Ninja Tribunal (episode)

"Ninja Tribunal" is the one hundred fourth episode of the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), which originally aired on April 15, 2006.

Information
Major Characters:
 * Donatello (Sam Regal)
 * Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
 * Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
 * Raphael (John Campbell)
 * Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
 * Ancient One (David Chen)
 * Ninja Tribunal
 * Kon-Shisho (David Zen Mansley
 * Juto-Shisho (Marc Thompson)
 * Chikara-Shisho (Zan)
 * Hisomi-Shisho
 * Faraji Ngala (David Moo)
 * Tora Yoshida (David Chen)
 * Joi Reynard (Rebecca Soler)
 * Adam McKay (Britton Herring)
 * Mokusai No Bushi

Voice-over introduction
Leonardo : "You know, if there's one thing I've learned being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, is to always expect the unexpected. But with all of our training, and all of our hard work, I'd like to think that we're ready for anything. But sometimes, the unexpected is just a little too... unexpected."

Plot synopsis
Open as Leo and Raph move furniture around the lair while Mikey goofs off and Don rests. Donatello is feeling much better, but can’t remember anything that happened during his mutation. Don insists that he's feeling fine, so the Turtles decide they’ll go out. Soon enough the guys are on the city rooftops, but they don’t realize they’re being watched by four Mokusei-no-Bushis. Back at the lair as Splinter meditates. Suddenly, a worried Ancient One enters and becomes frantic when he learns that the Turtles are gone.

Meanwhile, the Turtles are startled by movements in the shadows. As the teens look around, the four Mokusei-no-Bushis appear, wielding double tonfa and looking ready to fight!

As their mysterious opponents bow, the Turtles bow back, and a fight ensues. As the Turtles battle, Leonardo discovers that the foes are made of hard wood when one of his attacks lands squarely atop an Mokusei-no-Bushi's head. Despite receiving what woul dhave been a killing blow to most creatures, the wooden warrior simply removes the katana sticking in its head and its wound instantly heals. The strange ninja bows and offers the blade back to Leo. Leonardo grabs the katana and resumes fighting, but the TMNT have no hope to defeat these invulnerable foes. One by one, each Turtle is defeated and lying unconscious. The Mokusei-no-Bushis pick up the TMNT and carry them away...

Open in the Ninja Tribunal ship below its decks. As the Turtles awaken, they find themselves in a crude prison cell. The young ninjas exit the surprisingly unlocked jail room and find their weapons floating in a magical aura in the hallway outside. The TMNT grab their respective arms and notice four other floating weapons. Four humans enter, groggy and confused much like the Turtles. After bruefly mistrusting one another, the groups introduce themselves - the human team consists of Adam McKay, Joi Reynard, Tora Yoshida and Faraji Ngala. The TMNT decide to look around and the others accompany them. They enter another chamber and realize the door they just came in has disappeared! Mikey wishes for a door and a gigantic one appears in front of them. As the group walks through the door, they find themselves in a sanctuary, with many Mokusei-no-Bushi lined along the walls. In front of them are five thrones, four of which are filled with beings wearing Shredder armor! The four Shredders inform our heroes that a great evil is coming and that they must all be judged to determine if they are worthy to defend the Earth. This judgment will be determined by the two groups facing off against each other in combat!

The Shredder-clad Ninja Tribunal commands the two groups to fight, but the Turtles and humans decide that they would rather fight the Shredders. However, when our heroes approach the throne, the Mokusei-no-Bushis leap from the sidelines and intervene. The eight captives battle the wooden ninjas, but it's clear there is no way to win.

Cut to the New York City city rooftops where Splinter and the Ancient One search for clues. They quickly realize that the Turtles have indeed been taken by the Mokusei-no-Bushis. Splinter demands that the Ancient One to take him to the Ninja Tribunal.

Back in the Tribunal's sanctuary, all eight warriors are defeated by the Mokusei-no-Bushis. The Tribunal proclaims that they have all passed the first judgment by battling invulnerable foes rather than fight one another. The group have become Acolytes for the Ninja Tribunal.

The Turtles and humans are now free to contemplate their endeavor as a magical stairway leads them through the ceiling of the room. The heroes emerge on the deck of a dragon ship, far out at sea! They soon discover that their journey has taken them to Japan...

Quotes

 * Raphael: Yeah, no offense Donnie, but you weren't too much fun when you were... sick.
 * Michelangelo: Fun?! He was a monster. An absolutely, horrible, drooling big nasty-fanged monster! You tried to eat my leg!

:[After the enemy ninjas demonstrated their weapon sticks to the Turtles.]
 * Raphael: Now maybe it's just me, but I think these guys plan to stick it to us.

Miscellanea

 * Shortly after production ended on this episode, it was announced by 4Kids that the franchise would be heading in a new direction, placing the Turtles into the distant future in a series of "light hearted standalone episodes", this unfortunately indicated the events of this episode would not be ellaborated upon in the following season. TMNT Writer and artist Dan Berger would eventually reveal to dismayed fans that Peter Laird was working hard on financing and distributing a full length season on DVD to wrap up the events of this episode.


 * Mikey's dueling nunchucks was a reference to the first movie, only with Mikey getting outshined this time.