Following their victory against the Shredder, Michelangelo yearns to use his fighting abilities to help others in the city, leading him to create his alter ego: Turtle Titan. While attempting to team-up with his superhero inspiration, Silver Sentry, Mikey must battle his hero's arch-nemesis, Dr. Malignus.
First appearance of Silver Sentry
This episode provides examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: The first episode to focus on Michelangelo.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Anyone under Dr. Malignus' insect-like devices.
- Breather Episode: Between the Turtles' very first battle against the Shredder and a three-part episode revolving around the origin of the Turtles' lair.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Dr. Malignus, as one would expect from a character with a name like that.
- Chekhov's Skill: The flipping technique Splinter makes the turtles go through (and Mikey ignores for the sake of creating his superhero gimmick) comes in handy during the climax.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Michelangelo.
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Mikey laments that he and his brothers never get the credit for their actions.
- Expy: Silver Sentry is an African American Superman.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Silver Sentry comes to respect Mikey as a hero.
- Let's You and Him Fight: Turtle Titan and Silver Sentry, though the latter is being mind-controlled.
- Medium Awareness: Mikey's Cold Open narration assures the viewers that they haven't tuned in to the wrong show, despite the sudden presence of a caped superhero.
- Not So Above It All: When the Turtles riff on Mikey's sketches, even the straight-laced Leonardo makes a crack about it, which Mikey promptly (and angrily) lampshades.
- Pet the Dog: Silver Sentry thanking the Turtle Titan on live TV for all his help.
- Shout-Out: Raph, Don, and Leo make fun of Mikey's superhero sketches by calling them the Ninjustice League, the Shelltastic Four, and the Legion of Sewer-Heroes.
- Spanner in the Works: Michelangelo proved one for Dr. Malignus, twice. His plan to mind control Silver Sentry would have worked without a hitch if Mikey hadn't gotten involved and freed him. Then when Malignus attempted a Villain: Exit, Stage Left, Mikey was waiting for him on his escape route.
- Superhero Episode: The first of many throughout the series.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Mike has a turtle shell shaped shield strapped to his forearm. As he is climbing up a rope, he keeps hitting himself on the head with his shield.
- Take That!: Mikey's grappling hook difficulties were probably a joke on how '87 Mikey lost the nunchucks in favor of the hook after they were deemed to 'violent'.
- The Adjectival Superhero: The title of this episode: "The Unconvincing Turtle Titan".
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Deconstructed. In trying to act like a superhero, Mikey treats his adventure as that kind of story and endures a lot of hassles because of it. It's only when he embraces his ninja training that he wins the day.
- You Watch Too Much X: When Mikey suggests the Turtles should become superheroes, Leo replies:Leo: Reading way too many comic books, Mikey.
