Ninjago: Rise of the Snakes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ninjago: Rise of the Snakes |
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Rise of the Snakes poster
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| Country of origin | Denmark |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
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| Original network | Cartoon Network |
| Original release | December 2, 2011 – April 11, 2012 |
Rise of the Snakes (also titled Rise of the Serpentine on DVD release) is the first season of the computer-animated television series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (titled Ninjago from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. It revolves around the adventures of six teenage ninja who live in the fictional world of Ninjago and fight against the forces of evil. The season aired from 2 December 2011 to 11 April 2012 following the pilot episodes. It is succeeded by the second season, titled Legacy of the Green Ninja.
Rise of the Snakes introduces the central character Lloyd Garmadon (voiced by Jillian Michaels) and follows the story arc of the character's development to becoming the prophesied Green Ninja. In this season, Lloyd is depicted as a young boy who serves as a minor antagonist to the ninja team. The storyline focuses on his attempts to become an evil warlord by taking control of five Serpentine tribes before turning from the path of evil. Lord Garmadon returns as an unlikely ally of the ninja team, while Pythor P. Chumsworth and a legendary snake named the Great Devourer are introduced as the season's main antagonists. The season also develops the character of Nya as she maintains a secret identity as the mysterious Samurai X.
Contents
Voice cast
Main
- Jillian Michaels as Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja
- Vincent Tong as Kai, the red ninja and Elemental Master of Fire
- Michael Adamthwaite as Jay, the blue ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning
- Brent Miller as Zane, the white ninja and Elemental Master of Ice
- Kirby Morrow as Cole, the black ninja and Elemental Master of Earth
- Kelly Metzger as Nya, Kai's sister
- Paul Dobson as Sensei Wu, the wise teacher of the ninja
- Mark Oliver as Lord Garmadon
Recurring
- Ian James Corlett as Skales
- Michael Dobson as Pythor P. Chumsworth
- Paul Dobson as Acidicus
- Mark Oliver as Dr. Julien
- Colin Murdock as Ed
- Jillian Michaels as Edna
- Brian Drummond as Kruncha and Nuckal
- Kirby Morrow as Lou
- Mackenzie Gray as Mistaké
- Mackenzie Gray as Fangtom
- John Novak as Slithraa
Production
Development
Brothers Dan and Kevin Hageman, who were the writers for the series from its initial launch in 2011 until the tenth season, developed the idea for the character of Lloyd. Series co-creator Tommy Andreasen stated that Lloyd's story arc as the Green Ninja was conceived immediately after the character was created, although the mystery of the identity of the Green Ninja was built up over the course of ten episodes and finally revealed in the episode titled The Green Ninja.
Animation
The animation for the first season was produced at Wil Film ApS in Denmark. The season was created with a 22-minute format that would continue until the release of the eleventh season.
Direction
The episodes for Rise of the Snakes were directed by Justin J. Murphy, Michael Hegner, Martin Skov, and Peter Hausner.
Release
The first episode of the season titled Rise of the Snakes was released on 2 December 2011 on Cartoon Network. The subsequent episodes were released throughout the following months until the season finale Day of the Great Devourer, which was released on 11 April 2012.
Plot
When Garmadon is spotted in Jamanakai Village, the ninja instead find his son, Lloyd Garmadon, trying to terrorise the villagers. Kai discovers a scroll that foretells the prophecy of the Green Ninja, who will rise above the others to defeat a dark lord, and wonder which of them will be the chosen one. Lloyd uncovers a tomb containing the Hypnobrai, one of the five Serpentine tribes. The tribe's general Slithraa attempts to hypnotize him, but accidentally gives Lloyd control of the tribe. Lloyd and the Hypnobrai build a treehouse fortress with the aim of conquering Ninjago, but it is destroyed by the ninja. When they return to the Monastery of Spinjitzu, they discover that it has been burned down and find a new home on board Destiny's Bounty. At the Hypnobrai tomb, Skales takes control of the tribe and banishes Lloyd from the tomb. Seeking revenge, Lloyd uncovers the Fangpyre tomb and makes a deal with the general Fangtom. Lloyd and the Fangpyre plan to attack the Hypnobrai, but when the two Serpentine generals meet, they become allies and Lloyd escapes. Lloyd opens the Anacondrai tomb and finds Pythor inside, who pretends to befriend him. Lloyd is eventually taken into the care of Master Wu on board Destiny's Bounty.
