#so to see that mikey sees him as a protector means a lot

[thatkoiboi]

Part 1 | Part 2

I love Sunset Duo, they are just so warm~

[tmntforeverinmyheart]

I unironically love the mutant apocalypse, and really wish there was more content of it. I mean it paved the way for rises future that fans seem to worship. It’s unfortunate that the designs kinda sucked (looking at you leo) and how the bridge between the mutagen bomb and 50 years into the further is basically unknown. Like how did leo of all people become a cruel wasteland king? What tragic accident befell casey, april and karai for them to be nonexistent? What did raph and donnie do for 50 years? What happened to mikey to make him go crazy? So many questions left unanswered, so im gonna make content of my version of the mutant apocalypse for awhile cause i love them, it feeds my angsty soul lol

Leo retains bits and pieces of his past life. Unfortunately most of his memories have become disconnected from each other. He remembers a man or a mutant? Spikes of metal and skin, silver armour encasing his whole body, the man’s heart, pulsing with green. Green what? Leo didn’t know. He remembers colours, red, purple and orange. One radiating warmth and a fiery temper, one cold and calculating but with a softness, one filled with love and brightness. What do they mean? He thought back to the man (mutant?) how monstrous he looked. looking down at himself he could see the resemblance between the memory and his reality. The man felt most familiar, and unlike the colours was more in focus. He carried an air of superiority and held himself with pride. Leo wanted to be like him. A path has been chosen for him and he will follow it.

Note: Leo does not actually remember his name, I just wanted to make it obvious who the character was.

Tw blood

Donnie and Raph stayed together. Raph had to be his younger brothers protector, in this strange new world their ninja skills wouldn’t be enough, not in the state they were in. They wandered together, searching for their missing family members. Surviving on through the ever changing climate on scraps, raw meat, mutant flesh, it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was staying alive and finding their brothers.

Mikey was separated from his brothers in the aftermath of the mutagen bomb, Eventually finding his way back to the sewer. His home was in disarray. Luckily he still had one friend he could count on. Ice cream kitty practically hug-attacked mikey when he opened the freezer. Mikey stayed in his home, finishing off the food in the fridge and cupboard. There wasn’t much to do really. He played cards with kitty. Failed to meditate, and looked at old photos. 10 years passed by and eventually the fridge and freezer stopped working and he had to go searching for another safe haven to keep his friend from melting. He found a still working pizza place and hunkered down. This pattern continued for a number of years. He traveled all over New York to different grocery, ice cream and pizza stores to keep kitty alive. Mikey became sickly from eating so much outdated and even moldy food. Mikey had to resort to eating his infinite ice cream friend. He grew hair at some point, which was odd (he didn’t even know that was possible), it was curly and unkept. He would braid his hair into different shapes to pass the time. The world around him was crumbling, seeming more and more out of a sci-fi movie everyday. He stayed in his head a lot, imagining a whole new reality where he still had his family. But he couldn’t completely discount his reality, after all he had ice cream kitty.

Until he didn’t…

During his travels, Leo met many mutants. One in particular just wouldn’t leave him alone. Their first encounter was a battle over a rotten carcass. She attacked, wrapping her long body around his lower leg, cutting off his circulation. He attacked her back, swiping at her with his claws. He remembered the man with the spikes, and manipulated the skin of his arm, forming two hard spikes, he swiped at her again. She backed off with a haunted look in her eyes. “Shredder” she said quietly, before slithering away.

[baskeigh-ball]

Loving your seperated raph au so far! So if Raph wasn't around, Leo must be the leader up til now? How did that affect his personality?

Thanks so much! And I actually have several ideas for their dynamic without Raph that I've been exploring, so prepare for a long-winded rant because I have Too Many Thoughts

I've brainstormed a lot about how the leadership role would work with Raph out of the picture, and my consensus is that Leo isn't a full-fledged leader. Instead, he and Donnie accidentally end up as co-leaders!

And by "accidentally", I mean "Leo elects himself as leader but Donnie hates the idea of being ordered around by his slightly-older annoying twin so much that he turns it into a competition for the leadership role". Actually in this context, I'd call it more of a president/vice-president dynamic, with Leo taking charge more often and Donnie occasionally stepping up if he doesn't agree with a decision. Poor Mikey kinda ends up stuck in the middle of all this, lol.

Outside of leadership, Leo is definitely more responsible as the self-appointed oldest brother, but that responsibility is more spread out between him and his brothers than it is with canon Raph. My reasoning behind this is how he's just barely the eldest. The difference in age between him and Donnie is so small that his younger brothers feel more inclined to help him out. Overall, the trio is more mature than in canon, but not by much (this isn't one of those super serious AUs where it's all about survival and familial issues, trust me. they're still a bunch of gremlins that love each other and do as they please, they just. know how to do their chores now.)

Also side note, without Raph around to be the tank/shield that takes the big hits, the trio's missions default to stealth if they're unfamiliar with whoever they're facing. At least until they get a handle on their mystic weapons; after that they can go into fights guns-blazing in all of their unhinged glory >:] (and i'd say Donnie with his tech takes up the mantle as the "tank" of the group, i mean did u see the first episode's fight with draxum? he was the only one getting effective hits in)

Exploring their dynamic is gonna be fun, especially how Leo and Raph might clash about leadership once things start winding down and Raph is finding his place in the family. He'd definitely feel like he should be the protector, what with his size, strength, battle skills, street smarts, etc etc, but I imagine the trio would be hesitant about the idea. After all, they've survived just fine up until now. Sure, they've got a few extra scars they could've done without, but they're still kicking!

To sum it up, Leo and Donnie somewhat share leading the team while also competing to become the True Leader, then Raph comes along and unwittingly joins in on the competition while Mikey has to just Deal in the background. Wonder how long it'll take for Dr Delicate Touch to step in?

Anyways, rant over. I hope this answered your question! (and sorry if it's kinda rambly, my thoughts usually come out as word vomit and this is the first time i'm posting them publicly ('._.))

[saladmix]

can we discuss totmnt? we get a bit more insight into them as characters which is great! i like that donnie & mikey got a bunch more moments to shine! also! leo saying hes nothing without his brothers, raph's insecurities being touched on with the whole "your bros are in danger because *you* couldn't protect them and aren't strong enough" DUDE its the best. i like how this show added some aspects of their rise versions in that way & i enjoy it bc i liked how they were represented there. leo being anxious & insecure as his role of leader, raph's tough/aggressive veneer bc he feels like its his job to be the protector. + those little chunks of info we got from their character descriptions where they say raph is sensitive and "wants someone to talk to." more realistic & less one note for them!

ugh YES! we sure can it's all I want to talk about anyway I sit at my little corporate job answering my little corporate emails but inside I am like DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.

Anyway, that's embarrassing! Thoughts below the cut so I don't clog up a dash with spoilers and rambles <3

I'm going to address these in (as Jenny Nicholson says) an internet-friendly numbered list! And also adding that these are just my opinions, as I am but a nobody on a rock floating through space.

Also these thoughts are SO HALF BAKED this is like stream of consciousness if you ask me what I said here I may not remember I'm just living a turtle life.

