Chapter Text
Wu"s meditating, as he often does, contemplating life, as he also often does.
He"s in his quarters upon the Bounty, taking a moment alone to gather his thoughts as the ninja continue training Lloyd for the day he"s set to finally fulfill a prophecy put into motion so long ago. The boy"s been coming along in his fighting and his knowledge, in leaps and bounds as Wu"s always known he was capable of.
But, the sting of having to go up against his own father had been…something much harder to grasp. Not that Wu faults him for it. How could he?
Wu never had the spine to stand up to his own father, despite how much he wanted to make the man proud, even long after he was gone. And yet, when told of what he"d been born to do, Lloyd swallowed back his tears, grit his teeth, and begrudgingly accepted. Some days are easier to chug through than others…but Wu knows that, between the cracks, behind shuddering eyes…Lloyd Garmadon despises this turn of events with every fiber in his being.
A prophecy unavoidable…a fate unchangeable…a destiny unasked for.
All placed upon the shoulders of his poor nephew.
Wu thinks back on the scant few times he’d seen Lloyd when he was still just a baby—and still so innocent to the troubles of the world. Wu remembers how small and soft the baby had been, so tiny and in need of love and protection. (…A baby who would then grow up to love and protect the world in turn).
He remembers the prideful laughter that bubbled out of Garmadon every time he beheld his son, and the earnest way Misako would brush her finger through the baby’s wisps of blonde hair. For so long, they were picture perfect parents, coddling their son with all the dedication and attention he deserved, and there had been a split moment in time when Wu believed that everything would be okay and stay okay. For once.
They would all stay together, protecting this little miracle that was gifted to their family, and watch him grow up to do whatever he pleased in his life.
…How foolish, to be that optimistic.
Misako hums a lullaby as she rocks her baby in her arms, with Garmadon on her right and Wu smiling warmly to her left. She rubs a thumb across the baby"s cheek, curiously glancing from Lloyd to Wu, and makes a rather audacious observation.
“ He…looks a bit like Wu, doesn’t he?”
“…Nah, I don’t see it. That blonde hair will probably turn brown in time, just like his old man!”
“Haha. It could just be his grandfather’s genes.”
“Ugh, Wu, do not say that. You’ll jinx him into getting more than just a hairstyle from Father. That’s the last thing we need.”
“…”
Wu swallows thickly, fingers digging into his palms and pulling him back into the present. He…can"t blame himself or something his father put into motion beyond his knowledge. He can"t blame himself for that . He can"t.
(He still does, because here he is , pushing for that fate regardless.)
But of course, Misako had the inkling of what would be in store for Lloyd"s life, seeking to prevent the worst at all costs…and Garmadon wanted a head start on the Golden Weapons before anything could come to pass…
In almost a single swoop, Wu"s family was completely gone, and he feared he"d never see Lloyd Garmadon again.
…and that"s why it’s hard to believe it’s now been a few weeks—bordering on months—since Lloyd Garmadon’s plunked himself back into Wu"s life. With him, Lloyd"s brought an infectious if not mischievous enthusiasm to everything, a calming penchant for observation that his older students could certainly use from time to time…and a burning rage that, for most of the time, remains subdued.
Painfully, it all reminds Wu of his own brother.
For all the times that Lloyd has strived to be like his father, Wu doesn"t know if Lloyd even realizes just how much his own traits already run parallel with the man he"ll one day soon be forced to face in battle.
"Uncle Wu, why are you just chilling on some dusty old rug?"
…And now, that green-eyed child stands in the midst of Wu’s doorway, mocking his taste in room décor.
Wu cracks an eye open, finding Lloyd"s short stature leaned up against the doorframe. It"s not often that Lloyd appears before him unannounced, but whatever he"d come for is clearly overshadowed by the disgust he has for Wu"s poor innocent tapestry.
"Firstly, this is my meditation carpet," Wu scoffs, sitting straighter as if to enforce that point.
"It"s kinda ugly." Lloyd pokes at a fringed corner with the tip of his foot. Wu grimaces, not impressed.
"…and second , I thought you were training with the other ninja."
"Mweh." Lloyd tugs at his training clothes, which already have a tendency to bunch up at his wrists and ankles, emphasizing how he has to grow into them, just like the too-big title he now possesses. Wu laments the irony. "Cole took a break to make everyone lunch and the others made a mad dash to stop him and are now bickering over chicken nuggets in the kitchen. So, I snuck off!"
…yeah, that sounds about right.
Wu contemplates to himself, not exactly appreciating Lloyd skipping out on some necessary training time. Or that those training him get sidetracked so easily. But, just the same…
“If you did not come here just to insult my meditation carpet, then what did you need, Lloyd?”
