TMNT #86 Preview and Discussion

In my opinion, the reason why Bishop wants to capture Raphael is to use him as less of a weapon and more of a bargaining chip. If he controls him, then he also controls the Turtles and, perhaps most importantly, the Foot Clan. He can have both parties right where he wants them. "You don't want to surrender? Well then you're going to have to fight your brother/son, and by the way just so you know we kind of made him into a living weapon just a quick fyi."

This is also what I think will lead into the final arc. I genuinely don't think Bishop's plan will work. My personal (wild) speculation is that Splinter steps in and saves Raphael, but it's the last straw until he basically decides that he wants to take down Bishop and establish the Foot Clan as the most powerful faction around. It's been a long time coming and when Splinter sees Bishop trying to find a way to blackmail the Foot, that's basically what breaks the camel's back. This starts an all-out war between them and the Turtles are stuck in between. What's more, the Foot Clan is absolutely mopping the floor with the EPF but the city is caught in the cross-hairs and because of this, the Turtles are forced to act and this is the thing that ultimately pits them against Splinter in the final confrontation.

Obviously there's a lot of factors I'm not accounting for but I do believe that the Foot Clan will be the main antagonists of the last arc, and that the Raphael Macro will be the thing that finally places them at a status above the EPF. I might be totally wrong but I think that's the direction the story's headed in right now.

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Igglet

In my opinion, the reason why Bishop wants to capture Raphael is to use him as less of a weapon and more of a bargaining chip. If he controls him, then he also controls the Turtles and, perhaps most importantly, the Foot Clan. He can have both parties right where he wants them. "You don't want to surrender? Well then you're going to have to fight your brother/son, and by the way just so you know we kind of made him into a living weapon just a quick fyi."

Not saying anything about whether you're right or wrong, but I can totally picture that exchange...

Bishop: I'll make you fight your own son! Muahaha!
Splinter: Konoyaro, please.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Igglet

In my opinion, the reason why Bishop wants to capture Raphael is to use him as less of a weapon and more of a bargaining chip. If he controls him, then he also controls the Turtles and, perhaps most importantly, the Foot Clan. He can have both parties right where he wants them. "You don't want to surrender? Well then you're going to have to fight your brother/son, and by the way just so you know we kind of made him into a living weapon just a quick fyi."

This is also what I think will lead into the final arc. I genuinely don't think Bishop's plan will work. My personal (wild) speculation is that Splinter steps in and saves Raphael, but it's the last straw until he basically decides that he wants to take down Bishop and establish the Foot Clan as the most powerful faction around. It's been a long time coming and when Splinter sees Bishop trying to find a way to blackmail the Foot, that's basically what breaks the camel's back. This starts an all-out war between them and the Turtles are stuck in between. What's more, the Foot Clan is absolutely mopping the floor with the EPF but the city is caught in the cross-hairs and because of this, the Turtles are forced to act and this is the thing that ultimately pits them against Splinter in the final confrontation.

Obviously there's a lot of factors I'm not accounting for but I do believe that the Foot Clan will be the main antagonists of the last arc, and that the Raphael Macro will be the thing that finally places them at a status above the EPF. I might be totally wrong but I think that's the direction the story's headed in right now.

Interesting theory. I also share your theory... the final #100 story arc will have Splinter and the Foot as the main antagonists, not the Pantheon. It's going to kind of mirror #50... and complete the Clan Hamato / Clan Foot tension.

[Utrommaniac]

We know #100 isn't going to be the definite final arch. They're still planning a lot, and then there wouldn't have been much point in:

• Having Karai throw up her hands after constant disrespect in the Foot and make her own Ninja clan with blackjack and hookers
• Wait two years to bring Ch'rell into the picture with only vague words of what an absolute powerhouse he is (and looking at that suit, it's a wonder he followed Krang so loyally; one would think he'd be seeking absolute power with that thing!)
• Waiting 60+ issues to reveal Kitsune's plans with the Dragon Lord
• Still no word of who Null is working for and that's not going to be done in the next thirteen issues

But yeah, knowing the patterns IDW takes, that's actually a pretty likely concept.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

We know #100 isn't going to be the definite final arch. They're still planning a lot, and then there wouldn't have been much point in:

But yeah, knowing the patterns IDW takes, that's actually a pretty likely concept.

Yeah, I didn't mean final of IDW TMNT; final in their #51-#100 mega arc.

[miru]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

We know #100 isn't going to be the definite final arch. They're still planning a lot, and then there wouldn't have been much point in:

• Having Karai throw up her hands after constant disrespect in the Foot and make her own Ninja clan with blackjack and hookers
• Wait two years to bring Ch'rell into the picture with only vague words of what an absolute powerhouse he is (and looking at that suit, it's a wonder he followed Krang so loyally; one would think he'd be seeking absolute power with that thing!)
• Waiting 60+ issues to reveal Kitsune's plans with the Dragon Lord
• Still no word of who Null is working for and that's not going to be done in the next thirteen issues

But yeah, knowing the patterns IDW takes, that's actually a pretty likely concept.

