Heartwarming / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)

''Guys! It’s Christmas Eve! It’s a time to remember those less fortunate than ourselves. In fact, it’s a time not to think of ourselves at all."

While the series is well known as possibly the most serious adaptation of the Turtles, it is still a show with heartwarming moments as described below.

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

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Season One

“Attack of the Mousers”

• After the Turtles have rescued April from Stockman's mouser-robots and she finally accepts the fact that Splinter and the turtles are real, Splinter's worried that April will expose the existence of himself and his sons. But April, grateful to them for saving her as well as realizing that no one would believe her even if she did tell them (which she points out to them), assures Splinter that she really won't tell anyone. Splinter then decides to go with his gut instinct and just trusts April's word.
• When it looks like the Turtles are about to be killed by Mousers, Raphael says that he had a great life with the brothers.
  Raphael: This is it. It's been fun guys.
  Michelangelo: Even me, Raph?
  Raphael: Even you Mikey. Especially you.

“Meet Casey Jones”

• Raph nearly bashes Mikey’s head with a pipe just because Mikey was teasing him during sparring. Feeling guilty, Raph runs away topside. Mikey immediately tries to go after him but his stopped by Splinter.
• When Raph comes back, he apologizes to Mikey who instantly forgives him.

“Fallen Angel”

• Seeing Casey, who's usually as angry as Raphael, act as a sort of Big Brother to a young girl named Angel, whom he promised to watch after. Plus seeing him interact with the young girl's grandmother is kind of sweet too.

“The Shredder Strikes Back” arc

• In the second part of The Shredder Strikes Back, April refuses to leave when Leonardo tells her to run.
  April: Not my fight?! Look Leo, we're all family now. I could never run out on you!

“Tales of Leo”

• Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Splinter all tell stories about how much Leonardo means to them and/or how much he has helped them such as…
  • Leo saving Donnie from drowning and falling down a waterfall
  • Leo refusing to break focus despite Mikey’s best efforts to make him laugh
  • Leo and Raph fighting a giant crocodile together
  • Splinter helping Leo overcome his fear of heights

“The Monster Hunter”

• Leonardo is still in a Heroic BSoD and is trying to reforge katanas for himself but due to his injuries, he's unable to do it for long since he's still recovering from his injuries, so Raphael helps him forge them and helps break him out of his Heroic BSoD.
• Meanwhile, Donnie, Mikey, and Casey discover the Green Man, a green creature that looks like a cross between a bear and a sloth. They protect it from Dr. Abigail Finn, a monster hunter. They succeed, and they’re rewarded with the sight of the Green Man reuniting with her offspring.

Season Two

'”Secret Origins'” Arc

• Despite being stressed throughout "Secret Origins: Part 1" that nothing Splinter and the Turtles are seeing is real and already happened, this doesn't stop them from trying to stop Ch'Rell, the evil Utrom prisoner, from stealing the Exo Suit and harming the unnamed Utrom scientist. It doesn't do a thing but it’s the thought that counts.

'”The Ultimate Ninja”

• The first act of the episode is mostly the Turtles enjoying a comfortable day at home.
  • April has moved in with them since the loss of her home, and Splinter has particularly warmed to her, grateful for her shampoo and conditioner helping his fur get healthier.
  • Leo manages to save Casey’s VHS tape. When April learns what movie it is, she excitedly gushes about it with Casey. Everyone else was hesitant about the movie Casey brought for movie night, but everyone enjoys it.
  • Donnie then suggests an ice cream run, which even wins over Splinter. It’s made clear this is all a regular occurrence for the strange, mixed family made of the Turtles, Splinter, Casey and April.
• Raphael may not always agree with his older brother’s leadership, but he was the first to come to Leonardo’s defense after being forced into a death match.
• Even though the Ultimate Ninja threatened to kill Leonardo’s family if he doesn’t fight him, Leonardo reassures the Ultimate Ninja that he fought well despite his defeat. Sadly, the Ultimate Ninja tries to kill Leonardo anyway.
• After Leonardo defeats the Ultimate Ninja, his family surrounds him in a group hug, and Splinter tells Leonardo how proud he is of him.

