Continuity stuff the Nick show seems to have skipped over

[CyberCubed]

After watching the first 4 episodes, I can't help but feel there are things we should have seen that haven't been explained, and they seem to be overlooking:

1. There was no mention on how the Turtles got their names in this version. Usually the first thing we hear is Splinter naming the turtles based on Renaissance painters...but they never said that in this show. It wasn't explained to either us or to April. How are little kids supposed to know where their names came from?

2. April's intro to the Turtles lair was completely skipped. Did April ever meet Splinter? She's in the lair so we assume she has but they don't even show it?

3. How did Chris Bradford know that Yoshi is now called Splinter? Shredder didn't even think he was alive till just recently. How could the name Splinter ever come up?

4. Snake workin for the Kraang is hopefully explained soon.

5. We have no confirmation on how the mutagen works. It seems to mutate you into the last thing you had contact with but it hasn't been stated.


I hope all this stuff is addressed soon, I'd rather not have plotholes and continuity glitches in this show.

[Donatello19]

The only thing that I agree with on that list is April in their lair

[Jephael]

Dude, get a grip! We're only a few episodes in! Besides, it's kinda nice not knowing everything. Sometimes a little mystery is a lot more intriging than knowing every little detail.

[Cure]

How are little kids supposed to know where their names came from?

I think the real question is "Why would kids care?".

[poprob]

After watching the first 4 episodes, I can't help but feel there are things we should have seen that haven't been explained, and they seem to be overlooking:

3. How did Chris Bradford know that Yoshi is now called Splinter? Shredder didn't even think he was alive till just recently. How could the name Splinter ever come up?

I hope all this stuff is addressed soon, I'd rather not have plotholes and continuity glitches in this show.

My wife pointed this out after I somewhat missed it. Then, it began to really bug me after it was never explained in the episode how he would know he was called that. ESPECIALLY when he asked the turtles "WHAT ARE YOU?!" upon first seeing them.

Nevertheless, this new show is pretty damn good, so it's easy to excuse some of this stuff.

[Jester]

Maybe Splinter was the name that his platoon called him. I mean, the picture Saki shows Bradford makes it look like they're old army buddies, and you know all army troops give their members nicknames.

[Tomoshibi Amatsu]

I find it weird that you could even be mutated by just standing in a field of weeds. i mean if you were standing on a rock or on the road would you become concrete man or stone man?

[chrisdude]

While 2 is the only one that bothers me, I think is a reasonable thing, too. I think maybe an episode was scrapped. Other shows have decided to swap or skip an episode in order to, say, front-load the season with action to hook you in, or something like that. It could be as simple as that.

There was this TV show called Sliders (my favorite show ever), which revolved around a malfunctioning device. But when they aired some early episodes out of order, you saw the characters dealing with a broken device before you saw it break. There was even an episode that started with the resolution of the next episode's cliffhanger.

[gobo]

I find it weird that you could even be mutated by just standing in a field of weeds. i mean if you were standing on a rock or on the road would you become concrete man or stone man?
Well, weeds are organic, living things. Rocks are just inanimate minerals. So, I wouldn't be surprised if someone mutated into a mushroom even.

[chrisdude]

Maybe it's happened in previous iterations, but mutating into plants seems like a stretch. The turtles might as well have mutated into bacteria from the sewage water. Or poop.

[Cryomancer]

Honestly the only thing that has bugged me much so far is why the hell did they leave the mutagen in their decoy truck (the container that mutates snake). They just found a the stuff that made them, and they just ditch it for no reason?

Not exactly a continuity problem as a logic problem but cmon now guys what the hell.

[CyberCubed]

I think the real question is "Why would kids care?".

You're kidding. When I was 5 years old I had no idea the Turtles named were from Renaissance painters. I was taught that through the show.

Seriously, what 5 year old kid watching the Nick show will wonder why they have such strange and long names?

[Cure]

You're kidding. When I was 5 years old I had no idea the Turtles named were from Renaissance painters. I was taught that through the show.

Seriously, what 5 year old kid watching the Nick show will wonder why they have such strange and long names?

No kid is, that's my point. Kids aren't gonna care about where the names come from.

