| “Notes from the Underground, Part 2” | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) episode | |||||||
| File:TMNT2K3 S01E14.jpg | |||||||
| Season Code: | S01E14 | ||||||
| Episode: | 14 | ||||||
| Original airdate | May 17, 2003 | ||||||
| Written by | Eric Luke, Greg Johnson | ||||||
| Supervising Producer | Lloyd Goldfine | ||||||
| Producers: | Gary Richardson | ||||||
| Frederick U. Fierst | |||||||
| Al Kahn | |||||||
| Norman Grossfeld | |||||||
| Thomas Kenney | |||||||
| Supervising Director | Chuck Patton | ||||||
| Story Editor: | Lloyd Goldfine | ||||||
| |||||||
"Notes from the Underground, Part 2" is the thirteenth episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series) and is also part 2 of 3 of the Notes from the Underground story arc. It first aired on May 17th, 2003.
Information
Major Characters
- Donatello (Sam Riegel)
- Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
- Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
- Quarry (Eric Stuart)
- Raphael (Frank Frankson)
- Razorfist
- Stonebiter
Minor Characters
- Underground Monsters
- King Nail (debut)
- Underground Spider Monster (debut)
- Underground Cyclops Monster (debut)
- Underground Insectoid Monster (debut)
Main Locations, Vehicles and Accessories
- Sewer Tunnels
- Hidden Underground Tunnels
- Subterranean Foot Facility
- Mysterious Underground City
Episode
Voice-Over Introduction
Donatello: My name is Donatello, and as a turtle of science, I like to investigate things. But I never thought my study of the strange crystals we found in our lair would awaken creatures from the underground, lead us on a search deep below the Earth, or take us to an abandoned Foot Genetic Lab where terrible things were done in the name of the Shredder.
- Foot Scientist/Michelangelo: There are some things man was never meant to tamper with.
- Michelangelo: That's the one line in a monster movie you don't wanna hear.
Donatello: As a turtle of science, you wouldn't think I'm the type to believe in monsters, but you'd be wrong, dead wrong.
Plot summary
Picking up where Part 1 left off, the three mutant monsters are attacking the Turtles in the abandoned Foot genetics lab. The monsters are incredibly strong and the battle isn’t going well for the TMNT. Suddenly one of the monsters says, "You will take no more of us", and Leo tries to communicate with the apparent leader. But the monsters aren’t in a talking mood, and the battle goes from bad to worse. Just as Leo is about to get crushed by the lead monster, a big piece of equipment begins to topple on top of the creature. Rather than letting the monster get crushed, Leo leaps and carries the beast away from the toppling machinery. Stunned by Leonardo’s action, the monster stops its attack for a moment, allowing the guys enough time to beat a hasty retreat out of the lab and into the tunnels.
The monsters give chase and corner the Turtles. Just as two of the creatures are ready to deliver crushing blows, the lead monster calls out to its allies to stop. The leader of the beasts approaches and speaks to Leo, asking, “Who are you?”
The leader, whose name is Quarry, has a discussion Leonardo. Quarry introduces the other two creatures, Razorfist and Stonebiter. Quarry explains that they were unwilling participants in Shredder's genetics experiment and Leo tells his new friend that they Turtles have seen the video diaries that the Foot created about the experiments. Quarry states that Shredder mutated them in order to search deep underground for some enemies he thought were hiding there. When it turned out this was not the case, the villain simply left them in their mutated state, underground. Quarry goes on to explain that they went into the sewers, near the Turtles lair, because they were investigating the noise that the crystals make when activated. The crystals represent danger to the monsters, a danger that comes from even deeper in the earth.
Suddenly more roars emerge from the tunnel system, and Quarry and its two friends react in fear. Quarry explains that there are other monsters roaming the tunnels, and that they are insane, attacking and killing anything that they encounter, including other monsters. Quarry tries to activate the force field in the genetics lab to drive off the dangerous beasts, but it's still broken due to Raphael's attack on it. Quarry tries to "hot wire" the system, but the crystal that power sit has burned out. Time is rapidly running out when Donatello takes one of the crystals he had with him and installs it into the force field generator. While smaller than the previous crystal, the replacement lasts long enough to drive the deadly invaders off. Soon after, the new crystal burns out and the force field dissipates.
Leonardo suggests that they go deeper down to replace the power source crystal, since Quarry and the others will need the force field to protect themselves from the crazed mutant monsters. In spite of their obvious fear about what’s below, Quarry and the other two creatures accompany the TMNT far into the depths of the earth.
The Turtles and the three creatures travel down the tunnels. There are numerous tense moments, as the group needs to scale rock walls, leap across bottomless pits, ford torrents of mysterious flowing liquid, and the like. During their journey, the TMNT notice there are symbols engraved in the rock walls that look just like the ones in their new lair. This journey is getting more mysterious and foreboding all the time!
The group rounds a bend and comes to a stop. The tunnel up ahead is sealed by a very solid looking door. Mikey strays behind, and one of the insane mutants arrives to chase him. Mike runs past his brothers screaming that they're under attack. As the sound of the roaring insane monsters gets ever closer, the Turtles and their mutant friends try to break down the door, but to no avail. Just as the insane beasts start to close in for the kill, Don sees a spot next to the door that looks like it could hold one of the mysterious crystals. The brainy ninja inserts the crystal and the door hisses open. Donatello enters the hallway beyond, when strange orbs of light suddenly surround him. The lights seem to wrap around Don and then – WHOOSH – he vanishes in a blinding flash! We close with the rest of the Turtles and their three mutant allies looking down the tunnel in disbelief and horror as the crazed monsters close in on them.
Quotes
- Michelangelo: I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Zoinks!"
- Michelangelo: Okay, you guys take the three on the left.
- Raphael: There are only three.
- Michelangelo: There's one for each of you and I'll just be odd-turtle-out.
- Raphael: You're tellin' me...
- Donatello: Then I vote we get the shell outa' here.
- Raphael: Runaway? That ain't my style.
- Leonardo: Call it a tactical retreat. Let's move!
- Donatello: We're leaving. [opens metal door]
- [The Mutant Monsters run towards them]
- Raphael: Tactical retreat...I can live with that.
- Leonardo: Okay, let's keep our wits about us.
- Raphael: Don't worry Mikey, you can share my wits.
- Michelangelo: Ohhh, so now I'm witless? Must be why I'm the only one bothered by the fact that we're heading into place that even monsters are afraid of!
- Raphael: Watch your back, you oddball!
- Michelangelo: You just call me odd, didn't you? I'm not odd, i'm eccentric.
- [Turns to Don']
- Michelangelo: Raph thinks i'm odd.
- Donatello: You're just sensitive.
Trivia
- Mikey says "Cowabunga!" for the fifth time in the series when he jumps off the cliff into the whirlpool.
- Mikey makes a reference to Shaggy from Scooby Doo when he says Shaggy's catchphrase, "Zoinks!"
- This is the first episode in the series where the New Lair is not shown. Master Splinter isn't in this episode either, though it says he is for the Major Characters.