Leo saying he's nothing without his brothers ugh you are so right that was such good content! This strikes me as such a core Leo trait, maybe not shared across iterations in 100% the same way but I really do see that sentiment under the surface frequently. I found it so charming that in Leo's little re-telling of what happened with Bishop and the ambush, he basically made all of his brother's seem like these useless side fools, bolstering up his own role (even lying and saying he was the one to check out the hologram), but then we quickly see that he doesn't at all feel that way. In fact he feels the opposite, and it just felt like such a young growing teen thing to do, try to make yourself the hero. It's also my personal interpretation of why specifically this version of Leo wants to be a leader so badly! He's not the muscle, he's not the brains, he's not the charm. So what is he? He has to find a way to make himself feel important when he feels like maybe he has no other stand out qualities to contribute. But I also happen to think it's the right role for him! He shows his bravery again and again, and his ability to put together a plan, when other people are in need. He can't seem to muster that same courage for himself yet, that's part of his growth, but for the people he loves he comes out in front. I think TotTMNT did a great job with that aspect. <3

Raph! Raphael! What a lad! I really latched onto Raph in this iteration more than I have in previous ones, I really enjoy how he's written. I've always found Raph's anger across iterations to actually really make sense. Of course he's angry, he's a mutant turtle living in the sewers with no real sense of place in this world and no way to interact directly with it! And Rise Raph, while not displaying that direct explosive rage that Raph is known for, kind of showcases it in the stress and responsibility he feels for his family. Anyway, all this is to say we get both of those aspects here in this version along with the flavoring of what appears to me as some real teenage excitement for a little bit of chaos. And that scene was extremely telling I super agree with you!! I mean Raph sees all of his brothers as little shaking chihuahuas, particularly Leo which was VERY charming to me. He definitely sees himself as the protector, but even more, honestly, I think they do to. I mean Leo basically assumes Raph can handle four mechazoids on his own, he's got a lot of faith in his brother's ability to be that brick wall for them. And even though Leo is still the oldest, I do feel like they brought some Rise Raph energy to his character with how responsible he feels. Typically we see Leo as the character who is two seconds away from blowing his top off with all he takes on, but I see that a lot in Raph here too.

Donnie's interpretation of the ambush actually made me so so sad. Like it was basically how he thinks his family views him, as the one who has to save the day but gets no respect of it and doesn't have the tools to do it. He thinks they view him as this megamind that should be able to handle it because what else is he good for? All the others had flashback sequences that kind of center them as a hero, and while Donnie's did have him the last one standing, it didn't have that same kind of vibe. And in all the brother's flashbacks, we see that while they do see him as this dorky nerd, it's never said with any anger or annoyance. I'd call it more of a silly little fondness. But I think this insecurity is an important aspect of Donnie's character that we see in a lot of iterations. The big change here is that Donnie really does feel like just a kid. He's not out here ready to build high tech weaponry or distill medication. He's just a kid who is into coding! He's still learning! And I really enjoyed that. And in that second arc, we get another taste of how level-headed Donnie can be in a crisis situation, which for me tied back to how in the Mutant Mayhem movie, Leo kept looking to Donnie for help and answers. Leo is a frazzled lil man, and Donnie seems to be his source of stability. So it really did break my heart that this poor sassy and sweet boy thinks his family doesn't value him. It's a different flavor from Raph's and Leo's, both of whom have insecurities but they're mostly internal reflections. Donnie seems to feel that coming from the outside, and has twisted that into his own self-image.

Mikey is such a fun character like what a scene-stealer he's so funny in every part of this show, his VA is K I L L I N G it I find his voice acting so charming as Mikey and it brings such life to the character. But I really love how this version of Mikey is so dynamic. Mikey has always, always been a really dynamic character but I think it was a little more hidden, if you know what I mean. Rise Mikey flipped a big script and I like how this version really feels like a true combo from the rise version of Mikey to the traditional core Mikey energy, if that makes sense. I LOVE....this Mikey. He might be my favorite Mikey ever and I am a huge Mikey fan I am probably the only 2007 Mikey Super Fan out here in the world. Anyway, I love how his episodes had him forcibly shaken out of his comfort zone as lil bro. In the first arc he's suddenly in charge of a whole new mutant and Useless Man of the Year Rod. In the second arc he's got to save a whole store of people and a cat! It's A LOT of responsibility for this lil child! And he does a great job! All while expressing the whole time that he doesn't really know what he's doing, and he's afraid he's going to mess it up. It reminds me a lot of how other version of Mikey were often thought of as the weak spots by their respective families (intentionally or not). It was always Mikey the goof. TotTMNT Mikey is a HUGE goof but he's also got this energy to him that PROVES how I always felt about Mikey: I CHOOSE to be a goof, but I can and will step up if I need to! And it makes sense that he looks up to his big brother, that Leo is the one he tries to emulate in times of stress. When the going gets tough, Mikey has to get going, and Leo is his framework for how to do that.

boy was this a ramble and a half. I just had a lot of thoughts. Was any of this coherent? Jury is still out. Thank you so much for sending this in!! And listening to me ramble. I really agree that this show did a good job of bringing in a lot of different traits from different iterations it's so much fun and leads to really dynamic versions!

[beauspot]

The Berzatto Siblings

TW: Discussions of abuse and drug use

So rewatching Fishes I finally came to understand how each child plays a role in an abusive family. I already knew this but rewatching this it became so clear cut to me.

Mikey is the most like their mother and it makes sense he’s been with her the longest because he’s the oldest and because he was the oldest he didn’t have the luxury of relying on his other siblings who are considerably younger than he is (mikey was 44 when he passed away and i think sugar is in her 30s i believe since we don’t have confirmed ages).

That means for a good chunk of his childhood development he had to handle his moms shit alone. That’s why Mikey is the protector. It makes sense that she relies on him more than the others because he was the first and Mikey is so clearly her favorite because he let’s her do whatever she wants. He’s also the only one who can calm Donna down if Donna can be calm.

Understandably because that was probably the only way he could survive. All that being said Mikey never had a chance. Of course he turned to drugs it’s probably the only way he could escape. And he didn’t have anyone the way Sugar had him and Carmy had both of them.

Sugar is placed in a weird position as the middle child and only girl. She learned to placate her mother at a young age and became a nurturer. She spoke to her mother softly and tried to make sure she was ok because if she wasn’t ok then nobody was ok.

This in turn was also how she treated her brothers. Nat is constantly trying to make sure the people in her life are ok so much so that she barely has any time to think of herself. It’s why Pete is so good for her because he doesn’t expect that of her. He cares for her.

Since she’s the second child she has some separation and support from her brother that Mikey didn’t have, but it obviously didn’t save her from her mothers issues. Sugar still has some faith in their mother’s love for them even though she’s been neglected the most out of all of her siblings. Likely due to the fact that her mother was jealous of her.

Carmy was the youngest, the baby which means out of all of the fucked up people in his life he had the greatest support system. Since his siblings were there Carmy wasn’t taking on the brunt of his mothers anger on his own. I believe this is partly why Carmy dissociates more than his siblings.

Growing up I used to dissociate a lot, but as I got older it became more of a danger to myself than a safe retreat so it just sort of started to happen less. I think that’s why we don’t really see Mikey dissociate. Mikey can’t dissociate. His mother gets upset and drives cars through their house the only thing he could be was hypervigilant and constantly on attention. And also why Sugar does it less than Carmy.

Which is just so sad, but because of this Carmy was able to do the one thing his siblings couldn’t. He escaped. Carmy left and he has (as of right now) severed contact with his mother completely. With the help of his brother, turning him away so he wouldn’t get stuck and his sister, who pushed him to get help.

I feel so sorry for each of them because they were dealt a shit hand and are trying to make the best of it.