[Coola Yagami]

The main issue is April just there... chillin in the lair... without a proper introduction to Splinter or her first time in the lair or anything. Nothing about her dad. Nothing about the search for Kraang. They just seemed to stop caring anymore all of a sudden. And April's sole role was to tell Mike about the internet. It feels like Nick put her in the show cause they felt they HAD to since every other version of the Turtles had an April.

[Slade]

The main issue is April just there... chillin in the lair... without a proper introduction to Splinter or her first time in the lair or anything. Nothing about her dad. Nothing about the search for Kraang. They just seemed to stop caring anymore all of a sudden. And April's sole role was to tell Mike about the internet. It feels like Nick put her in the show cause they felt they HAD to since every other version of the Turtles had an April.

This wasn't bothering me at first, but the more it's been talked about, the more I've given it thought and I'm in agreement with this.

It almost does seem like this ep is out of order.

[TurtleTitan97]

I think once April starts to train with Master Splinter we'll be seeing her character develop more. Plus episode 7 description does say that April and Donnie are investigating a scientist’s disappearance, so that could be when when we get to see some character development for her.

[oldmanwinters]

I do agree that the Nick show has moved things along rather quickly. I felt like I might have missed something between Rise of the Turtles and Turtle Temper.

However, I don't mind the fact that it makes the viewer to just assume some things like April's introduction to the Lair. Perhaps there are some "untold tales" that we'll find out later too. I say let's just move that storyline along so we can (hopefully) get to some really good episodes and arcs!

[gobo]

My mistake! I watched the SDCC panel on Amazon for the first time today. Ciro Nieli specifically cites plants, animals and minerals as mutation-fodder. So, I guess Traag will undoubtedly be shown to be a mutant in this incarnation.

[sdp]

Maybe they'll be explained through flashbacks?

Even the origin wasn't as complete as we'd like it to be. Yeah kids might not care why they are named that way but there is a reason and it should be explained.

April really bothers me, she wasn't introduced so well in the pilot for her to just randomly appear now, it felt like I had missed a few episodes were they became friends.

[ToTheNines]

Thread sux.

[sdp]

It's a valid thread, your comment on the other hand adds absolutely nothing to the conversation. If a thread really is that bad just let it die by itself, no need to point it out with comments that are just as wrothless.

[NinjaMan]

My mistake! I watched the SDCC panel on Amazon for the first time today. Ciro Nieli specifically cites plants, animals and minerals as mutation-fodder. So, I guess Traag will undoubtedly be shown to be a mutant in this incarnation.

The artwork for Traag send golem from Dimension X. And he was 20 feet tall.

[ABrown]

Here's a question: Why in the shell is SPLINTER 20 feet tall!?! I find it really annoying.

[chrisdude]

Here's a question: Why in the shell is SPLINTER 20 feet tall!?! I find it really annoying.It really threw me for a second. But in the scene when Leo asked Splinter why he was chosen as leader, I decided I appreciate it. Since these turtles act younger than any version I've seen, I kind of like that Splinter is taller. Makes him look more like a father who's still raising his sons, instead of the old father Leo might have to help cross the street.

[gobo]

The artwork for Traag send golem from Dimension X. And he was 20 feet tall.
I was just thinking about the fact that it was only ever hinted at that one time in the OT that rock soldiers were mutants. In "MICHELANGELO'S BIRTHDAY", Krang said they were a previously mutated species. Seems like it'll be a bit less questionable this go-round. No reason a golem can't be a mutant too AFAIK.

[NinjaMan]

I was just thinking about the fact that it was only ever hinted at that one time in the OT that rock soldiers were mutants. In "MICHELANGELO'S BIRTHDAY", Krang said they were a previously mutated species. Seems like it'll be a bit less questionable this go-round. No reason a golem can't be a mutant too AFAIK.

Ah I see. I didn't know about that hint.

[sdp]

I'm pretty sure in one episode it's mentioned that the rock soldiers were mutated by mutagen. An episode where they are de-mutated I think. I remember asking in the forums about it and how exactly mutagen worked with the rock soldiers.

[Powder]

Yeah, I've noticed a lot of flubs in continuity, but I'm letting it slide for now due to my excitement about the new series. If things are really all over the place halfway or more into the season, then I'll bitch about it.

[CyberCubed]

I think Yoshi may have gone by the Splinter name. It makes sense as the Turtles nickname him Splinter in the OT.

