#nightwatcherraph

[emeraldtortoiseshell]

So, @nightwatcherraph and I were just talking about the scene in The Ancient One where Leo says what food he has packed for his trip:

And something stuck out to us.

Trail mix. Dried fruit. Peanut butter. They're all practical choices for someone going on a long hike. Very Leo.

But then there's the chocolate.

Still a practical choice - good in moderation for a quick energy boost.

But this is also the tail end of Leo's super serious arc. Chocolate seems like a treat he wouldn't see himself 'deserving'. I struggle to see Leo packing something so indulgent for himself.

So, that begs the question: who did pack it? Maybe one of his family snuck the chocolate in to his bag?

Just imagine:

Leo's just been told by Splinter that he's sending him away to another Sensei in Japan. His brothers were eavesdropping on the conversation, so they know too. Leo's in his room packing his bags.

His family are all on edge and unsure what to do or say. Leo's been "brooding, surly, and stubborn" as Splinter pointed out. And he just lashed out and wounded their father! No one knows what to do or say to him anymore.

They all gather in the main area of the lair as Leo emerges.

Don tries to hug him. Leo doesn't shrug him off, but he isn't receptive to the hug, either. It's cold and stiff, and Don withdraws self consciously.

Raph is crossing his arms and glaring at the wall. He's still mad at Leo for losing control and hurting Splinter. Anger and fear and confusion are churning silently within him.

Splinter puts a hand on Leo's arm. For a moment, Leo almost softens. But then they blink, and it's gone. They're both hurting too much to say anything.

Mikey doesn't know what to do. He can't talk to Leo. He can't hug him. All he wants is his oldest brother to put a reassuring hand on his shell and tell him everything will be OK.

But that's not going to happen.

As Leo makes for the exit to go to the docks, Mikey stealthily slips a small sweet treat into Leo's bag. Something that says "We still love you. Come home safe."

Bonus:

Leo's successfully snuck onto a cargo ship to Japan. As he's tucked away in the storage area, he begins to unpack the few things he brought for the multiple days he'll be at sea.

Something catches his eye. He pauses. He definitely didn't pack that. He reaches in and draws out a small bar of chocolate.

Mikey.

The tiniest flicker of warmth ignites in Leo's icy chest. He's not yet ready to smile again, but something familiar stirs deep within his gut

[side-shuffling-hyperfixations]

62 "I'm not leaving you behind." For raph and a character of your choice

“Raph? Raph, it’s me.”

As bleary eyes were freed from the chafing blindfold and he registered Leo hovering over his exam table, Raph’s heart rolled a nauseating somersault to land like a rock into the pit of his stomach. Bishop was wrong about a lot of things but of course, of course when it mattered most, he had to be right on the money. Of course his family would throw caution to the wind to come for him.

“Y’can’t be here,” he slurred, tongue twisted and throat raw from stifling screams during his last session. How long ago was that now? Not long enough yet for the lingering drugs to wear off entirely, considering how hard it was to string sentences together. “He wants th’…whole set. S’just been workin’ me over while he waited for…He knew you’d…Y’shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should you. Not for one more day, not another second,” Leo countered in a hiss, slicing deftly through his restraints. “We’ve got about forty till Donnie’s trick with the alarm expires so let’s make this as quick as we can, c’mon.”

“Be quicker if ya saved yourself a trip,” Raph groaned as he was hoisted upright. As much as he wanted to shove Leo full force back toward the door, to safety, he couldn’t quite orient himself enough to resist his bracing grip. “Quicker without a…d-drugged up dead weight on your shoulders…”

“For now I’m going to pretend the drugs are the only reason you’re saying things like that.”

“S’a trap, Fearless, you know s’gotta be a trap and ya still just waltz right in…?”

“Yes. And right back out too, with my shell-for-brains, self-sacrificial brother. That’s the plan. No alternatives.” Leo’s arm tightened fiercely around his shell. “I’m not leaving you behind; you’re not going anywhere without your family again.”

[emeraldhazeart]

Oh hey thank you for following XD I am curious since you like tmnt 03 and Leo is your favorite I was wondering what’s your opinion on Raph how do you feel about him?

