"Shredder Triumphant" episode thread, Season 7 finale

[CyberCubed]

"Shredder Triumphant" was a very important episode of the original cartoon for several reasons, as it was an "end of an era" type deal:

- This is the finale of Season 7, and thus the last episode of the original formula of the show before the series was rebranded for Seasons 8-10.

- This is the last episode where Shredder/Krang have the Technodrome on Earth, and the last time they repower it. After this it gets lost in Dimension X

- This would be the second to last episode the Channel 6 building is still standing

- This episode is the only time Krang almost took over the Earth, with Rock Soldiers marching on City Hall.



I quite liked this episode also because of seeing the slave pits of Dimension X. While the whole Weasel not really being bad and his brother stuck in the pits was a little predictable, I liked seeing the more ugly side of Krang's operations that we don't usually see in the series.

I also love the way the Turtles baited Shredder to letting them back through the portal from Dimension X and how Raph and Leo take on the Shredder alone. Other notable moments is how Bebop/Rocksteady actually try to kill April/Irma/Vernon in this episode by shooting them out the window, which was quite gruesome for those two.

And lastly, Irma's action-heroine personality in this episode was hilarious. This is one of the last moments of glory her character gets in the series before being written out too.

Pretty good episode, my only gripe is not seeing more of Traag and the Soldiers but oh well.

[Refractive Reflections]

I thoroughly enjoyed the episode too for all the reasons you mentioned CyberCubed.

As for Krang's slave pits of Dimension X, I wished the OT had shown of just how extensive Krang's power and dominion over Dimension X was (i.e. what planets & alien races he took over, size of his armies) since he was warload that had conquered many. Remember the line in "Shredded and Splintered" in Season 1 when Krang had said that he had never been defeated? (I know it was just a dramatic line, but still...)

You did do a remarkable job CyberCubed of piecing together Krang's backstory, but there's still so much that's unknown. What crime led or caused his head/brain to be removed from his body? Who exactly "banished" Krang to Earth (according to the 1st season)? How was the Technodrome imagined or conceived besides Beserko being the head engineer for it? And of course the biggest question of all, how exactly did Shredder and Krang meet up? (I know some fanfiction has it, but in terms of OT canon it's a mystery.)

I wished they would have continued with this tone for the rest of season 8-10 rather than having that forced Red Sky imagery, but eh... it is what it is. In my opinion, season 7 was probably the closest in tone to 1st season and I think that's why so many enjoyed the 7th season, and of course when you involve something as dramatic as the Technodrome into it... well then, of course the episode will be memorable!

[Pterobat]

I just LOVE the way that Shredder gives up his victory just because the Turtles taunted him from across the way. It's pure OT Shredder at his..."finest".

Irma going Rambo was a close second.

It's kind of sweet spot of crazy, stupid, and wonderful that the OT never hit quite as often as I'd like.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Krang almost took ever Earth in the Big Trilogy too. Almost teleporting it away was closer than just attacking the New York City Hall.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Pterobat

I just LOVE the way that Shredder gives up his victory just because the Turtles taunted him from across the way. It's pure OT Shredder at his..."finest".

Irma going Rambo was a close second.

It's kind of sweet spot of crazy, stupid, and wonderful that the OT never hit quite as often as I'd like.

I kinda wondered why they didn't just throw the turtles into the dimensional limbo that Baxter or the Kangezoids were stuck in, rather than Dimension X. Shredder should have known good and well they could have found a spaceship or portal somewhere in Dimension X and make it back to Earth eventually.

And yes, poor Shredder. I thought he felt oddly sympathetic in this episode....after being defeated by the turtles for literally 150+ episodes he thought he had finally succeeded. :p

[Icebot]

After seeing the red sky episodes for the first time, I was dying to see this one again to see how non red sky ended. I had to wait 7 years to finally see it again.

This was also the last episode where pizza is mentioned.

I was disappointed that the Technodrome never came back to earth after Shredder Triumphant (unless Turtles Forever takes place after this). I was a little scared how Shredder and Krang were left homeless when the Technodrome got sucked into Dimension X.

One thing I do wonder is why did Krang have his android body in this episode and in the next one he had his bubble walker? Shouldn't he have to have gone to the Technodrome to do that?

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Icebot

One thing I do wonder is why did Krang have his android body in this episode and in the next one he had his bubble walker? Shouldn't he have to have gone to the Technodrome to do that?

My guess is the animators got confused because when Mikey was disguised as Krang in the holographic projector he came out with the bubble walker, while the real Krang had the Android body.

But in the Season 8 finale Shredder and Krang return to the Technodrome one last time, so Krang's Android body is there for when we see it again in Season 10's ending.

