Chen
"Only one can remain…" |
— Master Chen |
Master Chen was the owner of Mr. Chen's Noodle House, as well as the main antagonist in the fourth season of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. A master of deception, Chen was responsible for the first Serpentine War, causing him to be banished to a secluded island when the snakes he aligned with lost. At some point, Chen married the original Elemental Master of Amber, and the two had a daughter, Skylor. Shortly after the believed demise of Zane, Chen organized the Tournament of Elements as a guise to steal the powers of the Elemental Masters so he could perform a spell that would turn his followers into Anacondrai. This plan eventually succeeded, but their mission to destroy Ninjago was thwarted when Chen's former pupil, Garmadon, unleashed the original Anacondrai generals from the Cursed Realm. The generals proceeded to curse Chen and his army, and then banish them to the Cursed Realm.
Months later, The Preeminent, the embodiment of the Cursed Realm, was unleashed into the city of Stiix. When Nya killed the beast with a massive tidal wave, the Cursed Realm was destroyed with it, killing Master Chen and all of its inhabitants.
Background[]
Early Life[]
When he was young, Chen grew vain when he was told he would amount to nothing, compared to the Elemental Masters, who were born with natural abilities.
Spellbound (Flashback)[]
Chen was originally Clouse and Garmadon's sensei and encouraged them to win at all cost. When a duel broke out between his students one day, he declared that the winner would become his right-hand and be granted lordship. Garmadon won by cheating and using Spinjitzu which Chen had forbade, though the sensei dismissed it and granted Garmadon the title of Lord. Chen presented the young lord with a letter he intercepting written by Wu that was addressed to Misako, and convinced Garmadon to sign his own name.
Appearance[]
Chen wears an Anacondrai skull atop his head, which itself sports a large purple snake around its own head, with skeletal rims attached to it. He has a mustache-goatee, thick eyebrows, and thick sideburns and hair, all of which are black in color, though in his younger years they were apparently red. He sports dark red robes with golden and black markings, along with purple rims along the midlines. Chen has black feet.
Personality[]
Before his banishment from Ninjago, Chen was an intellectually self-serving man who was able to manipulate both Garmadon to crave power, and the first Elemental Master of Earth (in addition to others unmentioned) to fight against the Elemental Alliance. This manipulation served him in keeping a balanced rift between the Elemental Alliance and the Serpentine in the Serpentine War. After his banishment however, Chen became more childish, spoiled and impatient (all of which he expressed while supervising the Tournament of Elements), but still devious and greedy. He also has a quirk, which is his love for buttons and trap doors (which is a combination of his need for power, and childish nature). During the Second Serpentine war, Chen started to complain how difficult and time consuming it was to take over Ninjago.
However it would appear that Chen did love his daughter, and gave her special treatment (he provided her with a tournament suit similar to those of the Ninja, and he allowed her to keep Kai around after he had drained him of his power). After she betrayed him, though, he no longer cared for her safety, and his greed took over.
He is also shown to be culturally insensitive, as he used the symbolism of the Anacondrai, even after betraying both human and serpentine by igniting the war that drove both sides to near extinction. He even violated their remains by using them as decorations and clothing, while espousing their ideology of "only one can remain," adding insult to injury. He is also shameless in this, as he begged the spirits of the Anacondrai generals to spare him even though he was the one who instigated both wars, which caused them to be banished to the cursed realm, and then used elemental power to transform into a pseudo-Anacondrai, and then claimed to be on the same side.
Chen is also shown to be temperamental, sadistic, and possibly psychotic. This is shown in his previously mentioned duplicity, hot temper, and tendency to believe his own lies. He also showed great enjoyment and schadenfreude when he revealed to Wu and Misako that Garmadon had signed the love letter that Wu had written for Misako that caused her to fall for Garmadon in their youth. Chen's perverse glee is quite evident in this action, and only further showcases his psychosis.
Chen is also shown to be quite cowardly, and is seemingly incapable of owning up to his own mistakes and misdeeds, claiming that his use of magic to become an Anacondrai meant that he was on their side in a futile attempt to be spared by the unleashed spirits of Arcturus and his comrades.
Notes[]
- Skylor is his daughter.
- The losers in the tournament were forced to work at his noodle factory.
- Chen, like Garmadon and Skylor, are the only Anacondrais who keeps their minifigure heads, instead of gaining a snake heads like the other Anacondrai Cultists (possibly because they lack tattoos on their heads).
- An anamatronic of Chen was part of the exhibit about the Ninja at the Ninjago Museum of History.
- The history museum has a portrait of Chen hanging in one of their rooms.
Appearances[]
- 70749 Enter the Serpent
- 70746 Condrai Copter Attack
- LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
- "The Invitation"
- "Only One Can Remain"
- "Versus"
- "Ninja Roll"
- "Spy for a Spy"
- "Spellbound"
- "The Forgotten Element"
- "The Day of the Dragon"
- "The Greatest Fear of All"
- "The Corridor of Elders"
- "Curse World - Part II"
- "Chair up Chen"
- "Chairful What You Wish For"
- LEGO Ninjago: Tournament
- LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin
Characters | |
---|---|
Ninja |
Wu · Garmadon · Cole · Zane · Jay · Kai · Lloyd |
Skulkin |
Leader: Lord Garmadon (Formerly) |
Serpentine |
Anacondrai Tribe: Arcturus · Pythor P. Chumsworth |
Stone Army |
Creator: The Overlord |
Nindroids |
Creator: Cyrus Borg |
Anacondrai Cultists |
Chen · Clouse · Zugu · Eyezor · Kapau · Chope · Krait · Sleven |
Elemental Masters |
Ash · Bolobo · Elemental Master of Light · Paleman · Karlof · Tox · Shade · Neuro · Elemental Master of Gravity · Gravis · Griffin Turner · Skylor · Elemental Master of Water · Elemental Master of Fire |
Ghost Warriors |
Leader: The Preeminent |
Creatures |
Grundle · Spykor · Starteeth · The Leviathan · Treehorn · Craglings · Mud Monsters · Ice Serpent · Walliper |
Other |
Bizarro Ninja · Brad Tudabone · Carridi · Cathy · Dareth · Ed · Edna · First Spinjitzu Master · First Mate · Fred Finley · Gayle Gossip · Gene · Genn · Hibiki · Lou · Mystake · Night Watchman · Noonan · O'Doyle · Patty Keys · No-Eyed Pete · Rufus Macallister · Captain Soto · Phantom Ninja · Warden Noble · Rachel Sparrow · Suzie Wheeler · Yang |