“Ooh! Bird, worm and fish. Three animals, one body. I know this one, there’s like a perfect name for it in mythology!” – Michelangelo
The battle with Speed Demon led to the creation of yet another new forest mutant, this time in the form of a bird. Following the battle, Donatello and April are experimenting with her psychic powers with salvaged Kraang technology. However, April can’t seem to picture anything that Donnie shows her, until a power surge results in visions of the sky. Meanwhile, Leonardo is ready to get back to full-time training, and manages to fight Raphael and Casey for a while before his knee acts up again. While Leo rests, a giant mutant bird appears from the sky – and April can see through its eyes.
The boys fight back the Chimera, but it proves too much for them, and captures Donnie, Raph, Mikey, and Casey, leaving Leo and April alone. However, April can see where the bird is going, and feel what it wants. But the only two who are free are handicapped, and so the captives are left to fight on their own while their rescuers try to get up the mountain. Unfortunately, the mutant’s mind is taking over April’s personality, and as she tries to eat Leonardo, the others are trapped in a geyser that’s just waiting to erupt.
The captives try to escape, but the bird forces them back into the geyser. However, Leo and April finally made their way up the mountain, but the mutant carries them away again. Leonardo fights back, and together he and April drive the beast into the geyser hole. While the others climb out quickly, the geyser erupts, blowing the mountain and the mutant sky-high. With the fall of the creature, April gets her own sight back, and Leonardo is able to freely move on his leg again. Together they overcame their own obstacles, but the chimera may not be as dead as they thought.
It’s very interesting to see how the stories of the first seven episodes have tied in with one another. The same vial of mutagen passing from host to host, creating new mutants is a great plot device – but it’s good to see that it may be over now. If the chimera is still alive in the woods, then the mutagen hasn’t been transferred, and that means it’s time to begin a different chapter in the TMNT exile. Overall, this was a worthwhile episode; it was fun and it accomplished something important for the story. But in a way it seemed superfluous; Leonardo’s leg getting better didn’t need its own whole episode, and April’s psychic connection to the mutant (while probably something that will be important later) really came out of nowhere and probably should have had more or a different kind of attention.
April’s psychic connection to mutants does raise some interesting possibilities for the future, though. With the Kraang invasion in full force, it’s going to be nearly impossible to make it through NYC. If April can help her friends find their way around Kraang facilities a little easier, then they’ll be that much better equipped to save the city. Or, if there’s a way for her to control her power, then she might be able to find Splinter or Karai with little effort, and help the whole team reunite.
This episode was very much like the previous six (though maybe not in the same horror tribute as the others), but showed that the season is moving forward to their turtles’ return. Possibly the most exciting aspect, though, was that the episode was written by Greg Weisman (the creator of Gargoyles). With only one episode standing between the boys and their next big move, fans don’t have to wait very long before they can see just what the turtles have learned and how they’re going to use their newfound knowledge to take back their home. Here’s hoping that their vision quest goes well, and what emerges are ninjas much closer to being masters and much stronger for the fight ahead.
Rating: 7.5/10
1 comment
What the rate should be: 9/10
This episode has a great plot and it just gives us a vision of what might April can do for her friends once they have returned to NY. I’m telling you – Awesome episode.
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