Return of the Technodrome

Return of the Technodrome is episode number 18 of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series. It is the final episode of season 2 (1988). This episode of the show was produced by Kara Vallow and written by Michael Reaves. It originally aired on December 24, 1988, in syndication. It is available on the DVD box set released on April 26, 2005.

Plot Summary
At Channel 6, Irma asks her friend April O'Neil when April will meet the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. April says they are not the most exciting thing of her life. Burne Thompson tells April it is a slow news day and to go out and make news.

Meanwhile in the sewer system under New York City, Splinter leaves the TMNT for his tri-annual three days fast and meditation. April comes and hopes for a story. Raph says it is a big city so something is bound to happen.

Krang wants to destroy the TMNT, saying Shredder has let those turtles escape for the last time. Krang wants to re-power the Technodrome and send it from Dimension X to Earth. Shredder is shocked at this. Shredder takes Bebop and Rocksteady to Niagara Falls, which is on the border between the United States and Canada, and uses Krang's "polarity deflector" to transport the Technodrome to Niagara Falls. Shredder takes over the Niagara Falls power plant and shuts off power to New York City. They route the power to the Technodrome instead.

Leo assumes Shredder is responsible for the power outage. Donatello listens to Krang and Shredder's plan using a communicator, and learn that Shredder has been sent a small contigent of Foot and rock soldiers.

When the TMNT and April arrive at the Niagara Falls in their blimp, they are attacked by Bebop and Rocksteady. Bebop shoots down the blimp's glider with his laser gun. Donatello saves the TMNT and April by using the blimps remote control, sending down the ropes from the blimps balloon. The TMNT and April fly away and safely land, hanging in the ropes as the glider falls down the waterfall.

The TMNT then encounter Splinter, who had seen the electricity coming out from the plant, creating a dimensional portal. Krang has the Technodrome prepare anti-gravity plates and it heads to the portal. The TMNT rush into the plant after distracting the Foot soldiers and Rocksteady and stop the flow of the river. But Krang re-opens the dimensional portal, and the Technodrome arrives. Krang is happy that the turtles will soon be crushed. The turtles, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, wonder what to do now (Raph says they could always hope an asteroid hits). Krang bids them farewell and tries to fire a laser gun from the Technodrome, but the gun doesn't work because Krang used to much power to keep the dimensional portal open.

Shredder reactivates the Hydro Electric Plant, which recharges the Technodrome. Krang burrows the Technodrome underground, causing an earthquake in New York City. Krang then takes over the TVs in the city, and demands that the inhabitants leave the city within 24 hours, or else Krang will cause a bigger earthquake, destroying the city. Krang had told Shredder he plotted to make the evacuated city their base of operations and from there they will use the capabilities to conquer the planet.

The TMNT, who had heard Krang's message, discover the Technodrome underground. Splinter says, "So begins the final battle." The TMNT break inside using a bomb. While Spliter fights Shredder in their "final confrontation" on a bridge inside the Technodrome, the TMNT fight Bebop, Rocksteady and the Foot Soldiers in the control room (after telling them not to use their weapons as it will damage the circuitry). Donatello fiddles with the wires.

When the inhabitants refuse to leave New York City, Krang tries to start another earthquake. However, when Donatello changed the wires in the control room it altered the seismic polarities and instead, the Technodrome drills deeper underground. Krang blames Shredder, whom is last seen dangling by his cape at the end of the broken bridge where he fought Splinter. The Technodrome comes down to the Earth's core and appears to sink in lava.

In the New York City sewer system, the TMNT celebrate their victory with pizza and April comments that it was a great story.