Hiya. Thank you so much for your ask 💚

Oh stars, I love all the 03 boys! Every one of them is just perfect, as far as I'm concerned. They will always be the version of the turtles, for me. 😅

This got long, so I've put it below a Read more 😅

I must admit, though, I didn't really vibe with Raph when I was growing up. You're right: Leo is my favourite, but in terms of personality, I'm much more like Donnie. So, I found it difficult to connect with the brash, "count on [him] to throw the first punch" Raphael.

That said, I've really grown to appreciate Raph as I've gotten older. Fanfic is always a powerful empathising tool for putting you into the mind of a character you might not have otherwise gelled with, and there are so many fantastic explorations of his character out there!

In addition, I guess my own worldview has evolved as I've grown wiser. So now, I'm much better able to see his hot headed temperament and gruff exterior for what they really are: Ralph's own unique way of expressing his love for his family.

I love how he's the Red Oni to Leo's Blue. I love how they're two sides of the same coin. I love how they each take up the mantle of the Responsible One™️ when the other is going through it. I love how there's no denying they love each other as brothers, even when they're at each other's throat.

I love how considerate he is of Donnie. I love how they've got this unique bond where they can come together and talk machines as equals. I can definitely see why they're often portrayed as twins in fanon.

I love how clearly the push and pull between him and Mikey is a way they show they care about each other. I love how ready Raph is to give Mikey outlets, even if he hides it beneath a frustrated growl and a slap on the back of the head.

I love how he seeks out Splinter for guidance in the rare moments when he's lost. I love how you can tell his Dad means so much to him, even if Raph will only ever say so through actions rather than words.

I love how Raph is always the first to jump to any of his brothers' aid. I love how it's clear that, even though he may talk tough, at the end of the day, his family is the most important thing in the world to him, and he's not afraid to show it. I love how his Number 1 priority is always and forever to his family.

(I know that seems a bit redundant - they'd all put their family first. But I feel like Raph is perhaps the only one that would choose to save his brother's over the rest of the world.

Leo would be bound by honour to do the Right Thing, Mikey's compassion wouldn't let him save his brothers over an innocent, and Donnie would be forced to choose the most logical option. None of them would like it, but they'd all feel compelled to act for The Greater Good, even if it meant sacrificing their family.

But Raph? I honestly can't see him making any other choice but his brothers. Sure, he'd lay down his life for them in a heartbeat, but to paraphrase the words of Amy Rose in Sonic 06, if Raph had to choose between the world or his brothers, he'd choose his brothers.

And I don't mean that in a negative way. It's an impossible Trolley Problem choice, and there are no right answers. I don't think Raph is any less noble for making the "selfish" choice. If anything, I respect him more because he would make that choice, and he'd defend it to the end.)

Wow, that got long, sorry 😅 I didn't realise I had that much to say about Raph. Then again, that's the beauty of the 03 turtles for you: they're such goldmines of exploration and characterisation 💚

[septic-dr-schneep]

What inspired your username? And does it have any connections to any character?

I created this blog while I hyperfixated on JackSepticEye (the Youtuber) and the Alter Ego characters he created for his videos. My favorite of those characters is Dr. Henrik von Schneeplestein, nicknamed "Schneep" -- hence my username "septic-dr-schneep" :D

[kobbers]

Hey there! Since you are a Leo fan I wanted to ask. What’s your opinion on Raph? I mean in general but I will say for 12 07 and 03 since those ass my favs.

In general? I love Raph. His archetypal role tends to be one of my least favorites in ensemble casts: impulsive, moody bad boys tend to get on my nerves. I simply don't find their angst and lack of self control Cool or Relatable, no matter how tragic their past is to justify their antisocial behavior.

Raph's frustration, however, comes from a place I can easily sympathize with - his family is on their own and in constant danger. You often get the feeling that he'd like to be part of society in some way, but he can't and that's stifling! The result is a core drive to protect the small circle of family and friends he does have, no matter the cost.

Though the human world is too dangerous to interact with openly, Raph still sees humans as fellow People, and will readily intervene on their behalf. He leaps boldly into action in part because he worries that indecision and delay will give the enemy more time to cause harm (of course, he also finds combat fun and fulfilling, which may occasionally get him into trouble). He may grumble and complain, but at his core Raph is a helper.

My favorite versions of Raph are the ones where he and Leo are almost too similar underneath their wildly different demeanors. Their conflicts usually come down to how they want to approach their goal, not on which goal to approach.

