.) Hm? Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!

Sally: What is it?

Dareth: The sound of danger. Huddle near, child. (He sees the stranger removes a lid.) Hey, you're not one of my students.

Stranger: No. No, I'm not. (He blows a high-pitched whistle, breaking the tank. The Electro-Cobrais swim into the hold.)

Dareth: Hold on, minnows! Hold on!

Sally: Help! Help!

Dareth: I've got you, Sally! (He swims to her and pulls her back before the sharks can attack.) Stay back, kids! (He makes various animal noises and the shark swims away. The kids cheer before getting back to safety.)

Sally: Thank you for saving me. You really can talk to them. What did you say?

Dareth: I told him "leave the Brown Ninja alone, or else I'd be serving fish sticks."

(The Electro-Cobrai gathers inside a chamber.)

Stranger: The heist is complete. We now have enough power to go after the Golden Ninja.

Overlord: Good. (They both laugh.)

(The ninja make their way inside the tomb.)

Skales: After a rather humbling scrap with those indestructible Stone Warriors, we've made amends with our warring past and found ways to help better ourselves.

Serpentine child: (To other children) You're not thugs, you give hugs.

Lasha: (To Fangtom) Try again. "It will be our pleasure."

Fangtom: It will be...our pleasure.

Kai: So you got a few snakes to go straight. Doesn't mean there's not one bad apple. Fangpyre have white scales, don't they?

Skales: A few. Is this about the missing hard drive?

Cole: This is about the Overlord.

Skales: Ah, the Overlord. Glad we weren't around for that mess. No, we have no desire to meddle in the affairs above. As you can see, we stick to our own. We only want what's best for the next generation. Have a seat. You could learn a thing or two about your beloved Golden Master.

Acidicus: Hello, hatchlings, and camouflaged land dwellers. Do you seek to learn about the Curse of the Golden Master?

Jay: Tell me! Tell me!

Acidicus: Ugh. Then everyone come closer. When the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago, deep in the ground, he created the Serpentine. Since the first dawn, our elders knew of the Curse of the Golden Master, when he who had the powers equal to the First Spinjitzu Master would rise and usher in the last of the setting suns. With no equal adversary, his power will go unmatched. His destructive rule will change the face of the world, and he will not stop until every man, woman, and Serpentine are enslaved under his control.

Zane: Is he referring to Lloyd? (Kai shrugs.)

Acidicus: The Serpentine tried to warn the land dwellers, but they wouldn't listen. They thought we were the enemy, though we were only trying to prevent the prophecy of the Golden Master's terrible reign. After the Great Devourer failed to scare the unbelievers below ground, it is we who retreated beneath the soil, promising to never return, even now that the end is inevitable.

(Cyrus connects P.I.X.A.L. to some wires.)

Cyrus: First patch into the mainframe...success! Suppress bandwidth for wider connection...we have power! By glory's grace, my office has clean, untouched-by-evil power! Thank you. Now we can use this to track the Nindroid presence, and they won't see us coming.

P.I.X.A.L.: Sir, you created me and gave me life. I belong to you. Yet, Zane saved my life. When I was with him I felt...a connection. I felt...free.

Cyrus: P.I.X.A.L., remember this: you belong to no one. If you want to be with Zane, then you should be with him. (He hears beeping.) What? Nindroid power signatures. This is impossible. It says they're right here. 12 feet, 8 feet, this makes no sense.

P.I.X.A.L.: Unless they're beneath us.

(Underground, Acidicus is finished telling the prophecy.)

Kai: I can't believe they think Lloyd could become the Golden Master.

Jay: Well, he is the son of Lord Garmadon.

Nya: What I want to know is, if none of them took the hard drive, who else could it be?

Lasha: We're under attack! Protect the young! (Everyone screams and runs.)

Cole: Nindroids!

Jay: Ugh! These toasters never know when to quit.

Kai: I can't believe I'm saying this, but... protect the Serpentine!

Kai, Cole, and Jay: Ninja, go!

Zane: If only I could use Spinjitzu. Without P.I.X.A.L., my technique is barely adequate.

Skales: What evil have you brought here?

Zane: Sorry about that! We didn't know we were being followed!

Selma: Junior? Junior!

Skales Jr.: Mommy! Aah! (Cryptor trips him.)

Cryptor: (Laughs.) So you're the future of the fearless Serpentine? (He laughs, but Kai kicks him.)

Kai: And you're about to be history.

Cole: Let's get 'em, guys. (They tackle him but Cryptor throws them off him.)

Jay: (Zane helps Jay stand up.) Hey, thanks. (Cole falls on them.)

Cole: Phew.

Nya: Huh.

Jay: Ugh. If we could figure out what powered them, this would all be a whole lot easier. (Jay saves Nya.)

Nya: Uh... oh.

Jay: Haha!

Cole: (He unplugs the Electro-Cobrai tank from a Nindroid.) Hey! They're powered by some sort of eel thing inside their backs!

All except Nya: Ninja, go! (The ninja cheer as they disabled all of them, except for one possessed by the Overlord.)

Overlord: Foolish Nindroid, you are helping the wrong side.

Zane: The Overlord! You'll never succeed. Not if we have anything to say about it.

Overlord: I already have. (Laughs.) You've unknowingly led me straight to the Golden Ninja. And this was merely a diversion to keep you busy. (The Overlord laughs, but Zane unpowers him.)

Skales: The boy holds too much power. I fear the Curse of the Golden Master is upon us.

Acidicus: The dawn of the end of times is near.

Nya: We have to get to Lloyd before they do. Are you sure you won't help us?

Skales: I'm sorry. We made an oath never to return to the surface. Good luck. Oh, one more thing. There's only one Serpentine whose had a history of being so fond of using Electro-Cobrai.

All: Who?

(Lloyd and Garmadon made it to the Labyrinth's jewel.)

Garmadon: The jewel of the Labyrinth. It's...

Lloyd: The most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Garmadon: Yes. Beauty can be born even in darkness. (They hear saws buzzing and trees being cut down.) They've found you. You must leave! Go! I said leave! (He combats with Techno Wu.) Why must we always be on opposite sides, brother? I made an oath not to fight, but I'll still defeat you. (Lloyd summons his Green Ninja cycle.) No! Trust in the balance!

Lloyd: (He drives away, defeating a few Nindroids in the process, but stops when he reaches a cliff. He sees his father, captured in the Nindroid MechDragon.) Dad!

Garmadon: Go, Lloyd. And never look back!

Overlord: (Possessing the MechDragon) Leave, and your father falls.

Lloyd: (He tries using his Energy, but the Stranger captures him using a snake strangler.) My power's gone.

Stranger: (He takes his hood off, revealing himself to be Pythor.) Hello, old chum.

Lloyd: Pythor? I thought you were—

Pythor: Hmm, gone? Actually, I suffered a worse fate. Digested in the bowels of the Devourer. It can wreak havoc on one's complexion. Fortunately for Wu, he escaped unscathed.

Overlord: Finally, the Golden Ninja is mine. Now the transformation can be complete.

Lloyd: I couldn't leave you. I can't do this alone. I failed you, Father.

Garmadon: It's okay, son. It is I who failed—

Overlord: He is no longer of importance to me. Throw him overboard. (Garmadon screams as he falls into the Endless Sea.)

Lloyd: No! Father!

Garmadon: (He swims to the surface.) Be strong, son. I will find you. I will find you!