Splinter and the Ancient One tell the Turtles the history of the original Shredder.
First appearance of the original Oroku Saki/Tengu Shredder
This episode provides examples of
- Ambition Is Evil: As the Ancient One said, the original Oroku Saki was the most skilled and ambitious of the five warriors. His ambitiousness would lead him to becoming the Tengu Shredder.
- Breath Weapon: The Shredder Tengu was able to breath green fire.
- Bystander Syndrome: The Ninja Tribunal's opinion on Yoshi fighting against the Utrom Shredder. This is why Splinter has a grudge on them, blaming his master's death on them. The season finale reveals they didn't take action because otherwise the Utroms never would've relocated to New York and the Turtles would never have mutated.
- Charles Atlas Super Power: The Ninja Tribunal eventually reached godhood in this manner.
- Deal with the Devil: How the original Oroku Saki gained his powers.
- Dynamic Entry: The Ninja Tribual bust into the Tengu Shredder's throne room by jumping through the windows.
- Evil Former Friend: The original Oroku Saki to the Ninja Tribunal.
- Eviler than Thou: As Splinter and the Ancient One say, the Tengu Shredder is more evil than any other.
- Foreshadowing: Four warriors transforming into dragons to fight off the Tengu Shredder.
- I'm Standing Right Here: Mikey points out that the Turtles can hear everything Splinter and the Ancient One are saying about them, since they're all in the same room.
- Made of Evil: The Shredder Tengu was actually spawned from a foul-smelling pit from an unknown level of the dark depths.
- My Name Is Inigo Montoya: From Oroku Saki, just before he supposedly finished off the demon:"I am Oroku Saki, demon! Let my name be the last sound you hear!"
- Once More, with Clarity: At the end of his battle with the Shredder Tengu, Oroku Saki seemingly slayed the demon and ended its threat. A few minutes later, we learn there was more to it: the Tengu had mentally offered Saki a Deal with the Devil and the two became one.
- One-Winged Angel: Combined with Scaled Up, the Tengu Shredder's dragon form. The Ninja Tribunal's Dragon forms may also apply.
- Origins Episode: For the Ninja Tribunal and the original Shredder.
- The Real Remington Steele: This episode reveals that Oroku Saki was a real person and not a persona crafted by Ch'rell the Utrom, much to Leonardo's shock.
- The Reveal: It's revealed that Ch'rell the Utrom Shredder drew inspiration from the Tengu Shredder legend to create his human identity.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Since the day he was defeated by the Ninja Tribunal, the Tengu Shredder had been imprisoned in a casket, with the Tribunal maintaining a vigil over it, as he would be released if he was ever reunited with his helmet and gauntlet.
- Single Tear: Splinter sheds one when he remembers how the Utrom Shredder slew his Master Yoshi.
- Take Over the World: Upon rising up, the Shredder Tengu's goal was to subjugate the world and turn it into his own personal empire full of agony and destruction. Upon merging his spirit with the Tengu's essence, this became Saki's goal as well.
- Took a Level in Badass: The Ninja Tribunal in the flashbacks. They went through extensive and prolonged training to be able to defeat the Shredder. According to the Ancient One, they went from mere humans to forces of nature.
- We Will Meet Again: The Tengu Shredder's final vow, as he's sealed away:"I will return! This world will be mine! You will pay for this! YOU WILL—!" [casket closed]
- Whole Episode Flashback: Splinter and the Ancient One tell the story to explain to the Turtles why the Ninja Tribunal rides them so hard.
- Worthy Opponent: After being bested by Saki, the Shredder Tengu realized there was greatness within him and offered him godhood if he allowed him into his soul.
- You Have Failed Me: The Shredder's Heralds do this to the kappa tengu for failing them in the last episode.Kappa: They fought like demons!
Mystic: But you are demons—demons who failed in your duty! The supreme master we have come to revive accepts no excuses and neither do we. - Your Princess Is in Another Castle!: At the end of the first third of the episode, the Shredder Tengu had been defeated and it appeared that Japan was at peace again. Unbeknownst to them however, a much greater threat was in their midst. The Ancient One even lampshaded by saying the celebration was premature.