In fact, there's an argument to be made that in D&D terms, my ideal Raph and Leo could both be cast as paladins, with Leo as Oath of Devotion (focused on honor and protecting the innocent) and Raph as Oath of Vengeance (focused on justice and punishing the wicked). Mirage Raph, on the other hand, is 100% a barbarian. So I mean, there's a range of viable interpretations, and the character can be well-written anywhere within it. It's just that the more selfish Raph is, the less I will connect with him.

2003

I thought Blue Swords Guy was the coolest turtle as a toddler, and when I started watching 2k3 as a teenager, my general preference for straightforward paragon types led me quickly back to Leo. I liked Raph the least almost instinctively, purely based on role. But the show won me over on every single brother, and I couldn't even begin to rank a least favorite anymore. Even at his worst early in the show, Raph is just struggling with impulse control rather than relishing violence or being contrary for its own sake. Sometimes he might enter a fight too early or resist retreat, but he rarely enters a fight unnecessarily. He might hide his squishier emotions, but he clearly still feels them. It lays down that core of Raph-as-protector that softens him from his more troubled, bloodthirsty Mirage counterpart. A good bean, 10/10 favorite Raph, heavily influences what I want to see from the character in general.

2007

The general vibes of this movie are similar to 2k3, which is why it sometimes surprises people that it's supposed to be in the live action film continuity as a sort of TMNT 4.

It's weird as a whole though, because Raph was the director's favorite turtle and it shows - Leo makes a poor foil because he is simply written to be wrong (I HATE his "I'm better than you" line for many reasons, heheh). But in terms of how Raph reacts to everything the story throws at him, it all rings true to character. He's my favorite character in this movie kind of by default, because Leo and Splinter are ~off~ and Mike and Don are mostly just on quip duty. But that doesn't change that Raph's still legitimately solid.

2012

Honestly can't say much about this version - I only made it a season into this show due to general annoyances I had with the writing. I remember liking Sean Astin's vocal performance, at least. And I remember digging the premise of that one episode where Raph tries to be the leader and finds that he's way more comfortable acting on plans than making them.

[dreamstormdragon]

5 for 03 raph again XD

5

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. I wish, as a whole we would've gotten to see more time with Raph and Leatherhead. Their friendship is underrated, since they both are good guys, with rough tempers. I really wanted to see more of them bonding together. I also would've loved to see more moments with Raph and Splinter, since their bond is so under-appreciated. Something I didn't appreciate until I was older, was that 03 Splinter NEVER ONCE, made his issue the boys' issue until trouble literally was brought to their doorstep. He was training them, not to avenge his master, but to defend themselves, to be safe if they were ever put in danger. They had to live, a life where stealth was survival.

Me and some friends were pouring over some of the books released for it, for lore reasons and it was FASCINATING how, in Raph's sections there was a LOT of facts, like genuine facts about weapons, historical stuff. Things you'd think would be in Leo's but it wasn't. He's a LOT like his father and I don't think that gets recognized enough.

[turtle--soup]

1 and 7 for 12 raph

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

I already answered this here, so instead have some images I have saved on my phone of 2012 Raph, why not?

And one of my Build-a-Bear Raph for the hell of it (yes he is sat next to Flat Raph...)

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

It's kind of canon I guess, but every 2012 fan fic I've read usually involves Raph being like "omg, [insert brother's name], you're so dumb lol" and then moments later being like '"I would DIE FOR YOU [same brother]" lol. Especially Mikey.

Also I love when people just go 'this boy is awkward af' because... yeah. He's a teenager. He's allowed.

Thank you for the ask!

[emeraldtortoiseshell]

To expand on my previous post, I believe Leo would hold onto his guilt for a long time even after he's himself again. Especially if Raph's got a visible scar to show for it.

Like, Leo almost certainly hangs onto his guilt over wounding Splinter. 2 months away with a therapist other Sensei isn't going to completely unravel all the intricate guilt complexes he's woven his entire personality around. He's still Leo.

But Splinter's wound is hidden under his fur. Leo's not going to be harshly reminded of his slip up every time he glances at his Dad (at least, not once some time has passed, at least).

