The Evil League of Mutants

**"The Evil League of Mutants"** is the twenty-third episode (Episode 13) of *Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.* It first aired on January 19th, 2019.

## Characters

* Donatello (Josh Brener)
* Evil League of Mutants
	+ Baron Draxum (John Cena)
	+ Hypno-Potamus (Rhys Darby)
	+ Meat Sweats (John Lydon)
	+ Repo Mantis (Fred Tatasciore)
	+ Sando Brothers
		- Ben (Paul Scheer)
		- Carl (Jason Mantzoukas)
	+ Warren Stone (John Michael Higgins)
* Huginn (Timothy Simons)
* Leonardo (Ben Schwartz)
* Michelangelo (Brandon Mychal Smith)
* Muninn (Sam Richardson)
* Raphael (Omar Benson Miller)
* Splinter (Eric Bauza)
* Foot Clan
	+ Foot Brute (Maurice LaMarche)
	+ Foot Lieutenant (Rob Paulsen)
	+ Origami Ninja
* Todd Capybara (Thurop Van Orman)

## Plot

In a wildlife habitat dome in New York City, the Mad Dogs are fighting against two mutant crabs who are known as the Sando Brothers. They try to combat them with their powers, only for them to backfire in many different ways (Donnie's staff only runs out of power and the shock is what causes him to be down for the count) As the Sando Brothers celebrate, they are suddenly teleported away by a portal appearing beneath them.

Back at the family lair, everyone is upset that they only seem to be winning their fights because of luck. Raph then proposes that they actually have to train in order to get good, much to the dismay of his brothers. They then wake up Splinter and ask for help. Splinter agrees, but only shows them Lou Jitsu shows that showcase fighting instead of actually training. Irritated of their father's "help," the Mad Dogs said him that they needed a real leader and said that he was just a rat, as they goes to leave. Angered by their harsh words, Splinter grounds them and demands their weapons, saying they don't deserve them. Rather than putting them in his hands as he expected, the Mad Dogs, offscreen, angrily dropped their weapons on the floor and left the room, causing Splinter, whose expression has been turned from angry to sad, to become hurt.

Meanwhile, the other mutant villains the Mad Dogs have faced get brought into the room. Repo Mantis explains to the other mutants why they are here. Baron Draxum arrives and said that it was him. He explains that he brought them to him because they are enemies of the Mad Dogs and plots they work together to destroy "his creations." The evil mutants are left puzzled when he called the turtles creations of his. Huginn and Muninn then explain, in the form of a song, that Draxum saw Lou Jitsu compete in the Battle Nexus. Astounded by his fighting skills, Draxum took Lou Jitsu back to his lair and uses his DNA to mutate the turtles to who they are now, but Lou escaped, taking the turtles with him. Draxum then proposes, in a song as well, that they all work together to defeat them, and they all agree. He then calls his team his "Evil League of Mutants".

In the night, the Mad Dogs patrol, despite being grounded. They see the Foot Lieutenant in a van, but due to low spirits and no weapons, they brush it off. Suddenly, four flyers blow and hit each of them in the face. It was revealed that it was a magic show starting in "New Jersey".

The Mad Dogs enter "New Jersey" outside the building. They enter and meet Draxum and his league. He said that he has to give the Mad Dogs once last chance to join his side, Leo responded that Draxum once had threw him off a roof the last time in the Nexus Hotel. Before he can however, Donnie, spots Todd in the back, because Todd thought that he made new friends. After one boom of a fight out of the building, they end up at a fish and ladder thought. Mikey asks if Splinter is gonna be mad that they didn't listen to him. Leo says that their father is right and they were so mean to him. Realizing this, they use the ladders and fish to defeat the evil mutants. Draxum recognizes that saw the origins of Lou Jitsu of how the Mad Dogs did those moves.

Draxum explain the Turtle's origins to them of having Lou Jitsu DNA. Believing him, they are left speechless knowing that Lou Jitsu is their dad. Right before Draxum could attack them, he was brought by a dark ally and met the foot leaders. They all get into their van all having the same goal.

The Mad Dogs return to the lair, only to be comforted by an angry Splinter, who said that he was worried and asked that he grounded them. Leo answers and says that he took away their weapons. Just as Raph is about to say something about a little secret, Splinter says that he didn't mean to lose his temper earlier. Leo tells him that Lou Jitsu himself is their father, and Splinter wonders why. They also said that, whoever their biological human father was, Splinter was still their real father. The Mad Dogs apologize to them about their harsh words from before and pull him in a group hug.

## Trivia

* This is the third 30-minute episode in the series after "Mystic Mayhem" and "Bug Busters".
* This episode features a musical number named "Todd's Lemonade".
	+ During the musical number, Huginn, Muninn, Draxum, and the Evil League of Mutants sing about the Turtles' (and Splinter's) origins.
	+ During the song, in one instance, there are four giant Turtles seen in the background (possible reference to other incarnation where the Turtles all looked the same.)
	+ The song is a parody of "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" from *Pirates of Penzance.*
	+ It was revealed in September 2020 by *Rise of the TMNT* director and story artist JJ Conway in a tweet that his storyboards for the scene were inspired by Disney musical numbers "Be Prepared", "Hellfire", "Friends on the Other Side", and most notably "Poor Unfortunate Souls". As well as *FernGully: The Last Rainforest's* "Toxic Love" and *The Rocky Horror Picture Show*.
* The Lou Jitsu tape, *1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish – Dead Fish,* Splinter tried to play before training the Mad Dogs was a nod to the Dr. Seuss classic, "One Fish, Two Fish. Red Fish, Blue Fish".
* It is revealed by Draxum that he created the Mad Dogs by using Lou Jitsu's DNA. This is the first reference made to mutating animals rather than humans.
* Leo quoting, "We need a tiger" after he and his brothers confront Splinter of their training is a potential nod to Tiger Claw, who was voiced by Splinter's current voice actor.
* This episode apparently takes place exactly thirteen years after the Mad Dogs were mutated.
* Based on this episode, there was a Step-into-Reading book called "When Mutants Attack!".
* Draxum almost said the Turtle team's name.
* When the Turtles startle Splinter awake, an award reminiscent of an Emmy can be seen on one of Splinter's bedroom wall shelves.
* With the reveal in "Many Unhappy Returns" and "E-Turtle Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", Splinter insisting his sons listen to their father and that fathers "know everything" is ironic as Splinter spent his life disregarding what his own father figure advised concerning the Hamato Clan and the Foot and thought he knew better than him (i.e., believed the Shredder was fictional). It wouldn't even be until later in "Shadow of Evil" when Splinter fully recognizes the threat of the Foot.