The following article contains spoilers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #131
As the Heroes in a Half-Shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are known for their iconic weaponry. But fantastical new developments in the pages of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from IDW Publishing hints that the Splinter Clan will soon be employing more than their classic ninja weaponry to face their foes. The Turtles are getting superpowers.
Whether it’s Raphael’s sai or Michelangelo’s nunchaku, fans closely associate the Turtles with their chosen weapons of combat. In keeping with this theme of individuality, all of the reptilian warriors’ weapons reflect their personalities in some way. And if the events of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #131 by Sophie Campbell and Pablo Tunica are any indication, their new supernatural powers will function much the same way.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #131 finds the titular Turtles doing the unthinkable – learning from their old enemy, Oroku Saki aka Shredder, who warns the Ninja Turtles of an impending threat to life as they know it. In honor of their later father Master Splinter, Shredder invites the heroes to learn the ways of the Kuji-Kiri, the Nine Cuts, in order to foil the apocalyptic machinations of their nemesis, the Rat King. Taking the Turtles to a Thin Place where the dark magics that fuel the Nine Cuts can be tapped into more easily, Shredder demonstrates these dangerous abilities with devastating effect, shattering a tree with a single strike and even breathing fire.
Shredder himself warns of the dark nature of these powers, stressing they never be used outside of the specific mission for which they’re being learned. But hearing a warning and heeding it are two different things. As usual, the Turtles are quick studies, so when haunted by a nightmare of Bebop and Rocksteady, Donatello displays an aptitude for the Nine Cuts, using a purple blast of air to slice through his merged mutant enemies with expert precision. And while this dark debacle is seemingly only a dream, it definitely gives readers an idea of the developments to come as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continue to learn under Shredders’ tutelage.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are no strangers to the supernatural or the otherworldly. As the reincarnated souls of a family of ancient ninja, they’ve gone up against their fair share of mutants, aliens, and dark magic. Even so, actually imbuing the Turtles with their own specialized dark magic just to take on the Rat King is a pretty big development.
All of the Turtles have such strong and dynamic personalities that it would be impossible for their newfound mystical abilities not to reflect that. Donatello’s purple air slice not only reflects his trademark color scheme, but the exacting motion of the blow similarly mirrors the more calculating nature that he exhibits when compared to his fellow Ninja Turtles. Meanwhile, with his hardheaded demeanor and often fiery temper, Raphael is the logical choice to learn Shredder’s fire-breathing technique.
As for what mystical abilities the other members of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will soon learn, dedicated fans will have to wait and see. But when facing down a powerful foe as dangerous as the Rat King, it’s no wonder that the Heroes in a Half Shell will need all the help that they can get. And with any luck, the IDW Publishing's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be able to master these new powers without their dark magic mastering them first.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #131 is on sale now in print and digital.