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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
Order from Chaos is a story arc in IDW Publishing's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continuity. The story introduces the new status quo following the events of the Gauntlet battle: Splinter and the Turtles leading the Foot Clan (minus Michelangelo, who has struck out on his own).
This story is preceded by Vengeance.
This story is followed by Leatherhead.
Credits
- Story: Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, & Tom Waltz
- Script: Tom Waltz
- Art: Ken Garing
- Colors: Ronda Pattison
- Letters: Shawn Lee
- Editor: Bobby Curnow
Part One - Issue #51
Released October 28th, 2015
Donatello hangs from a telephone pole as he peers into a warehouse with some tech borrowed from Harold Lillja. Donnie counts over a dozen men, many of them armed, and tells Leonardo over his headset. Raphael, sitting next to Leo near the door to the warehouse overhears Don, and, throwing caution to the wind, rushes the two armed guards and knocks them out. Donnie tells Raph and Leo that some of the men inside are having a strange effect on Harold’s tech, causing some type of distortion. Leo tells Donnie to catch up with them while he and Raph stash the two guards behind some crates.
The three turtles regroup and charge into the building. The gangsters inside begin shooting and the turtles duck for cover. Lupo, one of the gangsters, apologizes to a mysterious individual wearing an electronic cloak for failing to properly secure the building. Leo calls in a contingent of Foot ninja to attack but reminds them to use non-lethal force only.
Jammer, the leader of the cloaked individuals, tells another, Maze, that it's time for them to leave, as their boss doesn't want them out in the open yet. The five cloak-wearers phase through the floor and are gone. Leo and his brothers corner Lupo, the last gangster left. Leo tells him that his days of crime are over and questions him about the people in cloaks. Lupo tells them that the Street Phantoms are the new threat in town and the Foot is finished, then he clams up. A Foot assassin threatens to torture the information out of him but Leo tells them to back down. Leo tells Lupo that any rumors that the Foot Clan was vanquished are false, and they see everything that goes on in the city.
After wrapping things up, the three Turtles prepare to go their separate ways. Donnie wants to go ask Harold about the advanced tech cloaks the Street Phantoms were wearing and Raph says he has a private errand. Leo tells them that he'll head back to base to report to Master Splinter but says they should hurry up. As they all leave, the Foot assassin from earlier remains behind, hidden in the shadows.
At Foot Clan headquarters, the turtles’ new home, Splinter contemplates the nature of waiting. Splinter surmises that no matter how much one waits, it doesn't get any easier. Splinter had hoped that defeating the Shredder would bring him some measure of peace but it has only brought more chaos. Although in the past he would have relished being made jōnin, he now does so out of nothing more than a sense of duty. Splinter contemplates the changes that have come with this paradigm shift, such as new allies in the Foot Clan, the revelation of the Pantheon’s great game, the striking out of Bebop and Rocksteady on their own as free agents, and most of all, the separation from his beloved son Michelangelo. Despite his troubles, Splinter vows to do his best to steer the Foot down an honorable course while waiting to see if he made the right decision.
Somewhere in the city, Mikey interrupts a purse snatching to assist the woman being robbed, but both robber and victim are scared away at the sight of him. Raph steps out of the shadows, having watched the whole thing. He gives Mikey a pointer about being inconspicuous. Raph tells Mikey that he should come back home, as living out on the streets all alone was tougher than it looked, as he knew from personal experience. Raph tells Mikey that when he's ready, his home will still be there with his family. Raph bids Mikey goodbye.
Mondo Gecko climbs down the alley wall as Raph leaves, and tells Mikey that it may be time for him to try joining up with a new family, such as the Mutanimals. High up on a rooftop, an Agent Winter observes the interactions between the three mutants. His command center radios in for a status report and orders him to continue reconnaissance.
Inside Foot headquarters, April brings Kitsune food and tea. Kitsune asks April about the tension between her and Casey on her recent trip (see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey & April mini-series). April states that the real source of the problem was Kitsune’s family members, the Pantheon. April reveals that she knows all about the game Kitsune and her siblings play using mortals as pawns and tells her that she intends to make sure that they aren’t able to play anymore. Kitsune feigns ignorance but April tells her not to insult her intelligence and leaves. Kitsune reaches out to Alopex with her mind and tells her that the timetable for their plan is going to have to accelerate. April bids goodbye to Leo and tells him that she's going to go get some rest and relaxation as she's been staying very for the past month since the night of the Gauntlet.
