TMNT's Most Powerful Villain Is In Mutant Mayhem - But Only Real Fans Noticed

Contains spoilers for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem"

When most people think of big bads in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise, their first thoughts immediately go toward Shredder. It makes sense; he's been a fixture for decades and has an awesome design. However, he isn't the villain in "Mutant Mayhem," although he is teased in the mid-credits scene, so it's clear there are major plans for him in the future. But another character in the movie may wind up being a more powerful threat.

Cynthia Utrom (Maya Rudolph) of the Techno Cosmic Research Institute serves as a secondary antagonist in "Mutant Mayhem." She wants to track down any mutants that have emerged from the ooze for her own nefarious means. This involves capturing the Ninja Turtles and "milking" them so that she can harness their powers. They naturally escape, but the mid-credits scene shows Cynthia keeping an eye on the turtles. So she's going to factor into future installments, too. 

"TMNT" fans likely noted that Cynthia's last name is "Utrom," which is an alien race Krang belongs to. Her glasses are also reminiscent of Krang's typical android. Krang is another major "TMNT" villain who's appeared in numerous mediums in the past, including 2016's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" and the animated "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie. Krang's powers vary by interpretation, but in many ways, he could be considered stronger than Shredder. He has a genius-level intellect and has created many weapons, such as gravity-altering devices, missile launchers, laser cannons, cloning devices, and more. 

It's unclear if Cynthia is Krang in disguise or another member of the Utrom aliens, but either way, fans should anticipate some Krang action in the franchise's future.

Even though "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" originated as a comic book, Krang was first introduced in the 1987 animated series. He was inspired by the Utrom alien race established previously in the comics, but Krang himself was a new creation. While his origins vary depending on the story, it's generally accepted that Krang was the tyrannical leader of Utrominon, located within Dimension X. He was ultimately banished to Earth and would go on to team up with Shredder, becoming one of the Ninja Turtles' primary adversaries.

This alliance is already seen in the mid-credits scene of "Mutant Mayhem." Cynthia Utrom calls in Shredder to take care of the turtles, so they likely have some kind of pre-established relationship. Plus, it's worth noting that the "C" in TCRI stands for "Cosmic." This could be yet another hint that Cynthia (and possibly Krang) hails from outer space and will provide Shredder with otherworldly technology so that he can bring down the turtles and their new mutant allies. 

So what does Cynthia's involvement hold for the future of "Mutant Mayhem," seeing how a Paramount+ series and sequel have already been confirmed? For starters, it really seems like she'll be the one pulling the strings. She's the one who's called in Shredder to take care of the Ninja Turtles, so if anything, he's on the payroll. Plus, the Utrom are an entire alien race, so theoretically, she could call in other aliens to attempt to take over Earth. It'll be interesting to see if Cynthia is merely an android puppet Krang controls or if there are greater changes for the Utrom in this new iteration.

Shredder may get people talking after his mid-credits appearance, but Cynthia is the one to keep an eye on regardless of whether she is Krang or another Utrom.