#he reached for krang zombie raph when they had to leave him behind too like

[thisisadonaldduckblognow]

i also think the take that leo’s post-movie character shift long term is to distance himself and ~hold himself separate~ from his brothers and treat them a little differently and train all the time etc simply Doesn’t Track btw

doing it as a major initial overcorrection bc of guilt and having to be like intervened with, i can see happening, and overall getting better at buckling down/communicating w his team for sure yeah

but like the idea that that is a change he makes to himself forever going forward (especially if it means his brothers/april not clocking it and calling him out on that nonsense, especially especially if it involves splinter noticing it and ENCOURAGING HIM to keep holding himself apart like that’s so not rise splinter at all) just does not feel right

for me it undermines the core statements that the series and movie are going for: you are not alone, we do it together, he hasn’t seen what we can do when we work together, this isn’t about you (i think this one in particular bc what is withdrawing from your loved ones and holding yourself in a different category bc Must Be Leaderly if not making things about yourself just in a different way to how you were doing it before?)

[percyaugod]

Classic Krang Zombie Overthink AU: Outline Part 3

Raph yells at Leo to get away from it before torn from his twin once again. Raph goes on and on about how he knows it's hard but that's not Donnie anymore.

Leo is thrashing in Raph's grasp refusing to listen. Donnie's not Hines, he's right there!

The zombie starts getting up and Raph tenses. Even controlled Donnie could be dangerous. He can't fight and hold back Leo at the same time.

Raph turns and starts running, ignoring Leo's pleas to go back, he forgot Donnie! Raph moves erratically trying to keep his moves unpredictable and them out of the line of possible fire.

Raph forgot just how fast Donnie could be until he felt something big land on his shell. Leo immediately went slack with relief while Raph tried using his free arm to try to knock it off.

It just kept jumping and crawling all over him, just out of reach. At one point even leaned over to look Raph in the face before moving again.

Raph suddenly froze. This was familiar. His brothers did this all the time when they were younger. Crawling all over him like a jungle gym while he tried to swat them off.

Raph looked at… Donnie(?) Too many eyes stared back. Raph had to sit down.

Raph is still unsure what to do. Sure, now they know Donnie isn't completely gone, but he's obviously not all there either. He's also obviously infected. He doesn't want to just leave him here, but they can't just take him back to the base.

Raph unsuccessfully tries to interrogate it. Only getting blank stares in response to all his questions and prodding. Leo stared disapprovingly at Raph the entire time.

Raph and Leo hide Donnie in a nearby cave. Not putting the base in danger by taking Donnie back and not having to worry about anything attacking Donnie by leaving him out in the open. They have to return to the base or people might get suspicious.

They also need to tell the rest of the family and let them know what's going on. At least Draxum, with Donnie unable to help he's their next best bet in trying to cure Donnie.

Trying to leave is a whole other problem. Every time they try to walk away Donnie tries to follow, sometimes even clinging to Leo and whining. Eventually, Leo has to put his foot down and give a firm order for Donnie to stay and promises they'll be back. It somehow feels worse than being responsible for the apocalypse.

Raph stays behind while Leo leads the others to, what at least used to be, Donnie. Someone has to watch over the base and he just can't look at his little brother like that again. What little awareness exists so lost and confused, unable to even speak anymore.

All because Raph let the Krang get the drop on him and Donnie just had to save his sorry shell. Didn't Donnie understand it's the big brother's job to protect the little brothers, not the other way around? Now Donnie needs help more than ever and there's nothing Raph can do.

If it was anyone else Donnie would figure out what to do in no time, but Donnie isn't here. Just his lab, some manuals, and Shelldon model 5.8 update 17.

While still an asset, and Raph's so thankful for him taking over where his dad left off, Shelldon is more in charge it weapon production and maintenance, defense, and surveillance. He wouldn't be able to help with Donnie's… condition. Not unless they had him put Donnie out of his misery, and Raph could never make Shelldon do such a thing. Raph couldn't even bring himself to tell Shelldon about Donnie, Leo had to. Shelldon immediately locked himself away in Donnie's lab. Raph feels ya, kid.