But Raph's got no hair/fur to hide a scar. And, as good a job as his family does of stitching him back up, I'm willing to bet Eagle-eyed Leonardo can still see the slight imperfection in his brother's skin. The imperfection he caused.

He's gonna carry that guilt for the rest of his life. Despite how much Raph waves it away and tries to assure Leo he's forgiven (in his typical, brash Raph way). Leo's gonna internalise that guilt, as he does with every other time he "failed" his family (and, I believe, as he did with canonically wounding Splinter).

What actually changes once everything's back to normal? Probably not much. But if Leo pushes himself just a little more to make it up to Raph? If Leo watches his brother's back and steps in to intervene in a fight just a little bit earlier? And if Leo is just slightly more understanding of Raph's temper and less likely to scold him for being a 'hothead'?

Then I'm sure his whole family would notice. And probably not say a word.

@emeraldtortoiseshell and @side-shuffling-hyperfixations since you both are experts Leo fans I like to riddle me this. What would have happened if Leo had stabbed Raph instead of Splinter during his ptsd arc?

[turtleshellpage]

I remember 7th grade. One of our teachers found out 3 girls in the class are vaping. Teachers were so shocked, woah, that never meant to happen, blah blah 🙄 guess they don't know half of the school is vaping as well 🤦🏼 #newgeneration

The principal was so angry, she did something I don't think it's legal 🤷🏼

She took their phones and just asked for the password. She looked at all their messages, photos, apps, literally the entire phone memory. After that she called their parents because of inappropriate images she found

But 😶

She continued on us and the entire school. She just asks for a password and tells you to leave the room. We were so scared we deleted EVERYTHING from our phones 😂 at the end she only asked a few more students and we did it for nothing 🤦🏼

Anyway

Wanted to ask how would you react 🙃

If the principal walks to you and says "Gimme your phone. What's the password?" What are you doing?

Knowing she would look at everything? 😂 Your private conversations with family, friends, social media, phone gallery, everything? (Imagine ur 13-14 years old)

@wrecking-it-raphie @ezgurple @rufwooff @redlotuz @randomcerealbrand @racky000 @turtlevariabilis @turt1esstuff @untitled-tmnt-blog @indieyuugure @iredoodles @ilovebeinaturtle @onionninjasstuff @porplewisteria @phewgitoid @pezhead @allyheart707 @alichu707 @stormy-m00n @disasterpartyyy @dotbot2012 @donnie-rp-blog @heckitall @justatoxictaurus @justasmallflick @knuxthefangirl @lara-cairncross @luna1star10 @luckynesser @lionalovit @yanteetle @xxlea-nardoxx @chessman-protocol @ceruleanterrapin @charcoaldustonmyfingers @bigb22374 @bluefeather-tmnt @butthead7 @neonzeontmnt @nightwatcherraph @ninnosaurus @matryoshkalex @mybasementpanda

😘

[emeraldtortoiseshell]

I thought about you says about the fighting now being more violent then normal but it was still dramatic. It’s the atmosphere there’s no quips and sarcasm or jokes. Like Mikey usually fighting vs him fighting in grudge match. Or the exodus fighting having no humor like Raph didn’t make a sarcastic remark at Karai he was mad and in the warpath. Yeah this show knows when to make things serious. And the music too. Try to watch a horror film with the music gone it’s not gonna have the same affect at least for me anyway. I hope k an making sense lol

You're making perfect sense, don't worry

The people working on the 03 show really knew how to ramp up the tension and make the serious moments hit harder.

In addition to everything you've already said, I think the voice actors do a stellar job of really getting the feelings of the scene across.

Not just Mike Sinterniklass as Leo, but all of them. The way Sam Riegal made Donnie's voice wobble when he yells "Raphie! We got trouble down here!". The way you can hear the extra edge in Greg Abbey's performance as Raph. The way Veronica Taylor's voice strains for April's fear and worry. And the way Wayne Grayson's Mikey is so much more subdued than usual.

And I've said it before, but the way Darren Dunstan's voice cracks when Splinter watches an exhausted Leo throw himself into the fight to save his Sensei always makes me choke up.

[raphaelesbian]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thank you, @nightwatcherraph for recommending Puppet Tightly Strung by clairakitty (@raphaelesbian)!

PS: I got this rec before that last anon ask!

