Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-1255374-20150425050906/@comment-995426-20150425053909

I was a bit anxious when I first learnt some of the details of this episode, because I don't want to see Slash or Leatherhead torn out of Raph and Mikey's lives a third time (it would be the third time for each). :( This show has a sad track record of painfully separating friends, family and loved ones and creating that dramatic separation anxiety for those left behind. Tang Shen and Miwa from Hamato Yoshi.  April's mother from April and Kirby.  Leatherhead from Michelangelo.  Slash from Raphael.  Kirby from April.  April from Donatello (because of Kirby).  Karai from both Splinter and Leonardo.  The turtles' lair from Splinter and the turtles.  Splinter from the turtles.  April's mother again from April (though she turned out to be just a mutant clone).  Karai again from Splinter and Leonardo.  At least Dr. Cluckingsworth parted on happy terms.  I'd also include Irma from April, if Irma hadn't turned out to have been an enemy all along.  One of my friends suggested that a recurring theme in TMNT is Kirby King's mantra, "Life at best is bitter sweet."  And while I can understand the occasional painful separation, I think this show at times has way overdone it, to the point where we keep wondering "Who's going to be separated from whom next?" So this episode's plot summary gave me that kind of feel&mdash;or worse, the Mutanimals could abruptly be killed off like they were in the Archie comic.