“What A Croc”

• Leatherhead loses his temper and attacks Michelangelo for trespassing. Michelangelo apologizes to him which immediately calms him down. Leather head then apologizes to Michelangelo for losing his temper.
• Having just watched their youngest brother be attacked by a giant mutant crocodile, Don, Raph, and Leo immediately rush to Michelangelo’s defense.
• Michelangelo stops his older brothers’ attack and apologizes for their behavior to Leatherhead and offers a truce. Leatherhead accepts it.
  • Leonardo reluctantly accepts the truce, too, but makes it clear to Michelangelo that he will defend his baby brother if Leatherhead attacks him again.

Leonardo: Alright Mikey, but if this croc bites your head off, I don’t wanna hear any complaining.

• As Leatherhead holds up the crumbling ceiling of his lab, Michelangelo begs Leatherhead to come with him and his brothers. Leatherhead refuses but calls Michelangelo his friend before succumbing to the ruins.
• The Turtles look on at Leatherhead’s destroyed lab and presumably his buried corpse in sympathy and remark that no matter what, at least they always have each other.

Donatello: You know things may get rough at times, but at least we have each other.

“Return to the Underground”

• Donatello never forgot about his promise to Quarry, Stone Biter, and Razor Fist to find a cure for them and the other humans-turned-monsters. He and his brothers return to the Underground and cure everyone.
• Donatello is frustrated that he can’t figure out how the crystals work and thus can’t make a cure. After blowing up at his brothers for distracting him one too many times, he leaves them to work on the cure some more. Michelangelo looks on in concern.
• Throughout the episode, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo constantly praise Donatello for his ingenuity.

After Donatello shows his brothers the cure he developed

Leonardo: Don, I gotta say…

Raphael: Way to go, egghead!

After Quarry expresses her disbelief that Donatello made a cure

Raphael: Our little Donnie’s full of all kinds of ideas.

After successfully curing their friends and watching them walk into daylight

Michelangelo: Donnie, you may be a pain in the shell, but I’m proud that you’re my bro.

• Instead of fighting Quarry, Michelangelo tries to get Quarry, who has turned feral and no longer remembers the Turtles, to remember him. For a brief moment, it even worked. He is the only Turtle to even try this instead of fighting.
• Finally cured, Quarry whose real name is actually Sydney and the other cured humans look at daylight for the first time in years. Sydney even cries Tears of Joy.

“City At War” Arc

• Leo and Raph disagree about how to handle the turf war between the mafia, the Foot Clan, and the Purple Dragons. Leo believes he and his brothers are responsible for it because they killed the Shredder, resulting in a power vacuum. Therefore, Leo wants to stop it. Raph, on the other hand, believes that the turf wars are not their fight and wishes for them not to get involved. Against the wishes of Master Splinter, Leo investigates some Foot Ninja, hoping to stop the fight. Despite his beliefs, Raph (along with Mikey and Donnie), come along to help their big brother from getting over way his head.
• If Shredder had wanted an apprentice he could've picked anyone in the world. But no, he chooses to take in and raise an orphaned girl hiding in the slums of Japan. The rest of the series makes it clear that he really does care for her in a way, and usually never goes through with his threats to maim her or severely punish her (meanwhile the likes of Hun and Stockman can certainly attest to Shredder's usual punishments).

“Rogue in the House” Arc

• The Turtles find Zod, a Triceraton soldier left behind on Earth, roaming in the sewers. They quickly realize he is delusional due to the oxygen in the air (Triceratops breathe a mixture of nitrogen and sulfure)and has essentially been breathing in poison since the “Secret Origins Part 1.” Donnie takes pity on Zog and makes him a nitrogen respirator even though they risk Zod, attacking them.
• Despite getting a new respirator, Zog’s brain appears to be permanently damaged and views the Turtles and Splinter as fellow Triceraton soldiers. The Turtles and Splinter take advantage of this and use him to storm Foot headquarters which is now a ship. Zog sacrifices his life for them by taking the Shredder and jumping into the ocean. The Turtles and Splinter appreciate Zog’s sacrifice and are saddened by his death.
• Baxter Stockman has been reduced to just an eye, a brain, and a spinal cord in a tank which can electrocute Stockman at the press of a button. Only Karai shows sympathy for him not even the Turtles feel sorry for him.
• Despite being ordered to by Shredder, Karai cannot execute Leo, Raph, and Splinter due to her word of honor. Splinter even reassures her that it’s ok.