[side-shuffling-hyperfixations]

Now that I think about it we didn’t get much of Raph and don either right? I mean those two seem to get along the best Mikey and Leo rile Raph up a lot lol I mean I see what you are saying about Leo and Don they just aren’t my favorite dynamic lol

Yeah, I think since the Raph & Don and Leo & Don combos are more stable and steady, they weren't as much of a priority to explore. The Raph & Mikey combo provides more obvious humor and the Raph & Leo combo provides more obvious character building so the plot interest feels like it was focused more on those

[emeraldhazeart]

I feel stuoid fit asking this this so forgive me. Ya know that fic ya linked. Is it me or did even that small bit with Raph feel kinda I dunno off? Maybe I am being picky again sorry.

You're not stupid for asking about anything, and you're always welcome to talk to me or ask me anything. There's no need to apologise 💚

Do you mean this one?

I suppose I can kinda see what you mean. Raph does come across as maybe a little too gruff, and oddly quiet. He's not normally the type to just stand and stare at someone until they look after themselves. Even if he doesn't have the words to express how he feels, he'll try to say it out loud, at least.

That said, I found this passage quite touching:

He appears at Don's side, hauling him up with a touch that would be manhandling by Don standards but is excessively delicate by Raph standards.

Raph's care is shown in action - in making sure Donnie eats, in getting him to bed so he can rest properly. And even through the cloud of Donnie's guilt, he can notice that Raph is being particularly gentle with him right now.

This is literally hours after Mikey, Raph and Leo were nearly killed by the Cyber Shredder, after all. Maybe Raph's still processing it? Maybe he doesn't trust himself to speak because he's also warring with his own guilt over nearly failing to protect his brothers? Maybe Leo's already had to make a stop to another brother's bedroom before he wakes Don? 😅

Sorry if that wasn't what you meant.

[strawberryswirl4321]

For @nightwatcherraph and @phykoha, hope you like this Raph 2003 digital art, I love him!!! I worked hard on this!

[paperlifted]

For Want of a Leo: Raph, Don, and family hierarchies in the Scion of the Shredder / Prodigal Son

A comment by @nightwatcherraph got me thinking about the two-part window we get into how the turtle brothers operate without Leo. Unfortunately the show doesn't give us a lot to go on, but under the circumstances there are still some interesting pieces to pick over, especially in how the 'middle children' make the new hierarchy work.

The first episode opens over two months into Leo's absence, showing us the rest of the family is getting by and keeping up their usual indoor routines. He's never too far from their thoughts, of course; they miss him, they're worried about him, and they still don't really know how to work around the empty space he's left.

It's not clear whether they've still been keeping up with patrols or their side business of hassling the Purple Dragons and other criminals. Personally, I don't get the impression they've just been sitting in the Lair for the entire two months - they're well accustomed to being able to come and go topside by this point, and I'd expect to see more cabin fever and frustration if they were back to being stuck underground. They've also had adventures in solos and pairs before, so it's not as though they can't operate as a trio, and it's unlikely Splinter would have put training on hold for the rest of his students just because things grew rocky with Leo.

It's probably fair to say they haven't been quite as active as usual, though. It could even be part of what leaves them open to the Foot's assault: heads down, distracted by this disruption to their normal state of affairs, and so missing the most crucial window to notice that Karai's forces are gearing up for... something.

When the something finally comes, Don's the first one to flag it, of course. The security system's his baby: "That shouldn't happen - the perimeter alarm should keep ringing until I turn it off."

It's probably to Don's credit that the alarm goes off at all; the Foot have clearly worked hard to worm their way through Don's defences to find the Lair and arrive unnoticed at their front door, only to lose the element of total surprise at the very last. It doesn't give the family enough time to prepare meaningfully, but it means when the door comes down they're alert, armed, and standing together to confront it.

(Less to Don's credit - why are there no built-in defences in your home, boy? Did Shredder's skyscraper of death traps inspire nothing? One has to either accept this as written - perhaps with justifications like "maybe he didn't trust his family not to continually set them off" or "the resource drain wasn't worth it" or "the Foot disabled them on their way in" - or assume there were defences, but they were cut from the episode for animation budget reasons. Take your pick!)

