Season 8 was like 6 years ago(I feel old) and I know ppl have differing opinions on the Mr Echo thing (but it was intended, made it to storyboard and blocked animation and then dropped, soooo) but. I can see his recruitment p easily tbh. Bc the whole reason Dr J was in that lighthouse was because he was resurrected, forced there, and ordered to build Skulkin vehicles by Samukai. But Samukai in the flashback we see has already been deposed as leader of the Skulkin/Underworld. Which means the orders to do so most likely came from Garmadon.
And since Mr. E is one of the head honchos, he's likely an early arrival to the team, so I don't think Harumi has a whole lot figured out at this point, she's just got her Trauma and some Bad Influence Friends and an obsession with Lord Garmadon. So. Like. Plausible deniability road trip that she's just visiting important markers of Ninjago's recent past, all of which involve Lord Garmadon in some meaningful way; its sightseeing, its cathartic, and it gives her time to develop her dream Motorcycle Gang/Resurrection Cult. She's not looking for anyone at the Lighthouse, but she is looking for vehicle blueprints so she can be the Koolest leader on the block. But oops she looks in the basement and there's an Echo.
And she's flipping out bc??? A Ninja???? In the Lighthouse basement??? I mean it makes sense that it would be this one but???
Except this rusty old robot has no idea what she's talking about with this Ninja stuff, he's just waiting for his dad to come back.
And Harumi pauses.
Because how long has he been waiting? He's not sure, he had no proper way to measure time in the basement, and he doesn't have the best view of his clockwork heartpiece. But it was after his father saw a strange ship docking; Echo was worried it was the People who had locked up his father in the first place, but instead his dad sounded happy when he saw whoever was out there. It could have been a front, though, as clearly it was never safe to let Echo back out. Then Dr J popped down briefly, while everyone above was resting, to tell Echo he was desperately needed elsewhere, that it wasn't safe to bring Echo, but that he'd be back in no time.
And the pieces are fitting together for Harumi. And she's like. Your dad's dead, bro.
And he's like. What? Did he die doing what was needed of him?
And she's like. Oh, no. He died a few years later.
And he's like. Why didn't he come back for me????
And she's like. Probably because they kept him away.
And he's like. Who's they?
And she's like. The Ninja I was talking about earlier.
And it surely can't be hard in universe to find pictures of Zane and Dr J post s2-pre s3, so she pulls one up and shows Echo who is freaking out bc why is that one kind of like him and Harumi explains that that was the droid his father created first, that he became a Ninja, and that hes probably the one who took their father away and kept echo waiting for years.
But Echo has doubts, shocked as he is abt a new older brother, he wants to believe the good in the situation so he's unsure. But Harumi mentions that the Ninja's failures to uphold more than their self preservation/interests has led to uncountable losses and devastation in Ninjago time and time again, before delving into her own story. And she seems so kind, and so hurt, and I do think there's a genuine connection btwn these two that forms from this shared emotional torment that they decide came from the Ninja, and now Echo is more receptive.
And then Harumi gets to start her Garmadon pitch because wait! If Echo was made here, then that could only have happened because of Lord Garmadon. And she reiterates that he's the reason she and her city could have even survived The Great Devourer. And maybe Echo's family-by-creation left, maybe they were untrustworthy and lacking, but that's OK bc if you look at it all a certain way, Garmadon is more of a father to Echo than Dr J was. And Echo is a vulnerable, overwhelmed mess who just found out his dad fucked off for years without him and also died, and also he has a brother??? Who their dad clearly seems to have favored??? Did they even know about Echo??? Did they delight in their life free of him???
Basically. Kinda Spinel-core but getting abandoned and left completely alone does that to you. Especially when the first person to find you after being abandoned is a deeply hurt and misguided teen who is probably kinda desperate for someone, anyone else to see the Ninja the way she sees them.
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yknow i talk a lot of shit about pallas but i WILL say that everything they add to the character relationship web is absolute GOLD truly no one is doing it like them. mutual dependence and obsession and maybe even tenderness forming w their narrative foil/fellow protagonist until their character arcs become inextricably linked. hamlet n hortatio dynamic w their deadbestfriend. You’re Just Like Me For Real (derogatory) gayass rivalry constantly happening in the background. You’re Just Like Me For Real (affectionate) tragic attempted mentorship also happening the background. they have mommy issues from a character that isn’t even technically related to them.
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Arahabaki!chuuya fic idea pls stay with me for a second:
i've been reading fics where Arahabaki awakens by some means and just,,, wrecks havoc and that's GOOD don't get me wrong, but hear me out
what if mans just awakens and is like hold on !! im not supposed to be here right now what the fuck is happening ?? so it (they? he??) wanders around the city, searching for the person/entity with the ‘cold gift’ and something something someone from the ada finds him, probably atsushi and kyouka, and ‘chuuya’ is all like “please bring me to the nullifier?” but his voice doubles over itself in some places and it echoes a bit despite them being in the middle of the street, and he's floating a bit off the ground for no good reason ( Arahabaki can't walk bc its not used to it, me thinks).
they share a look and go “....sure?? are you alright though?” and ‘chuuya‘ just stares at them for a bit, and it's so unnerving because there's something so deeply wrong in his stare. atsushi’s tiger is pacing in his head, all ruffled up. kyouka has been gripping her knife since the start of this conversation.
but after a while ‘chuuya‘ nods and, after some hesitation, they bring him back to the office where dazai takes one (1) look at the creature standing on the ADA’s doorstep, asks “is he dead?” and when ‘chuuya’ tilts his head in confusion, dazai promptly puts a bullet into its head.
‘chuuya‘ just blinks at him, pulls the bullet out of his head, gives it back to dazai and asks if he can “touch us, it is not our time to be awake. bring us back to darkness.“. dazai is so tired already. its 3 in the afternoon. he wants to go home.
then more shenanigans occur
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