| “The Pearl” | |||||||
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| Tale of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode | |||||||
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| Season Code: | 001 | ||||||
| Episode: | 12 | ||||||
| Original airdate | August 9, 2024 (Paramount+) | ||||||
| Written by | Alex Hanson | ||||||
| Producers: | Louis J. Cuck | ||||||
| Seth Rogen Evan Goldberg James Weaver Josh Fagen | |||||||
| Alan Wan Christopher Yost | |||||||
| Supervising Director | Colin Heck | ||||||
| Storyboard Artist: | Sebrina Gao Laura Gille Chris Luc Kevin Molina-Ortiz | ||||||
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"The Pearl" is the twelfth episode of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It aired on August 9th, 2024.
Synopsis[]
The East River 3 are on the verge of victory! The Turtles and Mutanimals must team up to stop them, but not everything is as it seems... what is the PEARL and why does Goldfin want it?
Appearing in The Pearl[]
Major characters[]
- Donatello (Micah Abbey)
- East River Three
- Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu)
- Michelangelo (Shamon Brown, Jr.)
- Raphael (Brady Noon)
Minor characters[]
- Anenemies
- April O'Neil (Ayo Edebiri)
- Bad Bernie (Michael Badalucco)
- Bald Bronson
- College girl
- Harold (Max Mittelman)
- Mutanimals
- Normal Nate (David Faustino)
- Splinter (Fred Tatasciore)
- Toupee Tom (Danny Mastrogiorgo)
Species[]
- Barnacle
- Human
- Mutant bat
- Mutant cockroach
- Mutant crocodile
- Mutant eel
- Mutant frog
- Mutant goldfish
- Mutant manta ray
- Mutant pigeon
- Mutant rat
- Mutant sea anemone
- Mutant seahorse
- Mutant turtle
- Rat
Objects and vehicles[]
- Bad Bernie's yacht (debut)
- Battle axe
- Bō
- Explosives
- Jersey Bight
- Katana
- Lee and Sally's boat (debut)
- Nunchaku
- Sai
- Scale boomerang
Locations[]
Episode[]
Voice-over introduction[]
Leonardo: Previously on the "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", our family was torn apart, sent out on errands. We battled alone, but with the Mutanimals, against the forces of rain. Rain and the East River Three, evil-ish mutants out for revenge. Actually, to steal a giant pearl, which is also bad. I fought a seahorse, but with the help of a pigeon, and learned a valuable lesson about listening. Alone but together, my family fights to stop the city from flooding and making mutants like us look really bad. Let's do this.
Plot[]
Open on Goldfin, who is meeting with Bad Bernie in his office inside Bad Bernie's Billiards. Bad Bernie recaps Goldfin’s story while munching on sushi. He tells Goldfin that his friends back home don’t sound like friends to him, having kicked him out. Goldfin replies that they thought they were monsters. Bernie tells him to forget them, the pearl he’s talking about is worth millions. If Goldfin brings the pearl to him, then everything he touches will be gold. He tosses a handful of gold jewelry at Goldfin. However, Bernie says that last time he dealt with mutants, things ended badly. He has to know he can trust Goldfin, so all the goldfish has to do is eat the sushi. Goldfin looks at the sushi, then at the gold jewelry he’s holding, then again at the sushi. He wars with himself, but finally eats the sushi, much to Bernie’s surprise.
Down in the lair, Splinter continues with the story of their adventures during the storm. He says it began with four brothers complaining about a rainy day. Leonardo and Raphael try to blame each other, but Splinter cuts them off. Splinter says this is the end of the tale and scenes from the previous episodes are shown, ending in the flooding of the Natural History Museum.
Cut to the Museum just before the flood. A guard seated in the main lobby feels the ground begin to shake. He turns towards the front entry and sees a giant wave of water sweeping towards the doors. The water smashes through the doors and glass windows and washes through the lobby, taking the guard along with it. Another guard races through the museum, trying to outrun to rushing water, but is overtaken. In another location, a docent, Harold, struggles with a key lock as he tries to enter a locked restroom ahead of the water. He gets the door open just in time and enters as the water rushes past.
Inside, Harold stares at the closed door while the overhead lights flicker. The man doesn’t notice that the toilet has begun to overflow, until a figure is partway out of the of the toilet. He turns and finds himself confronted by Goldfin, who tells Harold he’s got bad timing. Then the toilet explodes to allow Mustang Sally entry. A second later a hole breaks open in the wall to admit Lee the Eel. All three are dressed in black, skin tight outfits. Goldfin knocks the man out.
