Showdown, Part 1

"With the world at stake, the only thing of importance is that you complete your mission. No matter what you have to sacrifice...or who."

- Splinter

Showdown, Part 1 is the twenty-fifth episode of the 2012 TV series. It was originally aired on August 8, 2013.

Plot Synopsis
The episode officially begins inside the TCRI building, with the Kraang receiving an incoming message from their 'glorious' leader, Kraang Prime, who announces that the invasion of Earth shall begin now. All of the Kraang begin enaging in a ritual, which includes marching among other things. The order is then given to activate their ultimate tool of destruction: The Technodrome. Meanwhile, at the Turtles' lair, the stolen communication orb alerts Donnie that something big must be going down. He and April manage to decode the aliens' language and yet, they are utterly shocked by what they find...

Leo, Raph, and Mikey are all watching the absolute final episode of Space Heroes, but are then interrupted when Donnie tells them all to come and see what he has uncovered. The Kraang are plotting to terraform the world with the power of the Technodrone. Donnie surmises that this must be the final phase of the Kraang invasion and, if the Technodrome gets through the dimensional portal, it could practically mean the end of the world. They wonder if they are ready for such a challenge, but Splinter assures them that, if the fate of the world must rest in somebody's hands, he is grateful that it is in theirs'. The Turtles then rush out of the room, but Splinter keeps Leonardo back for a brief moment. He tells him that, for a mission of such magnitude, the only thing that matters is completing it no matter what they have to sacrifice...or who. As Leo goes off to join his brothers, Kirby is shown with some sort of Kraang device implanted on the back of his neck.

The Turles all prepare, with Leo and Donnie discussing their strategy, constructing new equipment, and Raphael loading himself down with a multitude of weapons. While contemplating the huge endeavor ahead of them, they all board the Shellraiser to begin their ultimate mission...Once they are gone, April asks Splinter why he chose not to go with them - and why he never comes with to assist them on any of their missions. He explains that, as a teacher, it is his only job to prepare them for all of the challenges and obstacles that they face. She counters this by saying that the fate of the world is now hanging in the balance, so he should be open to help. He retorts that he does not have to explain himself to a child, and storms out of the area.

The Turtles then reach the surface in their van and Leo lays out the plan. They are to head to the TCRI complex and use the new Microfission Omni-Disintegrator (that was also seen in 'TCRI") that Donnie somehow managed to replicate by himself and also claims that it is fully capable of taking out the portal with a single shot. Back at the lair, April is approached by her father, Kirby, who asks where everyone is. She explains that the Turtles are currently on their way to the TCRI building, but Kirby, however, tells her that The Kraang know about their plan, and that they have already cracked the T-Phones' encryption, preventing her from calling them...He then convinces her that they must go to warn the Turtles in person (in spite of the hugely jeopardizing risks). As they leave, Splinter warns that it is dangerous for her to be on the surface. She coldy replies that, unlike him, she cannot just sit around and do nothing. As April and her father walk through the sewers, she notices that this chosen route is not the actual way to TCRI. Suddenly, two Foot Clan ninja appear and grab her arms, detaining her. When she is completely secured, Karai then appears and says hello, before orderering a brainwashed Kirby to take a message of some sort all the way back to Splinter. He then goes back to the lair with two Mousers, ignoring April's desperate cries for help...

Meanwhile, at TCRI, the Shellraiser crashes straight into the building and is fired upon by a large squad of Kraang droids lead by "Ms. Campbell". She soon calls for a cease-fire and the hatch on top of the van then rapidly opens, as Metalhead leaps out and The Kraang engage in what is a loosing battle against him...Suddenly, we notice that the Turtles are not in The Shellraiser (revealing that Metalhead was upgraded with some type of intelligence, as he was able to drive the van by himself), but instead, they are soaring high above the city using a brand new invention of theirs - the Turtle Gliders!! They then land on the roof of TCRI and quickly infiltrate the building by using pigeons to cover one of the security cameras...

Meanwhile, Splinter contemplates on what April had coldly said earlier, but he then senses danger in the vicinity and confronts Kirby....The latter then tells Splinter that he has brought a message from 'Master Shredder'. Upon Kirby saying this, Splinter is suprised to hear him strangely call The Shredder his "master", and appears to be quite fearful of the message that will come next...The Mousers then quickly project a hologram of The Shredder, who addresses Splinter by name...In the hologram, Shredder is able to intimidate Splinter by claiming that he must face him like a man if he truly  cares for April and wants her life to be spared....At TCRI, the Turtles approach the portal, which is now being guarded by the huge rock-monster and general, Traag. Leo takes aim with the Omni-Disintegrator and fires, confident that the war will finally come to an end, but it is then revealed that the portal is protected by an invisible force field, and it is not harmed at all. The Turtles are then attacked by Traag -- and quite a large army of Kraang droids. Donnie then attempts to use his intellect to hack into the computer systems, while Leo uses the Disintegrator to start blasting some of the limbs off of Traag.

