#He's a great turtle!

[figuringitoutasigoalong]

I was wondering since don is your fav do you have a least fave?

So I'll admit, I read this at first as "Do you have a least favorite Donatello" and I was gearing up to answer that, but then I reread the question and realized what it was asking, which is good, because finding stuff on The Next Mutation is not as easy as it should be, and that Don is my least favorite Don.

However, I now see that it's asking which turtle is my least favorite which is, hm, an interesting question.

You see, I don't have a least favorite in the terms of "I don't like that one" or "I would prefer not to have that one there" or anything like that. I love all the turtles! No, for me, the idea of least favorite turtle is more like the turtle that I focus on the least or something.

Which is actually really interesting, again, because of how that works out. Let me explain:

When I was first in the TMNT fandom, over 10 years ago, when 2003 was still coming out, my clear favorite was Donnie. After that, Mikey was my second favorite. Raph and Leo bobbed up and down in third and fourth place, and I just really didn't think too much about them.

Fast forward (Faaaaaaast Forward!) to now and, typically, Don is still my favorite, but the placement for the others bob and weave around as I've developed my sense of character more. When you take into account all of the iterations, too, well, things get a little more complicated. I'll spare you the long, drawn out explanations as to why, but here's my rankings in a nut shell:

1987: Don first, Raph second, Mikey and Leo bouncing around for third and fourth.

90s Movies: Honestly, there's not enough character development for all four turtles for me to pick well. I default to Donnie being my favorite, but I really, really feel for Raph and Mikey in movie three. They're all about equal, honestly.

The Next Mutation: This is my least favorite Don, ngl. But I still like him a little more than the others, even thought they're all about equal.

2003: Don first, Raph and Mikey bouncing around for second, and then, depending on who is second, Raph, Mikey, and Leo bounce around for third and fourth.

2007 Movie: We, again, don't get a lot of character development beyond Raph and Leo, and even then it feels like I was dropped into the middle of a story. However, I think I do like Donnie and Mikey better than Raph and Leo here, just because I relate to the overworked sibling trying to hold it all together vibe.

2012: Don first, with Raph, Mikey and Leo all about equal with such slight moments of pulling ahead that no one ever takes a clear place.

Bayverse: Don is my absolute favorite. Raph takes second place. Mike and Leo are about equal here.

Rise: Don takes first place again, but here, Leo takes second place. Raph and Mikey bounce around third and fourth.

Mutant Mayhem: I don't really have a favorite here? I think if Don had been given more techie moments, he would have been my clear favorite, but right now I just kinda like all the boys equally. This will probably change with rewatches and the new series.

When you get to looking at that, Leo is almost always near the bottom of my rankings. And that's because he doesn't tend to fit in types of characters that usually my favorites. My favorite characters tend be the smart ones (Spock, Data, Daniel Jackson, Milo Thatch), the underestimated comic relief (Justice League Flash, Beast Boy, Sokka), or the stoic warriors that really care (Worf, Teal'c).

I can find two of those favorite types of characters in Don (the smart one) and Mikey (underestimated comic relief) but neither Raph nor Leo typically fit those or the stoic warrior types--with the exception of Rise Leo, who fits in the underestimated comic relief type.

But that doesn't mean that I love Leo any less than I love the rest of them. This boy is always looking out for his family, he's dedicated, he is so talented with strategy, and I absolutely love him. "Least favorite?" I guess, but it's like putting a Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, Reese's Cups, an Almond Joy, and a Carmello in front of me and saying "which is your least favorite?" Like, none? I love them all? Please give them all to me? I may have one that I want more than another at that moment, but I love them all.

So I guess Leo? But also at the same time, I love him.

And yes, 2k3 Leo is still my favorite Leo. Look at this boy:

[turtleblogatlast]

AU where Leo is trapped in the Prison Dimension for months instead of minutes and the only way he gets by with his sanity intact is through recording himself talking to his wrist comm.

When they finally manage to get Leo back and make him rest up to heal, Donnie can’t help but listen to the recordings left behind.

He’s not sure what exactly he’s expecting, only that his subconscious is screaming at him that it has to be heartbreaking, that it has to be torturous.

Instead, what Donnie is subject to is a full thousand hours’ worth of Jupiter Jim and Lou Jitsu crossover fanfiction. More than one part in the series. Spanning well over a million words.

(The worst part is that it’s actually good.)

[wraithdolll]

you should drawing turtle. please. or peril <3 the sillies

turt

[raycatzdraws]

I saw an opportunity to make a meme and I took it.

Turtle shirt!

[ilk-insolence]

Raph Is A Great Strategist

Numerous times in the show Raph has shown to have a preference for straightforwardly punching his problems away rather than think up a more complex solution. Like how his immediate fix to getting Mayhem out of the mirror in Mystic Library was to punch everything in the bathroom but the mirror. However, when Raph understands the situation requires more in depth strategy, he’s shown to be an incredibly capable tactician.

