While it is not the best episode, it is a top 3.
It's infamously dark, edgy, emotional, and overall fantastic. While Ultimate Drako sends Michelangelo to the world of the Superturtles, Raphael to a planet-wide racing event, and Leonardo to the world of his friend Usagi, Donatello gets sent to a future where the world is a totalitarian state ruled by the Shredder. How dark is this episode? Well, the Don of this world left thirty years ago and is presumed dead, Mikey lost his arm, Raph lost an eye, something is wrong with Leo's eyes, Casey and Splinter are dead, and April leads a resistance. Don meets up with April, Mikey, Leo, and Raph and they assault the Shredder's palace head-on. During the fight, Mikey, Leo, Raph, and Karai all perish. Yes perish. THEY DIE. Donatello manages to kill Shredder by luring him into a massive electric drill.
What really makes this episode special is the questions it raises. How did Shredder get so much power to enslave the world? How exactly did Casey and Splinter die? What happened to the Donatello of this world? What happened afterward? And biggest of all: WHY THE HELL DID DON GET SENT OT THIS PLACE?! The other turtles at least go to places that reflect their interests. Mikey loves superheroes, Raph loves bike racing, and Leo gets to see his old pal Usagi. What is it in Don's mind that prompted him to be sent to that world?
While this episode is probably the most infamous episode in the entire 2003 saga, it has a few problems. For one, the episode seems a bit rushed. Also, all of the Ultimate Drako episodes seem kind of out of place. Ultimate Drako just shows up, transports everyone places, then they come back together and defeat him while Season 3 just keeps going. It's not bad, but it seems kind odd.
What really makes this episode special is the questions it raises. How did Shredder get so much power to enslave the world? How exactly did Casey and Splinter die? What happened to the Donatello of this world? What happened afterward? And biggest of all: WHY THE HELL DID DON GET SENT OT THIS PLACE?! The other turtles at least go to places that reflect their interests. Mikey loves superheroes, Raph loves bike racing, and Leo gets to see his old pal Usagi. What is it in Don's mind that prompted him to be sent to that world?
While this episode is probably the most infamous episode in the entire 2003 saga, it has a few problems. For one, the episode seems a bit rushed. Also, all of the Ultimate Drako episodes seem kind of out of place. Ultimate Drako just shows up, transports everyone places, then they come back together and defeat him while Season 3 just keeps going. It's not bad, but it seems kind odd.
