Triceratons (2003 TV series)

The Triceratons in the 2003 TV series play a far greater role in the ongoing story. Their involvement in the story is, like the rest of the series, closely based on the Mirage comics, albeit with minor modifications. In addition, the further political development of the Triceratons that eventually leads to the restoration of the old order, was designed for the animated series.

History
For some unexplained reasons, the Triceratons accidentally destroyed their homeworld, forcing them to live on mobile rocks converted into new homeworlds. For likewise unexplained reasons, the Triceratons have been in military conflict with the Federation for quite a long time.

There Triceraton Republic was a glorious empire whose warriors were following a strict code of honor. But when Prime Leader Zanramon took over, the Republic soon began to regress into a dictatorship, with few warriors left to follow the true path of honor.

To level the scales against their hated enemies, the Triceratons looked for Professor Honeycutt, who had developed a teleportal, a device that could instantaneously transport anything across the universe and had the potential to be one of the most useful weapons in the universe. Like the Federation, the Triceratons planned to use the device to defeat the former. They captured the professor thanks to a Federation collaborator, then tried to promise Honeycutt protection if he built his device - he refused, but the deal changed when he recognized his four Turtle friends whom they also captured (and who had accidentally been transmatted to the Federation’s galaxy), who had followed him and were now threatened with death if Honeycutt refused. When he was still reluctant the threat got even bigger when the Turtles were put in Their gladiator Games, but they managed to escape, taking Zanramon hostage so as to secure their escape aboard his personal cruiser. However the Triceratons pursued them, the Triceratons soon battled against the Federation who had arrived to take custody of the escaped Fugitoid. But Honeycutt and the Turtles escaped with a transmat beam sent by the Utroms.

The Triceratons soon tracked the transmat beam from Earth and began invading to find out where Honeycutt was, but the United Nations had no idea what they were talking about. It was soon apparent that Honeycutt was not on the planet, as they could not trace his positronic signature anywhere on the planet, so they left, but they shortly came back when Honeycutt returned from the Utrom homeworld to surrender himself to the warring parties. This lead to a wide goose chase around New York City, with the Turtles doing their best to keep the Professor out of the Triceratons' hands. The Triceratons were soon ambushed by a waiting Federation fleet, who were allied with the Earth Protection Force. Honeycutt soon disabled the Fed ships, so Zanramon ordered them destroyed, but his Commander Mozar, refused to and assisted in the coup d'état led by Traximus to overthrow him. The republican system was reinstated, and the Triceratons made the first move towards a lasting peace with the Federation.

Technology
Triceraton technology is quite advanced, employing anti-gravity vehicles and energy blasters on a regular basis, on about the same level as the Federation. A notable trademark of Triceraton technology is the common triangular or pyramidical design on many vital systems, such as power cores and blasters.

Society
The Republic was once a society of honor and glory, but with Zanramon takeover, the Republic lost the sense of their warrior's history. But thanks to Traximus, the old Republic was restored.

On one of the homeworlds, there is a place called "The Games", where helpless beings are pitted against each other for fun. But Triceraton gladiators is also available to the Federation, which is their number one show.

Fast Forward
In the Fast Forward season, in the future, the Triceratons have joined the Pan Galactic Alliance. Some have even taken residence on Earth and have peaceful jobs, like paper delivery.

(4kids TMNT Blog post with concept art of various Triceratons here.)

Appearances

 * "Turtles in Space, Part 1: The Fugitoid"
 * "Turtles in Space, Part 2: The Trouble with Triceratons"
 * "Turtles in Space, Part 3: The Big House"
 * "Turtles in Space, Part 4: The Arena"
 * "Turtles in Space, Part 5: Triceraton Wars"
 * "Secret Origins, Part 1"
 * "Rogue in the House, Part 1"
 * "Rogue in the House, Part 2"
 * "The Big Brawl, Part 1"
 * "The Big Brawl, Part 2"
 * "The Big Brawl, Part 3"
 * "The Big Brawl, Part 4"
 * "Space Invaders, Part 1"
 * "Space Invaders, Part 2"
 * "Space Invaders, Part 3"
 * "Worlds Collide, Part 1"
 * "Worlds Collide, Part 2"
 * "Worlds Collide, Part 3"
 * "Grudge Match"
 * "Aliens Among Us"
 * "Future Shellshock"
 * "Bishop to Knight"
 * "Invasion of the Bodyjacker"
 * "Timing is Everything"
 * "Enter the Jammerhead"
 * "Milk Run"
 * "The Fall of Darius Dun"
 * "Head of State"
 * "Zixxth Sense"