| “The Pulverizer Returns!” | |||||||
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| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 TV series) episode | |||||||
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| Season Code: | 123 | ||||||
| Episode: | 22 | ||||||
| Original airdate | May 11, 2013 | ||||||
| Written by | Jeremy Shipp | ||||||
| Supervising Producer | Ant Ward | ||||||
| Producers: | MacGregor Middleton | ||||||
| Joshua Sternin | |||||||
| J.R. Ventimilia | |||||||
| Peter Hastings | |||||||
| Ciro Nieli | |||||||
| Directed by | Alan Wan | ||||||
| Supervising Director | Ciro Nieli | ||||||
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"The Pulverizer Returns!" is the 22nd episode of the 2012 TV series. It aired on Saturday, May 11, 2013.
Synopsis
Splinter has the Ninja Turtles switch weapons as part of their ninja training which doesn't go well during a fight with the Foot resulting in Splinter confiscating their weapons and having them use whatever is nearby as makeshift weapons in combat. Meanwhile, Shredder learns about the Mutagen from the captive Kraang operative where he states that the mutagen has unpredictable results. When Shredder plans to create an army of mutants, the Turtles must rely on the help of the Pulverizer (who was recruited into the Foot) who volunteers to gather information on the inside on their behalf. When he carelessly agrees to be a test subject for a stolen supply of Kraang Mutagen, the Turtles' rescue mission (where they managed to follow Splinter's makeshift weapon advice) goes horribly wrong when Pulverizer mutates into a mutant blob with visible organs. After the mission, Donatello vows to find a way to restore Pulverizer to normal. The captive Kraang operative states to Shredder that they now share a common enemy in the Turtles.
Characters
- Sean Astin as Raphael
- Jason Biggs as Leonardo
- Greg Cipes as Michelangelo
- Rob Paulsen as Donatello
- Hoon Lee as Splinter
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Shredder
- Nolan North as Kraang
- Clancy Brown as Dogpound
- Christian Lanz as Fishface
- Roger Craig Smith as The Pulverizer
Plot
This episode opens with the Turtles fighting with the Foot on a random rooftop, and pretty easily winning as usual...However, this time, the Turtles (particularly Raph, who is starting to view his enemies as mere toys) find it just too easy - and comment that The Foot have been greatly lacking in skill lately.
At The Shredder's lair, The Shredder is very upset with Dogpound and is starting to chase him around & attack him, since the Mutant had failed to successfully organize the enlisting of another certain group of much more deadly, well-trained Foot Soldiers within his big line of Dojos, as he had apparently promised quite a while ago. However, after turning his attention over to the captured Kraang in the building, The Shredder then plans to replicate one of their prominent methods of getting things done around here and use this to his own benefit in order to grant/strengthen the entirety of his militia with some long belated upgrades -- for good.....
Later that night, while staking out the TCRI building, Raph comments and complains that they've completely 'run out of butts to kick'. Just when Leo says that it's about time to throw in the towel for that night, they then notice a chubby Foot Ninja seemingly trying to break into a place nearby. When the Turtles are just about to try and attack him, they are surrounded by even more Foot Ninja. After a brief fight, however, all of the ninjas are defeated and the Turtles easily isolate the chubby one...
This guy actually turns out to be The Pulverizer, who reveals that he joined The Foot after training in Chris Bradford's Dojo for a little while, since Donnie had indirectly advised him to practice the very last time. The Turtles are greatly surprised that he joined them, thinking that they must really be desperate currently. Pulverizer then claims that he's already earned the rank of the 'Oshegotusha', which Donnie explains is the expendable cannon-fodder, who are actually the soldiers who are sent in first as but a means to waste all of the enemies' ammunition and set off traps....Pulverizer then tells them that he has been assisting The Foot in some of their fights against The Kraang, which confuses the Turtles. After being told that The Foot are none other than the bad guys, Pulverizer decides to stay with The Foot undercover, operating only as a spy for the Turtles. Even though they say that it's still a pretty bad idea, Pulverizer leaves and continues to insist on being their special spy. Donnie, however, is concerned that he is putting himself in danger, but the rest of the Turtles think that they absolutely need the intel.
In the sewers, Splinter crosses his arms and tells his sons that they have become just complacent and simply too dependent on their signature weapons. So, Splinter commands them to switch their weapons for a change, and so Mikey ends up with the Katanas, Raph ends up with the Nunchucks, Leo ends up with the Bo staff, and Donnie ends up with the sais. Splinter then tells them to fight each other - and yet they are just so busy fumbling with their weapons that every single one of them looses before the fight technically even starts. Splinter then demands that they continue to fight with their switched weapons for the remainder of the day.
Donnie then gets a text from The Pulverizer that tells them where The Foot will strike next. They soon arrive at his current location, but also end up getting ambushed by several dozen Foot Ninja, all lead by both Dogpound and Fishface. This time, the Turtles are easily beaten up by the Foot Clan, due to their weapon switch instituted by Splinter. The Turtles are forced to quickly switch back to their usual weapons, however, allowing them to decimate all of the soldiers with ease. The Turtles then notice the Foot slyly stealing some Mutagen canisters from a nearby building (possibly a warehouse) and then absconding with them in their getaway, as our heroes soon find out (from the Pulverizer) that Shredder is planning to utilize the Mutagen to create a ferocious Mutant army of his very own.
