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1* ActingForTwo:
2** Creator/BrianDrummond plays both Kruncha and Nuckal; the two skeletons who are never found without each other and are always arguing. This is especially entertaining in the short "The New Masters of Spinjitzu", as it focuses on them with only two lines spoken by others. Bet that was fun to record.
3** There are two cases of ninjas having the same voice actors as their parents: Creator/KirbyMorrow voices both Cole and his father Lou, while Vincent Tong voices both Kai and his father Ray.
4** Subverted in the case of Creator/ScottMcNeil, who does the voice of the Overlord as well as Clouse and Nadakhan the Djinn a few seasons later. Though the Overlord never meets the later characters, Clouse and Nadakahn do encounter each other at the start of Skybound.
5* ActorExistenceLimbo: While many characters [[BackForTheFinale return]] in ''Crystallized'' in both the overarching story and the final two episodes to help the Ninja, many of them go completely unvoiced.
6* ApprovalOfGod: Portraying Morro and Harumi as a couple in the Departed Realm got this: Tommy Andreason stated on Twitter that he ships them.
7* ChannelHop:
8** Creator/WildBrain (formerly DHX Media) took over from Wil Film starting with the eleventh season.
9** This happened twice to the Japanese dub. Initially, it aired on Animax until Season 3 concluded, before the show was moved to TV Tokyo until Season 7's own conclusion. The show was then moved again, this time to Magazine/CoroCoroComic's [=YouTube=] channel as a free online show.
10* ContentLeak: Future waves of the toyline often leak during a season, which sometimes spoils significant plot points:
11** ''Hunted'', Season 9, had images of its toyline leaked online during Season 8, many of which spoiled half of the Ninja being trapped in another dimension, as well as Harumi's [[spoiler:[[EvilAllAlong true allegiance]]]].
12** Season 15, ''Crystallized'', due to the toyline having leaked before its intended Summer 2022 release, it spoiled the return of several prior major villains, namely the Skull Sorceror, Pythor, Aspheera, and [[spoiler:Harumi]]. It also featured the Crystal King, the BigBad of the arc, which gave away that [[spoiler:the Overlord was returning after an eight year absence.]]
13** The names for episodes in the second half of ''Crystalized'' were shown on Sky Go TV well before they were actually intended to be released.
14** In relation to ''Crystalized'', a week before the season's final part would be released on Netflix, Episodes 13 through 24 were suddenly released on LEGO's Youtube channel in Cantonese before they were region locked, and eventually taken down.
15* CreatorBacklash: Tommy Andreasen, when [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1527708490290053125 asked]] how he felt about LEGO releasing the first twelve episodes of Season 15 online on their own Youtube channel, said he wasn't informed about it and feels it wasn't "optimal", and later became frustrated when the second half ended up being leaked.
16* CrossDressingVoices: Lloyd was originally voiced by Creator/JillianMichaels, but was replaced by Creator/SamuelVincent from Season 8 onward. The same thing is done in many other dubs. Some avert it by having him voiced by a man since the beginning of the show, but uniquely, in the Japanese dub, Lloyd is still voiced by Creator/ErikoMatsui, a woman, even after Season 8. In the same dub, this trope also strangely applies to Cole, being voiced by Fuko Saito.
17* DiedDuringProduction: Creator/KirbyMorrow tragically passed away in November 2020, only a month after the 13th season had finished airing. While it was revealed that [[https://twitter.com/LEGO_Group/status/1331590990596083713 Morrow had recorded all his dialogue for the following season]], it was later announced that Cole's new voice actor would be Creator/AndrewFrancis from Season 15 onward.
18* FoilerFootage: Tommy Andreason, on AprilFoolsDay 2022, revealed a [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1509866469982572547 picture]] regarding ''Crystallized'', which [[TeasingCreator hinted]] this trope in action, albeit with the caveat that two bits of information in the picture are true and one is a lie; the lyrics to the Weekend Whip will be important, an insignificant potted plant will help the heroes save the day, and that the writers and toy-designers collaborated to include characters and objects in the sets that will ''not'' appear in the season. [[spoiler:Turns out the first two were true, as Garmadon’s attachment to a plant he was raising to learn compassion and care helped him help the Ninja, and the lyrics to the Weekend Whip “Jump up, kick back, whip around and spin” were part of the instructions to unlocking the Ninja’s [[EleventhHourSuperpower Dragon Forms]]. It's very likely this was done to attempt to cast doubt on how accurate ''Crystallized'''s sets (which had been the victim of numerous leaks) would be.]]
