Tag: Commentary

Thoughts & Theories after Ninjago Seabound’s Finale & What’s Next?

Ninjago Seabound Promo PosterOn Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST

Spoiler Alert

The finale to Ninjago: Seabound is not at an end. It’s merely a huge part two and there are still threads to tie up. “Nyad” and “Turn of the Tide” make up the finale and it’s a tearjerker. Nya is fighting Kalmaar mono a mono, and elsewhere, Jay’s combat vehicle gets damaged. He may well drown if he’s not rescued soon. Sadly, by the time help arrives, he slips into a coma. Nya can’t bear to see him this way and realizes sacrifices must be made for some good to happen.

The Water Ninja learns how the tale of Nyad ends and she’s ready for change. She opens her katras up to accept another entity (or energy) to enter. She’s doing something similar to Jean Grey in Marvel’s X-Men (Uncanny, #101-108) comics by accepting the Phoenix Force. An interesting parallel must be made though. As she rises out of the water, the whirlwind is like Nadakahn’s (the villain from season six) dust tail. However, she is aware of who she is despite what Wu said, “Whatever you’re hearing, whatever you’re experiencing. Fight it, Nya. Remember who you are. Remember.”

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The Calm Before the Storm with Ninjago: Seabound

True to the legend, Wojira is an embodiment of a tempestuous sea and he looks just as fierce as Godzilla!

FEAF8B65-87BA-4019-8023-1AB5133A9AD0On Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST

Spoiler Alert

Sometimes these small chapters in Ninjago Seabound are simply teasers. “The Calm Before the Storm” shows how far Jay and Nya’s relationship progressed. It’s easy to realize that something will separate these two when considering how truly yin and yang they’ve become. The future Jay saw in the Ice Labyrinth (“Grave Danger”) may well be in trouble unless the plan mapped out for the series has a solution.

True to the legend, Wojira is an embodiment of a tempestuous sea and he looks just as fierce as Godzilla! The carnage reminds me of the Tōhoku tsunami of 2011 and it may well be intentional. Even the minted King Kalmaar has trouble controlling her. One fact is certain, he needs the beast to drench the surface world if he’s to rule over it. Thankfully, not every Merlopian agrees with this warlord’s edict.

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Who’s the Master of the Sea in Ninjago’s Latest?

The latest pairing of Ninjago is a very welcome one. “Papergirl” shifts the tale to Antonia, a newspaper carrier, doing her good deed of the day and proving everyone can be helpful.

FEAF8B65-87BA-4019-8023-1AB5133A9AD0By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST
Spoiler Alert

The latest pairing of Ninjago is a very welcome one. “Papergirl” shifts the tale to Antonia, a newspaper carrier. She doesn’t think she’s doing enough with her life, and her co-worker (and friend) Nelson tries to dissuade her from leaving. The Storm Crystal that the ninja team and Kalamarr wants lands in Antonia’s newspaper basket by accident and she’s told to flee with it instead of handing it over. She almost bests the Prince in an exciting chase around the city.

When he finally has time to question this ordinary girl, he wonders if she’s Serpentine, Oni, Elemental Masters or Vermillion. None of them have bested him, and he feels like he’s met his match. Amusingly, her response shows that an ordinary person can do extraordinary things when they put their mind to it. It’s a terrific message. This character appeared in “The News Never Sleeps!” and “Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire?” These alternate outings shows she often get the job done whenever the city goes into hell in a hand basket. In “Game Over,” see helps a child as everyone else is fleeing. As a symbol of courage, we can all learn from her.

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The Endless Sea is at the Heart of Ninjago’s Latest…

It’s safe to say Benthomaar’s story of Nyad and the Whales foreshadows what’s still to come.

FEAF8B65-87BA-4019-8023-1AB5133A9AD0By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Teletoon Canada
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST
Spoiler Alert

The search for “The Storm Amulet” is on in Ninjago, Seabound. Everyone knows where it is and whether the heroes will get it or Kalamarr will has an amusing twist! Clutch Powers is back, and whether we should hate him for everything he’s done, this greedy miscreant is just that. He doesn’t have my respect. I like Ronan a lot more than him; he has his own code of honour whereas Powers doesn’t.

This ninth chapter is at a halfway point for the series. It’s merely spacing out the moments where bits of Ninjago History can be inserted. As much as I’d love to see a Mothra type creature appear, it won’t happen. I suspect that’s saved for another season. The return of the jungle tribe from The Island, protecting the gem and transfer of guardianship are just brief moments to show Nya has responsibilities. Whether she’s ready for it won’t be revealed until the season’s end.

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On Ninjago’s Tale of Benthomaar & King Trimaar

This season will not conclude as cleanly as Masters of the Mountain. Queen Vania’s offer to help Lloyd and team is not a throwaway statement. I fully expect heaven, land, air and sea to unite in some epic conflict still to come.

FEAF8B65-87BA-4019-8023-1AB5133A9AD0By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Teletoon
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST
Spoiler Alert

“The Tale of Benthomaar” is a very tragic story about an aquatic kingdom at the edge of entering a civil war. It’s hard to tell if Merlopia is politically divided because there aren’t enough supporting characters taking sides. Kalmaar’s hatred for the surface world existed even as a child, and all this episode shows is (maybe) a legion of soldiers accepting his edict.

Benthomaar’s innocence is truly that, and he’s neither human nor a squid. He wasn’t a survivor of a nearby sunken ship as he can breathe underwater. As for whether he’ll become Aquaman of this world, more episodes are needed. If he’s to take over, he needs more than Lloyd, Kai, Cole, Jay, Zane and Nya at his side. He’s going to need the various aquatic species to help and he doesn’t know how to speak manatee.
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Creation Myths Are Abound in LEGO NInjago! Or is that Shakespeare?

Plenty of questions are raised with this latest episode, and the Shakespearean tones make this outing perhaps the most exciting to date.

Ninjago Crystalised Movie PosterOn Teletoon
Sundays 6:30am PST/ 9:30am EST
Spoiler Alert

In LEGO NInjago, the latest episodes show the team are in rough waters in Seabound. The broadcast of this series has been quick, and hopefully there’ll be no lull while waiting for the next season. To pump out new stories requires drawing from various literary sources and this series is no stranger to adapting Arabian Knights or even Shakespere, to which I believe this latest version is taking inspiration from.

In last weekend’s episodes, “The Wrath of Kalmaar” gets the team blamed for the death of a beloved king as a coup destroys the peace in Merlopia. This aquatic world has lived in relative obscurity and not everyone agrees to King Trimaar’s decision to be a peaceful civilization. As long as the surface and underwater realms are blissfully unaware, the coexistence is only marred by Prince Kalmaar’s general hate for the other. 

This squid-man’s mention of the human realm polluting the oceans is almost missed. I caught the reference and think the writers are missing an opportunity to teach viewers an ecological lesson. This realm may have been a playground for the serpentine before the The First Spinjitzu Master arrived, and comparisons can be made–who has the right to reshape worlds in their own image? “The Tale of Benthomaar” may say more, and I hope one day, a spinoff series can further explore the details.

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