Ninjago: Purpose and Meaning

1. Stuck in the Past

Nadine tried to stay calm. It was about all she had been doing for the past weeks.

For the past ten years, she lived as the leader of the Elemental Masters, which meant that she never knew what would happen the next day. She and her friends served as the protectors of Ninjago for a decade, all because the First Spinjitzu Master trusted them enough to give them an elemental power each.

Except for Nadine and Arashi that was. 

The First Spinjitzu Master had been careful with whom he entrusted an elemental power. The process he went through included going through their minds, with their permission, of course, making sure they wouldn't misuse the powers. He had done that with hundreds of people until he found enough souls that he thought were worthy.

But Nadine and Arashi had been different. The First Spinjitzu Master never had a say in whether they would get their powers. That choice was left to some unknown force that deemed them worthy, at least that was what Nadine believed. So the First Spinjitzu Master had to find them, the next Masters of Water and Wind, who would replace his closest friends, Nyad and Anguilae, the first Elemental Masters.

Nadine was starting to understand how tough it must have been to find her. 

Since Arashi, the Master of Wind, died, she had been searching for the one who would inherit his powers. It was the only way Nadine could find peace. She had to occupy her thoughts with something so she never had time to think. Because if she did, she could only think about how Arashi is dead because of her.

And that's why she had such a hard time staying calm when Nyad asked her the same thing as she had for weeks: "Isn't it time to take a break?"

Nadine groaned and sat down on the hot sand. "I can't," she said for what felt like the hundredth time. "If I do, I can only think about him." Nadine looked hopelessly at her predecessor. "I need to find him. I can't rest until I do."

Nyad stood still at the edge of the sea, her blue glowing body shaped out of the water all around her. Her white glowing eyes showed compassion and understanding with an edge of worry as the girl made of water observed the other closely. 

"I know what you're going through," she finally said, her eyes turned back to Nadine's. "I lost Anguilae while we fought Wojira." Nadine watched her closely. "I know it hurts, but you have to find a way to move on."

Nadine lowered her eyes to the sand, kicking at it helplessly. "I can't," she sighed. "It's my fault he died. I have to honor him."

Nyad sighed and nodded, smiling faintly as she remembered old times. 

"You know, the First Spinjitzu Master went through the same thing," Nyad continued, breaking the short silence. "He blamed himself for everything that ever happened to those around him, especially about Anguilae's death."

Nadine raised her eyes again, looking at the blue silhouette before her with curiosity.

She knew little about the First Spinjitzu Master's life before he created Ninjago. He had always been quiet and changed the subject almost every time it came up. But the people of Ninjago tried to piece together as much as possible about their 'saint'. They managed to piece together enough to have an idea of what his life looked like before he started his travel across the realms and after he created Ninjago, but nobody knew what happened between them. All they had was rumors.

When Nyad saw Nadine's interest she continued. "We had been fighting Wojira for..." She hesitated, trying to remember the details, "Three days I believe when it happened. The First Spinjitzu Master thought he saw a sign of Wojira tiring, and in his happiness, Wojira struck at him. Anguilae threw himself in Wojira's way and pushed the First Spinjitzu Master out of her way at the last moment, sacrificing himself for a near stranger."