A Tale of Master Yoshi

"Tale of Master Yoshi" is the one hundrendth episode of the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), which originally aired on March 4, 2006.

Major Characters

 * Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
 * Hamato Yoshi
 * Ancient One (Sean Schemmel)
 * Yukio Mashimi (Sean Schemmel)
 * Tang Shen


 * Secondary Characters
 * Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
 * Donatello (Sam Regal)
 * Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
 * Raphael (John Campbell)
 * Mortu (Dan Green)
 * The Shredder (Scottie Ray)
 * Ninja Tribunal

Voice-over introduction
Leonardo : Honor. Integrity. Bushido. These were the ideals that drove Master Splinter's beloved master: Hamato Yoshi. He had traveled far to reach this castle fortress only to find four Foot elite warriors barring his way. But four or four hundred, it mattered not for on this particular night, Yoshi was driven by a powerful force unfamiliar to him. Hatred. Hatred that burned so bright it threatened to destroy him. Hatred born out of the need for revenge.

Plot synopsis
With Donatello unable to provide power to their new lair, the Turtles and Splinter decide to spend some quality time together telling stories. Leonardo relates a story that he had heard from the Ancient One, of Master Yoshi's early life before traveling to America.

The story begins in Tokyo, rebuilding after World War 2, where young Hamato Yoshi and his friend Yukio Mashimi are hungry beggars on the streets. They are taken in by the Ancient One, trained in ninjitsu and raised as his own children. The two boys are closer than brothers, even falling in love at the same time... with the same woman: Tang Shen. However, Tang Shen only loved Yoshi in return.

By chance, Yoshi and Mashimi encounter a group of Foot Ninja attacking Mortu. Running to Mortu's aid, they discover that he was truly an alien Utrom and are recruited as Guardians. However, the Ancient One wouldn't allow it and told them they needed much more training of the mind. But, since they were men, they signed up. Yoshi is quickly promoted to Guardian Prime, but Mashimi is passed over for advancement and comes to resent Yoshi for his success, feeling that Yoshi has taken everything that was his. In a fit of jealousy, he murders Tang Shen and betrays the Utroms to the Shredder, forcing the Utroms to relocate to New York. However, Mashimi was on thin ice for not telling the Shredder about the secret escape hatches.

Yoshi mourned Tang Shen and desired revenge. Ancient One warns him pain will one day stretch like a splinter. Yoshi infiltrates the Foot headquarters, calling out Mashimi to duel. He defeats Mashimi, whose last words to him are "forgive me". He escapes the Foot headquarters and joins the Utroms in New York, along with Tang Shen's pet rat who he names Splinter to remind himself of what he had lost.

The four turtles, back in their lair in the present day, discuss the story. Mikey considers it an unhappy tale, although Splinter points out that had the events not transpired as they did, then the Utrom's would have remained in Tokyo, and the Utrom ooze would never have had a chance to mutate any of them.

The episode's tag has present-day Ancient One entering a room and speaking to a group of mysterious figures. Though hidden in the shadows, their silhouettes eerily resemble the Shredder. They said that he was too late and that they will determine whether the Turtles live or die. This sets up the Ninja Tribunal plot at the end of the current season.