mx-julien

[mx-julien]

also finals are going to kick my ass, so if you don't hear from me as much for the next month, that's why

this blog is 3 years old today!

it started because I was driven insane by the pandemic and deep into my ninjago hyperfixation, and now it's a bright spot in my university schedule. I'm so grateful that the ninjago community is so approachable, otherwise I would've never worked up the courage to start posting and writing

tumblr also informed me that as of today I've also received 2500 likes! just wanted to share that I'm glad y'all have enjoyed what I've written. here's to another year!

<3 Laurance

#blog update

[mx-julien]

this blog is 3 years old today!

it started because I was driven insane by the pandemic and deep into my ninjago hyperfixation, and now it's a bright spot in my university schedule. I'm so grateful that the ninjago community is so approachable, otherwise I would've never worked up the courage to start posting and writing

tumblr also informed me that as of today I've also received 2500 likes! just wanted to share that I'm glad y'all have enjoyed what I've written. here's to another year!

<3 Laurance

#3 year tumblrversary #tumblr milestone #ninjago #lego ninjago

[mx-julien]

each ninja was a different kind of teacher (except Lloyd who basically went on a year long press tour) and it also explains why Rebooted and after they seem a bit more responsible than in season 1 and the pilot

Cole has my favorite teacher characterization because he's objectively an interesting person with cool hobbies but when he is responsible for a group of children he just becomes Dad Who Is Helping Out At The Summer Camp. we never see his classroom, but given his proficiency in the arts we can assume he's the English teacher

since he went to art schools, he's probably not used to kids who aren't actually interested in what's being taught. the louder kids seem to dislike him (ref: running gag of "Mr Cole is the worst"), but that doesn't mean he's necessarily a bad teacher- just not one to humor pranks

also his and Kai's teacher outfits belong in the 1970s. I like the touch of making their ties the same color as their gis

little bit of meta: most of the people who worked on this show went to school in the 80s/90s so to them "older/boring" teacher outfits would look like this. also, as someone who was in the intended age range and saw it at the time of release, this sort of clothing conveyed that the ninja were doing a stuffy adult job- juxtaposed with their colorful gis

Kai appears to be the history teacher? his teaching style is likely structured and straightforward. given his nontraditional childhood, his frustration with the kids likely comes from both his jealousy that they aren't aware of how valuable schooling is and that Nya was much easier to work with when she was their age. at the end of the day he's an older brother who's now in charge of a bunch of kids

he's using an old-fashioned projector with film, which I assume (1) shows how low-budget they are, (2) emphasizes that Kai is out of his element (pun not intended), and (3) juxtaposes them with New Ninjago City

Zane is the one who doesn't know what a vape pen looks like but will listen to you infodump for an hour after class, then drive/walk you home because you missed the bus. he probably doesn't get any of the classroom humor or notice if the kids make fun of him. I can't imagine him ever getting angry at the kids, and he probably is very good at keeping them to a routine and a schedule

in rebooted episode 1 he seems to be teaching science? and the use of catapults is actually quite endearing- he's probably explaining tension and going to get his kids to make little models, which shows that he both is a pretty good teacher and hasn't realized that giving elementary/middle/primary schoolers their own catapults will only lead to chaos

he and Jay have personality-based outfits, with the snowflakes being an obvious allusion to Zane's element and the zig zags on Jay's emulating lightning

the little bowtie on Zane reminds me of Bill Nye the Science Guy (program with a a host of the same name who taught kids about science in a fun and accessibly way- very nostalgic for kids who went to american public school)

Jay is the exhausted teacher who's more interested in his hobbies than class material, and if you get him talking about that hobby, he won't stop until the bell. as a jokester, I think he'd get along well with the kids and definitely encourage them to annoy the other ninja

we don't see his classroom, but given Jay's skills he's probably the math teacher. he'd have a difficult time explaining things in different ways- very gifted people who learn well on their own often find it hard to teach things to others, though he would make sure he doesn't leave anyone behind