[Coola Yagami]

I would have preffered... that instead of the Turtles having fun back-flipping across the rooftops... they mentioned they were looking for the Kraang when they suddenly get jumped by the Foot. It's like they don't have to show the Kraang or anything, but at least MENTION that they were on the lookout for them when suddenly ninjas appeared and so forth. We're lucky April's dad isn't dead or mutated by now and April seems just fine with it.

[Kevin G]

Question: Is Shredder in New York ? They really didn't explain how he suddenly appeared in New York. He wasn't in episode 3 and in episode 2 at the end he said he was going to New York to meet an old friend. I know they probably don't want to bore the audience in showing him to travel to New York but at least explain or showing him arriving, instead of just dumping him. I only ask because they show him, Xever, Chris and the Foot in a building. Oddly enough, I assumed that was the same building in episode 2 but realized that it took place in Tokyo Japan.

I have to agree, it is a little weird to see April suddenly appear in the Turtle's lair and not worrying about her father. I know eventually she and the Turtles will be looking for him, but at least show some kid of worry or signs that she misses him. I understand she is suppose to be a tough cookie, but this her father.

[CyberCubed]

Shredder was in Japan in the opener but then moved to New York. What's so unbelieveable of the Foot having bases around the world?

[gobo]

Question: Is Shredder in New York ? They really didn't explain how he suddenly appeared in New York.
Didn't he say "fuel up my jet" at the end of ep 2? O_o Maybe I'm thinking of the ThunderTank. :P

[MST3KFan]

They should at least give April an intro to their lair and Splinter and whatnot. Especially IF, going by the figure packaging description, is going to be trained as a ninja because Splinter senses something within her.

I also agree, that when they found the mutagen from the van in episode 1, they should have brought that back to SPlinter or something to show the link between their past and the Kraang...

[Coola Yagami]

they did a sloppy thing with that too. it's like 'OMFG ITS THE SAME STUFF THAT MADE US WHAT WE ARE TODAY....' and then they kinda forgot about it.

[CyberCubed]

they did a sloppy thing with that too. it's like 'OMFG ITS THE SAME STUFF THAT MADE US WHAT WE ARE TODAY....' and then they kinda forgot about it.

What should they have done? They know they were created by accident by the Kraang.

[Matches Malone]

#3-5 are somewhat valid, but I honestly think the first two are mainly because of what has come before. We expect it because every incarnation has introduced the turtles with an explanation of where their names came from, and a formal introduction of April and Splinter. However, as someone as mentioned, there isn't a need for these things. If they don't get around it, I'm sure it's just something the creators decided weren't important and didn't want to rehash. Sure, kids may notice the turtles have interesting names, but so does Spongebob. They just accept that those are his names, nothing confusing continuity-wise. Same with April & Splinter, it's just not the kind of de-emphasis that we are used to, but it's not like it doesn't make any sense that April knows Splinter now. I particularly love the turtle-naming scene in the first comic, but I'm willing to let the show do what it wants if it's not distractingly off-base or unnecessary.

[CyberCubed]

I thought the reason the Reniassance names weren't explained in the first two eps because they only just briefly met April. I thought they would be explained to her.

How is little 5 year old Timmy supposed to know the Turtles were based on famous painters?

[Toby Barrett]

Five year old little Timmy doesn't give a ****, Cubed.

[Matches Malone]

How is little 5 year old Timmy supposed to know the Turtles were based on famous painters?

While cool, education on the renaissance painters isn't really the focus of the show. I think, more along the lines of turtles who know ninjitsu. If they want to gloss over that explanation, I won't feel like they're "destroying" continuity. They'll probably end up mentioning where they came from eventually, but maybe only in passing.

[Cowabunga Carl]

How is little 5 year old Timmy supposed to know the Turtles were based on famous painters?

Why would little Timmy care or remember? If little Timmy likes TMNT as he gets older he will track down other turtle stuff and learn that. Sometimes things don't need explaining. I like that the show is assuming its audience is smart enough to figure out things happened off of screen and just move along.

[CyberCubed]

When I was 5 years old, the fact that they were named after painters amused me when I eventually became a kid in 4th grade and we started learning about the renaissance era in school.

I'm surprised their origin of their names is not explained, when in every other incarnation, even with IDW's unique spin of it, it was.

