The Lean of a Tree

“Would you name a flower from the shape of its seed? Know the lean of a tree before it is planted? The mystical nature of your sudden aging stunted your powers. The potential has not fully blossomed.”

The Lean of a Tree (also known as Fate Brought You Here[1]) is the second episode of the fourth season of Ninjago: Dragons Rising and the 62nd episode overall.

Synopsis

Synopsis[]

LEGO's YouTube Channel[]

Full episode[]

In this full episode, Sora and Frak are drawn by the siren call of a mysterious land and find themselves stranded. Can Wyldfyre and Riyu save them? Meanwhile, Lloyd and Jay face big questions about who they are meant to be, and Jay must confront his forgotten past.[2]

Lloyd Loses His Destiny?![]

In this clip from LEGO Ninjago, Lloyd faces the Arc Dragon in a tense encounter! The dragon says he ignored his calling, the first Green Ninja ever to neglect his duties! How will Lloyd respond, and can he reclaim his destiny?[3]

Streaming services[]

Netflix[]

Lloyd begins to grasp his true purpose, while Kai, Nya and Jay desperately look for a way out when they discover they're trapped in a giant creature.[4]

ITVX[]

The young Ninja struggle to find a way out of paradise, while Lloyd and Jay separately grapple with who they are meant to be.[5]

Extended[]

While in the Whispering Wood, Lloyd learns the secrets of the Green Ninja and why he may have missed his calling. Meanwhile, the young Ninja fall victim to the siren call of the mysterious land where they are stranded. And while Jay, Nya and Kai fight dangers outside this mysterious new Monastery, Jay determines that it's time he faces his forgotten past.[6]

Plot

Plot[]

Jay finds himself taunted by his failures in a vision

Jay finds himself taunted by his failures in a vision

While meditating, Kai and Nya tell Jay that they are glad to see Jay again as the rest of the team appear to embrace Jay. However, the ninja start morphing into some of his enemies and tell him that he is a failure. Jay eventually awakens from his meditation to Nya and Kai sitting with him around a campfire. Jay vents his frustrations about not finding any answers in his meditation. They decide to move on from the monastery even though it is not yet light. However, once they leave the monastery, they realize that the ground is squishy for some reason and also that there are slug monsters in the air.

The Arc Dragon of Life confronts Lloyd

The Arc Dragon of Life confronts Lloyd

Meanwhile Lloyd, Arin and Euphrasia are being confronted by the Arc Dragon of Life. It accuses Lloyd of abandoning the Whispering Wood. Lloyd tries to explain that he has never even heard of the Whispering Wood but the Arc Dragon then accuses him of lying. It also reveals that Lloyd is not the first Green Ninja. The Arc Dragon tells Lloyd that all of the previous Green Ninja felt the call to the Whispering Wood when they came of age. Lloyd then realizes that the reason he never felt the call is because of the incident with Tomorrow's Tea, which caused him to skip most of his childhood. The Arc Dragon of Life then apologizes because it had not realized what happened, and no one could blame Lloyd for not feeling the call to the Wood.

Wyldfyre tries to convince Sora and Frak to move on

Wyldfyre tries to convince Sora and Frak to move on

Elsewhere, Sora and Frak are sitting by the river in the Land of Eternal Dawn while Wyldfyre and Riyu are nearby. Wyldfyre tries to convince Sora and Frak to go back to the Monastery of Spinjitzu to discover why her powers were malfunctioning. Sora pointed out that her and Frak's powers were also acting strange, but they were choosing not to worry about it. Wyldfyre dismissed this, bragging that her own abilities were actually cool, adding that she wouldn't be bothered either if her only talents were shaking the ground or building robot vacuums. Frak urged Wyldfyre to relax, reminding her that they had earned a vacation after just defeating Thunderfang. Sora agreed and questioned how they could even leave if they wanted to, noting that they had not seen anyone else and had no way to contact the other ninja. However, as she thought about the rest of the team, she hoped that everyone was okay and admitted they should probably find a way back. Just as they debated how to proceed, a sudden rustling came from the nearby bushes. Wyldfyre and Riyu prepare to fight whoever it is, only for a group of cats to emerge from the greenery. While Sora reacted with pure delight at the sight of the felines, Frak panicked, as he was highly allergic to cats. However, as the cats approached him, he realized he felt completely fine and wondered if his allergies had somehow been cured. Sora happily declared the place to be perfect, annoying Wyldfyre and Riyu.

The slug monsters soon start attacking Jay, Nya, and Kai. However, their elemental powers are still not working. One of the creatures starts carrying off Nya and Jay has to abandon his Dragon Mech to chase after the creature because a giant tentacle had grabbed onto the Dragon's foot. One of the tentacles ends up saving Nya in trying to catch her for itself. Jay reveals he doesn't think that this is a cave and tells everyone to hold on to something right before a giant gust of wind comes through. Jay tells them that they are in a Quealiche's stomach, giant creatures that burrow through the Land of Madness. They then all hop on the Mech Dragon to start flying towards the mouth of the Quealiche.

