| “ | Halloween in New York City. One of my favorite times of the year. A day where no matter how odd, how freaky, or scary you might be, you fit in with everyone else. A day when girls and boys all over the city dress as their favorite monsters and heroes and get free candy. A day when even a teenage mutant ninja turtle can walk around in the open. Of course, some Halloweens are filled with more tricks than treats. Maybe this year, we should've stayed home and rented scary movies. | ” |
— Raphael's narration in the cold open | ||
"All Hallows Thieves" is the Halloween-themed episode of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, produced as the twelfth episode of the show's fourth season. It originally aired on October 29, 2005.[1]
Intro[]
Raph narrates that it's Halloween in New York City and his favorite time of the year. A day where you fit in with everyone else no matter how odd, freaky, or scary you might be. A day when young kids all over The Big Apple dress as anybody, even a ninja turtle, that they like and get free candy while walking around in the open. However, Raph states some Halloweens are filled with more tricks than treats. But this year, they should've stayed home and rented scary films.
Synopsis[]
A man clad in black enters April's antique shop, 2nd Time Around, and quickly spots a rather grotesque, six-armed bronze statue. April takes it off a shelf and hands it to the man, who states that he forgot his wallet and asks O'Neil to hold it for him. As the man walks off, an alarm sounds - April explains that she's been having problems with it and the man departs, slightly agitated. The man goes out of the store and meets with his sidekick, Hadji, telling him he has finally found "the idol". As the two men stroll through the streets of New York City - the man in black pilfers an unsuspecting passers wallet. Hadji asks if they will use that money to buy the idol. He tells him it must be stolen calling himself "The King of Thieves".
Later that night, the Turtles are carving pumpkins at April's apartment above the antique shop. Casey arrives and leaves with April to attend a costume party. As the Turtles continue to carve their pumpkins (except for Leo, who is busy training) they hear April’s alarm go off. The guys chide Don for not fixing the alarm and send Mikey to check it out. When the amicable Turtle arrives in the darkened shop, he finds three costumed figures searching the shelves, and they’re clearly not looking for candy!
The costumed thugs attack the ninja, who easily gains the upper hand in the fight - until one of the thieves tosses a bat into a bicycle hanging from the ceiling, causing it to fall on top of Mikey's head. Two of the thugs grab the idol and flee, while Mike is distracted. upon hearing the scuffle, Leo, Don, and Raph hurry downstairs to investigate and find one of the robbers who wasn't able to escape. Leonardo threatens the punk and he tells them that they were hired to grab a six-armed statue for a man at the Blue Star hotel. At the Blue Star hotel, the two remaining thugs deliver the statue to the King of Thieves, who is overjoyed to finally have it in his possession.
Meanwhile, the Turtles are causally walking the streets - which they can do since most pedestrians are in costume. Mike and Raph are chowing on carmel apples while Leonardo is getting angry over their care-free attitude. The guys arrive at the hotel with intentions of paying a visit to the man behind the robbery. Don knocks on the door they suspect their quarry is behind, but an elderly lady answers and gives them some candy, thinking that they're trick-or-treaters. Don apologizes to Leo for picking the wrong door and they go to the next one - which Leonardo promptly kicks open.
Inside the room, the King of Thieves is now in an arcane robe making strange incantations before the six-armed statue. After a brief verbal joust with the Turtles, the King finishes his spell and opens a rift in the air. Before the Turtles have time to stop him, numerous winged gremlins shoot out and begin to attack.
As the demonic creatures attack the Turtles, they seem to be more of an annoyance than a threat. The ninjas battle the gremlins, but the distraction has allowed both the King and Hadji to escape. The rift continues to emit more gremlins and our heroes are quickly growing outnumbered. Leonardo breaks through a flimsy wall and the Turtles chase after the King and Hadji.
The Turtles catch up with the two thieves in an alleyway, but the King has another surprise as he begins a new spell. This incantation causes the six-armed Thieving God Idol to grow into a giant, living stone beast! The Turtles fight the monster, allowing the King and Hadji to escape yet again. The two thieves make it to the streets, where the gremlins begin to pile loot up at their feet. Meanwhile, the Turtles are cornered by the seemingly invincible monster, so they head to the rooftops to have a better tactical advantage.
The pile of stolen treasures grows ever larger as the gremlins loot New York City. The battle on the rooftop isn't going well for the Turtles - Leo, Raph, and Don are all knocked down. Mikey attacks but is smashed and flies senseless into the ledge of the roof. Don yells for Mikey to move as the multi-limbed monster rushes in to crush him.
As Mikey is about to be squashed, Don tosses his bo into the feet of the idol and trips the beast, sending it sprawling over the edge of the building. It falls through the pavement below and onto a subway platform. The Turtles follow and jump down into the tunnel to continue the fight. The monster emerges from a pile of rubble, with one of its arms now broken off. Leo takes one last swing at the beast and severs its left limbs - leaving it staggering. Raphael grabs the arm that fell off in the fall and attacks - knocking off the idols head with its own limb! The body staggers for a moment, and then falls off the platform right into the path of a moving train. The Thieving God Idol is smashed into pieces - which soon glows red and disappear.
On the streets, we see the gremlins glow red and begin to disappear. Police officers arrive on the scene and arrest the King of Thieves and Hadji. The officers that resemble Eastman and Laird spot the Turtles and wave at them, thank them for their help, and tell them to continue their trick-or-treating. Mikey happily complies.
Availability[]
The episode made its home video debut on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 4 DVD set, distributed by Funimation Productions on September 12, 2006. It was made available again on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection DVD set, released by Paramount Home Entertainment on July 25, 2023.
Cast[]
| Voice actors | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Michael Sinterniklaas | Leonardo |
| Wayne Grayson | Michelangelo |
| Sam Riegel | Donatello |
| Gregory Abbey | Raphael |
| Sean Schemmel | King of Thieves |
| Marc Diraison | Car owner Cop #1 Demon |
| Brian Maillard | Hadji Pilot Cop #2 Witch Jack-O-Lantern |
| Veronica Taylor | April O'Neil Little old lady Trick-or-treaters |
| Marc Thompson | Casey Jones Man Werewolf |