Splinter greets Leo and asks him how their mission went. Leo tells Splinter that their plan went well and also that they discovered a new, tech-savvy gang, the Street Phantoms. Leo tells Splinter that rumors of the Foot weakening are spreading rapidly. Splinter tells Leo that they will continue to assert dominance to prevent a potential power struggle which could cost innocent lives. Leo states that thing have gotten more complicated than ever before.
Donnie visits Harold in his lab. Harold is working on repairing Metalhead and tells Donnie that he's not allowed to touch it, lest he destroy it again (as in the Gauntlet battle against the Foot). Donnie tells Harold about the tech cloak wearing-gang he and his brothers encountered earlier and Harold curses, recognizing the handiwork of the partner who betrayed him and stole his research to use for herself. Harold explains that the cloaks were incredibly expensive, and warns Donatello that whoever was funding the Street Phantoms has a considerable amount of wealth and influence.
Across town in the Dun Import/Export building, a large mustachioed man wearing a monocle sits at his desk. Jammer and the Street Phantoms phase up through the floor and greet the man, Darius Dun himself. Dun reminds them that they are to use the door to enter his office. Dun asks Jammer how their meeting with the Italian mafia went earlier that night; Jammer tells him that the Foot Clan showed up but they stayed out of trouble. Jammer states that it seems like the Foot is still a player in the city’s criminal underground, but just then the Foot assassin from earlier appears out of the shadows and tells the group that the Foot have never been weaker, and it must be remedied.
Part Two - Issue #52
Released November 25th, 2015
Leo and Alopex spar while cycling through different fighting styles. The two conclude their fight and instruct the class of junior Foot ninja to partner up and do the same. Leo and Alopex discuss their mutual surprise at once again finding themselves as members of the Foot Clan (see City Fall for more). Alopex assures Leo that however strange their situation, Master Splinter is the best candidate to lead the Foot down an honorable path.
Angel walks past the Second Time Around shop in her neighborhood when she sees Casey beating up some punks in an alleyway. Casey knocks them out and greets Angel, who asks him why he had to confront the punks. Casey explains that he was being preemptive and taking down a threat before it became a problem. Casey tells Angel that she and April should go catch up (as April has been out of town with Casey, see the mini-series for the full story). Casey tells Angel that he’s got to continue patrolling their turf, as he can’t let their enemies see any sign of weakness.
At the Foot Clan’s headquarters, Splinter enjoys some tea and toast. Splinter reminisces about a conversation he had with Kitsune earlier, wherein he asked her for information about she and her brethren’s great game. Kitsune tells Splinter that he is overreacting, that their game is merely an amusement, but he tells her that he will not tolerate any manipulation on her part. Kitsune assures him that they share a common goal of restoring the Foot Clan to glory and power, and that he should be mindful of real threats.
Snapping him out of his reverie, a Foot assassin leaps out of the shadows and attacks Splinter, followed by the six Street Phantoms phasing through the walls. Splinter and his elite guard attempt to fight off the Phantoms but the Phantoms are able to become intangible anytime they are about to be hit. Leo and Alopex overhear the fighting and the Street Phantoms converge on them while Splinter fights the Foot assassin. The assassin accuses Splinter of destroying the Foot Clan, making it weak and pathetic, and claims that she will remove him and turn them back on the path to glory.
Realizing a change in strategy is needed, Leo and Alopex work together to launch a surprise attack, cutting two of the Phantoms’ cloaks off and knocking them out. The other Street Phantoms gather their fallen comrades and retreat. Leo and Alopex go to check on Splinter, who has defeated the assassin. She explains that her name is Jennika and that she was simply trying to reverse Splinter’s defanging of the clan. Splinter explains that there is a time and a place for lethal action and it is not dealt lightly. Jennika admits she was wrong and Splinter demotes her.
Mondo Gecko encourages Mikey to accompany him back to the Mutanimal headquarters and hang out for a while. Mikey accepts and heads back to their base, where the other Mutanimals surprise him with a homemade cake.
From a rooftop high above, Agent Winters of Darkwater watches as Mikey meets with the Mutanimals. His superior radios him for a sitrep and orders him to continue reconnaissance.
Part Three - Issue #53
Released December 23rd, 2015
The Mutanimals greet Mikey with a cake as he arrives at their home and Mikey meets their new recruits, Sally Pride, Man Ray, and Seymour Gutz, also known as the Mutagen Man. Old Hob excuses himself and Mikey to speak in private. Hob tells Mikey that he’s thankful he’s decided to join the Mutanimals, but Mikey explains he isn’t ready to officially join up just yet, for now he’s keeping it casual.
