Should you watch this, Wiki this, or wait for the recap? Watch this.
When a battle with the Kraang ends up with Raphael switching minds with a Kraang, the Turtles must find the Kraang controlling Raphael’s body before he can reveal all their secrets. Meanwhile, Raphael in a Kraang’s body must find a way to escape before he’s caught – and makes a startling discovery about the Kraang’s plans!
“Plan 10” is the 21st episode of Season 2 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and it plays upon the familiar trope of the good guy and bad guy switching minds. It’s truly a Season 2-type episode, and it features the grumpiest, possibly worst Turtles to switch minds with the Kraang – Raph. The worst Turtle I think would be Mikey – he’d probably either get captured and horribly tortured.
So anyway, Raph and a Kraang aren’t the only ones to swap minds in this episode (sans the man and the pigeon). I personally think it would have been interesting to see Shredder and Splinter swap minds, but given that they usually have the more serious storylines associates with them, something this lighthearted probably wouldn’t suit them.
Highlights
Raphael in a Kraang’s body (wielding sais)
Raph takes a while to get used to the Kraang’s body – there’s even a scene of him outside of the android hosts that the Kraang usually use, and it’s completely from his scared, tiny perspective. But once he learns to adapt to the android body they use, he recovers his sais and starts fighting like a ninja. It’s a visual you’re not going to forget soon – a Kraang, speaking like Raph and fighting with sais.
Casey Jones and April switch minds
Yep, the couple switch minds. Bearing in mind that they are at the age of puberty and hormones, the very first thing Casey does in April’s body is to check her out. Granted, he’s probably been doing that the whole time, but this is the only way they could show it without making Casey look like a pervert. It’s hilarious – April’s indignance and Casey’s uncontrollable hormones are a perfect match for each other.
Return to the Technodrome
We finally discover the fate of the Technodrome, after the Season 1 finale had it crashing into the ocean (wonder why the Turtles didn’t go after it, they can technically breathe under water right?). It’s operational, and Kraang Prime is using it as her base of operations. It’s a nice reference to the 80’s series, where the Technodrome is always stuck in some inaccessible part of the universe.
Turtle Sub and Kraang Sea Creature
It is very very weird how the Kraang Sea Creature has a crush on the Turtle Sub, but it does. Once again, the Turtles have to escape the amorous advances of the Kraang Sea Creature, who’s love for the Turtle Sub seems to have grown in its absence.
Letdowns
No Kraang Prime fight
I really wanted to see Kraang Prime battle the Turtles again. I mean, what’s the point of showing her if there’s no throwdown between her and the Turtles? It’s just a tease – but then again, that could be leading up to the final battle of Season 2.
Where are the Biotroids?
Remember how in episode 1, the Kraang’s formidable Biotroid nearly massacred the Turtles? Then, in the mid season two-parter, they were tearing through the Biotroids fairly easily? Well, there’s absolutely no sign of them here. And given that this is the Kraang’s invincible war machine, you’d expect a little bit more firepower.
But nope. No Biotroids.
“Plan 10” provided action, humour, and a sense of foreshadowing and mystery to the season. It might not have had a central antagonist driving it (does Kraang Prime count?) but it made up for it by putting the Turtles in the most uncomfortable, and unexpected situation.
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