Official Ep Discussion: #9 "The Gauntlet" aka "Enter Shredder"
 

Alrighty, let's give this a go!

So, April is a little more than shocked to get a warning from her dad - from a giant mutant pigeon of all things. Apparently, the Kraang have something up their collective sleeves, and it involves mutagen and the NYC water supply.

Scary mutant thing out to poison the water, only to be stopped by other scary mutant thing... sounds a lot like Dreamcatcher by Stephen King.

After seeing this week's preview with Pete the giant pigeon, I can't imagine trying to take a walk in a park with a flock of mutant birds flying overhead. It'd be like getting pooped on by a pterodactyl... or Big Bird. But it shows that there's only going to be more problems of the Kraang doing their weird experiments in the dark alleys of the city.

The question I have is... how will the Shredder fit into all of this? We know so little about Shredder at this point. We saw a (fairly young and handsome) picture of Saki from the episode of Mike and Chris Bradford... that photo has intrigued many ever since it first appeared. There's going to be a history between Saki and Yoshi unlike anything we've seen on TV.

So, first impressions: Shredder is horribly scarred, and he's got some sort of skyscraper in use in the center of the city. But he's coming with the intention of getting Splinter once and for all. Is his physical state the result of something that happened between the two? Perhaps he was injured during the major fire that killed Tang Shen and cost Yoshi his daughter? Perhaps we'll have a little bit of the financial powerhouse that Shredder was in the 2K3 series. Perhaps he's looking at TCRI as a financial ally? Or weapons developer...


Also, some people are predicting that this episode may be the one where we see Bradford and Xever possibly get mutated into Dogpound and Fishface, respectively. While I'm looking forward to what the writers have in store for us, I personally like the idea of having more human villains.

Bradford is SO well known in the martial arts circles, there would have to be some sort of way for him to use that to his advantage - TV, social media, local live events. Xever's more important in the lower levels of society, in the gangs and prisons. He could have a major network of bad guys to collaborate with, if he had the reputation to be that kind of leader.

I think the most dangerous villain is one that has the power to influence public opinion. Anyone remember Dregg from the OT? Or Shredder from 2K3? It's all about the people you know...

So,

WILT THY EVIL SHREDDER COMMETH AND MERRILY SMOTE MANY A TURTLE?!
CAN APRIL FIND HER DAD BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO HIM?
AND WILL MIKE SURVIVE THE 'TRAUMA' OF A GIANT PIGEON PROBING HIM FOR BREADCRUMBS?!

Stay Tuned!!!

We're Open!

*runs!*

hey, why do some assume that here rad brad and xever will be mutated?I cant follow this somehow...advice would be welcome, compadres!)...
I hope we get another motion comic scene in this episode!wishing all of you who are able to watch this in a few minutes mucho fun!looking forward to read your thoughts and observations!...
booyakashaa!

It's pretty cool that the Nick Turtles Vs. Foot campaign admits this episode is an intentional reference to Fred Wolf episode, "What's Michaelangelo Good For?"

Nice concept art too!

LOL gotta love Mikey and the smoke bombs. So close to saving her dad. And now we have Fishface and Dogpound!!!!!! And Shredder!!!!!! He kicked the Turtles butts! And was about to kill them all! Wow! I love t his show! Shredder is no joke!

I really liked this episode. I thought the promise of mutant pidgeon, mutation of Bradford & Xever, Kraang bomb plot, AND the turtles' 1st encounter with Shredder wok be too much plot for one episode, but it didn't feel overambitious at all. Great episode!

oh man, dudes!more, more, MORE information!!who knows when some of us over here will be able to see it;)...
sounds like a pretty b b b bb baaaaad episode!!!;)

Best episode so far IMO. Shredder was epic and at first I thought they were going to end the battle leaving Shredder hanging from the building, but for the first time in the series so far, the turtles actually lost. Shredder is a foe that is no joke. I also can't wait to see Dogpound and Fishface in action. One thing that I thought was very stupid however, was the pigeon. Whats the point of making a mutant if they're only going to be in the episode for like, less than 5 minutes?
EDIT: Why was this episode titled "The Gauntlet"? What does that even mean?

Shredder was so awesome! The fight was pretty intense. And I like how the scene seemed dark.

Awesome episode! I loved every second of it! BTW, did anyone catch the clever old toon reference with the hotel's name?

the blades on shredders hand that can spring load in this version are called a gauntlet..

I figured it was more like the expression, "throw down the gauntlet," as in, the challenge someone to a battle.

i think the title of the episode is more based on the turtles having went thru a list of events in one episode hence the gauntlet as opposed to the obvious which is the shredder's gauntlet..

Oh, OK. Thanks. I still think they could have made a better title for the episode though. It's not like Shredder's gauntlet was a major plot point or anything.

Why can't the episode title refer to both the Turtles' trials and Shredder's armour?

The Gauntlet more like a battle arena

Fought the kranng, then xever and bradford then finally the shredder

"The Gauntlet" Title does NO Justice to how Unbelievably AWESOME This Episode was! :) :) :)

I'm still shaking, that's how Epic it was!

This episode is going to get multiple viewings today from me lol. I really can't wait to see Shredder and Splinter when they meet after all these years.

That makes the most since. Besides, if those things Shredder wear really are called gauntlets, he has two. It's not called "The Gauntlets."

