Airdate: April 3, 2015
Time is running out for Ninjago. The Elemental Masters take a last stand against Chen's army, while Pythor finds a way to stop the fake Anacondrai. But victory requires a sacrifice, in the form of Garmadon trading places in the Cursed Realm with the old Anacondrai generals he banished there. The trade is made, and the generals whirl Chen and his army away with them into the Cursed Realm. As with the finale for Season 2, this episode could well be the end of the series... except for the last ten seconds.
This episode provides examples of:
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Chen begs Skylor to help him as Arcturus banishes him to the Cursed Realm. Skylor simply watches and lets it happen.
- Almost Kiss: Between Skylor and Kai. Unfortunately, Dareth ruins the moment.
- Bittersweet Ending: Wu and Misako forgive Garmadon for signing Wu's love letter, Chen and the Anacondrai Cultists are defeated, Skylor becomes human again, and all is well. Unfortunately, Garmadon had to sacrifice himself to the Cursed Realm to save the day, and Morro (next season's Arc Villain) escaped the Cursed Realm in the process.
- Dragged Off to Hell: Basically what happens to Chen and his army, courtesy of the spirits of the real Anacondrai generals.
- Dramatic Irony: Garmadon claims that for all his yearning to make Ninjago in his own image, he never realized he already had—in Lloyd.
- Evil Is Petty: Chen revealing that Garmadon signed Wu's love letter for Misako has no strategic purpose whatsoever. But it turns both Wu and Misako against Garmadon, and it's not until Garmadon is about to sacrifice himself that they can finally forgive him.
- Heel–Face Turn: Pythor's change of heart appears to be genuine, especially when General Arcturus tells him that he's "finally made his ancestors proud." Day of the Departed shows this was just a one-time thing as Pythor went back to his evil ways.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Poor Garmadon...
- Idiot Ball: Um, Ninja? Why aren't you using Spinjitsu? Other Elemental Masters, why aren't you using your elemental powers? You can't "hold the line" against two hundred Anacondrai.
Though the likely reason the Ninja didn't use their powers was to avoid accidentally hurting anybody. - Irony:
- Skales himself says that he never thought he'd be glad to see the Destiny's Bounty after its anchor saved him from a Condrai Crusher.
- Who would ever have thought we would hear Pythor cry "Ninja GO!"
- Literal Metaphor: When he was evil, Garmadon always phrased his plan to Take Over the World as making Ninjago in his image. After his Heroic Sacrifice here, a statue of Garmadon is carved into the Corridor of Elders—a part of Ninjago was literally made in his image.
- Really Dead Montage: Occurs for Lloyd after Garmadon plans to be traded for the Anacondrai generals in the Cursed Realm. Various memories of father and son play along with a version of their theme musicnote while Lloyd fights Chen's army in a flurry of fury.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Arcturus gives a brief one to Chen just before cursing the cult leader.Arcturus: You will never be one of us. Because you are a liar, a cheat, and an impostor!
- Redemption Equals Death: Discussed; Garmadon admits that he could never make up for his evil with the time he had left, so sacrificing his life for Ninjago seems like the one way he could atone. Wu and Misako both insist that he doesn't have to sacrifice his life to atone, but they don't really have another alternative.
- Series Fauxnale: This episode has everything in line with a series finale, with the tragic conclusion of Garmadon's story, past characters like the Serpentine returning to help defend Ninjago, and the ninja reflecting on their past at the end, with them making a vow to protect Ninjago that is awfully reminiscent of the ending for the previous Series Fauxnale, Season 2. Just about every major plot thread has been resolved, with Pythor having seemingly been redeemed, Zane being back on the team, and an entire team of Elemental Masters to help the Ninja defend Ninjago... and then The Stinger happens.
- The Stinger: Oh, look — it's the Big Bad for the next season, here to assure us that the series isn't over!
- Villains Never Lie: Zigzagged. Chen tells Misako the truth about Garmadon's love letter, but it's not until Garmadon himself confirms it that either Misako or Wu turn against him.
- Wham Shot: In the last ten seconds of the episode, a wind tornado appears mid-air, flying towards the screen. It dissipates, revealing a mysterious person, who is the Big Bad of the next season."Morro..."