“…it’s dumb anyway,” Lloyd sighs, collapsing on the opposite side of the meditation carpet in a position that mirrors Wu’s. His arms sag into his lap; his head droops down low. “I already know what you"re gonna say: I should probably just get back to training on my own, right? Gotta be ready to take down my dad and meet destiny and all that, yadda yadda yadda, bla bla bla.”
At Lloyd’s rather acidic dismissal, Wu frowns. He reaches over his burning incense to place a gentle hand on Lloyd’s arm, encouraging the boy to look up.
“… something must be bothering you. Otherwise you wouldn’t have brought yourself to me like this.”
“ Maybe I just wanted to visit you,” Lloyd huffs with puffed out cheeks. Wu staggers, endlessly endeared by the sentiment, but—
“You’ve already said it was ‘something dumb’, Lloyd. And I don"t think a brief visit to your old uncle is what you"d count as such.”
Lloyd’s eyes widen for a split second before a series of shushed curses pour from his lips, and Wu has enough grace to let the language slide this one time. Still, Lloyd refuses to say anything else—and Wu’s come to realize that getting Lloyd to speak about the things troubling him is the pinnacle of impossible unless nudged. Gently.
“…Lloyd, you must know, you can come to me with anything. You can tell me anything, you can ask me anything, and I will not fault you for it." Wu pulls back his hands, folding his arms into his sleeves. A smile settles on his face; Lloyd stares back with skepticism. "You may be the Green Ninja now, but that does not mean I expect you to never have questions…or concerns.”
“…mmph.” Lloyd locks his eyes with Wu’s. “… promise you won’t get mad?”
Wu grows increasingly nervous, but he nods.
“I promise I won’t get mad.”
“…fine.”
Lloyd takes a heavy breath, and with newfound conviction, he asks:
"Was my dad…ever a good dad?"
The mention of Lloyd’s father really shouldn’t surprise Wu. Regardless, the breaching of that topic…is always going to be a turbulent one.
“How do you mean?” Wu buys himself some time to come up with a better response.
"I mean …" Lloyd squirms, feeling out of place in his own skin. “Before the banishment, and the tormenting of my friends, and…interfering with my own potential, and…committing himself to evil, and…attacking things…and well, I guess the everything he"s doing now… did he…was he, like…a good parent…? Or…was he always…distant…?"
With every passing word, Lloyd winces more and more, well aware of how absurd his question must sound. Why is the Chosen One choosing to seek some form of sympathy for the one fated to put the world in jeopardy? It"s nothing more than a childish flight of fancy, isn"t it?
"…I told ya it was dumb." If Lloyd could sink any lower, he"d be part of the floor. "I mean, my mom already—I shouldn"t even be asking —shouldn"t care when I have to— you know —"
"…it is…normal for a boy to wonder about their father in his absence," Wu says, hoping the words are reassuring. Lloyd still catches his hesitation, and levels Wu with a deadpan stare.
"Not when that boy is meant to defeat that father cuz of a stupid prophecy, and shouldn"t be…digging up reasons to make things even harder than they already are."
Lloyd fists his hands in his lap to keep them from trembling.
"But…I think…there must"ve been something good in him that I admired, even without meeting him. And I just wanted to know if…there really was anything in there worth saving…"
His eyes flicker up to meet Wu"s, shimmering with uncertainty.
"…if I could."
Lloyd shrugs after that, dismissing the thought regardless of whether or not he receives a concrete answer for it. But, with most things relating to Garmadon, a concrete answer…is complicated, as much as Wu desperately wishes it weren’t so.
"…I will tell you something I tell very few people.” Wu pulls his arms out of his sleeves to rest his palms on his folded knees. Lloyd perks up with great interest. "…I"ve idolized Garmadon for a very long time."
Wu, from his own experiences, could see why Lloyd would once aspire to be like his father. Because, once upon a time, Wu had wished to be like Garmadon himself.
"Really? Even now , when he"s…?" Lloyd"s face scrunches in relative disgust as makes a vague gesturing motion with his hand. Wu chuckles, but he understands.
He reaches for the tea he"d set to the side, taking a long and thoughtful sip from his cup.
"…yes. For he still is my older brother…and I know his current actions may color a darker perception of him for others, but I…I still look kindly on all the good things he"s done for me. And…for the person he used to be. I can"t help it."
He tells Lloyd as much—that one of Garmadon"s strongest traits is his sense of ambition, almost to a fault. There would be no goal he could set that couldn’t be attained, and always kept his eye on the bigger pictures of the world. His determination knows no bounds, his resolve is unparalleled…and Wu wishes he had a spirit half as strong as that.
