The Acolytes, Chikara and Hisomi return to the Monastery with the Second Artifact, only to find the Shredder's Heralds have already arrived and attacked Juto, Kon, the Ancient One and Master Splinter. Tricking Hisomi into leading them to the Third Artifact, the Heralds steal the First and Second Artifacts and attempt to raise the Tengu Shredder.
This episode provides examples of:
- All Your Base Are Belong to Us: The Heralds infiltrate and destroy the Ninja Tribunal's Monastery.
- And This Is for...: After taking out Sojo, Raphael says that was for Joi.
- The Bad Guy Wins: This episode ends with the Shredder's Heralds seemingly killing the Ninja Tribunal and their human acolytes while escaping with the Tengu Shredder's helmet, gauntlet, and sarcophagus.
- Badass Boast: "From the ashes of your accursed Ninja Tribunal, our dread lord Shredder will rise again!"
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Acolytes barely stand a chance against the Shredder's Heralds and their tengu.
- Darkest Hour: The Heralds escape with the artifacts, while wiping out the Ninja Tribunal and half of the Acolytes.
- Determinator: Leo after the Heralds escape."No. No, it can't all have been for nothing. I won't let it be. [blasts the portal open] I will never stop fighting!"
- Downer Ending: The Tengu Shredder’s Heralds murder the Ninja Tribunal and the human acolytes although the season finale reveals they survived and they escaped with all 3 of the Shredder’s helmet, gauntlet, and sarcophagus. Splinter’s quote at the end sums it up rather nicely:Splinter: They (the Ninja Tribunal and the other acolytes) have made the ultimate sacrifice. We cannot let it be in vain.Raphael: What about the Heralds? Why the shell would they come here to New York City?Splinter: I do not know Raphael, but I do know what their victory today means. It means the end of the world begins…here.
- For extra effect, some storm clouds gather and form the Tengu Shredder's helmet.
- Face Death with Dignity:
- Faraji calmly hands his weapon to Leo and says it was always meant for him.
- As she's about to be killed by Sojo, Joi calmly tells Raph to avenge her.
- Adam kicks Donnie to safety before being crushed by a boulder.
- Before succumbing to his wounds, Torah is amused by Mikey inadvertently managing to make him laugh.
- Foreshadowing: The Heralds traveling to New York to sets up later going after Karai.
- Heartbroken Badass: Each of the Turtles takes the loss of their friends hard. As the Mystics are about to destroy the building, Leo drops to his knees in despair, though he manages to rally in time.
- Heroic Sacrifice: With them both struggling to hold up ceiling rubble, Adam kicks Donatello away before it crushes both of them.
- Heroic Vow: After Faraji gives him Gunjin and dies, Leo promises to use it to honor him.
- Hope Spot: Heading back to the monastery after their last mission, the Acolytes are in a very good mood, and Leo in particular thinks they've got this sewn up. Things soon go horrifically wrong.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Tora gets stabbed in the gut by the Metal Mystic.
- Irony: After Tora gets stabbed.Mikey: Tora... you're gonna be okay. I—
Tora: [chuckles] Mikey-san, you finally made me laugh. [dies] - Jerkass Has a Point: As Mikey tries to move Hisomi, Juto angrily says to leave him be because it's too late to help him and that they have to focus on the ongoing struggle.
- Kick the Dog: Before the Foot Mystics depart with the spoils, the Fire Mystic "thanks" the remaining protagonists for assuring their victory.
- Little "No": Donatello when Adam tells him to get to safety. Adam responds by kicking him away.
- Sacrificial Lion: The human acolytes. They eventually come back, but their “deaths” serve this purpose.
- Shout-Out: Mikey mimics a scene from Titanic (1997).
- Title Drop: Twice by the Fire Mystic, first when posing as Kon and the second as himself."The beginning of the end is upon us."
"You see before you now the beginning of the end... the end of everything." - Trash the Set
- Villain Respect: After Torah dies, the Fire Mystic admits the human Acolytes' deaths were an unfortunate waste of power trying to delay the inevitable.
- Wham Episode: The Foot Mystics successfully destroy the Ninja Tribunal's monastery, wiping out the four other acolytes and the Tribunal themselves, and gaining all artifacts necessary to revive the Tengu Shredder.
- Wham Shot: Kon and Juto pinned to the wall, while Splinter and the Ancient One are chained up, which reveals the Mystics have been impersonating them.
- Youkai: Baku, although the creature depicted here bears little resemblance to a tapir.