Nya definitely teaches math classes, but she probably handles tutoring as well since she's well-balanced in most subjects. it would also give her an intelligence network- kids come to her room after class/during lunch to complain and gossip. she uses it in the noble pursuit to antagonize the others

i'm used this video and the ninjago wikia because I'm on mobile and finding other sources would've taken too long

extra group photo I found! love the detail that Zane blinked (Dr Julien probably took the photo)

#wu does all the admin i'm sure #ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #nya smith #kai smith #jay walker #ninjago rebooted #ninjago darkleys #darkleys kids #ids in alt #image ids #ninjago headcanons

[mx-julien]

responses I get to posts depend on which ninja they are focused on:

Cole - notes on everything tagged lilly brookstone. just a waterfall of notifications

Jay - find my post about him so quickly? kinda scarily quickly. then everyone else who loves Jay finds it too. how are they so fast?

Kai - usually a day or so delay in finding my post; gives some commentary in the tags

Lloyd - steady stream of people finding my hcs; usually scream in tags

Nya - not a lot of notes, but the rare few are solid

Zane - only likes, almost no tags in the reblogs, but if they like what they read they proceed to read everything I've ever written about him

#ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #nya smith #kai smith #lloyd montgomery garmadon #lloyd garmadon #jay walker

[mx-julien]

Probé algo nuevo (sufrí)

#zane julien #ninjago

[mx-julien]

weird little guy Jay was a little too bright and clever and inventive as a kid, for most people. Ed and Edna loved it, of course, but other kids at his school and other adults he talked to weren't sure what to do with him. from his personality in the pilot, it seems like he's not used to others liking him

it's a common issue for any kid (especially ND kids) with a strong sustained interest in something. using my credentials *gestures to childhood* I will hypothesize what Jay's social life growing up might've looked like:

a curly little mop of auburn hair ran home from the bus stop, waving a messy technical drawing and yelling. Ed lifted up his welding hood, "what's goin' on, Jay?"

"Dad! Dad! I know how to- how to make-" Jay plopped down next to his dad, sending a little puff of dirt into the air, "I know how to make it go smooth! we use ball bearings!"

"kiddo you're exactly right- but first you gotta drop your backpack by the house and tell your Mom about school," Ed went to pull his hood down," and I'm nearly done with this, okay? we can get started right after"

"make sure you look at these," Jay carefully flattened his wide ruled notebook paper with hastily done technical drawings, using some nearby scrap to hold each corner down, "I explained everything here," pointing to a mass of scribbles, "okay?" peering up at his Dad, Jay's curls obstructed more of his vision.

"I promise, kiddo," Ed patted his son's fluffy head, "you worked real hard on them."

beaming, Jay slung his backpack on and ran back to the house bent down partway with both arms extended behind him. kids, Ed shook his head with a smile, always finding ways to do new silly things

~*~

excited shouts were a regular occurrence at the Walker home, Jay frequently came back from school with new insights and ideas to tell them. since his latest project was with Ed, Edna got to talk to Jay about everything else. they switched off so that one of them got to spend hours with their son while the other took care of most of the business and cleaning.

speaking of her son, the trailer door rattled before flinging open, "Mom!" Jay ran over to give her a hug at the kitchen sink, where she was doing dishes.

"hi dear, how was school today?"

"good. I drew for me and dad's project and we did some more multiplying and I'm really good at it" he rattled off more activities as he pulled out his lunchbox and homework for that day.

everything he talked about involved teachers and classwork. Jay only mentioned other kids when they commented on his drawings or played with him at recess, which was not as common as they would've liked. when she and Ed last met with his teacher, she remarked on how bright Jay was and that he loved speaking to all of his teachers- even at recess and during lunch.

he had friends, but most of them didn't talk to him as much at school as they did when they came over. she could tell Jay was trying very hard to not take it personally, but he was just a child.

it wasn't malicious, of course, the other kids weren't trying to be cruel- they wanted to have a lot of friends and Jay wasn't joining the other kids at recess; he found sticks and things to make little cars and catapults. no one could keep up with him and he never cared to race the cars or use the catapults to hit things. he just wanted to make them better and better.

he is so similar her and Ed were as children: bit with the invention bug and always pushing towards making everything better than it was before. except Jay didn't have a close friend to share that with. he asked her once, in between sobs, why everyone else had a best friend except him. it broke her heart, knowing that Jay felt that everyone was friendly with him, but not friends with him.

