The Shredder appears as one of the main antagonists of the 2012 animated series, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
His Japanese origins as Oroku Saki and brotherly relationship with Hamato Yoshi is mostly intact, with the Foot Clan and the Hamato Clan being later revealed as having a long-term rivalry before Hamato family killed the Saki family, wiped out their entire clan (starting with the destruction of the Foot Clan monastery) and took in the orphaned Saki as their own. Despite being raised as brothers, both Saki and Yoshi eventually became rivals due to the love of Tang Shen, whose decision to marry Yoshi drove Saki to discover his true heritage and turn on his former brother, eventually destroying everything Yoshi held dear, including Tang Shen (who Saki killed by accident) and the entire Hamato Clan (starting with the destruction of the Hamato Clan monastery, which resulted with Saki's head getting burned scarred and hairless). Blaming Tang Shen's untimely death on Yoshi, Saki returned to his biological family and became the new leader of the newly restored Foot Clan, tutoring ninjutsu students such as world-famous martial artist Chris Bradford and Brazilian street thug Xever, sharing criminal business with business partners such as Russian arms dealer Ivan Steranko, Italian mob boss Don Visiozo and Hun, and owning a pet akita named Hachiko (named after the akita of the same name) who played a part in Chris Bradford's mutation into Dogpound after Hachiko bit him.
Shredder first appeared in the end of "Rise of the Turtles," where he traveled to New York when he learned that Hamato Yoshi is training his own ninjas after seeing a shuriken with his clan symbol on a shuriken left behind by the Turtles during a recent fight on a TV news report. Determined to finally end his age-old rival's life, he sent the Foot Clan after the Turtles until he made his first confrontation with the Turtles in person in "The Gauntlet," where victory was seemingly in his grasp before he was distracted by the mutating Bradford and Xever. Although Shredder planned to kill former TCRI inventor Baxter Stockman for interfering with his plans to kill the Turtles in "MOUSERS Attack," he changed his mind by commenting on how Stockman's scientific knowledge could be useful to him. Shredder is also Karai's father, as seen in "New Girl in Town". However, in "Showdown," during Shredder's battle with Splinter, he reveals that in the aftermath of the fight that caused Tang Shen's death, he took Splinter's daughter, Miwa, and raised her as Karai. He has told her that he is her biological father and it was Splinter who killed her mother, as she has sworn revenge ever since. Shredder initially dismissed the Kraang's presence in New York, but after capturing one, decided to ally with them to destroy the Turtles. The partnership seems stable, though it would seem the Shredder still did not fully trust his new allies.
Early in the second season, in "Follow the Leader," he left for Japan, leaving Karai as the interim leader of his Foot Clan. He ordered her not to attack the Turtles nor make any dealings with the Kraang behind his back, and was livid when his adoptive daughter disobeyed him. He returned in "The Manhattan Project," with Tiger Claw, a Japanese circus performer who was mutated into Shredder's deadly assassin and new first lieutenant. Tiger Claw was able to bring Splinter before him, but complication from a Kraang operation in the city and the Turtles' own efforts rob Shredder of his chance to kill his old foe once again. In "The Wrath of Tiger Claw," Shredder and Tiger Claw attempted to use Karai to set a trap for the Turtles, but when she saw a photograph of Hamato Yoshi, Tang Shen, and herself as an infant, she realized that the Turtles were telling the truth and sided with them, resulting in her being captured while buying them time to escape Tiger Claw. Shredder still cared about his adoptive daughter, though, as seen in "The Legend of the Kuro Kabuto," where he visited her in he cell and explained why he kept everything a secret and hoped that she will one day understand. After his helmet, the titlur Kuro Kabuto, was stolen by professional thief Anton Zeck on behalf of Steranko, Shredder found Zeck's calling card on a glued-down Rahzar and ordered the entire clan before him. Explaining the helmet's history as a special Foot Clan relic, he had the clan hunt for Zeck, sending Fishface with Stockman-Fly and Rahzar with Tiger Claw. Leonardo later confronted Shredder with the Kabuto for a trade and kept him busy long enough for the other Turtles to get to Karai. However, the "Karai" Shredder traded them with turned out to be a dummy rigged with a bomb as the Turtles evaded it. In "Vengeance is Mine," Shredder attempted to use the real Karai as bait for a trap that would mutate the Turtles