Father Figures

"Father Figures" is the seventh episode of the first season of the animated series TMNT: Family Issues, based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Directed by Sage Cotugno and written by franchise co-creator Kevin Eastman, the episode centers on Splinter and Mei dealing with the loss of their father figures.

Synopsis
Mei has a training session with Master Splinter that brings memories for both of them.

Writing
While the writing team decided early on to retain Splinter's backstory from the Mirage comics, it wasn't until late in development that they decided to use it as "a way for Splinter and Mei to bond", according to showrunner Christine Liu. Liu felt having them bond over their gruef was "a very natural way to develop their relationship" since it was founded on preexisting elements of both characters' backstories instead of aspects exclusive to the show. Liu also said that exploring Splinter's origin as an entire episode insread of a flashback sequence allowed the series to "make time for the more heartwrenching moments to truly sink in". On inckurimg Oroku Naga, which no other adaptation has done, Liu said this was decided because the producers felt this provided a contrast between the Shredder and Splinter & Mei.

Writer Kevin Eastman, who co-created the TMNT alongside Peter Laird, said the team saw the flashback to Hamato Yoshi and Tang Shen's murder as "a chance for the show to lean, even for a bit, to the gritty darkness the Turtles came from", so they used films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Batman as an inspiration. The producers also wanted shots of Splinter trying to break free of his cage and help instead of watching as in other versions, a change defined by executive producer Ant Ward as "small but powerful" as it "underlined the helplesness Splinter felt at that moment".

Main cast

 * Haley Tju as Mei Peih Chi
 * Eugene Lee Yang as Splinter
 * Greg Cipes as Michaelangelo
 * Hoon Lee as Oroku Saki / Shredder

Guest cast

 * Jackie Chan as Chung I
 * Brian Tee as Oroku Naga
 * Tohoru Masamune as Hamato Yoshi
 * Gwendolyn Yao as Tang Shen

Trivia

 * Both Brian Tee and Tohoru Masamune played the Shredder in the Michael Bay Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.