DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS

01PLOT

Raph is attempting to get the high score on a video game in the lair arcade, but Splinter interrupts, having caught Rat Flu. The Turtles are excited because they get to ask anything they want from Splinter if they get to the 7th stage of Rat Flu. But they can't agree what to ask for. Donnie suggests they ask for nuclear uranium, Mikey suggests a brick oven, and Leo suggests matching unicorn onesies.

Raph orders them to stop and tells them that he will think of something they all will enjoy. Then, Mikey notices that he saw his breath to reveal that the lair is getting colder.

Stage one of Rat Flu begins as Splinter lowered the temperature low and shaved all of his fur off. The Turtles tried their best to stay warm under the heating lamp but Leo, wearing a coat, said that they should plan ahead.

Stage two begins and Splinter becomes savage and chases the Turtles. Donnie managed to lure Splinter with a pizza and trapped him in a giant hamster ball. But as he caught him, Splinter started running around in the ball and he escaped.

Mikey and Raph started to look for Splinter in his bedroom until Mikey saw that Splinter was on Raph’s back. He screams as he throws Splinter off of him. After a few seconds, Splinter now has hearts in his eyes, now entering stage three.

Leo and Donnie are outside the lair while Leo complains that the hazard suits are sweaty. Mikey and Raph burst in and tell them to put them back on. Splinter somehow got into Leo’s suit and the red eared slider became infected with the blue.

The three quarantine Leo into his bedroom with a plastic sheet separating them. Raph asked how Splinter was doing since they distracted him with dummies. Mikey said that he lost him. Stage four begins as Splinter, dressed in a ninja outfit, sliced the Turtles' hazard suits into pieces. The lights went out and they are having a difficult time trying to find Splinter. Using his night goggles, Donnie saw that Splinter had retreated to his lab. He looks for him, only for Splinter to lunge at him.

Back in his robe, Splinter started singing Karaoke love songs, going into stage 5. Raph and Mikey cover their ears as Donnie complains that everything is getting hot. With Donnie infected, he is placed in his room with a plastic sheet around him just like Leo.

With two Turtles left, stage six came. Splinter is telling his sons a fanfiction crossover of Lou Jitsu and Jupiter Jim. Mikey complains that he likes this stage and Raph said that they are getting close. But then, Mikey sneezed, catching Rat Flu.

With his brothers quarantined, Raph faces Splinter to make his request for the must say yes stage, but then Leo blurts out, “Raph-a-doodle a hug!” He sliced out of his room and complained to Splinter that everyone loves hugs. Splinter jumps onto Raph and he becomes infected with Rat Flu. The episode ends with Splinter saying that he wants a new bike.

02CAST & APPEARANCES

03OBJECTS, VEHICLES & PLACES

04SCREEN GRABS

4 frames. Auto-matched screencaps via Fancaps.net.

05TRIVIA

• The episode shares its title with the song "Down with the Sickness" by the American band _Disturbed_.
• The song's most recognizable lyric, besides its title, is referenced when the narrator says, "Oh, wa-ah-ah-ah-choo!"
• There are seven stages of Rat Flu, as shown:
• Stage 1: Fever - Splinter freezes the whole lair trying to cure himself, and he eventually shaves his fur and hair.
• Stage 2: Wild Rat Man - Splinter is overcome by aggressive, feral behavior, moving on all fours and incapable of speech.
• Stage 3: Captain Cuddle Cakes - Splinter becomes very physically and verbally affectionate towards others.
• Stage 4: Ninja Supreme - Splinter becomes a skillful ninja and hunts down the Turtles.
• Stage 5: Karaoke Love Songs - Splinter sings romantic karaoke horribly.
• Stage 6: Fanfiction - Splinter acts out his fantasy involving fictional characters.
• Stage 7: Must Say Yes - Splinter is incredibly suggestible and grants the Turtles one thing they request guaranteed.
• On Splinter's counter in his bedroom is a daruma doll. Both of its eyes being painted signify that Splinter finished the goal he set.
• One of the stacked cardboard boxes in Splinter's bedroom is labeled with the Katakana text ファンレター, "fan letters".
• Rise of the TMNT Season 1 episodes
• Splinter-focused episodes

06FAN REVIEW

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