The ambush is still a total shock to them all. Mikey's bewildered and alarmed to see the Foot, squeaky-voiced in real fear. Don leaps straight to wondering how on earth they could have found the Lair at all; his dismay carries extra weight considering just seven episodes ago he was forced to live through a mental simulation in which his tech lead their enemies to them.

It's Raph who cuts through all the emotional noise and makes the call to action: "Don't matter how they found us - they found us. Now let's kick the shell out of them!"

On the one hand, this is predictably Raph, and it would likely be his response whether Leo was here or not. The only question would be whether Leo wanted to hold off on the counter-offense to demand answers from the Foot... and I doubt he would play it that safe when it's so obvious the Foot have not come in peace. This is supported by the fact that the rest of the family falls in behind Raph without hesitation, moving to defend their home. It's the natural reaction.

Unfortunately, it becomes clear very quickly that this is not their usual tussle with the Foot; banter is thin on the ground, with even Mikey quickly giving up on the jokes in recognition of how serious the situation is: "Everybody, watch your backs!"

Don similarly comes to the conclusion that this fight is not going to go in their favour - and here we get an interesting glimpse into the hierarchy. His summation is quick: "Raph! There are too many of them. We have to back off."

But Raph immediately shuts it down: "Back off?? This is our home."

Don's always been Leo's right hand turtle when it comes to strategy and tactics, with a keen eye for finding solutions in the field. He's the cooler head compared to Raph, and less inclined to think of combat as the right fix for every problem.

He's also, noticeably, not phrasing this as a request. It's not 'Raph, should we retreat?' or 'Raph, I don't like this, I think we might have to get out of here'. It's firm, factual, and demanding. There are too many of them. We have to back off.

Yet it's not an order! He's not making an authoritative call and expecting it to be followed, and he doesn't immediately force the point past Raph's disagreement. He's not The Leader, and he's not doing this without at least some consensus.

Raph's not Leo either, and I think it's fair to say he's not really wearing the leader hat when he makes his retort. He's never been in favour of pulling back from a fight, and that instinct is only riding higher when retreating means surrendering their entire home. Whether or not that might be a necessary sacrifice - whether or not they can actually logistically win against these odds - isn't figuring into his calculations yet. This is their territory. They have to fight for it.

Where's Splinter's voice in all this? Good question! It's interesting that he doesn't seek to take charge of the situation, nor do the brothers act like they think he should, which is in stark contrast to how he gives directives when Leo is incapacitated during 'The Shredder Strikes Back'. He's still very much their father and master - but it's been a couple of years now, and they've been busy ones. The brothers have grown into a strong team, rivalling his own skills and experience after all they've been through. He arguably has nothing to say that they haven't already.

When Karai makes herself known, the whole family shares in talking with her, and when the fight re-commences, their desperation only grows as their home begins to crumble around them. Here, Leo's absence has another consequence: Karai targets Splinter first as the one she holds next most responsible for what happened to her father, and she manages to wound him.

This instantly changes things for the rest of the family. Raph and Don effect a tidy one-two strike to drive Karai back, and Don pushes again, insisting: "We have to get out of here!"

This time, Raph doesn't disagree. The odds have worsened too much for even his particular brand of denial; home is now the least they stand to lose. With that acceptance, Raph sobers up and once again takes charge: "Donnie, you take Master Splinter with you. We split up, get out, and hook back up again topside. Got it?" No words are needed: they get it. "Now let's go. And guys - be careful."

Obviously at least some of the reason why Raph makes this call is because the writers wanted to set things up for Leo's hide-and-seek family reunion, but it's nonetheless a call he canonically makes! Perhaps appropriately for Raph, it's high risk and high reward - it forces Karai to split her number three ways to chase them, but also leaves each of them alone without any easy means of reconnecting*. Don's a fair choice to take Splinter on, since he's seemingly the turtle with the most medical knowledge, and also someone whose decisions Raph obviously respects; but leaving Mikey to make his way out alone is a big show of trust. Which isn't unfounded - he's a talented ninja! - but I have to wonder if Raph briefly forgot that Mikey would prioritise bringing his cat, given Mikey has the narrowest escape out of the Lair as a result.