This episode. This episode, man.
I kept thinking, "this is my favourite part so far" and then a few seconds later I'd think the same thing. There were just that many good bits.

Definitely an episode I really need to watch again to get a better feel about what happened, since so much took place! As soon as I saw the dog by Christ Bradford, I knew that it was almost certain that the Dogpund/Fishface mutation was bound to happen, and I felt that the Wolf tower was the place that it was going to happen, and that once the Turtles knocked Chris and Xever with the liquid substance, they would get mutated as soon as they returned, and I was right. Too bad the Turtles couldn't rescue Kirby, it was too good to be true for the Turtles to defeat Shredder the first time around, since they defeated him the first time in the comics, 4kids, the movies, and the OT. I also wonder if the "WOLF" tower was in reference to Fred Wolf perhaps, since we had Murakami in the last episode. I still can't believe that the Kraang control base is directly underground in the sewers in a Star Wars-esque chamber. I'm not sure too, but I think we also get the series' first daytime appearance above ground at the start of the episode.

Overall: 9/10

I think we got a day time clip when Mikey and Bradford were eating their pizza earlier in the season. I also like how Shredder ran through them and they didn't win. Very humbling experience for them.

Awesome episode! I laughed at the beginning all through the whole smoke-bomb sequence, and the end fight was epic...until YTV here in Canada decided to make their lame guy talk in a split screen DURING THE ENTIRE FIGHT :x

Awesome awesome awesome episode. Shredder ran through the guys like they were nothing. Can't wait to see more.

This was a VERY good episode. My favorite parts are when Mikey uses the smokebombs, and the turtles first encounter with Shredder. That was a very awesome fight scene.:tgrin: Hope we get to see Splinter take him on soon.

Definitely my favorite episode, yet. But I say that every two episodes.

Best episode so far.

I loved this episode. Didn't really dig the opening encounter, found it to be a bit strange. Other than that, very solid.

What good sh*t, man. I looooved the smoke bomb gags and the fights were tight, too.

I want that Shredder theme that was playing during the fight. It was hot.

Good grief, this episode was a big screaming dose of INCREDIBLE. :o:o:o:o:o

That first Shredder encounter was total 1990 live-action movie love. Talk about INTENSE. It felt just like the final fight in the 1990 movie to me, yet for these Turtles and this beast of a Shredder, it's only the beginning! I cannot WAIT for this Splinter (who might be my fave Splinter EVER as of now) and Shredder to throw down and scrap - it's gonna be E-P-I-C. :teek:

The humor in this episode really worked well and had me rolling in the floor. The smoke bomb gags just kept me grinning from ear to ear! :lol: And here comes Dogpound and Fishface! I look forward to seeing how Rad Brad and Xever adjust to their new "makeovers." This ain't no Bebop and Rocksteady 2.0 IMO - as bad as these dudes were as humans, one's gotta believe they're gonna be far more dangerous in their mutated forms - with a newfound grudge to bear as well!

I love the new series SO MUCH! It's full of brilliant wit, ferocious energy and pure fan LOVE. It truly amazes me how this show just keeps getting better and better each week after starting off so incredibly strong to begin with! I've been watching religiously since the premiere and just can't get enough of this latest iteration. It feels like a perfect blend of all previous TMNT incarnations beautifully melded into one fantastic new series.

Can't wait for the next episode, or to re-watch the greatness that was The Gauntlet! :tgrin:

I am so happy that the Shredder beat the turtles!! YEEESSS!!!!!:):):):):)


Those green freaks must die!!!

Couldn't have said it better myself. :D

Here's something I really like about this show. In most action cartoons they tend to make the heroes way too overpowered - you never really get to see the good guys take much damage. They're doing a really good job of balancing that out here. Even when the turtles win a fight, they still take a lot of hits before the end. It's good, keeps things interesting. You don't know if Raph's going to get back up after being electrocuted, or if they'll be carrying him home later.

Another thing I really like is that when one of them gets f'd up, one of the others will go check on him, pick him up and get him back into the fight. It was cool to see Mikey come to Raph's aid for a change.

Mikey can pull off a great Nightcrawler imitation!

Bamf!

http://markandpaigerodriguez.blogspo...-gauntlet.html my thoughts. but wow this episode was packed with so much stuff!

oh man, how can I say anything rightous after such a hell of a rollercoaster ride!its BRILLIANT!!!thats just what it is..mucho fun!

so here is my short summary of feelings that make up this show for me:

I LOVE:
the humour
the brotherhood
the action packed fights
the characters
the city
the music(in the episodes)
the lighting
the learning of lessons and the beatiful worded messages of splinter

togther they all form my favourite part of the week, saturday nights, Booyakashaa-time!;)

hey, what was really sweet in the beginning when april is running away from pigeon pete she passes the cafe balzac;)..now I dont know if this cafe really exists in new york, but it was a featured place in the cosby show back in the days and that show is so close to me, too;)

Bad news guys, the series is taking a little break from it's "new episode every Saturday rule". The next episode, titled "Panic In The Sewers", will not air until December 1st.

I guess I can't get too upset. That's Thanksgiving weekend. They'll turn right around a disappear around Christmas, too... That's just the way it goes.

The smoke bombs/mikey scene was hilarious, thats now 9 for 9 fantastic episodes,keep this up and we may have a hall of fame cartoon series here.

Also that might be the best tmnt vs shredder fights I've ever seen.Also the nick shredder is NOT F--King around! Lol