Line #18 Recap/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012S3E9ReturnToNewYork


1	The turtles return to New York only to find it deserted and try to track down Splinter.
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3	* AesopAmnesia: When you see a mutant shrimp wearing Shredder's armor, [[SarcasmMode the only sensible thing is to laugh at it.]]
4	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Party Wagon's not as heavily armored as the Shellraiser, but it's more maneuverable, has more weapons, and gets better gas mileage.
5	* TheBusCameBack: Splinter and the Foot make their first official physical appearance since the second season finale, if you don't count their apparitions' appearance in the previous episode. The Kraang, EPF, and Kirby also return.
6	** Stockman also makes his first appearance since "Vengeance is Mine".
7	* ContinuityNod: Mikey suggests Antonio's Pizza as a temporary base of operations.
8	** Casey suggests April try to reach Splinter's mind like she did with the Turtles when they were being attacked by the Dream Beavers.
9	* CruelMercy: When the Foot has the feral Splinter captured, Shredder assigns Baxter Stockman to restore his sanity just so he could kill him as the man he hated.
10	* CurbStompBattle: The turtles don't fare too well against the mutant Shredders, likewise they receive one from Splinter.
11	* EarlyBirdCameo: Bebop, Rocksteady, and Mondo Gecko make brief cameos in the new opening credits.
12	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Tiger Claw is disgusted that Shredder will seemingly allow the Kraang to wipe out humanity.
13	* EvolvingCredits: The opening credits have received a large overhaul.
14	** The individual shots of the Turtles now feature them in their "vision quest" garb.
15	** The scene of the Shellraiser driving has been replaced with one of the retooled Party Wagon.
16	** Splinter and April's appearance now feature them actively physically training.
17	** A new scene of Leatherhead traversing the streets of New York alongside the Turtles has been added. Blink and you'll miss Bebop and Rocksteady in one of the cars. Mondo Gecko appears as well.
18	** During Raph and Donnie's segment, further foreshadowing of the upcoming Turtle Blimp shows up, as he leaps off of it.
19	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
20	** Stockman mentions arthropods and there was a bunch of crabs on his console.
21	** While our heroes formulate a plan on finding Splinter, April points out there's a chance that if he did Astral Project, he may not be his usual self. Sure enough, April's right on the money: Splinter is in one piece, but he's mentally checked out and reduced to a feral state.
22	* ForgottenFallenFriend: Averted. April (and by extension, the writers) conspicuously and suddenly mentions her father for the first time since the season began.
23	* GiantEnemyCrab: Each of the Shredder Mutants appear to be based on a crustacean of some kind.
24	* GoryDiscretionShot: The four-armed Shredder clone [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath is thrown into a fan]] by a now-sane Splinter.
25	* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: When Shredder captures the feral Splinter, he orders Stockman to restore Splinter's sanity... because he wants Splinter to be fully aware of what's happening when Shredder finishes him off.
26	* KickTheDog: While the crazy Splinter is locked up, Stockman offers him cheese... then eats it himself at the last second, right in front of him.
27	* MythologyGag: Stockman has a trio of mutant Shredders, much like the Mirage Comics and the previous cartoon, bonus points considering both cartoons featuring their debuts in episodes entitled "Return to New York".
28	** The retooled Party Wagon is the truest translation of the 1987 Turtle Van, complete with the huge spoiler, weaponized side door, and even some of the old slogans. In particular one of their bombs has "Foot Stinks" written on it, which used to be on the side of the original Party Wagon.
29	** Raph draws a classic 1960s style pinup but the woman has green skin and a ninja turtle mask on. Appropriately she's [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall leaning on]] a giant CartoonBomb with the name of the widely-hated ''Next Mutation'' CanonForeigner, Venus, on it. Referencing the character is a known BerserkButton of Peter Laird, one of the co-creators of the franchise. Then again the turtles are under new management after the rights were sold to Nickelodeon in 2009 so everything is fair game now.
30	** When the Turtles wonder where they should make their new base, Donnie suggests an abandoned power plant (a nod to the third lair on the 2003 series) and an abandoned subway station (a reference to [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIITheSecretOfTheOoze the second movie]]).
31	** Splinter's flashbacks turning him back to normal is similar to the 2003 show's ''Identity Crisis'' where the turtles are turned back to normal when they see flashbacks of themselves.
32	** Concept art for the new party wagon had a [[http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/0/0f/Partywagon222.png/revision/latest?cb=20140730010212 CWABNGA license plate.]] The final version still has its original LUVDCTR plate instead.
33	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Mikey accidentally sets off an alarm in Stockman's lab alerting Shredder and Tiger Claw.
34	* PaperThinDisguise: The Kraang posing as Carlos. It looks convincing and might actually be him, but the dialogue doesn't fool the turtles.
35	* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Leatherhead, Bebop, Rocksteady, and Mondo Gecko (though Mondo has yet to debut).
36	* SanitySlippage: Splinter's last duel with Shredder gave him a head injury that reverted him to a primal state. April's psychic powers are able to reach him by the episode's end, however.
37	* TemptingFate: When they return to New York, Mikey says they haven't run into any Kraang, only for a squad to show up in front of the party wagon. At least he was smart enough to call himself out on it.
38	* WhamEpisode: The Turtles are back in New York, have found Splinter, made their presence known to the Foot and the Kraang, and have set up a new base.
39	* WhatTheHellHero: April and Raph call out Casey for driving at the mind controlled EPF soldiers while they were firing their lasers.

Context Recap / TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012S3E9ReturnToNewYork