At the lair, everyone (except Donnie, who is still worried about The Pulverizer A.K.A. Timothy) rejoices about how easily they won their fight with their actual weapons, and Splinter is quite angry to find out that they bluntly ignored his teaching. He then demands all of their weapons to be handed over to him, as they now must fight WITHOUT them....
Elsewhere, The Shredder orders Dogpund to lead a big convoy of Foot Ninja to a certain warehouse - and to bring The Pulverizer along with them, as they will test the Mutagen out on him first (as he is a very reasonable test subject, being a bunch of dead weight and all)...However, The Kraang manages to overhear all of this and speaks up, explaining to him that, as of now, the Mutagen is very unstable on the Earth and that the results that are desired may be dangerously unpredictable, so The Shredder then demands "failsafe" measures to be enforced after everything comes to order.
Pulverizer soon calls Donnie and reveals that he is behind enemy lines - and that Shredder has just given the Foot an order to experiment on him with the Mutagen. However, Donnie is horrified by Pulverizer's revelation that he personally volunteered to be mutated first, foolishly believing that he will become a Mutant superhero just like the Turtles!!! Now that the Turtles know that The Pulverizer is in critical danger, they set out to rescue him immediately (he tells them where it's all going down)...
The Turtles head out on The Shellraiser and then run into a bunch of Foot Ninja on ornate Dragoncycles along the way. As they try to stop them, Fishface also drives on a Dragoncycle of his own and is able to hold it steady, and, while Raph shoots the cycle down with trash, Fishface jumps onto the roof of their vehicle. Despite Raph whacking him with the rotating garbage cannon, he manages to give the Shellraiser a flat tire with one of his jagged, robotic feet and the Foot Ninjas manage to get away. Donnie is largely worried about Timothy, feeling that it is his own responsibility to stop him - and so he quickly grabs hold of the Stealth Bike. As he drives off, the rest of the Turtles are forced to expose themselves and head off on foot to the location.
The Foot Clan are just getting Pulverizer ready for his mutation - and, once again, the guy expresses his feelings about having not been able to wait for himself becoming a Mutant hero...Donnie manages to crash into the building, both unarmed and unharmed. Dogpound quickly orders The Foot Ninja to viciously attack him, but Donnie finds a broom and competently begins fighting them off with it. Meanwhile, The Pulverizer is determined to be mutated, whilst Donnie is both desperately trying to get him away from the Mutagen and fend off his attacking foes. Donnie somehow manages to avoid all of Dogpound's attacks and overwhelm Fishface, and the other Turtles then arrive through the roof, just in time to help finish off the numerous soldiers. Amidst the chaos, however, Pulverizer finally pulls the lever down that causes Mutagen to fall out of the tank and he finally ends up mutating himself, painfully transforming into a gigantic transparent blob with only his vital human organs floating around inside the mass....With the supply of Mutagen completely depleted and the mutated Timothy on a dangerous rampage, Dogpound switches on the "failsafe" measures; the entire warehouse has already been wired with plastic explosives and the timer has now been activated....
After seeing the explosives, the Turtles really want to escape too, but Donnie does not want to leave poor Timothy behind. The Turtles unsuccessfully try to calm down the rampaging blob monster, until they ultimately contain him within the now empty Mutagen tank. The building then explodes and the Turtles, along with the contained Timothy, escape unharmed. The Turtles then decide to keep him, as Donnie will try to figure out some plausible way to cure him.
Elsewhere, after being told that all of the plans have miserably failed, The Shredder yet again becomes upset with the Turtles' victory, and The Foot Clan's frequent incompetence. However, this makes the captured Kraang express it's feelings on the matter as well - That the Turtles absolutely need to be destroyed at all costs, and this finally prompts The Shredder to clarify that the Turtles are indeed a common enemy of the both of them as well (hinting a solid alliance with quite a bit of deadly potential).....
Trivia
- It is finally revealed that The Pulverizer's real name is Timothy.
- The monster on the front of Mikey's comic book bears a strong resemblance to the original Mutagen Man.
- The sound effect played when Donnie discovers coins on the Foot Ninjas is the same as the coin collecting effect from several games in the Super Mario Brothers series of video games.
- Additionally The sound effect played when Mikey smiles, nods, and gives a thumbs up to Donnie when he receives a text message from The Pulverizer is the same sound played when booting up a Gameboy or Gameboy Color.
- The Pulverizer is turned into Mutagen Man.
- Donnie shows that he actually cares about Timothy, despite him not listening to Donnie about the Mutagen.
Quotes
Leo: "Alright guys, let's pack it in. Nothing's happening."
Raphael: "I was afraid this day would come. We've run out of butts to kick."
Leo: "Mikey, if Master Splinter has taught us anything, it's that real combat is not like a video game."
Donatello: "Hey, coins!"
Mikey: "Look, I'm Leo! (imitating Leo) Guys, shh! We have to be quiet. Ninjas are quiet. Quiet down."
(Raph and Donnie laugh)
Leo: "I sound nothing like that!"
'''Raph: "Yes, that's why we're laughing because you sound nothing like that."
'''Raph: "Awwwwww..."
Leo: "Raph, if you keep breaking your toys, we won't buy you new ones."
