Various pieces of information from the Rise Q&A back in February
It was revealed that there are other Hidden Cities other than the one seen in Rise & there had been plans for the Turtles to visit the Hidden City beneath Tokyo.
2. Splinter was able to use Leo's mystic odachi so easily due to the fact that Splinter had spent a lot of time in the Hidden City & because of this Splinter has a great deal of mystic knowledge, with Splinter also having developed his mystic abilities but he has stopped using those abilities until the events of the series.
3. More information was given about the missing Turtle Siblings & it was stated the Frida, Big Mama's Assistant would have most likely joined her brothers during the future timeline, it was also stated that the other missing Turtle Sibling would have possibly been named Camille after Camille Claudel.
4. When asked on how a Dungeons & Dragons episode would go it was stated that April would be the DM, Raph would be a fighter class, Mikey would be an illusionist, Leo would be an assassin or thief & Donnie would insist on being a scientist since he's sure that there was 'at least one sensible person back then'.
5. The Rise version of Renet could have possibly been used to explore different timelines that might have happened if certain events in the movie had happened differently.
6. After the events of the movie Casey is traveling around the world fighting remnants of the Krang & the Foot Clan.
7. When asked about the Turtle's relationship with Draxum it was stated that in contrast to Mikey who accepted Draxum the most easily, Leo is the most skeptical however it was also stated that Leo would have eventually 'gotten over' his grudge towards Draxum as there were multiple scrapped episodes planned where Leo & Draxum would have been forced to work together.
8. There were plans for the Turtles to eventually go to the Krang's original dimension meaning that it would have been likely for the Turtles to encounter the traditional dimension X/Z stuff such as the Neutrinos.
9. When asked about Casey Junior's relationship with the past/ present version of Leo it was stated that despite it being slightly different due to them being around the same age now Casey Junior can't help but still view Leo as a father figure.
10. It was stated that Splinter has never celebrated the Turtle's Birthdays in the past due to it being to closely related to his negative feelings towards his own mutation however it was also stated that after Splinter's development in the series he would start celebrating the Turtle's Birthday with them.
11. The reason that the Future Version of Leonardo was the one who raised Casey Junior was stated that it was due to the fact that the Future Version of Leonardo had a special affinity for Casey Junior & also felt particularly responsible for Casey Junior after his mother was gone.
12. When asked what the Rise version of Miyamoto Usagi would have been like it was revealed that a possible plan for Usagi was that his home dimension would have been overrun by the Krang causing Usagi to travel to the Turtles dimension for help due to them being the only ones who have ever defeated the Krang.
13. When discussing crossovers between TMNT iterations it was stated that a crossover between Rise & the 1987 cartoon or the 2003 cartoon would have been a possibility due to them also being 2D animated series.
14. April & Sunita were planned to have more 'girls night' episodes together.
It was also stated that Casey would have possibly have developed a dynamic with both April & Sunita so there is also a possibility that Casey would have been included in the 'girls night' episodes with April & Sunita as well.
"Hurt" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their second studio album, The Downward Spiral (1994), written by Trent Reznor. It was released on April 17, 1995, as a promotional single from the album. The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Song in 1996.
In 2002, Johnny Cash covered "Hurt" for his final album during his lifetime, to commercial and critical acclaim. Reznor praised Cash's interpretation of the song for its "sincerity and meaning", going so far as to say "that song isn't mine anymore". The single contains a cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" as a B-side.
The music video features images from Cash's life, and was named the best video of the year by the Grammy Awards and CMA Awards, and the best video of all time by NME in July 2011.
When the video was filmed in February 2003, Cash was 71 years old and had serious health problems. His frailty is clearly evident in the video. He died seven months later, on September 12.
The Johnny Cash cover was given the Country Music Association award for "Single of the Year" in 2003. It ranked as CMT's top video for 2003, No. 1 on CMT's 100 Greatest Country Music Videos the following year (and again in 2008), and No. 1 on the Top 40 Most Memorable Music Videos on MuchMoreMusic's Listed in October 2007. As of March 2016, the single occupies the number nine spot on Rate Your Music's Top Singles of the 2000s. The song is also Cash's sole chart entry on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it hit No. 33 in 2003. In June 2009, the song was voted No. 1 in UpVenue's Top 10 Best Music Covers.
"Hurt" was nominated for six awards at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, winning for Best Cinematography. With the video, Johnny Cash became the oldest artist ever nominated for an MTV Video Music Award.
