The Turtles and Bishop discover the onset of a large outbreak of mutations taking place underneath New York City.
This episode provides examples of
- Area 51: The site of Bishop's base.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Specifically, giant mutant ticks and cockroaches.
- Call-Back:
- When Raph attacks a giant cockroach and it spews fluid all over him, he mentions Bishop's aliens in "Aliens Among Us."
- Raph still hates bugs.
- Character Development: Mike complains about having lost his comic book collection, his room, his video games and even his blankie, but never once mentions losing his Battle Nexus trophy, indicating that he has become more humble about his victory since the events of Grudge Match.
- Didn't See That Coming: Stockman admits that the alien clones' genetics were more potent than expected, as was how hard the Turtles fought them off. The leftover genetic material entered the sewers and mutated the local animals."It was impossible to anticipate."
- Discussed Trope: Mikey mentions that creepy voices/glowing eyes in the shadows is "never good" in monster movies.
- Dumpster Dive: In the beginning, Don is fishing for various computer parts that he needs for the new lair in dumpsters.
- Even Evil Has Standards: While he is the one who started the fake alien invasion, Bishop is not really pleased at finding out about the outbreak.Bishop: "Doctor, my life's work is to defend humanity from extraterrestrial threat, and now you're telling me that I've unleashed this-this plague?!"
- Fatal Flaw: Donnie and Mikey's blunt weapons are pretty ineffective against the mutated sewer worker, and all they can really do is try to hold it off until Raph can get to them. At that point, Mikey manages to get away, but Donnie isn't so lucky.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: At the end of the episode, the pigeon that the man at café tried to feed bread crumbs to looks like it has a spike growing in its back. This is a sign that the pigeon has been affected by the outbreak virus.
- Foreshadowing: During the fight, the mutated sewer worker hits Donatello with one of its spiky tendrils. For the next several episodes, Donny will wear a bandage and feel progressively worse until he mutates into a monster.
- The Glasses Come Off: Bishop, when he's starting to transfer his mind to a cloned body.
- The Greys: Bishop's abductors in the opening narration.
- The Law of Conservation of Detail: The Turtles get beaten and injured all the time, but we rarely see them bandaged or wounded unless its after a big fight. So when Don is scratched by the mutant bug, and the camera makes sure the audience sees it, you can be sure that little scratch will be an important plot point later...
- Narrator: Bishop's third time.
- Oh, Crap!: Mikey when the mutated sewer worker starts talking."Please, tell me that thing didn't just talk."
- Properly Paranoid: Hearing assorted stories, the younger sewer worker is certain that there's something dangerous down there.
- The Reveal: The Teaser depicts Bishop's abduction and shows it occurred during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. After the intro, it's revealed just how Bishop has been alive since then.
- Scream Discretion Shot: When Todd, the city worker, is taken by the mutant bugs and mutated himself.
- Sound-Only Death: when the mutant ticks are being incinerated by Bishop's men.
- Start of Darkness: The opening shows how Bishop become the Well-Intentioned Extremist he is in the present.
- Stripped to the Bone: Occurs to Agent Bishop's body after his mind is transferred into a new one.
- The Unreveal: Why Bishop was abducted and released.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The mutated sewer worker cutting Donatello with one of its tendrils will have consequences for the rest of the season.
- Villains Act, Heroes React: Karai has squads of ninjas running sweeps through the city to find the Turtles. Raphael expresses irritation that they're hiding instead of going on offense, but Leonardo says they're going to handle Karai on their terms and not hers.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Raph really hates bugs, although this is more to the point of "beating the crap out of them" rather than being paralyzed with fear because of them. He even nearly quotes the trope. To his credit, he is willing to admit it is his fear.Mike: Wait. Is this your nightmare, or mine?
Raph: Definitely mine. It's bugs. I hate bugs.