[ipostwhatiwant1202]

Headcanon: Type of Uncle They Are

note: Happy Autism Awareness Month! To anyone who is on the spectrum, I see you. You are valued, you are smart, and you are worthy. Your Autism does not define you. A healthy reminder to those who are not on the spectrum, they call it a spectrum for a reason because it presents differently in everyone.

This is a safe space. 💙

Leo: Third Parent

It's in Leo's nature to be a more authoritative and more strict. Doesn't mean he isn't fun, he just prefers order over chaos. This also applies to any nieces or nephews he may end up with. That being said, even if he's more authoritative and strict, the children trust him wholeheartedly.

If it's his turn to babysit, yes there's a bed time, but there's always a story. He will read or tell any story the kids want to hear and he even does different voices for each character. He also will sit with them until they fall asleep. One has a nightmare? Yes, you can sleep in his bed (just this once....for the 10th time).

Homework is always the first thing done at his place if he's babysitting. The kids don't feel like it? He'll find something to do at the table with them so they feel more motivated to get it done. He's also very patient, so if it's frustrating to the kids, he'll even learn it with them to make them feel better.

He's also the one the kids know they can go to for guidance. He remains unbiased so if one of them needs an honest opinion, he's willing to give it. While emotions aren't necessarily his thing, nothing cheers the kids up more than a hug from their uncle Leo.

Even if the kids trust him wholeheartedly, they don't always like him. They don't like that he gives stricter punishments or is a harder teacher than their actual parents. Don't be fooled by the pressure he gives, the first sight of the children crying and he's off putting on cartoons.

Raph: The Protector

You know those mafia uncles, the ones with the thick accents? That's him. Raph is, by default, the family bodyguard. When he has nieces and nephews, he keeps a very close eye on them. Where they're at, who they're with, and when they're supposed to return. It's not to be controlling, the kids know he means it kindly.

That being said, he's also the most interesting. He's been through a lot, he's got a lot of stories, and he loves to boast. The kids find him cool and are always eager to hear about his life. He also hides hidden messages in his stories about being a good person and watching out for others (mostly because 5 years olds shouldn't be hearing about murder), he has good intentions.

He's also very good at comforting the kids. Usually it's Mikey's job to be the family sounding board, but Raph is a very good listener. The kids know they can vent to him about anything with no judgement. He'll even make them a late night snack if they can't sleep because they're upset.

Babysitting usually consists of him putting the TV on and letting the kids do whatever, within reason, of course. He lets the kids pick what they want to do and is known to join them. He's usually the referee if the kids are wrestling or the supervisor when playing board games. He's a master at uno.

His protectiveness can be overbearing but he backs off if he knows he's in the wrong. The kids know he just wants them safe and they love him for it, but they're comfortable enough to speak their mind. The first sign of danger, Raph's usually one of the first to jump in.

Donnie: Teacher Friend

While he loves to educate and spread his knowledge, Donnie also enjoys bonding. He doesn't impose his knowledge on his nieces and nephews, but he teaches them enough for them to be dangerous. This is also the time he takes to create connections with them without them really knowing. He's very sneaky about what he does.

He's always the one to help with homework but he won't do it for them. Instead, he pays close attention to learning styles and teach accordingly. More patience than Leo ever thought of having when the kids get frustrated. He's always calm and willing to explain a million ways until the kids pick up what he's putting down.

His babysitting is the best (i don't make the rules) because he can multitask like it's no one's business. He can be doing a project, help with homework, and discipline all at the same time. He's also always doing something and if the kids want to help, great! If not, he'll find something he knows they'll like and they'll do it together.

He also just always knows when something isn't right. The kids don't even have to tell him if they're sad or angry, he just knows. He doesn't push but instead, he offers them to come sit while he does work or invites them to join him. He knows they'll open up to him if they want.

Sometimes his knowledge clouds his brain so the kids have to remind him they aren't as smart as him at times. They also have to remind him that they're children and no kid needs to know how to blow up mount everest in one big boom for a 5th grade science fair project.

Mikey: Comforting Therapist

Where the others lack, Mikey brings to the table. He's always been the most emotionally intelligent and level headed of all his brothers in that department. Even with his ADHD, his observance is through the roof when he has nieces and nephews. He takes interest in every aspect he can of their lives. He just likes to be involved and listen to whatever it is they're up to these days.

His babysitting is chaotic but also very practical. He's strict and fun all at the same time. The kids are definitely a wake up call on his maturity. He makes up games for them and does activities with them. He also caters to each of their likes and they all take turns picking the activity or game. It teaches them patience and sharing, as well as having fun, it's a win win!

The kids know education is not his strongest suite by default, however he's always the first to know their grades. He never gets mad if it's not good, instead he assures them it's just a grade and not the end of the world. If the grade is good, then he gets very loud and overly excited over it. He just wants the kids to feel good about themselves.

Speaking of feeling good about themselves, the kids trust only him to help with big events where they need to dress up. He has the best fashion taste and makes sure the clothes are just right and flatter what should be flattered. He's also the kids' number one hype man and if they go clothes shopping, he very much would like a fashion show.

Mikey's ADHD can be overbearing to the kids at times, but they feel comfortable enough to tell him he's pushing boundaries. He always apologizes and listens when this happens. The kids know he means well, but sometimes it does get a bit too overstimulating, so boundaries are pre-established.

[aealzx]

I was curious i stumbled upon your blog from seeing your fic the 03 crossover on ao3. I do remember seeing the art on here. Since he’s my personal fav i wanted to ask. What’s your opinion on Raph? I mean for both iterations ROTMNT and 03.

Yes I post CDK on both here and AO3 8’D

And oh boy, buckle up kiddo I have a lot of opinions on dear Raphie *cracks fingers*

(jk it's actually not that long even under the cut X'D)

TLDR:

2003 Raph: Summed up Raph is home, safety, and warmth wrapped in an awkward bubble that doesn’t word well but will absolutely fight for those who deserve it.

Rise Raph: An adorable puppy that I look up to when it comes to dealing with people and selflessness for the sake of others, and I would adopt him in a heartbeat and smother him with plushies because he's such a good boy.

More in depth thoughts in a scrambled mess below the cut.

First, since he’s older

2003 Raph:

I first watched TMNT 2003 when I was a youngish teenager I think, and I will fully admit I was a little afraid of Raph at that time 8’D I have a really bad tolerance towards anger, I get freaked out easily and afraid I’ll get hurt or yelled at even if I didn’t do anything wrong. So having Raph portrayed heavily as “the angry one” made it hard for me to get attached to him. BUT, after growing up and watching 2003 just before starting CDK I have gotten soooo attached to Raph. This guy is not “angry” all the time, he’s open, honest, and passionate. This guy is the reason the others get out of the house. He’s the reason the others live and get into the fun times. And while Mikey certainly helps with being the life of the party, Raph is also the shield of everyone who deserves it. This guy is the most dad/big bro out of the four, and while Don could probably take care of a kid the best based on technicalities, Raph is the one that would keep them safe. Raph is home. Raph is the safety net that keeps the family warm. Because while Don is the heart of the group and we know they fall apart without him, Don wouldn’t have a voice without Raph because Don is too soft to fight back when Raph will. Donnie is still my all time favorite of the TMNT 2003 boys, but just barely. If Don is 100/100 on the favorite meter, then Raph is 99/100. He kicked Leo out of the second favorite spot for me on my recent watch.

