Nya: They got the first one, but there are three more, and we just need one to stop Pythor. They have a map, and we don't, so they question remains: how are we gonna find them first?
Jay: I still can't get over the fact that you were the mysterious Samurai. Is anyone else blown away like I am?
Kai: We're over that. Can we move on?
Zane: It appears his impatience is because he has not found inner peace and unlocked his like you, Crystal and I have, Jay.
Kai: Great observation, Mr. Roboto, but Cole hasn't found it either.
Cole: I got it!
Kai: You've unlocked it? Oh, why am I the only one!?
Crystal: Chill Kai, Cole hasn't unlocked his true potential.
Cole: No, I figured out where I recognized the Fangblade from. I have a picture of it. (He goes to get the picture.)
Kai: Oh, haha.
Cole: I got it! (He shows them the Blade cup from his photo album.)
Jay: That's it!
Cole: Back where I grew up, there's this pretty big competition where every year the winner gets the Blade Cup. My dad's won it multiple times.
Zane: You never told us your dad was an accomplished athlete. What sport?
Cole: Oh, h-he's a, uh...a blacksmith.
Kai: Nothing wrong with that. My father was a blacksmith, too. But I've never heard of a competition—
Cole: That's because he's not a "blacksmith" blacksmith. He's a royal blacksmith.... (He turns a page of his album to show them a picture of his dad. Everyone except Crystal snickers.)
Crystal: Hey I remember now the Blade Cup competition. I always wanted to enter.
Kai: But how did the Fangblade become a trophy?
Cole: Well, supposedly, the Blade Cup was made by this guy who collected priceless artifacts. His name was something like, uh, Dutch...no, Clutch. Clutch Powers! Anyway, it gets passed on to each year's winner.
Zane: Who has it now? (Crystal shrugs)
Cole I don't know. I haven't talked to my father in years.
Kai: Well then, we'll call him up.
Cole: You can't! He thinks I'm in Ninjago City training at the Marty Oppenheimer school of performing arts. (He groans.) He wanted me to follow in his footsteps, Sing, dance. But when I couldn't do that stuff, well I...I ran away. When he sees I can't dance, he'll know I've been lying in all the letters I've been sending him.
Zane: He doesn't know you're a ninja?
Cole: What you wanna crack joke that my old man dances.
Kai: No, but if we want to get the fangblade then we better get our own act in tune.
(The ninja jump off the Bounty and give their weapons to Cole.)
Cole: Alright, hand them over.
Jay: Ah-uh. But no mortal shall possess all four.
Cole: Very funny.
Kai: You wanna remind me again why we can't keep our weapons?
Cole: I told you, my dad can't find out I'm a ninja. And I don't feel like making up excuses why I'm carrying a scythe around with me, or you guys are caring swords, nunchucks, or shurikens. Just remember the plan: we find out who has the Fangblade trophy, we snatch it, and then we get out of town. (He knocks on the door.)
Crystal: I still think there is a better way then stealing it.
Cole: Well when you figure one out let me know.
Lou: Just a moment. (He opens the door.)
Cole: Hey, dad. How long has it been?
Lou: (sternly) What? You too good for the doorbell? (He slams the door on them.)
Cole: Uh...
Lou: Use the bell, son. (He does so.)
Cole: (Mutters) I knew he would be the same.
Doorbell: Welcome. (The door opens again.)
Lou: (Happy) Haha. Come on in, son. It's been forever. What did you bring? A quartet ooh a quintet? Come in, come in. I've got a kettle of lemon tea on the stove right now.
(A gramophone plays some background music. After being seated, Cole groans.)
Lou: Did my son tell you I broke my foot? It was the cha-cha but I swear the percussionist had it in for me.
Cole: No, dad. I didn't tell them about your silly stories.
Lou: Silly stories?
Kai: Oh, what he meant was, we've been busy training at the...uh...
Jay: Uh, the Martha Oppenheimer. Yeah.
Lou: Martha Oppenheimer?
Crystal: What he's trying to say is the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts.
Cole: Right! Well, um, see, we have this final research paper we're doing on the history of Ninjago talent, and what we really wanted to know was how can we get our hands on the Blade Cup?