(long post ahead!)

In nearly all the plot heavy episodes like Shadow of Evil, Many Unhappy Returns, and the season finales, Raph gets moments where he’s highlighted for his strategic thinking. In Insane in the Mama Train, he’s the one who figures out which eyeball-button goes to the front car with the dark armor, because “‘it was the only button [the Foot Clan] didn’t want me to press!’” [21:05]. He’s also the one who came up with the scheme to defeat all the (known) combatants in the train, with Leo specifically attributing Raph as the deviser during their mind meld [19:46]. In Many Unhappy Returns, after spending a single night waylaying the Shredder, Raph formulated a plan using all the tricks the team learned, seamlessly transitioning the mystic collar Leo acquired into it [19:53], to defeating the Shredder. Additionally, he’s repeatedly called for a retreat during fights, like in Shadow of Evil, Shreddy or Not (Finale pt 2), and the movie, when he can tactically recognize that a battle couldn’t be won. Each time, the show/movie implied that that was the right call, for the family to lose the fight but win the war.

And it’s not just that Raph is good at strategy when he’s pushed to be more serious; the show characterizes him as passionate about creating plans, he enjoys doing it. Literally in the first episode, Mystic Mayhem, after the turtles’ initial plan failed of getting Splinter out of the living room to touch his Do-Not-Touch Cabinet, Raph immediately started devising a new plan that involved “ten chickens [and] a gallon of rubber cement” [9:35]. It was convoluted, sure, and they didn’t end up using it, but it was inventive and the opposite of reluctant. This is also shown in Bug Busters, where Raph planned out dousing Mikey in honey to attract the oozequitoes [2:52]; Snow Day, with the idea to freeze Ghost Bear like in Jupiter Jim Pluto Vacation 4; and Raph’s Ride-Along (and also Bad Hair Day), where Mind Raph created multiple schemes to get the criminals arrested. The show wouldn’t have made Raph be so creative with his plans if they were trying to characterize him as someone who didn’t like strategizing.

So does why Raph do stupid shit sometimes where he doesn’t think things through at all? Well, even though Raph is good at strategy and enjoys doing it, it’s clear his immediate impulse is still “punch the problem in the face”. In fact, all the turtle boys contain the fascinating dichotomy of being incredibly smart in some areas, and the dumbest teenagers alive in others. Just look at Donnie. It’s also how Raph is a loving protective older brother, and the guy who shoved Leo into a wall so hard he disappeared in one frame for shits and giggles (The Mutant Menace x). None of this means that Raph is bad at strategy though.

tldr: Yeah, Raph has a lot of dumb and, frankly, insane moments in the show, but he’s still an incredible tactician who’s plans consistently saved his family and sometimes the world. He's a great strategist.

[tervaneula]

I DID THE BARBIE MEME I HAD TO and almost died laughing at “Michelang” dsrjhsjdgf

Raphael and Donatello here

[sweeneydino]

You ever adopt a random kid on the street?

I'm surprised I haven't found any 2003 April and Casey adopting a traumatized Casey Jr. Fic lol

April would definitely beat the shit out of anyone who threatens her apocalypse survivor kid.

And this is totally not a way for me to see CJ interacting with 2003 Leo. No siree.

[thewiglesswonder]

"Missed you, Pops."

[neoncolorblocks]

Season 1 Leo deserves a medal for putting up with them lol

Mikey does his own thing like 40% of the time on missions and I love him for it.

[frosteaart]

what could go wrong when a stressed post movie leo gets cursed into the form of a dragon?

...yeah definitely absolutely nothing

[click image for higher quality]

[that1notetaker]

Headcanon that Donnie's genius's capabilities extend to anything he finds fun and nothing else.

[turtleblogatlast]

I love Raph and haven’t said that enough so to be more specific I love that Raph is a soft boy who loves bear plushies, a gross boy who eats an assortment of things that are definitely better left alone, a smart boy who is more than capable of taking down villains through planning and fortitude alike, a strong boy who is dedicated to training his muscles and fighting prowess, a teenage boy who loves his brothers but is more than happy to tease and roughhouse with them, an angry boy who sometimes lets his anger take a hold of him to cover the fear, a gentle boy who is generous with hugs and affirmations to those he loves, a capable boy who takes on more than should ever be expected of a teenager, a good boy who just wants to be a hero and slowly comes to realize the cost of that duty, a good boy who has no reservations about putting himself in the way of harm coming to his family, a good boy who’s a great brother and son and person and deserves only the best the world has to offer.

