expression test with jenna! baby version <33

I don't know how to draw tears but I tried ok (also yes she's holding mr cuddlywomp)

an au in which.. well different outfits that the ninja have had are actually just who they are

okay so i have much to explain so STRAP IN

so i came up with this idea really suddenly like ten million thoughts just hit me in the head, but the main concept is that

the world is actually a post apocalyptic style scenario, there's an "above" new ninjago city, that was built on top of the old overgrown and kind of abandoned old ninjago city (i imagine it having like glowy mushrooms and stuff and having some sort of a pretty factor to it)

i also see this whole world being full of like a multitude of different species with all sorts of wacky features (this is all kinda like years and years after the disaster that destroyed the og ninjago, so it has very cyberpunk-y and modern elements)

let's call it the (PA au. just post apocalyptic for short)

(this has been compared to that one show called arcane before. i. ive never watched arcane. /gen.. so yeah. i know its similar. its a coincidence. i promise. )

now, our characters consist of

kai - aka. the red shogun. (the outfit is prime empire kai, kind of combined with the red shogun outfit from season 4) a villain turned superhero vigilante, who's just doing his gosh darn best, and has a whole team who keeps his back safe! lloyd - aka. GB (prime empire lloyd) a trained mercenary and the leader of a gang that does everything from trading substances, weapons and machines in the black market, to simply bounty hunting. he's an untrustworthy, quiet but sly and feared leader, whos really just a sad and lost kid at heart. people say he takes after his father, but he wouldnt admit that. jay - aka. superstar rockin' jay!! (prime empire jay, ofc) he's a celebrity rockstar both in the above world AND in the undercity. though he mostly spends his time up above. he's still part of kai's vigilante team! nya- aka. THE FREAKIN SEA (seabound nya) she's a part of the sea that decided "fuck it!! we ball!!" and left to see what life on land is all about! she met kai and quickly became really close with him and they became siblings! shes the first member of his team! and she's kind of confused but she's DEFINITELY got the spirit! zane- aka. snake jaguar (the outfit from sons of garmadon) just like kai he's a vigilante, a wielder of ice. he goes undercover in lloyds gang and becomes his right hand man, but gives crucial information to his team, so they can take down lloyd's operation. cole- ROCKY FREAKIN DANGERBUFF, yet ANOTHER member of kai's team, he's from the dangerbuff clan! one of the groups of people who live their lives in the undercity. he's a dancer and a beast hunter, but also a kick ass hero just like the rest of the team! pixal- samurai x!! she's also a hero, that kind of rivals red shogun and kind of doesnt like him at all, but she does get kind of close to one of his team members... if you know what i mean

i will say that ALL the members of the squad still have their elemental powers, i havent yet properly fully thought that part out but i know for sure that they do.

SO YEAH. lloyd is actually kind of the villian for a large part of this au. i tried my best to not change his personality in a way that wouldnt be natural for his character to progress. in my head he grew up kind of sheltered from the outside world entirely. he's not really a... person? he's his role and thats that. he was never really loved by anyone therefore doesnt really know...emotion. all that well. he may act like a bratty teenager from time to time when he's taunting his enemies, but that's just... a character that he's playing up. he really just has no clue what hes doing.

(everything im not saying here is in the little notes i left on the drawings, though they may not be canon since i wrote down concepts and ideas there too)

his dad, garmadon, also is a little different in this au. basically "good" garmadon isnt really a thing (hes basically JUST the version from the oni trillogy). he was the previous gang leader BEFORE lloyd but he vanished and supposedly died. so lloyd had to take his place.

the ACTUAL. REAL VILLAIN of this au is harumi. who, fr. is still just herself. she's also kind of the second in command to lloyd. and she betrays him. and kind of takes the gang all to herself. leaving lloyd to help out the heroes...and finally find a family in the process.

its very emotional in my head and i am so scrambled right now these are the only semi-coherent thoughts.

i would LOVE to talk more about this au. if you have any questions or ideas or ANYTHING really.. do send asks about it... im in such deep brainrot for it and rambling on tumblr is apparently a thing that i do! (who wouldve thunk!)

this au was also made with the help of @shadesofvermillionvoid as USUAL.. so you can send asks there too!!! give kai all the love ever ash deserve it!!

... and to whoever bothered to read all this. wow. thank you! :D i feel very seen