into snakes that would kill Splinter, but the plan backfired when Karai was exposed to the mutagen, turning into a snake and almost attacking Splinter before she fled after regaining control of herself. In "The Invasion," Shredder and Kraang Prime formed a full alliance in which Shredder and the Foot Clan will help the Kraang take over New York and then the world and in turn the Kraang would unmutate Karai and deliver Splinter and the Turtles to him. Later, he watched as Leonardo fought and eventually defeated his army of foot bots, to which he sent Rahzar, Fishface, and Tiger Claw to take care of him. Leonardo managed to subdue them for a short period of time before Shredder got involved and fatally injured Leonardo. Later in the episode, Splinter confronted him and the two battle until Splinter got trapped under large metal pipes. Shredder was prepared to kill his rival once and for all, however Leatherhead saved him just in time. Shredder battled and defeated Leatherhead to which Splinter became furious of as he broke out from under the pipes and tackled Shredder to the sewers. Later, the Turtles (minus Leonardo) and April watched helplessly from behind metal bars as Shredder defeated Splinter and seemingly killed him by throwing him down a large draining bay.
In the middle of the third season, after the Turtles, April and Casey returned to the city, tensions began to grow high within the Foot of their alliance with the Kraang, but Shredder convinced everyone that he will keep his promise to take the city back from them. After a feral Splinter was found by the Foot-Bots and taken before him, Shredder had Stockman-Fly work on restoring his memory which is what April did instead with her Kraang powers when she ad the Turtles came to rescue their sensei.
Appearance[]
The Shredder is a slim, but tall, muscular and toned Japanese man with shiny, chrome plate armor on his chest, shoulders, arms and lower legs, worn over a maroon outfit with a dark blue cape hanging over his back. His signature helmet, the Kuro Kabuto, is perhaps the most notable aspect of his appearance and it masks a face that is partially burned and disfigured, such to the extent that he has very little vision left in his right eye.
Unlike previous incarnations of the Shredder who held tekko-kagi in their hands, this version uses customized, partially mechanical ones built into his gauntlets. His armor is also larger and bulkier than previous versions, except perhaps Ch'rell, though it's streamlined and smooth at the same time. The spikes on it are larger, longer and more blade-like than most previous versions (though once again bearing some similarities to Ch'rell's). As previously stated this Shredder suffers a serious, disfiguring burn on the right side of his face; a considerably greater injury than the scratch marks (from Splinter) most others possess that leaves him nearly, or completely, blind in that eye.
Many aspects of this Shredder bear similarities to previous incarnations. Like the Mirage and first film versions of the character he wears a red outfit, like Ch'rell and the Demon Shredder he wears heavier armour, and like the Demon Shredder and the 80s Shredder he wears a cape (though he removes it in combat).
Personality[]
Cold, cunning and extremely ruthless, the Shredder is a man of pure evil who has allowed his hatred to utterly consume his humanity. His massive army of ninja enforcers, his vast wealth and influential connections (such as Steranko), and his absolute mastery of martial arts, coupled with his bladed armour, make him a very powerful and dangerous force to be reckoned with. He will go to any lengths to achieve his goals, even as far as forging a business-like alliance with the alien Kraang who wish only to see humanity wiped out or enslaved.
The Shredder's immense capacity for hatred seems to stem from an inability to accept his own failures and bad luck as just misfortune and mistakes. Instead he seems to need someone to blame everything on; shown when he blames Splinter for Tang Shen's death, despite being the one who initiated the assault that took her life, and blaming him again for Karai's mutation, despite having put the girl in danger in the first place. Saki is utterly convinced that Splinter is the cause for all suffering and misfortune he endures, and considers anyone linked to Splinter to be just as guilty. And he believes that anyone who has contributed to his misfortunes should pay with their lives.
Not only is the Shredder an extremely spiteful and vindictive individual, but also an extremely obsessive one. So obsessed with his hatreds and vendettas is he that upon being told there is more to life than his vengeance, he became angry and stated that there is nothing. He will hunt his targets to the ends of the Earth to claim their lives, and will not stop until this has happened.