[abbeyofcyn]

Can you do Donnie breaking down over what he did to Leo's hand

I think it would be cool if he was alone in the room and just started crying or something like that! And then maybe Leo finding him after or maybe not. I leave that one on you.

No pressure of course, but I hope you'll do it.

[adelrambles]

Tips on Writing Bishop

I've been asked a couple times for advice on how to write a good (03-style) Bishop, and I'm well-aware he can be a bit tough to get a grasp on. As someone who's studied him specifically to learn how to write him as accurately as possible, I figured I'd compile some thoughts in case it'd be helpful to anyone else. I know a lot of Rise takes on him are basing off the 03 version, so maybe this could help generate ideas, too. SO!

Big Overall Points!

At the core of EVERYTHING Bishop does are two primary motivations. The first: the protection of the earth. What this means to him can get tricky, because it doesn't necessarily mean protecting the people, at least not all of them. But it will be better understood alongside the other:

The second: The protection of his sense of safety. Bishop has been deeply traumatized, and everything he does is born of a want to avoid that pain ever again. In his mind, earth is a safe area, a controllable factor, and anything outside it is a danger that must be eliminated. This is why he will still be willing to put himself and other people on the line in service of this; any sacrifice is worth the greater goal. (It's worth noting, Bishop will claim the first as his motivation freely, but is likely not consciously aware of the second.)

Bishop deals in Big Picture ONLY. Another reason Bishop will willingly throw away anything, including the lives of the people he claims to protect, is that he seems incapable of understanding things on a small, individual basis.

Bishop is a cold personality. He does not have strong displays of emotion. He does emote, but for the most part it's muted, so I recommend using emotional bursts very sparingly. (In my own writing, as an example, I try to limit my use of exclamation marks in his dialogue as much as possible.)

At his core, Bishop is afraid, and his response to fear is aggression. This also makes it particularly difficult to talk him down, if he's put in an emotional state. His response to not being in control is often violent retaliation.

With those basic tenants understood, let's move next to some major personality traits:

Bishop is a controlling personality. This is a direct result of his trauma response. Things that can be controlled are safe, therefore he must control everything. If something cannot be controlled, it's a threat that must be eliminated. If he doesn't know why something happened, he becomes angry (including even when it benefits him.)

Bishop is very low-empathy. When writing him, I try to keep in mind that he cannot put himself in the perspective of others. (Or if he can, he doesn't care to.)

Bishop is a sadist. He gets personal enjoyment from hurting others.

Bishop likes fighting, but only when he's winning. He will quickly leave if he can't see a guaranteed victory.

Bishop is paranoid. This is probably self-evident, but it's the reason he's often so well-prepared even when things don't go to plan.

Bishop genuinely seems to enjoy science. He's shown to be far more lenient with scientist characters than anyone else, and he seems to involve himself in his scientists' projects to a degree. Enough to, at the very least, understand their work. (Given he was the one set to dissect the turtles, it might also be argued he has some medical or biology background, himself.)

Bishop is an opportunist and scavenger. He can roll with failures as long as he can find something to get out of it. If he's presented with an opportunity to stab someone in the back, and he has something to gain? He'll take it without a second thought.

Bishop is deeply self-blind. For all his perceptiveness and strategic prowess, Bishop is not very self-aware in the slightest. He is completely blind to his own hypocrisies, and thoroughly confident in his own righteousness.

Bishop adapts fast. He accepts situations for what they are and acts (Though he may still be angry about them, or what have you.) This is likely a skill developed via longevity; the world around him has changed rapidly, but he doesn't feel out of place at all.

Bishop will take extreme risks and thinks wildly outside the box. Also self-evident, if you're familiar with the plans he enacts throughout the show. He'll put a lot on the line if he thinks the reward is worth enough, and he's willing to go to extreme lengths to get what he wants, even if his plans would be considered crazy by normal standards.

Bishop is persistent. If he wants something, he won't stop until he gets it. If he fails, he'll retreat, make a new plan, and try again. It is very difficult to convince him to back down (and certainly not on moral grounds.)

Habits and triggers I've noted:

Being restrained of any sort puts Bishop in a panic. He is more likely to have an emotional response in these scenarios, and seems to have (an albeit muted) desperation to escape. (See: Leatherhead restraining him in the first encounter; His reaction to being trapped on the surgical table in Head of State.)

When being duplicitous or suppressing a reaction, Bishop will go to adjust his tie. This could possibly be considered his tell.

Bishop seems to have a particular fear of aliens blending in as humans. His slayer project was built around the assumption that this is a common threat. (Worth noting: This makes The Shredder the model of the exact threat Bishop is afraid of. Technically, Bishop himself may also fit the description of a threat shaped like a human.)

Writing considerations:

In 03's narrative, Bishop is EPF and EPF is Bishop. Narratively speaking, any organization Bishop is head of acts as if it is an extension of his will and character.

