The turtles sneak out against Splinter's wishes and are forced to fight Baxter Stockman, a deranged inventor wearing mechanical battle armor.
This episode provides examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: The T-Pod. Donnie put an advanced military-grade AI chip in it, which allows it to upgrade itself continuously. It's harmless as an mp3 player, but becomes a crapshoot when Stockman hooks it up to his Powered Armor.
- Amusing Injuries: When Splinter catches the turtles sneaking home late, they're all covered with very obvious injuries. Said injuries all disappear by the next scene.
- An Aesop: As Splinter puts it, truth is not the only thing that hurts.
- Any Last Words?:Baxter: Any last words?
Leo: Just one. Bees!
Baxter: Bees?
Mikey: BEEEEEEEES!!! [slams a beehive on Baxter's head] - By the Lights of Their Eyes: The second time the Turtles sneak back into the lair.
- Composite Character: Baxter Stockman, while black like in the original comics and 2003 show, appears to take visual cues from the 1987 version of the character in hairstyle.
- Cut Himself Shaving: When Splinter catches the battered turtles sneaking in late, he asks what happened. After a few minutes of stuttering while trying to come up with an excuse, Mikey says they got hit by a bus. Splinter, of course, isn't fooled for a second.Donnie: Hit by a bus?!
Mikey: Well, what was I supposed to say?! Meteor? Cow? Flying building? - Death Glare:
- Donnie's reaction after Mikey blames him for trusting him with the T-Pod.
- Splinter gives more like an "Excuse me" look to Mikey when he said that ninjas never have to go up against guys in armor. After looking at the picture, Mikey fixes his wording by saying that ninjas always have to go up against guys in armor.
- Disapproving Look: Splinter does a lot of this in this episode.
- Disappointed in You: Splinter tells this to the turtles after he finds out what has happened; not only for disobeying his punishment, but for accidentally making Stockman an actual threat.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Mikey does bring up a few good points.
- After Donnie chastises him for dropping the T-Pod during the fight, (for all his Never My Fault attitude) he tells Donnie that it's his fault because he knows that Mikey, who is too irresponsible and immature, can't be trusted with nice things.
- After getting caught by Splinter and trying to make up excuses, he asked Donnie what was he supposed to say. Mikey's right, what was he really supposed to say. Plus, it's not like he started the excuse, he just finished it with something that at least sounded logical.
- Easily Forgiven: Subverted. After they cleaned up their mess by defeating Stockman, Splinter decides they're no longer grounded... but not before he puts them through a second round of Randori for having snuck out and made a mess in the first place.
- Implausible Boarding Skills: Mikey combines this with Roof Hopping.
- Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Baxter Stockman. To the point where Mikey wondered if they should buy him an ice cream rather than beat him up.
- Meaningful Echo: When Leonardo firsts suggests he and his brothers "clean up [their] mess", it's meant as a weak, transparent escape from an even worse option (being grounded for a week). The second time Leonardo makes this suggestion, he says it solemnly knowing it's their hardest option but nonetheless the right thing to do.
- Mythology Gag: The news report of Stockman's attack on a TCRI office complex (his former workplace).
- Never My Fault: Mikey when he says that losing the 'TPod' was Don's fault for trusting him with it at all.
- Police Are Useless: The cops show up after the Turtles first throw Stockman in the trash and take off, but they clearly didn't bother to check the seemingly empty alley once they got there.
- Powered Armor: Used by Baxter Stockman.
- Recurring Extra: The guy with the cat from "New Friend, Old Enemy" is apparently one of Stockman's old co-workers.
- Revenge: Baxter Stockman tries to destroy his former workplace after his boss fired him.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder:Splinter: [not liking his sons' antics] How many times have I told you not to skateboard in the lair?Mikey: [confused; exchanges a look with Donnie] None, Sensei.Splinter: [angrily] I shouldn't have to tell you!
- Scary Stinging Swarm: How the Turtles manage to beat the powered-up Baxter Stockman.
- Shout-Out:
- Stockman yelling "Oh yeah!" as he breaks through a concrete wall, similar to the Kool-Aid Man.
- Mikey twice makes "woop woop!" noises as he runs away, a reference to Curly of The Three Stooges.
- The Tooth Hurts: During the Cut Himself Shaving incident described above, Mikey gives a big grin, and quite a few of his teeth fall out.
- Title Drop: Raph saying "I think his name is Baxter Stockman."
- Unskilled, but Strong: Stockman is nearly unstoppable in his upgraded Powered Armor. Splinter advises them to "fight the man inside", whereupon the turtles manage to lead Stockman into a trap and attack the only vulnerable spot he has: his face. While he's distracted they then manage to knock him off the roof they were fighting on and destroy the T-Pod while he's stunned, rendering his armor useless.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Donnie, when Mikey admits he lost the T-Pod and then blames him for it.
- Splinter, as pointed out in Disappointed in You above, berates the Turtles for sneaking out, lying to his face, and making Stockman an actual threat.
- Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mikey, he even admits it:Mikey: You know I can't be trusted with nice things!
- You Are Grounded!: Splinter grounds the Turtles for a week for skateboarding in the lair. They sneak out anyway when he's asleep, but he catches on pretty quick.
