Technodrome

The Technodrome is a semi-spherical tank-like metallic mobile subterranean fortress of Krang and Shredder, the main villains on the 1987 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" cartoon series and the Archie "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures" comics. It seems as if it may be derivative of the Death Star from "Star Wars". It does not exist in any other version of the "TMNT" franchise.

History

The Technodrome was designed and built by Drakus, an inhabitant of Dimension X, Krang's home. At some point before the series Krang stole the Technodrome from Drakus and left him for dead. Krang later transports it to Earth and at some point meets Shredder and they begin their partnership.

Although menacing at first glance, through the course of the series the Technodrome is almost always stuck somewhere (be it encased in ice, sunken under the ocean or trapped in Dimension X), making its full capabilities never realized. The closest the Technodrome came to show its full capabilities was in the finale of season three (Big Blow Out), and to a lesser extent the season 7 finale "Shredder Triumphant!" In that episode the Technodrome produced cutting equipment from hatches, raised up on hydraulic legs, and expanded the dimensional portal outwards.

The Technodrome is capable of surface, subterranean, or underwater travel. If equipped with an engine powerful enough, it can also journey into outer space. The Technodrome is also equipped with a super portal that can transport the structure through dimensions. Krang utilized this to bring the Technodrome back to Earth, but the Turtles later used this to banish the Technodrome permanently to Dimension X.

In the last episode of the eighth season, "Turtle Trek", the Turtles destroy the Technodrome's engines and trap Krang and Shredder in Dimension X. The Technodrome gets trapped in Dimension X for good, and is sucked into the pit of a Sarlacc, a ferocious tentacled alien animal whose size rivaled the Technodrome itself. This finally renders it inoperable, and it is not seen again for the remainder of the series until the final episode, in which Donatello and Michaelangelo enter it to retrieve Krang's android body; the Technodrome had long since gained unrecoverable damage by that point.

;Technodrome Mark 2: In the two part episode Planet of the Turtleoids, Shredder and Krang build a smaller version of the technodrome. It varies only in slight ways, the only major difference is the color (from silver to gold). This technodrome is destroyed by the Turtles leaving Shredder to retreat back to the original technodrome.

