Dr. Tyler Rockwell is a supporting character in Nickelodeon 2012 Series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is a mutant chimpanzee who was originally a human British neurochemist, first appears in the episode Monkey Brains.
He is voiced by Frank Welker in his first three apparitions and by Tom Kenny in the rest of the series.
Powers and Abilities[]
Rockwell's mutated form is incredibly strong, fast, and agile. In addition to his monkey-like abilities, Rockwell possesses a psychic ability to read emotions and sense a person's intentions. This gives him a distinct advantage in evasion and combat. Thus far, Rockwell is the first mutant we have seen lose his ability to speak, resorting to monkey grunts and howls. He is also never seen in his human form.
Prior to Battle for New York, Part 1, Dr. Rockwell was experimented upon by the Kraang, increasing his psychic abilities to the point where he could read others minds, control others minds, and levitate objects through telekinesis. The Kraang's experiments also enabled Rockwell to regain his power of speech and vast intellect. Granted without his psychic-amplifying helmet his powers weren't as powerful, but even so they are a force to be reckoned with.
History[]
When Dr. Falco announces Dr. Rockwell's disappearance on the news, Donatello and April investigate it hoping to find clues about the Kraang. When they arrive in his literally destroyed and messed up laboratory, they meet Dr. Falco who tells them that Rockwell used mutagens to experiment on monkeys. Before leaving, Donatello takes a flash drive with Rockwell's research data inside. Later, a mutant ape attacks Donatello and April, who easily defeats the former and tries to attack April, but calms down when she talks to him and then runs away. Later, the Turtles and April search the city for him and when they catch him, April realizes he is Dr. Rockwell. They hand him back to Falco, who tells them to take care of him. However, while studying Rockwell's files, Donatello learns Falco lied to them and used them to get Rockwell back.
The Turtles return to the lab soon after Falco injects him with the psychic neurochemical extracted from Rockwell's brain. Falco easily defeats the turtles, but Donatello manages to overwhelm him and wins. As soon as Rockwell is freed, he escapes and creates total chaos on the street. The Turtles decide to let him go, thinking he will be fine. Rockwell reappears in Metalhead Rewired, as one of the mutants held in Kraang prison. After being freed by Metalhead, he smashes the Kraang droid standing next to his cell, then heads for the portal.
He reappears again in Battle for New York, where he is revealed to have become the leader of the Mighty Mutanimals. Kraang is revealed to have experienced this again, though he managed to gain the ability to speak. Despite initially arguing with Donatello about who is smarter, he later sets off to open a portal to Dimension X, but also to use the portal to teleport the New York humans imprisoned on Earth while he was at the same time teleporting the Kraang in Dimension X, Donnie told him the plan was "A stroke of genius".
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Whenever Tyler gets mad. his eyes bug out. This is a reference to the old cymbal-banging monkey toy.
External Links[]
- Dr. Tyler Rockwell on TurtlePedia.
- Dr. Tyler Rockwell on Nickipedia.