Cole, Jay, Kaylee, and Zane admire the Slow-Mo Time Blade they just acquired.

"Whoa, amazing." Cole comments. 

"It is unlike anything I have ever seen." Zane agrees. 

"So cool!" Jay cheers. 

"It's sparkly! It's like Jay's lightning, but a bit weirder." Kaylee nods. 

"I must urge caution, Jay. The Time Blade is a powerful weapon." 

"Uh, you think I don't know that? Check this! Ya ready?" Jay throws it at a stack of boxes Kaylee threw up using her powers. "Boom! Ha! Eight bull's eye in a row. Beat that."

"I did," Cole replies. 

"Oh, really? When?" Jay challenges. 

"When I got nine in a row." Cole declares. 

"Yeah right. None of us saw you do that." Kaylee snorts. 

"Yeah, you wanna count that?" Jay questions hauntingly.

"But watch this." Cole throws a box in the air and used the Time Blade on it, but misses. 

"Haha! You missed!" Jay laughs. 

"Did I? Slow-moving target. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy." Cole jumps and slices the box. "And that's how you recycle an empty box."

"That box was not empty." Zane points out.

"Aah!" Jay picks up a ruined stuffed toy. "Mister Cuddlywomp... is a teddy bear I used to love when I was five, but now he's totally lame and-"

"We know you still sleep with him." Kaylee deadpans. 

"We're roommates mate," Cole adds.

"And I don't care who knows it!" Jay yells. "Mister Cuddlywomp..."

"Switching to playful mode." Zane twirls and throws the Blade in Nya's direction, hitting a makeshift dartboard. 

"Hey, watch it. I'm working here." Nya snaps. 

"Sorry, Nya." Zane apologizes. 

"What's with Nya? She's been on her computer since we got back from the desert." Cole questions 

"Her attempt to locate her stolen Samurai X suit is consuming her," Zane replies. 

"Ugh. She's as bad as her brother." Cole groans, as they look at Kai while he stares at a Vermillion's helmet.

"Ah-ha! I've got a clue." Kai skims through a book. "Ah, I haven't got a clue." 

"He's been reading those Ninjago history books all day." Kaylee points out. "I know he taught History when we were teachers, but seriously, I think this is the most I've ever seen him reading, willingly."

"Ugh, I don't get those two. We finally get a victory and they choose to celebrate by dorking out instead of doing something cool?" Jay gasps. "Let's run straight at each other and see if this will slow us down before we collide." They laugh and nod. 

Zane, Cole, Kaylee, and Jay stand facing each other.

"Let's do this. Time Blade ready?" Jay questions.

"Ready... set... Go!" Kaylee yells. They scream as they run toward each other. Zane slows down time before they run into each other.

"Faster, Jay," Cole says.

"You're so slow, Cole." Jay laughs. 

"Hey, I told you guys not to mess around with the Time Blade." Lloyd accuses, walking out of Sensei Wu's room. 

"We aren't," Jay says. The bubble bursts and the four fall down.

"I said to hide it someplace safe," Lloyd continues. 

"And we ignored you." Kaylee cheerfully replies. 

"Not now sunshine." Lloyd sighs. 

"Besides, we're, um, skill-building." Cole lies. 

"What skill? Room-destroying? This Blade is extremely powerful and highly coveted. Nothing this valuable will be so easily conceded." Lloyd scolds. 

Cole turns to Jay "'Nothing this valuable will be so easily conceded.' Sounds to me like someone's earned his black belt in being a wet blanket." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lloyd questions, setting his hands on his hips. 

"I believe Cole's intent is to describe you as a blanket which has become wet, not for the purpose of putting out a fire, but rather to extinguish our enjoyment," Zane explains. 

"Ugh." Lloyd groans. 

"Aw, seriously, Lloyd. Lighten up. It's not going anywhere." Jay says, throwing the Time Blade up in the air. 

"Hey!" Lloyd yells. 

"Hehe." Jay catches it with ease. "See?"

The door slides open yet again, showing Sensei Wu. "I see that after victory, some of you have chosen to amuse yourselves. I encourage you not to be so careless. Nothing this valuable will be so easily conceded."

"Uh, sorry, Master Wu." Cole bows. 

"Well put, Master." Jay nods.

"Well put? I just said that exact same thing!" Lloyd yells. 

"Don't be such a wet-blanket." Kaylee teases, going on her toes and ruffling Lloyd's hair. 

"Kai, Nya, join. This is important. You have had a victory. A well-earned one. But Krux, Acronix, and their forces remain a threat. Do not allow your confidence to cloud your vigilance. I made that mistake once." Wu says. "Kai, is something troubling you?" Sensei Wu questions.

"The marking on this helmet. Do you recognize it?" Kai asks, and Wu gasps upon seeing it. "You do recognize it. What do you know? Tell me, please."