"Mom, can you help me with math tonight? I need to practice my multiplication tables up to 12"

Jay's request pulled her back to the present. taking a beat, she made sure he wouldn't be able to read the sadness she felt, "of course, dear, I'd love to," smiling, she ruffled his curls and glanced at the kitchen table. all his homework was in a neat stack, he'd emptied out what was left in his lunchbox, and set the tupperware onto the countertop. her son was bouncing up and down on his toes, waiting for her permission to run outside.

Edna bent down, taking Jay's head in her hands and placing a light kiss on his forehead, "good job, dear, and thank you for unpacking everything. make sure you take a glass of water out for your father and come in once the sun goes down, okay?"

"okay!" making a mad dash for the door, Jay suddenly diverted to grab the glass, and then started a more careful walk over to Ed, valiantly trying to not spill a drop.

their precious son would find his people, she was sure of it. and in the meantime, she and Ed would be here for him.

#ninjago #lego ninjago #ed and edna #ed walker #edna walker #jay walker #jay angst #kinda?? #jay's childhood is a little sad but not completely #inspired by Real EventsTM and by that I mean growing up with ADHD #this was supposed to be a short post but oh well #lmk if I should expand on this and post it to ao3

[mx-julien]

Zane in a bird shirt!!!! :D

#ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago fanart #zane julien #glaciershipping #cole brookstone #my adorable boys <3

[mx-julien]

glacier doodle while I work on my silly headcanon height chart

#glaciershipping #ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #lego ninjago

[mx-julien]

waving a giant flag around that say ‘I HEART GLACIER’

#glaciershipping #lego ninjago #ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone

[mx-julien]

the Not Lego Animated, Unrealistically Perfect Ninjago TV Series in my mind has a whole plot point where Zane becomes a human. background: his "heart" is actually a trapped soul. Zane's android body is so intricate that it allows his soul to adjust and basically treat it like a human body. Dr Julien does not notice Zane's sentience as the years go on, as he's convinced it's a part of the AI black box issue

we get clues and eventually figure out that the trapped soul inside of his heart used to belong to an enemy of the first master of ice. it is why the forest where Dr Julien lived was under a permanent winter. however, that soul spent so long outside a body that it "forgot" all its memories

at some point much later there is a major fight during which one of Zane's arms is ripped off above his elbow. they are battling someone who has found another way to harness the ability to turn back time (like in series 1 with the combined golden weapons). Like He Always Does, at one point Zane jumps in front of someone to shield them from the blast so they don't pop out of existence and turn into ash

you can only turn back time as early as The Beginning, and Zane's soul was one of the very first since it was around at the same time as the First Elemental Master of Ice. instead of turning him into spare parts, logically it has hit a soul inhabiting a body- where was that soul at The Beginning? a human body. it makes him human with the parts that it has, so the body is basically the human version of his robot traits. this includes the lack of an arm with an elbow and forearm

this immediately takes him out of the fighting game and he doesn't exactly know what's happened (he's still wearing a gi, he's still alive, but he feels weird and uncoordinated and weaker) until the fight's completely over and people go to check on him

the absolute pure joy Zane feels as he partially unwraps his gi and realizes he's human is one I can't convey in words. it's up to you to imagine

other details below the cut

what about the end of Rebooted? while Zane's original body dies at the hand of the overlord, his soul (like the overlord's) is in his new titanium body. he programs his og robot body to sacrifice itself

does he need to adjust to the human body? his titanium body was almost an exact copy of a human body just in wires and metal (he doesn't need to eat or breathe ofc, but the layout is the same bc he likes the idea of it), so there is very little adjustment period. also the human body instinctively knows how to breathe, so right after he transforms it's like breathing after getting the wind knocked out of you

he doesn't have most of one of his arms?! yeah! personally I think it's his left arm.

