Worst part is how Jay's birth mother was originally going to be part of this season's plot, but got scrapped. And then re used for Cole in Master of the Mountain.

I agree with everything in this video. What frustrates me the most about Prime Empire is how Jay got virtually no focus whatsoever, except for in a few episodes. I really wish the season's main storyline was about Jay and Unagami's dynamic, as Unagami could have been a perfect foil for Jay. If Jay's feelings about his biological parents had been explored throughout the season, and if Unagami was a much more prominent villain, I think it would have created a much more interesting and compelling conflict.

What irked me is how Jay went into the game. He knew it was dangerous but still put the chip in. They really could’ve explored his powers and show how powerful they are. His lightning could’ve been the final step to get the game going. Making him integral. The game would run on his power. Lightning is a cool element but they never explore it. Couldn’t even use it in the game.

The biggest missed potential is the removed plot of Jays Mom helping making Prime Empire

Fun Fact: Tommy Andreason shared on Twitter that Prime Empire planned to have Jay’s Biological Mother who is the original master of lightning introduced in hands of time have her lightning power be used to create prime empire and that Milton Dyer was still working on the game This was scrapped due to this plot point was connected to older parts of the series and would make enjoying the season for newer viewers harder to enjoy

Maybe instead of the racer 7 episode they should have focused on Scott the whole time he said that he wouldn’t race maybe the episode could have built up to him making that decision to race and in the end sacrifice himself during the race to help the ninja I feel like that would have been a way better pay off for Scott

I like that Prime Empire was where The Mechanic was officially christened as a top tier rogue instead of “That guy with a FOOKIN FLAMETHROWER AS AN ARM.”

I agree with your points, but this season was still pretty good. A few counterpoints: 1. I actually really liked when Cole and Kai both got cubed at the same time during the race, when I first watched it when it aired I was literally shocked. Yeah obviously we know they weren't dead, but in video game terms they were. I think cubing was a way to kill characters without actually going through with it, which I usually hate, but this made the stakes feel higher because that was a rule of the world. I didn't think they'd go through with cubing the Ninja, especially two at once. 2. I also really loved the end conversation with Jay and Onigami. I agree it was quick and came out of nowhere, but that's what I liked about it. When Jay started trying to get through to Onigami, I thought to myself "wow, this is the part where the hero gets through to the villian... how's Jay gonna do that? He has nothing in common with Onigami..." then BAM, they hit us with the reminder that Jay was adopted, AND HE FELT ABANDONED?? I feel like it didn't need to be expanded on, because Jay never talks about it, he doesn't WANT to talk about it... heck, Nya's probably the only one who knows he's adopted because Skybound got erased. Learning that this still affected Jay and he was using it to connect to the literal villain of the season was heart wrenching.

The Mechanic was incredible. The season could have had a brand new character as the secondary antagonist but they turned a background villain on par with Soto, Fugi-Dove, & Miss Demeanor and made him on par with Samukai, Skales, Kozu, Cryptor, Mr. E, etc

Honestly the most memorable thing about this season is that in the first episode clutch Powers finds the Teapot of Tyrahn and I’m still waiting for that to come back in someway. They have been teasing the Teapot of Tyrahn since season 11 with it constantly appearing in the background so I really this build up gets a payoff at some point

The thing about season 11 to prime empire is that these first 3 wildbrain seasons don't really focus that much on the box art ninjas. The fire and ice chapter should have focused on kai and zane and while yes they both had their moments, Lloyd really did get a lot more. Even with prime empire, it barely focuses on jay and again Lloyd gets the spotlight. For example, Lloyd and Racer 7 subplot, Lloyd vs Harumi, Lloyd and Okino. Jay only really gets the last 2 eps. He has no real connection to Unagami. They could've made Unagami something closer to Jay. Maybe make him Echo Zane, and make him mad that he abandoned him at the lighthouse. Make him remember the events of skybound. I don't know just make the villain and Jay connect more. I still love this season tho, probably the best ninjago soundtrack in a while and the world is beautiful. Overall, not bad at all but could've really been way better.

I honestly was hoping Jay would have been more of a main focus of the season it had the potential to update the fans more on jay and his parents etc also feel like Scott needed more focus

There should have been a lot of focus on free will of robots. Zane and PIXAL could have gotten a lot of focus in this aspect.