Lou: You're talking about getting your hands on the Blade Cup? The most prized and heavily guarded award in all of Ninjago, the symbol of excellence in harmony and grace? You can't just get it, you have to earn it. You have to exhibit style. Perfect pitch. Push the boundaries of artistic license and win this year's Ninjago Talent Show!
Zane: Um, perhaps there's an easier way.
Lou: Is this why you came? You knew I was injured and when my quartet insisted we shan't go on, you four have come to take our place! Haha, ingenious! My son, bringing forth the next evolution of the Royal Blacksmiths! Let me hear the sweet, sweet sound of harmony.
Jay: Harmony...
Zane: (Simultaneously) Harmony...
Kai: (Simultaneously) Harmony...
(As the harmony dies down, Cole groans and Lou and Crystal cringes.)
Lou: Ok so uh can you sing? (gesturing to Crystal)
Crystal: Uhhhhhhhhh, Harmony.... (The ninja and Lou look at her with surprised looks)
Lou: That was beautiful!
Cole: Look, dad. We just need the trophy.
Kai: Yeah, we're bringing home the gold and-and we want you to train us.
Lou: (Sniffles) I've never been more proud. If you'll excuse me, I need to write a song about my feelings.
Cole: What are you doing?
Kai: Look, we enter this competition so we can get close enough to the Blade Cup. Once we get the Fangblade, we leave town. How hard can this be?
(Time skip to Lou training the ninja except Crystal who is sitting down playing her guitar)
Lou: Okay, from the top. Five, six, seven, eight. (He plays some keys on a piano.)
Kai: Bop till you drop.
Jay: Shake it till you break it.
Zane: Move it till you lose it.
Cole: Spin it till you win it.
Lou: Stop, stop. Ugh. If my ears weren't attached to my head, they'd be running away! Kai, love the energy, hate the hair. (He hits Kai on the head with his cane.)
Kai: Aah! (Crystal giggles at the sight)
Lou: Jay, you're giving a lot, but I need more. Zane, you're like a machine. Don't change anything. (Zane smirks.) And Cole, try to act like you wanna be here.
Jay: He's worse than Sensei Wu.
Lou: Okay, moving forward. Let's take a look at the big show-stopping climax. Cole, we can't have history repeating itself.
Cole: Dad, it was the triple tiger sashay. I was seven.
Kai: What's the Triple Tiger Sashay?
Crystal: Only the most difficult dance move ever created. (Crystal says while walking up to the ninja and Lou)
Lou: It's true. Many professionals have dare tried, but it's never been successfully completed.
Cole: Hence, my father thought a seven year-old could. But I ended up falling on my face, humiliating myself, and letting my quartet down.
Lou: If you're going to win, you have to go big! Alright, time for a break. Take five. Oh and Crystal wonderful music.
Crystal: Heh thanks Lou.
Kai: Ahh I don't get it, why does Crystal and Zane get all the compliments.
Jay: Uhhh because Zane's a robot and Crystal is better at music then you'll ever be.
Crystal: Oooh burn! (She high-fives Jay)
Kai: Uh, I'm starting to see why Cole is so closed off.
Jay: Yea it's cause twinkle toes here couldn't deliver the goods. Is that why you ran away?
Cole: Oh, I could deliver the goods—
Crystal: Ok ok why don't we all take a breather.
Cole: look. I'll deal with my father, but let's stick with the plan. All we have to do is keep this charade long enough until we can get our hands on the trophy.
Jay: I don't know. I'm starting to think we can win this thing. (Cole grunts at him.) Okay, okay. We'll stick to the plan.
(Meanwhile, Skales and Pythor enter Lou's village via the sewers.)
Skales: It'ssss here. I feel it.
Pythor: Calm down. There's no need to attract unwanted attention.
Skales: Look, the ninja. (The ninja are outside practicing.)
Kai: Bop till you drop.
Jay: Shake it till you break it.
Zane: Move it till you lose it.
Cole: Spin it till you win it.
Crystal: You guys are getting better at least.
