[pannoni1]

48. Return Of The Justice Force

First appearance of Combat Cruisers. All four Turtles got to drive those tri-wheeled motorcycles.

Michelangelo goes to Hampton, MA to get the next issue of his favorite comic book series. Hampton, MA is where the Ninja Turtle comics are first created.

Episode is based on issue #15 of the original comic book series.

The Justice Force seems to be a geriatric amalgam of The X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Also: "Metalhead", the name of one of the aged superheroes, was also the name of an action figure from the nineties canon: a robotic turtle. I forget offhand if he appeared in the series, however.

Dr. Dome, an original member of the Justice Force, has a name similar to Marvel Comics supervillain Dr. Doom. They are only similar in name, and nothing else.

Justice Force's name is a parody of DC Comics' Justice League of America (JLA). The most important members of JLA usually consist of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern, but almost every hero in the DC universe is or has been a member, and the current roster may not have some of the heroes listed above.

Metalhead's power is alot like Medusa from the Avengers. Both can make their hair move.


49. Big Brawl, Part 1

The flashback of Splinter's battle with Drako explains how Splinter injured his leg and now has to use a walking stick. [View Clip]

This episode and it's other three parts appear in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus, but it's not a level, it's a tournament fighter zone.

A monster and one of the human heroes from The King are in the Battle Nexus Tournament.

This episode marks the reappearance of Draximus (seen in the crowd of competitors before the Nexus Tournament) the Triceraton Warrior {from the Turtles in Space saga}, and The Ultimate Ninja.

This was unofficially the last episode of Season Two in the American scheduling. However, in other nations The Big Brawl quadrilogy was aired in its entirety.


50. Big Brawl, Part 2

In this version, Usagi appears without his "mon" (badge of his clan) on his kimono. His sleeves are also tied and gathered in all his appearances, which in the comics he only did when working, not fighting.

Another character makes an appearance from Usagi Yojimbo's universe, Gennosuke, Usagi's "traveling companion" in many of his comics. Usagi is right to question Gen's attendance at the battle royale: he is a bounty hunter, not a samurai.

Donatello loses to a creature who loses the next match to a monster straight out of "The King". But back in that episode, Donny knocks out several of those monsters.

First apperance of Usagi Yojimbo, a comic star in his own right, whose creator shares a friendship with TMNT creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. As a result, he has also appeared in the classic TMNT cartoons and Archie comics.

Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Splinter won the first round. Donatello was the only one who didn't.

Although Gennosuke in not a practicing samurai and has never served a lord, he is the son of a samurai; In ancient Japan, being the child or wife of a samurai put you in the same social class as samurai.

Usagi says, "you'll never change Gen-Chan." Throughout these four episodes, honorifics are used abundantly. Usagi's quote, refering to Gennosuke, uses the honorific "chan", giving Gen an "informal-friend" title. Other honorifics used in these episodes are "san" (common, non-family title), and "sama" (very formal title).


51. Big Brawl, Part 3

According to Turtles in Space (and later Rogue in the House), Triceratons breathe a mixture of nitrogen and sulfur. Since there doesn't seem to be an atmospheric converter hooked onto Traximus, it can only be assumed that the Nexus has some sort of universal atmosphere.

Although Michelangelo beats Raphael, he does it without hitting him once. Mikey just gets under Raph's skin, so he loses his cool and charges straight into a wall. So whilst Mikey did beat Raph, it's yet to be seen if he would beat him if he actually fought him.

At this episode's conclusion, Michelangelo is the only Turtle still in the Battle Nexus Tournament.


52. Big Brawl, Part 4

In season 1 episode 4, Meet Casey Jones, the episode begins with Mikey and Raph sparring. Mikey is seen having the upper hand until Raph losses control of his temper. This reflects the idea that Mikey does have the skill to challenge Raph.

Of the contestants, Leonardo is the only one who did not have a fair shot at winning the Battle Nexus championship, something no-one, including Leo, ever mentions. Usagi's chance was also ruined since the Gyoji implied that he might have been the one to unfairly injure Leo, thus disqualifying him. We don't know what would have happened if either of these two had had a fair chance to win.

Mikey may not have literally kicked Raph's butt, but he did it figuratively by knowing his brother well enough to know that if he egged on Raph, he would basically defeat himself, saving Mikey the trouble.

Usagi is the third person to fight using Don's bo staff, the first person being Shredder in Shredder Strikes Back, Part Two, and the second person being Leo in What a Croc.