The music video won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.
In a 2014 survey conducted by the BBC the UK public voted the Johnny Cash version the second greatest cover version (of any song) of all time.
A Better Tomorrow (1986), dir. John Woo
Farewell My Concubine (1993), dir. Chen Kaige
Days of Being Wild (1991), dir. Wong Kar-wai
Happy Together (1997), dir. Wong Kar-wai
Once a Thief (1991), dir. John Woo
What is the most recent thing you've written or drawn? Do you like to share sneak peeks of your work, or do you prefer to post finished pieces only?
I'm currently working on a follow up on that comic I posted recently where Donnie sneaks to April's school, so here's a peek of that. Kendra also shows up in this part of the story, so I wanted to draw a reference image for her (Kendra and April are around 11-12 years old here btw)
I took some inspiration from Angel when coming up with her outfit and hair. Fun fact, for a short while I thought Kendra WAS Rise's iteration on Angel. I watched Rise first, but I'm bad at names so I immidietly forgot that her name was Kendra, but I still remembered that she existed so when I watched the 2003 show and read the IDW comics and both of them had a girl with purple-dyed hair who had ties to the Purple Dragons I just assumed Kendra was Angel as well but... I guess not? Anyway, canon be damned, I still headcanon that Kendra is Rise's version of Angel lol
Anway, I do like showing sneak peeks of my WIPs, but I mostly tend to do it when work on longer projects like comics and animatics, otherwise I usually don't really feel the need to show it off until after I'm done with it.
December 17 2023. #KeepEyesOnSudan #SudanActionWeek
Swipe through to build a foundational understanding of the war, its origins, and the key players involved. For actionable ways to support those in Sudan, check the link in our bio. Stay tuned for more posts this week.
Transcript:
National:
On April 15, a war broke out in Sudan's capital city of Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since then, eight months of conflict has led to major destruction of Khartoum's infrastructure, the most developed region of Sudan, with fighting also spreading to the regions of Darfur in the west and Kordofan in the south.
Civilians in conflict zones have been forcibly displaced, under threat of physical and sexual violence, particularly by the RSF, which has looted, destroyed, and settled in people's homes.
Regional:
In the western region of Darfur, a campaign of ethnic cleansing is being carried out by the RSF targeting the Masalit tribe. Allegations of genocide have been levied against the RSF.
Reports have just emerged that fighting has now spread to Wad Madani in Al Gezira state, which houses nearly 500,000 IDPs from Khartoum.
Key figures:
Abdel Fattah al Burhan Head of SAF
Omar El-Bashir Deposed Dictator of Sudan
Mohamed Dagalo (Hemidti) Head of RSF
Transcript:
Sudan: the war in numbers
A humanitarian "catastrophe"
24.7 million in need of critical humanitarian assistance
70-80% of hospitals out of service in conflict areas
19 million children are out of school
20.3 million people acutely food insecure. 4.9 million facing emergency hunger levels
6.7 million displaced [5.4 million IDPS, 1.3 million refugees]
7,000+ cholera cases an increase of +136% over the past month
Transcript:
FAQ - THE SAF
QUESTION 01: What is the SAF?
Stands for the Sudanese Armed Forces
Is the de-facto government of Sudan
Is headed by Lt. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
QUESTION 02 What is their capacity?
Estimated to have ~200,000 personnel and tactical advantage of airforce
Currently control the relative northern and eastern regions of Sudan with functioning capital in Port Sudan (East)
QUESTION 03 Do they have backing and support?
On the international stage, primarily backed by Egypt
Limited weapons supply from allies
Internally, the SAF is ultimately considered the lesser of two evils
Transcript:
FAQ - THE RSF
QUESTION 01 What is the RSF?
Stands for the Rapid Support Forces
Paramilitary group originating from the Janjaweed, Arab tribal militias armed by al-Bashir in 2003 to fight against ethnically African rebel groups in Darfur + carried out 2003 genocide
Is headed by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemidti)
QUESTION 02 What is their capacity?
Estimated to have 100,000 to 150,000 troops
Winning the ground fight in Khartoum and control 4/5 states in Darfur
QUESTION 03 Do they have backing and support?
