EPISODE SIXTY SEVEN
“Mission of Gravity”
Written by Marty Isenberg
Original Air Date: February 5, 2005
Supervising Producer: Lloyd Goldfine
Producers: Gary Richardson, Frederick U. Fierst, Al Kahn, Norman Grossfeld, Thomas Kenney
Supervising Director: Roy Burdine
Story Editor: Lloyd Goldfine
MAJOR CHARACTERS:
Donatello (Sam Regal)
Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
Raphael (Frank Frankson)
SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
Oroku Saki
Karai
Chaplin
Baxter Stockman
Hun
Professor Honeycutt (Fugitoid)
MAIN LOCATIONS, VEHICLES AND ACCESSORIES:
Foot air hangar
Crashed Triceraton supply ship
Floating city of Beijing, China
Foot Blimp
Turtle Glder Packs
Synopsis:
Intro: Open with the evening news broadcast. the news anchor narrates as we see that the city of Beijing is still floating in the atmosphere ever since the Triceratons lifted it with their antigravity generators (Episode #55). The Chinese scientists have been trying to override the Triceraton computers to free the city, but all efforts have proven futile – and dangerous!
Act 1: Open with a Foot helicopter landing in a private airfield as Dr. Chaplin runs out to greet it. Stepping out of the chopper are Oroku Saki, Karai, Hun and Baxter Stockman. As the group enters a hanger, we learn that Chaplin has created a blimp that can get through Beijing’s protective energy field. Saki sends Stockman and Hun on a “suicide mission” to Beijing to retrieve the antigravity generator. Karai is visibly upset when she realizes that stealing the generator will kill everyone in the city, a fact that doesn’t bother Shredder in the least.
The TMNT race along the rooftops in New York City. The guys spot yet another group of Foot operatives excavating the land. Leonardo notes that there are no NYC police officers here to guard the operation, so whatever the Foot are looking for, it must be important. Donatello gets another scrambled signal on his Shell Cel, much to everyone’s annoyance. However, this time the brainy ninja is prepared and uses a device to track the signal. Surprisingly, rather than tracking the signal, Don’s handheld computer begins downloading something. The Turtles decide to investigate this Foot salvage site.
Back at the Foot air hangar, Chaplin confronts Baxter Stockman and explains how distraught he is to see the doctor in such deplorable condfition. The young scientist takes Baxter’s tank off of its stand as Stockman protests in fear – thinking the lad is up to no good (he sure seems to be). Chaplin calmly turns off Baxter’s holographic image, silencing him, and walks off grinning. Hun rubs his chin in thought, but does nothing to intervene.
Back at the salvage site, the TMNT discover the Foot are excavating a Triceraton supply ship. After the Turtles sneak into the fallen craft, the doors shut tight and lock them inside. The ninjas struggle to escape as Karai appears out of the shadows…
Act 2: Karai asks or the Turtles’ help. Raph, Mike and Don are hesitant, but Leonardo wants to hear her out.
Chaplin gives Stockman a new robot body. Stockman, ever the evil scientist, dupes Chaplin into joining Hun and he on the Beijing mission. Chaplin, who apparently is truly smitten with Stockman, enthusiastically agrees.
Karai explains Shredder’s plan to the TMNT, and the Turtles agree to help stop him. Unfortunately, they’re not sure how to shut down the antigravity generator. As Donatello says this, Professor Honeycutt’s voice is heard from inside the Turtle’s bag. Don grabs the palmtop he traced the signal with earlier, and finds the Fugitoid’s image on screen! A brief and happy reunion ensues – well, not too happy for Mikey, as he discovers that the Professor had to sacrifice his “non-essential information” due to limited storage space and among that info was his memory of Michelangelo. Honeycutt describes how he uploaded a backup of his memory onto communications satellites in case of his demise. Explanations completed, the Professor offers to help them shut down the generator.
Cut to the blimp where Karai has snuck the Turtles onboard in a crate. As the blimp goes through the force field, Hun “accidentally” hits a button that sends both Karai and the crate falling towards Beijing.
Act 3: As the Turtles fall, they deploy glider packs and are able to safely land. Leo saves Karai at the last moment – rather than being thankful, the woman is completely nonplussed.
Cut to Chaplin as the blimp has landed. Getting the police and scientists away with a bunch of Mega-Mousers, Chaplin is powering down the generator while Stockman and Hun wait in the blimp.
Cut to the Turtles as they arrive. Leo, Mike, and Raph fight off the mousers as Don and the Professor (via the palmtop) approach Chaplin. Unfortunately, Beijing is already falling towards the Earth.
Act 4: As everything begins to fall, Chaplin exclaims the generator itself won’t move. Hun and Stockman don’t seem to care as they simply fly away, leaving Chaplin in mid air, falling with everything else. As Don holds onto the generator, he plugs the Professor in. As the professor reconfigures the generator, he makes it so the energy shield comes down, and the entire land mass will descend slowly. As the landmass lands, the Professor destroys the generator as well as the mousers with an electromagnetic pulse. Unfortunately, Don realizes the Professor set Beijing down in the wrong direction.
Cut to Shredder’s Control Center as Stockman and Hun approach. The two are going to tell Shredder they failed because of the supposedly deceased Karai and Chaplin. But as they enter, we see Karai and Chaplin both alive (onscreen still in Beijing). Saki is not happy with Hun and Stockman, and as the camera pulls away from the Foot skyscraper, we hear the men scream.