19* FlipFlopOfGod: To explain season 8's character design changes which resulted from the movie, the writers used the previous season's time travel plot to imply the ButterflyEffect is what changed the ninja's appearances, which meant the ninja themselves unaware of the change. The writers [[https://twitter.com/brothershageman/status/941004237885992960 confirmed on Twitter]] that this was the case, but Tommy Andreasen [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1017109278128328705 has stated]] that there is no in-universe explanation. The show itself aligns more with Andreasen's interpretation, because the ninja have their original designs in flashbacks and old photos, which would not be the case if time travel had changed history so they had always had their new appearances. Additionally, the later mini-movie written by Andreasen entitled "Elemental Rider" had the characters stating that they used to look different.
20* GodDoesNotOwnThisWorld: While Tommy Andreasen often [[WordOfGod explained]] certain aspects of the setting, he noted that it was likely to be overridden by other canon material. He also requested fans no longer ask questions to him about the show after ''Crystallized'' ended, due to having left to work on other projects, and thus has no say over the direction of later entries such as ''Dragons Rising''.
21* InMemoriam: The 2021 episodes were dedicated to Kirby Morrow, the dedication being seen in the ''Seabound'' finale, "The Turn of the Tide".
22* TheOtherDarrin:
23** Creator/MackenzieGray portrayed Mystake in Seasons 1 and 2, with Creator/MarkOliver taking on the role in a flashback in Season 4, and Creator/TabithaStGermain took over the role in Seasons 8 and 9.
24** Creator/SamuelVincent replaces Creator/JillianMichaels from Season 8 onward. When asked about it, Tommy Andreason said they were going a different direction with Lloyd that necessitated a less "boyish" voice.
25** Clutch Powers is played by Creator/IanJamesCorlett rather than Creator/RyanMcPartlin, his actor in ''WesternAnimation/LegoTheAdventuresOfClutchPowers'', due to Ryan not likely having Canadian citizenship.
26** Due to his death in 2020, Creator/AndrewFrancis replaces Creator/KirbyMorrow from Season 15 onward.
27** Aspheera was played by Pauline Newstone in Season 11, but is portrayed by Creator/KathleenBarr in ''Crystallized''.
28* PostScriptSeason: Season 2, called "The Final Battle", more or less wraps up the story, redeeming Garmadon, defeating The Overlord, and Lloyd having fulfilled his destiny. Due to the success of the toyline, however, the series was renewed for a third season, ''Ninjago: Rebooted'', with the show having a fifteen season run until 2022.
29* RealitySubtext: The ''Seabound'' season ends with a funeral for one of the ninja, specifically [[spoiler:Nya after her HeroicSacrifice]]. The season also happened to be the final one Cole's voice actor, Creator/KirbyMorrow, recorded prior to passing away, with the end featuring a [[InMemoriam dedication]] to him.
30* RecastAsARegular: Creator/AndrewFrancis, who played Shade and Morro, [[TheOtherDarrin replaced]] Kirby Morrow as Cole in Season 15 and later ''WesternAnimation/NinjagoDragonsRising'' after Kirby passed away.
31* RereleasedForFree: Seasons 1-7 of ''Masters of Spinjitzu'' are viewable for free on {{Creator/Tubi}}.
32* ScrewedByTheNetwork: Every time there's a new season, Cartoon Network barely attempts to promote it. Once it's done showing the new season, the show goes back to the grave.
33* ShortRunInPeru: The entirety of season 7 aired everywhere else in the world in early 2017 (with Finland being the first to do so in January) ''except'' English-speaking countries. The [=USA=] ended up being the last country to air the episodes in May. This instance is particularly notable since even the show creators expressed frustration about having to wait for Cartoon Network to broadcast them (mainly due to the American network [[AdoredByTheNetwork/TeenTitansGo being obsessed with a certain show]]), not to mention the fact that the episodes are usually dubbed in English before being translated into other languages.
34* ShowAccuracyToyAccuracy:
35** Kai's hairpiece in the ''Rebooted'' sets slightly differs from the show, being less "sharp" and covering the head a bit more. This was presumably done due to the difficulty in replicating the show's hairstyle (which covers the head less and sticks up a bit differently.). Everybody else's hairpieces in the toyline, however, are accurate to the series, due to all of the pieces having been used before. After ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGONinjagoMovie'' came out, and elements of the film designs [[{{Retcanon}} started being used in the main toyline]], Kai's hair now matches his toy version.