Rise Raph:My first exposure to Rise Raph was my sister sending me the scene of Raphie crying over not being able to figure out how to help his family after they’d just lost Karai, and I have to admit the only thing I thought was “oh that’s nice, Raph actually cries in this one”. And then I actually watched the show (because sis insisted I watch the movie and I knew I needed context to fully enjoy it) and omg the Rise bros (and April) have the unique case of all being just about equal in my favorites tier. But specifically about Rise Raph this boy is a puppy and also I would adopt him and his family in a heartbeat because he’s also the sweetest lil guy and so good at watching out for others without being smothering. And just like 2003 Raph, Rise Raph is the protector of the family. Not because he happens to be the biggest and therefore the tank class, but because he wants to. I think he finds comfort in others being safe - feeling safe- and having fun. He thrives off taking care of others even though he’s not perfect at it. But him not being perfect, not making the most amazing meals, not being prim and proper, maybe getting a little dirty and bending a few rules, is what makes him charming. He’s not “attempt at being the perfect parent” 2003 Leo, he’s big brother Raphie that will cuddle with you in a mound of soft teddy bears, or throw you across the room in a roughhouse depending on what you need. Sure Leo really knows how to annoy the crap out of him, but I don’t think it’s because Raph thinks Leo is irresponsible or a bad kid. It’s much more infuriating to know that someone can be amazing, but seeing them chose not to, and you don’t know how to help them see they can be so much more than they are. And it’s easy to see that regardless of any of his siblings being annoying there’s nothing they can do that will make him hesitate even slightly in helping them when they need it. I don’t think Raph became a parent to the others like some of the fandom does. I think he’s just an adorable, soft, warm teddy bear big brother that did really well in his part of the whole family keeping each other afloat.

If I had 03 Raph as my uncle and Rise Raph as my brother I would be a lot more outspoken and rather reckless because I would have the upmost confidence that they would have my back and would keep me safe.

[turrondeluxe]

Hey ik on that "equally distribute the horrors" post, a lot of people were talking about Mikey needing horrors (tbh he deserves some, they all need equal rights to the horrors.), but I've never seen anyone even talk about the horrors for Raph? Maybe that's just me and my web experience tho. (If you have any examples of Raph dealing with the horrors pls list them, my cousin ((who also says Mikey needs more horrors, at least)) and I are desperate)

ah that's probably because i specified mikey in the tags because im a mikey enjoyer who is followed principally by more mikey enjoyers teeheee

but huh

i guess i understand what you mean

in terms of Raph Horrors™ we have

mmmm i unfortunately won't include every single horror from every single tmnt iteration out there. there's too many for me to remember all the specific raph horrors from each of them rn so i'll just list some random ones off the top of my head 😺

Feel free to add more to the raph horrors list! lol

Mirage

- Raphael gets progressively demutated and basically reverts to a normal turtle for a while

(the panels of when this was happening were actually very emotive and made me cry) he does say this when he's back to normal which i find very funny tho

90's movies

- Raph gets beaten the fuck up and then gets thrown trough a skylight. He's then placed in a bath tub while he heals (Leo is the one who never leaves his side on this iteration)

2003

- Nearly injures Mikey greatly with a metal tube because of anger (He feels really bad about this and i def think this moment never truly left his brain ever)

- Getting kidnapped by footbots, getting interrogated by Hun

- All the fights with shredder or karai/all the injuries gotten in all the fights with shredder or karai

- Same As It Never Was Raph

- Watching his injured older brother get thrown to a window and watch said older brother heal from his wounds

- Seeing himself as the shredder/ thinking himself as the shredder

- Got his home raided countless times

- Getting separated from his younger brothers + dad in one of said times and waiting alone in the surface without knowing if his family even made it out alive

- Witnessed dad get disintegrated

- Brainwashed (actually getting infected with a digital virus but eh). Him and his brothers are foot ninjas for an unspecified amount of time (maybe days). During this, shredder sends the brothers to the most mortal/difficult missions in hopes that they die under his command.

- Getting thrown into the future (Raph is the one brother who hates this event the most lmao)

2007

- Witnesses older brother get kidnapped and blames himself for it

2011 IDW

- Raph gets separated from his family before mutating. Spends years homeless and by himself before his brothers find him again (this forever makes raph feel that even if he's with his family. he somehow doesn't belong)

- Right after getting mutated he spent some time being cared by Buck (blind homeless guy that is the first person ever/parent figure that's nice to Raph). Watches Buck get beaten to death. (Possibly. Buck did survive but i can't remember if he did die because of his injuries. still. traumatizing to raph that was still fairly new to the world)

- Forced to be family warrior/protector (he doesn't want this, he just wants to be a farmer man 😔👊)

- Witnessed shredder stab Casey (Raph's bestie/first ever friend that he relates to)

- Had to fight against brainwashed brother (Foot Leo)

- Witnessed Donnie's corpse (would def fuck u up if you feel like the protection of your family is your responsibility)

- Gets kidnapped and experimented with/tortured

- Dad dies, rip 🕊️

2012

- Losing Spike (he literally stayed 15 years underground with only his family for company. spike meant so much to him)

- Watching mikey get hurt because of his bad leadership literally made him freeze up and not know what to do at all

- The whole scene of splinter letting his brothers insult him. what the hell 💀

- Fighting his (brainwashed/hypnotized?) dad

- Cockroach mutant

- THE FUCKED UP SQUIRRELS

- Watching his older brother get thrown trough a window (the sequel). And watching said older brother be extremely injured.

- Leo 3 month coma

- GETTING TURNED INTO A PLANT?

- Brainwashed via worm that ate all the way through his skull and into his brain

- Dad dies, rip 🕊️ the sequel (this happens quite a bit in the series) and hil being in the front row of how splinter gets mortally wounded and then thrown off the roof

- Fighting his family while brainwashed

- kidnapped and being put into an oven to die (and would have died if leo didn't go ham and destroyed his enclosure)

- Witnessed someone kill himself while he was actively trying to prevent it

- Witnessing the death of both two little brothers

- Witnessing older brother nearly die. Again (Again. this happens quite a bit in the series)

- the whole mutant bomb apocalypse holy shit

theres def more that im forgetting mb

Bayverse

- Home gets raided, the sequel

- All brothers get kidnapped except for him

- BROKEN SHELL BECAUSE OF SHREDDER AND HE JUST KEEPS GOING???? please..............take one second to rest THATS YOUR SPINE

Rise

- Eldest sister syndrome

- The fucking bunny plushie that I've forgotten the name of (his siblings were so mean for no reason at all that ep 😭)

- Rise shredder

- Having to forcefully remove his family from deathly situation even if it meant leaving a beloved family member behind (he prob blames himself about karai ....augh)

- Kidnapped/taken hostage (?)

- Kraang Brainwashed

- Having to fight younger brother while brainwashed

- Apocalyptic Kraang Future

The last ronin

- Died for literally no reason at all . fly high king 🕊️

Mutant mayhem

- Getting kidnapped (quite violently too)

- Milking Machine

- Getting shell cracked from being squished too hard

[bluepeachstudios]

You said in answer to a previous ask that Ghost gives the boys lessons - what are each boy’s favourite subjects, and what’s Ghost’s favourite subject to teach?

Well Ghost's favorite subject is obviously science. LOVES it. Physics specifically, but he doesn't get to go very deep into that except with Donnie and Leo. YES LEO HAS TO TAKE PHYSICS LESSONS BECAUSE HE OPENS SPACIAL PORTALS, OF COURSE HE HAS TO TAKE PHYSICS LESSONS.

