Splinter

Splinter is the second episode of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Netflix TV Series. It is second in production order in Season 1.

Synopsis
The turtles and Yoshi watch the stolen TCRI tapes to find out more about their origin and who is responsible for their mutations. Meanwhile, local reporter April O'Neil decides to find out more about TCRI and the fire that broke out the previous night.

Main Characters:
Leonardo

Donatello

Raphael

Michelangelo

Splinter

April O'Neil

Dr. Robert Kinglsey

Minor Characters:
General Krang

Vernon Fenwick

Cheryl Stones

Gang members

Oroku Saki (cameo)

Plot
The episode starts with a news report live from the TCRI building. April O'Neil, a young Channel 6 journalist is trying to get her story on what happened in the building during the previous night. Because of the fight and the fire that the turtles started, the attention of the public has fallen onto the TCRI. April meets with the leading scientist there - Dr. Robert Kinglsey who says that an experiment failed and that was when the fire started. However, April continues to pursue a bigger story than that and asks the doctor if the people of New York should be worried about TCRI's experiments. Kinglsey leaves without making comment on April's last question.

What follows is a secret meeting between Kinglsey and a strong man in a military uniform. The mysterious figure appears to be the person who funds TCRI's projects. He orders Kingsley to deal with any trouble immediatley and threatens the doctor's life saying that Kingsley might become his next experiment.

In the sewers, the turtles and their master Yoshi work on finding the secret of the stolen tapes. Donatello manages to make them function and the five of them start watching the Splinter experiment notes. On the first tape the brothers see themselves as nothing more than four normal baby turtles who were used as gunea pigs. On the second tape they see the experiments that were done on Yoshi. The narrator on the tapes keeps calling Hamato Splinter as a way of mocking him for being splintered from his own people. And also because the experiment was meant to Splinter bits from rat and human DNA and compare them. The turtles and Yoshi then spot a familar face. The turtles recognize Dr. Kingsley and Yoshi also manages to remember that indeed Kingsley was the one who mutated him. In the final scenes of the experiment Kinglsey mentiones that his work with rat DNA was his obsession and that his personal experiments would change the world. The tape ends as Splinter manages to escape.

After everything they witness, the turtles agree that they have a clear person that they should seek answers from. Yoshi then warns his sons to have in mind that this person is no friend. He takes a minute to think upon something and then anounces before his sons to use his experimental nickname 'Splinter from now on to remind him of his past mistakes until they come undone if even possible. The turtles vow that they will find out the secret behind TCRI's experiments and find cure to Splinter's mutation in the process. Michelangelo then switches the news on where April's report is shown. The turtles notice Kingsley on it and agree that the reporter might need protection. The brothers decide to split up and find April so they can prevent Kingsley' s potential scheme. As they leave the lair Splinter urges them to stick to the shadows.

In a street cafe, April has a meeting with a friend named Cheryl. She seems like a close friend to April. They speak about the TCRI accident as April still feels like Kingsley is hiding something. Cheryl shares info on another potential story as she says to have witnessed real ninjas in New York. April laughs at her friend not taking her point seriously and makes a joke about a time when they got drunk and Cheryl thought that se saw a giant rat person in a street alley.

After some time they leave the cafe going separate ways. April feels like someone is following her and tells herself that this is probably Cheryl trying to scare her as a joke. Then a thug bloks April's way and she finds herself surrounded by four gang thugs. They tell her to stop making reports on the TCRI or she would get hurt. At this point a sai goes through the air and into the chest of one of the thugs. Another thug then goes to check the dark part of the alley and is defeated by the unknown figure. The other two also attack, but are taken down as well. Then the figure reveals himself to April. She sees Raphael and faints. The turtle decides to take her to the lair.

When she wakes up she is introduced to the situation and meets all the turtles and their sensei. She learns Kingsley's secret and says that she would help the turtles uncover the whole truth, but requires to know more about her new allies. The Splinter tells her their story and how they came to be what they are.

Back at the TCRI, the military general warns Kingsley that if he does not provide with quick results, he would need a new leading scientist. The general also warns him that his opposition is gaining atvantage when TCRI suffers from such accidents.

At a medieval Japanese house across Central Park, we see a man training in his garden. He is approched by another man who seemingly tells him satisfying news. With a smile on his face, the man says that he might gain new allies soon.