36** The Ice Emperor has a facemask in the series similar to Samurai X, but in the toyline the facemask is printed on, with the Ice Emperor using a [[PaletteSwap recolored]] Blizzard Samurai helmet.
37** The Skull Sorcerer's mask in the show does not resemble his toyline counterpart, with the mask just having two eyeholes, compared to the show having complex skull indentations and glowing eyes.
38* SpiritualSuccessor: Could be considered this to ''Toys/LEGOExoForce'', LEGO's previous line of {{animesque}} building sets.
39** Is also this to Bionicle, seeing as it's about beings with elemental powers defending a world that becomes more technologically advanced as the story continues, with a strong focus on working together, doing what must be done for the betterment of all, and, ultimately, finding one's destiny. Both of them were also lines only intended to run for a couple of years, but ended up becoming evergreen franchises for Lego.
40* SpoiledByTheMerchandise:
41** More than a few times over the course of the series, but particularly in the case of Samurai X, with both the identity of the original and [[LegacyCharacter their successor]], with the ''Sons of Garmadon'' sets coming out about a month before the season starting revealing the second Samurai X was [[spoiler:P.I.X.A.L.]] [[IKnewIt Although most of the fanbase had already guessed that.]]
42** Averted with [[spoiler: Harumi in regards to her identity as the Quiet One, due to her princess attire being the only minifigure of hers released in the "Sons of Garmadon" sets, keeping her true identity hidden, while her "Quiet One" attire is exclusive to the "Dragon Hunters" sets (AKA Season 9)]].
43** The toyline for Season 15, ''Crystallized'', freely showcases the LegionOfDoom of prior villains, which includes Pythor, Aspheera, the Mechanic, the Skull Sorceror, and [[spoiler:Harumi]], the last of whom is a major plot twist. The series also features the villain, the Crystal King, whose entire design gave away his identity as [[spoiler:the Overlord.]]
44* ShrugOfGod: When asked if the Overlord was an Oni in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlaEKkl0cPA&t=147s an interview]] with Brent Miller, Tommy Andreason said that it's "open for interpretation".
45* StaffCreatedFanWork: Tommy Andreason, one of the co-creators, works on fanfiction for the show that tie up loose ends, though are noted to be "could-be" canon, and he's stated that some of the content of them would likely never be allowed in the series proper by LEGO.
46* StudioHop: Following ''March of the Oni'', the show switched production from [=WILFilm ApS=] to ''Creator/WildBrain''. With their tenure from ''Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu'' onward, the show dropped the "Masters of Spinjitzu" subtitle and switched from 22 minute episodes to 11 minute ones.
47* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
48** One very early design concept for the Ninja has a quintet that includes a moon ninja, a storm ninja, and a water ninja, the lattermost of which was eventually worked into the final show in the form of Nya gaining water powers.
49** Zane's name was originally going to be Whitman.
50** Likewise, Kai was originally called Dante.
51** Nya was going to be called Aya and she would have been the master of air.
52** [[https://twitter.com/brothershageman/status/938136860152360960 A beat sheet]] for the pilot episodes from January 2010 has a similar plot structure to the version that aired a year later, but still has drastic differences.
53*** Cole is the only character whose name is finalized. Kai, Nya, Zane, Jay, Samukai and Garmadon are instead called Ash, Aura, Wynn, Rayne, Grim and Demic; Wu goes unnamed in this draft.
54*** Reaching the Scythe of Quakes would have required solving a "riddle of crest", as opposed to just noticing that the Skullkin are searching in the wrong place.
55*** The dragons would have been tamed in the third act of the story instead of the fourth. Notably, Cole takes the lead in getting the Earth dragon under control; in the final version, he's afraid of dragons and it's Kai who has the idea to befriend them.
56*** Instead of the Ninja letting the Golden Weapons-created portal close on its own, they follow Demic/Garamdon through it and end up in a futuristic city. Wu is left behind to tell Kai's sister that he isn't returning.
57** The Scythe of Quakes was originally going to be a hammer. While the show remained consistent with the Golden Weapon being a scythe, after Season 8, he would [[RefittedForSequel wield a hammer]] to have synergy with the 2017 film adaptation, and sporadically wields it as the show goes on.
58** Lord Garamdon was originally planned to be the one to release the Serpentine instead of his son.
