Prime Empire is the twelfth season of the animated Ninjago television series (titled Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu before the eleventh season). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The season aired from July 19 to August 30, 2020, following the eleventh season titled Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu. It is succeeded by the thirteenth season titled Master of the Mountain.
The theme of the twelfth season is video games, with the introduction of a fictional video game world in the Ninjago universe named "Prime Empire". The plot follows the main ninja characters as they search for the video game's creator following its re-emergence in Ninjago City. When players begin getting trapped inside the game, including the main character Jay, the ninja must enter the game to find their friend. The storyline involves the ninja characters having to compete in various games within Prime Empire before facing the main game boss named Unagami.
Voice cast
Main Sam Vincent as Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja Vincent Tong as Kai, the red ninja and Elemental Master of Fire Michael Adamthwaite as Jay, the blue ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning, and Nya's Yang. Brent Miller as Zane, the white/titanium ninja and Elemental Master of Ice a male nindroid Kirby Morrow as Cole, the black ninja and Elemental Master of Earth Kelly Metzger as Nya, the Elemental Master of Water and Kai's sister, and Jay's Yin. Paul Dobson as Sensei Wu, the wise teacher of the ninja Jennifer Hayward as P.I.X.A.L., a female nindroid Dean Redman as Unagami
Supporting Mark Hildreth as Milton Dyer/Game Voice Michael Antonakos as the Mechanic Adrian Petriw as Scott/Fugi-Dove Alessandro Juliani as Okino/Shifty Shannon Chan-Kent as Racer Seven/Hostess Michael Donovan as Police Commissioner Sharon Alexander as Ultra Violet Paul Dobson as Warden Noble Bill Newton as Fred Finely Lee Tockar as Cyrus Borg Alan Marriott as Dareth Colin Murdock as Bob the Intern Sam Vincent as Ritchie Mary Black as Mrs Dyer Vincent Tong as Sushi Chef Michael Daingerfield as Tony the Bartender Zion Simpson as Child Unagami
Development Co-creator Tommy Andreasen stated on Twitter that Prime Empire was inspired by the urban legend Polybius, a fictitious 1980s arcade game.
Release A 30-second teaser trailer was released on February 5, 2020 on the Lego YouTube channel to promote the season. This was followed by the release of an official trailer on 10 March 2020. The season premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2020 with the first episode titled Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire? The subsequent episodes were released throughout July and August 2020 until the release of the season finale titled Game Over on August 30 of the same year.
Plot When the old, legendary video game Prime Empire resurfaces, players begin to disappear into the game, including Jay (who loves playing video games).Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 1 "Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire?" The ninja discover that the game's creator, Milton Dyer, has also disappeared and nobody has seen him for years.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 2 "Dyer Island" With the suspicion that Dyer is a villain named Unagami, Lloyd, Cole, Kai and Nya enter the virtual world of Prime Empire to stop Dyer's avatar, while Zane and P.I.X.A.L. remain outside to find Dyer in the real world.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 3 "Level Thirteen" They meet "The League of Jay", a group of Jay fans who lead them to a player named Scott. He explains that players only get four lives in the game and after losing their last life, they are turned into digital cubes and disappear.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 4 "Superstar Rockin' Jay" Inside one of the game zones, a Samurai named Okino faces a crisis of faith when he repeatedly fails to lead a series of Masters to victory, causing him to lose all hope - until some familiar ninja arrive.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 5 "I am Okino" In order to stop Unagami, the ninja must obtain three Key-tanas, the first of which is hidden in the game zone Terra Karana - one of Prime Empire's most dangerous game environments. Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 6 "The Glitch" While being chased by Unagami's dreaded Red Visors the ninja must climb the 'Cliffs of Hysteria', however, they make a startling discovery: Unagami is converting players into energy cubes in order to build a portal into the real world! Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 7 "The Cliffs of Hysteria" Once reunited with Jay, the ninja travel across three game zones to obtain three Key-Tanas, which unlock the final challenge at the Temple of Madness. On the journey, they are hunted by Unagami's digital troops, the Red Visors. In the first game zone, Terra Karana, the ninja meet a non-player character (NPC) called Okino, who helps them through many deadly challenges. In the boss battle, the ninja win the fight against the Red Dragon to obtain the purple Key-Tana.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 8 "The Maze of the Red Dragon" The ninja learn that the only way to acquire the 2nd Key-tana is by winning a race in Terra Technica and have to find racing cars in unexpected ways.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 9 "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" The yellow Key-Tana is obtained by winning the Speedway Five-Billion, a dangerous race in the second game zone, Terra Technica. Lloyd recruits Racer Seven, another NPC, but she is followed by the Red Visors.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 10 "Racer Seven" Scott sacrifices himself to help the ninja escape and is transformed into a digital cube. The ninja manage to win the Speedway Five-Billion, but Kai and Cole are both cubed during the race.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 11 "The Speedway Five-Billion" Lloyd, Jay and Nya continue their journey to obtain the final Key-tana in the third game zone, Terra Domina. There Lloyd is forced to battle an avatar of Harumi. He defeats her and obtains the orange Key-Tana, but is cubed in the process.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 12 "Stop, Drop and Side Scroll"
In the real world, Zane discovers the location of Dyer, only to get captured by the Mechanic.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 13 "Ninjago Confidential" When P.I.X.A.L. finds Dyer, he reveals that Scott was a test player who became trapped inside the game (which was named Unagami), when Dyer requested that Scott receive an intense gaming experience. Dyer shut the game down, but Unagami survived. Zane is forced to give the Prime Empire motherboard to the Mechanic, who uses it to create a portal from the game into the real world.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 14 "The Prodigal Father"
In Prime Empire, Jay and Nya reach a digital sushi restaurant in the Temple of Madness, but Nya is cubed after being defeated by an NPC called Sushimi. After reaching the final level, Jay confronts Unagami, who transforms himself into the Empire Dragon. Jay follows him through the portal into the real world by riding on his Cyber Dragon.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 15 "The Temple of Madness" Back in the real world, Jay lures Unagami to the top of Borg Tower. Dyer apologises to Unagami, who forgives him. He agrees to release all the players and NPCs who are trapped inside the game. Unagami, who is now a child, and Dyer are finally reunited.Ninjago, Season 12, Episode 16 "Game Over"
Episodes
Accolades In 2021, Prime Empire received three nominations in the Animation Series category of the Leo Awards for Best Art Direction, Sound, and Voice Performance. Kenny Ng was announced as winner for Best Art Direction for the episode Superstar Rockin' Jay.
Other media The season was preceded by the release of six short films titled Prime Empire Original Shorts, which were released on the Lego YouTube channel. The shorts introduced some of the main characters of the season including Unagami and the Mechanic.
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