#he really doesnt

As the crowds of Ninjago stood still with fear, a red-headed woman marched right up to Lord Garmadon and delivered a back-handed slap right across his charred face. “How dare you come back here.” She snarled as she stared up at the much taller man.

Garmadon rubbed his cheek with his upper left hand while holding his lower hands up in defense. “Koko, please-“

“Don’t Koko, please me.” She mocked as she wrinkled her nose. “You abandon me and my son for 16 years and you waltz back into town expecting me to welcome you back?!”

“I wasn’t exactly expecting a welcome, but- wait,” Garmadon narrowed his blood red eyes at his ex-wife. “Abandon?”

Koko crossed her arms. “Yes, abandon.” She spat. “I trusted you, loved you- and after our beautiful son was born you abandoned me. You left me to raise a child alone. I can’t ever forgive you for that.”

Garmadon didn’t seem to listen to her. “You thought I abandoned you?” he bellowed so loudly it shook the street. The citizens on looking the squabble took a few more steps back.

Koko didn’t flinch. She kept her narrowed gaze directly on Garmadon. “I knew you are the villain of the city, but I was hoping you’d be the hero in my life. That’s what I get for falling for a warlord.” Leaving Garmadon speechless, she turned to leave. She was about to wipe some water from her eyes, but the warlord softly grabbed her arm.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Koko,” he said softly, in the soothing voice that Koko adored 16 years ago. She took a deep breath and turned back to her ex. “Then what did you expect would happen, Garm? That I was okay with you vanishing when I needed you the most?”

He slowly reached down and took her hand. “You were the best thing that had ever happened to me. Well, until Luh-loyd was born. I…never really knew what having a family meant until the moment I saw his little face. I couldn’t have been more proud.”

Koko tried not to show it, but her throat was tightening up and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

“But the thoughts,” Garmadon continued, his red eyes glaring into hers. “The evil in my blood wouldn’t keep silent, no matter how hard I tried to silence it. I wanted so badly to be the good father I should have been- but there was no stopping evil. Once I saw Luh-loyd’s green eyes, I knew. I knew he was the one in the prophecy. He would become the Master of Green that was destined to defeat the dark lord. My thoughts…they…tempted me, blinded me, of the joy I felt when I was with my son.”

Lloyd halted suddenly as he rushed from around a corner and saw his father standing next to his mother. He motioned to his team, who was following him, and he ducked behind a car to be unseen, but still be able to hear the conversation.

“All I wanted to do was get rid of him,” Garmadon continued. “That’s all my mind wanted to do. I saw my child, my beautiful son, and I wanted him gone.”

Lloyd’s heart turned to ice. His eyes instantly filled with tears and he took off into an alley behind him. His team watched him, but they knew better than to race after him.

Koko stared back at the warlord, her eyes sparking with water. “That’s why you left,” she murmured, now understanding.

Garmadon nodded his head. “I knew- I- I couldn’t…hurt him.” He choked back sobs with each word. “The night I ran away I got closer than ever before. I had- a- katana- gasp- and I was standing -gasp- above-gasp- his crib. He was so peaceful, but my evil mind tried to not let me see that.” Garm clasped his hands tightly around Koko’s. “I got so close, Koko. So close! I stopped myself at the last second, and when I did, I just ran. I could not- gasp-get that close- gasp- to hurting my son- gasp -ever- gasp-again.”

Koko couldn’t talk even if she tried. She knew he had struggled with the cursed evil blood that ran through his veins, but she never imagined it could have been that bad.