Back in the Whispering Wood, an Acona offers Euphrasia a flower before Euphrasia goes to sit next to Arin, who looks worried. Arin tells her that he is worried for Lloyd because of all of the new information Lloyd is hearing all of a sudden. Euphrasia tells Arin that he is the only one without Elemental Powers. Arin thinks she is rubbing it in, but Euphrasia tells him that now it is a good thing because Arin has never depended on an Elemental Power and so has not lost any skills. On another level of the tree house hideout, the Arc Dragon of Life describes the Ritual of Unrooting to Lloyd. It tells him that it is the cleansing of the pathways that Source Dragon energy flows through. It also tells Lloyd that it may help explain his powers, but that he is too old to perform the ritual. It then reveals to Lloyd that some of the Source Dragons have withdrawn their connection to the Merged Lands, causing Elemental Powers to be unreliable as their Source Energy no longer nourishes the land. And with one of them being the Source Dragon of Life, the decline of the Whispering Wood has hastened. Lloyd realized that the ninja summoning the Arc Dragon of Focus had contributed to this, angering the Source Dragons. The Arc Dragon of Life emphasizes that the Ritual of Unrooting can restore balance by overcoming the withdrawn Source Energy, thus fixing everything. Despite feeling overwhelmed by prophecies and destiny throughout his life, Lloyd resolved to perform the ritual to stabilize the Source Energy and save the Whispering Wood.

As Jay, Kai, and Nya searched for a way out of the Quealiche's mouth, Kai complained about the worsening smell. Suddenly, massive tentacles struck, capturing the Mech Dragon and sending Kai into a panic. Undeterred, Jay quickly formulated a plan, instructing Nya and Kai to use their powers to upset the Quealiche's stomach. Nya sprang into action, attacking the tentacles with water, but Kai hesitated and failed to use his powers. With no other options, Jay activated the Mech Dragon's self-destruct, bidding a sorrowful farewell to his friend. Confused, Kai asked who Jay was addressing, but before he could get an answer, Jay grabbed both of them and jumped away just as the Mech Dragon exploded. Nya offered her sympathy, recognizing Jay's attachment to the Mech Dragon, but Jay admitted that his love for life took precedence. Their moment of victory was cut short by a deep rumble, and Jay revealed that his plan had worked, urging the others to prepare. Kai, in a panic, asked what they were preparing for, only to be answered by a massive wave of stomach contents that swept them away. The chaos awakened two Earth Dragons in the Land of Madness, and the Quealiche erupted from the surface, violently expelling the ninja and the Monastery of Madness. Nya expressed her disgust but was impressed that the plan had actually worked. Covered in slime, Kai groaned about the messiness of being with Jay. However, Jay cautioned them not to celebrate just yet, as they noticed the furious Earth Dragons, which Kai nervously identified as the same ones in conflict with the Craglings. Nya confirmed their identity, noting their anger at being disturbed.

Meanwhile, Wyldfyre searches for a way out of the Land of Eternal Dawn while Sora and Frak are more focused on the cats. She asks Sora how she is supposed to guide them out when it is dawn in every direction. Sora suggests that maybe they are not supposed to leave. Wyldfyre demands to know where the cats even came from, but Sora tells her to just enjoy something for once instead of questioning it. Suddenly, Frak spots a plant filled with pies and runs over to eat from it. After noting that the pies are a little cold, a campfire instantly appears out of nowhere. Frak is confused but gladly accepts it. Wyldfyre grows suspicious and asks if they find it strange that their favorite things—pies and cats—suddenly appeared out of thin air. Riyu grumbles while trying to shake some of the cats off himself, but Sora and Frak simply reply no. Angered, Wyldfyre, declaring that pies do not grow on bushes and Wyldmelons cannot grow outside the Wyldness, stating that the place is full of tricks. Riyu then sniffs the air as he senses something. Seeing this, Wyldfyre believed that might lead to a way out. She urges the others to follow Riyu instead. As they leave, the cats suddenly vanish, revealing that they were merely illusions.

As the Earth Dragons attack, Jay questions why he associates with Kai and Nya. The dragons attack Jay's mech, causing it to self-destruct. Jay ejects just in time. Kai jokes that Jay is running out of things to blow up as the mech detonates. The trio sprints away with the dragons following. However, they run into a ravine. Kai and Nya seamlessly use Spinjitzu to vault the gap. Kai yells for Nya to follow, but Nya notices that Jay is still on the other side. Trapped at the edge, Jay tries to use Spinjitzu but fails. Kai and Nya return. Jay insists he is fine, but Kai shouts for an "Over-under" maneuver. A confused Jay stammers, but Kai slides him under a dragon. Nya asks what to do next. Kai sarcastically suggests an apology, but Nya snaps that the dragons are chasing him. Kai tells her to use the dragons' anger against them. Nya taunts one dragon, yelling that she has seen bigger horns on a tricycle. Kai joins in, calling them "Barf Dragons." Enraged, the dragons blindly charge. Kai and Nya use Spinjitzu to dodge while Nya grabs Jay as the dragons slam into each other. The dragons then retreat. Laughing, Kai asks Jay if the teamwork jogged any memories. Jay snaps back no, noting that Kai and Nya know each other's thoughts with a look. He laments that he cannot even do Spinjitzu, the bare minimum for a ninja, even noting that Arin, who has no elemental powers, can do it. Kai reassures him that everyone trains because there is always room to grow. Jay explains that he hated the Administration, lost in the Tournament of the Sources, and was only a mediocre bounty hunter. Jay declares he wants no more failures. He states that to be a ninja, he must be a great one, which is why he must remember his past. Nya gently promises they will help him, bringing a smile to Jay's face.

