A Thing About Rats


 * This article was transwikied from Wikipedia.

"A Thing About Rats" is an episode of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series. It is the third episode of season 1 (1987). This episode of the show is part of the Heroes in a Half Shell arc.

It was produced by Kara Vallow, written by David Wise and Patti Howeth, and directed by Yoshikatsu Kasai. It originally aired on December 16, 1987, in syndication. It is available on DVD on the box set released on April 20, 2004.

Plot summary
In the New York City sewers, Splinter recovers from the previous episode's confrontation with Shredder. The Turtles search for the Technodrome, hoping to force Shredder to transform Splinter from a mutant rat back into a human.

In another part of the city, scientist Dr. Baxter Stockman tries to convince the Ajax Pest Control company to invest in his new invention, the mousers, robots that can catch rats. The president of the Ajax Pest Control company sends Baxter away, saying that the mousers would cause unemployment for the pest control companies. However, Shredder's remote-controlled flying camera bug—sent out earlier in search of interesting scientific research—records the incident, and Shredder later asks Baxter if they can work together. Back at the deserted mansion where Shredder has set up base, Shredder orders Baxter to create a master control device to control the mouser army he plans to build.

Shredder returns to the Technodrome and begins to mass-produce Mousers. Krang is angry because he wants Shredder to provide him with a body, which would aid them in their goal to destroy the Turtles. When Shredder refuses, Krang mutters that he hopes Shredder fails.

Splinter is meditating in the sewers, until he is attacked by twelve Mousers sent by Shredder. With his martial arts skills, Splinter is able to fight off the Mousers one by one, but is outnumbered - until the Turtles, who had sensed Splinter was in danger, arrive and help him defeat the Mousers. Afterwards, they notice that each robot is inscribed with "Baxter Stockman, Inventor". The Turtles and Splinter visit April O'Neil's apartment, where she looks up Baxter Stockman on her computer, finding a photograph and his address. The Turtles head for Baxter's house.

Baxter, who has finished the master control device, is followed home by Shredder's Foot robots because Shredder fears that Baxter "knows too much". Luckily, the Turtles fight off the Foot robots before Baxter is hurt. The Turtles tie Baxter to a nearby lamp post and Raphael convinces Baxter to divulge that Shredder is at the deserted mansion. Suddenly realizing how easily the mousers can find Splinter, the turtles hurry back to April's apartment. When they arrive, they find April and Splinter using kitchen utensils to fight for their lives against the 1,200 arriving mousers. The TMNT, April, and Splinter all escape the apartment just as the building collapses as a result of the mousers destruction.

Afterwards, the turtles, Splinter and April head to the deserted mansion. Donatello tries to use Baxter's remote control to control the Mousers, but the Shredder's master control device is stronger. Michaelangelo tries to sneak inside the mansion to turn off the master control device, but is captured by Shredder. The Shredder recalls all the mousers to attack the other Turtles, Splinter, and April, who all are waiting outside.

Inside the deserted mansion, Krang rescues Michaelangelo and tells him to save his friends by destroying the master control device. Upstairs, in front of the master control, Michaelangelo encourages Shredder to fire his rifle at him. Michaelangelo jumps away, and Shredder's shots destroy the master control device.

With the master control destroyed, Donatello uses Baxter's remote control to reprogram the mousers to hit the gas pipe, and the deserted mansion explodes. Shredder and Krang narrowly escape in their transport module. The Turtles find Michaelangelo's toe in the rubble, and they think that Michaelangelo is dead - until he pops up, saying he loves to play hide and seek.

Michaelangelo tells the others about how "a giant brain" (Krang) helped him escape, but the others don't believe him.