He also speaks of how Garmadon"s never afraid to point out the harsher truths of reality, and how brave he was for doing so. He was never one to sugarcoat bitter realities, whereas Wu had a tendency to shy away from such things if he could. Another of his many weaknesses, Wu confesses.
And, for as much as Garmadon himself detested it, he possessed a wisdom that rivaled their father"s. Wu had to study for hours and hours just to comprehend the thoughts Garmadon picked up on naturally, and it always stung how Garmadon could never appreciate his gifts. For as must as he loved to boast about being in the right otherwise.
"…that just sounds like you"re spinning all his awfulness into a good light," Lloyd mumbles, although not entirely put off by the notion. In fact, he almost seems to take a bit of comfort in it.
"Well." Wu takes another, longer sip of his tea. "Those traits had to have taken root from somewhere. I prefer to believe that the source was a pleasant one."
"…it"s just really ironic."
Lloyd shakes his head, running his fingers through his short bowl cut bangs.
"I wanted to be like him so much, but now…we"re like complete opposites. And, part of me doesn"t want to be, because, even though it might be counterproductive…I like having some kind of good connection with my dad…but I…"
Lloyd frowns at his hands, gnawing his lip with reckless abandon.
"Saying I want to be like my dad…I don’t want people to think I mean that I…still want to be a bad person.”
Lloyd curls into a ball with a self-deprecating smile, pulling his knees to his chin as he stares aimlessly into the smoke burning off Wu"s incense. He looks so vulnerable, and it"s taking everything in Wu to not throw himself across the room and scoop Lloyd protectively in his arms.
“…a lot of people might adore the legendary Green Ninja, but there’s still plenty of people that…dislike Lloyd Garmadon , the Darkley"s menace and son of the Dark Lord that stupidly let out all the vengeful Serpentine for nothing more than a sick joke.”
Lloyd tugs his hood all the way over his head, as if trying to vanish in place.
“ Why did I think that would’ve made things better between us…?! I really thought…doing something that dumb was gonna make him change his mind…and now, all this …"
Quieter, Lloyd whispers,
"…what am I supposed to do…?"
Wu’s heart sinks hearing Lloyd talk like that—and he wonders if he’s ever mentioned these feelings to the other Ninja, though he has his doubts.
He is too young to be worrying about these things; things that should have never been problems to begin with…and yet, Wu is helpless to do anything to get him off this predestined path. All Wu can do…is make that path forward as easy as possible.
Lloyd would have had no way to know better. And, Wu is no stranger to trusting a snake and wanting to appease his father either…
He understands.
“…if you are like your father at all, then it is only via his very best qualities, Lloyd.” Wu assures. And for as much as he sees the shades of Garmadon in the child before him, none of it is anything Wu would ever be worried about. "And even if you"ve made mistakes in the past, you are only human, dear nephew. You are not, and never have been, a bad person."
He knows Lloyd had never been privy to the kinder sides of Garmadon. All he knew of his father was what little light the darker side of him allowed him to show.
“And you know, when you were born, Lloyd…I’ve never seen your father be more proud.”
Wu smiles, thinking of how fond Garmadon was over his baby. How he"d boast about the glorious future they"d all have together, how he"d swing and sway with him through every room, showing him the simple wonders of life…and of how he impatiently couldn"t wait to bear witness to the fine young man Lloyd would become.
And of how…all of that never came to be.
"…It…wasn"t a long time, before your mother left and he was…banished." Wu tightens his hold on his teacup. Lloyd"s gaze lowers, yet keeps his focus. "But in what little time he had with you, I can promise you were loved. You had saved his world even before we ever knew you were the Green Ninja."
Lloyd heaves a shuddering breath, composing himself before nodding in acceptance. He doesn"t smile…but, he seems at peace with the answer regardless.
And in this singular moment, Wu wishes he had the power to go back in time, to shower Lloyd with all the proof of just how strong Garmadon had been over the years. How he pushed through all that darkness and the urge for evil, how he denied and fought against those instincts for the better part of his life, and tried his damned best to be the person he wanted to be…right up to starting a family…to leave behind something of a positive legacy…
But, everyone has a limit of what they"re capable of.
Silence marches through the room, ringing in Wu"s ears. He sets his cup down, lest his quivering hands accidentally drop it. A lump rests heavy at the apex of his chest; he sits on pins and needles, wondering what Lloyd might ask next…especially with such a contemplative look on Lloyd’s face. It"s scrunched, as it normally is when he"s annoyed, but there"s shades of resignation in there too.
"Sooo, um…how come they didn"t just leave me with you? If they…really didn"t want me to be evil, or to trigger the prophecy too early, or whatever…then wouldn"t it have been better if you raised me?" Lloyd gestures with his hand again, this time more aloofly, despite the weight of his question. "It just…feels like we could have avoided a lot of…bad choices in between."