“Return of the Justice Force”

• Mikey finds out that his favorite comic book heroes, The Justice Force, are real. He and the others end up working together with them and by the end of the episode Mikey himself is made an honorary member. The biggest highlight though is when Dr. Dome and Stainless Steve Steel are both accusing each other of being the traitor and one responsible for the other members being kidnapped, as well as the apparent Love Triangle between them and Battling Bernice coming up. Mikey gets between them and stops them from killing each other.
  Mikey: Guys, stop! Your friends, teammates, remember? [to Dr. Dome] Who saved you from the Living Volcano? [to Steve] And who cured you of that creeping alien rust? Now what do you say we work together like the Justice Force and find out who’s really behind this?
• Dr. Dome immediately forgives his daughter Amanda for kidnapping his teammates and attacking him and expresses his desire to get to know her. Amanda lets go of her hatred of the Justice Force and grief for her mother Battling Bernice and hugs her father.

“The Big Brawl” Arc

• In “The Big Brawl Part Two”, Michelangelo is pitted against Splinter in the Battle Nexus tournament. Instead of fighting, Splinter asks Michelangelo if he can hear the crowd, because this year they're chanting for him. He then explains that he's had his time, and that this is the year for his sons. Because a winning blow is required to finish the match, Michelangelo gently puts his nunchuck on Splinter's head. It's a really touching little moment.
• The Turtles are so excited to see their old comrade Traximus again after so long. Later Traximus shares a drink with Raphael and thanks him for freeing him and the other prisoners. He even helps Raph free his father Master Splinter from prison.
• During Mikey’s award ceremony, Leo affectionately rubs Mikey’s shoulder, and Don rubs his head to congratulate him for winning the Battle Nexus.

Season Three

“The Christmas Aliens”

• The turtles and all their friends (including some inter-dimensional ones) gather in the Lair to celebrate Christmas, while Mikey rescues a hijacked truck full of toys meant for shelter kids. Among other things, you've got Raph and Angel planting mistletoe over Casey and April, Splinter sharing a moment with Master Yoshi's spirit, the big scene at the end where they all dress up in Christmas costumes to give the shelter kids a treat, and, to top it all off, Mikey finds and adopts a kitty. Say it with me now: Aww.
  • Doubly so because since it's an almost direct adaptation of the comic of the same name Mikey is depicted not as brainless goofball, but as the kind, intelligent turtle he originally was.

“Touch and Go”

• Raphael meets with an old blind woman who he calls "Mrs. M" and her adopted cat Lucy. He acts like a sweet and caring turtle, and takes the briefcase of cash Mikey obtained during the same episode to pay her mortgage.
  Raphael: I think you got a guardian angel who wants to see you stay right where you belong.

“Hunted”

• When Mikey was knocked out by Leatherhead, it appeared Mikey was dead. Leatherhead ran off horrified and Raph picked up his brother and begged him to wake up, showing that deep down Raph cares about Mikey.
• Mikey bears no ill will against Leatherhead, and his first thought is to let him know that he’s alive.
• Leatherhead is ecstatic to see Mikey alive and uninjured.

“Mission of Gravity”

• Karai is shocked that her master and father Oroku Saki will allow millions of innocent people to perish in his quest to take an anti-gravity generator (A part of Beijing is floating 20 miles above the Earth’s surface, a holdover from the Triceraton invasion.) She defies her father and makes an alliance with the Turtles to save Beijing.
• Professor Honeycutt is alive!
• Dr. Chapman builds a new robotic body for Dr. Stockman which gives him the use of limbs again.
• Leo offers to help Karai walk away from the Shredder and turn over a new leaf.

