THE LEGEND OF KOJI

01PLOT

In "The Legend of Koji", Splinter has experienced a disturbance in the force.

Elsewhere, at the city's Museum of Fine Arts, Shredder uses his "Time Portal" invention to travel back to ancient Japan in the year 1583, so that he can "destroy Splinter and the accursed Ninja Turtles once and for all by changing history."

Meanwhile, Splinter suggests to the Turtles that they make haste to the Fine Arts Museum.

Back in ancient Japan, Shredder storms the palace of Oroku Sansho and informs him that he is one of his descendants, Oroku Saki, and that he has traveled from the future to give him power and wealth beyond his wildest dreams.

But after Shredder tells him about the location of two magical relics in the forest that would provide Oroku Sansho power and wealth, Shredder's ancestor decides that he can find it for himself without the aid of his descendant. This proves to be his undoing, as Shredder decides to don Oroku Sansho's battle armor, impersonating his arrogant ancestor, and lead his men into the forest.

Meanwhil,e a young Samurai, named Hamato Koji, is also roaming the woods in search of something his sensei instructed him to find, in order to start his own ninja clan. He however encounters Shredder and Oroko Sansho's men, who Shredder orders them to attack Koji.

Back at the Fine Arts Museum, Splinter and the Turtles find Shredder's time machine. Splinter notices the machine is set to the year 1583 - the year the Foot Clan came into being. Splinters believes Shredder plans to destroy Hamato Koji, the man who founded the Foot Clan, and Splinter's great ancestor. If Hamato Koji is destroyed, then Master Splinter would never have been born and the Turtles would forever remain ordinary turtles.

They follow Shredder back to ancient Japan, Splinter and the Turtles arrive just in time to help Koji defend himself against Shredder and Oroko Sansho's men. The Turtles and Splinter remove their cloaks, scaring off Oroko Sansho's men who believe them to be Tengu demons.

Needless to say Shredder is extremely angry that the Turtles have followed him to the past and threatens that they will never escape the past without the time machine remote control.

Before they can pursue Shredder and get the remote they must assist Koji in his quest (and naturally, explain who they are and why they are there).

Meanwhile, Shredder must hire new assassins to deal with Koji, Splinter and the Turtles, now that Oroku Sansho's men refuse to fight because they believe that the Turtles are demons.

Koji tells Splinter and the Turtles that his sensei told him to find the shrine of Shibano-sama. They are suddenly attacked by three female assassins. However, when Koji risks his life to save the assassins, they renounce their mission.

Shredder talks Oroku Sansho's men into following him once more, by using his Anti-Gravity Ray to convince them he has the power over demons.

Koji, Splinter and the Turtles discover the location of a shrine by it is not Shibano Sama's. Suddenly they are attacked by another hired killer, Koro. When they defeat him by knocking him into the shrine, Shibano Sama's shrine is uncovered.

Inside they discover the Nomi Blade, a legendary sword that can cut through anything, and the Tsunami Box, containing a power greater than any tidal wave. Koji attempts to open the box, but is warned by Splinter that it should only be opened when it's power is needed.

No sooner does Kohji have these magical relics in his possession does he begin to dream about the power of his clan, then they find themselves confronted by Shredder and his samurais.

During their battle the Tsunami Box is accidentally opened, releasing a giant fire-breathing dragon which, after scaring everyone, heads in the direction of nearby villages.

So while Koji and Splinter go off to protect the villages, the Turtles are left to keep Shredder and the marauding samurais at bay.

Oroko Sanchu manages to free himself while Koji tames the dragon using water. Oroku Sansho arrives and declares Shredder as an imposter. Just as his samurais are about to execute Shredder and the Turtles, Koji arrives riding atop the now tamed dragon. Oroku Sansho cowers in fear, revealing his true colors. Koji offers service to Oroko's men as he initiates the Foot Clan.

Once again, Shredder's beautiful plan is foiled as Donatello uses Shredder's remote to transport the other three Turtles, Splinter and Shredder back to their own time.

02CAST & APPEARANCES

03OBJECTS, VEHICLES & PLACES

04SCREEN GRABS

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

05NOTES & GOOFS

• When Shredder picks up Oroku Sansho's battle armor, he has grey boots.
• Throughout the battle scene with the female warriors, Koji's swords are missing from his back in many shots.
• The Nojima Blade does not have a sheath when Koji pulls it out of the shrine, but does have one when he runs off to the village to pursue the dragon.
• Shredder goes from wearing Oroku Sansho's battle armour to wearing his regular costume when Donatello transports himself and the others back to the present.
• The Turtles are mistakenly called Tengu demons instead of Kappa more accordingly which have the appearance of water based reptiles more akin to the turtle-like appearance same as they are called in the third TMNT movie, TMNT III Turtles in Time, where they are more accordingly called kappa by the diaymo in that movie.

06TRIVIA

• First _TMNT_ episode not to feature April O'Neil.
• Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady do not appear in this episode.
• Splinter is surprisingly absent from the Turtles' and Koji's fight with Koro, with no explanation given as to where he is and why he's not there.

07HOME MEDIA

08FAN REVIEW

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