And that…is a question Wu"s asked himself for years.
He wonders if it was because of how…sour things had gone with Morro, for not even Wu would have trusted himself after that debacle. The whole thing still keeps him up at night, and to think of something similar happening with Lloyd–
Or, maybe Misako utterly dreaded the thought of Lloyd being dragged into his destiny far, far too early, made to train to be a ninja at such a young age…but, obviously there had been no avoiding that. Lloyd landed right in his lap anyway , and now—
Or, maybe there was some sort of unseen resentment festering in Garmadon; some sort of pride that wouldn"t allow his inferior brother to see to the care of his precious son. Wu…wouldn"t have blamed him…but…
Lloyd is—the one—the only—the last good thing that remains of the Garmadon of old…and there is nothing Garmadon cherished more than his son. There’s nothing that made his cursed existence worth all the suffering than having the honor of being Lloyd’s father.
Wu can"t —he could never take that away from his brother. No matter what.
Lloyd frowns as sheer agony and conflict mangle Wu"s face into several unrecognizable shapes. He doesn"t know what to make of such a wrenched expression…but he gets the feeling that, like everything else that is the chaos of his life, it"s complicated.
So, he tries to ask an easier question.
"If…things had gone differently… would you…have taken me in if you could?"
"Of course I would have." The answer spills from Wu without hesitation, startling himself with how committed he sounds. Lloyd sits a little straighter, a spark of hope dancing in his irises. "…but whether or not that would have made any of this better or worse, easier or harder…remains to be seen…"
"Well, I don"t care about any of that," Lloyd decides. "At least…at least then I would"ve been able to grow up with some family to my name. I wouldn"t have felt like the world didn"t want me…or that I was only ever meant for bad things…that the only way my existence could have meant something was if I turned out like my dad…"
Lloyd tilts his head back, letting his green eyes fall closed.
"At least then…I would have been with you. I think that would have been enough."
Wu beholds Lloyd Garmadon, looking so at peace with himself when Wu knows that deep down he is anything but …and he"s suddenly overcome with an overwhelming tsunami of emotion. All of his most potent regrets swim up to the surface in a rush; his hands fly to his face to smother down the sob that threatens to burst from his chest, if only to preserve some form of decorum in front of his impressionable nephew…
But of course, Lloyd is just as perceptive as his parents are…and the next thing Wu knows, two tiny arms attempt to wrap around the older man.
"Wh—" Wu shifts to ask Lloyd what he"s doing. Lloyd seizes the opening to slip himself properly into Wu"s arms and around his torso, embracing his uncle firmly.
"I…won"t ask anymore questions. I know the answers aren’t going to change anything." Lloyd tries to play it cool even as he snuggles deeper, hiding his face in shame. "And I"m sorry…I made you sad."
"…oh, Lloyd."
Lloyd’s the one really suffering here, and yet he’s the one apologizing?!
Wu’s fresh out of words to explain how backwards this all is, and just how desperately he wants to make everything right…so he hugs Lloyd back, firm and tight with little intention of ever letting go.
And he hopes that that’s enough to say everything he can’t.
Wu"s mediating, as he often does, contemplating his life choices, as he also often does.
The atmosphere on the Bounty runs turbulent as the brewing storm outside matches the ruckus occurring inside. Garmadon and Lloyd go back and forth arguing about their current plan to stop the Crystal King, despite it being held together with duct tape, hope, and a prayer. Nya watches with growing worry as each declaration from Garmadon needles Lloyd further into fury, and they’re going so quick with the insulting remarks that Wu’s interventions fall on deaf ears.
Like father like son, Wu notes to himself bitterly.
Lloyd then swings his arm out, slamming a fist against the wall that leaves a thudding boom and a series of glowing purple cracks in its wake. Destructive power sparks at the corner of his eyes as he glares at Garmadon, gnashing his teeth and making his fangs remarkably prominent.
"If you"re sooo convinced we"re doomed, then why did. You. Even. COME?!"
Lloyd stomps past Garmadon, decking him out of the way with a hard shoulder shove. He doesn’t even glance back as he makes his way out to the deck, caring little for the light rainfall that sprinkles down around him.
Garmadon stares emptily after him, resolving himself to coddling his seemingly dying canned fern. Nya sympathetically sighs, at a loss for how to even go about tackling this situation.
And Wu, devoid as he is of any wisdom to fix this, has already moved on auto-pilot rushing after him.
"Lloyd, WAIT!"
