01PLOT

As the story opens, Shredder is scheming to steal the world's cheese danishes when the Turtles burst in and attack. But suddenly Leonardo is seized by indecision, and it's revealed to be an increasingly surreal dream in which all of the Turtles are disposed of through bizarre means.

In the morning, Leonardo is plagued by self-doubt, believing that his dream was a warning or omen of failing judgement. It doesn't help when he immediately knocks himself down during practice. Believing that he can't lead the team, Leonardo leaves the lair, believing that they would be better off without him.

Meanwhile, Shredder and Krang leave a robot sentry below a building they are breaking into. At the penthouse, they set up a "solar siphon" that will quickly freeze the entire planet as it sucks up the solar energy.

The Turtles immediately notice the shrinking sun and cooler temperatures, which quickly leads to snow in the middle of July. They are forced to choose a new leader by playing Spin the Pizza, which selects Raphael. Unfortunately his decision-making is immediately called into question when they surface in a polar bear habitat, from which they only escape because of Michelangelo's quick thinking.

Fortunately Donatello has an energy-drain tracker, which will take them to the source of the solar drain. Raphael orders Donatello to be the leader now. Donatello refuses to give any order unless he is absolutely certain that his analysis proves him right.

Meanwhile, Leonardo is moping in a park, and worrying about what's happening to his brothers.

Michelangelo and Raphael have a snowball fight while Donatello continues calculating. Raphael remarks that east is that way and wishes Donatello would give an order. Donatello does so, by saying his analysis and brilliant mind has concluded without a doubt...east is that way. But when they find their destination - a schoolhouse - they find that they've been expertly duped with a fake signal. The fake signal is also a bomb that nearly kills them all and effectively destroys the building and the energy tracker. Michelangelo is deemed the new leader.

Leonardo is planning to leave the city when a human man that "everybody is talking and worrying, but nobody's doing anything" about the crisis, and comes to the conclusion that he's been selfishly thinking only of himself. He runs off to find his brothers.

Raphael and Michelangelo are greeted by Shredder's hostile robot, but Michelangelo's tactical thinking turns out to not be so good. Fortunately Leonardo shows up and destroys the robot, his confidence restored.

The reunited Turtles head up into the building and climb up the elevator cables, where they fight Krang, Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady. Donatello reverses the solar ray and then destroys it, as the four villains parachute out and escape to the Technodrome.

The temperature returns to normal, as the Turtles discuss what they've learned with Splinter. Raphael learns that being leader comes with a lot of thought, a sentiment shared by Michelangelo as he says being quick-witted is not enough, considering he nearly made a blunder with the robot sentry that doomed the mission. Donatello says he need not analyze every single aspect; there are times when he should trust his instincts. Leonardo says he has learned that even one man can make a difference and not to let doubts get in the way of his leadership.

02CAST & APPEARANCES

Barry Gordon

Barry Gordon

Pat Fraley

Cam Clarke

Townsend Coleman

Rob Paulsen

Cam Clarke

James Avery

ALSO APPEARING

April O'Neil · Renae JacobsBridge attendant · Peter RenadayBurne Thompson · Pat FraleyCentral Park Zoo polar bearIrma · Jennifer DarlingMile High Tower Robot Guard · Peter RenadayNew York Police DepartmentFirst Policeman · Rob PaulsenSecond Policeman · James AverySplinter · Peter Renaday

03OBJECTS, VEHICLES & PLACES

OBJECTS & VEHICLESBōEnergy-drain trackerKatanaKrang's Android BodyNunchakuSaiSolar SiphonTekkō-kagiTurtlecom

LOCATIONSNew York CityCentral Park ZooMile High TowerSchool buildingTurtle Lair

SPECIESHumansMutant ratMutant rhinocerosMutant turtlesMutant warthogPenguinsPolar bearRobot

04SCREEN GRABS

9 frames. Screencaps via Turtlepedia (CC BY-SA).

05NOTES & GOOFS

In Leonardo's nightmare, Raphael refers to Rocksteady as "hog-breath" which is the common insult for Bebop. To be fair, it is a surreal experience.
When the Turtles slide on the ice while running from the polar bear, Leonardo can be heard screaming as well, and the same happens when Donatello slips on the snowy stairs and crashes into Raphael and Michelangelo. Leonardo isn't in either of these scenes.
After Donatello falls down the snowy stairs in the schoolhouse, the Turtles (except Leonardo) gain snow boots.
When Leonardo leaves the Turtles, he wears his winter disguise, but when returning, he wears his blue colors, and the snow boots the others got suddenly in the snowy schoolhouse.
During Leonardo's nightmare, a dog clearly bites Leonardo's foot, but he shows no response. This may be due to the bizarre, unrealistic nature of the dream, though.
Leonardo was seen with no swords in his hands when he charged towards Bebop and Rocksteady, but the swords appeared when the pair turned into giant punching bags.
Shredder's skin is almost orange in this episode and the lenses on Bebop's shades are colored purple.
Raphael expresses surprise at the cold temperature because it's the middle of July, yet Leonardo was dressed in a winter outfit before the temperature began to drop.

06HOME MEDIA

Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: The Very Best of the TurtlesThe Biggest Ever Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles VideoTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 4Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 3Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Classic Series Collection