#mikey is my muse

[brightlotusmoon]

That feeling when you comment on a fic and the author goes OH IT'S YOU and gets extremely excited in all caps because they read all your fics and they consider you nearly famous in the fandom.

[brightlotusmoon]

I'm beginning to believe that he is the main character in the movie... he's been the faceman on most of the ads we've got so far, even this one. lmao.

[ccomilk]

WOO NEW BRUSH!!!!! have some mikey dodles

[20s-turtle-posting]

2003 Donatello meeting the other various TMNT iterations and they all think he's just a level-headed Smart Guy with a quiet disposition and a tendency to snark from the sidelines, but then he pulls off some Fuckshit at random and scares the bejeezus out of everyone else and they're like "ah yes, that's the true Donatello Spirit, sorry for assuming otherwise"

He also tells his Raph to shut the hell up for some reason or other and gets absolutely 0 reaction, which also gets the other turtles like ???

[theanonymousninja247]

Part 2

Thank you so much for the kind words @chessman-protocol.

I happily take your tears, add them to my collection and then I will drink them for breakfast. *sounds of mad cackling can be heard* And this is what I mean by, part 2, my dear. Enjoy~

Also tagging the incredibly talented @doreen090 because this is her favorite song and she was the person who inspired me to try editing in the first place.

“Play With Fire” belongs to Sam Tinnesz

[brightlotusmoon]

Okay, fine, since 1989.

Someone: *briefly mentions something slightly related to TMNT*

Me:

[spooktacular-dolls]

If the IDW comic is giving us g3 Valentine *IN ADDITION* to our first completed official look at Spelldon, I'm actually going to flip out

[inquisitoradaar]

the people dont even know abt the extensive lore surrounding my rewrite of the chibnall era of doccy who. its just me and my friend ray in these trenches together. and theyre such horrifically deep trenches

[chaoticxbeast]

Slam Poetry Night – All Welcome

The stage was a simple raised platform at the front, framed by string lights and adorned with a single microphone on a stand. Behind it, a chalkboard wall displayed snippets of past performances and doodles of abstract art in vibrant chalk. A small crowd of patrons had gathered, seated on overstuffed armchairs and repurposed church pews, sipping lattes and nibbling on pastries.

To Mikey, the energy in the room was electric. He could feel the buzz of excitement and creativity, and being surrounded by so many people who loved the same things he did filled him with a warm, giddy thrill. Tonight, he wasn’t just an observer—he was a performer.

He was practically bouncing as he stepped onto the stage, his outfit reflecting his mood: a riot of vibrant patterns—rainbow swirls, polka dots, and zigzags—all boldly clashing but somehow harmonizing in the most Mikey way possible.

He leaned into the microphone, giving it a quick tap. “Is this thing on?” he said, his voice carrying a playful edge. The room quieted instantly, all eyes on him.

“Hi, everyone! My name’s Mikey, and I’m here with my bros. Hi, guys!” He waved enthusiastically toward the front row, where his brothers sat.

“Yeah, Mikey!!” Leo called out, punching the air, while Donnie and Raph whistled and cheered, their support undeniable.

Mikey grinned wide, basking in their encouragement. “So, maybe you know me, maybe you don’t. But I wrote this poem for all of you. Well, actually… for the people who, like me, feel like trash sometimes. You know what I mean, right? We’ve all been there—just wanting to be accepted for who we are.” He paused, his voice softening. “But we’re not trash. None of us.”

The audience murmured in agreement, their attention unwavering. Mikey straightened, holding the mic with both hands.

“Anyway, this is my poem. It’s called We’re Not Trash.”

If you’re trash, then I’m trash— two bags of plastic in an updraft, caught in the dance of the wind, spiraling — up — up — up — pirouetting higher and higher, synchronized in swirling freedom.

Weightless, we rise, twirling with leaves and dust, unfurling in the currents, drifting far — far — far — until we’re free, together, carried into the endless sky.

Mikey bowed deeply, even sweeping off his hat with dramatic flair, and the room erupted into a thunderous cheer. But above all the applause and whistles, it was his brothers’ voices that rose the loudest, their pride and love unmistakable in the way they hollered and clapped for him.

[brightlotusmoon]

Makes me wonder if Mikey's character will eventually shed the "surfer dude" personally that David Wise gave him in 1987. When I asked Wise why he had specifically made Mikey such a strong comedic relief character that he wasn't in Mirage, he said "He looks stupid and it's really cute, I loved making him weird and dumb" and I never forgot that.

OBSESSED with how this movie is picking up on so many previous styles but it’s SO GOOD like

Certain angles of Leo in the MM trailer makes him look like Jim Henson’s 1991 Leo

You got the first time Donnie was ever loaded with gear and accessories Michael Bay style circa 2014/2016

Raph got the combo-wombo of Bay 2014/2016 and ROTTMNT. Not only his bandana but even the shape of his body/plastron (more square/stocky)

MIKEY! BABY BOY WITH THE DEEPST VOICE OF THE 4. He is so interesting because he doesn’t look like any other version of Mikey other than really the 1987 cartoon and a teeeny bit of 2k3. They kept him very classic but SO iconic.