Here’s a fact about characters like Scott; He is based on the real life person who died a few years ago. His name is first seen in the credits of “Endings”. As I would go off to check out Ninjago updates like I would always do 2017 (after Hands of Time) - 2020 (during Prime Empire) and then I noticed the character Scott. I began to learn that he was based on that character. And he isn’t the only one based on someone who’s passed. Antonia was based on a Ninjago fan of the same name who was sick and died sometime possibly sometime around 2019. She made her debut in the Secrets of Forbidden Spinjitzu episode “The News Never Sleeps”. One of the things I really don’t like about the season 11 hate is that it ignored the fact on what inspired Antonia as a character. Another example is Jake, he appeared in “Powerless” an episode of the same season. Jake in real life was a kid who had cancer and died in 2021. The fact on how they’ve made these dead people into characters to honour them, shows how much they truly care.

I would’ve liked if Unagami was the final boss of the game with an awesome fight with Jay, only for Jay to die and Unagami flees. But then it’s revealed that he had an extra life item given to him by Scott

Alright, here we go: For me, this season by far in a way exceeded my every expectations, and reached far beyond its potential. A videogame season? Should have sucked. But they made every right choice, and made a take on this concept that is not only great for Ninjago, but revolutionary to this genre as a whole. MY ARGUMENTS: The beginning of the season is a though-provoking, grounded, thrilling mystery. People are going missing, the Ninja are figuring it out bit by bit, as the Mechanic stands by and smiles. Already taking the right first steps. Then we have the NPCs. Wow. Just wow. Okino’s story is beautiful. The painful trial and error of failing his masters? The last hope with the Ninja? Discovering his life is a lie? Deciding between serving Unagami, seeing the real world and having freedom OR saving his friends. What an ultimatum. And Racer Seven. Amazing episode. The way they convey her story, being programmed to lose. It’s heart-breaking. We get the same message, in a new format. You are in control. You can break your programming. And not to forget Scott’s great arc as well. This season succeeds in being different by giving side characters time to shine. Their stories help push the entire story on (Unagami/Dyer’s story - which is also beautiful) but with way more focus than the usual half-hearted attempts in other seasons, which are already struggling to find time to develop the main cast. People knock this season because the Ninja don’t develop. Well, that’s one of its biggest strengths. Instalment after instalment, how much development can they get? At what point does it become forced? I enjoy a season that doesn’t need forced arcs for Ninja that have already overcome their problems. It also doesn’t need to add any new lore or history to Ninjago’s already convoluted past, which gets more and more ridiculous as new seasons pile on. So let’s appreciate this season, for amazing visuals, amazing music, and a self-contained, deep, heartfelt story. A story that needs no further conclusion in later seasons. A story that needs no forced placement into Ninjago’s timeline. Take that, “videogame season”.

I agree with all of this, the time skip in between the ninja finding Jay and the introduction of Okino is like those KZfaqrs that are like "so I done some building off camera" and it makes no sense. What really bugs me of every Jay season is the other ninja always have to be written off/temporary killed in order for his time to shine. In an early concept of Prime Empire, Jay's biological mother was originally going to be more focused on by her powers powering up the game. Jay's relation to Unagami by also being abandoned, the dialogue is great but it's missing so many points, it feels rushed, (I know it was due to time, since most of the season was developed from the work from home order) I'm really bummed about the series ending with no context of what happened to Jay's biological mother and what was that reason that led up to him being abandoned.

IMO this season would’ve been lower for me because of how forgetful it is but the harumi vs Lloyd scene saved this season, the emotion, Lloyds trauma from seasons 8-11 reaching its climax as he fights against the main source of his trauma, the music is incredible, the animation is incredible , and it perfectly shows Lloyds conflicting feelings and emotional hang ups about harumi, such a good scene and it’s so well done

Me: Mum, can we have Skybound Mum: we have Skybound at home Skybound at home...

You are never angry about something you don’t care about. You’re raising your grievances with Prime Empire because you care about it and want to be better. And I agree with nearly every point you made, as they were well made criticisms founded in care and love for what it could have been.