Casey sits on a roof while talking on the phone with Detective Kara Lewis. Detective Lewis assures Casey that although they don’t yet have any promising leads, they will find and arrest his father Arnie Jones, aka the Hun. Kara tells Casey that the mayor has ordered a gag order to the press regarding the mutants seen in the city, to try and keep the whole thing under wraps. Raph arrives as Casey finishes his phone call. The two spend some time catching up, Casey briefly explaining that he and April are taking some time apart after their disastrous road trip and Raph expressing his surprise at now to be a ninja in the Foot Clan with his father at the head. Raph states that he’s worried about Mikey. Raph says that he understands Mikey’s need to find himself and go out on his own for a while but wishes that he would come home soon.
At the Mutanimal’s home, Pigeon Pete beats Mikey at checkers. Hob interrupts and tells everyone that there’s a large arms shipment coming in soon and they’re going to intercept it. Hob reassures Mikey that it will be a non-lethal mission, as they’ll be using stun guns stolen from the Null Corporation (see the TMNT: Mutanimals mini-series for the full story).
At April’s parents’ apartment, Beth O’Neil checks on her daughter, immersed in her research. April explains that she’s trying to gain information from the scroll given to her by Dr. Miller. Her mother asks if she has any idea who killed him, and April tells her she believes it was a rogue Foot ninja, but tells her mom not to worry as Master Splinter has ceased such practices. Mrs. O’Neil asks April how she and Casey are doing; April explains that they’re taking some time apart. Beth tells April that when she was little she and her father almost separated. Mrs. O’Neil explains that they had begun to prioritize parenting and careers over their relationship and had to take time to rebuild it.
At the docks, Mikey and the Mutanimals prepare to attack. Hob directs Mondo to sneak-attack the two guards and then Man Ray leads the charge on the others. Herman lays down cover fire while the Mutanimals hide behind him. The Mutanimals and Mikey split into pairs and take out the remaining mobsters, Mikey going into battle with his grappling hook rather than his nun chucks. After taking out the last goon, Hob secures the crate containing the shipment of guns. He tells his companions to hide home without him while he takes care of the crate. Agent Winters, observing from a distance away, reports the strange scene that just occurred to his superior officer. The commanding officer orders him to continue observation only.
At Dun Import/Export, Jammer reports to Darius Dun that their arms shipment was intercepted, and two of the Street Phantoms lost their cloaks. Hearing that it was the work of mutants, Dun explodes in anger, breaking his sizable desk in two. Dun extols the financial loss these mutants are putting him through and orders Jammer to bring him the inventor of the cloaks.
Back at their headquarters, the Mutanimals congratulate each other on a job well done. Pete brings them all a celebratory pizza. Slash finds a large bug on his piece. Hob stops by to check on the others but tells them he has more work to do and departs. Suspicious of Hob, Mikey hitches a ride on the back of the van as Hob drives to a warehouse.
Mikey leaps off the truck as Hob pulls into a warehouse parking lot. Mikey climbs through the window of the warehouse and is surprised to find a large stockpile of weapons and ammunition. As he stands in shock, Hun walks up behind him.
Part Four - Issue #54
Released January 27th, 2016
Mikey is telling himself that he should have known Hob was up to no good when Hun grabs him in a choke hold from behind. Mikey breaks free and retaliates, but his grappling hook is no match for the Hun.
Hob takes a long, cool drag off his cigarette outside the warehouse. Heading inside, he’s startled by a noise and hurries around the corner to see Mikey and Hun fighting.
At their home, the Mutanimals wonder where Mikey went. Mondo Gecko comes in from outside and tells them that he saw Mikey sneak onto the back of the van as Hob drove away. Sally notices Man Ray and Herman exchange a look and accuses the two of knowing what Hob was out doing. Sally tells the others that she’s going to the docks to see what Hob is up to and they can join her if they want.
Spying on them from a ways away, Agent Winters asks his commanding officer if he should tail the mutants as they depart. The man on the radio orders him to return to base, saying that they have all the information they need for now.
Hob tells Hun to leave Mikey alone, but Hun slaps him aside, telling him that his debt is long overdue. Hun attacks Mikey and Mikey struggles to hold his own over the physically imposing foe. Hun has gained a clear advantage when Slash arrives and intercedes, tagging in for Mikey. Slash hulks out to unleash his true strength on Hun. After checking on Mikey, the Mutanimals try to calm down Slash and keep him from killing Hun. Hob tells Slash that Hun is working for them, snapping Slash out of his berserker rage.