The three mutants then swim into the now flooded room where the Jersey Bight is on display. Sally takes note of the point-to-point security beams crisscrossing the path to the giant pearl, and then the security camera mounted high on the wall. Sally spits one of his barnacles at the camera, taking it out of commission. It is now Lee’s turn, so she swims towards the beams, using her agility to go under and over them. As she soars over the last of the beams, she happens to see a mounted squid hanging from the ceiling. She mistakes this for “Teddy”, someone from their home in the sea. Her moment of inattention causes her to fall too early and her tail hits one of the beams, setting off the alarms.
This triggers a secondary security system as five poles rise from the ground around the pearl. Forming a hexagonal pattern, laser security beams shoot across to connect each pole, and more beams crisscross the area all around the pearl. The East River Three then go to their backup plan. Goldfin leaps onto Sally’s tail and the mutant seahorse flings the goldfish towards the pearl. As Goldfin flies over the pearl, he launches a grappling hook, which connects with an overhead beam. One of the gold watches he got from Bernie falls out of a pocket and when it hits the crisscrossing beams, it is vaporized. Goldfin swallows hard, but then lowers himself slowly through the small opening just above the pearl. Then the hook slips slightly, causing Goldfin to nearly fall on the pearl. When the line stabilizes, Goldfin grabs the pearl and is reeled back up.
However, the hook slips again, this time coming completely off the beam. As Goldfin and the Pearl fall, Lee grabs a large shell floating near her and throws it. The projectile hits the pearl and knocks both it and Goldfin away from the laser barrier. The three mutants gather around the pearl and Sally says that now they can finally go home. Goldfin’s reply is noncommittal, but the others don’t notice because they are concerned with how they’ll get the pearl out of the building.
A security guard, followed by a young girl, enters the pearl room as the guard says he thought he heard the alarms go off. Using his flashlight, he looks around the flooded room, seeing debris from displays floating everywhere. His light picks up the East River Three, but they have shed their black outfits and are acting like displays. He thinks that’s what they are, commenting on how they are so lifelike.
Elsewhere, deep inside the underground tunnels, Raphael, Donatello, Wingnut, Scumbug, Leatherhead and Ray Fillet have found a large pile of dynamite attached to a timer. Raph pleads with Donnie to tell him it’s not going explode, but the answer he receives is not what he wanted to hear. Wingnut wonders who would want to blow up the sewers. Raph is sure it’s the East River Three. He holds up the pamphlet of the museum given to him by Stephen and says according to their map, they’re going to rob the place. The dynamite is like a distraction or something. Donnie comments on the fact that it’s not a bad plan, as taking down the surrounding walls would flood the city. Between that and the storm, no one would notice a robbery. Leatherhead interrupts to remind them the thing is beeping.
Donnie lifts the timer out of the way to look inside the bomb. He thinks he can disarm it, but it will take time. Raph reminds him that they don’t have time. They have to get to the museum to stop the other mutants. Donnie tells him that their dad and their home are down here. Scumbug begins to babble and Wingnut translates that they’ll deal with the explosives so that the two Turtles can go after the river mutants. The other Mutanimals aren’t so sure, but Wingnut says they can do it. Then she asks Donnie to quickly teach her how to disarm the thing. Leatherhead is certain they are doomed.
Meanwhile, Leonardo and Pigeon Pete are squatting down next to the stairs which lead up to the museum's entrance. Leo says they have to go in full ninja stealth mode and wants to know if he can count on Pete. The mutant pigeon replies that he’s still learning how to count. Leo inhales sharply and comments that he’s going to die. Then he hears Michelangelo call out to him and sees his brother and Genghis Frog approaching. Mikey explains that while they were getting snacks, they were attacked by a giant eel. The eel escaped and he was sure she was headed this way. Raph and Donnie arrive and announce that something bad is happening. Raph notices the pump station across the street, saying it’s like a giant exploding water balloon. Leo tells them that Sally flooded it, but Pete thinks it’s a diversion and they’re really trying to steal the pearl.
Pete starts squawking and Mikey tries to calm him, but the pigeon points to the top of the stairs and says they’re over there. The East River Three are exiting the museum with the pearl. Mikey is freaked that Pete talks now, but Leo shushes them so they aren’t seen yet. Sally says they’re going home, but Lee asks if they’re sure the police aren’t coming. Goldfin says not to worry because the Anenemies left a little extra surprise that’s going to keep everyone busy. Sally asks what he means, but before Goldfin can answer, the Turtles and Mutanimals leap out of hiding to confront them.
Goldfin tells them that the rat should have listened to him and that they should stay out of his way. Raph is ready to battle, but Leo steps in as the voice of reason and Mikey agrees that they aren’t their enemies. However, Donnie points out that they’re going to blow up the sea wall and flood the entire city. Sally is surprised by this revelation, but Goldfin insists that the Turtles are lying. He shouts for Sally and Lee to attack, but Leo tries to prevent the fight, only for Genghis to leap forward with a battle cry and lash out at Sally with his tongue. Sally grabs his tongue and yanks Genghis forward before flinging him out into the watery street.
