The episode idea thread (Turtle Torture Edition)

[Tarris Vaal]

It occurs to me that there hasn't been an amnesia based episode yet.

Leo would have been a perfect fit for this kind of scenario - episode starts with the guys taking on some minor bad guy (spiderbytez for example) and Leo is knocked out after being thrown into a building or something. He hits his head and Karai picks him up while the others are distracted - and then realises he's lost his immediate memory and uses him to commit petty crimes, etc (things she considers 'fun').

Unfortunately, Karai is now past the point of doing something like that, and frustratingly any other character who may have done a similar thing would have Leo commit far worse crimes - thus tainting him more than one or two episodes could heal.

So...
I was wondering if this would work with any of the other characters;

Having Raph have an episode where he turns evil becomes of amnesia would only cheapen the Dark Raph arc as and when it comes around. I also think using amnesia as an excuse for the Dark Raph arc in the first place really loses a lot of potential and would seem a wasted opportunity on the shows part.

That said, rather than Raph going evil, perhaps if the amnesia would result in him becoming rather more pacifistic? Maybe Raph was a lot less aggressive in his early years and then became steadily more temper prone as he grew older? Maybe a reversion to an earlier state (possibly even using it as a way of explaining the crack in his shell) would show us where his character came from emotionally in the first place - and perhaps confront him with a character that would force him to make that choice to fight or flee all over again (maybe if Newtralizer made a return and threatened to kill the others).


Mikey is a lot harder, mainly because I can't imagine him ever really being anything other than what he is now (other than younger). Losing some memories isnt likely to change his personality much, though I like the idea that a blow to the head might cause his personality to shift to a more aggressive (even cruel or sadistic) stance briefly - just to showcase what Mikey could have become if circumstances had played differently. I can certainly imagine him having an inner turmoil between his 'good' self and a darker 'cruel' self fighting for control of his soul.

That said, it wouldnt really make sense in the context of an 'amnesia' premise.


Donatello is also tricky. A dark Donnie is likely to be closer to Baxter Stockman than to Shredder, so making him 'evil' seems unlikely simply because you couldnt do it properly over the course of just 1 episode. That said, its possible that in his youth Donatello was a lot more cocky and aggressive - he certainly has a strong temper at times - but he has a lot of control of it and its possible that in his youth he was much more like Raph is now. A blow to the head wiping much of his recent memory could revert his personality to being more like a younger cockier self. It would be interesting to see how April and the others would react if he became more overtly aggressive (being that he would probably be quite like Casey)

The other possibility is to have him completely forget April.
Imagine the episode opening with Splinter deciding that Donatello and April should spar in the training room. April - being April - wants to go all out, no holds barred. Donnie - trying to be chivalrous - is holding back. April gets annoyed at him for it and she whacks him hard, tripping him into a brick wall.

He wakes up a couple of minutes later concussed and with only scattered memories of the past couple of years. He sees April and Casey leaning over him and whilst initially struck by April again, he sees Casey and automatically assumes they are an item and that initial spark is immediately quenched. Rather than pursue her, he's now put her out of his mind as being anything more.

As April realises he's suffering memory loss and cant really remember her, she also realises that he is acting strangely around her. The others - except Mikey - seem to think its a good thing (especially Casey), but April finds that she is actually missing the old Donnie.

She confronts him about it (almost a reversal of their original roles if you like), and she even shows him the photo frame as proof. He explains that though he kinda likes her, but she's taken. She denies this vehemently, explaining Casey is just a friend. Donnie says he's a mutant turtle, why would she possibly want to be liked by him? She blurts out 'Because I like you!' before thinking. He goes silent. She goes red and walks out.

At this point the other three appear from their hiding places looking quite shocked and Raph is the one to tell him to go after her.


I know that is very AprilxDonnie arc as an episode idea, but it seemed at least one way to finally finish that part of the arc off!