Long before time had a name, two tribes fought each other for power. The tribes were the golden dragon and the Oni. The Oni tribe desired the power of the Golden Dragons, who desired piece. The tribes warred for ages, until a god known as the First Spinjitzu Master split the tribes into separate realms. In performing this split, he created the world known as Ninjago. In the split, the Oni tribe created three masks, which were spread across the land. The conflict between the tribes was over, but the conflict in Ninjago had just begun. A dark force known as the Overlord rose from the darkness of the land and for centuries the Spinjitzu master fought the Overlord. The battle seemed endless, until the Overlord created an indestructible stone army. The First Spinjitzu Master used his golden armour to fight them off, but they were too strong. In order to end the conflict, the Spinjitzu Master split Ninjago into two islands. The Overlord was imprisoned on one island known as the dark island. As long as the Overlord's evil remained there, he could not reach the mainland of Ninjago. In the time preceding the split, the First Spinjitzu Master had two sons, Wu and Garmadon. Both brothers got along with each other, but one day everything changed for the worst. One faithful day, the two brothers fought in the Spinjitzu Master's monastery when Wu's sword fell over the wall. Garmadon, criticizing Wu for his fears about crossing the wall, went to retrieve the sword. However, as he pulled the sword from out of the bushes, a snake with sharp fangs bit him. The pain he received from the snake bite knocked him out, and the First Spinjitzu Master had to bring him back inside. However, there was something different about him. As he his was nursed back to health, he felt great anger towards his brother and father. He tore down the monastery door and claimed that it was ll Wu's fault. Ever since this event, Wu felt great guilt.  

                Years after Garmadon was bitten, the Spinjitzu master left his duties as a sensei, and his sons guarded Ninjago from threats. Garmadon was able to control his evilness and soon made up with his brother. The two brothers also fought alongside other elemental masters with mystical powers. Peace remained in Ninjago until a sensei known as master Chen came into the mix. Garmadon trained under Master Chen as his evil blood told him to do so. Both Wu and Garmadon were also in love with a woman named Misako. Wu had written a letter to her, but Chen had taken it and gave to Garmadon. Garmadon hesitated using the letter for his own, but his evil blood forced him to sign his name on the letter. Little did he know, that Chen was starting a war. He pretended that the elemental masters were planning to attack the serpentine, who didn't hesitate in believing him. They attacked many villages in the land and the most fierce of all of them was the Anacondrai. They wholeheartedly believed that the masters were going to attack them. They ransacked many villages and caused many fatalities. For a long time, the elemental masters used their powers to fight the serpentine, but to no avail. It wasn't until master Wu found a mystical flute that they were able to stop them. The master tracked down and found many flutes which were used to slow the serpentine down. Using the flutes, they were able to send the serpentine into separate tombs all across Ninjago. The Anacondrai generals were sent to a realm known as the cursed realm. The elemental masters soon learned of what Chen had done, and exiled him on an abandoned island. Peace seemed to come across Ninjago, until two elemental brothers, Crux and Acronix turned against the other masters. They controlled the element of time and used it to weaken the masters as they fought them. Crux had the power of time warping, while Acronix had the power of slowing down time. They seemed unstoppable, until Master Wu came up with a plan to forge special blades that could absorb their powers. He went to two elemental masters known as Ray and Maya, who were excellent blacksmiths. Using special metal, they forged two blades that could absorb elemental power. Using these blades, Wu and Garmadon manage to absorb the powers of Crux and Acronix. Using their powers, Wu and Garmadon sent the twins into a time vortex which imprisoned them until the time came for the vortex to open back up.       

