Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27062516-20151111223239

It's no doubt us fans can't stop talking about these episodes. They were dark, they pushed the bar, they made us wonder "How'd they got away with this or that?" and/or "Where can we go from here?" Now let's determine which one was the better episode.

I'll start by saying that, under further review, AE was a masterpiece and not only that, is way better than SAINW which, although I still think is a great episode, it's overrated! The character interaction was great, there were some small yet great moments of symbolism, poetics, it was just done very well.

(1) In Part 1 we got to meet Bishop at last and his appearance was significant in a character-wise way for the Turtles. All along the Krang have been their enemies, as well as the enemies of some of their allies, most notably Leatherhead and Slash. With them teaming up with Bishop, it displays a very subtle commentary on the turtles and their allies that goes beyond their main goals of merely saving the day. Before they met, all LHs goal was was to protect a power cell. Slash could never understand the meaning and importance of family until he became leader of his own team. Now, even though the sudden returns of Krang Prime and Sub(sub) Prime don't make much sense, the plot involving them functions as background to character (and a little action) not story, and by teaming up with whom they'd always regarded as an enemy,  not only can Bishop's character be established (at least a little bit) but also what the turtles' (and their allies') actions are about: the redemption of the individual, themselves, and their world. Something that is greatly missing in both the Shredder and the Triceratons! After the Earth is gone, the turtles will gladly take the world back the way it was even with Shredder and their adversaries in it just so long as they can have these other individuals (Splinter, LH, Slash, even Bishop, etc.) back! (2) Tiger Claw also got great character development here and it'd either be tragic or just a plain shame if it was to be lost when the Earth is rescued at the end of the space arc. Tiger Claw has said and shown that he does not care for honor before but he proved to be a good leader amongst the other henchmen leading up to the fight in Central Park but also proved to be a team player in rescuing April and Casey (which makes me believe in a possible turn as being the Old Hob of this series). Now of course, Tiger Claw has questioned his master's orders before such as letting the Krang take New York in part one of "The Invasion" but he's always stood by him and kept his mouth shut afterwards. But after Shredder betrayed the alliance, Tiger Claw was the first and only one to chew him out for it, again establishing himself not only amongst the other henchmen but a possibility in great character development down the road. (2 1/3) At first, I saw the Shredder's betrayal as also a betrayal of great possible character development after "Tale of the Yokai" gave him the background and development he deserved. He almost seemed like a mix b/w the Mad Hatter of BTAS (with the whole brainworm plot) and his usual Demona-esque nature in being unable to accept the past events that led him down this road until this point. It wasn't until an argument with someone who never saw that and said he only saw Shen as a trophy that made me think it's not so much a betrayal of that development after all. I mean, you can't tell me that he would don a bladed suit (a metaphor for a possible schizoid personality disorder), seclude himself up in that penthouse all day, carry the torch for Shen all these years later, and even (stupidly) strike down his hated enemy in as inconvenient a moment like that, all for a mere trophy--there's no way unless his feelings towards her were truly genuine! (2 2/3) Kudos as well to having so many characters reappear without getting in each others' way. (3) "The Rapture" as I refer to it, was some of the best imagery this series has ever produced. Director Alan Wan and his team really stepped up! The best use of slow-motion I've seen in a long time (suck on that Zack Snyder), good music score (I still think something similar to "The Leftovers" would've been better), a good use of the Creation of David amongst an already well done scene of ascending characters, the Triceratons celebrating the destruction/Rapture of us mere mortals below them like the Greek gods gathered around their table (minus the table of course), and the Earth crumbling dirt by dirt and lava by lava until it's gone. (3.5) On a final note, after that great scene, as I've said some get turned off (I know I once did) by Mikey's and (mostly) Casey's reactions in the final moments but upon further review, not only must the tone match the demographs that this show is aimed for (at least at some point) but also the everyday fact remains that once you've experienced the lowest of lows, the only way to go is up. And that's exactly where Honeycutt's taking them!

"Same As It Never Was" on the other hand, well, take away the shock factor and what have you got? Nothing! OK, well almost nothing. Dystopian futures are always irresistable and the designs for Don's brothers are the same way. The action is great, the shocks are great, the animation was good, the consequences of war are displayed strongly, the conclusion is bittersweet now that the people are free, and like in AE there is nowhere for Don to go but up which he does at the end up to his appearance in "The Real World II". I've often compared this episode to my favorite "Gargoyles" episode, "Future Tense" and while those factors made me love both episodes, a lot did happen in SAINW just like FT. That was perhaps the intent of the creators of the episode to distract you with so many shocking revelations, twists and turns, that you'd be sucked in to the episode and off balance for as long as possible until you simply just went along for the ride.

I'm aware that AE had twice the amount of time that SAINW did but wow, did I have a lot to cover (sorry)! I mean, while SAINW was both fun and built on shocks; AE had both but had a more carefully crafted construction. Not only does AE have as much fun as SAINW but it had a lot more to say while still entertaining you. OK, over to you guys! 