Ep 30. Leatherhead: Terror of the Swamp

In "Leatherhead: Terror of the Swamp," the 30th episode of the third season of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), viewers are introduced to a new character named Leatherhead. Leatherhead is a mutant alligator who lives in the New York City sewer system and has a grudge against the Turtles.

The episode begins with the turtles coming back to their lair after a night of patrolling. As they walk in, they notice that their TV is missing and that the lair seems to be in disarray. Upon further investigation, they discover that Leatherhead has broken into their lair and taken their TV as revenge for them "invading" his territory.

The turtles quickly realize that Leatherhead is not a typical villain, but rather a tragic figure. Leatherhead was once a pet of a young boy named Buddy, but when he matured and became too dangerous to keep as a pet, he was flushed down the toilet and ended up in the sewer system. The turtles find out that Leatherhead is not only angry with them for invading his territory, but he is also looking for his former owner, Buddy.

The turtles believe that they can reason with Leatherhead and try to convince him to give up his search for Buddy and leave the sewer system. However, Leatherhead is not interested in negotiation and instead, he devises a plan to lure the turtles into a trap.

Leatherhead sets up a fake distress signal in the swamp and waits for the turtles to come and rescue him. The turtles fall for the trap and get captured by Leatherhead. However, before Leatherhead could do any serious harm, Buddy shows up and convinces him to let the turtles go.

In the end, the turtles and Leatherhead come to an understanding, and the turtles help Leatherhead find a new home in the swamp where he can live peacefully. The episode ends with the turtles watching a news broadcast about Leatherhead being spotted in the swamp, and they all agree that Leatherhead's new home is much better suited for him than the sewer system.

"Leatherhead: Terror of the Swamp" is a heartwarming episode that shows the turtles' compassionate side in dealing with a difficult and misunderstood adversary. The episode also introduces a new character to the show, Leatherhead, who would go on to become a recurring character in subsequent seasons.