Following Riyu's scent, Wyldfyre, Sora, and Frak discover a mysterious black pit. Convinced that the Land of Eternal Dawn is trying to keep them trapped with comforting illusions, Wyldfyre insists that the pit must be their only escape. Sora and Frak, still tempted by the realm's endless comforts, refuse to jump in, believing there is no reason to leave. Determined to save them from the land's deception, Wyldfyre forcefully pushes Sora and Frak into the pit. The two narrowly avoid falling by clinging to the edge, and Sora uses her Grapple Gun to pull herself and Frak back to safety. As Wyldfyre's frustration boils over, she attacks them, convinced they have been fooled by the realm. Although Sora and Frak manage to restrain her with the Grapple Gun, Wyldfyre reveals she had expected them to work together. At that moment, Riyu intervenes by shoving all three of them into the pit, forcing the group to leave the Land of Eternal Dawn together.

Meanwhile, at the Tree House Hideout, the Arc Dragon of Life tells Lloyd that the Temple of the Green Ninja, hidden deep within the Whispering Wood, is where he must undergo the Rite of Unrooting. The dragon explains that the temple is concealed even from the forest itself and can only be found by those it chooses to call. Although the Arc Dragon warns that the journey to the temple will be dangerous and filled with hardship, Lloyd remains resolute. Undeterred by the warning, he vows to continue his quest, determined to complete the Ritual of Unrooting and save the Whispering Wood.

Wyldfyre, Sora, Frak, and Riyu emerge from a fountain in Umbrasilvis. As they recover, Sora and Frak realize that the strange realm had manipulated them with comforting illusions, while Wyldfyre concludes that her dragon heritage and Riyu's instincts protected them from its influence. The group soon notices that the townspeople react fearfully to their arrival, shutting their doors as the four explore the city. Sora spots an airship bearing the Explorer's Club emblem and suggests asking its crew for help returning to Ninjago. Frak is reluctant, believing the explorers would be too busy to assist them, but before they can leave, they encounter members of the Explorer's Club. To Sora and Wyldfyre's surprise, Frak recognizes one of them as his father, Reginald, awkwardly greeting him after their unexpected reunion.

Appearances

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Cast[]

Non-speaking[]

Mentioned[]

Creatures[]

Items[]

Vehicles[]

Events[]

Locations[]

Species[]

Trivia

Trivia[]

Cultural references[]

  • Jay discovering he, Kai, and Nya are inside a Quealiche's stomach is similar to Han discovering he, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO are inside an Exogorth's stomach in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, even including the flying monsters inside and the ground being soft and squishy.

Continuity[]

Errors[]

  • Lloyd says his element doesn't burn like fire or shock like lightning. However, it has shown these properties in "Game of Masks", when Lloyd makes a green fire and "The Message", where he used lightning-like energy to power the Titan Mech.
    • It's possible that he means that they may not feel exactly the way the Elemental Powers of Creation did back when he was able to use them.
Videos

Videos[]

Translations

Translations[]

The Lean of a Tree[]

Language Name
Arabic انحناء الشجرة
Chinese (Simplified) 树的倾斜角度
Czech Sklon stromu
Dutch Hoe een Boom Groeit
French Le rituel de déracinement
German Die Neigung eines Baumes
Italian La revelazione del bosco
Japanese ささやきの森、グリーン・ニンジャの使命
Portuguese (Brazil) A Inclinação de uma Árvore
Spanish (Latin America) La Inclinación de un Árbol
Spanish (Spain) La inclinación de un árbol

Fate Brought You Here[]

Language Name
Arabic القدر ساقك إلى هنا
Chinese (Simplified) 命运将你带到这里
Czech Přivedl tě osud
Dutch Het lot heeft je hier gebracht
Spanish (Latin America) El Destino te Trajo Aquí
Spanish (Spain) El Destino te Trajo Aquí
Turkish Seni Buraya Kader Getirdi
References

References[]

  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/dw-Cznf1gi4?feature=shared (title and description)
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw-Cznf1gi4
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SnDAa03CJc
  4. ↑ https://www.netflix.com/title/81519765
  5. ↑ https://www.itv.com/watch/ninjago-dragons-rising/10a4725/10a4725a0062
  6. ↑ https://www.nowtv.com/ie/online/ninjago-dragons-rising/iYEQYZfjU8Mz2WENgF78Pw/seasons/4/episodes/the-lean-of-a-tree-episode-2/A5EK3TJRBXpvSEfgS4MaJ
  7. ↑ https://bsky.app/profile/docwyattbeyond.bsky.social/post/3mkstaut3rs2l