The Arena of Carnage

"Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind"

**"The Arena of Carnage"** is the seventh episode of the fourth season of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 TV series) and the 85th episode overall of the series.

## Synopsis

The Ninja Turtles are captured and thrown into the Triceraton Arena!

## Characters

### Major Characters

* April O'Neil (Mae Whitman)
* Casey Jones (Josh Peck)
* Donatello (Rob Paulsen)
* Zayton Honeycutt (David Tennant)
* Leonardo (Seth Green)
* Michelangelo (Greg Cipes)
* Raphael (Sean Astin)
* Triceratons
	+ Mozar (Michael Dorn)
	+ Emperor Zanmoran (Michael Ironside)
	+ Zeno (John DiMaggio)
	+ Commander Zoran (Kevin Michael Richardson)
	+ Triceraton Announcer (John DiMaggio)
	+ Triceraton Guard #1 (Michael Dorn)
	+ Triceraton Guard #2 (Seth Green)
	+ Triceraton Guard #3 (Kevin Michael Richardson)

### Minor Characters

* Foot Clan (holograms)
	+ Bebop (hologram)
	+ Rahzar (hologram)
	+ Rocksteady (hologram)
	+ Shredder (Kevin Michael Richardson, hologram)
	+ Tiger Claw (hologram)
* Spasmosaur

## Plot

As the Turtles practice on the Holodeck of the Ulixes against Shredder's minions, before Raph and Donny can fight Bebop and Rocksteady, the Fugitoid calls them to the bridge as they've reached the Triceraton flagship. According to the schematics they got from Belebome, the first piece of the Black Hole Generator will be in the Triceratons' main armory, with the Turtles' main means of entrance being an airlock on one side of the ship. To avoid detection, the Turtles will take the Ulixes' stealth ship while April and Casey remain behind on the Ulixes with the Fugitoid to coordinate the retrieval.

As the Turtles approach the flagship, they are able to evade a patrol of Triceraton Raptor Fighters and make it inside. Unfortunately, they soon run into Admiral Mozar, having been promoted to Admiral from Captain for getting the first piece of the Heart of Darkness, and are quickly overpowered and captured, to be sentenced to execution by being sucked out into the vacuum of space, without their helmets. Before they can however, the Triceraton Emperor, Zanmoran himself, appears via hologram, and requests that the Turtles be put into battle in the Triceraton Arena instead. Not one to argue with his Emperor, Mozar spares the Turtles and has them taken to be locked up in a cell until they are called to battle in the arena. While locked up, they befriend a fellow prisoner by the name of Zeno, who gives them valuable advice for fighting in the Tri-Arena. When the Turtles are called in to fight, they first have to prove their worth by defeating a multi-eyed, multi-mouthed, multi-tentacled monster called the Spasmosaur. Thanks to having been told by Zeno of a weak spot on the monster, Donny is able to skewer it with his Bo staff, defeating it. However, the Turtles soon find themselves up against Zeno, revealed to be the undefeated Triceraton Champion, despite his treason with believing the Heart of Darkness should never be used like how the Triceratons are using it against the Kraang.

Back aboard the Ulixes, the Fugitoid realizes that it will be up to him, April, and Casey to infiltrate the flagship and rescue the Turtles and the Black Hole Generator piece themselves. After managing to get past the Triceraton security forces, they are soon discovered and split up. While April and Casey go for the armory, the Fugitoid is captured and brought before Emperor Zanmoran to watch the Turtles perish against Zeno. Zanmoran offers to spare the Turtles if the Fugitoid assists in the retrieval of the rest of the Heart of Darkness and build it for the Triceratons, but the Fugitoid refuses. After evading the guards, April uses her gift from the Aeons to help open the door to the armory with her psychic powers. From there, using one of the devices used by the Triceratons to capture Casey during their invasion of Earth, they are able to carry the piece of the Black Hole Generator out, only to run afoul of the returning guards and forced to run for it with the piece as the Triceratons fire after them.

Back in the Tri-Arena, having the Turtles at his mercy, Zeno is given a choice: Destroy them and earn his freedom, or spare them since they've become friends. Zeno chooses the latter, throwing his hammer at Emperor Zanmoran, and reiterating his disgust at using the Heart of Darkness like a cowardly Kraang instead of fighting with honor. Furious, the Emperor orders Zeno and the Turtles eliminated, but due to Zeno's size and strength, he's able to hold off his assailants while the Turtles are able to take Emperor Zanmoran prisoner, forcing Admiral Mozar to have no choice but to release them and the Fugitoid.

Taking the Emperor with them, the Turtles and the Fugitoid soon run into Casey and April, and in the resulting collision, the Emperor's crown is knocked off. Horrified, the Triceraton troops chasing April and Casey hold their fire, not wanting to risk hitting the Emperor in the crossfire, but the Emperor and Mozar order them to not worry about him and eliminate the Turtles and their allies. With the Fugitoid leading them, the gang reach the airlock, which April then opens, pulling them and the Black Hole Generator piece out into space. As everyone holds their breath, April uses her powers and the Aeons' gift to summon the stealth ship, allowing them to escape back to the Ulixes, and then escape the Triceraton Armada itself as Mozar sends the Raptor Fighters after them.

Having succeeded in their mission and having gotten the first piece of the Heart of Darkness back from the Triceratons, the team prepares to go after the remaining two pieces, with the Fugitoid shouting out "**BOOYAKASHA!**" when Mikey is unable to do it because of a full mouth.

## Trivia

* This episode is an adaption of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue 6 (Mirage).
* The fight simulation at the beginning of the episode is a nod to some fighting games as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.
	+ Shredder sitting in the back watching the fights and announcing the new challengers and special attacks represents the villain Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat, who coincidentally also wears a horned helmet, spiked shoulder pads and a cape.
	+ Leonardo defeats Tiger Claw punching him during a spinning jump and shouting "Shoryuken!" while flames appear in the background, a reference to Street Fighter.
	+ Right before being defeated, Rahzar stands dizzy in place, waiting for Michelangelo's final attack, a reference to Mortal Kombat. Shredder even tells Mikey to "Finish him!"
	+ The energy bars were designed after Mortal Kombat II's - specifically it resembled most closely, the Genesis version.
	+ When Leonardo defeats Tiger Claw with a regular attack it was a "Fatality", but Michelangelo's final blow on Rahzar was a "Balloonality", a reference to some funny and unusual final attacks from Mortal Kombat, such as "Friendship". The inflation of one's head for the purpose of a finishing move was actually used as one of Kabal's Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 3, and Kitana's Kiss of Death in the 16-bit version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
	+ Super Mario Bros. Sound Effects can be heard during this scene
* This version of the Spasmosaur has multiple eyes, which gives it a look similar to the Rathtars from the *Star Wars* Franchise.

## Quotes

*After the Turtles beat the Spasmosaur* **Zanmoran:** *(chuckles)* They fight better than I expected. **Mozar:** *(scoffs)* Pure luck, sire.

**Zanmoran:** *(laughs)* Why let your friends suffer? I might consider sparing them if you complete the Heart of Darkness. **Fugitoid:** I will *never* build such a weapon for you, Zanmoran!

**Zeno:** *(speaking to Zanmoran)* These are honorable beings. We are here because we wish the Heart of Darkness destroyed. But you would use it like some cowardly Kraang!

**Zanmoran:** Fools! You have made a grave enemy of the Triceraton Empire. **Mozar:** Even if you get off *this* ship, there is no where in the Ten Dimensions we will not find you!