Time Travails

• The episode begins with the four Turtles playing with a hose and having a water balloon fight. It’s a rare moment where they can just be brothers and teenagers having fun.
• Even though they just met Renet and are a bit put off by her, they immediately protect her from her master Lord Simultaneous when he appears threatingly in the sky. Subverted in that the real Lord Simultaneous is just a cranky old man, rightfully upset that Renet stole the time scepter when she was already being punished for a previous mishap. He punishes her with 7 more weeks of dusting.

Hun On The Run

• Oroku Saki acknowledges that despite Hun’s repeated failures, he still serves him loyally even under punishment, and for that Shredder gives Hun one more chance to prove himself: free Karai from Bishop.
• The next scene is Mikey, Leo, and Raph jamming to some hip-hop while Don drives the Battle Shell. It’s another rare moment where the Turtles can just act like teenagers, especially the normally stoic Leo and angry Raph.
• After Baxter Stockman tricks the turtles into thinking Hun is after them, they realized that Hun is actually on a rescue mission for Karai. Leo orders his team to save Karai because “she’s done the same for” them. Karai thanks them and returns the favor by saving the Turtles from Hun.
• Despite Hun and Karai’s enmity and the turtles being Karai’s actual rescuers, Karai gives full credit to Hun for saving her to the Shredder.

Reality Check

• In “The Unconvincing Turtle Titan,” Mikey tried to convince his brothers to dress up as superheroes and fight crime which he was thoroughly mocked for it. Three seasons later and Mikey’s dream came true when Ultimate Drako sent him to a dimension where his brothers are not only superheroes but are accepted by humans.
• As a thank you for helping save all life on Earth, the Super Turtles and Mayor April build Mikey a statue.
  Gravi-turtle: He was a stranger from a strange land, and yet, Michelangelo, AKA the Turtle Titan, was truly one of us. Truly, our brother-in-arms and in spirit.

Across the Universe

• Raph saves a couple rival racers even though earlier they left them for dead because it’s “the honorable thing to do.”
• Raph’s normally cynical racing partner promises to always remember that “winning without honor is not winning” and encourages Raph that he if nothing else, he was once a planet racer.

Same As It Never Was

• A minor one in an otherwise-grim episode, but when Future Mikey angrily confronts Don about "abandoning" them, Don simply but emphatically states, "I would never abandon you guys", before explaining what he knows.
• When future Leo and Raph nearly come to blows, they are stopped by Don. Then Raph, the angry cynic, hugs him.
• Around 28-years-ago, Leo and Raph had a huge fight and became estranged from each other, and when they reunited, they fought again and were going to use weapons this time had Don not intervened. However, when Leo is killed by Karai, Raph jumps in to avenge Leo. As Raph slowly dies from his wounds, he crawls to Leo to die beside his brother.
• Despite featuring a dystopian nightmare in which most of the main cast is either dead or broken and estranged only to die in the end, it ends with the Shredder defeated once and for all and the Earth freed.

The Real World arc

• Despite his urgency to go home and save his family, Leo immediately informs Usagi that he will help him protect Lord Noriyuki before Usagi can even ask.
• Lord Noriyuki orders Usagi, Murakami Gennosuke, and Leonardo, and to rescue his retainer Tomoe Ame from Lord Hebi, and if they won’t, he will despite being a cub who does not know how to fight.
• Usagi frequently calls Leo “my brother.”
• In The Real World Part Two, Donatello — after going through Same as it Never Was — is so relieved to see both Michelangelo and Raphael alive that he jump-hugs them both in relief. Much to both brothers' happy confusion.
• The Ultimate Ninja has second thoughts about killing his father and wants to exhale him instead. Unfortunately Drako doesn’t let him.
• Before the Ultimate Ninja is turned to stone, he asks his father for forgiveness.
• Lord Simultaneous takes pity on The Daimyo and resurrects his son as a young boy so they may start over.