He knows they don"t really have the time for this—the Bounty"s hurling full speed ahead at the Crystal Fortress, and they"re about to have the fight of their lives on their hands any minute now. But still, seeing Lloyd slumped over the railing of the ship with his head in his hands, eyes shimmering with unshed emotion, the same way they always have ever since he was young—
Wu can"t leave Lloyd like this.
"…Lloyd," Wu begins quietly—and he thinks of Garmadon"s words from before, accusing him of being too soft on the boy. Of guiding him with a kind hand over a clenched fist. Of saying he let Lloyd have it too easy .
Lloyd Garmadon, having things too easy?! That, unfortunately, is a concept that does not exist.
Wu grimaces—he"ll allow his brother to take shots at his ability to teach, but to insinuate that he should have been rougher on Lloyd?! The world has been hard enough on him already. Something has to be soft in this life. Better so that it be his uncle, if nothing else.
"…I"m so tired, Uncle Wu."
It"s mumbled through Lloyd"s hands—to the point that Wu"s not entirely sure if Lloyd even meant to say it out loud—but he hears regardless. Lloyd sounds tired, like it takes every inch of energy he’s got to make the concession. And Lloyd looks tired, with shadows of darkness painted beneath his eyes and lines of exhaustion etched in all the wrong places.
Wu looks at Lloyd—and really looks at him—and sees so many reflections of himself. The sag of shoulders that have carried too heavy of a burden, a frown near-permanently engraved into his expression, and a thousand regrets that follow him in an invisible yet ever present miasma.
And, worse, for as much as Lloyd Garmadon has grown over these last several trying years…he"s still so young.
Too young, and too full of energy, to be this spent on life.
"…I hate Garmadon." It comes out bitter and biting, and it makes Lloyd laugh at just how much he means it. "He ruins everything—destroys everything, like he always does…! Special powers or not, how did we think he was going to help?!"
"Tensions are just naturally high right now, Nephew," Wu attempts to soothe the situation. "I"m sure once the dust settles, and we have time to breathe again, this will be—"
Lloyd whirls again, eyes flickering from green to purple to back again as he struggles to stamp down the rage boiling in the back of his throat. He locks it behind gritted teeth as his chest heaves unevenly, pointing an accusatory finger at Wu.
"No, don"t you defend him! He"s a jerk! He didn"t even try to understand my perspective! He brushed everything we had to say off and then acted all high and mighty about it! And he had the nerve to call you a poor teacher! How could you just let him do that, especially when you know he"s in the wrong?!"
"Because…what if I was a poor teacher?" Wu wilts, tucking his gaze beneath the brim of his hat. Sprinkles of rain trail down the length of it, accumulating in tear-shaped drops at the ends. "What if I am? Who"s to say that his words did not have merit? For as scathing as they are…they usually carry significant weight regardless."
"Well it"s not true!" Lloyd sneers just at the idea of Wu believing that. "You…you weren"t perfect, sure, but you don"t have to be perfect to be good ; you taught me that! And "good" is a hell of a lot better than whatever Garmadon"s trying to pull…!"
Lloyd leans forward, grabbing the disconsolate Wu by the shoulders. He squeezes, as if that"ll help hammer in his point.
"I"ve learned way more from you than I ever have from him! You taught me how to use my kindness as a strength , to not let my emotions overwhelm me, to find my inner peace and achieve true balance to become the greatest Master of Spinjitzu…and now he wants me to act like all of that is wrong?! Ha! What would he know anyway?! Calling you a bad teacher—it"s not like he was around to see for himself to make that call…!"
The agony is so palpably apparent on Lloyd’s face, to the point that it makes Wu’s eyes water up just watching. And if any tears happen to escape, well, he can just blame it on a stray bit of rain.
"…if I were truly a good teacher, I could have spared you from all of this. I should have…I should have done more, to save you from this fate.”
Lloyd stares at Wu like he"s gone mad, although his lip also trembles violently.
"What…what more could you have possibly done?! I was going to be stuck with this destiny regardless of whether or not you intervened, and all you ever tried to do was make that process as easy as possible, painful as it was…! I don’t blame you for anything! This…is not your fault."
Wu’s shoulders sink. "It"s not your fault, either."
That strikes Lloyd to the core, rendering him aghast and speechless all at the same time. He steps back from Wu, dragging his fingers through his bangs. He lets out a sound that"s a mix of a roar and sob before aggressively shaking his head.
“I-I just…that reanimated zombie walking around now…that monster that tried to kill me more than once…that thing that brings out the worst parts of myself that I try so hard to keep locked away…that’s not my dad. My dad…would have never pushed to make me worse than I am…and I feel like no one else could ever understand how awful this is for me…!”
Wu stares miserably as Lloyd paces back and forth, eyes shaking as he buries his hands into his hair with tight fists.
