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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
Metalhead 2.0 is a story arc in IDW's TMNT Universe comic series. The story explores the fallout of Donatello's time inhabiting the robot body built by Harold Lilja, Metalhead.
- This story was preceded by The Rot in the Shell.
- This story was followed by Toad Baron's Ball.
Credits[]
- Writer: Ryan Ferrier
- Art: Adam Gorham
- Colors: Ronda Pattison
- Letters: Shawn Lee & Chris Mowry
- Publisher: Ted Adams
- Editor: Bobby Curnow
Part One - Issue #7[]
Released on February 22nd, 2017
In the aftermath of being transferred back into his body, Donatello tries to repair the destroyed Metalhead. He finally reactivates the robot, only for it to go into emergency mode and fire at him. His brothers rush in to help, only for the robot to start speaking in Donatello's voice, referring to himself as Donatello, until he sees that the real Donatello is already standing there.
It turns out that some kind of copy or imprint was left behind in Metalhead, with all of Donatello's emotions, memories, and even phantom pain left behind from the savage beating by Bebop and Rocksteady. Donatello can't explain this, but he soon determines that Metal-Don (as Michelangelo names him) is the same as Donatello is in almost every respect.
The other three Turtles have varying responses to this strange event: Leonardo doesn't believe that Metal-Don is anything but a deluded copy, Raphael doesn't trust him, and Michelangelo believes that Metal-Don is "real."
Donatello takes Metal-Don out into the night for some fresh air, and eventually takes him to the zoo, which he finds peaceful. But when Metal-Don sees a rhinoceros, he flashes back to Rocksteady smashing his shell. He starts muttering about being trapped and needing to be free, and blasts the rhino with his laser. Before Donatello can deactivate him, he declares that he'd rather be dead than continue to live as a robot, and that he's a monster.
He blasts Donatello to the ground, and says that he needs his body back.
Part Two - Issue #8[]
Released on March 8th, 2017
Donatello tearfully begs for Metal-Don to not kill him, which brings back memories of being attacked by Rocksteady and Bebop, his near-death experience and Splinter's words about him. Overwhelmed, the robot blasts out of the zoo, leaving a winded, wounded Donatello to limp home.
His brothers are playing video games when he returns, and are horrified by the revelation that Metal-Don attacked him. Fortunately, Metal-Don has a tracking device on him, and Donatello is convinced that he can rework the programming and save his robotic doppelgänger.
But when they get to Harold Lilja's old lab, Donatello finds the lifeless Metalhead body on the floor. Devastated, he checks the security footage of Metal-Don blasting the lab apart, saying that he hates the lab, can't cope with all the data and that he has to "end this." He climbs through a hole in the wall and finds an upgraded Metalhead body, which he believes has the processing power to relieve his overwhelming pain. Donatello states that he's a computer trying to solve an emotional problem, and that is the core of his behavior.
The Turtles head to TCRI, where they find Metal-Don accessing the computer server core. Donatello is afraid that a surge from the power supply could drive him insane, and also blow up the entire building. He tries to reach out to Metal-Don, telling him that he understands how it feels to be a consciousness in a robot body, and that they're family. But Metal-Don rejects this, saying that Donatello "makes sense" in his body and the world. Even worse, he says that he's cutting ties to his "faulty emotions."
Leonardo severs the link with the core, and Metal-Don begins beating down the Turtles with his superior strength. He then activates his self-destruct sequence. Donatello begs him to stop... but when the countdown ends, Metal-Don reboots instead of blowing up.
He then reveals that he has gotten rid of the "corrupt" "virus" of feelings, humanity and empathy, making him now a coldly unfeeling monster without any of Donatello's warmth or emotions. Declaring that "Metal-Don is dead," he blasts off into the sky.
For the next two days, Donatello is depressed and stays in his lab. Finally his brothers come in to try to cheer him up, and reaffirm their love for him.
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