Master Splinter is pleased with the progress of Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello, and wants to graduate them to the next level of ninja training: Chunin. But Michelangelo has been slacking off, and Master Splinter does not feel that he is ready to graduate with his brothers. However, the other Turtles plead for Mikey's sake, since it wouldn't be the same graduating without him, so Master Splinter devises three tests to prove Michelangelo's worth to progress to the level of Chunin.
This episode provides examples of
- Almighty Janitor: This was the episode that established the Ninja Turtles as this. As the Turtles graduate to being mid-ranked ninja, that would mean in retrospect that their previous impressive accolades, including being able to battle long-lived, near-immortal warriors like Ch'rell and Bishop, saving the Earth from the Triceratons, Michelangelo winning the Battle Nexus, and defeating the nearly unstoppable Tengu Shredder were all accomplished while they were still lower ranked ninjas.
- Battle Strip: The robot hockey players literally take their gloves off before they start to fight each other
- Call-Back: For the graduation ceremony, the Robo-Dojo recreates the Lap of the Gods from the Ninja Tribunal's monastery.
- Dream Within a Dream: Lampshaded and averted when Mikey asks Splinter if he's still dreaming when he wakes up after playing 'Helix'. He is not.
- Exact Words: Don passes Master Splinter's insight test this way
- Guns Akimbo: the Helix alien fighters
- His Own Worst Enemy: Throughout the entire episode. Mikey's laziness and goofing off put him at risk of falling behind. It's also the twist to Don's insight test. Mikey is supposed to find the nunchuck piece in the thing that's been holding him back. It's not hidden in any of the games, but instead inside a mirror.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Faced with Leo's invisibility test, Mikey recalls Splinter's lesson about turning an opponent's strength into a weakness. Mikey uses a mirror to reflect the security lights back at Leo.
- Humiliation Conga: Mikey takes a lot of abuse during Raph's test.
- I Call It "Vera": Mikey reveals that he's named his nunchucks "Chuck" and "Chuck 2: The Sequel"
- Laser-Guided Karma: Before beginning his test, Raph cites the various pranks that Mikey has pulled on him over the years."Well, today, it's payback time."
- No Antagonist: The whole episode is about Mikey's worth to graduate. There are no appearances of Sh'Okanabo nor Darius Dunn. The only things close to villains are the robot hockey players and the Helix monsters.
- Not So Above It All: Discussed by Splinter."I never joke. Well, rarely."
- Parody Names/ Shout-Out: Mikey's games, particularly Helix, Shell Invaders and Rac Man
- Pet the Dog: Leo, Don, and Raph appeal to Splinter to give Mikey a chance to advance with them.
- Secret Test of Character: While all of the tests were key to advancing to Chunin, Splinter wanted to see if Mikey would demonstrate humility and acknowledge the failings that caused him to fall behind his brothers.
- Shout-Out: The Digi-Games Convention is a reference to the E3 Games Convention.
- So Proud of You: Splinter when Mikey passes the humility test.
- Your Mom: Mikey uses this to get the robot hockey players to fight each other