"He has no idea what it"s been like for me; no idea of what I"ve gone through; what we"ve all gone through…and that"s just outside of all the suffering he"s been directly responsible for! There"s everything he caused indirectly, there"s everything he"s done to people who aren"t me, and everything he"ll never know about because he just keeps covering up his problems, like they never happened…!"
Lloyd casts his arms out with a maddened, disbelieving cackle, both limbs igniting in a vicious purple glow. It runs from his palms and up his arms and across his shoulders, enshrouding him like an unsettling blanket. He grins with all his teeth, eyes pinched angrily, and it fills Wu with dread how much he resembles Garmadon in the moment.
And he knows it would just make things worse if he said so.
“I can’t believe I ever wanted to be like him…and now I’m supposed to, what, give into every horrible, terrible, rage-inducing thought I"ve had about my life and myself and use that to hurt things and people like he did?! Becoming like my father…that’s the worst thing you could ask of me!”
Lloyd laughs again, raucous and furious in a single breath, and he feels the uncomfortable yet strangely familiar power surge through him, flowing through every vein. His rib cage pounds painfully at both sides, like something’s fighting to break free from the inside out. He places a hand on his forehead, now-clawed fingers brushing against the sprouting bud of a horn. And though Lloyd cannot see it, his face is no longer his own—but he feels it, having been twisted into something much more…monstrous.
“…Look at me! Being all angry and bitter over something this stupid…something I should’ve dealt with already…letting it get in the way of being the hero people need me to be…letting it consume me this much…!”
Lloyd’s world glimmers with a purple haze at the edges, the view wavering into a full blur from the tears that now flood his vision. Still, he brings up his hand into his line of sight, and chokes down a sob at the persistent violet that burns off of him.
He’s so reckless, destructive, and always so, so, so angry…at everyone, the world, and simply circumstance itself…
“…I really am becoming just like him, aren’t I?! I…I don’t want to be like him…that"s my biggest nightmare…it’s everything I never wanted…”
Lloyd finally turns back to a helplessly horrified Wu, his wavering purple eyes contrasting Wu’s steady xanthic ones.
“…why, instead, couldn’t I have been like you?"
Eight words, and they paralyze Wu to the soul. He stands struck speechless, all while Lloyd forges on in his tirade.
”You’ve been through so much, made so many mistakes, seen so much turmoil, and have so many regrets...and yet, you never let it ruin you. You still see light in even the darkest places…and I wish I could have a heart as open as that. You can look at Garmadon…and still see something worth having compassion for.”
Wu beholds his nephew— his brother"s son —in a golden armor that parallels his own. An armor too heavy for anyone else in the world, along with a mantle, a title, and a destiny he never asked for but carries regardless.
But to Wu—who has only ever seen himself as something frail, something broken, something that crumbles with every step he takes further into time, with regrets piling up behind him like a body count— Lloyd is the one that’s been strong. He is quite possibly the strongest person Wu’s ever met. Not just physically or through his powers (which, perhaps, is also certainly true) but in heart and spirit as well…all in the ways Wu could only ever dream to be.
"And it hurts!” Lloyd wails into a roar —his body grows awash in destructive powers, the energy reaching high enough to lick at the bottom of Bounty"s sails. And yet, still not enough to fully corrupt him either. “Because I know he"s capable of overcoming his evil! I know he"s got good in him! I know he is capable of being a better person! And I know… that I, like you, want to believe that he can…!"
Wu recoils in instinctive fear, but can"t take his eyes off his suffering nephew, nor does he dare move from his spot. He witnesses Lloyd’s anger dissipate away…but, anguish manifests in its place. Lloyd starts to come back into himself, piece by piece, even as hot tears stain his cheeks.
"...but that thing disowned me! He said I wasn"t his son! And maybe that"s right! He doesn"t get to just come back from that and boss us around and say terrible things and make me into something I don’t want to be because, what, now he feels a little bad…?! Now that the damage is already done?! No! It"s not okay; it"s not okay…!"
And now, Lloyd looks less like Garmadon…and more like the child that’s been hurt one too many times.
The burning destructive power fizzles out, Lloyd hyperventilating as it all evaporates away. Only a highly distraught Lloyd is left behind, eyes quaking and four shakes away from falling right to pieces.
"…you can"t just say that to someone…you can"t just do that…and expect things to be okay …" Lloyd"s arms swing back down, limp and useless. He stares forward with a vapid expression, chest heaving. "…you can"t …you can"t… you can"t …!"
