The Turtles go from the frying pan and into the fire as they're made to fight in the Triceraton Republic's arena. The Prime Leader offers the Turtles freedom in exchange for the Fugitoid's teleportal plans, but the Turtles aren't going to go down that easily, and some of the gladiators have their own plans...
First appearance of Traximus
This episode provides examples of
- Actually Pretty Funny: When Gruell decides to use the Turtles as practice dummies, Don points out that this is not the first time anyone has called Mikey a dummy. This makes all the Turtles laugh, including Mikey.Gruell: Hmm, I seem to be missing something. Ah, yes! Practice dummies! You four turtles will be my new dummies.
Mike: You calling me a dummy?
Don: Wouldn't be the first time, Mikey!
(All the Turtles laugh) - Defeat Means Friendship: Traximus and the other gladiators fight the turtles at first but then become more appreciative of them after losing.
- Gladiator Games: The Turtles have to fight in them, as do many others.
- Honor Before Reason: The Fugitoid refuses to build the teleportal because he knows it'll be used as a weapon of mass destruction, but his refusal means his friends could be killed
- Made a Slave: Traximus when he protested against the system of government.
- Exit, Pursued by a Bear: Traximus and the other long term gladiators are threatened with death and forced out of the arena after refusing to fight the Turtles but a later episode reveals they escaped in the following chaos.
- Food as Bribe: Played for Drama when the poorly fed gladiators are promised extra portions if they can beat the Turtles and thus attack them.
- Forced to Watch: Zanramon makes the Fugitoid watch the games (and the Turtles' demise) when he refuses to build the teleportal. Of course, the Turtles survive, much to Zanramon's displeasure.
- Horned Humanoid: The Twins, two of the other Gladiators who fight, then befriend the Turtles.
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: One of the other gladiators has four arms and is pretty brawny.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Don's exclamation whilst fighting the Spasmosaur: "The elasticity of its flesh is too resilient!"
- Shout-Out: Mikey quotes Muhammad Ali's famous "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
- Spared by the Adaptation: In the original comic, Monza Ram and his All-Star team were killed off after their fight against the turtles. Here they survive their fight against the turtles. In addition, Monza Ram and his team become allies of the turtles soon after.
- Villain Respect: While the arena announcers aren't that villainous they come to feel this way about the Turtles, commenting they fight like Triceratons.
- You Fight Like a Cow: When Gruell makes the other Gladiators attack the Turtles and use them as practice dummies, the Turtles very easily beat their opponents and mock them throughout the fight.Mike: (yawns) Nice moves... for somebody's grandma.
Don: I don't know. (Defeats his opponent) We've fought tougher grandmas than this.