[Jephael]

You know as much as I loved season 7, it really bothered me that the animators decided to make the dimensional portal glow green. I prefer the traditional blue tinted portal.

[ryukenden]

This season finale did kind of end in a bittersweet manner. Even though Shredder, Krang, Rocksteady and Bebop got stranded on Earth without the Technodrome. Splinter did lament that they are still a threat and the episode ends right there. But then Red Sky began into supposed more darker and edgier territory and began to write off the main baddies.

[CyberCubed]

Krang's line, "At this rate maybe it WILL be the last thing you ever do!" as they were driving off was bittersweet.

Ah....by 1993 the idea of comical villains who fail in every episode was no longer the norm for cartoons as Batman: TAS raised the bar.

[ZariusTwo]

It's a great done-in-one finale, and closed the original flavour of the classic show off in a really nice fashion, the omnious music and mood swing when Splinter was telling the Turtles "your enemies are dangerous even without resources" was a good seage-way into the red sky era

[cammy85]

While it seems like the Big Trilogy meshed into one episode, one could also say it shows just how much smarter the villains had become (ignoring the fact that the Technodrome didn't have as far to go this time). It came out of nowhere too after having season finales that dealt with the Rat King and Leatherhead, or a scientist with a doomsday device.

The Dimension X twist was different and I agree that it should've been limbo. After seeing Turtle Trek, it shows that the villains had a plan and expected the Turtles to be picked up by the slave ship. Too bad Vorx screwed up and kidnapped Weasel's brother. :p

Yes, they would be fine considering Shredder was on his own for most of Season 2 with the odd help from Krang and had some pretty good plans.

[CyberCubed]

I'm still surprised that Bebop and Rocksteady were going to shoot April, Irma and Vernon right out the window if Splinter had not come. Probably one of the few times they actually had the intention to kill even if they were comical about it.

[cammy85]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I'm still surprised that Bebop and Rocksteady were going to shoot April, Irma and Vernon right out the window if Splinter had not come. Probably one of the few times they actually had the intention to kill even if they were comical about it.

That was cool!! I guess they never counted on Splinter coming to the rescue and the Turtles were in Dimension X.

[pannoni1]

This episode does have a good cliffhanger at the end with somewhat dramatic music after Shredder angrily says "I'll get those TURTLES if its the last thing I'LL EVER DOOOOOOOO!!!!!" That said, it was a good way to foreshadow the darker times just ahead, though I always like to fantasize the events between this and Get Shredder, most importantly how the sky changed Red along with other things such as how the Turtles started to hate pizza, April changing her jumpsuit and getting laser surgery to change her eyes to blue, and Krang moaning over his dead Android body. Shredder may have not been triumphant on screen, but he certainly was off-screen to toughen up the action.

The Dimension X battle was fun to watch since it introduced some new creatures.

[CyberCubed]

I also have to say, I liked the Season 7 Shredder replacement VA more than the one in Season 8.

This Shredder sounded somewhat similar to James Avery one, while the one in Season 8 sounds too one dimensional and generic. I wish they just kept this guy.

[Jephael]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I also have to say, I liked the Season 7 Shredder replacement VA more than the one in Season 8.

This Shredder sounded somewhat similar to James Avery one, while the one in Season 8 sounds too one dimensional and generic. I wish they just kept this guy.

Actually, I believe it was Townsend Coleman providing the voice in the second half of season 7.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Jephael

Actually, I believe it was Townsend Coleman providing the voice in the second half of season 7.

Interesting, I thought he was the best James Avery replacement, better than Jim Cummings from Season 3 eps or the Season 8-10 Shredder.

[DarkFell]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Interesting, I thought he was the best James Avery replacement, better than Jim Cummings from Season 3 eps or the Season 8-10 Shredder.

I assume that Cummings made for a better Drakus *ep. Get Shredder* than he made for Shredder although I wasn't bothered by Jim Cummings VA work for Shredder in that Venice on a Half Shell episode. -On the plus side J.C. made for a killer voice actor for Dr. Robotnik in Sonic SatAM but that is a different series altogether.- I just mentioned that because Jim's Drakus / Beserko & Robotnik sounded about the same.

And yeah, I missed heroic Irma; I thought the writers handled her better that way versus ep. Super Irma *which I also enjoyed.*

What was really epic and hilarious was seeing the bad guys drive off in the pick-up versus their usual transport modules that they generally used to make their escape.

As for Krang re-wiring the wires to his robotic body and following them off-screen, how could April, Splinter, and Irma not be able to hear all of that stomping behind them?

[pannoni1]

A behind-the-scenes tidbit: this was the only episode in which writer David Wise attended a recording session for the entire series. He recently posted his script.