• Honeycutt eventually joins Leatherhead as his roommate in his lair around the corner from the Turtles, and as he's a digital entity, he can survive even if Leatherhead were to become violent and destroy his new physical body, giving Leatherhead some much-needed compansionship.
• The way the family comes together and agrees that the only way they can stop Ch'Rell is sacrificing their lives, willing to do so if it saves countless lives across the universe from his coming onslaught. This also extends to Professor Honeycutt, who has already escaped death once, and as a digital entity, it's plausible he might be able to escape sharing the same fate somehow. But no, Honeycutt understands what's happening and solemnly swears to stay with his friends until the end.
• The Utroms rescuing the Turtles, Splinter, and Honeycutt from their near-murder-suicide. They had received Honeycutt's distress signals all along and were just racing to lend assistance, too hasty to respond. They immediately collect their allies and take them to their infirmary and give Honeycutt a new body. The next we see of them, they're bandaged, using crutches and other effects, but alive, having been given the best healthcare possible by one of the most advanced races in this universe. Mortu follows up by graciously thanking them for their help in bringing Ch'Rell to justice.
• The Turtles and Splinter are left in quiet shock when Ch'Rell is successfully tried, convicted, and exiled for life. Leo and Raph even ask Splinter if it's real, and Splinter wearily states that Hamato Yoshi can finally rest in peace.

Season Four

"The People's Choice"

• Splinter realizes Casey wants some privacy for him and April and hastily agrees to go to his so-called night-meditation to do so. Later, Casey goes to Splinter for advice on his romance with April, and Splinter helps out. Splinter is easily the closest thing Casey has to a father figure after the death of his own, and Splinter takes to it with ease. The episode shows that the Turtles aren't Splinter's only children by this point of the series.
• Despite camping with just his brothers, Leo has been increasingly isolating himself due to his PTSD. He stays behind when his brothers leave their camp site to explore an abandoned sawmill. Mikey noticed this and tries to get Leo to join them. While at first he ignores Mikey’s offer, he eventually catches up.
• After helping Jhanna defeat her people’s current and tyrannical ruler in ritual combat, she cuts her ponytail and gives it to Donatello as a token of her appreciation.

Grudge Match

• Michelangelo takes a serious beating in his fight against Kluh and faces death. However, when Kluh promises the other Turtles and Splinter will suffer the same fate, Michelangelo lets loose a beating of his own and turns the tables on Kluh. A further CMOH comes after a beaten Kluh asks to be finished:
  Michelangelo: My father taught me better than that.
• Leonardo reunites with The Ultimate Ninja-turned-kid. The kid asks Leonardo if they "played together" (due to him being turned back to a kid, he lost a lot of his memories of being an ass towards Leo) and Leo can only answer with a "Yes." The kid smiles and then says that Leonardo would be his friend.

  • And if you remember, this was also during Leo's stage in the show where after the battle with Shredder he was generally upset and angry most of the time. Showing that he's still there despite what's happened.
  • Really, just the fact that Leo's willing to train Mikey when his brothers and even Splinter refuse, thinking it a long-overdue dose of Laser-Guided Karma. Leo really takes his position as the leader seriously.

Dragons Rising

• At the end of the episode, Leo gives a short but visceral "Reason You Suck" Speech to his brothers after Hun gets away. While any of them, especially Raph, could have started hurling insults right back at him, they don't, showing an understanding on their part towards Leo's determination to not fail again.
  • Afterwards, Casey goes to his father’s grave and ends the episode with a rather moving speech:
  Casey: Hey Pops. I brought you something. (Puts the fabric in front of the grave.) You spoke true Pop. No matter what you gotta stand up and do the right thing. But I’m guess I’m lucky. Even when the odds are against me, I ain't alone. I’ve got friends. Good friends.

Then the camera pans to Don, Mikey, and Raph on a hill overlooking the cemetery.

"Still Nobody"

• Nobody recognizes that most of the gangsters in the Turks are good kids lead astray by their leader. He gives those kids a chance to walk away which they take.
• At the end of the episode, Hun meets with Karai after attending the dedication to Oroku Saki. Despite everything that happened between them, Karai invited him, and he attended without any issues; they don't descend into arguing or malice towards each other, and have a civil conversation about Karai's loyalty to the Shredder. It's refreshing to see that these two will not be going up against each other, and are instead peacefully parting ways.

