Grudge Match

“Grudge Match”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) episode
Season Code:	S04E06
Episode:	84
Original airdate	October 22, 2005
Written by	Christopher Yost
Supervising Producer	Lloyd Goldfine
Producers:	Gary Richardson
	Frederick U. Fierst
	Al Kahn
	Norman Grossfeld
	Thomas Kenney
Supervising Director	Roy Burdine
Story Editor:	Michael Ryan
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "I, Monster" "A Wing and a Prayer"

"Grudge Match" is the eighty-fourth episode of the animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which originally aired on October 22, 2005.

Appearing in Grudge Match[]

Major characters[]

• Daimyo (Marc Thompson)
• Donatello (Sam Regal)
• Kluh (Ted Lewis)
• Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
• Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
• Raphael (John Campbell)

Minor characters[]

• Ammag (Brian Maillard) (debut)
• Gyoji (Pete Zarustica)
• Levram warriors (debut)
• Levram wizard (debut)
• Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
• Ue-sama/Young Ultimate Ninja (Ted Lewis)

Species[]

• Alien
• Human
• Mutant rat
• Mutant turtle

Objects and vehicles[]

• Bō
• Katana
• Nunchaku
• Sai
• Twin-Bladed Glaive
• War Staff

Locations[]

• Earth
• Battle Nexus

Episode[]

Voice-over introduction[]

Raphael: It may look like just another day in the Battle Nexus, with the crowds and the cheering, but trust me, this day was gonna be special. I was looking forward to somebody finally shutting Mikey up about being Battle Nexus Champion. But it was starting to look like they were gonna shut Mikey up permanently.

Plot[]

Open with Leonardo on a rooftop as he is sparring with Raphael and Donatello. Leonardo wants to go again as soon as he defeats his brothers and Raphael is upset and weary of Leo's recent attitude problem. Splinter intervenes, telling Leonardo that his brother's criticism is accurate. The Sensei then asks where Michelangelo is.

Cut to a fire escape where Mike sits sipping a soda and watching a TV through someone’s window. The others arrive and Mike is disappointed to learn that the break has been over for quite some time. Leo, Raph and Splinter scolds Mike for being easily distracted from his duties. Mikey boasts that he doesn't need to train because he's the Battle Nexus Champion - a statement that really gets Raph's goat. Suddenly a portal opens in the sky and Kluh jumps through - attacking Mikey in the process. Mike dodges as Kluh's father, Ammag, arrives with a gang of alien warriors. Splinter demands to know what's going on and Ammag orders his men to attack.

As the Turtles and Splinter fend off their foes, Gyoji arrives and puts a stop to the illegal fight. Gyoji announces that a rematch between Kluh and Mikey will be held for the Battle Nexus Championship in three days due to all of the interference in their previous match. With that, all of the aliens depart. Mike is shocked and declares that he's now ready to train, but Don, Raph and Splinter walk off, hoping to teach the impetuous ninja a lesson in karma. Leonardo states that he will help his brother train.

Later in a dead end alley, Splinter opens the Battle Nexus portal and our heroes go through.

The Turtles and Splinter enter the Hall of Champions where Mikey poses dramatically with his statue - which annoys Raphael. The Daimyo arrives and happily greets his friend Splinter and his students. The guys spot the Ue-Same, the Daimyo's son, lurking behind some equipment. The boy approaches Leonardo and states that he has few memories, but he does recall Leo. The child asks the Turtle if they used to play together, which Leo awkwardly acknowledges. Ue-Sama then declares that Leo will be his friend. The Daimyo ushers the group to the arena where some exhibition matches are being held in honor of the championship rematch.

Elsewhere we see Kluh training for the fight. Ammag arrives and Kluh demands to know why they're playing by the Daimyo's rules. The warrior's father explains that all who saw Kluh dishonored in the first match would be watching the rematch, thus all the universe would see him save face when he destroys the Turtle. Besides, Ammag has sent his sorcerer on a mission that will guarantee that the match is not fought by the Daimyo's rules.

Meanwhile, Leonardo leads Mikey on a climb up a snowy mountain where Mikey can clear his head of all negative thoughts. Leonardo gives Mikey a fiery speech about how the Turtles are a team, and if one of them falls, they will all fall. Mike doesn't seem to get the message as all he wonders about is if he can still forfeit the match.