I still like prime empire but I agree with everything you said especially with the side characters plots being forced one episode they don’t want to do this scene thing but the one talk from Naruto I mean Lloyd and they changed there mind with no second thought or anything and with Unagme I definitely wish he used his virtual from more often and that Jay discover Ungames plans more earlier so that one quick sense from episode 16 could be the premises of the season.

Prime empire is very much a side adventure season or filler season, it's doesn't affect the show, it's just a fun season that is Canon but doesn't matter that much, and that's not a bad thing I think prime empire is enjoyable and it's good to take a break from the big narrative of ninjago and relax a little bit

Prime Empire is honestly one of my favourite seasons for just how fun it is, the visuals and the actions was great, and not to mention, it has Ninjago Confidential which is just one of my favourite episodes of Ninjago. Though there is some issues, Unagami specifically says he"ll ensure Okino never gets to see the real world if he goes against his wishes, but he still shows up at the final battle????? And it's strange that the Mechanic gets no pay off... Otherwise a very enjoyable season imo

4:16 The League of Jay sucks imo. They have absolutely nothing to add to the story after their initial episode, leading them to feel like hollow, corporate fanservice. "Look! It's [THING YOU RECOGNISE]" i find it very hard to buy the "It's just us left to stop Unagami" angle when Jay has an entire borderline cult dedicated to him that he could ask for help at any time, but doesn't for... reasons.

I really don't like how they didn't really explore jay like skybound did, also the fact how they made unagami a child. Prime Empire could've been better Extra: Also how they randomly add Airjitzu and the ninja suddenly remember.

Agree with a lot of your points. Prime Empire is good but easily Ninjago’s most forgettable season. Scott looks and sounds cool but just kind of… exists? I really enjoy the other two NPCs, but they’re not important to the series as a whole. It also really bothers me that Okino randomly appears in the finale. In general I think this season got a lot of praise because it came after Season 11. It would be criticized more if it had come out today.

The Mechanic should have a figure in the Prime Empire sets since he was a major villain in Prime Empire.

I think we can all agree that the arcadian whip is a banger, can't stop myself from listening to it it's just so good

I agree. Personally I'm not that big of a fan for this season. It felt weak imo. Not to mention while watching it when the Okino episode ended and the ninja appeared I thought I was missing an episode. I had to ask a friend who told me that's just how it is. It was so jarring, never before in ninjago had I felt like I missed something like that.

Basically this season was missing things that appeared in skybound.

This is a really eye opening video, as a huge fan of Prime Empire. I’m gonna have to rewatch and think about a lot of what you said. Fantastic work as always!

Prime Empire is that season that my brain deletes the memory of as soon as it ends. idk if it's good or bad.

I honestly thought I missed an episode when they got the new suits

i had a lot of fun watching prime empire and it still is one of my favourites, but i agree with this vid SO much. it's clear that this season wasn't made for anything serious, but i still wish unagami was a more memorable villain. plus i completely forgot this was a jay season up until he was the last one alive in the game LMAO the visuals were top tier, (like enough to carry the whole season) so i'm glad it has that. ninja interactions were funny too

I honestly love this season. I remember being so disappointed when the set names leaked and I read the title "gamers' market", but this season absolutely kills it with the videogame premise. I get the criticisms made in this video, but honestly I disagree with most of them. I think Okino's arc is fantastically written, and very effectively fleshed out over only 4 episodes. I also think the season's emotional core with Dyer and Unagami is much better than you give credit - though that is very subjective. I agree that Scott is probably the weakest character of the season, but even he is fairly solid imo. While it would've been nice to get more build-up for his sacrifice, I think his earlier interactions with the ninja still work in setting it up. The one genuine issue I do have with this season (and to a lesser extent, all of the other wildbrain seasons) is the lack of follow-up on Zane's Ice Emperor arc. That was such a major point for the character, and it's so strange that the show has just never addressed it since season 11, and obviously Prime Empire takes most of the blame for that. I enjoy Zane's detective subplot, but I think they could've done so much more with a Zane focused episode, rather than just play it for laughs. An episode about Zane alone with Pixal, and demoralised while looking for Dyer could've been one of the best episodes of the entire show... But regardless, I think Prime Empire is great. It's fun, visually gorgeous, has great side characters with good development, and a really interesting new world. Imo it's the show's most underrated season.