April is trying to keep a level head, but the look in Raph's eyes when he helped Leo explain the situation told her this wasn't going to be pretty. She hates to admit it, but she's honestly kind of angry. It's been months, they've accepted Donnie being dead and grieved. Now he's back and he didn't even come back right.

She hasn't even seen it and she already hates the thing with Donnie's face that gave Leo false hope. Once Leo figures out it's not really Donnie it's going to crush him. And she won't be able to put her little brother back together again.

Leo leads Draxum, Mikey, and April back to the cave. They know what Leo said but they also know that look In Raph's eyes. Whatever they're going to see isn't going to be good. Leo gives them a sad look as they prepare for a possible fight before entering the cave.

A cave with multiple sections of what looks like Krang tech. April hissing at Leo that she thought he said this place was safe. He said none of this was here a few hours ago. Mikey pointed out Donnie's scribbled genius-built logo scratched into one of the pieces.

It'd probably be in the middle of making something, building things putting it in an odd but familiar state of calm. It doesn't even realize they're there at first until Leo gets its attention.

Blue seems happy to see it building, so this must have been a good idea.

Leo is definitely happy. Donnie ignored him and built something, even putting his silly little mark on it. The only way it could have been more Donnie is if it was after a third all-nighter, an eighth cup of coffee, and Donnie screeching "Everybody wants to rule the world" at the top of his lungs.

Mikey missed Donnie so much and wanted nothing more than to hug him close to prove he was really there. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how Donnie might react to him and doesn't want to spook him. If Donnie attacks because he's frightened the others might… so yeah, nice and slow, then maybe hugs later.

Mikey quickly learned spooking him wasn't a worry when Donnie is basically crawling on Mikey trying to figure out what's holding him in the air. Wildly waving hands with too long fingers and too many joints above and below Mikey in search of answers. Looking absolutely stunned when Leo points out it's holding both Mikey and Donnie now.

Mikey pretends he doesn't notice April holding her weapon at the ready while Donnie is near him.

[oojamaflip-whatchamacallit]

#so so much of the message of the narratives are ultimately about love and togetherness#how self sacrifice can come from a place of love but it is still damaging#how no one can or should carry the weight of everything alone! bc they are not alone!#more than any other tmnt iteration that is what they drive home; the togetherness#one of the emotional high points and triumphs of the finale! is raph realizing all this!#that it's not just on him that they all carry it together and that makes them stronger!#that was like his biggest struggle wanting to shoulder things and be there for everyone#without thinking it was fair of him to ask to lean back on them too (even though they would and did in a heartbeat catch him!!!)#baby leo reached for splinter leo reached for karai when they left her he was in FRONT reaching for raph in the trust fall#he reached for krang zombie raph when they had to leave him behind too like#he's insecure and scared and has a habit of masking his vulnerability but like#he's not gonna withdraw in that way while everyone goes oh well haha thats just how leo is now no they'd fuckin... talk to their brother#idk what im even getting around to anymore im just bummed

i also think the take that leo’s post-movie character shift long term is to distance himself and ~hold himself separate~ from his brothers and treat them a little differently and train all the time etc simply Doesn’t Track btw

doing it as a major initial overcorrection bc of guilt and having to be like intervened with, i can see happening, and overall getting better at buckling down/communicating w his team for sure yeah

but like the idea that that is a change he makes to himself forever going forward (especially if it means his brothers/april not clocking it and calling him out on that nonsense, especially especially if it involves splinter noticing it and ENCOURAGING HIM to keep holding himself apart like that’s so not rise splinter at all) just does not feel right

for me it undermines the core statements that the series and movie are going for: you are not alone, we do it together, he hasn’t seen what we can do when we work together, this isn’t about you (i think this one in particular bc what is withdrawing from your loved ones and holding yourself in a different category bc Must Be Leaderly if not making things about yourself just in a different way to how you were doing it before?)