Season Three is up and running in full now, and with new episodes returning soon, it’s time to take a look at everything that’s led to this point, and what the future might hold for the heroes in green and their family. The season began with mutagen falling all over the city, mutating plenty of people, including April’s father, and creating a rift between her and the turtles. There was the introduction of fan favorite Casey Jones and the powerful warrior Tiger Claw; cameos by the 1987 turtles during a Kraang invasion plot; and more new mutants than ever before. All of it culminated in a season finale that left the turtles homeless, Splinter’s life in jeopardy, and the Kraang set to conquer the entire world. It was a season worth remembering, especially when it started in seemingly the same way as the first season, albeit in a bit different packaging.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of this season was the story of Karai. In season one, it progressed slowly, with the “reveal” finally coming in the finale; but in season two, everyone learn about her real history, and it came back to haunt her in meaningful ways. She tried to kill her adoptive father and was held hostage in his dungeon, and in Shredder’s haste to finish his rivalry with Splinter, he caused her mutation in to a snake creature. Her story hasn’t been finished just yet, and what her mutation means for the show is still up in the air. But her character development and importance to the series moved forward by leaps and bounds, surely cementing her a major place in the show’s story later on.
The second important aspect of the season was the Kraang invasion. They have been trying for most of the past two seasons to invade, and with each attempt a little more about their history and home dimension has been learned. By the end of season two, the audience knows that they created humans, that they’ve been on Earth for thousands of years, and that time flows differently in Dimension X, so a few months on Earth has been several years of prep time for them. By the end, they had actually acquired the power and resources to take the entire world, starting with New York City. Even as season three began, the turtles still haven’t dealt with the Kraang’s successful invasion, so what they will actually be able to do to repel the aliens remains to be seen.
Between these two aspects, season two turned out to be a lot of fun. They were both prominent in season one as well, so it was up in the air whether or not they would be feasible for another seasons, or if they would get stale before another 26 episodes were over. Fortunately, they did not get stale in season two. Of course, the same question exists for season three, so can these two major plotlines substantiate yet another 26 episodes? So far, the answer would seem to be yes and no. They haven’t actually been dealt with yet, so both are still fresh. But the first few episodes of season three have been nothing special, and are starting to feel a bit forced.
Overall, season two was a lot of fun, and an exceptional step in the right direction, even over season one. Other honorable mentions for the season include the introduction of Bebop and Rocksteady’s human forms, the whole voice cast from the 1987 cartoon being reunited, and the growing love triangle between Donatello and Casey. The season offered a lot of fun one-off episodes, while also constantly drawing focus back to the major plot points. The audience was never far removed from the major issues that plagued the turtles, and even when the episodes weren’t specifically related to the main story, there were still lines that showed those points were not being ignored. Between major character growth for everyone and a whole lot of action, this was exactly what was hoped for in a show that had found its niche and was able to develop as it wanted.