Lee activates her electricity and burrows down through the brickwork, digging a trench as she moves straight at the Turtles. Pigeon Pete flies up to avoid her, but Mikey isn’t so lucky as she hits him when she surfaces. Raph pounces on her, but she flings him off, then the other three Turtles begin battling the eel. Raph turns his attention to Mustang Sally and they grapple. Sally manages to grab one of Raph’s sais and throws it at Mikey, who bats it aside with a nunchaku. The sai hits a pillar and ricochets off to hit the pearl.
Goldfin chases the pearl, which comes to a stop in front of Leo. He grabs it and tosses it to Raph, but before he can catch it, Sally shoves him aside and latches onto the pearl. The fight turns into a major game of keep-away, with Sally ending up with the pearl again and Goldfin yelling for Lee to “light ‘em up”. Mikey shouts for his brothers to get out of the water, but they don’t move fast enough and Lee electrocutes all of them. Just as she prepares to deliver another strike, Pete dives at her and poops on her face, before landing protectively in front of the Turtles.
Lee stumbles around, blinded by the poop, and her tail hits a support column. One of the overhang's large bricks falls and hits her, knocking her down. Sally rushes to her side and Mikey yells that they have to help them. Raph calls their attention to Goldfin, who is standing back with the pearl. Before anyone can move, Goldfin throws several of the scale boomerangs, hitting a trio of support pillars. The overhang starts to come down and Donnie yells for everyone to move. Sally is trying to help Lee and notices the boomerangs, then looks out towards the flooded street to see that Goldfin has taken off with the pearl. Then the entire overhang falls.
The other Mutanimals, meanwhile, are faced with their own impending disaster. There is a little over seven minutes left on the explosive’s timer as Wingnut studies the drawing Donnie made for her on how to diffuse the bomb. Wingnut comments on how the instructions are more complicated than she thought they’d be, and Leatherhead urges her to hurry. A gust of wind catches the instructions and blows the paper out of Wingnut’s hands. It lands in the water and the writing fades. All of the Mutanimals scream.
The Turtles and Genghis push their way up out of the museum rubble and Mikey begins calling for Lee and Sally. Raph asks where Goldfin is and Leo asks about the pearl. They realize Goldfin took off with it. Sally punches through the rubble and Mikey rushes to help them. Leo catches his arm and reminds him that if Goldfin gets away with the pearl, everyone will blame mutants. Pete comes down to land near Genghis, who is at the rubble pile. Pete tells the Turtles to go after Golfin, who is going to the pier. He and Genghis will free the river mutants. Leo stands atop a pile of bricks and makes a speech while striking a pose. His brothers ask him if he isn’t embarrassed and that he’s not Batman. Leo says that he is Batman.
At the pier, Bad Bernie waits on his yacht as his men comments on the storm and tell him that maybe Goldfin isn’t coming. Bernie reminds them that he’s a fish and doesn’t care about rain. Then they spot Goldfin coming towards them on the pier, dragging a large sack along behind him. A very pleased Bernie says his name isn’t Goldfin anymore, it’s Badfin. Goldfin drops the pearl on the deck of the yacht and Bernie tells him they are going to be very rich. He tells his men that they have their own mutant, and he’s going to be very useful.
A loud squeaking sound catches everyone’s attention. They all turn and see a huge wave of rats coming over the side of the yacht. Bernie and Goldfin duck, but the other men are washed off of the yacht by the rats. Bernie turns to see an astonished Goldfin looking out along the pier. Standing there are April, hundreds of rats, and the Rat King – Splinter.
Splinter tells Goldfin that he can’t threaten his family. Goldfin yells at Bernie to get them out of there and Bernie makes a beeline for the pilot cabin. He activates the controls, but as he reaches for the ignition key, Raphael stabs a sai through it. Greeting Bernie with a grin, Raph punches the man right in the face, throwing him backwards against the rail and into unconsciousness.
With five-and-a-half minutes left on the timer, Leatherhead shouts for Wingnut to do something. She’s clipping wires and yells that she’s trying, but nothing is working. The timer begins speeding up and Wingnut frets that this is how it ends. Leatherhead slaps her to stop her panicking and then Scumbug starts babbling. Wingnut tells her no one knows what she’s saying, but Scumbug points and they see Ray Fillet running away down the tunnel with a bag holding the explosives. Wingnut yells for him to come back, but Ray keeps going.