Donnie's favorite is biology, especially when it comes to plants. He loves engineering and science in general but PLANTS. They're so cool. Donnie honestly just loves learning whatever Ghost teaches. Ghost even has him help teach his brothers, because teaching Donnie how to teach them is a lot harder for Donnie than say, learning physics alongside them. Ghost's always been good at explaining things in layman's terms, so Donnie's trying to learn from that.

Raph likes ✨HISTORY✨ he likes to hear stories and history is just a bunch of stories. He learns what he can and retains it and tries to use stories of leaders to learn how to be a better protector for his brothers, and a better hero. He likes learning about the world, too, and how many different people are in it, and how other cultures do things differently than what they're used to in America.

Mikey likes chemistry! It's fun for him. He likes seeing how things interact with each other. Ghost teaches a lot through actually physically doing stuff so Mikey's like "YEAHHH DRY ICE DRY ICE DRY ICE" and dumps it in a bucket of water to play around in the fog. He likes dancing in it. Mikey also just likes mixing things to see what they do, especially chemicals that react to make different colors. Ghost's Mikey is actually very good at chemistry.

Leo. Leo hates math. Leo's very good at math. Ghost is actually stunned at how good at math Leo is. He can do most equations just. In his head? But he hates doing math. He thinks it's incredibly boring. He's much more interested in literature. Ghost teaches a lot differently than public schools in America do, obviously, but he considers comics literature! Deep plots can happen in comics, and Ghost knows the boys all LOVE comics, so he'll teach them a comic first, how to break down the themes and plots and storylines and what it means, basically reading comprehension, and then he'll give them an actual book with similar themes. It makes the books interesting because the boys are excited to make the connections, and Leo ESPECIALLY loves trying to guess how books will end early.

Ghost's boys would be considered more knowledgeable than the canon Rise boys, mostly because Ghost insists on them knowing these things.

They are all unreasonably devastated over the loss of the Library of Alexandria. They get this from Ghost, who is even more unreasonably devastated about it. He went on a whole hour-long rant about it and the boys were absolutely FASCINATED because they'd never seen him so animated before so they hung on every word. Now they, too, can go on hour-long rants about the burning of the Library of Alexandria.

[nerves-nebula]

Hi um terrible sorry to bother you rn with a maybe loaded question but what would be each turtles biggest concern(?) issue(?) once they leave splinter and like move to the hidden city? I have a decent idea for donnie and leo but have barely have any for raph and absolutely nothing for mikey

This may or may not turn into something im working on for this tmnt iteration

not entirely sure what you mean by concern so I'll try to wrap my head around "issue." but even that's pretty broad, since they have a lot of overlapping issues.

so like, they've all got PTSD. just to get that outta the way. i think ive talked about this before but i cant find those posts sooo here's to hoping i dont contradict myself!

Raph: Raph mostly struggles with figuring out his identity outside of being a protector. he also focuses a lot on trying to remain present (not dissociate) and being more in touch with his bodies needs, as well as his emotional needs. it's hard for him to pick up new hobbies because he can't really tell what he likes?? so that's what hes doing in therapy, trying to figure himself out and learn how to better take care of HIMSELF instead of others. and like, see himself as a person haha.

Mikey: Mikey gets a bit high off of freedom and kind of goes crazy throughout his twenties, lots of sex, parties, magic drugs, normal drugs, he's down for whatever. he's kind of all over the place and he loves it at first but then he realizes it might not be a great way to live for him. he wants to have something to show for his life and work and like, find a community (while still being insane sometimes :>) and he ends up doing a lot of charity work, painting murals, and a bunch of other stuff. eventually he stumbles his way into a tattoo apprenticeship. His whole thing is basically figuring out how to be his own impulse control, with a side of guilt because he feels like he's the "least traumatized" of his brothers (he still has PTSD it just usually shows up differently than in his brothers)

Mikey also really, REALLY hates being called stupid (not as a joke, like if he fucks something up and someone says hes dumb or something). Splinter always said he was the dumbest one of them all and he acts like he doesn't care, BUT HE DO. it really gets under his skin.

Leo: a lotta self hatred on his end tbh. he spends a lot of time as the hidden cities protector trying to atone for his past mistakes. he feels both fragile and like he's walking on eggshells around his brothers because he knows that he's made most of their problems worse. he also feels like what he went through isnt as bad, because splinter liked him the most. so he's got a similar guilt thing going on as Mikey, with the added pressure of feeling like he has to "earn" his place with his brothers, the way he had to "earn" his place as Splinters favorite.

Donnie: Donnie goes to college pretty early into moving into the hidden city, which he's super excited about! he gets into a really bad relationship for like a year or two with Adelaide, and after that just kind of becomes more and more suicidal until he attempts to kill himself. im not actually entirely sure about the timeline here but yeah, he deals with a lot of sexual & relationship trauma as well as self esteem issues (literally only conceives of himself as pathetic and weak), intrusive thoughts, and suicidal ideation.

donnie doesn't feel like he'll ever be good enough for anything, and he resents the people around him for disagreeing because he thinks they're lying to him.

hope that wasnt all too rambly for ya!

[los-ninos-tortugas]

(Throws this at you because I love your blog)

Rewatched Touch and Go today and it's such a GOOD 03 Raph episode!! It tells us so much about him!!

The mob chasing him? Not that big. He has fought and defeated bigger groups of actually trained and armed assailants. (Heck, he did it BLIND in Lone Raph and Cub.) This group didn't even have guns. If he had chosen to fight, he would have won - but he didn't even CONSIDER fighting them until his back was against the wall and he couldn't see another way out. This is punch first ask questions later RAPH choosing to flee because he didn't want to hurt ordinary scared people.

His interactions with Mrs Morrinson are just BEAUTIFUL. First of all his face when she pulls him through her door and essentially kidnaps him is hilarious and adorable. Secondly, he didn't have to let her do that!! He is so much stronger than her - he could have pulled away, but he didn't!! And then he spends a couple of hours at this random old lady's house THAT HE HAS NEVER MET BEFORE moving boxes and keeping her company and drinking tea. And he clearly has a good time!!! I don't even think it occured to him to try and leave - SHE has to tell him that it's getting late and he should go home. And when Mikey and Master Splinter suddenly have briefcase full of money? Raph's first impulse is to give it away to someone he has only known for a couple of hours. (Sidenote - this episode is the third time the Turtles are in possession of a stupidly large amount of money. The first time they hand it in to the police, the second time they insist April uses it to rebuild her shop, and the third time they give it away to somone only one of them has met. What does that say about them, when literally everything they own is other people's refuse? They are poorer than poor, and yet they give away life changing amounts of money with no regrets. I love them so much)

This episode really showcases how GENTLE Raph is. He is so good with vulnerable people. He doesn't treat Mrs Morrison as a convenient escape - he treats her like a person. And yes, there is a lot to be said about the fact that she is blind, and that that means she is treating him like a person - but he could have left as soon as he knew it was safe. He didn't have to move boxes and be kind to her. He didn't have to speak to her respectfully or drink tea with her or even let her pull him into her house.

Just... the 03 boys are such GOOD boys. They are extremely kind, and I love that about them. This episode showcases that for Raph so well.