“Lloyd—” Wu tries to reach out again, but instead of a response he gets a sob, and the next thing he knows, his arms are full of nothing but nephew. Lloyd’s head buries itself in the crook of Wu’s shoulder, attempting to hide the sound of his cries and the full appearance of his tears. He throws his arms around Wu’s torso and clutches at the fabric there, desperate for any purchase to anchor himself down. And, in silent response, Wu returns the hug, one hand placed supportively on Lloyd’s back while the other cradles his head.
The simple act of being held calms Lloyd down, though misery still chokes every word he speaks.
“…why couldn’t you have been my dad instead?”
Wu stops breathing— but Lloyd doubles down on his claim. He speaks so easily and earnestly, as if his words haven"t just thrown Wu"s universe inside out.
“…I mean it. You"ve been more of a father to me than he has! And everything…would have been so much easier if you were. None of these good vs evil complications, none of the fear of being like him, and not being this confused about how I should feel about Garmadon…and then, maybe, I wouldn"t care as much as I do. And then, it wouldn"t hurt this much."
Lloyd laughs—a broken, fragmented sound—and shakes his head for the umpteenth time. He’s at a loss for what else to do.
“…but…but if I started calling you my dad…I feel like I’d be invalidating all the good things my dad has done for me. I don"t want forget the few good things he was actually able to do in his life, but—he hurt me so bad —for so much longer —”
"Lloyd."
With tremors in his hands, Wu cradles Lloyd"s head, handling him like he’s precious. He brushes his thumbs across his cheeks to knock away the tears that fall, even though he feels a few drizzling down his own face.
He…he had never meant to replace Lloyd"s father—only tried to make up the difference, only tried to look out for Lloyd when and where he could, only tried to step in when Garmadon couldn’t…
…which…was basically almost all the time…
And, even now.
"I…I can"t tell you how to feel. And…I can"t promise that an easy solution will ever come. I only know what I know…and that"s that no matter what he says, no matter what he does, no matter who he is even now… you are the best thing he"s brought to the world. Nothing will ever change that, Lloyd."
Wu forces every word around the swelling lump in his throat, so taut that it threatens to choke him. Looking into Lloyd"s wide, pleading, shimmering eyes does him no favors either.
“But, even if I may be able to find it in my heart to house some forgiveness for my brother…that doesn’t mean you have to. Maybe one day you"ll change your mind. Maybe you won"t. But you don"t owe him anything. You don’t . Let no one tell you otherwise. The decision is yours alone.”
Lloyd shudders, confronted by the very simple and very direct truth…
“And your heart is stronger than you think. You"ll know what to do when the right time comes. You
always
have."
Sniveling, Lloyd pulls back from Wu to be able to look him properly in the eye, jaw set despite the way his lip still quivers.
"It"s just…at almost every turn, good or bad, I"ve had to lose him. I"m tired of losing my dad. I…won"t pretend I don’t want a second, or third, or fourth chance to do things right with him…just the way I do with everything else. If I…don’t have to lose him…then I don"t want to."
Wu chuckles wetly. It"s good to see that Lloyd"s optimism still has yet to truly wane. "If all you ever wanted was to do things right…then you are more like me, and more human, than you realize."
Lloyd smiles at that, though it vanishes quickly.
"…If there"s even a small chance things can work out for the best…I"m always going to take it." He thinks of his mother, his friends, his enemies, people he"s talked to only briefly—or only once —people he"s never even met, even Harumi —and winces. "…but how am I supposed to put a name to a dad that"s never truly there, one way or another, good or bad?"
Lloyd shrugs, slumping his head pitifully back against Wu"s shoulder.
"I just…want someone that stays. Or at least, if that"s too much to ask…someone who always would have wanted to."
Wu inhales a breath to steady himself, once more reaching an arm over to pull Lloyd in close. Lloyd rolls back into Wu"s hold limply, molding himself into the comfort. Wu peers past Lloyd and over to the horizon, where the coming storm still rages and the Crystal Fortress looms closer. As ever…Destiny approaches quickly. And without remorse.
"…do you remember what I told you, once?" Wu pats a hand to Lloyd"s head, relishing in the moment of respite, for he knows not when another like this will come. "Even if you find yourself without power, or the world tears us apart…you are never without me. And whether as your teacher, your mentor, your master, your uncle, or…whatever else…take heart knowing that I do love you very much, Lloyd Garmadon."
Lloyd sniffles uselessly, struggling to dry his tears on an arm covered in armor. He"s too choked up to speak, as much as there"s three words he desperately wants to say in turn…but Wu just smiles in that knowing way of his. He takes care to dry Lloyd"s eyes with his own sleeve; Lloyd"s time is better spent pulling himself together for the grueling trials to come.
Lloyd"s heart has been broken enough for a lifetime. And, hopefully, maybe …Lloyd will have enough time to fully heal from all his lingering regrets, in the way Wu never was.