                A few years after the Serpentine Wars, The First Spinjitzu Master created 4 golden weapons containing elemental powers. As he approached an old age, he wrote a message on his staff, and gave it to his son Wu, in hopes that he would find his tomb. He also gave his son the golden weapons to protect. However, Garmadon had lost control of his evil, and his good side had vanished from him. He tried to steal the weapons, but Wu stopped him, banishing Garmadon to the underworld. After this, Wu hid the weapons in different locations. However, Garmadon was not without power, and he sent his skeleton army to attack Ninjago. Wu couldn't protect Ninjago on his own, so he searched the land for a group of ninjas who held 4 elements. He first found the ninja called Cole climbing a high mountain using his elemental strength, another ninja called Zane at the bottom of a deep lake, and another ninja on the top of a building practicing with his wind glider. The final ninja was a blacksmith known as Kai, who was the son of Ray and Maya. Ray promised to Wu that he would protect the weapons locations and hid a map in his forge. Garmadon soon learned about this map, and sent his skeleton army to attack the forge. Using their various vehicles, they took the map and kidnapped Kai's sister Nya. The kidnapping of his sister is what leads Kai to train under Wu. In the night, the three other ninjas attacked Kai later that night until Wu then comes out and tells them to stop. He tells each ninja of their element and informs them of the mission to recover the golden weapons. ​The next day, the ninja head towards the location of the first weapon, the scythe of quakes. Wu tells them to not use the scythe when they find it, fearing the might of its power. The ninja steal the map back from Garmadon's top general, Samuki, who has his skeleton army mining for the weapon. They enter the caves of despair and find the scythe, but are ambushed by the skeleton army. They ninja fight them off, but using their memories of the training course, they manage to unlock their spinjitzu. They defeat the skeletons, but their problems never end, as they are attacked by a green and brown dragon who guarded the weapon. They try to use spinjitzu to stop it, but it is too strong. Kai, fearing that they may not be able to stop it, uses the Scythe, causing a giant cave in, but the ninja manage to escape. Wu tells them that he is disappointed that they would use the weapon. The ninja then leave to find the other weapons. They first retrieve the shurikens of ice from the frozen wasteland. On the way there, Wu tells the ninja about an art form called the tornado of creation. They then reach the frozen wastelands, where they retrieve the shurikens from the dragon guardian. They then head to the floating ruins, where Jay retrieves the nunchucks of lighting and glides down to avoid the guardian dragon. The ninja then camp out in front of the fire temple where the final weapon is kept. While the ninja are sleeping, Kai sees his sister calling his name. He follows her into the fire temple but it is then revealed to be Garmadon's shadow. Garmadon reveals to Kai his captured sister who dangles over the lava. Kai grabs the sword of fire and frees her, but Garmadon defeats him with his shadows. Wu then comes and fends Garmadon off. The other ninja are captured by the skulkin and their weapons taken. The ninja escape and try to stop the skulkin, but they escape on their vehicles into the overworld. Garmadon awakens the fire dragon in order to stop Wu and Kai. Wu, knowing that he can't beat Garmadon in the overworld, sails into the underworld with the sword of fire, as Kai and Nya are left to fend off the dragon. A few moments later, Wu woke up in the Underworld. He picks up the sword of fire and sneaks around, looking for Garmadon. Meanwhile in the overworld, the other three ninja run to the fire temple in order to find Kai. Zane senses that he may not be there, but suddenly the temple opens to reveal a large red dragon, which Kai managed to control. He explains that he told the dragon that he was trying to protect the weapons not steal them. Nya explains that dragons can cross into the Underworld. The ninja head back to the other temples and grab the other dragons. Nya remains at the blacksmith while the ninja head into the Underworld. They leave their dragons and try to remain out of sight, but Underworld spiders alert the skeletons to their presence. The ninja fight off the skeletons, but they soon become outnumbered. Jay suggests that they use the tornado of creation. They combine their spinjitzu and the skeletons flee from them. Wu soon finds Garmadon, who commands Samuki to attack his brother. The ninja arrive and stand back as Wu fights Samuki. However, Wu is defeated and Samuki betrays Garmadon, taking all four golden weapons. However, the weapons are too powerful for him, and he explodes, creating a purple portal. Garmadon laughs, noting that he knew this would happen. He disappears as the portal closes. The ninja return to the mainland on their dragons, with Wu, and celebrate, however, Wu notes that Garmadon will be back.