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53. Space Invaders, Part 1

Raphael says the line, "it's not nice to invade Mr. Raphy's neighborhood," which comes from the title of the children's show "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood."

The title of this episode and the following two episodes related is an allusion to the 1978 arcade game, Space Invaders. The episodes have nothing to do with the actual game besides sharing the same title.

Michelangelo says "prepare to be assimilated" which is a very common line in the Star Trek series.

Michelangelo says the phrase 'it's the end of life as we know it, and I don't feel fine." REM has a song entitled It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). Michelangelo is referencing that REM song in his line of dialogue.

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


54. Space Invaders, Part 2

The new Justice Force roster includes: Silver Sentry, Ananda (daughter of Battlin Bernice and Dr. Dome), Metalhead and 2 new superheroes; a male called Tsunami who appears to have hydrokinetic powers and a female called Chrysalis who appears to be a sort of alien fairy (we see her manifest magical energy wings on her back).

The Justice Force has changed since Ep. #48. It now includes Ananda, the daughter of Battlin Bernice and Doctor Dome, who pilots her father's Domebot, Metalhead, and the Silver Sentry. Also the Sentry had made an amusing cameo in the previous Justice Force episode, as Donatello's flying toy.

The Shredder and Karai return in a cameo in this episode; they are now residing in Japan.

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


55. Space Invaders, Part 3

The Turtles end up keeping the cruiser they stole from the Prime Leader, but it hasn't been seen since the following episode.

Fugitoid appears at the end of this episode.

When Donatello was undergoing the mind probe, scenes from The Shredder Strikes Back and Tales of Leo play on the screen.

Michelangelo says "Et, tu, Leo?" Michelangelo is quoting from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar from when Brutus assassinates Julius Caesar.

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


56. Worlds Collide, Part 1

April and Casey kiss for the first time.

The Fugitoid says, "Greater love has no robot than this, that he lay down his RAM for his friends." In the prologue, Prof. Honeycutt makes this remark about his plan to sacrifice himself in order to stop the war between the Federation and the Triceratons. This quote is lifted from John 15:13 of the Bible, which reads "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


57. World Collide, Part 2

In this episode, we learn that Splinter has been teaching April some Ninjitsu, and she has proven to be an apt pupil, as evidenced by her performance in this episode.

Leatherhead returns. He survived the old lair cave-in back in "What a Croc" but was captured. The Federation is on Earth, and after a deal with Bishop now have the Fugitoid in their possession.

The evil Agent Bishop in this episode looks very much like Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report. Bishop is possibly a cartoon version of him.

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


58. Worlds Collide, Part 3

Commander Mozar shows his true colors in this episode when he hesitates when ordered to cut the Triceraton mothership off from the rest of the fleet (which would strand their soldiers in space) & later orders his men to surrender to the rebels.

The Triceraton War ends with this episode.

The Fugitoid "dies" in this episode, or rather his body is left without his primary conscience, Honeycutt would return in a formless capacity in "Mission of Gravity."

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


59. Touch And Go

The Mob Leader says, "maybe he phoned home." This is the reference to the popular 1982 movie E.T., where the friendly alien frequently used the phrase, "E.T. phone home."

Michelangelo asks, "What are these guys, Terminators?" Mikey likens Touch and Go to the legendary indestructible cyborg from the future, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Michelangelo likens Mr. Touch and Mr. Go to the Wonder Twins, the campy sixties superhero siblings who activated their powers of transformation by touching their fists together.

Michelangelo says, "I pitty the fool who throws a train at me." Mikey calls Touch "Mr. T" who was an '80s character famous for quotes that began with "I pity the fool..."

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.

60. Hunted

Baxter Stockman, in the Utrom robot body, makes a cameo appearance in Leatherhead's hallucinations. Nice attention to detail since that is how Leatherhead would remember Baxter, and not as the disembodied brain he would become.

This episode is the first time Raph says the full name of one of the turtles, other than himself. [View Clip]

This is the first time Donatello uses a shuriken star. Instead of in battle, it was to deactivate the land mine Leonardo stepped on.

At the end, the Turtles find Leatherhead a home that resembles the subway station that was used for their movie counterparts for the second and third movies.

Based on Issue Six of the original Tales of the TMNT comic series.


61. H.A.T.E.

The H.A.T.E. leader mentions an alien being chased by a mob down Avenger Alley in New York City. Back in the episode, Touch and Go, Raphael was chased by a mob down an alley he names as "Avenger Alley." Most likely, Raph was the so-called "alien" being referenced here.

Even though Leo appears in this episode, he isn't part of the action, nor does he do any fighting.

Casey's mother made April go through her "test," even though she knew they weren't engaged. She must have realized they have feelings for each other, since she was observant enough to notice Leo and Splinter.

Casey's mother revealed that his first name is Arnold. Arnold Casey Jones.

Adapts Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book Issue #12.

After Raph pulls one of the H.A.T.E. guys off the cliff, the next one that he knocks off the gatling gun looks like Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat.

Michelangelo says, "Hey, pal, didn't your mom tell about these things? You'll put your eye out, kid." This "eye out" line about guns is extremely similar to the excuse Raphie receives frequently in the 1983 movie A Christmas Story about why he shouldn't get a rifle for Christmas: "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

Michelangelo says, "E.T phone home." E.T. says this exact line in E.T.-The Extraterrestrial. This is probably the most famous line spoken by an alien.

Donatello says, "Forget it William Tell." Raphael and Michelangelo were using a bows and arrows to hit apples stacked on top of Donatello's head. Their actions as well as Donatello's line are references to the legendary hero William Tell.


62. Nobody's Fool

This is Stockman's first appearance in his new look: a hologram over his tank a robotic arm and self-movement system.

Mr. Touch and Mr. Go return in the in this episode.

The Turtle Titan costume Michelangelo wore in "The Unconvincing Turtle Titan" returns in this episode for a few minutes.

Adapted from Issue 2 of the original Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic.

First animated appearance of Nobody.

Where Silver Sentry resembles Superman, Nobody resembles Batman.


63. New Blood

Leonardo apologizes to a Karai foot mech before destroying it, indicating he feels more than just trust where she is concerned.

Previously titled "The New Guard."

The TRI Base featured in this episode bears a strong similarity to The Technodrome, Shredder's war machine from the original series.

First appearance of Dr. Chapman, The Shredder's new scientific adviser.

Looks like Shredder considers both Hun and Baxter dead weight now.

This episode appears in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.


64. The Lesson

The book the bullies take from Casey's friend is a copy of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Raphael's teaching technique was to try to find the young Casey Jones the right weapon. Casey later got his weapon of choice from one of the bullies, and thus began his use of a hockey stick as his favorite personal weapon.

The younger Turtles was teaching a younger Casey Jones, but they don't know it. At the end, it was revealed that it is Casey Jones because he can't remember the battle cry Mikey taught him, so he made up his own, the battle cry he still uses.

The younger days of the Turtles are revisited once more, the first being in the episode "Tales of Leo."

This episode is similar to The Simpsons episode "The Way We Weren't" where Homer and Marge found out that they actually met when they were kids instead of in High School.