“Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter!” | |||||||
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) episode | |||||||
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Season Code: | 07 | ||||||
Episode: | 11 | ||||||
Original airdate | December 4, 1993 | ||||||
Written by | David Wise | ||||||
Producers: | |||||||
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1993 Season 1993 List of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episodes |
Episodes:
1987 Season – 1988 Season – 1989 Season – 1990 Season – 1991 Season – 1992 Season - 1992-1993 Vacation in Europe sideseason – 1993 Season – 1994 Season – 1995 Season – 1996 Season |
"Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter!" is an episode of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series.
Appearing in Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter![]
Major characters[]
- Donatello (Barry Gordon)
- Leonardo (Cam Clarke)
- Raphael (Rob Paulsen)
- Michelangelo (Townsend Coleman)
- Splinter (Peter Renaday)
- April O'Neil (Renae Jacobs)
- Vernon Fenwick (Peter Renaday)
- Burne Thompson (Pat Fraley)
- Irma (Jennifer Darling)
- Dirk Savage (Jim Cummings) (debut)
- A. J. Howard (Townsend Coleman) (debut)
- Tokka (Rob Paulsen) (debut)
- Rahzar (Townsend Coleman) (debut)
- Mondo Gecko (John Mariano)
Minor characters[]
- Vernon Fenwick (Peter Renaday)
- Burne Thompson (Pat Fraley)
- Irma (Jennifer Darling)
- Punk Frogs
- Several unnamed mutants
Species[]
- Human
- Mutant frog
- Mutant gecko
- Mutant gray wolf
- Mutant rat
- Mutant rhinoceros
- Mutant slug
- Mutant snapping turtle
- Mutant turtle
- Mutant warthog
Objects and vehicles[]
- Compliance cuffs
- Turtle Blimp
Locations[]
- Channel 6
- Crystal Palace Mall
- Howard Building
Plot[]
As the story begins, the Turtles are tracking two mutants: a snapping turtle named Tokka, and a wolf named Rahzar. They manage to stop both of them, but the mall they were in is wrecked.
That evening, they see a news interview with eccentric billionaire A. J. Howard, who is virulently anti-mutant and has hired Dirk Savage, a professional mutant hunter, to capture all the mutant "freaks." The Turtles are enraged by Dirk Savage, since he is indiscriminate in his mutant-hunting rather than realizing that there are good and bad mutants.
Napoleon Bonafrog and Genghis Frog choose this very bad time to visit the Turtles, and find themselves captured by Dirk while the Turtles listen. Even worse, Howard explicitly says that he wants the Turtles captured next.
The Turtles consult with Splinter, who feels that there's something more to this situation that they aren't seeing. He also believes that Dirk Savage could end up becoming an ally to them, if they could change his mind. Unfortunately, Dirk Savage manages to ambush them on their way through the sewers, and captures Leonardo and Michelangelo. Once they're delivered to Howard, he fits the Turtles with "compliance cuffs" that force them to obey him.
Donatello comes up with a plan: have Dirk Savage capture a mutant wearing a homing device. To that end, they visit Mondo Gecko, who is more than happy to assist them. Dirk Savage has just managed to capture Tokka (though Rahzar is still loose) when he nearly runs into a skateboarding Mondo Gecko and drags him away.
Meanwhile, Irma and April are investigating Howard's new skyscraper, after learning some mysterious information about his past.
Donatello and Raphael manage to track Mondo Gecko to Howard's prison for mutants. There they witness him revealing that he's actually a giant mutant slug, and that he wants the various captured mutants to be his own private army controlling the human race. Unfortunately, the compliance cuffs force the other mutants to attack the pair and drive them from the building.
Donatello decides that maybe they need Savage's help after all, and calls the anti-mutant hotline to report themselves. Savage shows up and is about to stun both Turtles when Rahzar attacks him as revenge for taking away his friend Tokka. Savage is surprised when the Turtles defend him from Rahzar, and even more so when they tell him what Howard is.
April and Irma are captured by the compliance-cuff-controlled mutants, and anti-mutant bracelets are revealed to be weaker versions of the compliance cuffs. As a result, half the city will be under his control whenever he chooses.
Raphael and Donatello fire at a giant statue of Howard, which is what controlled the anti-mutant bracelets. Unfortunately, the mutants are still unable to control themselves until Savage destroys the remote. The building explodes and collapses, and Savage apologizes for having hunted down the mutants before departing.
See also[]
- Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter!/Gallery
- Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter!/Transcript
Notes and errors[]
- Throughout the episode, Dirk Savage's license plate alternates between being white and red.
- When April and Irma look up A.J. Howard, the computer they use displays various versions of the alphabet, but they read it as information regarding his genetics lab.
- When Donatello climbs up Raphael he has Leonardo's colors.
- After A.J. Howard reveals his true identity, Napoleon Bonafrog and Genghis Frog appear in the same cell as Leonardo and Michelangelo despite not being there moments earlier.
- When Donatello, Raphael and Dirk Savage approach A.J. Howard's statue in the Turtle Blimp, Dirk Savage's hands are drawn as if he his holding the steering mechanism, but his hands are empty.
- In Northern Lights Out, Donatello shows disgust at fish, but he chose a fish market to meet Dirk Savage.
Trivia[]
- This is the first and only appearance of Tokka and Rahzar in the cartoon series.
- This is the final appearance of the Punk Frogs.
- This is the second and final appearance of Mondo Gecko.
- Among the unidentified captured mutants are a female giraffe, what appears to be a crane scientist, a mutant canary, and what appears to be a mutant mountain sheep.
- This is the first episode to have a major focus on mutants.
Home media releases[]
DVD[]
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 7, Part 4
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Classic Series Collection