In November 2020, the LEGO® NINJAGO community lost a friend. Kirby Morrow, the voice of Cole, has sadly passed away. Since then, the episodes of the show have already been recorded, but it is time to look to the future. As NINJAGO TV will continue with new episodes, the LEGO NINJAGO Team has shared this post to let you, the fans, know exactly what will happen in the future.
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“Dear Ninjago fans
It's time we talk about this:
When Kirby was first cast as Cole, it was a matter of finding a voice that fit the character being written by the Hageman brothers. It wasn't a hard choice to make...maybe he needed some guidance from voice director Michael Donovan, and if so, well done Michael!
But what we received to base our casting decision on was just perfect. From then on it became a matter of writing a character to match the voice. Every animation made on Cole since then has been based on Kirby's performance. He was instrumental in the character's development, and it quickly became clear that Kirby's portrayal had a sensibility we needed to lean into: the ultimate team. He is the best friend a Ninja could ever have and always looks out for his friends and never hesitates to selflessly give whatever help he can.
On November 18, 2020, we were all hit by an 'earthquake' of epic proportions: Kirby Morrow had passed away.
We had then finished writing and shooting all the episodes of 'Ninjago Seabound' and were putting together the storyline for 2022... one in which both Cole and some of the other Ninjas are absolutely crucial to creating a mythic piece. to make. After a few days that could best be described as 'numb', we started looking at our options.
This is what we came up with:
Retirement of Cole as a character.
Use existing dialogue from all Ninjago content available since 2011 to keep Kirby's appearance in the show.
Come up with a story reason why Cole wouldn't speak.
Rearrangement.
Before you read on, try to take a moment to think: how would you go about it? There are many considerations involved in a decision like this and given the circumstances it is a very emotional one. But when we looked at it from all angles, the answer became clear. Here are the reasons why we did what we did and didn't do:
1: Retirement of Cole as a character.
We would only do this if we could give the character a satisfying ending. A 'riding into the sunset' dear farewell to Cole. This could be something like Cole finding a higher purpose, like becoming the leader of the Upply, going live as an advisor to Queen Vania in Shintaro or something like that. Thinking about that gives you a good and satisfying feeling. Cole would no longer be part of the story, but viewers would know he's in a good place. It would simply be wonderful!
However, given Seabound's ending, there was no way to get to that point. We were almost done with production on that chapter, we couldn't record any new dialogue and most importantly, it would give away Cole's character. He is the rock of the team and he would be there for the others to lighten the burden and relive the sadness.
There is also another very important aspect to consider, which may not be so obvious:
Kirby Morrow is just Cole, but only in the English version of the show. There are over 40 different voices of the show where other actors give their all to make Cole an amazing and lovable character. While Kirby's performance as Cole has defined the character, there are many children in the rest of the world who enjoy the Master of Earth without ever hearing Kirby's voice. Would we want to deny them the pleasure of Cole's company for reasons of which they were unaware? The answer is simple. Retiring Cole in what would be an unceremonious off-screen departure would undo all the work Kirby has done to flesh him out. Robbing the Ninjago world from Cole would be a selfish act... and Cole himself wouldn't approve of it.
2: Use existing dialogue from all Ninjago content available since 2011 to keep Kirby in the show.
Sitting through 50+ hours of Ninjago content under those conditions is not an enjoyable activity. But at least we tried. It quickly became clear that while it could be done, it would greatly limit what we could do to make Cole's 2022 contribution to the story compelling. It would be a stretch to make it feel like Cole would still be present, and it would ultimately feel like a vague and unreliable version of Cole. This was an easy station to pass (although many hours were spent figuring out which lines to play).
3: Come up with a story reason why you don't hear from Cole anymore.
This was quickly sent away. Ideas like “Cole has entered a catatonic depressive state and is not speaking,” “Cole has been punched in the throat,” or “Cole has taken a vow of silence” just didn't fit. Cole is there to help and provide comfort.
4: Rearrangement
And this is the one we went for.
Hopefully this choice is obvious given the above. We have to stay true to the character that Kirby created. Cole is crucial to the story of 2022 and the world and Ninjago need Cole. So, it was rearranged! And then a very difficult and emotional one.
The first thing you notice about Kirby's work as Cole is his authoritative gravelly voice. This sounds like a man you can trust. But is the feeling possible in his interactions with other characters that really makes him come alive and become a real person? And then in action scenes you have a wild swing between courage and controlled panic. We needed an actor who could pull that off, but just as importantly, we needed an actor who would commit to the role and be comfortable with it. While we were looking for the likeness of the Cole voice we know and love, we weren't looking for an imitation. We wanted a heartfelt and real performance from an actor who would bring his own unique approach and talents to Cole.
Welcome Andrew Francis!
Andrew has been a long-time member of the Ninjago voice cast and has portrayed colorful and memorable characters such as Shade, Beta Jay 137, and the Master of Wind himself, Morro.
We hope you will greet and support Andrew and welcome him with open arms and a hearty NIINJAAAA-GO! We are confident we have made the best possible choice and the 2022 voting recordings have fully crystallized our confidence in Andrew as a worthy successor to Kirby. In early 2022, you'll hear Andrew Francis' first appearances as Cole in a series of short films.
On behalf of the Ninjago Team
Tommy Andreasen"