Location

1987 TMNT cartoon

;Season 1 (1987): The Technodrome is first encountered under New York City. Although it was already known to be there in the pilot episode Turtle Tracks, it was only actually seen later, in Enter the Shredder. In the last episode of the season, Shredder & Splintered, Donatello reverses the Technodrome's dimensional portal, and causes the Technodrome to be sucked into Dimension X.;Season 2 (1988): The Technodrome spends most of the season in Dimension X. In the last episode of the season, Return of the Technodrome, the Technodrome is powered up by diverting power from the power plant at Niagara Falls, and returns to Earth. Krang then burrows underground, under New York City, and uses an earthquake generator to threaten the residents of the city into surrendering. But Donatello reverses the generator, and when Krang activates it again, the Technodrome burrow itself further underground, and goes all the way down to the core of the Earth.;Season 3 (1989): For most of the season, the Technodrome is nearly powerless near the Earth's core. The one exception was in the episode Shredderville, where the Turtles dream of a world ruled by Shredder, the Technodrome is above the surface in a very run down New York City. In the third-to-last episode of the season, The Big Rip-Off, Krang and Shredder manage to steal power cells and recharge the Technodrome. Then, in the following episode The Big Break-In, the Technodrome returns to the surface. In the final episode of the season, The Big Blow Out, the Technodrome is in New York City and has opened a giant portal to Dimension X in the sky over it. The Turtles manage to trick Shredder into positioning the Technodrome over a sewer, where they had setup a missile they borrowed from the US Army. They launch the missile straight up; it picks up the Technodrome and carries it through the sky portal and into Dimension X.;Season 4 (1990): In the first episode of the season, Plan 6 from Outer Space, it is learned that the Technodrome landed on an asteroid in Dimension X. In the episode The Dimension X Story, Krang finds out that the asteroid has a volcano. He comes up with a plan to make the volcano erupt, and harness the energy to return to Earth. But due to the Turtles' interference, the eruption instead causes a flow of lava, which quickly solidifies, causing the Technodrome to become half-buried in solid rock.;Season 5 (1991): The Technodrome begins the season in Dimension X. Early in the season, in the episode My Brother, the Bad Guy, Krang and Shredder finally come up with a plan to get it back to Earth. However, the Turtles intervene, and although they do get to Earth, they end up trapped in the North Pole. It would remain there, trapped in ice, for the rest of the season.;Season 6 (1992): In the first episode of the season, Rock Around the Block, Krang sets up a super-laser to free the Technodrome from its icy prison. This time, the Turtles are powerless to stop him. However, Bebop and Rocksteady's own incompetence causes the plan to fail, as they accidentally hit the super-laser's controls and direct it to melt the ice directly under the Technodrome. As a result, the Technodrome sinks to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, where it will remain for two seasons.;Season 7 (1993): The Technodrome remains trapped at the bottom of the ocean until the final episode of the season, Shredder Triumphant. Then, Krang steals some Regenerative Power Cells and uses them to re-power the Technodrome, and move it to New York City. Donatello re-programs the Technodrome's dimensional portal and sends the Technodrome to Dimension X via remote control, leaving Krang and Shredder stuck on Earth in the process.;Season 8 (1994): In the second episode of the season, Wrath of the Rat King, Krang finds out that the Technodrome fell into a black hole in Dimension X. It is implied Krang's Rock Soldiers somehow free the Technodrome and transport it to the planet Balaraphon prior to the events of the final episode Turtle Trek. In that episode, Krang and Shredder finally make their way back to the Technodrome. The Turtles follow them to Dimension X, where they learn that Shredder and Krang are on Balaraphon. They go to the planet, defeat Shredder and blow up the Technodrome's main engines, finally disabling it for good. The Technodrome is motionless as it is dragged into the pit of a tentacled monster.;Season 9 (1995): The Technodrome is not seen in this season.;Season 10 (1996): The Turtles, specifically Donatello and Michelangelo, travel to the Technodrome once, in the series' finale Divide and Conquer to retrieve Krang's android body. The Technodrome is abandoned and ruined on the planet Balaraphon, following the events of Turtle Trek.

The "European Vacation" episodes, which aired from 1992 to 1993, actually take place during season 4, with the Technodrome in Dimension X.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures

Because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics follow the 1987 TMNT cartoon in the beginning, the Technodrome is located first under New York City, then in Dimension X. Later in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics, Krang re-builds it into a spaceship. When Krang was defeated and sent to Morbus, the Technodrome was never seen again in this version.

Design features

* 972 rooms(Mentioned in episode"The Missing Map") Fact|date=January 2008
* A trans-dimensional portal used to transport people (or mutants) and objects between Earth and Dimension X.
* Eyeball missile launchers
* 5 (possibly 6) trident-shaped laser cannons Fact|date=January 2008
* A mounted surveillance eye on the top
* A mouser factory Fact|date=January 2008
* Training facilities for Shredder's henchmen, Bebop and Rocksteady Fact|date=January 2008
* Three-foot-thick titanium armour Fact|date=January 2008
* Huge tank treads, used to move the Technodrome across land or underground from each location.
* Robot walker legs that can be used instead of tank treads (seen in The Big Blow Out)
* Gigantic saw blades and cutting devices (used in The Big Blow Out to get an energy antenna)
* Pedal Power Generator (used in The Big Rip-Off to generate a small amount of power when Technodrome was completely out of power)
* Large holding cells
* Earthquake machine (used in Return of the Technodrome)
* Various drilling mechanisms
* Motor pool area that houses foot bikes and technorovers
* Trap Door in the center of the main control room as used in Hot Rodding Teenagers from Dimension X
* Star fighter deck that houses technowings Fact|date=January 2008
* Classical Japanese Dojo Rooms Fact|date=January 2008
* Balance control (during near the end of Season 3)
* Anti-gravitation generators making the technodrome able to hover slightly above the ground (used during season 2 )
* Disintegrator Unit (season 2)
* Relay Room
* Engine Room
* Laundry room
* Indoor Pool