This is the season that got me hooked on Ninjago. yeah some of it is rushed but for what it is, its pretty epic and its just really fun. I just wish it was longer. i also love the music. the David Bowie-ish remix of the theme song that plays at the club where you meet superstar jay is great. i love that scene 😆. And yeah master of the mountain is also great.

If Unagami was only a part of the game and not the entire game that would have made more sense

I still think they should have: • put a scene with Racer7 and Okino "breaking" their code (some inner dialogue or something that shows us they are actually free from that moment on) (This would take 4-5 episodes in total, with the scenes where they get the keytanas) •Definitely 1 or 2 whole episodes dedicated to present the keytanas, new weapons, costumes, Scott, the new suits and their "training" to gain new skills (maybe a minigame that was very risky and gave then a lot of exp, with stakes) •One episode that gives us a Jay focus, mainly a backstory about his adoption and his mother, the elemental master of lightning and have Jay find out something about his parents. Maybe he finds out somehow that his mother was running from a villain who was in search of the element of lightning and, to protect his child, Jay's mother left him at the junkyard and ran off the villain, passing on the powers to Jay (Since this is still Prime Empire, have the villain be related to Unagami. Considering Unagami was created 30 years ago from the point Prime Empire is happening, I cant imagine Unagami could have chased for the lightning power, because I think ninja's ages are early 20s and he was in the game). A cool thing would be for Jay to find a person inside Prime Empire/a document that told/showed him what actually happened that he got adopted. Anyways, I wanted some Jay backstory, it wasn't given to me •(This is for Crystalized) Make Lloyd remember his fight with Harumi in Prime Empire in Crystalized. Make him remember how she, as an NPC, managed to get to his emotions and not hold back anymore because of his feelings •(Optional) Unagami and Jay should have made a more memorable talk, maybe Jay telling Unagami how he found out he was adopted and tell him what he found out inside Prime Empire about his parents. That way, Unagami could have felt more trust and more comfortable about giving up the fight and anger •Ninjago Confidential is a cool idea (Noir whip is so good), but P.I.X.A.L.'s reaction finding out that Unagami ISN'T Dyer is bland. I know she's a nindroid, but she showed more emotion in other scenes before. •Lastly, show more thought into the motherboard concept. The "video game comes to reality" idea is cliché, but it would have been more unique if they showed us the process of making the motherboard and the process of the Mechanic getting in the possession of it. *Also, I loved your review of Prime Empire! (Phew, that was a lot)

To be fair, Jay still has more focus in Prime Empire than Zane does in Rebooted. And that’s a fact. Zane doesn’t do anything outside of give Pixal his heart, and sacrifice himself in the finale. No development, barely any focus. Lloyd, Jay/Cole/Nya and even Kai have more focus

I honestly would have liked to see Scott kick more ass basically be a sweat having been in the game for years

The ninja "Grinded off camera" or they just went into creative

Very interesting and thought-provoking video. Enjoyed greatly!

I admit there could’ve been more for this season but I still love this season since Unagami was handled very well.

At the very least we got yet another good villain with Unagami. I think the most interesting thing about him is his whole motivation. He doesn’t want to take over the world or destroy it. He’s ultimately just an angry and confused kid who wants to find his dad and learn why he was abandoned.

Personally I like prime empire. The concept and visuals are great. Yeah, it does next to nothing lore-wise and the villains are..meh…(Mechanic really isn’t anything special, even in Crystalized), but hey, it’s ok to have a chill season. Also the Lloyd and Harumi fight is easily top three ninjago battles. Music, emotion, animation, intensity. Sure the stakes are a bit low but not too much. Overall, solid mid-high B tier season.

you should do master of the mountain video next

Another banger bendobricks!!!! u took my grievances w prime empire and put it into words!!!!

Couldn’t have said it better myself, fantastic video per usual

Okay but as a kid I came up with the whole ninja stuck in a video game thing way back when Chen was still the newest big bad

This stuff deserves WAY more subs! Keep on making this epic content!

The Mechanic Feels Like the Actual Main Villain of Season 12 Prime Empire instead of Unagami who is actually the Main Villain of the Season in my opinion The Mechanic’s The Main Villain of this Season

The Okino episode shoudlve been a prime empire short. Although a fun episode, it is unimportant to the story

V good. Weird I’ve never seen one of your videos. Love it

Let’s go a new video!