Skales: Ugh, now there'ssss no chance to take it.
Pythor: Patience. We're snakes, remember. They'll never see us coming. Hmmm. (Reads poster) "Open audition." (He chuckles as they head back down the manhole.)
(At the Concert hall, contestants are practicing singing, beatboxing, and juggling. The ninja are practicing their routine while Crystal plays the guitar for their melody.)
Cole: Then kick ball change, barrel roll, barrel turn, and we all do the double wings—
(Jay and Kai bumps into each other.)
Jay: Ow! Dude you gotta follow me.
Kai: Follow you? You're two beats off.
Zane: (Interrupting them) Actually, 2.72 off of the beat.
Cole: Guys, guys! Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be.
Crystal: Cole's right You all have got to chill!
Cole: We just stick to the plan and keep up the charade until the trophy's revealed. Once we steal the Blade Cup, we can argue all we want once we get back home.
Jay: But this is your hometown, Cole. Don't you want to try and win it?
Cole: Ugh, they only dance step I wanna perform is called "get-me-out-of-this-nuthouse-and-let's-burn-these-memories-from-my-head."
Lou: What?
Cole: Dad, I...
Lou: You...you were going to steal it?
Cole: (Sighs) Dad, I didn't mean for you to hear that, but-but I'm glad you did. There's something I've been wanting to tell you. All these years, I haven't been training to be a singer or a dancer. I found something new that I'm really good at. Dad... (He uses Spinjitzu to change into his gi.) I'm a ninja. (Lou gasps.) And the truth is, if we don't steal that Fangblade—I mean, Blade Cup—there's other people that will. Bad people. Serpentine. And we need it to save the world. I know how ridiculous this sounds, but I'm proud of who I am, and I want you to be proud of me, too.
Lou: I can't be proud of any son who thinks stealing is right. And I'm not gonna wait around to watch you make a mockery of our family's legacy.
Cole: Dad, I— (Lou walks away. Cole groans.)
Crystal: I'm sure he didn't mean that.
Kai: Yea-
Jay: -Maybe if he saw you in action.
Cole: No, it's-it's okay. (A group of disguised serpentine walk out of a dressing room.) "Treble Makers
Jay: Wait a minute. What are they doing here?
Pythor: I can't help it if I offend anyone. My only job will be to tell the truth.
(Pythor is shown sitting at the judge's table wearing a fake beard.)
Judge 2: You don't look anything like your photo.
Pythor: Ah, sadly, but the camera adds a few pounds. I'm just happy to have the opportunity to judge this prestigious competition.
Judge 3: (In Pythor's stomach) Wait a minute. I'm still here! He swallowed me! He's not a judge! (The other judges gasp.)
Pythor: Quiet, or else I won't let you out.
Judge 3: My apologies.
(The Blade Cup is brought out.)
Pythor: The Fangblade.
Judge 2: Uh, yeah. You mean the Blade Cup.
Pythor: Yes, yes. Whatever.
Kai: It looks like we're not the only ones planning to steal the Blade Cup. Pythor's here.
Zane: This complicates things.
Jay: Then I say we make our move. We can't risk losing out again. I say we steal it.
Cole: We're not gonna steal it. We're gonna win this competition, but we're gonna do it our way.
All but Cole: Our way?
Cole: Yea but if we want the plan to work we need Crystal to sing.
Crystal: What I can't sing in front of an audience!
Cole: Please do it for Ninjago.
Crystal: (sighs) Fine.
Cole: Thanks.
Treble Makers: My poison lies over the ocean, my poison lies over the sea. My poison lies over the ocean, so bring back my poison to me!
(The Serpentine and Skulkin cheers, but everyone else boos. Pythor scores it a 10, but the judges scores 6. Pythor intimidates them to flip their score cards to a 9.)
Announcer: Next up is spin harmony!
Cole: If we're gonna do this, I want everyone to see who we are.
Zane: I have butterflies in my stomach.
Jay: Aww, come on. That's just nerves.
Zane: No, I really do have butterflies.
Jay: Okay, uh, glad he got that out of his system.
Announcer: Last call for Spin Harmony!