59** [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1158409151246213121 Originally, the show was considered to end with Season 7]], and would have ended differently than in the actual show. Rather than Wu sabotaging the Iron Doom and sending the Time Twins to an unknown point in time, the Time Twins would have willingly gone centuries into the future in an attempt to find an era where the Ninja have long since died off. However, they not only end up just ''forty'' years in the future, but end up right next to a visibly older Kai (who is near-identical to his reflection from the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master in Season 5), who quickly disables the Iron Doom and locks them up in a technologically-advanced successor to Kryptarium Prison (that would have been laced with chronosteel, the same material the Time Blades are made from, in order to render the Time Twins powerless once more). The rest of the Ninja (also resembling their reflections) appear, and the series ends with them discussing their past adventures as they walk off[[note]]It's not been specified whether this idea was scrapped due to the show's popularity, the recent release of the movie, or the creators simply having second thoughts on ending it[[/note]].
60*** In addition, the Ninja (sans maybe Zane given he's a Nindroid) were planned to [[BabiesEverAfter have children who'd appear after the 40-year]] TimeSkip. Said children would have developed their elemental powers by now.
61** For "Dead Man's Squall" in Season 8, a new track was meant to be made to fit the tone of the ColdOpen and intro with Zane nearly being beaten to death by Mr. E, but was [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/977500419659313153 ultimately decided against at the last second]] after a realization that "Built to Protect" (The song of Zane's sacrifice in Season 3) would fit as a CallBack to Zane's death back then, and even synchronized with the opening.
62** Mr E. was originally going to be revealed to be Echo Zane, upgraded by [[spoiler:Harumi]], but it was cut from Season 9 due to so many major plot developments taking place in that time span and being too difficult to fit in. Tommy Andreasen didn't care much for the idea anyway, thinking it wouldn't have made much sense for Echo Zane to defeat Zane.
63** The main show writers, the Hageman brothers, contemplated having Hutchins return later in season 8 and the Ninja would've concluded that he was The Quiet One but he was only a RedHerring and that he "would've made a killer ally".
64** Among Garmadon's proposed names were the name he got and "Demic" (derived from "Pandemic"), the latter of which was the name the Hageman Brothers and Tommy Andreason wanted to use, but they [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1164196883524390912 couldn't get legal clearance to use it]], and thus they were stuck with Garmadon.
65** Jay's mother was [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/1254764492313034752 considered]] to have a major role in ''Prime Empire'', powering the game in some way, but this idea was never implemented in the final show.
66** Tommy Andreasen revealed in an interview that a slightly different, DarkerAndEdgier ending was originally planned for the final season. [[spoiler: Garmadon would actually die instead of having a fake-out death, and Lloyd, consumed by grief, would assume his Oni form, destroy the Overlord all by himself and take his throne, [[FaceHeelTurn becoming the show's final antagonist]]. The other ninja would eventually defeat him and turn him back to light, and the rest of the ending would be roughly similar to the final one]].
67** [[spoiler:Harumi]] was supposed to [[BackFromTheDead come back]] as a cyborg with spider-like elements. This was scrapped when the crew learned of the Spider Queen from ''WesternAnimation/MonkieKid'', with the character instead being revived as they originally were.
68** Tommy Andreasen also revealed that [[spoiler: Nadakhan]] was meant to be part of the Council of the Crystal King, but this was dropped due to his return being "too complicated" to explain. [[spoiler: Eventually, the plan was that Clutch Powers would drop the Teapot of Tyrahn and thus, freeing Nadakhan, allowing the djinn to join the Council.]]
69* WordOfGod: The show's creators, specifically Tommy Andreasen, often answer questions about the show on Twitter and sometimes other platforms. Some examples:
70** The Overlord can [[CompleteImmortality never truly die]], due to being part of Ninjago's BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil. [[spoiler:This factoid was later explicitly confirmed in the show itself, with the Overlord returning in ''Crystallized''.]]
71** Jay using the Wind element during [[Recap/NinjagoS1E10TheGreenNinja The Green Ninja]] was a mistake that wasn't meant to be there. [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/877917442042806272]]
72** The Ninja don't use Airjitzu and their Energy Dragons from Season 8 onward so as not to make them too overpowered. [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/965843818204540928]]
73** [[spoiler:Zane was at least 40 years old when his original body was destroyed. [[https://twitter.com/TommyAndreasen/status/779339605929779200]]]]
74** [[spoiler:Time does not [[YearInsideHourOutside pass slower]] in the Never-Realm, rather, Zane was also sent around 60 years into the past when he was banished. [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ninjago/images/d/da/TommyAndreasenZaneTimeline.png]]]]
75* WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants: The main show writers, the Hageman brothers, admitted in a interview with Creator/BrentMiller to doing this in seasons 1-3 due to the show's fast-paced production schedule at the time.

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