The group at large demands Hob tell them what was going on. Hob explains that facing overwhelming odds, he was willing to make a deal with the devil and work with the Hun, as they would have to ally themselves with at least some humans in order to make any headway in their fight for mutant rights. Mikey tells Hob that his methods are morally wrong. Hob tells Mikey that he’s a hypocrite, as his family is currently running the biggest crime outfit in town. Hob tells Mikey that he has the guts to do what is necessary to advance their cause, and if he doesn’t like it he can leave. Slash asks Hob if he is free to go as well. Hob tells Slash that of course he’s allowed to leave, but pleads with him to see that the world is not divided into right and wrong. Slash tells him that working with Hun was a bad idea, and leaves. Hob asks the others to tell them where they stand. Everyone says they still agree to stay, but Sally tells Hob that if they’re going to get up to anymore morally ambiguous activities then they all need to have a say.
Mikey tells the group that he should be getting on when Hob lashes out at him, slashing his arm. Hob tells Mikey that it’s his fault that Slash left and that he should have been appreciative for being invited into the Mutanimals after he left his family. As Mikey leaves, Hob tells him that he never forgives and he never forgets.
Out on the docks, Mikey catches up with Slash. Slash asks Mikey what happened to his arm but Mikey lies, telling him it happened in his fight with Hun. Mikey tells Slash that for the time being he’s going to live in his family’s old home, and that Slash is welcome to join him if he wants. Slash declines, telling Mikey that he needs to attain knowledge of self before moving forward in life. Watching Slash swim away, tears form in Mikey’s eyes.
Epilogue: a boat is docked off Burnow Island. On board, Colonel Knight introduces Sergeant Alex Winters to Agent Bishop of the Earth Protection Force.
Part Five - Issue #55
Released February 24th, 2016
In the Turtle family’s old home underneath the church, Mikey cleans up and works on making it livable again. He picks up a video game controller and remembers a pleasant time playing against Raph, who got angry that he was unable to beat Mikey’s high score. He then finds a Father’s Day present he had made for Master Splinter, a painting of the symbol for father. Mikey remembers the gratitude Splinter expressed and Mikey gets emotional wondering how things got so crazy.
In another part of town, Angel and Alopex are out on patrol. Alopex apologizes for spacing out for a moment. Angel tells her that she should go get some rest as soon as they finish their mission for Harold. Finally the two spot the target of their mission, two members of the Street Phantoms. Alopex heads towards them to goad them into attacking while Angel captures video footage to give to Harold to study the cloaks. The Street Phantoms Maze and Turk spot Alopex and charge towards her, but she deftly avoids them. On their second attack however, one of the Street Phantoms lands a hit on Alopex with his electrically-charged hammer. Undaunted, Alopex leaps in to attack, flying right through the Street Phantoms as they use their cloaks to turn intangible. With the needed video footage obtained, Alopex retreats back to April and the two part ways, leaving the Street Phantoms behind and confused.
Casey, April, and Mr. and Mrs. O’Neil are out for dinner at a local pub to celebrate April’s graduation. Mrs. O’Neil asks Casey if he on going back to school; Casey tells her no. April expresses frustration with Casey not wanting to go back to school; Casey is irritated because he and April have had the same discussion before. Mr. and Mrs. O’Neil try to avoid an awkward moment but they can’t.
At Foot Clan headquarters, Alopex brings Kitsune tea. Alopex tells Kitsune that she’s going to go get ready for bed but Kitsune possess her in an attempt to make her stay and talk. Alopex manages to shake off Kitsune’s control, but Kitsune strikes Alopex in the head and retakes control, showing Alopex a vision of her previous life and the bear she feared (see the Alopex one-shot) as well as her past fights with the Turtles and Splinter, before they were allies. Kitsune instructs Alopex to go to sleep and forget the whole thing. Splinter watches as Alopex groggily makes her way to her quarters, a concerned look on his face.
Parked outside the antique shop in her van, April and Casey argue about the tension at dinner. As April tries to tell Casey how she feels about what’s going on in their relationship, Casey is distracted by a man throwing a piece of trash on the ground. Casey gets out of the van and pins the man to the ground, telling him to pick up his trash and stop littering. April pulls Casey off the man and he flees. April and Casey resume arguing, and things escalate to the point that they stand on the sidewalk shouting at each other. They decide they need to spend some time apart and they leave to go their separate ways.
On Burnow Island, the Fugitoid video chats with Harold Lillja in his lab over the internet. The Fugitoid is worried about the task he is preparing to complete, and their involvement with a mysterious mutant and a deal they made with him. Harold tells Fugitoid he won’t be accompanying the Turtles when they visit Burnow Island.
In his old home made new again, Mikey admires his handiwork. Just then his brothers arrive with a hot fresh pizza. They ask if Mikey would want to join them on a trip to Burnow Island to see the Fugitoid, no Foot business involved. The Turtles dig into the pizza, glad to be reunited for the time being.