#Leonardo the honor nerd

[brightlotusmoon]

"...the thing about Leo in Rise is that he's still developing the leader capability. Consider this: he's living how he wanted to live but never got the chance to in previous iterations. You can see in the 1987 iteration when Donnie used the "personality changer" (don't remember the exact name but it's been awhile) he was more relaxed and fun, but perhaps it wasn't a change in personality but rather a gear switch. Leo has always had the leader/being responsible opted in as like, his main thing. However clearly the personality swap had to have something to pull out, so theoretically he was always like this. I think it was a good change in pace for him.

Instead of Rise completely erasing the type of person Leo is from the show entirely, they gave it to Raphael. Yes, Raphael is aloof and a bit dumb sometimes but when shit gets serious, he toughens up and he gets stuff done. He wants the best for his brothers and tries to be responsible for them all. He's very insecure and nervous for his brother's sake, and he tries to protect them. As for honor and spirituality, the show isn't very big on it (blame Nick) BUT at the end of the day, the first turtle to show that was Raphael to get his brothers to learn the Hamato ways. Raphael was the one to help his brothers to train and tried his best to keep them grounded.

Eventually, we do get to see Leo be a leader, and sure he's not shown to be as serious or insecure as the other Leos but that's because he's RISING up to become sort of like that. Even in the movie, we saw Leo mature and kinda become like the Leo you enjoy watching. Sure, this Leo has a totally different coping mechanism compared to the others, but it's what you'd have to expect from a modern teenager (I mean, I can't be the only one seeing the memes teenagers make to cope with their lives.)

Rise didn't ruin him, but rather showed a different perspective of him that we don't get to see often. The whole show kinda makes you remember that they're teenagers. The teenagers I see becoming leaders around my school remind me of Leo alot, they're flamboyant and loud on the outside but when you start to know them is that on the inside you can tell they're insecure and feel like they have to find a way for people to like them so people listen to them.

Honestly, it works for rise, because you can see Raphael failing to get the interest of his brothers sometimes, whereas Leo can easily get people to actually listen to him. He's bold, but that convinces his brothers to listen to him. Unlike the other Leos we don't see him struggle to lead, because we slowly see that it's natural to him. To bring that aspect back, we had Raphael struggle, which leads to the eventual switch.

So that hero/for honor personality is still there, but it's in Raphael, not Leo. You have to realize that the roles switched for a reason. The purpose of rise was to give TMNT a different perspective but not everyone caught onto the perspective because it takes the subtle details to figure that out."

[brightlotusmoon]

[brightlotusmoon]

A 20 year old headcanon that I'm thrilled to learn others have: the Ninja Turtles as literal cryptids with eldritch forces in their mutations whether they know it or not. Especially 03 and 07.

Donnie: Psychically aware of and linked to anything mechanical, electronic, technological. Stuff just happens around him, things start working. Better wifi signals, cars starting easily.

Mikey: Connects to people, animals, the elements. Cheers up everyone within a mile. Inspires games, creativity, gathering. Attracts animals that need help. Literally brings sunshine if he's there for more than ten minutes.

Leo: Able to manipulate a situation to his advantage, like being completely ignored by nearby humans while he goes shopping, and projecting confident authority so nobody questions him.

Raph: Feeds off the energies and emotions of the city overall, full of physical power that helps rescue or prevent or assist. Can turn combat around by thoroughly reading his opponents and playing off their actions and reactions.

[mymomsaiditwasaphase]

What are your favorite versions of each character? Fav April, fav versions of the boys, etc. Any iteration.