"All Hallow’s Thieves"

• Mikey makes a Jack-o-lantern in the shape of Leo. It’s adorable!
• Don, Mikey, and Raph remanence about how Master Splinter took them trick-or-treating as kids.
• Halloween is the one night of the year the Turtles can walk amongst people. It’s refreshing to see them being complimented by their “costumes” and thanked by police for stopping two criminals instead of being seen as objects of fear.

Samurai Tourist”

• The Turtles get to relax as they take Usagi and Gen on a tour of the city, showing them a baseball game, treating them to hot dogs, and impressing them with the impressive sights and sounds of their home.
• While the others (Barring Usagi) are still taken aback (And concerned) about Leo’s behavior, Mikey is the one to get them off Leo’s shell showing just how much respect Mikey truly has for Leo.

Mikey: I think you all [Donatello, Raphael and Casey] should just lay off the poor guy [Leonardo]. I mean, it can't be fun always being the responsible one. And we're the ones who really benefit: Raph's free not to think cause Leo does all the thinking for him, Don's free to dream, and I'm free to take it easy all because Leo's busy being responsible enough for all of us.

• Usagi also manages to briefly get through to Leo, getting him to confess to his survivor's guilt that he previously confided in April as a start. Usagi also relates how it got even worse for him as his master was killed in front of him - and tries to counsel Leo, stating he has to learn to let it go to move forward. Unfortunately, it doesn't stick.

“Prodigal Son”

• Every time Leo finds one of his brothers and when Splinter recognizes that Leo's training under the Ancient One has changed him.
  Splinter: Yes, I can see it in your eyes. I have my son back.
  • Particular mention to Leo's and Raph's reunion, as they're considered to have a combative relationship a lot of the time, but this moment really shows the other side of it: Leo has been in rescue-mode all episode, having to help Donnie, Mikey, and Splinter back to a new lair he finds for them. With Raph, he's able to just walk up and even joke around a bit as they greet each other affectionately. Raph has a moment of anxiety for the others that Leo reassures him about, which matters because as soon as they're reunited with the rest of the family, Raph starts acting nonchalantly and Leo starts focusing on confronting Karai. That is to say - Leo only really relaxes all episode when he sees Raph, and Raph only acts vulnerably in front of Leo.

“Adventures in Turtle Sitting”/“Good Genes” arc

• Donatello has been infected with a mutagenic outbreak and has transformed into a large, feral turtle. The two-parter sees Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo break into Area 51, make a deal with Bishop, sneak into Foot Headquarters, steal a crystal and fight Karai and many of her forces. They do all of this for Donatello, though in the end, they tell him it was no trouble at all.
  • There's a smaller moment at the beginning of that arc, when the turtles show up at April's when she has a date with Casey and ask her to look after a sick Donatello. Despite Casey's irritation at having his time with April interrupted, he's the one who settles Don on the couch and covers him with a blanket.
    Casey: Come on, sickly mutant ninja turtle, you better lie down before you fall down. (Helps Donatello lie down on the couch and then covers him with a blanket) There. Comfy?
  • At the end of the story Don asks if he caused a lot of problems. Everyone has an awkward look, given how much trouble they actually had to go through, before Mike, the Annoying Younger Sibling of the team, brushes it off with a simple "Nah" and a big smile.
• In a twisted way, the otherwise completely spiteful Foot Mystics admitting that they appreciated Ch'Rell's respect for them, even though they thought he was an abomination.

“Ninja Tribunal”

• The episode begins with Donnie, Mikey, Leo, and Raph jumping across rooftops and playfully chasing each other. It’s a much needed break from the drama of the last three episodes. Donnie even affectionately rubs Mikey’s head.
• Unlike most humans, Joi, Adam, Feragi, and Tora do not react in fear by the Turtles’ appearance rather they react thinking the Turtles abducted them. Once the misunderstanding is cleared, they quickly become allies.
• The Turtles, Joi, Adam, Tora, and Feragi are told to fight each other by the Ninja Tribunal, but they refuse until the Ninja Tribunal inform them that their loved ones will be put in a danger by a great evil. Having no choice, they fight, but quickly change their minds and together attack the Ninja Tribunal. Fortunately, it was a Secret Test of Character, and they pass.
  • It becomes even sweeter over the course of Season 5 in which each Turtle bonds with one of the humans. Adam and Don discuss mechanical engineering and Adam’s crush on Chikara. Mikey and Tora develop and Odd Friendship. Raph and Joi become bash siblings with a bit of Ship Tease, and Leo and Feragi admire each other’s skill.