[Cowabunga Carl]

There is nitpicking and then there is Cybercubeding.

[Toby Barrett]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n35/barrett_toby/BrokenRecord.jpg

[BubblyShell22]

Well, if some of the kids have parents who were fans of TMNT before, they can explain it to them. Other than that, I agree that kids just aren't going to care about things like that. And if they're curious, there's always the Internet. It's a wonderful tool. You should use it sometime.

[Sage Ninja]

3. How did Chris Bradford know that Yoshi is now called Splinter? Shredder didn't even think he was alive till just recently. How could the name Splinter ever come up?

you ever think that Mike, admist all his drooling fan boying over Brad, just happened to mention Splinter in passing? Something along the lines of:

"OMG! You are so awsome! Look at your weapons, oh if only my sensei Splinter could see this! Could I have a lock of your hair?"

I know that Mikey was more interested in talking about Brad and even said he couldn't talk about himself, whats to say he didn't at least mention Splinter, and Brad just made the connection that Splinter is what Yoshi is called now.

[ToTheNines]

you ever think that Mike, admist all his drooling fan boying over Brad, just happened to mention Splinter in passing? Something along the lines of:

Bradford says "Splinter" in the very first scene of the episode though.

[Sage Ninja]

maybe he mentioned him on myface? I dunno...:-?

[Jester]

Again, the use of Splinter is before any of the "friending" with Rad Brad.

[Zany Orange Dude]

Dude, get a grip! We're only a few episodes in! Besides, it's kinda nice not knowing everything. Sometimes a little mystery is a lot more intriging than knowing every little detail.

Gotta agree. This allows your imagination to go to work!:twink:

[Jephael]

When I was 5 years old, the fact that they were named after painters amused me when I eventually became a kid in 4th grade and we started learning about the renaissance era in school.

I'm surprised their origin of their names is not explained, when in every other incarnation, even with IDW's unique spin of it, it was.

As I said in another thread, I'm sure an episode will come along where Splinter reveals how he came up with their names. You just gotta be patient.

[The Big Bad]

Aside from the April thing, I'm particularly bothered by the fact that the show hasn't explored the connection between the Kraang and the turtles' origin. Even if the turtles had decided that they didn't really care about it, I still think it's important for the show to show them coming to that decision.

[Jephael]

Aside from the April thing, I'm particularly bothered by the fact that the show hasn't explored the connection between the Kraang and the turtles' origin. Even if the turtles had decided that they didn't really care about it, I still think it's important for the show to show them coming to that decision.

Boy you guys just want answers immediately. Give the show a chance to progress a little further before getting all worked up!

[Jester]

"Why the Renaissance painters names? I thought they were interesting..."

[Sophie Campbell]

i don't mind any of these things, other than April so far not being around much, but i'm sure she'll be plenty present soon enough. it does slightly feel to me like there's an episode missing, but i think Matches got it right, that we're just approaching it as fans who know the traditional beats that always get covered.

it would be cool if they explain the Renaissance painter names but it's not a huge deal, even the first/1990 movie didn't explain the names, and that film was a complete story in and of itself. even though they do mention the names in TMNT 2 it's not like the second film had been guaranteed to get produced at the time when they were making TMNT 1.

[gobo]

You just gotta be patient.
Like telling brick walls to hurry up, huh? :P

[The Big Bad]

Boy you guys just want answers immediately. Give the show a chance to progress a little further before getting all worked up!

I have no problem with waiting for answers; my problem is with characters who don't appear to be even asking the questions, and with a show that in ignoring this violates "show, don't tell".

Chronologically speaking, it's been at least a couple of weeks since the turtles discovered that "mom" is of Kraang origin. It's the sort of thing that demands an immediate reaction, be it "my conception of our place in the world has been irrevocably altered" or "eh, who gives a crap?"--and yet the only such thing we've gotten so far is Mike's "mom?", after which they all forgot about it. What's more, the farther away the reaction is from the actual event, the less powerful it is.

[pannoni1]

Here are my bolded thoughts on the OP:

After watching the first 4 episodes, I can't help but feel there are things we should have seen that haven't been explained, and they seem to be overlooking:

1. There was no mention on how the Turtles got their names in this version. Usually the first thing we hear is Splinter naming the turtles based on Renaissance painters...but they never said that in this show. It wasn't explained to either us or to April. How are little kids supposed to know where their names came from?

