"Why you got to pent on my rage, Leo?"
The Ninja Turtles are finally back home, except now that New York has been taken over by the Kraang and Shredder, it doesn't quite feel like home anymore. Instead, they're in enemy territory and, as expected, that leads to a whole lot of action as they run across the rooftops in an effort to locate Karai. From Ivan Steranko and Anton Zeck fighting the heroes in a half shell to even a melee with Oroku Saki, the directing makes sure these fights are fast-paced and incredibly fun.
Ivan Steranko has mostly remained behind the scenes, but this episode gives us a chance to see whether he can put that stature to use in a brawl. There's a sequence with a hammer and sickle that had me cracking up and man, watching him fire away at the mutants and then throw down in hand-to-hand combat was a blast. I like how he's formidable, but not too formidable to the point where you're left wondering how he could ever be defeated if he happened to ever receive any upgrades. He holds his own, but it was clear he needed some extra tricks if he wanted to get the edge on the heroes. Meanwhile, Anton is a good dose of silly fun. Watching him bust a move and fire hip blasts at the Ninja Turtles may not be something everyone enjoys, but it kept me smirking and you can't help but love how enthusiastic J.B. Smoove seems to be about the role. And the Ninja Turtles blocking his blasts with their weapons? Badass. It doesn't end there for action with the villainous do, either. They have a brief encounter with Fishface and Rahzar! While we don't see much of Ivan vs. Rahzar, watching Anton and Xever go at it was awesomely entertaining.
As if all of those action sequences weren't enough, we also have an extremely well choreographed and intense fight between the Ninja Turtles and the Shredder. It's a fight you know the mutants probably won't win, but you can't help but root for them every single time and watching them attempt to bring down such a skilled and formidable opponent never loses its appeal. Sure, Leo's initial threat didn't feel all that intimidating and Shredder's final line gave me an unintentional laugh, but it was still a jaw-dropping fight scene. Plus, setting it at the docks is a refreshing change of pace. I know we've been there once or twice before (it's not the first time they've faced Oroku in the setting!), but considering we've seen so many battles take place in the streets and across the rooftops, having it in a different environment adds a little more weight to the situation.
It's easy to forget the "ninja" part of this franchise when so much time is spent in direct fight scenes and comedy, so it's always greatly appreciated when an episode takes a wee bit of time to focus on stealth. It's not a very long sequence, but observing the ninjas as they sneak past the heavily guarded streets of New York was cool. (It's a little odd the Kraang don't interfere when there's a giant fight with explosions, but whatever.) And do you know what else was cool? How they made their debut at the docks. Do I care that was the only use of lightning and there didn't seem to be a storm afterwards? No, because that shot was simply pure fan service. If someone can make a high quality screenshot and share it in the comments, I will be forever in your debt. There are other minor criticisms (how can the cockroach be on camera if it's the last one with a camera?), but honestly, they're nitpicking and don't take away from the overall quality of the episode. It's a little odd Shredder isn't utilizing Tiger Claw, but perhaps he needs someone to hold down the fort. You know, just in case.
I don't have any major criticisms about the episode, but the emotional beats not really feeling all that impactful and some of the comedy not delivering (though I'm sure kids will love it!) prevent this one from feeling as epic and phenomenal as the other episodes that have received a perfect 5-star rating. Even though it's dealing with a heavy subject and I do appreciate Shredder's brief displays of emotion, there wasn't really a lot of heart or compelling material in here. That said, it's still a great episode that offers a ton of exciting action sequences and ends on a note that'll have you beyond thrilled for what's to come. The previews for this episode teased the fact someone's getting mutated and, if you've been following news about the show or even just paying attention during the new intro, odds are you know who's going to take a dip in some mutagen. Despite knowing that, it still plays out in such a terrific way and it ends the episode with some major fan service. I love how they've taken such a familiar thing from the franchise and brought it back with a whole new dynamic. Who else really wants to watch the next episode right now?