Not to mention Maligna and Chi-You...

Also, in addition to the Foot and EPF, are other factions going to jump in?

[hypered1]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've seen it mentioned somewhere that post 100 is already being planned. Either somewhere on her or in a recent letters section.

[MikeandRaph87]

Bobby said that Dark Water as done. I would have expected more story perhaps follow the Megavolt story and make it its own thing.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

Bobby said that Dark Water as done. I would have expected more story perhaps follow the Megavolt story and make it its own thing.

Pretty sure nobody else is interested in Megavolt.

Having them as mercenary contractors worked for me.

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

We know #100 isn't going to be the definite final arch. They're still planning a lot, and then there wouldn't have been much point in:

• Having Karai throw up her hands after constant disrespect in the Foot and make her own Ninja clan with blackjack and hookers
• Wait two years to bring Ch'rell into the picture with only vague words of what an absolute powerhouse he is (and looking at that suit, it's a wonder he followed Krang so loyally; one would think he'd be seeking absolute power with that thing!)
• Waiting 60+ issues to reveal Kitsune's plans with the Dragon Lord
• Still no word of who Null is working for and that's not going to be done in the next thirteen issues

But yeah, knowing the patterns IDW takes, that's actually a pretty likely concept.

Yeah I didn't really mean the finale of the entirety of IDW TMNT, just this 50 issue mega-arc, as someone else called it.

However, I'd definitely argue that we'll get payoff for both the Dragon King Pantheon storyline and the Karai thing in #100. The fact that Karai's appearing in the Leo Macro and everything else we've seen seems to imply that she's going to be a major player in the last arc. As for the Pantheon storyline, we're getting Shredder In Hell as a direct lead-up to the last arc. It's very easy to assume that it'll be directly tied to the Pantheon. You can see how things start to fit together.

If I had to give a wild guess (and I'm sorry about all of the theories, it's just that my account finally got approved after like a year and I'm hyped to share everything I had on my mind), the ending of Shredder in Hell will reveal that Kitsune sort of ditched Oroku Saki and set her eyes on Splinter as the new Dragon Lord for one reason or another. Unlike with Saki, however, she isn't molding him into a weapon because he already is one. The first half of the last arc will focus on purely the Foot Clan and then, at the end of that, the Pantheon, or at least Kitsune will make her move. Splinter will become the vessel for the Dragon Lord and the Shredder will become an uneasy ally of the Turtles and will get a bit of a redemption arc.

I'm not saying this is too likely to happen, nor that I necessarily think that this is the best thing that could happen, but I can see the story going in this direction.

Anyway, going back to the topic of the issue, I did enjoy it but the Turtles having a debate on whether they should go help out on Burnow Island felt forced and insignificant, really. Raph's and Mikey's reasoning just felt pretty weak. Plus, I really don't think Mikey should've been the one against helping the Utroms. He's always been the optimistically naive Turtle.

Overall, though, really loved seeing Ch'rell finally pop up. Can't wait to see him do something in the next issue!

[MikeandRaph87]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Pretty sure nobody else is interested in Megavolt.

Having them as mercenary contractors worked for me.

I like IDW taking old potential and making it its own thing.

[Utrommaniac]

Originally Posted by Igglet

Can't wait to see him do something in the next issue!

You're telling me, bud, I've been banging pots and pans together while screaming for the last two years!

Spoiler:

While pondering if I'm way over interpreting this...

Do I just have a fujoshi slumbering inside of me??? Because that's pretty feckin' extreme, Ma'riell!

[Vegeta]

I think Raph and Mikey's hesitance to jump into another war is justified. They've been fighting everyone else's battles for literal years in this comic. A little breathing room is refreshing too instead of always getting 4 green thumbs up to risk their lives when they got a lot going on at home.

Best issue in a long time, the art is just fantastic. The cover from Wachter especially kicks ass. I didn't finish Universe so I'm a bit behind on the ultrom triceraton truce lore. Good to see old hob back into the thick of things. The book has gotten complex with a lot of characters and world building, the sign of an ambitious ongoing comic. I've never followed a comic this long since the very beginning so it's been a neat experience seeing it build over the years.

[Utrommaniac]

It does kind of break from one thing in the truce story (Zom wasn't the one being assassinated), but it follows up pretty well.

(There is no "L" in Utrom!)

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

(There is no "L" in Utrom!)

Blame it on Ultron. God knows I've had to stop myself from writing "Ultrom" dozens of times by now!

[Utrommaniac]

Though now all I can think of is this bit from Animaniacs

Spoiler: