Ninjago Season 1, Episode 8: Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Written By Andrea Bulthuis

Okay, I think I may have blacked out some of the last episode but I think the recap is helping. Let’s see. Zane is a robot. Lloyd, though he’s been completely forgotten by our heroes for the moment is captured by the Serpentine who did a magical map thing I guess, and Wu went to visit Garmadon in hell(?)

So things are going well!

(By the way, if you didn’t join us last week, check it out here. You wouldn’t want to miss any important plot developments)

  • glad we have real, credible science backing up the snake bullshit

  • COLE PAY ATTENTION

  • glad we’re all as mature as each other here

  • Nya, you’re not severely allergic to perfume. You’re not blinded by tears as you try to sniffle and cough at the same time

  • well, if it’s to save the world, sure I’ll go on a date with you. At least we have our priorities straight. coughLloydcough

  • Jay touched the Fangpyre’s venomous tooth on accident! Well, it’s only a scratch. I predict no hilarious problems arising from this in the future. It’s not like that fly just turned into a... lizard... fly?

  • I love how Garmadon is incapable of talking like a normal person

  • Check that, neither Garmadon nor Wu are capable of talking like a normal person. They’re definitely brothers.

  • Whoa he’s got four arms now. I’ll be real with you here... looks weird.

  • Can of Worms?? That’s the name of one of the other episodes!

  • Glad the ultimate, endgame big bad is on our side now that we’re... *checks notes* 8 episodes into this 13-season show. 

    • Side note: thirteen seasons? This is gonna take me actual years, isn’t it. What have I gotten myself into?

  • What does “Long and dangerous journey” mean in this instance, Garmadon? Does it mean “the exact right length to arrive at a convenient time at the end of this 20-minute episode or the beginning of the next?”

  • They scared away the iguana! This time, they’ve gone too far.

At least the Serpentine aren’t mean to tourists?

  • the first Fangblade is in an amusement park. just what I expected

  • uh, Jay, your hand looks a little weird there. Nah, you’re right, it’s probably fine, just ignore it.

  • that scarf is real subtle.

  • “But my date!” “But the fate of the world!” “But my date!”

  • Nya: master of the quick change. (5.75 seconds)

  • Garmadon was right. That beautifully paved path through an unpopulated landscape looks incredibly dangerous

  • If you wanted to make a MegaMonster Burger for yourself, all you’ll need is the following:

    • one (1) whole rotisserie chicken

    • two (2) ears of corn (on sticks)

    • approximately a pound of egg noodles.

    • a large amount of miscellaneous foliage

    • three (3) apparently raw salmon fillets

    • and finally, bright orange MegaMonster Mystery Sauce.

    • Don’t forget the toothpick with the monster head!

  • Oh no! Jay is turning into a vampire snake! WhO cOuLd HaVe SeEn ThIs CoMiNg??

  • Hiding in the dark ride. Classic.

  • If you’ve ever wanted to go through a haunted house while on a powerful hallucinogen........ don’t

  • oh. my. GOD HIS TAIL IS SO TINY AND ADORABLE!

  • First rule of a relationship: communication. How many times have we seen this, boy goes to the bathroom to secretly turn into a snake, girl thinks she’s been stood up so she runs off to be a cyborg samurai, guy thinks he got stood up.... it’s Romeo and Juliet all over again.

  • I think hitting a guy with a baguette because he’s sorta green and scaly counts as racism.

  • Ooh, that knife is pretty.

  • We really don’t get to see enough protagonists arguing about their cool one-liners. Coming up with one-liners on the fly is hard.

True love is when one of you is chained to a rollercoaster and the other is a snake

  • Oh yeaaaahhhh I genuinely forgot this was all happening in a dark ride. A very spacious dark ride.

  • Zane and his new ice powers are so cooooooollllll!

  • ...even when he does freeze himself and his compatriots

  • c’mon Nya, you’re supposed to be the capable one!

  • the lady on the roller coaster who punched the snake is my new hero

  • Nya noooooooo! Your secret identity!

  • Liking the new look, Jay, especially the headscarf. 

  • I like how they had time to set up the flaming ring, it’s a nice touch.

  • awwwwwwww the power of love

  • He reached his true potential! Electro! Genuinely cool, though, joking aside.

  • Oh, sorry, I think this long and dangerous journey that Garmadon and Wu are on is going to take two episodes. I think the first half has just been a nice walk, though, so the rest is probably fine.

I know this is a kids’ show but the ninjas do know they 100% lost this one, right? They’re super optimistic for a bunch of idiots who…. wait, I just answered my own question. I’m excited to see Kai’s and Cole’s elemental forms because for the quality of this animation they have so far been very cool. Tune in next week for episode 9: The Royal Blacksmiths. (With a title like that and a show like this, I have literally no idea what to expect)

Wait………
Isn’t Lloyd still kidnapped?

Andrea Bulthuis
Next

Ninjago Season 1, Episode 7: Tick Tock