Bishop is shown to strike fear and/or discomfort into most characters he interacts with. Anything beyond this is an outlier, and will draw a reader's attention.

Dialogue-wise, Bishop is generally succinct and blunt. He does dabble in gloating, though, and especially likes to upset others. If he's given a chance to be mean, he'll usually take it. It can help to consider he has a Mission Mode and a Normal Mode. When it comes to Mission Mode, he gets straight to the point and hates unnecessary talking. Otherwise, he's still not very talkative, but will take the time to make pointed jabs or talk through a plan. A lot of his sense of humor seems to be rooted in how He's Better Than You (And You're Going To Die Painfully.)

It's a common pitfall that Bishop is depicted as seeking out the turtles. In 03, once he gets their DNA, he's done with them. Any encounters after that are incidental. Bishop does not care about anything that won't effect his greater goal. If he's targeting another character, it should have to do with a greater plan.

Bishop is an extremely competent combatant, shown to be able to handle up to 7 opponents at once. For a breakdown on his fighting style check out my other post on that!

Bishop is hard to kill, and oftentimes he accidentally contributes to his own defeat. (The hook from Bishop's Gambit is an example I get a LOT of mileage out of, as a perfect symbol of his self-defeating prophecies.)

We almost only ever see Bishop in the context of his work. While it could be construed that he depersonalizes himself, it's much more clear that the narrative depersonalizes him. As far as we, the audience know, Bishop's work is all that he is.

It's unclear if Bishop was released from his abduction or escaped. Depending on which you ascribe to, this can have ramifications for his mindset on how to deal with the alien threat. (Personally, because so much of his inability to cope hinges on a feeling of helplessness, I believe he was released. If he escaped on his own power, that undercuts it, somewhat.)

Thematically-speaking, Bishop parallels both his own torturers and his own victims at the same time. He has perpetuated the cycle that traumatized him in the first place by trying to fight fire with fire. (In that vein, I don't think he's capable of understanding that, not seeing aliens as people in the first place, just dangers. Considering how deeply ingrained his trauma is in his worldview and actions, it would probably ruin him, if he were ever able to actually grasp it.)

Bishop and EPF are likely a commentary on the military of the time 03 was coming out. This can be something worth keeping in mind, when figuring out his greater themes in your story, though it can just as well be discarded if it doesn't fit.

Adding to that, Bishop has an extensive american military background. His skills and knowledge will reflect that.

Bishop also plays on and references a number of real-life alien conspiracies. It can be worth digging through conspiracy history to drum up ideas and themes, too.

The ethical and philosophical quandaries of Bishop's body-hopping and humanity tend to not hold too much weight, because Bishop, himself, doesn't seem to care.

If I think of more I'll certainly be adding on to the reblogs of this post! Or, if you have more thoughts, please feel free to add! If you're in the mood for more Bishop ramblings, that's practically most of this blog atm, but this post is a particular favorite. If you're interested in Fast Forward!Bishop, specifically, consider this post! (also read Taking Pawns. slipped in that self-promo, nice.)

[fabuloustrash05]

Missed opportunity in season 5 of TMNT 2012 of Usagi becoming like a new mentor figure for Leonardo.

For the Usagi arc, the two have a rocky start in their friendship (mainly w/ Leo wanting to take charge despite Usagi liteally being the only one who knows where to go and what to do in his own world), but eventually are able to grow a mutual respect for one another, with Usagi even calling Leo his brother when they part ways.

On another post of mine, I purposed the concept that each arc in S5 represents the Turtles going through the Five Stages of grief. Kavaxas arc with Donnie is anger, When Worlds Collide with Raph is denial, Halloween Arc with Mikey is bargaining, etc. The Usagi arc for Leo could've been denial or better yet, acceptance.

Instead of butting heads with Usagi from the get-go, Leo instead sees Usagi as a new mentor figure that he so desperately wants to win the approval of. A new Sensai to look up to and gain wisdom/guidance from. A new Splinter for him to talk to. His brother quickly pick up on what exactly he's doing but when they call him out on it, Leo denies it. Usagi notices it too and confronts Leo about his attitude towards him one night. Leo at first denies it like he did with his brothers, but soon he opens up to Usagi about everything. How this new found position of being leader, Sensai and caretaker for his brothers has put a lot of stress and high expectations onto him. Usagi would be the one who helps Leo find inner peace and help him move on, not as a mentor like Leo thought he needed, but as a friend.

[forgetful-nerd]

2003! Leo would be such a sucker for his own younger counterparts and his younger counterpart brothers.

He would try so hard to maintain the whole “stoic leader” image but internally it would just be like this every time they interact:

(The last picture is definitely him having a heart attack watching his counterparts do stupid sht like sacrifice themselves for the millionth time.)