CHEF’S KISS

[brightlotusmoon]

There is this really well put together video I found on philosophy. https://youtu.be/Nq5C5qL1nsc?feature=shared

And it's honestly the mindset I've always imagined Michelangelo to have or at least adopt. I thought it was beautiful and fit his ambitions, maybe he can't control the world, but he can make it a friendly one in his will. I've always imagined it was a more subconscious relaization for him, even if his brothers circumstances are cruel, that doesn't mean he has to wollow in them!

just thought it would be remiss to not share it when in my mind this is how Mikey truly thinks of the world. And it's a lifestyle I try to adopt too.

(Ps. Sorry if this is janky, I've never used an ask before, if the link doesn't work, the video is on YouTube titled "why is Sisyphus happy?" By Sisyphus 55)

Oooh, this unlocked something I didn't know I wanted.

@sacredartist33013 this is relevant to that discussion we've been having on Mikey's inner philosophy.

Also? I love Sisyphus analogies in general, especially the dishes.

(you actually used the Ask box nearly perfectly - next time, make sure any links are a separate paragraph, so on mobile, I can copy it just by pressing on it.)

[unburiedhatchet]

Fun fact. I almost gave up on adding Michael to my muse list because I couldn’t find a face claim I was satisfied with. I would’ve went for Ned Luke, but as far as icons and gifs, there’s just not much for him. I picked Ben cause he’s got the sugar-tits body and lots of icons 😂

[andoutofharm]

not a single song or lyric on so much (for) stardust is about mikey and if you think it is you need to get some fucking perspective and listen again.

[brightlotusmoon]

YES. YES!

Been writing entire Tumblr essays exactly like this since 2016, and this here is a fucking GEM of a character analysis.

This hit me out of nowhere like a water balloon left in the refrigerator for 3 hours so bear with whatever madness you're about to see because I don't even know what I'm going to say but I do know I'm 100% reaching like crazy with some stuff

It's common knowledge that Splinter spends the least amount of "lesson time" with Mikey, and it's a common consensus that Splinter doesn't need to spend much "lesson time" with Mikey considering how he tends to figure things out for himself. But I don't really see much acknowledgement of their scarce amount of "lesson time" greatly impacting Mikey over the course of the series. Unless I'm not treating this enough like a "Where's Waldo" game, idk-

Putting aside Karai's Vendetta, it takes a grand total of 31 episodes for us to see Mikey get any one-on-one "lesson time" with Splinter.

We see throughout S1 that Mikey is likelier to go with the flow of one of his brothers' plans or suggestions during a mission than doing something major on his own. It's simply the more favorable option for everyone than him screwing things up or getting himself in trouble. His "friendship" with Bradford was his first time landing himself and the team in hot water, and he's evidently remorseful near the end of the episode. Not only did his actions cause trouble, but he was being used by who he thought was his first human friend, and he learns that every human isn't so accepting like April.

He screwed up, and everyone had to pay as a result.

That could be part of the reason why Mikey was so adamant about befriending Leatherhead; he saw good in the alligator and wanted his brothers to believe that he wasn't screwing things up again. The guy's a mutant like them and he's fighting the Kraang, there's no way this'll go like the Bradford incident.

Meanwhile, his moments of silliness are often reserved for lowering the tension of a situation, or because the urge is there to be given into, but his brothers tend to view this behavior as him being the typical goofball they know him as. Which unfortunately painted a permanent image of himself that rubs him the wrong way.

That leads us to Parasitica, and it's quite the significant episode because it's the second time we see Mikey express blatant frustration at his skills and mental fortitude being underestimated. He proves to his brothers that he's capable of finishing a job on his own, following directions to a T, and making things work with his own plan of action. But his earlier soiling of Leo's comic ruins his moment of accomplishment and the episode ends on a comedic note. It show us that the guys are sometimes reluctant to praise Mikey because of his tendency to let things go to his head and, in the process, Mikey sometimes doesn't feel respected by them, something he expressed to Bradford way back when.

Come S2 though, Mikey immediately screws things up and adds to his brothers' list of reasons to not respect him because he doesn't quite read the room when he admits their wrongdoing, nor does he expect April to react so strongly to something he sees as an innocent mistake on their part. He's used to joking around or speaking lightly about serious manners to ease the tension, but not only did that not work this time around, it served to make things worse in a way.

We don't see Mikey get reprimanded since he was right to tell her that their mishandling of the mutagen is why Kirby was mutated, but I'd believe it if Ciro Nieli randomly stepped forward and said it did significantly affect him. His slip up doesn't affect him too heavily though, at least not enough for him to avoid aiding the team in finding mutagen and fighting the Foot clan. Not only that, he saves the day with the help of popcorn and a septic tank when they're attacked by the squirrelanoids, and the guys willingly praise him for his actions.

But we don't get anything really centered on Mikey until the fifth episode of S2.