On the deck of the yacht, Leo tries to explain to Goldfin that they just want the pearl so they can put it back before anyone finds out it was missing. The other Turtles try to reason with him as well, but Goldfin doesn’t listen. After tossing the pearl into the air to draw their attention, Goldfin attacks. A battle between Goldfin and the Turtles breaks out on deck. The Turtles are surprised by how agile, quick, and skilled a fighter Goldfin proves to be. After a protracted fight, Goldfin manages to tie all of the Turtles together with deck rope. As he’s about to deliver a final blow, Splinter intervenes, and kicks Goldfin all the way across the yacht.
Splinter then asks Goldfin if this is no longer about home for him. Goldfin counters by asking if they thought he’d really toss the pearl back in the river. The fish from his home rejected them. Lee and Sally, along with Genghis, swim up to the yacht in time to overhear him as Goldfin adds that he’s going to use the pearl to live like a king, just like Bad Bernie. An incredulous Donnie comments on how he could think Bad Bernie lives like a king. Lee and Sally climb up to the deck as Mikey is asking Goldfin if he’s going to leave them behind. Goldfin has his back turned and doesn’t see that his partners have arrived. He answers that he’ll buy himself some new friends.
Goldfin turns around and sees Lee and Sally. Lee realizes that he lied to them and betrayed them. Sally tells Goldfin that is cold. Goldfin walks towards them, stuttering an excuse, and then trips. He says they can split the pearl and have anything they want. Lee responds that they just wanted to be with him. She starts to cry and as Sally hugs her, he tells Goldfin that’s what home means, to be with the people you care about. Leo urges him to let the pearl go. Several tears fall before Goldfin steels himself and says ‘no’.
Grabbing the deck rope, he throws it so that it wraps around Lee, Sally, Splinter, Genghis and Pete. The clasp hooks to the rope and then he tosses the weighted end overboard. Goldfin unleashes one of his scale boomerangs at the pilot’s cabin, where it hits the controls and starts the engine. The forward momentum yanks all of the captives backwards and into the water. Goldfin stands in the stern to look at the unreeling line of rope and starts having memories of his time with his friends before they mutated. As the line reaches the end of the reel, Goldfin mutters that they had their chance and he cuts the line.
Underwater, Pete struggles against the rope and manages to pluck one of his own feathers, which he uses to force the clasp open. This enables he and Genghis to help the others and everyone surfaces to watch the yacht moving swiftly away. Suddenly, something speeds past the pier, startling April. It is Ray Fillet, still carrying the bag of explosives on his back. The others see him and then Donnie realizes what he’s carrying. He yells at Ray not to bring it towards them. Ray stops and Donnie informs his brothers about the dynamite. Flying above the group, Pete says that Ray can use the explosives to stop the boat. Ray sings his agreement, and Leo agrees on the plan. Sally tells him that they can get them there. Leo hops onto Sally’s back, Lee grabs a somewhat reluctant Raph, Mikey zips by on Genghis, and Donnie rides on Ray. The timer is down to nineteen seconds when he throws the bag to Mikey, who is ahead of them. Mikey catches it and tosses it to Raph, who is moving faster. Lee leaps, flinging Raph skyward so that he can kick the bag to the swiftly moving duo of Sally and Leo. The time hits nine seconds as Leo jumps high to snag the bag and throw it only to deck of the yacht.
The bag opens as it falls, showing the timer at one second as Goldfin and Bernie watch with wide eyes. It reaches zero and explodes, creating a huge hole in the yacht. The other Mutanimals swim up then and Wingnut asks what’s going on. Splinter says he thinks they just blew up a yacht. Raph is watching the yacht through a pair of binoculars and Mikey asks if they think Bernie and Goldfin are all right. There is another explosion and Raph says the yacht just cracked in half and is now sinking. A fiery ball shoots across the sky and hits the pier near April, who discovers that it’s the giant pearl.
The tale draws to a close as Splinter explains that in the end Goldfin’s plan failed. The rain stopped and the sun shined again. Sally and Lee disappeared after saying goodbye to everyone. They left in a fishing boat, hopefully to find a new home for themselves. The pearl was returned to its rightful place in the East River. A blob of Pete’s poop took the place of the pearl at the museum exhibit and the humans were none the wiser. Elsewhere, Bad Bernie is dragged ashore beneath a pier by the Anenemies. Bernie looks back to see Goldfin, who is wearing an evil grin. Splinter’s recitation continues as he says that everything turned out fine, except for the city which had to be fixed.
Cut to the lair, as Splinter turns the page on the book he’s holding which shows drawings and notes about the story. He says this tale was about friendship and responsibility, and though separated, they saved the city and each other together. The recording is then paused by Raph, who proudly announces that is an interview. It had action, monsters, fighting because that’s what people want. April says she’s going to fail. Donnie agrees. Raph ignores them to brag that he’s a video genius and should make movies.
See also[]
- The Pearl/Animations
- The Pearl/Gallery
- The Pearl/Transcript
Quotes[]
Splinter: This is no longer about home for you, is it, Goldfin? |