Pythor travels to the two remaining Serpentine tombs in an attempt to unite the five tribes, with the ninja in pursuit. When they reach the Venomari tomb, they are surrounded by Serpentine and saved by the mysterious Samurai X. Pythor declares himself the new snake king and begins to search for the lost city of Ouroborous, which is the prison of a legendary snake named the Great Devourer. When Lloyd gets captured, the ninja try to save him from the Serpentine. One by one, Zane, Jay and Cole unlock their "True Potential" by overcoming personal obstacles and Nya reveals that she is Samurai X. Meanwhile, Master Wu travels to the Realm of Madness, returns with Lord Garmadon, and they become temporary allies to save Lloyd. Kai becomes obsessed with unlocking his True Potential and becoming the Green Ninja.
Pythor begins his search for four silver fangblades, which will awaken the Great Devourer. After finding the first two, the Serpentine attempt to retrieve the third Fangblade at the Fire Temple, but are forced to fight the ninja. Lloyd becomes trapped on a rock in the lava, so Kai decides to save him and consequently unlocks his True Potential. On board Destiny's Bounty, the four Golden Weapons reveal that Lloyd is destined to be the Green Ninja. The ninja take all four fangblades from the Serpentine base, but Pythor sneaks on board Destiny's Bounty and steals them. When Pythor releases the Great Devourer, it devours everything in its path, including Pythor. The ninja attempt to stop the snake in Ninjago City and, with no other choice, give the four Golden Weapons to Garmadon, who launches an attack on its weak spot. The Great Devourer explodes into slime and Garmadon disappears with the Golden Weapons.
Episodes
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Rise of the Snakes" | Peter Hausner | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | December 2, 2011 | N/A |
| Peace has returned to Ninjago, and the Ninja have grown complacent. They are abruptly called back into action, though, when they receive reports that Lord Garmadon has returned. However, this just turns out to be his young son, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, up to mischief. The Ninja hold a tournament to decide between themselves who is destined to become the legendary ‘’Green Ninja’’. Meanwhile, Lloyd fortuitously discovers the Tomb of the Hypnobrai Tribe of the Serpentine and releases them, and they attack Jumanakai Village. It's up to the ninja to save it. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Home" | Justin Murphy | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | December 2, 2011 | N/A |
| The Ninja have returned to training, preparing for the looming threat of the Serpentine. A mysterious falcon leads Zane to a treehouse, being built for Lloyd by the Hypnobrai. The rest of the Ninja arrive, confronting Lloyd and the snakes. However, they return to their Monastery to find it in ruins, after it was left unguarded. Zane, with the help of the Falcon again, soon discovers them a new home – a ship called the ‘’Destiny’s Bounty’’. Meanwhile, Lloyd is betrayed by the Hypnobrai. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Snakebit" | Martin Skov | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | January 25, 2012 | N/A |
| Lloyd, bitter after he was cast out by the Hypnobrai, releases the Fangpyre Tribe from their tomb. Back on the Destiny’s Bounty, the Ninja begin to clean and prepare it to be their new headquarters and are visited by Jay’s parents – Ed and Edna. The Fangpyre attack the junkyard owned by Jay’s parents, and the Ninja encounter the Fangpyre for the first time. They must rush to save Ed and Edna from their transforming venom. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Never Trust a Snake" | Peter Hausner | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | February 1, 2012 | N/A |
| After the Fangpyres join forces with the Hypnobrai, Lloyd releases Pythor – the last of the Anacondrai Tribe. Pythor, pretending to be his friend, steals a map from him that shows where the two remaining snakes tribes dwell. Sensei Wu then takes Lloyd under his wing. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Can of Worms" | Justin Murphy | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | February 8, 2012 | N/A |
| Lloyd moves in and pranks all the Ninja by beating Kai's high score on his game "Fist to Face 2", messing with Cole's violet berry soup, overriding Jay's sparring robot, and turning Zane's ninja suit pink, and he causes them to blame it on each other. Meanwhile, Pythor releases the Venomari and Constrictai Tribes from their tombs and plans to unite them under him. In the process, he steals the Sacred Flute. The Ninja go and foil the plan for unity, but are nearly captured. It is only Zane's pink suit that enables them to escape with their mission complete. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Snake King" | Martin Skov | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | February 15, 2012 | N/A |
| Pythor finds the ancient Serpentine city of Ouroboros. Meanwhile, the ninja get new ZX suits, but the mysterious Samurai X gives them trouble. Later, Pythor, through a devilish trick, declares himself to be the Snake King, the destined leader who will reawaken The Great Devourer – an ancient, seemingly immortal beast who will consume all of Ninjago. Lloyd sees this, but is discovered and imprisoned. The Ninja, captured by the Serpentine while trying to rescue Lloyd, are saved by Samurai X, but Kai shockingly discovers that Nya is the Samurai. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Tick Tock" | Peter Hausner | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | February 22, 2012 | N/A |