"This means...this changes everything," Wu says. Just then, an object crashes inside the Temple.

"What was that?" Jay asks. 

"I've run a fourth-level analysis. It appears the snake warriors have returned to retrieve the Blade." Zane replies. 

"Really? I could have told you that with a third-level analysis. Or a no-level analysis!" Jay yells. 

"Can we just go and check it out?" Kaylee questions, flipping on her ninja hood. "C'mon!" 

"Well, we're all the way up here and they're all the way down there. No chance they could reach us." Cole comments. They launch another Vermillion Egg.

"Oh, come on. They built catapults?" Nya groans, staring down at the Warriors. 

"Whatever. It's just a bunch of snakes." Cole reasons. 

"Remain on guard, Ninja. There is more to your adversaries than you may think." Wu says. Another egg is launched.

"Uh, whatever. It's just a bunch of warriors. I mean, they are not armed, but we are." Cole says, as they turn around and spot Vermillion Warriors piecing themselves together. The Ninja draw out their weapons.

"Oh, big mistake! Never bring fists to a nunchuck-sword-scythe-katana-shuriken-elemental-rope fight!" Jay laughs, but they launch another egg. "Oh, wow. They went from unarmed snakes to fully weaponized Vermillion Warriors really, really fast."

"Doesn't matter. We can-" Kai stops. "Wait. That's what they're called? Vermillion Warriors?"

"Heh, I know, right? So lame. There are so many better names." Jay agrees.

"Mhm." Kaylee nods.

"Actually, the name is quite clever. You see, vermillion is a shade of red with a slight orange tint, a color which symbolizes life and eternity. So in that sense, they should actually be commended for-" Zane starts. 

Lloyd cuts Zane off. "Guys, focus. Everyone ready?"

"I will sit this one out to preserve my strength," Wu says, sitting down at the base of the Temple. 

"Good idea, Master. Ninja..." Lloyd says.

"...go!" They easily defeated the Vermillion Warriors in a flurry of Spinjitzu, making them fly off of the Temple. 

"Okay, that was a lot easier than I thought." Kaylee comments. 

"Awesome work, everyone." Lloyd grins. 

"Now can you tell me what that marking means?" Kai asks. 

"Yes. You must know that..." Wu starts. "We have another concern." 

"No. I do not like where this is headed." Jay says, as a huge Vermillion Warrior-bot arrives on the island and begins attacking them.

"I don't think our insurance covers this!" Kaylee yells as the Vermillion Warrior-bot swings its sword and destroys some trees. 

"Hey, Nya, do you remember our old babysitter, Mrs. Grumbmiller?" Kai asks. 

"The mean one with the mole on her-" Nya starts. 

Kai cuts her off. "Yeah. Do you remember what we used to do when she made us go to bed early?"

"Of course. Hey, you! It's not my bedtime! Because I've still got plenty of energy. But it's lights out for you." They trip the Vermillion Warrior-bot off the island.

"Oh, man! Whatever they paid Mrs. Grubmiller wasn't nearly enough!" Jay quips. 

"Come on. We can use Destiny's Bounty to fly above all this and get a good view of the other's position." Nya says, but The Bounty is being destroyed as they spoke.

"Oh, no." Cole gasps. 

"Or not," Kaylee says. 

"What? No, no, no." Jay gasps. 

"We have to go on the offensive. They're bringing everything up here, which means we have to go down there and take out their equipment." Lloyd orders. 

"But how? We can't get close enough without them attacking us with more of these eggs." Jay points out.

"Like this." Lloyd summons his Energy Dragon.

"Lloyd, I really don't think going down there's a good idea," Kai says.

"Especially on a Dragon. In the past, your fear has caused your Dragon to vanish and-" Zane starts.

"That was a long time ago. I am now a Master-" Lloyd replies. 

"In training." Jay interrupts. 

"And our Temple is under attack. I don't have time for fear. I'll take care of the ones down below. You guys hold them off up here. And protect the Time Blade!" Lloyd flies down. 

"Hmm. You do have to admire his unfounded moxie." Jay sighs. 

"He's totally going to die. There's a reason why we haven't used our dragons after they evolved. It takes a lot of practice to master them, something we haven't had the time to do." Kaylee says. 

Lloyd gets scared and his Dragon disappears right as Kaylee finishes her explanation. 

"Lloyd! Conjure the Dragon again!" Cole yells.

"I'm coming down- Ah!" Kaylee screams as Vermillion Warriors blocks her path towards Lloyd. 

"I've got this!" Kai yells, diving down and using his own Dragon. "Faster. Faster. Oh, no. He's too far!"

Cole sees the Samurai Mech flying towards Lloyd. "Look. Nya was right. The Vermillion Warriors did steal her Samurai X suit." The Samurai saves Lloyd.

