| “ | Off with their shells! | „ |
| ~ Antrax in the 1987 series. |
| “ | Ah, think of it Scumbug. The Turtles and the city's biggest insect destroyer wiped out in a single stroke! | „ |
| ~ Antrax expressing his joy over the destruction of both the Turtles and the Bug-Zapper building. |
Antrax is a minor villain from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, appearing in both the 1987 and 2012 cartoon series'.
Created for the toy line based around the 1987 series, Antrax was depicted as a member of an ant-like alien species from Dimension X, making him one of the few enemies of the Turtles who were actually extra-terrestrial. Antrax served as Krang's royal executioner until he was called upon by Shredder to help fight the Turtles.
In the 2012 series, Antrax' origin was changed so that he was actually a mutant created by Baxter Stockman to serve Shredder.
In the 1980s series, he was voiced by Pat Fraley (who also voiced Krang, Baxter and Barney Stockman, Casey Jones, Slash and Scumbug) and was mute in the 2012 series.
Biography
1987 Series
In the episode "Night of the Rouges", after being humiliated and defeated by the Turtles thanks Bebop and Rocksteady's incompetence, Shredder angrily declares vengeance, rebuilds Chrome Dome and assembles Slash, Scumbug and Antrax from Dimension X and Leatherhead, Rat King and Tempestra from the sewers to both replace Bebop and Rocksteady and distract the Turtles while he and Krang search for an alien spaceship full of treasure. Shredder later confronts the turtles and sics his new allies on them, promising to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams if they eliminate the turtles. In the ensuing fight, Antrax tackles Michelangelo and tries to behead Donatello with his axe.
Later, when the villains decide to lure out the turtles by rampaging through the city, Antrax and Chrome Dome try to attack the Stock Exchange Building, but Antrax opts to destroy the statues outside the building first because of his hatred for fine art. Later, Chrome Dome and Antrax fight Leonardo when he arrives to stop them and, although he defeats Antrax, Chrome Dome easily stops and captures him.
After all the Turtles had been defeated, the villains leave the Turtles inside the Bug-Zapper building to be blown up by a disintegration bomb, and Antrax and Scumbug notably expresses their joy over both the Turtles and the Bug-Zapper building being destroyed at the same time. Later, while heading to Shredder and Krang to receive their reward for their successful mission, Antrax and Scumbug get into and argument with Rat King over weather rats or insects will rule the world, only to be silenced by Tempestra. However, just as the villains (sans Chrome Dome) are about to be rewarded by Shredder and Krang, the Turtles, having been freed by Splinter and their human allies, destroy the spaceship and the treasure with the disintegration bomb. The villains, now enraged, turn on Shredder and Krang, but, in a rare moment of competence, Bebop and Rocksteady save the two before the villains can exact vengeance. The villains try to attack the turtles again, but they decide to run away as they are outnumbered and aren't getting paid to fight the Turtles anyway.
Antrax, along with Scumbug, Tempestra, Leatherhead, Slash and Chrome Dome never appear again.
2012 Series
As mentioned earlier, Antrax, instead of being extra-terrestrial, is actually a mutant in this series. However, unlike most other mutants featured in the series, Antrax is heavily implied to be an ordinary ant that was mutated by Baxter Stockman/StockmanFly.
In the episode the "Insecta Trifecta", Baxter Stockman, after being finally appreciated by Shredder, decides to help him rebuild his criminal empire by creating more mutants to serve him, envisioning an army of mutant ants under his command. Later, Stockman captures an arrogant businessman and decides to turn him into a spider-beetle hybrid and Antrax cuts the rope suspending him over Stockman's vat of mutagen, turning him into the 2012 version of Scumbug.
After creating his new minions, Stockman and his cronies try to rob a bank and Stockman convinces Antrax to get the money by persuading him with candy, causing him to spawn two clones of himself to retrieve it. As soon as Antrax returns, Casey Jones and Raphael begin to fight the three of them but, despite previously believing he got over his insectophobia, Raphael begins to freak out and sees visions of past foes such as Lord Dregg and the Spy Roach. As a result Raphael runs away and Antrax, Scumbug and StockmanFly easily defeat and capture Casey Jones and make off with the money.
Later, Stockman and his minions attack Shredder's old lair in order to capture Karai and destroy her new Foot Clan and Antrax creates dozens of clones of himself to attack the building. The Turtles and April soon arrive to assist Karai and Michelangelo coins the name Antrax. As a result of another of Raphael's hallucinations, April, Karai and Leonardo are captured and Raphael accidentally begins kissing one of Antrax' clones, believing it to be Mona Lisa.
At their new lair atop of a construction site, StockmanFly tries to use Leonardo, April, Karai and Casey as food for his new minions, but the other Turtles soon arrive to free them. During the ensuing battle, Antrax and his clones do most of the fighting, but in the end, Antrax' clones are all destroyed and the real Antrax, along with Scumbug, is pinned down under multiple steel girders and abandoned by StockmanFly, who leaves to continue caring for Shredder.
Trivia
- Although the original Antrax worked for Krang, he turns on him the minute he realizes he won't be paid for helping capture the Turtles, possibly meaning that, unlike Krang's other followers from Dimension X, he only worked for Krang to get paid and his loyalty can be easily bought.
- Much like with Scumbug, despite Antrax having never encountered the Turtles before, in Night of the Rouges, the Turtles act like they have encountered him before.
- Since the 2012 Antrax and Scumbug were never seen or mentioned after their first appearance, it's highly likely that they were killed by the Turtles as, in both Requiem and Owari, they are shown to have no qualms with killing Rahzar, Fishface, Bebop, Rocksteady or Super Shredder.
- Oddly enough, both versions of Antrax only appear in one episode.
- Antrax' constant use of the line off with his/their head/shells is a homage to the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.
