The Pulverizer Returns!

"The Pulverizer Returns!" is the 22nd episode of the 2012 TV series. It aired on Saturday, May 11, 2013.

Plot Synopsis
This episode opens with the Turtles fighting the Foot, and easily winning as usual. However this time the Turtles find it too easy and comment that the Foot have been lacking in skill. At the Shredder's lair, Shredder is upset with Dogpound, since he failed to acquire more foot soldiers. However, seeing the captured Kraang in the building, Shredder plans to use their technology to his benefit in order to upgrade his army.

Later that night, Raph complains that they've 'run out of butts to kick'. Leo also says it's time to go home, but then they notice a chubby Foot Ninja trying to break into a place. When the Turtles try to attack him, they are surrounded by more Foot Ninja. After a brief fight, the ninjas are defeated and the Turtles find the chubby one.

This guy actually turns out to be The Pulverizer, who joined the Foot after training in Chris Bradford's dojo, since Donnie advised him to practice. The Turtles are surprised that he joined them, thinking Shredder must really be desperate. Pulverizer says he's one of the 'Oshegotusha', which Donnie explains is the expendable cannon-fire. Pulverizer tells them that he's helping the Foot fight the Kraang. After being told that the Foot are the bad guys, he decides to stay with them as a spy for the Turtles. Even though they say it's a bad idea, Pulverizer leaves and continues to insist on being their spy. Donnie is concerned that he's putting himself in danger, but the rest of the Turtles think they need the intel.

At the sewers, Splinter tells the Turtles that they have become complacent and too dependent on their weapons. Splinter commands them to switch their weapons, and so Mikey has the swords, Raph has the nunchucks, Leo has the staff, and Donnie has the sais. Splinter tells them to fight each other, and they're so busy fumbling with their weapons that they lose before the fight even starts. Splinter demands they continue to fight with their switched weapons for the rest of the day.

Donnie gets a text from Pulverizer that tells them where the Foot will strike. They soon arrive and get attacked by the Foot, Dogpound and Fishface. The turtles are beaten up by the Foot Clan, due to the weapon switch instituted by Splinter. The turtles quickly switch back their weapons, allowing them to decimate the soldiers with ease. The turtles then notice The Foot stealing mutagen canisters, as they find out that Shredder is planning to utilize the mutagen to make a mutant army.

At the lair, everyone (except Donnie, who is worried about the Pulverizer) brags about how easily they won their fight with their weapons, and Splinter is angry to find out that they ignored his lesson. He then demands their weapons, so now they must fight without them. He reminds them that a true ninja can make a weapon out of anything.

The Shredder orders Dogpund to obtain more mutagen in order to experiment with The Pulverizer. The Kraang warns that the mutagen is unstable on the Earth and the results are unpredictable, so Shredder demands "failsafe" measures to be enforced.

Pulverizer calls Donnie and reveals that Shredder is going to experiment with the mutagen. However, Donnie is horrified by Pulverizer's revelation that he personally volunteered to be mutated first, foolishly believing that he'll become a mutant superhero like the turtles. Now that the turtles know the Pulverizer is in serious danger, they set out to rescue him.

The Turtles head out on the Shell Raiser and run into a bunch of Foot Ninja on Dragoncycles. As they try to stop them, Fishface also drives on his own Dragoncycle, and while Raph shoots the cycle down with trash, Fishface jumps onto the roof of their vehicle. Despite Raph whacking him with a rotating cannon, he manages to give the Shellraiser a flat tire and the ninjas get away. Donnie is worried about Timothy, feeling he is his responsibility and grabs the Stealth Bike. As he drives off, the rest of the Turtles head off on foot.

The Foot Clan are getting Pulverizer ready for his mutation, and the guy can't wait to become a mutant hero. Donnie manages to crash through the building unarmed, but finds a broom and fights the Foot with it. Pulverizer is determined to be mutated, whilst Donnie is deperately trying to get him away from the mutagen. Donnie manages to overwhelm Dogpound and Fishface, with the help of the other turtles to finish off the soldiers. In the chaos, Pulverizer finally mutates himself, painfully transforming into a giant transparent blob with his human organs floating around inside. With the supply of mutagen depleted and the mutated Timothy on a dangerous rampage, Dogpound switches on the "failsafe" measures; the warehouse is wired with explosives and the timer is activated.

After seeing the bombs, the Turtles want to escape too, but Donnie doesn't want to leave Timothy behind. The turtles unsuccessfully try to calm down the rampaging blob monster, until they trap him inside the empty mutagen tank. The building explodes and the Turtles, along with the contained Timothy, escape. The Turtles decide to keep him as Donnie will try to figure out some way to cure him.

Elsewhere, the Shredder is upset with the turtles' victory, and The Foot Clan's incompetence. However, this makes the captured Kraang reveal that the turtles need to be destroyed, while Shredder clarifies that the turtles are a common enemy.

Trivia

 * This is the fourth episode to focus on Donnie and on the Pulverizer(Mutagen Man).
 * This is the sixth episode where April does not make an appearance.
 * It is revealed that The Pulverizer's real name is Timothy.
 * This is the first time Raph says "Hi three!"
 * The monster on the front of Mikey's comic book bears a strong resemblance to the original Mutagen Man.
 * The sound effect played when Donnie discovers coins on the Foot Ninjas is the same as the coin collecting effect from several games in the Super Mario Brothers series of video games.
 * Additionally The sound effect played when Mikey smiles, nods, and gives a thumbs up to Donnie when he receives a text message from The Pulverizer is the same sound played when booting up a Gameboy or Gameboy Color.
 * The Pulverizer is turned into what appears to be Mutagen Man of the 2012 series.
 * Donnie shows that he actually cares about Timothy, despite him not listening to Donnie about the Mutagen.
 * This is the second time Raph pulled his head into his shell when narrowly avoiding decapitation (freaking out Mikey in the process.
 * Donnie had used Raph's sais in this episode, which may be a reference to the 1987 Raphael, because he was voiced by Rob Paulsen, the same voice actor who currently does the voice of Donatello in the 2012 series.

Quotes
Leonardo: "Alright guys, let's pack it in. Nothing's happening."

Raphael: "I was afraid this day would come. We've run out of butts to kick."

Leonardo: "Mikey, if Master Splinter has taught us anything, it's that real combat is not like a video game."

Donatello: "Hey, coins!"

More to addded.....

Gallery
See: Pulverizer Returns! / Gallery