(*Admittedly this is another one of those things that makes me want to go, really? After losing one home, being ambushed in a supposed safe place by the Shredder, and recently going through the simulated destruction of their home, they don't have an established evacuation plan or agreed place to meet if they get separated? The only excuse I can think of is that they did, but Karai discovering their location so thoroughly that she has every exit covered means they consider this plan to be compromised as well. There also isn't that much time between their separation and Leo's arrival on the scene, so one hopes they would have figured it out eventually if they had to.)

Would Leo have made the same choice? Hard to say. Splitting up like this isn't something they do often, the preference usually being to go in pairs or at least be partnered up with an ally, but it's certainly not the only time they've headed in different directions to divide an enemy's numbers (see: 'Space Invaders'). It's very possible Leo would have agreed with Don's assessment much faster than Raph, though. Possible he would have ordered them to start retreating before someone was seriously hurt, and so given them more time and options. Possible he would have defaulted to coordinating his brothers' actions to draw from their strengths instead of falling into a lone wolf, break the lines pattern of retreat.

It's also possible he wouldn't have. Sometimes there just aren't good decisions to be made.

One has to imagine these are questions Raph ends up asking himself, however. When Leo finds Don, there's only exhausted relief in the reunion; when he finds Mikey, his brother seems to take it as a given that Leo has shown up when most needed to make things okay again.

When he finds Raph, he finds self-recrimination.

"Leo, they found the Lair! They got to us! The others... I don't know what happened to them. I..."

Fortunately, newly self-actualised Leo is all over it, and shows no signs of thinking Raph did anything but his best in a crap situation. Raph, for his part, is unhesitating in handing the mantle of leadership back, any sense of thinking being tough and loud make him the best choice burned off by his own journey to maturity long ago. To have Leo back - and Leo at his best, not the tangled-up mess he'd been when he left, refusing to trust them or himself - settles Raph enormously. This is where he belongs; this is where Raph is free to be his own best self too.

So what are the conclusions here? Well, besides the obvious fact that nobody is expecting Mikey to be the one to take charge, Mikey included, the hierarchy is overall weaker without Leo at its head but still somewhat present. Nobody's openly declaring themselves Acting Leader, but while Raph and Don both look to each other in making crisis decisions, Raph's the one who bites the bullet in actually giving orders. It's as much as a flaw as it is a strength in some ways - Raph's always been decisive, but he has a tendency to let impulse guide those decisions when often it's his second or third thought that's the smarter way to go. Meanwhile, Donnie's a quick thinker, and he's certainly demonstrated over the course of the series that he's capable of taking the lead when he has a clear idea in mind, but there's a passivity to him that makes him automatically look to others in an uncertain situation. At the end of the day, I just don't think Don wants to be in charge.

This of course isn't to position Leo as the best and most natural leader of all time either; he has his own ups and down, his own strengths and weaknesses. As much as they can, they do make decisions as a team and a family, with Leo counting on Don to come up with options, and Raph and Mikey to make those options doable.

Leo's accepted the role and its responsibilities, however, and in time they've all accepted him. He's worked on his flaws as they relate specifically to leadership, and done his best to shape himself to fit that need, and it shows. For want of a Leo, they'll make do, and they won't even do it too badly - but it's definitely not the same.

[dreamstormdragon]

03 raph for the ask game

3: My Non-Romantic OTP For this Character

For 2003 Raphael!

My favorite friendship, for 2003 Raph is his friendship with Casey. These two are each other's ride or die friendship.

Raph and Casey will always go to bat LITERALLY with each other.

They also help each other, ironically mellow out. When they first meet each other, they're at their most tense in that moment, but as the series goes on, Casey is just part of the family. He's not afraid to tell Raph what he NEEDS to hear, not what he wants to hear and vice versa. There's no need for sparing their feelings, they can handle it. And I love that. Cause let's remember: At any point, Casey would've after EVERYTHING they've been through, been 100% in the right to walk away.

And he didn't.

You only risk your life and limb for family and Raph and Casey's friendship/bond as brother figures to each other is AMAZING.

Also, Raph is Casey's wingman, let's be real.

He basically went: "I am trusting you, with my sister DO NOT SCREW THIS UP!" when it came to April.

Casey's farmhouse is his second home, it's just as important as the Lair.

I was rewatching The Monster Hunter the other night and just... aahh.. Farmhouse arc episodes are always so good.

So yeah, there's my thoughts. Thank you!

(From this ask game )