why? because (1) he frequently loses parts of his robot body during major fights, so it adds some realism, (2) the ability to use adaptive tech on his arm stub connecting him back to his time as an android. I'm not talking winter soldier style "an able bodied person's arm just metal" I mean like a stump but a screwdriver on the end. something practical that does not resemble his other arm. the further it is from ""arm"" the more connected he feels with his roots. personally I'm sick of amputee characters who are "magically able-bodied again bc technology" fuck that shit I want Zane to have a swiss army knife on that stump. a slingshot for water balloon fights. just his bare stump when he's not doing anything in particular. the presence of a tool or prosthetic on would differentiate for him a relaxed vs guarded state

you have this whole thing figured out, huh? nope! just some vivid details. if you have any questions about this idea or want me to write more on it, just drop me an ask

#congenital amputee character #bc it's torn off before he's 'reborn' and also he has no trauma associated w it #he's dealt with No Arm(s) and/or No Leg(s) before as a robot this isn't new or scary to him #dr julien #ninjago headcanons #ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien

[mx-julien]

you guys oppositeshipping as either platonic or romantic slaps so hard. Kai melts icy outer armor and Zane cools a fiery temper guys the symbolism creates such a good dynamic that can't be attributed to attraction alone

possibly only to be rivaled by the Dareth/Ronin the Two Men Who Lack Long-Term Career Plans And Also They're A Bit The Worst Sometimes ship which is just hilarious and strangely fitting which i'm told is called Scruff?? immaculate

both are calculated, both are impulsive. Kai can plan and strategize in the throes of battle, while Zane's only moves in a pinch are Bullshit and Sacrifice. Zane can be overly curious, but he's on guard for manipulators and moles- Kai wants to believe people who are kind to him and it can blind him to other, more practical ulterior motives

at first glimpse, Zane seems hard to get along with and Kai extroverted, but the former's sincerity is clear while the latter obfuscates with sarcasm. even further down, we see Zane repress his trauma and feelings while Kai has outbursts of rage. they contain contradictions within contradictions of their elements

Kai uses his powers to smith, to create new tools and weapons. we hadn't seen the destruction Zane was capable of until the Never Realm, where permanent winters the world and nearly destroys a civilization (yes he's being manipulated and has the forbidden scroll in his hand I know). Skylor uses Kai's fire to forge a friendship and connect with him. Zane uses his heart and elemental power to destroy (mostly) the overlord.

typically, fire is the element of destruction, but I want you instead think of Kai and summer. gatherings and parties and adventures. warm waters and flourishing crops. everyone may be irritable, sweaty, and some sunburned, but it is built on the freedom to choose.

during winter people are together and inside out of necessity. it pulls people closer out of practicality and proximity. among the sparse bushes and trees, the wind chill and ice, are the adversity through which we persevere through. bonded together through change, through experience.

these connections are both one in the same and inherently different. their beginnings may be opposite, but the ending is often the same.

#don't get me wrong i still can only write glacier because opposite still feels a little too ooc for me but #OH BOY #the COLORS and the DRAMA and the THEATRICS #*chef's fucking kiss* #if i was posting art and not fanfiction you BET i'd be drawing them in their gis doing the yin yang thing #imma write polyninja at some point though #gotta be one of the least problematic ones in the fandom and for good reason #ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien #kai smith #oppositeshipping #scruffshipping #only mentioned though #fire and ice parallel

[mx-julien]

Tommy Andreasen revealed that Lloyd wasn't actually physically aged up- he just stopped walking around on his knees all the time

#lloyd montgomery garmadon #lloyd garmadon #ninjago meta #ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago behind the scenes #............................................................................................................................................ #happy april fools day :)

