OT MacGuffin of the Episode

[ryukenden]

Usually in Season 3 of the OT, Shredder and Krang would often steal an energy source in an attempt to power up the Technodrome and of course get thwarted by the Turtles whom then recover or sometimes destroy the MacGuffin. Of course whenever said MacGuffin is recovered, Shredder and Krang don't even bother to try again. Such as draining a nuclear powered sub and don't bother doing the same thing to another naval vessel not moored in New York.

Of course, it goes to the point that a Neutrino pet or even a Neutrino infant has powers which prompt Shredder and Krang to abduct them. Of course Krang never bothers to use Dimension X contacts to round up Neutrino infants and "Grybyx" en masse. Any MacGuffins of the Day be it absurd or otherwise come to mind?

[CyberCubed]

In a lot of episodes there was always some jewel or special crystal that they were after to either power up the Technodrome or do something else with. And not just Shredder/Krang either, there were a lot of other villains after special "power-up" jewels/crystals in various episodes.

[DestronMirage22]

Stuff like that were a common part of the formula in 80's cartoons. It worked well enough at that time, so it seemed many writers kept doing the same things in the various shows they worked on.

[ABrown]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

In a lot of episodes there was always some jewel or special crystal that they were after to either power up the Technodrome or do something else with. And not just Shredder/Krang either, there were a lot of other villains after special "power-up" jewels/crystals in various episodes.

I remember when I was a little kid, I had a little bag full of marbles. I found the biggest shiniest one, and I made that the object that my Shredder and Krang toys needed to power up the Technodrome.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

In a lot of episodes there was always some jewel or special crystal that they were after to either power up the Technodrome or do something else with. And not just Shredder/Krang either, there were a lot of other villains after special "power-up" jewels/crystals in various episodes.

Just, but some of the other antagonists just wanted to sell them to collectors, not caring or needing, not even knowing its abilities to power up any war machines like the Technodrome.

[MikeandRaph87]

The villain manipulating the Earth's atmosphere to burn the planet up. Sun manipulation was used once by Shredder and Krang in "Shredder's Mom'' while Professor DeSofo used a similar plot in 'Too Hot To Handle" and Dregg used a variant of the plot by teleporting fragments of the sun onto the planet Earth in Turtles To The Second Power".

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

Sun manipulation

Don't forget "Take Me to Your Leader".

[DarkFell]

I'm rather surprised that robots didn't get a mention - M.A.C.C., REX-1, ect...

I'm not certain if this even counts as being a Maguffin, but how about the few times where Earth was being pulled into Dimension X by Krang, and later on by Dregg and Mung?

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by DarkFell

I'm rather surprised that robots didn't get a mention - M.A.C.C., REX-1, ect...

Except those you mentioned, robots were more usually a subplot.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by DarkFell

I'm not certain if this even counts as being a Maguffin, but how about the few times where Earth was being pulled into Dimension X by Krang, and later on by Dregg and Mung?

Similair, the Triceratons also tried to send the Earth to their part of the Milky Way Galaxy in "Night of the Dark Turtle".

And Krang tried to send the Channel 6 news-building to Dimension X for revenge in "Plan 6 from Outer Space".

[pferreira]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

In a lot of episodes there was always some jewel or special crystal that they were after to either power up the Technodrome or do something else with. And not just Shredder/Krang either, there were a lot of other villains after special "power-up" jewels/crystals in various episodes.

If at first you don't succeed...

In Planet of the Turtleoids Shredder needed to harness the power of a ruby to get the Technodrome out of the Arctic but Tattoo failed him.

Originally Posted by DestronMirage22

Stuff like that were a common part of the formula in 80's cartoons. It worked well enough at that time, so it seemed many writers kept doing the same things in the various shows they worked on.

I actually don't mind that as long as the plots are different enough offer something new and exciting.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by ryukenden

Usually in Season 3 of the OT, Shredder and Krang would often steal an energy source in an attempt to power up the Technodrome

That's probably the most common plot of the entire series. Unlike modern popular beliefs, where people think it's another mutant appearing, or Shredder trying to kidnap April.

[Wesley]

I'm not certain of this counts as a MacGuffin, but shrinking happened a lot in the series in episodes such as The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, The Big Break-In and Honey, They Shrunk Michaelango. There was even a fake flashback with the Turtles being shrunk one last time in The Power of Three.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Wesley

There was even a fake flashback with the Turtles being shrunk one last time in The Power of Three.

That's the pictures in Mung's mind after overhearing Shredder and Krang, probably talking the events of "The Incredible Shrinking Turtles".

[Wesley]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

That's the pictures in Mung's mind after overhearing Shredder and Krang, probably talking the events of "The Incredible Shrinking Turtles".

You're probably right. I didn't think of that.