Constantly thinking about this

Before answering, I wanna apologize for taking soooo long to answer, I got stuck thinking about my favorite Leonardo, and then midterms killed me 😔👎

Anyways,

1987 April has a very special place in my heart because I think she is really fun! Love that reporter lady, I'm enamored by her commitment to getting the story 💛

As for the boys,

My favorite Michelagelo is tied between 2003, the GOAT of all time, the battle nexus champion, I wanna be him frfr, and 1987, because I love the way he talks and he's just such a sweetheart, I cry whenever I see him cuz of how much I like him 🧡

Rise Donatello is my favorite Donatello because he became my favorite rise character like halfway through the first episode, probably has the record for the fastest a character has become my fave 💜

Favorite Raphael is 2012 simply because I loved seeing him care for Spike and later on Chompy, and his interactions with his brothers are fun to see, plus I like his design ❤️

Favorite Leonardo constantly changes depending on my mood, this week I've been mainly thinking about 2012 (mainly cuz an IRL decided to become a hater, but anyways)

Love that guy, he's such a nerd and cares for his family so much, and I'm constantly rotating him in my head. If I think too much about him, I'll collapse /pos 💙

For other characters,

Mirage Casey Jones is my favorite version because his arc during City at War was really interesting, im really bad at elaborating, but yeah [colored:heart]

Favorite Shredder's are tied between 2012 and 1987. Originally, I was just going to say 1987 because I love his silliness and the antics he gets up to on that show, but, 2012 does have an interesting backstory(even though he was the one causing all his problems basically), but yeaugh 🩶

I was gonna say 2003 Baxter Stockman is my favorite because of the whole bit that ended in him being a brain, but then I remembered this specific Mirage panel, and honestly, I respect his reasoning

I consider 2003 Karai my favorite because the whole thing about her wanting to maintain some sense of honor but still following Shredder's orders because shes loyal to him, and the whole part of her not being as antagonistic to the turtles until they get C'hrell exiled and then she goes off the deep end and actually tries to end them. I just really loved her. Every time I saw her, I cheered a bit. [Heart]

And I don't really have a favorite Splinter because I just generally think there's something neat about a guy (or a rat) that sees some turtles and decides to keep them and then raises them, y'know. Plus, his story varies so much from version to version, and it's hard for me to pick a favorite because all those different origins they've given him are interesting. Also, the different balances he has regarding being a father and a teacher make me constantly think about at least two different Splinters at the same time all the time because its just so easy to think about it. I am constantly thinking about his parenting choices. He's really fascinating to me in all iterations. So, uhhh, this is a long paragraph for my standards, so I'm cutting myself off here cuz I didn't even pick a favorite and just started rambling, lol.

[brightlotusmoon]

I...was unaware of the birthday Leo doll.

Also, 2007 Leo saying "Come To Daddy"? About to be saved to my files?

no more situations i've had enough

[brightlotusmoon]

Runs into the middle of the 2003 Whump fandom, slams this down, runs out screaming "it's shorter than I wanted but fuck it have a damn update"

[brightlotusmoon]

Why I love Leo and Mikey's bond: Leo can screw up, act silly, and goof off in front of Mikey and he wouldn't judge or make fun of him for it. Mikey would still see him as his big brother. And be happy Leo is being Leo instead of big leader in blue. Like Mikey sees Leo has big brother, but also accepts all of of him. Flaws and all.

My favorite Leo And Mikey fics focus on that bond. Like the headcanon where they both love Mel Brooks, or where Mikey will play with Leo's katana just so Leo can smirk at him. Or when Leo walks in on Mikey playing Action Figures and joins in.

Leo's insecurities and worries are eased by Mikey's loyalty and confidence, and Mikey gets bolstered by how Leo cherishes his natural optimistic love for the world, using it to guide him.

[brightlotusmoon]

I had a dream where I was explaining that SAINW Leonardo wasn't blind, the crew had just decided he should look like Neo with scars, but the fan response was to immediately write fics about how he got those face scars and perhaps cataracts, because Neo lost his eyes anyway. And someone asked if that made Agent John Bishop inspired by Agent Smith, and I was like, why do you think he looked like Hugo Weaving fresh off experimenting on hobbits, and everyone started screaming happily until it woke me up.

[brightlotusmoon]

My personal headcanon is that among the 2003 turtles, Leo ends up being the shortest after his brothers hit their growth spurts.

It makes it easy for the other turtles to just yeet him around, so they come up with a game around it. They have to sneak up on Leo(hardest part of the challenge), toss him into the water(second part, points based on the aim and landing spot), and then run away from him as long as possible after he chases after them (third, and scariest part). Everyone gets individual points based on their performance, but they’re allowed to cooperate, since the first two steps are pretty hard to manage alone.