(There is more I wanna say about this but my brain is melting due to the heat so I'm going to leave it there)

Thank you I do try my best <3

ALSO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A REASON TO TALK ABOUT MY BOY (I do love all the 03 boys but 03 Raph is my fave)

So I decided to rewatch the episode too so I could refresh my memory. And omg you’re sooo right. While 03 Raph is definitely one of the more straightforward Angry™️ iterations of Raph, he’s also one with a really strong moral compass. The crowd isn’t that big, they’re not armed, they’re still on edge from seeing their city torn apart. Could he have very easily incapacitated them single handed? Yeah probably, but it’s just not in his moral code. This Raph is very much a protector of the innocent, even when they don’t appreciate it. The fact that he only draws his weapons when he thinks he has absolutely no choice says a lot about how violence was his absolute last resort. And even then, as soon as Mrs. Morrison emerges from her apartment he puts his weapons away again.

His face when she pulls him in is so shocked but like, Raph you’re letting it happen! He really didn’t have to let her pull him into her house and he seems so surprised by it but he also doesn’t resist even a little bit. Also the way his voice goes from his usual kind of gravelly roughness to a slightly more gentle tone, like he’s almost speaking in a slightly higher register than he usually does and it’s kind of sweet? Little old lady is here better use my Polite Voice. And yeah, there is something kind of interesting about her being blind because yes, it means she’s not immediately hostile to him, however she gets pretty touchy when she’s pulling him into the apartment. She takes his notable three fingered hand and then she puts her hand on his shell when she pushes him in. Not going to lie when the mob asks her about “aliens” and she says there’s no aliens she sounds just like… mildly insincere (but maybe that’s just the New Yorker in me talking. We all say shit we don’t mean when we want someone to stop bothering us).

There’s something really funny about the fact that we don’t see the conversation that presumably happened right after they’re both inside, we just cut straight to Raph moving boxes 🤣 he really went, “well while I’m here…” and just started doing whatever she asked of him. And he just met this woman but he was already curious about why she was packing up to move! (Which is kind of a trend with this version of Raph and it’s part of what really makes him endearing to me. In spite of his tough guy exterior he gets invested in people soooo quickly. Even though Casey annoyed the (s)hell out of him when they first met, Raph also became incredibly invested in making sure his fellow hot head didn’t fist fight his way into an early grave. And you mentioned Lone Raph and Cub, where, despite the kid (I forgot his name at the moment) initially resisting Raph’s help and telling Raph to leave him alone Raph only becomes more determined to help him out.) I think even if Mikey and Splinter hadn’t conveniently come home with a suitcase full of money Raph still would have found a way to help/stay in touch with Mrs. Morrison because that’s just the kind of guy he is. (But also kind of makes you just how convincing his argument was to get Mikey to give him the money, these boys are very generous as you rightly pointed out and knowing it was going to a good cause I think Mikey would have agreed pretty easily but also Raph did just meet her that night so he must’ve had to have been reeeeaaal convincing)

My brain is also soup from the heat ✌️

[thedawningofthehour]

If Draxum had raised Gale then it would be a normal separate AU, which wouldn't hurt me as much since at least no one would be actively trying to keep the brothers apart (EW Shredder doesn't count because he's brainwashing his turtle too). What's more, in most separate AU's Draxum wants them to meet. And now I absolutely want to know what your version of that AU would be.

Because that's the part that bleeds me, for me, turtles are a package deal, you either get them all or you get none. I don't care if Draxum is trying to conquer the world as long as all the turtles are together and I think I just explained why my AU exists.

My whole basis for doth was literally a separated AU but with all the angst of having developed that brotherly bond and having it snatched away. With every other separated au, even ones where they were originally together and kidnapped/lost as older children, (like Leo and Mikey in EW, and there is one fic where Draxum kidnaps Donnie at a young age whose name I can't remember now) the bond still isn't what it is in the show. And it's ironic mentioning slushie's au, since that was one of the stories that inspired doth. I basically looked at that and went "I can make that more emotionally wretching." I wanted MAXIMUM angst, and this was how I decided it was best to deliver it.

An actual doth separated au, hmm. Well, first of all we have to overlook the fact that Donnie named himself here, realistically Draxum would have named him something else, (probably after some heroic Yokai or maybe his father or something) but for simplicity's sake I'll continue to call him Galois. A lot of it really depends on how Gale ended up with Draxum and what went down when the turtles were separated. Splinter could see that there were four turtles, did he think Donnie died in the blaze? I could see him becoming even more depressed if that was the case, trudging along to care for his remaining sons but always feeling the gap where his fourth kid should be. (he might have even resented April a bit, feeling like she was taking the spot his 'real' daughter/fourth son should have occupied) He probably wouldn't have told the boys about Donnie-until he was confronted with evidence that he survived the lab explosion, and then honestly it's a 50/50 shot whether he'd go murder a goat right then and there or jump straight to denial, because there's no way he could have just left his child with that nutjob for thirteen years.

If he saw Draxum take Donnie for himself, there's no way he'd leave that alone. He'd make sure his other boys were safe, but he would go at Draxum with everything he had to try and rescue his son. Maybe that's the situation he'd go back to Big Mama for, knowing she could keep his other kids safe and help him get his last baby back. Draxum would probably have to go into hiding.

On Draxum's side-I mean, like in doth, he'd go from 'warring warrior scientist' to "I love my son and if anything happened to him I'd kill everyone in the world and then myself" in about three seconds flat. Gale would do exactly one (1) cute thing and he'd be a goner.

Logistically, Gale's upbringing would be pretty much identical to the backstory Draxum fed him in doth. He would have been very hesitant to take Gale out in public, homeschooling him and, after realizing how intelligent he really was and giving up on the whole 'warrior and protector of humanity' thing, training him to take over as his scientific successor. They'd have a very close relationship, Draxum would probably be a little more affectionate, and Galois a little less.

I also don't know if he'd be the only one by the time the show rolls around. The ooze used to create the turtles was destroyed and Draxum didn't back up his notes apparently, so the formula was lost. He could have theoretically used Gale's blood to try and reverse-engineer the ooze, (something he does actually try in slushie's au) but it would be a question of if he was willing to use his son like a lab subject. He's very uncomfortable with the notion, he wants to maintain a separation between Galois and the crimes against humanity he regularly commits in the lab, and even something like taking his blood for a mutagen experiment feels like the first step down a slippery slope that Draxum is terrified of going down. But this Draxum would also still be on the 'army of elite warriors' things, plus he's enjoying this whole dad thing. He kind of wants more kids.

When he does realize that the other turtles survived, oh yeah he'd tell Galois everything and try to convince them to 'come home' to him. I don't think he could ever bring himself to harm them, knowing they're his son's brothers. Draxum and Gale would probably try doing what the fam is doing in doth, reverse-kidnapping his brothers and trying to make the case that Lou kidnapped them first and Draxum is their real father.

I still kind of wish I had set this story up just from Gale's pov after waking up from the brainwashing, treating his memories like they were real and having the truth slowly revealed through interactions with Leo and the fam. Most of the story would be missing then and the ending wouldn't really make sense, but that would have been SO COOL.

[akesdraws-blog]

📷 Under the Public Eye 📷

We interrupt your favorite program to announce the news of the century!

Finally our mysterious protectors of the city, our heroes, who are always there to help us from the shadows, after so many years in anonymity, will finally officially present themselves to the public!

That's right, as you've heard it.

The famous reporter Abril O'neil confirmed it exclusively, with the support of the Chief of the Police Department Rebecca Vincent.

The big reveal drove all of New York crazy.

We're going from just having snippets of fan photos to having exclusive images!