He has a moment of enlightenment in when he chooses to dabble in some mutagen off screen to be cooler and less like the typical goofball his brothers often label him as. Of course, this greatly backfires on him as the mutagen that makes up his body becomes unstable and threatens to explode in an unpleasant manner, so the turtles spend most of the episode focused on curing him rather than trying to work through what made him resort to such measures in the first place. They even prove Mikey's point in one particular scene when he makes a suggestion that goes ignored and adds to his disappointment.

Once they finally cure Mikey and prevent him from meeting an untimely demise at the hands of mutagenic acne, Splinter is the one to reassure the youngest turtle that he needn't change himself to appease his brothers. Mikey moves on from Splinter's wisdom to gloat about being right when they didn't believe him, to which Leo tells him he just took a gamble because had no idea he'd be right about it, and the episode once again ends on a comedic note with Mikey being the one who again saves the day.

I said near the beginning of this that Mikey's usual behavior during missions was to go along with whatever was asked of him, and he has the tendency to go in the same direction that those around him appear to be going.

Post the acne incident however, there's a noticeable shift. Maybe Splinter's words really resonated with him, or maybe his learning experience gave him the realization he needed, I don't exactly know.

Either way, Mikey changed.

This happened with the giant wasps and squirrelanoids as well back in S1, but it's not until S2 is halfway over with that we see Mikey really start to trust his instincts more and become less reliant on his brothers to help save the day. He still seeks their strength and smarts when in a rough spot mind you, but when he sees an opportunity to deal with something on his own, he takes it and doesn't wait for permission or looks of mutual agreement.

His use of Ice Cream Kitty in their second confrontation with the Rat King could count as one such instance since he enacted his own whimsical plan, but I'd be inclined to include any other instance of him doing something similar before then. A better representation of the point I'm trying to make is his solo endeavour into Dimension X. It takes 19 episodes after his acne incident for this to happen, but it's our first huge instance of Mikey initiating and going through with something that goes completely against his brothers' wishes.

One probably thought Mikey would sit tight and somehow manage to involve himself in Leatherhead's rescue later on, but Mikey catches his brothers off guard by running off into danger head first without waiting for anyone. And we see when the guys find him that he miraculously adapted to the new universe; he could take care of himself, he knew how to handle these otherworldly enemies, and he repeatedly helped his brothers and educated them.

This becomes a recurring pattern whenever they enter Dimension X, but Mikey's whims pulling the others into a direction they don't expect to go happens more with each season. The same thing happened when he ran away and found Napoleon, though not to quite the same extreme; he quickly became acquainted with him and acclimated into the group of mutant frogs.

He got by in these situations by being himself. Not like a cooler version that his brothers would probably prefer, but his usual, outlandish, and unorthodox self.

Other than an astounding sense of adaptation that's far above his brothers', he sticks with his gut in the face of retaliation and doubt. He was the only one to sense something wrong with April's mom, and isn't subtle about it at all, even when his suspicions get him on everyone's bad side. He could've easily laid low for an opening or gone along with everyone else's acceptance of her, but he doesn't. He isn't going to change his mind just because his claims seem crazy and make him look paranoid.

Again, we see something similar whenever everyone second guesses his knowledge of chemicals and compounds. Donnie nearly had an aneurysm when he found him tampering with the retromutagen before their big fight with the Kraang, but he was soon delighted to see the positive results of Mikey's tampering. And when Mikey accidentally bumped a bit of the mind control cure onto Donnie in The Creeping Doom, he decided he should be the one to fix things and made an antidote for Donnie. It's a bit funny how Mikey did both of these things without truly knowing what the result would be, and even he was surprised to see that his concoction worked to cure Donnie of his slow decay of intelligence.

Either way, he usually knows when he's right. He knows he can do so much more than his brothers believe he can at times and he goes out of his way to prove it.

This is getting long (could've been extra long if I really wanted to go in-depth), and I already briefly mentioned something similar for S5 in this post, but I just really like how apparent it is that Mikey embraces who he is more and more as the show goes on. Electric powers? Boom, I'm using them. Seal's broken? Boom, bubblegum. Mutagen bomb ended the world? Boom, I'm making a map that only I can understand.

Fr tho, he once felt insecure about his weird way of behaving and thinking, most notably when he's in a situation that would usually call for the types of planning and actions his brothers are better known for.

But now it's something he utilizes and even holds over everyone's heads at times.

[pumpkinstabs-moving]

michael will never...... ever.... have a normal interest in someone. if he is interested in someone and becomes fascinated by them, that interest turns into full blown, extremely stalkery obsession. he stalks and stalks and stalks them until he gets bored and decides to kill them. any "love" he feels, while it may be HIS idea of love and the only kind of love he is able to express, is obsessive, unhealthily possessive and extremely dangerous. privacy doesn't exist around michael and it is absolutely red flag after red flag so uhhh the only way to be romantically involved with killer michael is to also be extremely toxic

[kyukicho]

They just don't know the other half of me... what I really am.

When I look at myself in the mirror... I can see clearer... I'm nothing but a monster.

Kyukicho: Independent Multi-muse ft. Manjiro ( Mikey ) Sano

x. || x.