They can just look it up of course later on like I did when I first saw the names in an encyclopedia when I was younger. Of course, this doesn't bother me as much in terms of being out of continuity since Splinter can always explain their naming later on; many children don't know for whom they were named for until well into their teens or even adulthood.

2. April's intro to the Turtles lair was completely skipped. Did April ever meet Splinter? She's in the lair so we assume she has but they don't even show it?

Probably, though it does bug me that she never screamed over the presence of a rat. If she indeed screams when meeting Splinter at a future episode, its a possible red flag for being out of continuity, especially if it doesn't involve Chris Bradford.

3. How did Chris Bradford know that Yoshi is now called Splinter? Shredder didn't even think he was alive till just recently. How could the name Splinter ever come up?

Simple. After Rise of the Turtles, Chris could have followed Shredder's "friend" on my.face and posted a link to the Channel 6 report, and then search on his computer "Hamato Yoshi", only to find "Splinter" who he is formerly known as.

4. Snake workin for the Kraang is hopefully explained soon.
I have no problem with how Snake turned to the Kraang and it just remains a mystery at this point.

5. We have no confirmation on how the mutagen works. It seems to mutate you into the last thing you had contact with but it hasn't been stated.

This could be an alternate universe where the Turtles/Splinter haven't yet discovered how the mutagen works, which may lead to some interesting development unique to this series until the "SOTO" is solved. That said, it helps if a series leaves some mysteries open because I feel that gives it better replay value and allows for more experimentation and creativity.

[CyberCubed]

I can only hope Yoshi named himself Splinter in Japan. Since "Splinter" came from the Turtles in the OT, perhaps in this version Splinter was his codename as a ninja assassin?

[snak]

Here's a question: Why in the shell is SPLINTER 20 feet tall!?! I find it really annoying.
I assumed that Splinter was tall because he's human-origin Splinter. He didn't shrink when he mutated, and even though all the turtles grew, they aren't as tall as people. So far, in this series, mutagen has only ever made things get bigger, so there's no reason to think that Splinter should have gotten smaller just because he mutated from human to anthropomorphic rat.

edit: I also think it's quite possible that Hamato Yoshi had "Splinter" as a title just like Oroku Saki has "Shredder"
I really hope that's what they go with.

[Zulithe]

I'm really not happy with how April is being portrayed in the show... we know almost nothing about her as a person. in ep 1 & 2 when she is kidnapped with her dad she barely has any lines! then when she meets the turtles she has this kind of "what, talking turtles? well, who'd have thunk?" attitude where she quickly accepts it, then she's not even in ep 3, and in ep 4 we see her again and she is CHILLING OUT IN THE SEWER AND THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT FACEBOOK INSTEAD OF SAVING HER DAD! I mean... just wow.

They have glossed over her so much that frankly if they just dropped her from the show I think people would barely even notice she wasn't there anymore. The Turtles could go on and have adventures without even saving her dad and nobody would care.

Please treat her like a real person who has motivations, a personality and character! Not just some chick who hangs around the turtles and acts like a stereotypical teenage girl.

IMO episode 3 should have been about april, not some stupid throwaway spider villain. it only makes sense that after being introduced to this strange new world of mutants that she would have lots of questions and need to get to know them but the show isn't showing that at all

[The Stryker]

I don't care about April.

Never did, never will. So all of this complaining about her not getting development and such is funny to me. They're starting the season with Turtle focused stories. Hook em with the good stuff. You don't start with a boring April biography.

It'd be like if the first episode of The Simpsons was a 'Lisa does stuff' episode.

'Treat her like a real person' hey, guess what? She's a cartoon character.

[BubblyShell22]

April never got much development in the 2K3 show either. We never really learned what happened to her parents, though it's assumed they're dead. Plus, Robyn only showed up in a total of one episode and was never mentioned again. I'm not really that worried about April right now. She'll be fleshed out more as the series progresses. They're just setting up some things right now.

[The Big Bad]

April never got much development in the 2K3 show either. We never really learned what happened to her parents, though it's assumed they're dead. Plus, Robyn only showed up in a total of one episode and was never mentioned again. I'm not really that worried about April right now. She'll be fleshed out more as the series progresses. They're just setting up some things right now.