Yet despite his burning hatred, he is able to maintain a very calm and calculated persona most of the time, and is a master commander, but is extremely arrogant. This arrogance leads him to refuse to confront the Turtles personally, despite wishing their deaths, and he seems to consider only Splinter worthy of facing in combat, leaving all others to his minions and only fighting them if he deems it necessary.
But, despite his intense hatred, the Shredder has truly come to care and love Karai as his own daughter, as shown with his desire for her to understand his actions and by how distraught he was when she was mutated. He also had no intention of harming her and even stopped Tiger Claw from finishing her. However, the Shredder is still blinded by his burning hatred and refuses to take responsibility for the harm Karai has endured because of him. Later, the Shredder is shown remembering Karai's past training and mutation and when striking a dangerous deal with the Kraang, he states that he will only help them if they help him gain his revenge and return Karai to normal.
Abilities[]
The Shredder is extremely strong and agile from decades of training in martial arts. These many years spent perfecting his skills have left as an almost unparalleled master of martial arts with only Splinter standing as an equal to him. His skills are so great that not even all four turtles together were able to do much more than be a nuisance to him in combat; though each turtle was able to strike him once, their strikes caused little injury and had no lasting effect. The Shredder's strikes on the Turtles, however, left them severely injured for weeks. His skills are great enough that even the mutants under his command respect and fear him; including the vicious Tiger Claw. In a recent fight he showed himself capable of fighting off both the Turtles and the Mutanimals with little difficulty.
The Shredder's awe-inspiring fighting skills are only maximized further by the nigh indestructible bladed armour he wears, complete with customized and slightly mechanical bagh naka with extendable claws and a third katar-like blade that is concealed between the two claws. These blades are so strong and sharp that they can cut shipping containers and the spikes that protruded from Dogpound's shoulder. In addition the blades create an extremely intimidating silhouette for the purposes of psychological combat. The end result is that Shredder can both defend and attack at the same time, making his whole body both a shield and a sword.
Yet perhaps just as potent as his physical abilities are the Shredder's cruel intellect and skillful business mind. In approximately fifteen years he was able to transform the Foot Clan from a dying, scattered ninja clan in rural Japan into a powerful global crime syndicate. He was even able to strike a business-like alliance with the Kraang, despite their overall disdain for anything not one of them.
Relationships[]
Enemies[]
- Hamato Yoshi / Splinter - Quite a while before the series began, he and Splinter were good friends. They lived in Japan, where the two learned, excercised and became Masters in the art of Ninjitsu. However, their companionship suffered a great strain when they both fell in love with the very same woman, Tang Shen. They constantly competed for her attention, but she chose Splinter in the very end. Jealous, Oroku began harassing Splinter, insulting him and purposely trying to get him angry. This eventually culminated in The Shredder breaking into Splinter's own house and challenging him to a mortal duel. Both men engaged in battle, and the house soon caught fire in the process (due to the fact that some burning candles were left laying around at the time), killing Tang Shen and horridly burning the Shredder's face. The latter found Miwa and secretly took her in, raising her as his own daughter and telling her many lies about what Hamato Yoshi "did". Sixteen years later, The Shredder discovers that Splinter is hiding out in New York City, and he leaves Japan (along with his deployed Foot Ninja) to finish him off. The two finally meet again in "Booyaka-Showdown, Part 2" and duel with eachother in The Foot Headquarters. The Shredder soon reveals to Splinter that his daughter is indeed alive, and he attempts to have her kill Splinter when she shows up. With this revelation, it is likely that Hamato despises The Shredder even more than he formerly did. His hatred for Splinter is so great that he would let the entire Earth be destroyed in order to get revenge as seen in "Annihilation Earth!".
- The Turtles - Since they are affiliated with Splinter (as his disciples), Shredder views the Turtles as enemies, and he orders his henchmen to find and kill them throughout the entire series. However, the first two times that The Shredder has encountered them, he's let them live only for the purpose of interrogating them (which hasn't yet happened).