Crystal: Let's do this, for Cole!
Kai: If we can do the tornado of creation, we can score perfect 10s out there.
Zane: I can say anything and it will only go to elevate our team unity.
Cole: I'm glad you guys are my friends. Let's do the whip!
All: Ninja, go!
Pythor: Well, it looks like the last act is no longer performing. Haha, that means I can give this to the winners—
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, Spin Harmony!
(Crystal sings the weekend whip on her guitar while the others dance. As the crowd cheers. Pythor orders the Serpentine to attack them.)
(Cole does the Triple Tiger Sashay on three Serpentine.)
Crystal: (Gasp) The Triple Tiger Sashay.
(Everyone Cheers)
Announcer: Oh, he did it! The Triple Tiger Sashay! He's danced the impossible!
(The judges gave them a 10 but Pythor gave a 0, but the audience boos him. Judge 3 manages to get his arm out and writes a 1 on his score card, turning it into a 10. The crowd cheers again.)
Pythor: What? Wait. I didn't write that.
Announcer: It's a perfect score! Spin Harmony wins the Blade Cup!
Pythor: Oh, this is a travesty of epic proportions! I demand for there to be a recount!
(Cole searches the audience for his dad, but his seat is empty. He groans.)
Zane: I've never felt more alive.
Jay: Hahaha! We did it! (Everyone chuckles.)
Crystal: No Cole did it!
Kai: Because of you, Ninjago will sleep safely tonight.
Cole: Thanks, but go on and celebrate without me. Winning this doesn't feel the same without my dad being able to—
Lou: Cole!
Cole: Dad?
Lou: I saw it all, son. I saw it all.
(The two embrace.)
Cole: You saw me dance?
Lou: More importantly, I saw you fight. Those Serpentine were up to no good, trying to steal the show, and I saw you stand up for what is right. I was wrong. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard to follow in my footsteps. Everyone is born with a special talent inside that's just been waiting to get out. And you were born to be a ninja.
Cole: You're not mad?
Lou: How can I be? My son's a hero!
Pythor: Eh, sorry to interrupt your little family reunion, but did you know (rips off the beard) it's me, Pythor.
Cole: You couldn't fool us, Pythor.
Crystal: And anyways that was the lamest disguise ever.
Jay: Yea you really think a fake beard would cut it?
Pythor: I didn't want to miss our big show stopper.
Cole: Dad!
(Pythor laughs as he escapes with the Blade Cup while the other ninja coughs from the dust.)
Jay: They took the Fangblade.
Crystal: Who cares about the fangblade what about Cole and Lou!
(As they gather around the pile, they notice Cole's scythe is glowing.)
Zane: He found his True Potential.
(Cole grunts while lifting up the debris with his newfound powers.)
Lou: Wha-what? How did we survive that? Son?
Crystal: Cole's found his True Potential. His relationship with his father must have been holding him back.
Jay: He's indestructible!
Kai: Ugh, great. So now I really am the only one who hasn't figured out my special power. (Cole returns to normal.)
Cole: (winded) Is everyone alright? What just happened?
Lou: We're all okay, son.
(Back at Lou's house, the ninja are drinking tea.)
Kai: Oh, man.
Jay: (Simultaneously) That was really cool.
Zane: (Simultaneously) You found your True Potential.
Jay: I guess the scorecard now reads Pythor-two Fangblades, ninja-zero.
Crystal: Way to be a downer Jay.
Jay: Heh sorry.
Cole: Yeah, but all we need is one, and there are still two left to find.
Kai: Who knows? Maybe when I unlock my True Potential, I'll turn into the destined green ninja.
Cole: Yeah, dream on.
Crystal: Like that's going to happen.
Jay: Ha, okay.
Cole: The only thing you're destined for is a more inflated ego.
Zane: He is 100% right.
Lou: It may not be the trophy, but it sure will look good on my wall. (He hangs up a picture of the ninja's victory.)
Cole: All right!
Crystal: Great!
Zane: Excellent.
Kai: Awesome.
Jay: Nice.
Lou: As far as I'm concerned, you're all my family now.