[mx-julien]

we should meet the village that raised Kai and Nya. how else did they learn to take care of themselves? we know they were left alone right around the ages of 8-10, and when we see them in the pilot they're self-sufficient and run a successful business

culture-wise, we're clued in that Ray and Maya are vaguely East Asian, so the reference I'll be using is the traditionally Japanese method of teaching kids independence. here's an overgeneralization:

that kids are taught to clean up after themselves from an early age and by the time their directional skills are OK they are sent on their first errand to (usually) a nearby store or shrine

you may be familiar with the idea from the series Old Enough! filmed in 1991 that showed Japanese kids on their first errands (currently it's on netflix)

brainstorming thread for this post on bluesky

even if we assume they were taught independence from an early age, they can't've known how to proficiently smith weapons or tools. they also have basic education in addition to Nya's knowledge of electrical engineering and welding. they must've had to apprentice under other blacksmiths in addition to going to school.

this would also explain why Kai is so fiercely, often illogically independent in the pilot and first season. he's spent the past decade of his life being helped by others, and he doesn't want to rely on anyone else if he can avoid it. in this new life as a ninja, he thinks, I can be completely independent. I won't have to rely on anyone! and thus begins his character development

let's explore "it takes a village"

farmers always give them their less attractive produce but refuse to take payment, telling the Smith kids that they're doing them a favor by taking the ugly ones. the local schoolhouse never approaches them about tuition.

neighbors by while their kid's taking a nap. they bring lunch or dinner, teach the two how to clean the house, and show them how to make the food they brought. caretakers at the village shrine ask them to help sweep away the leaves on the anniversary of their parent's disappearance. a few friends come by with flowers- it's a coincidence, they say: these wildflowers are just taking over my garden bed- it's no big deal.

electricians and welders in the area always seem to need an extra hand when Nya gets out of school. Kai cleans the blacksmith shop a few towns over and gets paid in an apprenticeship and a permanent stock of firewood and coal during the winter. the ice house happens to have unsellable, broken ice blocks when Nya pops by in the summer.

the two of them know. the village is part of a careful dance, respecting Kai and Nya's independence while acknowledging their need for support. everyone plays a part. yes, toes get stepped on and feelings get hurt, but time rolls on regardless. another person comes in from the sidelines when someone else takes a break.

it is not easy for the Smith kids, not by a long shot, but the people surrounding them make it bearable

as time marches on, their village sees the children they raised save the world dozens of times. occasionally, the Smith kids come back to take care of the shop and check in with everyone after avoiding the latest apocalypse.

without thinking, neighbors hand them a basket of misshapen apples, half a sack of broken rice, and trimmings from the butcher's. by the time each of them make it home, they've noticed their pockets jingling. the dance continues and now they've switched places

#should i write a longer bit on this? #ninjago #lego ninjago #kai smith #nya smith #ninjago pilots #ninjago season 1 #young kai smith #young nya smith #ninjago headcanons

[mx-julien]

glacier has such good longterm chemistry: the values (family, friends, their training), spare time (random trips, going outdoors), and their personalities (I could write a master's thesis on this)

Cole is close with Lou, Zane was close with Dr Julien while he was alive, and both of them have showed some resistance to lovers and preference to their friends (Pix is easily read as Zane's sister, Cole hasn't had a clear love interest since Weird Love Triangle)

back when they were training regularly, these two seemed to be less distractible from training regularly and keeping an eye on Ninjago. they can become complacent, but Zane's attentiveness and anxiety would likely keep Cole on his dot

neither of them are serious or workaholic enough as to forget about enjoying life; Cole's frequently characterized as laidback around others, while studious at home, and only anxious when people's lives are at stake. meanwhile Zane is more out of depth in social environments and very clearheaded during fights. he needs someone else who thinks more about the effects of their actions, so he doesn't unnecessarily put himself and others at risk

they balance out each other's shortcomings. unless if they can dress up in which case they lose all braincells and run around like the silly little gays they are (ex. The Royal Blacksmiths, Snake Jaguar)

and never forget Cole making fun of Zane for all of Can of Worms, when Zane's gi was dyed pink and Cole was so distracted making fun of the Constrictai tomb that they nearly got killed (thank you Zane's common sense that the tomb would have traps and also his rockin flute skills)

#ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #glaciershipping #ninjago headcanons

