What a Croc

"What a Croc" is the thirty-eighth episode of the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), which originally aired on February 28, 2004.

Major Characters

 * Donatello (Sam Regal)
 * Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
 * Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
 * Raphael (Frank Frankson)
 * Splinter (Darren Dunstan)

Secondary Characters

 * April O'Neil (Veronica Taylor)
 * Leatherhead (Greg Carey)
 * Baxter Stockman (head in jar in Utrom exoskeleton) (Scott Williams)
 * Turtlebot
 * Utroms (in flashback)

Main Locations, Vehicles and Accessories

 * TMNT lair
 * Underwater sewer tunnels
 * Turtles original lair
 * TCRI building (in flashback)
 * Back-strapped underwater propulsion device
 * Utrom exoskeleton
 * Transmat

Voice-Over Introduction
Michelangelo : It seems like we always end in these wacked out situations. I don't know, maybe its our karma. Like we did something bad in a past life. I mean really, really bad. Supervillain-holding-the-world-for-ransom-destroying-Tokyo kind of bad. Come to think of it, its probably Raph's fault. Everything bad that happens to us is because of something Raph did in a past life. Oh well, no use crying over past lives. I guess we just gotta accept things as they are. Just always be ready to kick some shell.

Plot Synopsis
Michelangelo, unable to sleep because of Raph's snoring, wanders about the lair annoying the various residents. April is busy packing (for which mikey is greatfull because he be able to regain his old room), Leo and Splinter are glued to the news, and Donnie.... is busy being Donnie. Mikey soon finds himself emlisted to help his brother. Donnie sends him underwater to install a crossbrace, so that they can use underwater tunnels for a new acess way. Mikey goes about his task but before long spots and murky figure, which when he shines his helmet light upon it, resolves to be a giant, man-like crocodile. They scuffle, Mikey hides doing his best to remeber what Master Splinter said during training about fading into your surroundings. The ploy works at first, untill the croc notices the air supply tube running too the surface, and severs it.

Back in the lair, Donny sees the bubbles from the broken air tube and correctly guesses that Mikey's in trouble, useing the safety line to pull the half drowned turtle to the surface. With the rest of his brothers gathered, Mikey babbels about his encounter, and only Leo seems to think there's any truth to it. Determined to prove he's not crazy, Mikey goes back to find the croc, this time supplied with home made scuba gear and a video/audio link to Donny's laptop. He quickly spots the croc and tails him. The croc is living in their old lair, surrounded by Utrom tech.He is also seen talking to something offscreen, which Mikey guesses to be an Utrom. The turtle is spotted and attacked, and the fight knocks out the link to Donny's laptop back in the lair. Mikey gets the croc to calm down, but then the rest of the bunch shows up and proceeds to immedietly go after the giant animal. Eventually, everyone stops long enough for a truce to be established, and the croc introduces himself as Leatherhead.

Leatherhead explains how he was abandoned and adopted by the Utroms, then similarly mutated by the ooze as they were. The Utroms, after relizing he had become senteint, taught him about their technology. He ran and hid in the sewers when the building was attacked by the SWAT team, and is trying to buld a transmat so he can follow the Utroms and rejoin what he considers his family. That's when what Mikey thought was an utrom revels himself, and it's none other then everyone's favorite severed head, Baxter Stockman. Stockman is now in an Utrom exo-suit, and tells Leatherhead that it was the turtles who made the Utrom leave. They use a three part combining ninja/turtle bot to attack them. The robot can scan the turtles and copy their fighting style, even reproducing their wepons. So, the turtles switch, and since none of them are experts in another's wepon,using them in unexpected ways, the bot is just enough confused to be destroyed. Stockamn attacks by throwing a wall at them, and about to take out Mikey, monologues and mentions the Shredder. Leatherhead overhears, and since he knows that the Shredder was the "Utrom's most hated enemy" turns on Stockman. Stockman escapes, by throwing an explosive canister. The celing begins to collapse, but Leatherhead manages to hold part of it up long enough for the brothers to evacuate, even though Mikey lingers trying to convice Leatherhead to come with them. Leatherhead tells him that if he can't be with the Utroms, then there's life is meaningless.Unable to stay any longer, Mikey leaves Leatherhead behind, with the celing collapsing overhead. Outside the danger zone, Leo and Donnie lament the croc, saying that they can't imagine being so alone, and that they have each other, at least. Mikey agrees, but then questions "do we have to have Raph as well?" earning him a backhand to the head.

Quotes
Michelangelo:"Hey! Shell for brains! Can you keep it down? There are some people in New Jersey that are trying to sleep!!"

-Mikey annoyed by Raph's snoring.

Michelangelo:" Um, April,what are you doing with my Silver Sentry comics?"

April: "Oh, I needed something to wrap my stuff in and these were just lying about, so I-"

Michelangelo: " AHHHhhhhhh!!!"

-April is kidding, otherwise Mikey would probably have a heart attack.

Michelangelo: (waving arms and making faces)"So I was like "ohuhugh!", and it was like "Grrrrr!" and I'm all "ehehhehh" and then it got all *snortsnort* and then it was all "ROAROARROAR-!!!"

Raphael:(exchanging looks with Donny) "Cukoo."

Donatello: "Crazy."

- Mikey's bros discuss his mental state.

Michelangelo: "It does exist! And it's all "Grrraaargh!" and *Snortsnort* and "rchahahah-!"

Raphael: "We should of seen it comin', bro. Your one rib short of a barbeque!"

Michelangelo. "Look I know what I saw! There's a huge, ugly reptile in the sewers, and for once it's not you, Raph!"

-Score one for Mikey.

Michelangelo. "Will you guys wait a minute? (to Leatherhead) Sorry, sometimes we get carries away too.How 'bout a truce?"

Leatherhead: "You may let go of me. I accept the truce."

Leonardo: "Alright Mikey, but if this croc bites your head off I don't want to hear any complaining."

-and if you die I'll skin you alive, too.

Trivia

 * This episode is partially inspired by Leatherheads' second comic appearance in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #45.
 * This is Leatherhead's first full appearance in the 2003 cartoon. He appeared as a shadowy figure in Secret Origins, Part 3.
 * Baxter Stockman gets a new body in this episode. His head is now attached to an Utrom exoskeleton.
 * Michelangelo imitates Steve Irwin before he goes diving for Leatherhead.