The Invasion, Season Two's hour-long finale, is epic. Yes, the word "epic" gets tossed around a lot and it tends to lose its significance, but if you've been really enjoying Nick's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you're most definitely going to have a blast with this one. It's action-packed from beginning to end, full of nods to previous versions of the TMNT franchise, and there's a surprising amount of heart and darkness. Seriously, one part really struck me.
As heavily hinted in the last episode and blatantly implied in the title, this finale sees the return of Kraang Prime and the aliens' assault on New York ("and then... the wooooooorld!"). This part of the story is all about embracing the sci-fi genre and it's pure fun. When all is said and done, we're left with a surprisingly emotional cliffhanger that's full of potential. There's also a huge reveal with a certain character here -- one which will likely have some fans a little divided -- but it brings an iconic and lovable voice actor into the show. It's a voice you'll immediately recognize and you can really tell the person had such a good time screaming the lines ("Fooled you! Fooled you all! Bwhaha!"). Even if you're not a fan of the twist with said character, at least it has the potential to become a pretty cool and creepy figure, right? And I can't forget to mention Ice Cream Kitty makes another adorable and smile-inducing cameo!
Yes, Donnie's mech makes its debut (come on, like you really thought they wouldn't use it in the finale after giving us all of those teasers?). Even though it doesn't stick around for too long, its appearance is hugely entertaining. Watching the team unleash all of its weapons and raw might against the Kraang was absurdly enjoyable and the big battle was plenty of fun. Despite all of its weapons and the amusing handling of the action, my personal highlight is its most dangerous weapon of all: the shin kick!
What's especially cool is this episode also does a little bit of extra worldbuilding. There's some big developments with the key characters and major fan service throughout, but the show also introduces another organization to its universe. It's great seeing the Ninja Turtles aren't the only ones responding to the second alien invasion in New York and hopefully we'll see more of this group in the upcoming season.
While the Kraang side of the story celebrates the sci-fi genre incredibly well and does a terrific job paving the way for Season Three, I found myself even more engaged with Leonardo's side of the story. It's a love letter to the first micro series issue and does an exceptional job showing how far he'll push himself to protect his family. The action with the aliens is explosive and focuses on all kinds of thrilling technology, but the situation with Leonardo is far more visceral. Just like in the micro issue, there isn't much banter; it's just intense, energetic, and lethal melee combat. Leonardo's slicing apart everything in his path, deflecting arrows, and refuses to stay down despite facing impossible odds. It's a really gripping sequence.
You can't have a TMNT finale without some focus on the Splinter/Shredder dynamic and this one absolutely delivers. It's loaded with emotion and the conflict had me totally captivated. One thing I really love is how the team has avoided making Shredder such a cliche villain. Sure, he wants to watch the world burn and all that, but right in the very beginning we see just how hurt he is by the events with Karai. Little segments like that really humanize the character. This conflict also brings the very awesome Leatherhead into the story. His role is limited but cheerworthy and memorable. Oh, and the moment between Michelangelo and Raphael after the big one-on-one fight? It's astonishingly heartfelt and sweet. I have no problem admitting that it made me choke up.
The directing for this finale did a fantastic job making us feel like an onlooker and consistently offered unique looks at all of the chaos. There were several shots where they pulled us near all of the madness but not directly into it. It kept the experience interesting and helped give us another view of all the action. One little touch I also liked is how they executed the growing divide between Leo and Donnie. Slow motion is using sparingly and oh-so-well! They're all excellent, but one of them really dropped my jaw. Additionally, it's worth noting that the score in the end helps all of these develops really sink in and make an impact.
Obviously, the show needs to remain somewhat conservative when it comes to how the violence is handled. However, they make up for this by having some of the more devastating attacks presented in a creative way. For example, after someone is slashed, the screen breaks into pieces and then falls out of the shot, just like shattered glass. It was a brilliant way to sell what happened without showing any significant damage to the character. That said, they still get away with a lot of brutal moments, especially in the scenes involving Shredder.
There's a brief bit between Donnie and April that I really appreciated. When it comes to the love triangle and how Donnie feels about April, she appears to be mostly oblivious to the situation. It's kind of tough to believe, especially since Donatello and Casey have been so blatant about it. But there's a quick exchange which offers a little more insight into how she feels about the matter and it'll apparently help put some concerns at ease.
The Invasion is a phenomenal finale. All of the fun and joy is balanced perfectly with all of the bleakness and raw emotion. The Kraang invasion is delightfully over-the-top yet the weight of what's going on is never lessened. The juggling of so many pivotal scenes is handled well and the ride never slows down. It's without question one of the most powerful and engrossing episodes yet and it'll leave you beyond anxious to watch the next episode. If you're a TMNT fan and you haven't given this show an honest chance, watch this one and you're more than likely going to become a fan.
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