Season Five: Ninja Tribunal

“More Worlds Than One

• There is a short scene of Don running to help Mikey get up after Chikara throws him several feet across the ground and onto his shell during a training demonstration.
• After Leo and Mikey fail Chikara lesson, they despondently watch the sunset at the Lap of Gods. Leo is taking his failure the hardest of all. The Ancient One reassures them that they are doing well and that the Ninja Tribunal would not have wasted their time with them if they did not see them worthy. His words pay off because in the next scene Mikey is the only one to catch up to Hisomi in his lesson about speed, and Leo manifests the Dragon Avatar, a feat almost impossible for a young warrior, earning Khan’s respect.

“Membership Drive”

• The ending has one for Nano. Ever since he gained sentience, the poor nanomachine has been unwitting used for evil, only desired a family, and had to be taken down by the turtles in each of their encounters. Here, instead of destroying him, the turtles help him, allowing him to finally cement his position as a good guy and joins the Justice Force, finally giving him a place where he belongs.
  • Leo and Mikey going to the Justice Force to ask for their aid in the coming war against the Tengu Shredder is really just a formality, as Silver Sentry immediately declares they will stand with the Turtles.
  • The Justice Force has also taken in lone wolf Nobody, giving him a team of superheroes to connect with after being a dark, gritty loner for so long; and Raptarr, once a pariah but now on his way to becoming a beloved superhero.

Season Six: Fast Forward

• Zixx offhandedly mentions the state of the Triceraton Republic when they're confronted by Boss Zuko's gang. He claims that the Triceratons aren't what they used to be: meaning that Traximus successfully restored the Triceratons to their former glory and dramatically improved their standing and perception in the universe.
• The way the Turtles and Splinter take to Cody in Fast Forward is utterly adorable. Sure, they look after kids whenever they can in their own time, but Cody has spent his whole life locked in a penthouse with only a robot butler for company and found out his Evil Uncle was only interested in using him with You Have Outlived Your Usefulness being a major risk; it's no wonder he latched onto the Turtles and it does the heart good to see them nudging him towards a more healthy life.
• Starlee's devotion to Cody is also sweet; they make a cute couple. In "Playtime's Over" she commandeers the trip to the mall as a date for the pair of them, and while Cody is flustered, the Turtles and Splinter simply encourage him to go with it and see how it goes. Though she later seems angry when he skips out on her, she's actually swooning over how he left to go help save his friends, even more into him now.
• Baxter Stockman of all people gets this in Head of State. Not only is it revealed he indirectly caused Agent Bishop's face turn but at the end of the episode Bishop saves Stockman's life, and promises to regrow his original body, given Stockman (and loyal viewers) closure after multiple seasons of Body Horror and being exploited by Bishop.

Season Seven

• The Turtles manage to convince a cantankerous gamer to let them take Splinter's data from a treasure chest they've been competing over all episode. The gamer turns out to be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold and is even open to the idea of them becoming friends in the real world. Aaaaand then it turns out that this character's player is actually Hun, who unknowingly just did a good deed for his enemies. Even if it didn't really cost a powerful crime boss anything, Hun still was completely friendly to what he thought were random strangers online, and showed that despite his evil he actually does have a heart.
  • The way Hun even proudly declares to his lackey that he's a hardcore gamer and proud is also sweet in a way, showing that he's not ashamed to have fun outside of his daily work.
• Splinter's return and the wedding of April and Casey in Wedding Bells and Bytes.
  • The entire episode is basically one big curtain call for the series; Almost every recurring character shows up, either as an invited guest or a distant observer. This includes dangerous types such as the Rat King and Agent Bishop, both of whom smile at the sight, with Bishop giving a nod and smile of approval.

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