Leo absolutely hates the game and beats them into oblivion everytime they do it.

[brightlotusmoon]

*runs screaming at the 03 fandom, throws this at them*

*runs away screaming*

(I UPDATED)

[brightlotusmoon]

I'm so annoyed at TMNT favoritism in Leo and Raph like if it was the fandom that would be fine with me I like both characters I just dislike how the TMNT show runners only ever care about them and their big dumb fight they have every single movie or show like even rise did the fight thing and left Mikey and Donnie's character development behind like what is it with the show runners in doing this like we have already constantly seen Raph and Leo at each others throats in every movie it's getting stale and boring because it ends up being the plot it's why I'm excited for Mutant Mayhem series and loved the movie it was entertaining it didn't have the annoying fight scene either what are your thoughts on this

Keep in mind that Raph was Kevin's favorite, Don was Peter's favorite, Mike was based on Steve, and Leo was at first a generic leader soldier type so they needed big storylines for him to establish his character.

Now, I fully agree with you. Many long time fans do. The Leo And Raph Man Pain Cycle became very popular, and when the 2007 film came out, it hit a boiling point. The fandom let out a collective boiling gasp and things were never the same. And then we learned that the studios couldn't make the two sequels featuring Mikey joining the Foot and Donnie meeting the Triceratons. Boy were fanfics written.

It was easy to create and ride such an explosive relationship, a classic blue vs red cliche. Donnie was considered the gentle one and Mikey was too much of a goofball: in fact, 2003 had a whole clause where Mikey wasn't allowed too much angst, to preserve his class clown persona. The original script for Outbreak and Good Genes was to have Mikey double mutated. But it was argued that Donnie would easily cure him. So Donnie got stabbed by the mutant roach instead!

Leo's PTSD arc was one of the first instances of a cartoon character going through it like that. Raph had the right kind of intensity to help him through.

You're correct in that we never really got to see the weight of the drama hit Don or Mike in a similar way. They're the little brothers. Although, Kevin did admit that he always thought of Donnie as older than Raph despite it not even mattering.

Despite those weird anons and antis complaining at me for it, I make it a point to dig into Mikey's psychology, and by extension Donnie"s, and pull out the emotional, insecure, anxious, terrified teenager nightmares, aging the boys to at least twenty (which they are at the end of 2003) and reminding them that they all have PTSD and Mike is just as capable of Deep Thoughts.

[brightlotusmoon]

I like Leo but the damn favoritism tmnt writers have for him is annoying like do you writers notice 3 other turtles with Masks?

*giggling*

That's been a fandom Inside joke for ages, by the way!

When the turtles were originally designed in the 80s, Leo was considered a generic leader character, and they kept building on him.

Since Raph was based on Kevin, Donnie was based on Peter, and Mikey was based on Steve, Leo's major traits were kind of pulled from here and there. But later iterations really went hard with it and it's blatantly obvious after a dozen incarnations. 😊

[brightlotusmoon]

@fire-fira @remmushound

Universal constants. Like the goddamn toaster.

Leonardo universal constant 

[brightlotusmoon]

Look what I did! Somebody pet my head and hand feed me a gummy snack.

[brightlotusmoon]

I feel like all Leo's are just naturally moms ( rise leo too, mostly when he's older) and just leo😤 deserves to have a baby. Because he'd be such a good parent. It's like in his character so much. And the angst of leo growing up, thinking he could never have that cause he's a mutant. Just give the guy a baby for him to love, protect and parent.

I think a vast majority of the fandom completely agrees. In a lot of fanfics, Leo will focus on Mikey, his babiest brother.

One of my favorite Rise fandom things is how Leon obviously helped raise Casey Jr.

I'm so used to writing Leo as the mom friend that even grimdark AU versions have mom energy.

[brightlotusmoon]

This is canon. I don't make the rules.

wild how i never posted these nonsensical TMNT03 AU-ish doodles. part 2 coming soon just bc there's a bunch of em lmao

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