Transport modules

The transport modules are the vehicles used by Krang, Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady to move from the Technodrome to New York when the Technodrome is located on the Earth. Although they are best known in their underground drill form, their physical make-up actually changed as the Technodrome moved.

;Season 1 (1987):With the Technodrome located under New York City during season 1, there is no need for independent transport modules. In the episode A Thing About Rats, the Shredder uses a kind of transport elevator which extends, but remains connected to, the Technodrome. This type is also used in the arcade game and the Archie "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures" comics.;Season 3 (1989):With the Technodrome located in the Earths core during most of season 3, the first of the more famous type of transport modules are used. It looks similar to a space shuttle without wings and with a drill in the front. Even Bebop and Rocksteady are able to pilot these transport modules.;Season 5 (1991):With the Technodrome located in the North Pole during most of season 5, the transport modules from season 3 are used once again, this time to drill under the North American continent and towards New York City.;Season 6 & 7 (1992-1993):With the Technodrome located under the Arctic Ocean during season 6 and season 7, underwater types of transport modules are used.

Trans-Dimensional Portal

The Technodrome contained its own Trans-Dimensional Portal in the "Main Control Room" where most of the scenes of the Technodrome can be seen. The portal allowed Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady to travel between Dimension X and Earth during the seasons where the Technodrome is located in Dimension X and allowed Krang to bring his army of "Rock Soldiers" to Earth when the Technodrome is located on Earth. The portal could be opened at any location on Earth when the Technodrome was in Dimension X and vice versa when the Technodrome was located in Earth, however as Shredder and his gang didn't know the location of the Turtles Lair they were unable to travel there. The portal screen could be opened and closed at any time by Shredder or Krang and also doubled as a large video screen. The video screen was often used to allow Shredder and Krang to watch the "Channel 6" news presented by April O'Neil even when the Technodrome was located in Dimension X. The video screen was also used to monitor the actions of Bebop and Rocksteady or Shredder when they were on one of their missions.

Donatello also had his own portal that the Turtles could use to travel to Dimension X.

Technodrome in videogames

In many of the older TMNT video games, the Technodrome is the final level of the game and that the Turtles must fight their way through the various sections of the Technodrome to get to the final boss, alternatively either Shredder or Krang (or both in succession) depending on the game.

The original NES game features the Technodrome as the boss of the fifth level. Defeating the Technodrome is a multi-step process, requiring the player to first destroy the cannons, and then dispatch the giant "eye" on the top.cite book
last = DeMaria
first = Rusel
title = Nintendo Games Secrets
publisher = Prima Publishing
series = Secrets of the Games
year = 1990
isbn = 1-55958-062-3
pages = 270-272]

The interior of the Technodrome changes from game to game: in the first Turtles NES game, the inside of the Technodrome was yellow and blue. However, in later games the interior of the Technodrome began to match the Technodrome depicted in the cartoon series. It began to include more elements from the series, (i.e. the mouser factory and security drones). The first part of the Hyperstone Heist Technodrome level is actually based on the Starbase level from .

References

External links

* [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/toys/1988/techno.htm The 1988 Technodrome] playset at the [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/ official TMNT website]
* [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/toys/1993/technoscout.htm 1993 Technodrome Scout Vehicle] playset at the [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/ official TMNT website]
* [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/toys/1994/tokkaset.htm 1994 Tokka Technodrome] playset at the [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/ official TMNT website]
* [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/toys/1995/tokkaset.htm 1995 Tokka Technodrome] playset at the [http://www.ninjaturtles.com/ official TMNT website]