For Wu would never want Lloyd Garmadon to be like him.
He wants Lloyd Garmadon to be better.
"And I hope...you do a better job than I have…when you become master of the Monastery. Remember…that family is key."
It"s years later when Lloyd finds himself on the grounds of the flourishing Monastery, walking in the footsteps of the great Spinjitzu Masters before him. He knew a day like this would come eventually…but now that is definitely and firmly here , with a new gigantic threat on the horizon, all of his old friends scattered to parts unknown, and two wide-eyed students (mostly) eager for his teachings…Lloyd knows he has to do this right. And, in the way that he wants to.
"One more thing…you must complete the course before I finish my tea…"
…and promptly spits out aforementioned tea, feeling every tea-making ancestor he"s ever had cursing his name to the heavens from the depths of their graves for bungling up such a simple, ancient, well-respected recipe. The offensive taste lingers on his poor tongue, all bitter and crumbly and charred beyond fathomability—he didn"t even know you could do that!
"Why…were you gonna time us with a hot beverage, anyway?"
Lloyd blinks himself out of his self-induced disgust, having thought the answer would be obvious. But, with these two new faces, it then dawns on him…that of course they wouldn"t know. He feels a bit silly, having so easily slipped into a surprisingly comforting nook of nostalgia…
Whereas once upon a time such a simple question would have filled him with existential dread, now he smiles warmly, pleased to have an excuse to reminisce on older times. It"s almost a bit strange to feel this light when thinking back on times gone by. But, maybe that"s just something that comes with growing up, and having the time and space to make good memories to look back upon.
And for once…he is at peace when it comes to providing an answer.
"…I had the best teacher—my uncle, Master Wu. That"s…how he did it."
With a wistful smile, Lloyd leads his new students to the portrait of Wu he has set up in the courtyard. A bowl filled with a rainbow of Wu"s favorite flowers and some lightly wafting incense are offered before the picture, freshly placed there by Lloyd at the start of the day. Lloyd hefts himself up the step to kneel beside the memorial, feeling his heart twist at the realization of how much he misses his uncle.
The first person to see the good in him, the first person to prove his life had meaning and worth just as himself… Lloyd doesn"t really know if he"s actually gone, or if this time, he really won"t ever see him again…
But should the latter be the case, then Lloyd wants to make sure Wu"s memory lives on. And, with honor, respect…and immense gratitude.
"As your teacher, I wanna do everything like he did," Lloyd explains, glancing up to meet the gaze of the painting. Wu"s stern yet soft expression greets him back. "That"s why I come here and kneel on his favorite meditation carpet and ponder on how to be just like him."
He folds his hands in his lap, smiling with admiration.
"I…wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. Heck, I"m not even sure I"d be here today, especially as I am, without him…"
Arin and Sora look on in surprise, awed and moved by their newfound master"s words. Lloyd"s eyes tremble a bit before he sinks his head into a bow, clutching his hands into fists.
"…I just hope he knows how grateful I am for all he"s done for me."
With the tender moment passed, Lloyd goes on to make a point of showing off the beard-in-progress he"s got going on (that definitely exists) before ushering his students back into their training. As he watches them make several attempts at completing their laps (and his own failed attempts at tracking their times via drinking horrendously burnt tea), he can"t help the pang of longing that washes over him.
It"s stunning, how much things have changed over all these years…and yet, that sense of familiarity hasn"t gone away either.
And he thinks, with Arin"s family missing in the wake of The Merge…and Sora"s own origins being something of a sore spot…maybe Lloyd will wind up being something of a father figure for them, just as Wu had been for Lloyd.
But, perhaps that"s a consideration for another day. They"re just getting started at becoming a tight knit group, after all. The family thing can come later, just as it had with everyone else that came before.
…although, he does wonder if Wu ever expected to find a family out of his students like this.
Knowing him, probably not…but Lloyd is sure he"s proud nonetheless.
When the training duo aren"t looking, Lloyd shuffles back over to the memorial, once again beholding his lost master. There"s so many things he still wishes they could"ve done, so many places to see…and there"s nothing more he wants than to be in Wu"s presence just one more time , just to be able to say all things he should"ve when he had the chance. Suddenly, he can understand the weight of Wu"s many accumulated regrets over the years.
Somehow, though…Lloyd thinks his uncle already knows how Lloyd truly feels. He"s always been intuitive like that. And that"s enough to give Lloyd some piece of mind going forward.
…just for good measure, Lloyd drops into a quick bow before the painting once again and speaks his gratitude into the ether, hoping his voice will carry far enough to reach, despite the softness of his words.
And with luck, three words are all he needs to get his message across.
"…Thanks, Uncle Wu."