4Kids Season 2 – Episode 032 (Secret Origins Part 1)

EPISODE THIRTY TWO

“Secret Origins” Part One
Written by Eric Luke
Original Air Date: January 17, 2004

Supervising Producer: Lloyd Goldfine
Producers: Gary Richardson, Frederick U. Fierst, Al Kahn, Norman Grossfeld, Thomas Kenney
Supervising Director: Chuck Patton
Story Editor: Lloyd Goldfine

MAJOR CHARACTERS:
Donatello (Sam Regal)
Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
Raphael (Frank Frankson)
Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
Mr. Mortu (in Exo-suit and as Utrom)
Fugitoid
Feudal Shredder (Scottie Ray)

SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
News Anchor Dwight
Reporter Alex Carlin
Triceraton warriors
Federation troopers
Baxter Stockman (spider-robot form)

MAIN LOCATIONS, VEHICLES AND ACCESSORIES:
T.C.R.I. building
Transmat
Utrom hover skiffs
Mr. Mortu Mechanical Exo-suit
Ooze
Utrom Oracle Pod Chamber (and Pods)
Utrom techno-organic space ship
Feudal Japan

Synopsis:

Intro: Recap of the “last eight hours” by a news anchor. A blinding flash lights up downtown NYC, as a gigantic beam of energy shoots from outer space and smashes into the T.C.R.I. building…

Act 1: The Turtles and Fugitoid materialize on T.C.R.I.’s Transmat, followed by four Federation troopers and three Triceraton warriors. Mr. Mortu enters from out of the shadows and pleads for peace, but the Triceratons and Feds open fire on each other in effort to seize the Fugiotid. Utrom guards enter on hover skiffs and use their weapons to freeze the soldiers in stasis fields. With the immediate threat ended, the Turtles prepare to battle the aliens themselves – until a familiar voice calls out to them to stand down. Master Splinter enters the room with two Guardians. Mr. Mortu also arrives and tells an Utrom to teleport the Feds and Triceratons back to their place of origin, and the warriors are zapped away. Splinter explains that the Utroms saved his life and nursed him back to health and then introduces the Turtles to his good friend, Mr. Mortu. The TMNT bow and thank the man for saving their Sensei.

In the background, one wounded Triceraton escapes into the NYC subways, unseen by our heroes and their new friends.

Later, we learn that the Turtles had only been away from Earth for eight hours (although it felt like three weeks to them). Mr. Mortu states that the time for secrets has come to an end, and then unzips his Exo-suit skin, revealing the Utrom known as Mortu riding within.

Cut outside where we see National Guard tanks and troops arrive on the scene. A spidery robot detaches itself from one of the military trucks and then scuttles towards the T.C.R.I. building. Once the bot has climbed a safe distance up the headquarters, the shell opens to reveal Baxter Stockman’s living, chuckling head!

Act 2: Mortu leads our heroes to the Utrom’s Oracle Pod chamber, a gigantic virtual reality machine that can transmit the Utrom’s history directly into the minds of anyone who enters a pod. The Turtles and Splinter enter the chambers for a quick history lesson detailing how the aliens came to be on Earth.

After a brief period of sequencing, our heroes find themselves standing on the deck of an Utrom spaceship piloted by Captain Mortu, who receives instructions from the three Utrom brain-navigators. We also see an evil Utrom prisoner (“the most ruthless criminal the universe has ever known”), who threatens his captors and vows to escape. “Big talk, little slime ball.” Raph comments, and much to the fiery mutant’s approval, Mortu echoes his statement.

Later, the Utrom’s ship is near the Earth’s orbit when alarm systems go off. A stress call comes in to Mortu, informing him that the evil Utrom has escaped! The captain comes face to face with the villain, who short circuits the engines and sends the ship plummeting towards our planet.

Act 3: Mortu does what he can to land the ship safely, but without navigation systems the captain cannot save the vessel and he’s forced to crash land.

Outside T.C.R.I. building, Casey and April are inside the Battle Shell, watching as the National Guard prepare to invade the structure. Jones wants to go warn the Turtles, but April stops him, telling him there’s nothing that they can do but wait and hope that the Turtles contact them. Casey reluctantly agrees to stay put.

Back to virtual reality. The Utrom’s ship is ruined. Mortu and crew survive, but now they’re trapped millions of light years from their homeworld. Leonardo walks over a hillside and spots a village – a feudal Japanese village from 700 years ago – the birthplace of Bushido and Ninjitsu! Mikey spots an ancient Samurai practicing his moves and pretends to spar with the man. Master Splinter cautions his student to not tempt the fates, but Michelangelo laughs off any potential threat. The jovial Turtle then spots the Samurai’s picnic lunch and tries to grab something to eat – but since this is virtual reality, his continued efforts go to waste. Leo, Raph and Don laugh at their brother as Splinter surmises there must be a lesson in this somewhere.

The Utroms arrive and spot the local architecture. The aliens realize that Earth technology is too primitive to be of any value in getting them home, thus they decide that they’ll just have to wait for technology to develop… no matter how long it takes.

Cut to exterior of T.C.R.I. building as Stockman spider-robot scuttles around seeking the perfect entry point. Once he’s satisfied, Baxter warps through the glass and climbs inside.

Back to virtual tour. The Turtles watch as the Utroms devise Exo-suits from parts salvaged from the ship.

Act 4: One brave Utrom climbs into the Exo-suit, disguises himself with clothing of the period and then goes for a walk among the locals, who pay him no heed despite his clumsy efforts. Unfortunately, the Exo-suit hits a trip wire and falls heavily to the ground – and the evil Utrom arrives! The villain steals the suit and throws the former pilot into the woods.

Back in the real world, the Stockman robot scuttles through the T.C.R.I. building towards the Utrom Oracle Pods.

Inside the virtual tour, we see the Utroms hard at work making more Exo-suits. The group is then attacked by a gang of ninjas who are lead by a feudal version of the Shredder! The Turtles are shocked to see their enemy so many years in the past and wonder if he could be the same nemesis that they’ve been battling – and if so – how long do Utroms live? Overcome with emotion, the TMNT attack the virtual Shredder with no results.

Cut to Baxter, who opens a side panel of the pod mechanism and starts manipulating wires. The evil scientist laughs and reports that his mission has been a success before scurrying off.

Back to feudal Japan, where the Shredder surprisingly acknowledges the presence of our heroes! Stockman has somehow manipulated the Oracle Pod machine to make the virtual events reality for the Turtles! Feudal Shredder heads after the Utroms while ordering some of his Foot to capture the Turtles. The Turtles reach for their weapons only to have them dematerialize! Mikey attacks the Shredder, but he is viscously struck down.

Outside the Oracle Pods, Mortu and Fugitoid see flashing warning lights, indicating that Mikey’s vital signs are going critical!

Inside the pod realm, Splinter rushes to Mikey’s side and announces that he needs immediate medical assistance! Raph, Don, and Leo form a defensive circle as the Foot ninjas close in on them…

Master Splinter

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