[mx-julien]

ninjas' relationship with a home

Zane is used to moving on from places, as an amnesiac orphan he was used to getting up and carrying on, then his only temporary home, the Monastery, burns down (ref: s1 ep2 Home) and the others blame him for it. granted, he seems unaffected from these accusations and proceeds to find the Destiny's Bounty that day so all is forgiven

I wonder if some of this longing for a home was intensified after he regains his memories in Tik Tok (s1 ep7). because then he would be able to remember a time of prolonged safety and living with people you love

Kai and Nya lived at the blacksmith shop presumably since their parents got kidnapped by Krux and Acronix. Nya even had enough time to create a whole secret room of armor

the first years must've been especially hard given all the reminders of their parents being around. did they leave their bedroom untouched, save for the occasional cleaning?

did Kai have to pull up a stool to the stove to cook until he hit his growth spurt? are most of Nya's memories in that house of Kai making her lunches and tucking her in at night and sending her off to school?

who takes care of the shop while they're gone? and when they come back do they notice everything looks a little smaller- each corner thick with dust and the fingerprints of afternoons when they were 12 and only had each other?

Jay lived with Ed and Edna in the scrapyard since he was little and he can visit back there whenever he likes, but now he has another family to think about: the one he never had, the one that gave him away

however after Skybound he knows he has other parents as well. does he ever sit in the kitchen he grew up in and wonder if his biomom had any recipes she wanted to pass down? if she ever saw families or little kids and thought of him? if they have the same smile or same freckles or same laugh?

sure he can learn about Cliff all he wants and he loves his Mom and Dad dearly, but was there more? could he have learned to master lightning with his Mom? where was she when he was growing up? was she unable to see him or unwilling? is she even alive?

Cole's house is likely the same as when he was little, so he too can go visit, but I wonder if he went off to "boarding school" because after his Mom died he couldn't stand to be at home

what was a place to laugh and paint became gray when Lilly got ill. it turned into a place of hushed voices and packed bags for the hospital. after she died it was the home of yelling, of arguments, of tradition vs. passion. smiles became forced and doors only slammed shut.

with more time having passed, I wonder if Cole is glad that so many things of his are mostly untouched since his Mom died. he can find her neat handwriting on some notes in his desk, in books on the shelves, and point out decor she bought

Lloyd only had a complete home for a small part of his childhood before Misako left him at Darkley's. then, he must've lived somewhere close to the school. when he was doing Pythor's bidding, he seemed to be mostly homeless

after growing up deserted at a boarding school (that he clearly didn't like) and manipulated into long treks and homelessness to do the bidding of a snake, perhaps his misbehavior at the beginning of his stay on the Bounty was because he couldn't imagine it lasting. him? a place where he felt at home? better the devil you know than the devil you don't- just toss me back out on the streets I don't CARE!

when do you think he realized that the others weren't going to leave him like his Mom did or take advantage of him like Pythor? how many months in did it take him to realize that his uncle Wu wasn't the only one who wanted him there?

any particular ninja y'all want me to focus on drop in the tags or replies- I'm real interested about this now

#ninjago #lego ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #nya smith #kai smith #lloyd montgomery garmadon #jay walker #kid lloyd #misako garmadon #IS AWFUL #sensei wu #lloyd garmadon #lilly brookstone #lou brookstone vague mention #master of lightning #cliff gordon #ed and edna #dr julien #ray smith #maya smith #ninjago headcanons

[mx-julien]

yes that's it! I esp like the gradient you used

psst Nya wearing a scalloped skirt or a bodycon dress with the layered pattern of an asian arowana (also called a dragonfish)

(from Wikimedia)

#thank you for the drawing! #i wasn't expecting anyone to actually make one o_o #lego ninjago #nya smith #ninjago #art

[mx-julien]

psst Nya wearing a scalloped skirt or a bodycon dress with the layered pattern of an asian arowana (also called a dragonfish)

(from Wikimedia)

#some please draw this #ninjago #lego ninjago #nya smith #asian arowana #dragonfish