I got bored at work the other day and put together this rough backstory of making the turtles "aliens" while still maintaining their mutant origins. It also makes way for Krang, the Technodrome, and Dimension X since that is probably where Bay wants to take this by making them alien. I tried basing it in reality as much as possible. I also borrowed elements from different incarnations of the turtles.
April O Neil, a tough-as-nails investigative news reporter, strikes her newscaster pose in front an abandoned industrial complex on the outskirts of New York City; windows shattered and graffiti scaling the façade like some sort of ancient urban mosaic. In that mess of amateur street art, the graffitid silhouette of a Foot appears several times. ONeil has a microphone in hand and proceeds with a dire report on the history behind this hallowed site. She owns the camera with confidence and a sense of self-assuredness.
The building has been condemned for over ten years. A makeshift fence wraps around the perimeter, meshing with the plant life that has engulfed it. The complex, originally owned by the now defunct TGRI Corporation, spurred up controversy due to experiments involving animals from every species: Rhinos, warthogs, alligators, and turtles being of the most noteworthy. ONeil was just a college student then, getting her big break by uncovering the illegal experimentation going on within the complex. Her revelation sparked mass protests and widespread media coverage; ultimately, destroying the reputation of the company and putting it on the verge of bankruptcy. With a spotlight now beamed directly on them, the companys CEO, Oroku Saki, resorted to desperate measures.
One day the complex exploded in flames, leaving behind the skeleton it has now become. Saki disappeared along with his head of research, Baxter Stockman. It is believed that many of the animals perished in the fire, while others were able to escape; perhaps with assistance or on their own
There is a reward for any information leading to arrest of Saki and Stockman. Police officials have labeled the fire as deliberate.
The years since have given rise to conspiracy theories that accuse the military of being involved with the experiments. Rumors have it that the creatures were being exposed to an alien bacteria brought to this planet from a rogue meteor. Saki and Stockman were recruited to extract the strain and uncover ways to apply it. They soon discovered, almost accidentally, that it could be utilized in the mutation of animals. It apparently caused a shocking development in brain function and bodily transformation; causing any creature exposed to take on human-like qualities, the least of which is the ability to walk upright. However, the alien strain appeared to have the opposite effect on the human organism; instead of enhancing inherent human qualities, it mutated their DNA and created Frankensteinesque monsters. It goes without saying that Baxter Stockman became a victim of his own experiments after exposing himself to the alien strain and turning himself into a hideous fly-like creature. This is of course the stuff urban legends are made of.
Immediately following the fire, it was revealed that Saki was also under investigation for ties to criminal organizations. His political prowess and government relations made him a unique asset to any blossoming criminal element. The state of the world was and is bleak. It is reminiscent of old New York circa the 1980s; a New Jack City meets The Crow-type environment. Crime is at an all-time high with a resurgence in organized crime due to a terrible economic crisis. Most notably, a clan that calls themselves the Foot has risen to the occasion and evolved into a global crime syndicate. Their existence is mythical, based simply in folklore equal to that of La Cosa Nostra before turncoats and media coverage put a face to the secret organization. Their leader, a Keyser Soze-type figure goes by the alias Shredder. He has never been seen by anyone outside of the clan and only exists in the shadows. Descriptions of what he looks like are scant, but he wears an armor that resembles that of a modern-day Samurai.
The existence of the Foot has expectedly caught the attention of April ONeil. She has taken it as a personal challenge to prove that they have undoubtedly influenced governments around the world and gained control of local populations through fear and intimidation. Many inner-city kids turn to the Foot out of desperation and eventually progress onto higher ranks by proving themselves loyal to the clan. They are required to commit themselves to a code of silence, taking on an omerta with a consequence of death if they should reveal any detail related to the clan. Those who advance to higher positions are offered the romanticized role of enforcer. The enforcers are trained in deadly fighting skills and are the most respected of the clan. Their loyalty is unmatched and their abilities are feared. Death is guaranteed to anyone interfering with the smooth operation of the clan. The victim will never see it coming.
Beneath the streets of New York and hidden from the eyes of society, a secret battle is ongoing. At the same time Saki and Stockman disappeared, a well-respected and skilled secret agent, Hamato Yoshi, had been assigned to the case investigating Saki for political corruption in Japan. Yoshi was last seen in New York and it is suspected that he was present at the time the TGRI complex was set ablaze. This fateful night would be the final time Yoshi would be seen in human form. Stockman, already exposed to the alien strain, unleashed the mutagen on Yoshi as he and Saki fled from the burning complex. The blaze would badly scar Saki and the alien strain would mutate Yoshi into a rat-like creature. Yoshi retreated from the fight with a carrying case containing 4 turtle specimens. He grabbed it as proof once he realized what Saki and Stockman were actually doing; however, the strain rapidly mutated Yoshi. It was also during this confrontation that Yoshis suspicions that Saki was in fact the Shredder were confirmed. This newfound discovery and his mutation forced Yoshi into hiding. He knew he would be locked away for research and decided to continue his battle alone.
In that time, Yoshi saw the turtle specimens evolve into self-aware human creatures. He viewed this as an opportunity to train them with the skills he had acquired from his years as a secret agent. The turtles grew up with unique personalities and Yoshi named them accordingly, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. In the ten years since the incident, the four turtles have become fighting machines on an equal level of the Foots toughest enforcers. There is only one set-back; they are still only immature teenagers with a knack for mischievous activity and an insatiable appetite for pizza. Yoshi, now dubbed the Splinter by his young students and a surrogate father who cares for them, is determined to bring Sakis reign to an end and topple the stronghold of the Foot. He knows that it will not easy but with the help of his teenage mutant ninja turtles, and a certain determined news reporter, Yoshi is convinced he will be able change the world. It is a battle that is ongoing between the two factions.
However, what Yoshi and Saki do not know is that the alien bacteria landing on Earth was no accident
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