While you are correct that the 4Kids show didn't delve on April's family, I think focusing on only that misrepresents both the cartoon and people's concerns.

Think back to "A Better Mousetrap", April's debut. There, the entire A-plot is centered on her, and we learn quite a bit about her: that she's is enthusiastic about science and the opportunity to work with Baxter Stockman, that she's professional enough to both notice and care about the Mousers' disappearance, and a bit of a snoop. We also learn that she's fairly resourceful and can keep relatively calm in a crisis. Contrast that to her debut in this cartoon, in which we learn...what, exactly?

It's also important to note that most of her character beats flow logically from the events of that initial two-parter. When next we see her, in "Nano", we're told about how, after losing her job, she's decided to manage her father's store until she figures things things out. Once that status quo is established, then we see her in scenes akin to hers in "Old Friends, New Enemies", and when that status quo is altered--say, when the turtles move in with her or she's forced to move in with them, we are told how those changes affect her. It's that last thing that we've been missing so far--Teen April's status quo has been massively upended, and yet the show has yet to acknowledge it in anything but the most superficial of ways.

[CyberCubed]

For those worrying about April, the plotline of her kidnapped dad will continue throughout the season. In fact she seems to star in an episode 3 weeks from now.

[Coola Yagami]

For those worrying about April, the plotline of her kidnapped dad will continue throughout the season. In fact she seems to star in an episode 3 weeks from now.

And during those 3 weeks she will either not appear at all... or make short cameos in which she could care less what happened to her dad. Sounds about right. It seems the Nick show wants to put multiple stories like The Kraang and the Foot.... but doesn't know how to connect them properly. My guess is whenever we see The Kraang they will completely forget the Shredder ever existed... and vice versa when we see the Foot.

[FearlessLeader]

The simple fact is over all this show is aimed towards little boys and they are interested in the Turtles and maybe Splinter and probably could care less about April.

I agree she needs to be developed but I would personally like to see more ground work laid into the five lead characters before we shift focus to her. We haven't even had a Leo or Don centric episode yet and personally I want those first.

Also does anyone else remember how long it took things to get going in the 2003 show? We were left clueless about a lot of things for like half of the first season. The fact they are taking their time to develop things I think is actually good.

[Donatello19]

And during those 3 weeks she will either not appear at all... or make short cameos in which she could care less what happened to her dad. Sounds about right. It seems the Nick show wants to put multiple stories like The Kraang and the Foot.... but doesn't know how to connect them properly. My guess is whenever we see The Kraang they will completely forget the Shredder ever existed... and vice versa when we see the Foot.

I agree, but the foot and the kraang are supposed to team up sometime in the series

[gzilla46]

I'm really not happy with how April is being portrayed in the show... we know almost nothing about her as a person. in ep 1 & 2 when she is kidnapped with her dad she barely has any lines! then when she meets the turtles she has this kind of "what, talking turtles? well, who'd have thunk?" attitude where she quickly accepts it, then she's not even in ep 3, and in ep 4 we see her again and she is CHILLING OUT IN THE SEWER AND THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT FACEBOOK INSTEAD OF SAVING HER DAD! I mean... just wow.

They have glossed over her so much that frankly if they just dropped her from the show I think people would barely even notice she wasn't there anymore. The Turtles could go on and have adventures without even saving her dad and nobody would care.

Please treat her like a real person who has motivations, a personality and character! Not just some chick who hangs around the turtles and acts like a stereotypical teenage girl.

IMO episode 3 should have been about april, not some stupid throwaway spider villain. it only makes sense that after being introduced to this strange new world of mutants that she would have lots of questions and need to get to know them but the show isn't showing that at all

They'll probably explain more later.

[CyberCubed]

And during those 3 weeks she will either not appear at all... or make short cameos in which she could care less what happened to her dad. Sounds about right. It seems the Nick show wants to put multiple stories like The Kraang and the Foot.... but doesn't know how to connect them properly. My guess is whenever we see The Kraang they will completely forget the Shredder ever existed... and vice versa when we see the Foot.

They mentioned the Kraang in the recent Foot episode, so I don't know what you're talking about.

[Coola Yagami]

They mentioned the Kraang in the recent Foot episode, so I don't know what you're talking about.

....when exactly?

[CyberCubed]

....when exactly?

They talked about fighting alien robots.