And thanks to our sponsor The Hero who defeated Destroyer, will offer a great party to welcome these mysterious heroes, that's right, we are talking about the “Fenwick Falcon”.

You can't miss it!

At the end of the announcement, only a proud Vernon was seen, since the party would be held in the old Sacks villa that Vernon bought some time ago.

Vernon. -He!, He!, And how are you? You liked it, right?- You could see the huge smile on his face.

Mikey. -Does that mean we will be officially famous? I have to practice my best side for the camera- Mikey spoke excitedly while he thought of all the poses for the camera.

Leo. -Vern, we had talked about a subtle revelation- he spoke under his breath as they massaged the wrinkle formed on his forehead.

Raph. -Yes, how did we go from something subtle to “that”?- Raph said, a little annoyed, although more than anything nervous.

Donnie. -They didn't even warn us that it would be of such magnitude- said the nerves in his voice.

April. -In my defense... They changed my words, I only talked about it with my boss, I didn't confirm anything- the redhead said a little indignantly.

Casey. -In fact... It was Rebecca who confirmed it- said the black-haired man, scratching the back of his neck a little uncomfortable.

Splinter. -I think we would have liked to have had advance notice- the old rat murmured with concern.

Literally the entire team had a small crisis because of what they had just seen.

Initially they were going to do it to be able to stop the fans who seemed to hunt them as if they were Pokemon looking for a photograph and it was extremely annoying, except for Mikey, he even posed for some and his brothers had to drag him away.

Casey. -Guys, Rebecca wants to see you, I'll send the location and she'll be waiting for us in 20 minutes- Casey announced as he looked at his phone.

Leo. -Maybe we can fix this so it's a little more...private- I considered, although he was still worried.

After what was said, all the turtles left to follow Casey from the garbage truck.

Each one thought about the reason why they had been requested, perhaps it would be a plan to be able to modify or alter the news sheet.

Although none of them expected the real reason why they had been summoned.

The meeting place was a very exclusive hotel, they entered through the parking lot and were escorted by several police officers who covered them with shields for safety.

Each of them was holding a tablet while sitting on a huge sofa, big enough for the four siblings to sit together, although they were all in a kind of shock.

Casey. -Can you repeat why the boys are here? - The black-haired man spoke, thinking that he had heard wrong a moment ago.

Rebecca. -Look, some citizens are afraid of you because they don't know them, even if they are aware of what they did for the city, what you need is to show that they can have a common coexistence- I explained as simplified as possible while looking at the turtles.

April. -And they are in a whorehouse for what reason?- asked the redhead with the older sister instinct active.

Rebecca. -The event will be in a couple of days and at that time they cannot arrive alone, no offense, April, but they need the public to see that they can coexist as any person would.

Donnie. -Yes, but... We are not like any other person- he spoke a little distressed.

Raph. -I highly doubt that anyone wants to live with any of us- this time Raph spoke, somewhat annoyed.

Rebecca. -The situation was explained to the Ladies of the place and they were shown a photograph of each one- she spoke calmly and when she saw how the turtles were going to object, she made a sign with her hand to let her finish speaking -I must say that some quickly refused, but others have accepted, the tablets that you have in your hands will show you the women who have accepted, you will choose who and how to meet them- I finish speaking waiting for the turtles' response

Mikey. -I accept!- He spoke excitedly even though she received a blow on the back of the head from Raph.

Donnie. -If we talk about that issue, it is not wrong, humans feel calmer when they can see someone of the same shape living with others, it is like those who live with other common reptiles, they foster an unconscious acceptance- he mentioned after having analyzed what was said.

Raph. -And why can't we go with April and that's it?- Raph asked, crossing his arms.

Rebecca. -We need Miss April to be in unbiased focus, so she will cover her revelation- she quickly responded to the question.

Raph. -What do you think Leo?- she asked looking at Leo who had remained silent.

Leo. -We could do it- he finally spoke, surprising everyone. -I don't like using the ladies just for an image… But I guess it's the best option-

Mikey. -Great!, Have I already told you how much I adore you brother?- He said while hugging Leo with emotion.

Rebecca. -Well, then you can look at the tablet and choose the lady who you prefer to meet with-

Donnie. -Meet?- he asked confused.

Rebecca. -Of course, I won't send them to just anyone- she replied with a slight smile.

After the boys began to look at the “Ladies of Company” catalogue, each one took their time, except Mikey who was practically jumping with excitement, they even asked April for advice on who to choose.

Who will be the turtles' lucky companions?

.• ~°•. ~•°. ~°•. ~•°. ~°•. ~•°. ~°•. ~•°. ~°•.

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[fraycreations]

Hello! Just came across your Classpect art for the Rise Turtles, and I would like to inquire about them!

HI i didn't see this because tumblr?? ate my inbox??? anyway it's been forever since i drew that lol but i did find these old reasonings i wrote back then (under the cut)

leo - the rogue of breath - defined as “one who steals breath (motivation/freedom) from others for their allies”, which i thought was fitting to both how he's constantly shown to be motivating his bros, and is able to smooth talk his enemies thereby “stealing” their motivation. plus breath players are the most “go with the flow” out of any of the aspects. breath players also tend to make good leaders, but ones who are reluctant to take the position ;) ^ i did discuss this one w somebody and they suggested knight of breath, which i actually think fits a bit better in retrospect donnie - mage of space - one who has great knowledge of space but is “plagued” by it in some way. space seems to represent creation as far as i can tell, so i thought it was an interesting take on how donnie’s creations - his tech - tend to backfire on him a lot, and also that he uses his ability to create as something he hangs all his self-worth on. space being related to physics as well fits with him being science-minded. he also just seems like he’d have a lot of fun with the size-altering aspects of space powers. i went back and forth on him for a while (he was almost a mind player) but this feels the best

raph - prince of doom - tbh i just wanted to put him in the puffy pants and the little crown but the actual definition is “one who destroys doom (endings/danger/rules)”, aka the Ultimate Protector. plus raph has never been much of a rule-follower so “destroying rules” works for him too. also, i thought it was funny for such a sweet guy to have the Doom and Destroy title

mikey - heir of hope - heirs are kind of tricky to define but the basic gist is that they become their aspect and are passively protected by it. since mikey’s Thing™ is about believing in the best in people no matter what, him “becoming hope” and spreading belief to others seemed pretty apt. hope players also tend to be kind of blind to the truth bc of those beliefs, which also fits mikey's (occasional) naivité (but also goes with the fact that he often KNOWS it's "unwise" to hope or believe the best in people, but he does anyway)

thanks for being interested! means a lot

[twin-disaster-tutel-brainrot]

Oh MAN I've been waiting for an excuse to talk about this.

So me and SeeD don't fully agree in this here, so this is just my opinion:

Raphael's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) Mikey 2) Leo 3) Donnie

Michelangelo's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) Raph 2) Donnie 3) Leo

Leonardo's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) Donnie 2) Mikey 3) Raph

Donatello's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) Mikey 2) Leo 3) Raph

Let's see if I remember the explanation of why I ordered it that way, since it's been a while since I thought about it. I'll keep this short because I don't have the mental energy to try and back up my claims rn.

So Raph's favourite is Mikey, because Raph is a Mother Hen and a has a soft spot for the little brother.

Leo is his second favourite, because he's the most alike him out of his three brothers, and he's the one he trusts the most. And I feel like he doesn't take their arguments to heart too much, so it doesn't affect Leo's ranking in the favourite brother list.