On god The Mechanic is a better character than Unagami

what ends up making this worse is the fact that it was suposed to have more focus on jay's biological mother if i'm not wrong

As a gamer, I love this season. It's so nostalgic, and I understood so many game refferences.

my favorite part is when they remember airjitzu, despite forgeting about it shortly after nya gets cubed

Please make an analysis about MoM, you touched on it a bit here, I love that season

Finally another bendobricks vid! They have so much quality

If they remade prime empire using all the original plot points it honestly could be one of the best seasons in the show

Can you make a video on Cole's character arc I feel like you would do a good job explaining it especially with master of the mountain

the soundtrack for this season does go really hard tho

Can you do a video of your thoughts/ a analysis on tournament of elements?

Its funny how Milton Dyer kind of resembles Gabe Newell.

I see Prime empire and S11, are like training wheels for wildbrain. Like the animation and the writing are kinda ok. Then Master of the mountain is the end of the time when it was in the shadow of wilfilm, and be as good or even Better

I keep on seeing such a debate over Prime Empire. One KZfaqr says “It’s great because _______ , and it doesn’t _______”. And then someone else says “Yes, but actually no”

As a person who just watched the entire season, I have to ask, where did they get all 3 Kitanas, they got one from the dragon and one from the race, where did they get the third one

Idk y but I just loved how their lives were actually at stake- like I liked how they could die, instead of them just like going on carelessly

This season seemed liked the greatest thing ever when it first came out because of how bad forbidden spinjitzu was. Nowadays prime empire is only ok

Maybe you should make another video rewriting the season

Everyone says the prime empire is a Jay season but honestly it’s not. Unlike Skybound which is undoubtedly a Jay season (and in my opinion is the best season of the show) prime empire has almost nothing to do with Jay. I mean sure he’s the first to get stuck in the game and I guess he’s only ninja that doesn’t get turned into a cube thing but that’s about it. The season has nothing to do with Jay as a character

Glad your channel is growing

I mean it’ll still be one of my favourite seasons

Yes pilote 7 fight her code, this is the poin. Same for other Npc and for Zane and Pixel, they not are natural but are free and are like any other

Will you do a video on Season 11?

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who was disappointed by Prime Empire

I feel that with all of the "new" seasons they all feel too fast and like somethings are skipped this is especially true with prime empire where it feels like some episodes or concepts are missing

Honestly I feel like it's the worst Ninjago season Mainly because pretty much nothing important happened, you can skip it and you won't miss much Maybe you can say you would miss the reason why the Mechanic is considered a bigger foe but that's kinda it.

ahhah this is my second favorite season

I agree and I actually thought this was a great season lmao ❤

They need to make it a real game

Cosmos lbp theme based

One of the most wasted concepts in the whole story was the idea of Jay finally being cool and popular, something that he never could’ve done in ninjago. That would have made for a hilarious dynamic with the rest of the team

If this season was as good as that fan trailer you made it would have been one of the best ones!

You gotta work for Ninjago

im at 1 min in the video but i just want to say that the only reason i don't like this eason that much. is because i think prime empire should've been explored more. so many cool concepts and mechanics we probably didn't get to see. so many missed opportunities. i don't know i just feel like prime empire itself could've been more.

14:12 bro but it’s a Jay season That’s Why Nya died And Nya died sacrficing herself so that Jay lives And Jay : -was the one to go first into the game -is the one to go kill the Red dragon -Fights Unagami in the finale

1:10

If racer 7 always knew she was a npc that would have been way more interisting

Why do both Techno Seasons sufer from pacing

In all honestly the Episode that should have been removed is the Racer 7 Episode then you could have focused on Scott more or other more important stuff

The "Jay Season" littelery did more than Lloyd in the Season

what country do you live in? 😀

babe wake up new BendoBricks video

Babe wake up BendoBricks just posted a new Video

FIRST!

You nerver talk about that Pixel that speak about her and the other are real people and not fake only because are robot

Kai looks weird blonde

I love the songs you pick, but they do not fit ninjago, please change your song choices. Caugh driftvale city Caugh