"Oh, so not fair!" Jay yells. 

"Samurai X just saved Lloyd's life," Zane says. 

"Whoo-hoo! All right! That was..." Jay cheers. 

"...highly illogical," Zane says. 

"That's weird." Kaylee comments, throwing the Vermillion Warriors off the Temple. 

"So Samurai X is not one of them. Which means..." Cole says. 

"...Nya must be Samurai X again," Kai says. 

"Oh, for sure. She probably faked the whole stealing thing to throw us off-" Jay starts.

"What are you guys looking at?" Nya questions, in her ninja suit.

"Or not," Kaylee replies. 

Nya takes notice of Samurai X. "Hey, you! Suit thief! You owe me an explanation! I have a right to know who you are! Tell me!"

"Hehe. I got this!" Jay says, taking in a breath. "Who. Are. You!? Huh. How did that not work?" 

"Well, Samurai, whoever you are, thank you," Lloyd says, bowing. 

"'Thank you?' Samurai Whoever-You-Are stole my suit!" Nya yells as the Samurai flies away.

"And saved my life," Lloyd adds. 

"I get that. And we're all incredibly grateful. Really, it's just...ugh. You stole my suit!" Nya yells. The Vermillion hit the Samurai, and they spiral to the ground.

"No!" Everyone gasps, besides Nya, who was still fuming. 

"Ninja!" Sensei Wu yells as a Vermillion Warrior raises its sword to attack him.

Cole slows down a Vermillion attacking Wu. "Look what I found." 

Kai attacks the Warrior, sending it away from Wu.

"Thank you, Kai."  Wu smiles. 

"You're welcome. Now please, Master. Tell me about the marking. What does it mean?" Kai questions. 

"Ah. Yes, of course. Your father-" Sensei Wu nods. 

"Time is up." The Time Twins say, knocking Kai away. 

"The Hands of Time!" Lloyd yells. 

"Get 'em!" Cole yells. 

"All we need are a few moments, brother," Acronix says. 

"Indeed." Krux nods

"Goodbye," Acronix says, raising the Forward Blade. 

"Master Wu!" Kai yells and throws him the Slow-Mo Blade. 

"Lucky old man. But your luck is finally about to run out." Wu slows him and accidentally knocks the Forward Time Blade to Krux.

"I am too weak to fight. Be careful with this weapon. But careful, Kai." Wu orders, as Kai goes to fight Krux. Acronix is freed and grabs a sword, but Lloyd and Jay got in between them.

"Not so fast!" Lloyd yells. 

"Well, look at this. A child pretending to be a big, brave hero." Acronix taunts. 

"Underestimating my fighting skills is a mistake," Lloyd replies. 

"Says the boy who fell off his Dragon." Acronix snarks. 

"Zane, Cole, Nya, Kaylee! Look out!" Lloyd yells as they each fight a Vermillion snake.

"See you soon, boy." Acronix smiles evilly.  

"Ice!" Zane yells, making some ice to let the Warriors slide down.

"Watch out for the bowling ball!" Kaylee yells, as she swings her rope into some Vermillion Warriors and sends them over the edge. "Strike!"

"Kai!" Kai gives Lloyd the Blade.

"Yield, boy. Ninjago shall be ours." Krux leers. 

"No. I won't give up!" Lloyd attacks Acronix and gets both Blades. "Sorry, but it's gonna be pretty hard to control Ninjago when you have absolutely none of the Time Blades." The Ninja cheer.

"Do not be blinded by pride, Ninja. Now is the time for the greatest vigilance." Wu says. "Ninja, look out!" Machia steals both Blades right from Lloyd's grasp.

"Oh, no." Jay gasps. 

"Oh, yes." Machia slows them down in a time bubble. "As I promised, the Time Blades are yours to keep."

"Indeed. And let's also take him." Acronix smiles, pointing at Sensei Wu.

"Brilliantly executed, Machia. Forward. We are wasting precious time." Krux orders. They take Wu with them.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Machia leers, as they fly away. 

"Wu! No! Be strong, Wu. It isn't over." Misako says as the Ninja are freed from the time bubble.

"All that fighting...just so we could end up losing everything." Kaylee starts. 

"Master Wu, both Time Blades..." Kai continues. 

"The Destiny's Bounty and our Temple." Cole gestures to the destroyed buildings. 

"They beat us. They won." Jay says.

"Even Samurai X has been destroyed," Zane says. 

"Maybe not." Nya comments, hopeful. 

"They didn't win. We lost because we got overconfident. We've got to regroup. They're gonna pay." Lloyd grumbles, kicking a helmet as Kai picks it up.

"The marking...this changes everything..."

"What changes everything?" Kaylee questions, looking over Kai's shoulder. 

"Er, nothing," Kai replies, taking the helmet away from Kaylee's sight.