- April O'Neil - The Shredder uses April as bait to lure his sworn enemy, Splinter, out of hiding. Due to this, it is quite probable that April dislikes him greatly.
- Karai/Miwa - Splinter's daughter, Miwa, who Shredder kidnapped after the events of his and Hamato Yoshi's final battle, named her Karai, and raised her as his own child. However, it was uncertain that Saki truly loved Karai like she does him. In Season 2, after she finds out that Saki is not her true father, she betrays him and he has her locked away. In "Vengeance is Mine," Shredder did not want Tiger Claw to kill Karai when she got out. When Shredder wanted Karai to understand what he had to do, Karai told Shredder that he is not her father. After the Turtles freed Karai, Shredder states to Tiger Claw that Karai will want to have her revenge on him. When Karai arrives to get her revenge on Shredder, she ends up overwhelmed by Shredder who manages to defeat her. Shredder then plans to use Karai as bait so that he can have the Turtles fall into the mutagen vat filled with snake DNA that Stockman had placed in there. During Shredder's fight with Splinter, Shredder tried to stop Leonardo from freeing Karai only for her to fall into the mutagen vat and emerge as a snake-like mutant much to the dismay of Shredder and Splinter. Shredder blamed Splinter for Karai's mutation as the resulting battle ends up destroying Stockman's lab. He escapes after vowing to avenge Karai. This event reveals that despite Shredder's cold attitude and lack of empathy to Karai, he truly saw her as his daughter and loved her dearly. He also continues to refer to her as "his" daughter because he still sees her as his own because he raised and cared for her and desperately searches for her so the Kraang can mutate her back to normal.
Allies[]
- Chris Bradford/Dogpound/Rahzar - Known as the Shredder's top lieutenant and was formerly known as the Foot's second best fighter before mutating into Dogpound and Rahzar, but he still maintains his rank and his respect to the entire clan.
- Xever/Fishface - Works for The Shredder after being freed from a Prison and being hired by him, which the Shredder did mainly because he found Xever's skills to be useful, as well as the fact that Xever "likes having a job where he gets to crack skulls almost everyday".
- Purple Dragons - a street gang and occasional allies.
- The Kraang - An alliance made only to get closer to Hamato Yoshi.
- Baxter Stockman - Shredder spared Stockman because the man is a talented inventor, and very useful to his clan, which led to several improvements, such as making Fishface a pair of robotic legs, thus making the latter a more powerful combatant. The Shredder, however, for the most part, cares little for Stockman and he probably chose to dislike him even more after the scientist trapped Dogpound and Fishface in the "Maze of Doom". After failing to create a formidable or even decent mutant army, Shredder activated the mutagen filled collar turning Stockman into a mutant fly. Stockman most likely hates the Shredder a great deal because of this.
- Tiger Claw - Shredder found him in Japan and found his skills as a bounty hunter useful, thus he made the feline fatality his second-in-command. Though Tiger Claw is unimpressed with the Foot Clan, he accepts the job regardless. Even after Tiger Claw returned from the stomach of the Kraathatrogon, he was reinstated as the second-in-command, showing how much Shredder respects his ally's skills. Tiger Claw is horrified when Shredder condemns Earth to annihilation just to finally attain his vengeance on Splinter.
- Ivan Steranko/Rocksteady-an old business partner that has known Shredder who supplied with weapons, but after he hired a thief to steal the Kuro Kabuto and held Kari for ransom, he had Stockman turn him into a mutant rhinoceros and forced him to serve under him
- Anton Zeck/Bebop-the master thief that Steranko hired to steal Kuro Kabuto for his collection and helped Steranko capture Kari. after their plan failed, Shredder had Stockman turn him into a mutant Warthog. Seeing that his form gave him "limited employment options" he reluctantly agreed to serve the Shreder
Love Interest[]
- Tang Shen - A woman that both Oroku Saki and Hamato Yoshi fell in love with. She chose Yoshi over Saki, however, and in a fit of jealousy and rage, he attacked Yoshi one night and killed Tang Shen in the process when he missed a swing meant for Yoshi and killed her instead.
