Right now, it may seem crazy that the world was ever without the version of the Ninja Turtles fans know and love today.

There are many reasons TMNT is an absolutely timeless series. Here are the best ‘80s stories that turned the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into pop culture icons!

7 TMNT Introduces Shredder

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)

Shredder is arguably just as iconic as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves, as he is and has always been their main villain, no matter the era of TMNT canon. And, in the very first TMNT issue, the Shredder is introduced - though not in a way many might expect. Yes, Shredder was the main antagonist of the book, whose origins are tied to that of Master Splinter, and he is the leader of the Foot Clan. Fans know all that, as subsequent TMNT series have reiterated these constant aspects of Shredder's character. What's surprising, however, is that the Ninja Turtles actually killed the Shredder at the end of the first issue.

Shredder has become such a lasting character, and a big reason as to why and how the TMNT franchise has lasted as long as it has, so the fact that Shredder was actually killed off in the first-ever issue is definitely a bit shocking, to say the least. But, thankfully, Eastman and Laird knew how great of a character Shredder was, and not only brought him back in a future storyline (leading into the "Return to New York" event), but ensured that Shredder was a mainstay character for years to come.

6 TMNT Introduces the Mos (& Baxter Stockman)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 (1984)

Baxter Stockman is a TMNT villain who recently made an appearance in the latest installment of the franchise: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and he's also been a major antagonist in the modern IDW Publishing TMNT comics as well. In other words, while some casual fans may not know him by name (ie, he might not be as immediately recognizable as Shredder), Baxter Stockman certainly made a lasting impact on the TMNT franchise, and fans have definitely seen him around recently. And, in TMNT #2, Baxter Stockman made his debut, along with his most violent invention: the Mos.

The Mos were designed to hunt and 'eat' (which really just means mash-up with their jagged metal 'teeth') rats. The Mos were Stockman's answer to a growing rat problem in New York City, but as they traversed the sewers looking for vermin, the Mos became a major nuisance for the Ninja Turtles - specifically, Master Splinter. Since then, Mos have been highlighted in TMNT canon on numerous occasions, including as the first antagonists of the 2003 TMNT animated series.

5 TMNT Introduces the Utroms (& Reveals the Secret of the Ooze)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3-4 (1985)

Utroms are a race of aliens (more accurately, interdimensional lifeforms from Dimension X) who are responsible for developing the mutagen ooze that mutated the Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Splinter (along with every other mutant featured in the series). The Utroms are also the race of aliens to which Krang belongs, though Krang was not among the original Utroms featured in the '80s comic book series, despite the fact that he's easily the most popular and recognizable Utrom in TMNT. In fact, even though Krang is famously a TMNT villain, the Utroms were originally not that way at all - quite the opposite, in fact.

As revealed in these TMNT issues, the Utroms were merely displaced aliens who became stranded on Earth, and they accidentally released the canister of the mutagen ooze that gave life to the Ninja Turtles. They didn't want to take over the planet, and they certainly didn't want to harm the Turtles themselves (as they proved by rescuing and tending to Splinter). However, even though they were originally peace-loving aliens, the Utroms' TMNT legacy is far from heroic - and it all started with this storyline.

4 TMNT Introduces the Fugitoid

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 (1985)

"Introduces" might be the wrong word here, since the Fugitoid is actually a character who predates the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles within the wider umbrella of the Mirage Studios universe. But, this is the issue where the Fugitoid officially became a part of TMNT continuity, which turned out to be a majorly impactful decision on the parts of Eastman and Laird. Fugitoid is a robot with the mind of a human scientist, Professor Honeycutt. After ing forces with the Ninja Turtles, Fugitoid became their leading resource in all-things technological - especially extraterrestrial.

This issue was the first time the Fugitoid and the TMNT ever interacted, but this storyline merely opened the door for years of storylines featuring their strong alliance. Not only was the Fugitoid a major player in IDW Publishing's main TMNT canon (indeed, he was responsible for saving Donatello's life after he was beaten to death by Bebop and Rocksteady), but the Fugitoid continues to be a main character in the Last Ronin continuity to this very day (specifically, the Re-Evolution storyline).

3 TMNT Introduces the Triceratons

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 (1986)

Like the Fugitoid, the Triceratons actually predate the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as they first appeared in the first issue of Fugitoid (Eastman and Laird's pre-TMNT comic). But, also like the Fugitoid, this issue is the one that brought the Triceratons into TMNT canon, which changed the landscape of the entire franchise forever. Fans will recognize the Triceratons as big, orange, anthropomorphic triceratops who are also a race of planet-conquering aliens. This issue confirmed just how deadly of a species the Triceratons really are, but the lasting significance of this issue goes way beyond just that.

Sure, Triceratons are amazing villains, but their legacy in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles canon is far more fascinating. How? Well, it's revealed in IDW Publishing's main TMNT canon (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #76, to be exact) that the Triceratons aren't even aliens; they're mutant triceratops. Apparently, the Utroms kidnapped triceratops from Earth millions of years ago and experimented on them with the mutagen ooze in Dimension X, giving life to the Tricerton race. This led to an epic storyline in modern TMNT comics where the Triceratons try to conquer Earth, not as alien invaders, but as those laying claim to a world that is technically rightly theirs.

2 TMNT Introduces the Idea of Time Travel

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8 (1986)

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8, the Ninja Turtles meet Renet who is a Timestress (or Time Lord). That means Renet can travel through time at will, and in this issue, she becomes friends with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and that friendship stems throughout every TMNT continuity from that point forward (including and especially in the modern IDW Publishing TMNT continuity). While Renet's inclusion in TMNT canon is awesome, that only scratches the surface of what this issue offers the wider TMNT universe, as it also does something much more significant: introduces the idea of time travel.

It's fair to say that the idea of time travel revolutionized Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as it's been utilized on many occasions and in many different forms. One of the most iconic ways time travel was utilized in TMNT was in the hit arcade video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, which saw the Ninja Turtles traveling to different time periods and taking out bad guys in glorious side-scrolling fashion. Time travel was also used in the live-action film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, where the Turtles travel back to Feudal Japan to save the day.

Sure, Renet isn't always used, but her inclusion in TMNT went well beyond her character alone, as she represented the larger idea of time travel.

1 TMNT Introduces the Idea of Astral Projection (& Reincarnation)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9 (1986)

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9, Master Splinter is meditating, allowing his spirit to traverse the astral plane, when he encounters another spiritual traveler in this otherworldly space: Gosei Hatsumi. Hatsumi is dying, but before he goes, he wishes to along the spirit of his ancestors to his grandson through a ritual that can only be done in person. So, Hatsumi es the spirit to Spinter, and asks that Splinter conduct the ritual with his grandson in his place. Splinter and the Ninja Turtles accomplish this task, and the spirit of the great Gosei Samuari Clan is able to live on.

This storyline is incredibly impactful to TMNT canon, especially regarding the modern IDW Publishing comics. TMNT #9 opens the franchise up to the more spiritual aspects of its universe, not just the ninja/mutant/alien stuff. It confirms that Splinter can astral project, and it also introduces the idea of reincarnation (to a certain degree) - and both of those ideas are heavily utilized in IDW Publishing's TMNT.

In the IDW continuity, the Turtles themselves (along with Splinter) are reincarnated versions of their human selves who were murdered by Shredder in Feudal Japan. Not only that, but the Ninja Turtles found themselves in otherworldly locations on numerous occasions (especially during the Armageddon Game event). Indeed, astral projection and reincarnation have become major aspects of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles canon, and it all started with this '80s storyline.