Later we see Mike and Leo preparing for the fight with a few last pointers. As Leo gets Mikey ready, Ue-Sama and Gyoji enter. After Gyoji and Mikey teleport back to the arena, Leo and Ue-Sama are left alone. Ammag and his warriors enter and attack! As Leo battles the attackers, Ue-Sama is taken hostage by Ammag. Ammag informs Leo that his wizard is altering the Battle Nexus spells so that the rematch between Mike and Kluh will be to the death - the loser will not be teleported out before a killing blow is struck - it will be a fight to the finish! Ammag departs with Ue-Sama, leaving Leo to battle the three soldiers.

As the battle between Mikey and Kluh begins, the Daimyo senses something is wrong. Within moments, Kluh is able to beat down Mikey and strike him with his weapon. Mike should have disappeared before he was hit, but since the Daimyo’s power is being suppressed by Ammag's sorcerer, the ninja is at his foe's mercy. Ammag arrives with several more of his warriors and informs the Daimyo of his plot. The Daimyo prepares to stop the dark powers at play but Ammag pulls out a sack and dumps out Ue-Sama. The barbarian informs the Daimyo that if he interferes, his son will die.

It seems Mikey won’t last much longer in the ring and the Daimyo cannot help him. Kluh mercilessly bludgeons the diminutive ninja. Just as it appears that Mikey will be killed, Kluh gloats that once he is gone, his family will be next and insults the family by calling them pathetic. This stirs the memory of Leo's speech and Mikey finds his second wind. The enraged Turtle breaks free and attacks a shocked Kluh using strategy to avoid the brute's lumbering attacks and get the better of him.

Back to the stands, the Daimyo voices he lost his son before and can't lose him again as he is held captive. Just then, Leo bolts onto the dais and pulls Ue-Sama from Ammag's grasp, stating that won't happen again. The warrior king is incredulous to see that the Turtle was able to defeat three of his best soldiers and calls it impossible. Daimyo states nothing is impossible as he reclaims his staff. Daimyo walks over to the brute and tells him that specially when the warrior fights with true honor as we cut to Daimyo's green eyes....

At the same time, the tides of battle have now turned in Mikey's favor and he has Kluh at his mercy now. With his son safe in Leo's hands, the Daimyo uses his powers to ensnare Ammag and his men in a magical net. The Daimyo angrily scolds Ammag and tells him that because of his actions, Michelangelo will decide Kluh's fate - one that Ammag and his warriors will share as Ammag worries for his son. Mikey stands over the giant, preparing to finish him off as revenge for all those hits he has endured. Defeated, Kluh growls and tells him, "Do it, finish me!" But Mikey lets the defeated Kluh live, as it is the honorable thing to do. Mikey walks over to his opponent and states, "Besides, you're already finished." The ninja then pokes the barbarian in the forehead with one finger, sending him toppling over. The crowd erupts in joyous cheers.

Later, an award ceremony is held in the Daimyo's throne room. The Turtles are wearing ceremonial armor and are greeted with cheers from all in attendance. Mikey is not only reinstated as the Battle Nexus Champion, but also given a medal for "Unparalleled Honor". Don and Raph bemoan their fate as they realize that Michelangelo will now have something else to boast about. Raphael decides that he'll have to move out of the lair to avoid it.

After the ceremony, Mikey approaches Leo in an empty chamber and thanks him for his help. Leonardo puts a hand on his brother's shoulder and tells him that he did good.

See also[]

• Grudge Match/Gallery
• Grudge Match/Transcript

Quotes[]

Trivia[]

• The way Michelangelo finishes off Kluh is similar to the way Leonardo finishes off Lord Norinaga in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III. He refuses to kill him, and merely pushes him over, realizing that his pride has already been bruised. In the case of Leo, he merely cuts off Norinaga's hair in a comedic fashion with his katanas used as scissors.
• In this episode, we see old Leonardo for a few moments when he is seen talking to the Daimyo's son, who is asking him if they had played together and Leo responds with a smile and says that they did. Then the Daimyo's son declares that he shall be his friend to which Leo answers, "Sure," as he brushes his bangs out of his face.
• Stock footage was used from "The Big Brawl".

External links[]

• "Grudge Match" at The Official TMNT Web Site