Last week we watched episode one of Nickelodeon’s TMNT titled Rise of the Turtles part 1. This week we’re going to round off the origin by watching Rise of the Turtles part 2.
At the end of part one, the Turtles encountered Snake, a Krang lackey as he exited his van, they also discovered a tube of the same mutagen that caused their mutation. Mikey, forever the forward thinker suggests they drink some because surely if you mutate a mutant, you get a super mutant.
The Turtles are still on the look out for April and her father, using the mutagen as an interrogation tool Snake tells them that the Stepford people are called the Krang and that they are collecting scientists from all over the city.
Mikey is left to guard Snake while the other three hatch a plan to get into the Krang hideout, Mikey is distracted by his newly discovered love, pizza, and Snake escapes. The Turtles split up to chase him down. Leo and Raph find him hiding in an alleyway. They pretend to not know he is there and leak a false plan that involves them driving right up to the front of the hideout in his van.
They return home to the sewer to prepare.
While there, Leo asks Splinter if he is ready to lead, afraid that he might fail. Splinter reassures him that failure is a possibility that all leaders must face. He tells the story of the final battle in Japan against his enemy, The Shredder.
Meanwhile…
Back with the Krang, April attempts to trick the Krang in order for her and her father to escape but is unsuccessful. Snake tells the Krang about the Turtles false flag operation and they await them in the front of the hideout. A van comes screeching up the road at full speed and slams into the front of the hideout exploding. The mutagen inside the fan sprays out splashing onto Snake. While the Krang are distracted and Snake is mutating into an unknown entity, the Turtles climb up the wall and into the hideout.
After a few moments, Mikey is vindicated when the rest of the crew realize that they are in fact, up against alien robots. Mikey shouts his victory and alerts the rest of the Krang to their presence. While running from the Krang they discover April and her father in a cell.
This scene is reminiscent of Star Wars, they attempt to rescue the pretty girl from a holding cell in a hallway while villains shoot laser guns at them, all that was missing is a trash chute.
Donny attempts to pick the lock but ultimately Raph pushes him out of the way and stabs the lock a few times. The door opens, but too late. The Krang have already entered from the other side of the room and taken April and her father. The Turtles make chase but are stopped by a huge creature, the result of Snakes mutation. He has become a sort of plant/praying mantis type thing called Snakeweed with the ability to regenerate.
Mikey: That’s weird, you’d think he would have been turned into a snake…
Raph: Ya, you would if you were an idiot.
Mikey: But his name is Snake.
Raph: So!?
“Mikey: You don’t understand science.
The Krang, along with April and her father get into a helicopter and take off. Donny uses his staff to pole vault and grab on. Krang from the ground fire at the helicopter and April falls. Donny jumps after her and catches her before she hit’s the ground, leaving her father with the Krang as they fly away. The other three Turtles fight Snakeweed and the Krang, Snakeweed is ultimately blown up when he gets too close to a generator that is hit by the laser blasts of the Krang’s guns.
April is taken to her aunt’s house where she will stay. The Turtles vow to help her find her father.
When they arrive home they discover that they made the news. A story of ninja’s in New York which ends with a picture of a throwing star recovered at the scene. Splinter tells the boys that they must be more careful, a ninja’s best friend is the shadows.
Meanwhile in Japan the same story is playing on another television, this time the audience is the Shredder who recognizes the symbol on the star and makes plans to visit New York and his old friend to finish what was started all those years ago.
In this two part origin story Nickelodeon introduced us to the Turtles and Splinter and told us their story. They’ve also introduced the Krang and Shredder as well as the concept that there is more mutagen and may be more mutants to deal with. April’s story arc has begun and her ties to the Turtles have been cemented.
This incarnation of Turtles is definitely worth watching. The writing is solid, maintaining the right balance of drama and humor. The animation is smooth and they’re doing some interesting things with the universe that haven’t previously been explored in an animated series.
I’ve yet to meet a Turtles fan who isn’t a huge fan of this show. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, TMNT is something I loved as a very young child and not many of those things have the staying power to hang around for thirty years. Turtles has stood the test of time and keeps coming back with something new and interesting to say.
You an watch episodes of the new series here. So as always, grab some pizza, and strap on your mask because god damn it, it’s Turtle time.