Quotes[]
- "So, my old enemy is in New York and training his own army. At last I can finish what I started so long ago. Prepare my jet! (puts on helmet) I'm going to visit an old friend." - Rise of the Turtles Part 2
- "And you! (to Xever) I should have left you to rot in that prison where I found you." - The Gauntlet
- "Your skills are impressive... but they will not save you!" - The Gauntlet
- "There is undoubtedly a fascinating story in how my old nemesis came to teach ninjutsu to four mutant turtles. Perhaps I will let one of you live long enough to tell it." - The Gauntlet
- (Dream) You think you are ready to face me? - Panic in the Sewers
- "They defeated you with... Go-Karts and a water-balloon!?" - Panic in the Sewers'
- "It seems your mutated form has its advantages... but do not forget our primary goal. Locating Splinter and the Turtles." - Mousers Attack!
- "I want you to find out more about this "Kraang". Their technology could prove useful in our war against the turtles." - The Alien Agenda
- "Tell me where Splinter is, and I'll let you live long enough to watch him perish." - Enemy of my Enemy
- "Well done, Karai. I found something for you." (Holds up a Kraang) "You've always wanted a pet." -Enemy of my Enemy
- "Prepare to know why they call me The Shredder!" - Enemy of my Enemy
- "Do they all speak like this?" (about the Kraang's speech patterns) - Karai's Vendetta
- "You promised me the the best soldiers in the world, and the turtles have decimated them one by one. The ones left are hardly worthy of wearing the foot emblem. - Pulverizer Returns
- (To Dogpound) "I need more soldiers, I need better soldiers, and I need them NOW! - Pulverizer Returns!
- (After the imprisoned Kraang explains about the Mutagen being unstable in this dimension in a complicated and redundant manner) "I believe what this fool is saying is that the Mutagen is dangerously unpredictable. See to it that fail safe measures are put in place." - Pulverizer Returns!
- (To the captive Kraang) "It seems we have a common enemy..." - Pulverizer Returns!
- "The turtles have undoubtedly brought O'Neil back to their lair. Soon vengance will be ours." - Operation: Break Out
- "Now that you are here, Ms. O'Neil is no longer of any use to me. I gave her to my new allies...the Kraang." - Booyaka-Showdown, Part 1
- (When he sees Splinter is now a mutant rat) "What? A rat?! (Laughs) I see you are as hideous as those turtles that surround you. How fitting. You are a rat that has been caught in my trap." - Booyaka-Showdown, Part 1
- (Laughs upon Splinter saying that he will have nothing if he is defeated) "That, is where you are wrong. You took Tang Shen from me... so I took something from you. Your daughter." - Booyaka-Showdown, Part 2
- "It's over, Hamato. Soon you will be no more, and your own daughter will go through her life cursing your name." - Booyaka-Showdown, Part 2
- (Upon being helped up by Karai after nearly being killed by Splinter) "Karai... that rat is... Hamato Yoshi." -Booyaka-Showdown, Part 2
- (About his new robot ninjas) "The Kraang swore these new Foot soldiers would be deadly. They were true to their word." - Follow The Leader
- (After he sees Rahzar in his new mutated form) " You look terrible, Bradford." - The Manhattan Project, Part 1
- "I have returned, and I bring with me the most feared assassin in all of Asia... (Tiger Claw enters and bows to Shredder) Tiger Claw!" - The Manhattan Project, Part 1
- (To Baxter) "I have one last mutant I want you to create, or I will pluck the wings off the lonely insect thatyou are." - The Lonely Mutation Of Baxter Stockman
- (After Karai asks him to tell her the truth about Hamato Yoshi being her father) "...Yes. Hamato Yoshi isyour true father." - The Wrath of Tiger Claw
- (After Karai falls into the Mutagen) "Karai! NOOOO!" - Vengeance is Mine
- (To Splinter) "Always the wise one! - The Invasion, Part 2
- (To Tiger Claw) "Hamato Yoshi is finished! The Earth can be destroyed for all I care! I have finally won!" -Annihilation Earth!
- It's because of you that Karai is GONE! - Earth's Last Stand
- I'll rid the world of a vile monster! - Earth's Last Stand