At the Foot Clan headquarters, April is chained up, with Dogpound and Fishface guarding her. Meanwhile, Splinter, in disguise, approaches the Foot Clan headquarters, while, inside, Dogpound explains to Fishface that both Splinter and Shredder once trained at the very same school in Ninjutsu (and became known as some of the best practitioners) and formed a close bond as if they were brothers, until Splinter then "betrayed ''him all of the sudden. Outside, Splinter decimates a large squad of Foot Ninja who were instructed to be put on-gaurd and he then enters the throne room. He then squares off with both Mutants. He knocks Dogpound to the ground in an instant and then fights an even battle with Fishface. Dogpound quickly regains his balance and focus and runs at Splinter from behind and so does Fishface. This results in Splinter evading and Dogpound being hit in the stomach-area by Fishface's legs. It is also not long before Splinter gets Fishface into quite an awkward position so that he can send him flying into the wall and the Mutant collapses into the water tanks, upon which he retreats to an unknown location. Splinter then rushes to free a terrified April, only to find that she is nothing but yet another hologram projected by a lone Mouser, which he subsequently destroys....

Shredder then begins laughing evilly and frantically, while the room is lit up with numerous lights (each of which seem to resemble a wick of fire) on the sidelines. He reveals that, since he knew that Splinter would be on his way, he had no further use for the real April and had her handed over to The Kraang. Shredder then physically appears and strikes Splinter from behind, informing him that he is going to put an end to him once and for all. Splinter quickly stands up, takes off his hood, which unveils his face, and his new look initially appalls The Shredder. However, he quickly resorts to snickering once again, and he then arrogantly gloats about how Splinter took the bait, and how he is just like his terrapin students. Splinter, now quite mad about how carelessly Saki chose to handle April, threatens that he will be the very last thing that Shredder ever sees...

Back with the Turtles, Donnie is finally able to bring the force field down, but the portal itself immediately activates right after and a huge rift then opens right above the building. The Technodrome, a massive and seemingly indestructible warship, then hovers out of it. Leo tries one more blast with the disintegrator, but the battery sadly dies, and the device ends up crumbling to ashes...As the ship continues to pass through the rift and as all of The Kraang begin to close in, Leo then notices the nearby Power Cell. Donnie tells him that, if he actually chooses to rupture it, the whole place would go up in smoke and flames...So, Leo boldly fights his way to the cell, as the others flee, and Leo buries his blade into the center of the crystal. He then leaps out of the window, just as the building explodes and he begins to fall to what would seem like certain death in most instances, but is caught at the very last second by Raph on his glider. However, it is way too early to celebrate, as the Technodrone has now fully made it through the portal......

To be continued...

Trivia

 * The title used to advertise on Nickelodeon has a one hour special called, "Booyaka-Showdown". But the in-show title is simply know as "Showdown".
 * This is the first time in the series (That is not a flashback) we see Shredder fight Splinter.
 * Kirby O'Neil was brainwashed because of the chip on his neck that we saw in Operation: Break Out.
 * The "pigeon in front of the camera" bit alludes to how the Turtles broke into the TCRI building in issue #4 of the original Mirage books.
 * It's implied that Donnie made Metalhead self-aware.
 * The Microfission Omni-Disintegrator has the same design as the Sub-Spacial EndoParticle Disruptor, as seen in "Baxter's Gambit."
 * Space Heroes has its final episode.

Quotes
Donatello: We gotta take out the portal. (sees Traag guarding it)

Raphael: I forgot about him.

Donatello: Don't worry. We'll be gone before that rock monster even knows we're here.

Leonardo: Alright guys, this all ends in 3...2...1. (fires the Omni-Disintegrator, but it doesn't work because of a forcefield) What? There's a forcefield? Why didn't you tell me?

Donatello: Well, because I wanted us to fail. OBVIOUSLY, I DIDN'T KNOW!

Kraang: A Message from Kraang's glorious leader.

Kraang: Kraang Prime!

Kraang: Kraang,Kraang,Kraang,Kraang,Kraang,Kraang,Kraang,Kraang

Kraang Prime: The invasion known as the invasion of earth begins,NOW!

Leonardo: Sensei!

Donatello: April!

Raphael: Spike!! (Spike comes out of a tub)

Related Works
To tie-in with this season finale, the episodes were novelized under the name Showdown with Shredder. The novelization was written by Matthew J. Gilbert.

Gallery
See: Booyaka-Showdown/Gallery

Links

 * Listings
 * Full Episode on Nick.com

Videos