The Shredder Strikes, Part 1

"The Shredder Strikes, Part 1" is the tenth episode of the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), which originally aired on April 12, 2003.

Major Characters

 * Donatello (Sam Regal)
 * Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
 * Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
 * Raphael (Frank Frankson)
 * Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
 * Oroku Saki (Scottie Ray)
 * Hun (Greg Carey)

Secondary Characters

 * The Guardians
 * Utrom Council Members
 * Foot Ninja
 * Hamato Yoshi

Main Locations, Vehicles and Accessories

 * New Lair
 * Sewer Tunnels
 * City streets and rooftops
 * Abandoned Warehouse

Voice-over introduction
Leonardo : In our ninja training, Master Splinter is constantly telling us that when given two choices, always choose the harder path. But somehow, when you're a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, the harder path always seems to choose you.

Plot summary
While in their lair training, the Turtles argue about which of their weapons is the best. Leonardo wins their sparring match and claims that the katana is the superior weapon. Splinter tells Leonardo to attack him with his katana. Leo is easily defeated by Splinter with only his cane, proving Splinter's point that: A weapon is only as good as the ninja who wields it.

Confused and frustrated by what Master Splinter said, Leonardo goes to the roof to cool down. A nearby Foot soldier shoots an arrow at Leonardo with a message attached. Leonardo picks up the note apprehensively. He finds out that the note is from Oroku Saki, inviting Leo to meet him at a nearby warehouse. Leo decides to go to the warehouse alone as the note instructed. Little does he know that his brothers are following closely behind him.

Leonardo enters the warehouse while his brothers watch through a skylight. He is attacked by thirteen Foot Ninjas, but defeats them quickly. Saki appears and congratulates Leo on his impressive ninja skills. Saki introduces himself and explains to Leonardo that he is the leader of a group of ninjas that is fighting a great evil that is trying to take over the world. He invites Leo and the other Turtles to join forces with he and his Foot ninja to battle against this evil force. Sensing Leo’s hesitation, Saki tells the Turtle to meditate on his offer over night and let him know tomorrow. Before parting, as a gesture of goodwill, Saki gives Leonardo a fine, centuries old, katana.

Unknown to those in and on the warehouse, the meeting was also observed by a couple of mysterious agents. They reported their findings to a council of individuals. Upon hearing the report, the council tells the Guardians to continue to watch the Turtles and to destroy them if they join forces with Saki.

As Leo makes his way back to the lair, his brothers surround and confront him. Leonardo tries to explain why he met secretly with Saki and what the Foot's leader had to say, but his brothers aren’t buying their enemy's story and a big argument ensues, followed by a short and potentially deadly battle between Raph and Leo. In the end, Leonardo decides to do what he should have done at the start: talk to Master Splinter. Splinter confesses that he has known who The Foot were all this time. He begins to tell his sons about his origins and his master. Splinter was originally the pet rat of ninja master Hamato Yoshi. He explains how Saki, AKA The Shredder, along with his henchman, Hun, killed his master after Yoshi would not give them information on their enemy. Escaping, but not before leaving his mark on Hun, he tells the Turtles that he had found them soon after that. Splinter goes on to tell his sons that The Shredder is great evil. The Turtles agree to go tell Saki their answer turtle style.

The next day, Leo and his brothers return to the warehouse as planned. Leo gives the sword back to the Foot ninja and tell them to tell Saki that his answer is "No". A battle ensues, but the Turtles take the Foot down pretty easily. Just when they thought the battle was over and are about to head home, Hun arrives excited for his rematch with the Turtles. They have trouble with Hun, but Leo manages to defeat him by kicking him through the warehouse skylight. Thinking they were done, the Turtles begin to head home for good this time. However, Saki arrives clad in his Shredder armor with more Foot ninja. He tells the Turtles that if they aren't with him, they're against him and anyone who is against him must be crushed.

Quotes

 * [Mikey laughs at the scolding Leo is going to get]
 * Splinter: Michelangelo! Do you think I am funny?
 * Michelangelo: Uh, yeah. I mean sometimes. There was that time you told that joke about the ox and the sparrow...it wasn't really joke, but it was funny and- *Donatello elbows Mikey in the stomach* Oof! I mean, no Master Splinter.


 * Splinter: In the hands of a true ninjitsu master, anything can be a deadly weapon. Remember, a weapon is only as good as the arm that wields it, Leonardo. Until you have learned this lesson, you have learned nothing.


 * [Leo reads a note that was attached to an arrow]
 * Leonardo: Okay, it's not your regular mail. I guess Mikey would call it, "Airmail."


 * [Leo and Raph fight over the sword Saki gave Leo]
 * Michelangelo: Gee, a fight between Leo and Raph.
 * Donatello: [with sarcasm] Oh, I didn't see that coming.


 * Hamato Yoshi: He who lives without honor, will end without honor.


 * Splinter: I never told you all this because I didn't want your training to be tainted by the poison of hatred. I did not want you to feel the sorrow that is still in my heart. But now you need to know who Saki, The Shredder really is. He serves no great purpose, he fights no great evil. He is great evil. Any endeavor he undertakes he does for his own selfish gain.


 * Shredder: Those who are not with me are against me! And I crush anyone who stands against me!

Trivia

 * This marks the first appearance of Hamato Yoshi (albeit, in a flashback, of course).
 * This marks the first appearance of Oroku Saki in his Shredder armor.
 * Mikey references Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy when he says, "Leonardo, you got some splainin' to do!"