Donnie is his least favourite, both because it's said in the episode and because they're paired off the least. I feel like they have a harder time understanding each other.

If you asked me before I saw the episode who's Mikey's favourite, I would've guessed. But since we know Donnie is the second favourite, my second guess is it's Raph.

Raph is his favourite because he's the protector of the family and always makes him feel safe. Plus, Raph always let's him climb him and ride on his shoulders, and gives the best hugs.

Donnie is his second favourite because he loves to hang out with him and, bother him and they get each other pretty well. And Donnie probably spoils him a LOT, which gives him bonus points.

Leo is his least favourite, because even though Leo hides behind a mask of being a silly guy, he's the one who usually tries to make them take things seriously and Mikey notices that Leo's a party pooper. He also doesn't like how much Leo gloats probably.

Now Leo is an interesting one. I think Leo's favourite is Donnie (although I don't agree with the second example, I feel like he yelled "For Donnie's honor" because that lobster guy called his brothers stupid, and he agrees that everyone but Donnie is stupid). The reason being that they're twins, and he feels the most open with him.

His second favourite is Mikey, because of the soft spot to the little brother.

And Raph is last, because of their fights. Leo probably takes them a lot more to heart and feels like Raph doesn't trust him at all.

Now Donnie.

Donnie's favourite is Mikey, again because he's the little brother. Donnie definitely spoils him rotten, almost always makes time for him, y'know.

His second favourite is his twin Leo. The reason Leo isn't his favourite is because of his arrogance and because he tries to avoid Donnie when he's in "speach-mode", or in over words, infodumping. And I feel like Mikey doesn't try to avoid the info dumping, so Mikey wins the first spot.

And again with Raph, they just don't really understand each other well.

(also it's pretty obvious but I wanna note anyways that they love each other even if they're each other's least favourite brothers. Least favourite doesn't mean they don't love each other.)

So that makes Mikey the most loveable, and I'm not sure who's the least loveable but Leo isn't anyone's favourite.

Maybe when I'm not falling asleep at my keyboard I'll feel like explaining this in more depth ^-^

Favorites Lists

Rise Ramblings #342

In "Lair Games," when Donatello was in the infirmary, there were a few captions that I found very intriguing.

So, it seems as though each turtle has listed their brothers from most to least favorite. Hmm.... Raphael's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) 2) 3) Donatello (dead last, oof!)

Michelangelo's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) 2) Donatello (right in the middle) 3)

We also know that Leonardo has a soft spot for the boy in purple.

So, I'll just call it:

Leonardo's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) Donatello (The "Beloved Brother") 2) 3)

Now, there are a few blanks for each brother. Who do you think are: • Raph's most favorite and second favorite? • Mikey's most and least favorite? and • Leo's second favorite and least favorite?

Also, what would Donnie's favorites list be?

Donatello's Favorite Brother Rank List: 1) 2) 3)

I have my speculations, but I want to see what you guys think and why.

All comments and reblogs are welcome! 💜

[byfulcrums]

I keep seeing people saying that Raph is the strong one of the group, but that's not true, so I have decided to give them all roles because why not.

!! Spoilers for the movie and the series !!

• Leo is the leader and the strategist

The leader part is really obvious since it's a canon thing, so I'm going to focus on the strategist thing.

As we see many times in both the series and the movies, Leo is a reckless, maybe kind of stupid, person. He tells dumb jokes and annoys people 24/7. He doesn't really seem like a good strategist. Well, if you think that, then you are even more than wrong, my dear not-friend! In both the series and the movie we also see how great of a strategist he is. Sure, the others also had their time to shine and show that they're also pretty smart when it comes to it (except for Donnie, that guy is smart all the time. Not when it comes to emotions tho), but it's honestly clear who the strategist is.

In the first fight against Shredder, we see how he was able to trick Big Mama, who always has another card under her sleeve. And, sure, it turned out that it actually favored her, but it doesn't mean that he didn't do it. Also, that's not the only time we see him outsmarting his enemies. He's cunning and manipulative, and he can easily trick people into doing what he wants. The main problem he deals with is how even if he has a main idea of what to do next, he doesn't always tell it to the others, making them fail a lot (communication issues baby). He's better at working alone, but at the same time he isn't, because he needs his family for his attacks to be effective. I'd talk more about this, but I need space for the others.

• Donnie is the inventor and the brains

That's easy to see, since he's the one who builds their gear, but let me elaborate a bit.

One thing I love about this Donnie is how he's not a pacifist. The other Donnies aren't either, but they're more willing to listen if it means evading a fight (I think there was an ep where someone says “we're not looking for a fight!” and Don answers with “who says we aren't?” or something like that). This Donnie is also kind of reckless (not Leo reckless, but reckless) and jumps onto the battle often without a plan.

The difference between him and the others when it comes to plans, is that while he doesn't have one, it's hard for him to lose the fight because of how smart he is. He calculates his every move, making sure that the person/yokai/mutant he fights with is always someone he can actually fight with (and even if he can't, he always has his tech with him).

One of his most important character traits is how he invents stuff. He always, and by that I mean always has his tech on to support him and his brothers. If it weren't because of this, then there's a huge probability that he and the others would already be dead from even before the series started. His main issue is how he relies on it too much, so when his tech fails, he doesn't really have anything else to defend himself with (unless his family is there with him. Also, the ninpo, but he's already showed his disgust with using mystic stuff many times).

• Raph is the protector

Many people say that Raph is the strong one, but that's not true. Sure, he is strong, but he's not the strongest.

It's a canon fact that Splinter wasn't always for them when the boys were young. He's not really to blame because of that (I mean, with the amount of trauma he has I'm not surprised he didn't always interact with them. I'm not saying it was okay, but he did have it rough, and even then he did his best to be a good father), but he still neglected them. It's also a canon fact that Raph takes over the role of the big brother very seriously. Ever since he was young, he had been protecting his brothers, even if that meant being a little bit too overprotective (Mikey's solo mission). He's always been there with them, taking the hard hits and not letting them get hurt.

One of the biggest examples of this is his sacrifice on the movie. He literally shields Leo with his own body, breaking his she'll (ouch). And when Leo sacrificed himself, we see so many feelings on his face, and he's for sure thinking how he should be the one to be in Leo's place because he's the oldest, he's supposed to protect them.

• Mikey's the strong one (the powerhouse)

Now this is what I wanted to talk about!

When I say strong one, I don't only mean physically, I also mean mentally (and mystically). Mikey's canonically the ‘therapist’ of the group (haha kin), taking over the name of Doctor Feelings to, well, talk to his family about his feelings, helping them accept them, etc. That's a really hard job to do, and it's easy for a person to fall so deep into that ‘I most help them’ mentality that they stop caring about themselves. So yes, you need to be really strong for that.

He's also physically strong as fuck. I mean, the little guy threw a whole building at the Krang, you can't tell me he's weak.

But the thing he's the strongest at is his mystic powers. In the first episode he's the first one to ‘unlock’ his mystic weapon (even if it did hit him in the face. Literally), and in the movie he literally opens a portal to the future and to another dimension. Leo can also open portals, but his portals year through space, not time. He's also “the greatest mystic warrior the world had ever seen”, so yeah, him being the strongest in the whole mystic thing is canon.

I had this in my mind for a looong while and was planning on talking about it but never did it. There are actually so many things I wanted to talk about but never published because I actually wanted to make a fanfic out of them. My friend (shoutout to Mari. Love you girl) told me to share everything as an idea, a concept, instead of a whole story. I love her very much.