| When the four Ninja follow the mysterious falcon into the woods, they stumble on a hidden workshop where Zane learns the secret about his past; he is a nindroid designed to 'protect those who cannot protect themselves', as said by his deceased father. The discovery of his past allows Zane to unlock his true potential. Meanwhile, Master Wu travels to the realm of madness to find Lord Garmadon. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" | Justin Murphy | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | March 7, 2012 | N/A |
| Jay and Nya have to cut their first date in the Mega-Monster Amusement Park short, as the Serpentine arrive to retrieve the first of the four Fang Blades needed to awaken the Great Devourer. But Jay pricks his hand on the fang of a skeletal Fangpyre, triggering a transformation. While Jay and Nya go out for their date, the other three ninja attempt to stop Pythor and the Serpentine. Pythor retrieves the first Fangblade and Jay saves Nya from her death, having unlocked his true potential, while she reveals her Samurai X identity. Meanwhile, Wu finds Lord Garmadon, now with four arms, and warns him about Lloyd’s captivity. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "The Royal Blacksmiths" | Martin Skov | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | March 14, 2012 | N/A |
| The four Ninja go undercover as a dance troupe and enter a talent contest in their quest to win "The Blade Cup", in which one of the Fangblades is hidden, taken from its tomb by Clutch Powers. During this, Cole meets his father, the leader of one particularly famous dance troupe, the “Royal Blacksmiths” who, if anything, is bossier than Sensei Wu. At one point, Cole contemplates stealing the cup, but is berated by his father and decides to make him proud by performing and winning the cup. Pythor collapses the stage and steals the cup, while Cole finds his true potential and saves his father. Meanwhile, Garmadon returns to Ninjago with Sensei Wu. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "The Green Ninja" | Peter Hausner | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | March 21, 2012 | N/A |
| The Ninja are suspicious when Lord Garmadon moves in to help search for his missing son, but realize they have to work together in their attempt to rescue Lloyd from the Serpentine while they dig for the third Fangblade in the heart of the Fire Temple. Kai, after being held back by his ambition to become the Green Ninja, reaches his true potential and rescues Lloyd. It is also revealed, though Kai's own realization, that Lloyd is the destined Green Ninja. This causes grief to both Wu and Garmadon, since their family has now been further divided. In the end, Kai gives a look of worry, realizing how complex it will be for Lloyd to fight his own father in the future. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "All of Nothing" | Justin Murphy | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | March 28, 2012 | N/A |
| At a suggestion from Lloyd to steal back the three Fangblades as Pythor goes for the fourth, the Ninja and Sensei Wu try to infiltrate the inner sanctum of the Serpentine and walk right into a trap. When Lloyd's rescue mission does not go as planned, there is only one person who can help them, namely Lord Garmadon. In the nick of time, Garmadon comes with the Skeleton Army and engages in a battle against Pythor and the Serpentine, allowing Lloyd to release the Ninja and get the Fangblades. Garmadon leaves Lloyd to follow his own path and the Ninja plan to destroy the Fangblades, but Pythor follows them in secret. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Rise of the Great Devourer" | Martin Skov | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | April 4, 2012 | N/A |
| Upon arriving at Torchfire Mountain, the only place where the Fangblades can be destroyed, Pythor reveals himself and steals the blades back, leaving the Ninja to die. Luckily, Nya saves them. The four ninja, with Wu, Nya as Samurai X and Lloyd, haste to the lost City of Ouroboros to try to stop Pythor from awaking the Great Devourer, but it is a race against time. After a battle on a Serpentine Truck-fortress, in which Sensei Wu deliberately cuts himself off from the Ninja to face Pythor, all arrive at the city. At last, Pythor succeeds, but Sensei Wu forces him to see the power he has unleashed. They are then both consumed by the awakened Great Devourer. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Day of the Great Devourer" | Peter Hausner | Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman | April 11, 2012 | 3.34 |
| Disaster threatens as the Ninja must fight to defeat the all consuming Great Devourer in a desperate attempt to save Ninjago. In the end, only Lord Garmadon, using the Four Golden Weapons with the elements of fire, ice, lightning, and earth, can destroy the Great Devourer. He manages to kill the snake and Wu is shown to have survived, but Lord Garmadon vanishes with the Weapons and Lloyd must accept the fact that he must face him one day. | ||||||
Ratings
The first season of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, which was released on Cartoon Network, achieved the top position on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 pm with children aged 2-11 and 9-14.
Accolades
Director Peter Hausner was nominated in the category of "Directing in a Television Production" at the Annie Awards in 2012.
Other media
The season was accompanied by a related app titled Rise of the Snakes, which was released for iOS on 22 March 2012. The game involves fighting as one of the main ninja characters against the Serpentine and includes six battle arenas.
See also