On the international stage, primarily backed by the UAE
Have steady weapons supply chain and diversified financial profile with critical assets in UAE and Russia
Transcript:
THE WAR IN SUDAN: CONTEXTUALIZING APRIL 15
(6/1989 - 4/2019) THE BASHIR REGIME
Sudan was under the rule of military dictator Omar Al-Bashir for 30 years, who came to power through an military coup backed by Islamist factions in June of 1989
His time in power was marked by extreme repression, conflict, and economic decline
(12/2018 CURRENT) THE REVOLUTION
In December of 2018, a popular democratic revolution began that eventually unseated al-Bashir on April 11 through the revolt of security sector
Al-Bashir was ultimately replaced by al-Burhan, with Hemidti as his deputy of a Transitional Military Council
Protestors rejected military rule and continued to hold a sit-in outside the military headquarters until its violent dispersal on June 3 of 2019 by the SAF + RSF
Today, the Sudanese people still hope and advocate for freedom from military rule and the transition to democracy
(8/2019-10/2021) TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT
Agreement on transitional government signed between civilian forces and Transitional Military Council on August 17, 2019
Led to formation of joint sovereign council with Abdalla Hamdok as Prime Minister
Transcript:
(10/2021 CURRENT)THE OCT 25, 2021 COUP
Burhan and Hemidti carry out military coup overthrowing civilian counterparts
They draw power from international legitimization despite prolonged mass protests in Sudan
(12/2022) THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
In December of 2022, civilians put out a framework agreement signed onto by SAF and RSF + civil society groups and political parties meant to return to a transitional government
Key part of agreement: question of integration of the RSF into the SAF
Parties were to finalize the agreement and sign on April 1; RSF and SAF ultimately disagreed on integration timeline with RSF wanting 10 years and the SAF wanting 2
(12/2022-4/2023) THE LEAD UP TO APRIL 15
As framework agreement negotiations failed, both parties began mobilizing troops in capital of Khartoum in days leading up to April 15
Residents of Khartoum awoke to the sounds of gunfire on April 15 and by noon, the RSF had seized Meroe airport in the Northern state
Conflict today considered a battle for power between the two generals they are too far in to walk back
Transcript:
FRAMING ALLIANCES
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF):
Egypt
Israel (Foreign Ministry)
Islamists
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Ukraine (SOF)
Armed Groups
Rebel groups that had taken up arms against the central government in the Bashir Era are forced to ally with the SAF due to the RSF's ethnic cleansing campaign. They include:
Justice and Equality Movement (Gibril Ibrahim)
Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (Minni Minawi)
Gathering of Sudan Liberation Forces (Abdallah Yahya)
Rapid Support Forces (RSF):
Israel (Mossad)
Libya (Khalifa Haftar)
United Arab Emirates
Central African Republic
Russia (Wagner Group)
Chad
Arab Tribal Leaders
Arab tribal leaders across the Western region of Darfur have pledged their allegiance and support to the RSF, with members of the tribes across the Sahel crossing into Sudan to join the RSF's assault as well.
Parties Involved: Externally: IGAD, EU, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United States Internally: SAF (Burhan in person), RSF
Outcome: Agreed to a face-to-face meeting in late December and ceasefire; SAF later issued a retraction - Ongoing
Transcript:
The conflict in Sudan calls for the collective support of all to raise awareness about the war and aid the Sudanese people on the ground, especially when we live in nations that have been complicit in the oppression of the Sudanese people. Explore the options below and share with others. For more information, check the link in our bio.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Deepen your knowledge about Sudan, empowering yourself with insights into the complexities of the situation.
DONATE
Extend a helping hand to Sudan by generously donating to individuals or grassroots organizations on the ground.
CONTACT YOUR REPS.
Amplify your impact by contacting your representatives, advocating for positive change.
GLADLY (even tho there isn't much to talk about lol) Here we go!
Cousins AU is just an au where the 2003, 2012 and Rise turtles (since these are the versions I'm most familiar with) have known each other since always and grew up together. They visit each other very often and just generally treat each other like cousins, hence the name! :D
Here's the age-chart for when they're kids, which is how I mostly draw them in this au. 2003 Leo is the oldest of the whole bunch (THE big bro) and Rise Mikey is the baby (everyone loves him and can ya blame them?).
I haven't really thought about the story, but if I had to explain how they met, I'd say that younger Rise Splinter used his portal thingy wrong in a stressful situation and somehow went to a whole different dimension, where he met another rat-dad. They became friends and then decided to look for even more dimensions and found the third Splinter. From that moment they just visited each other regularly and lived like a big fam!
Also here's a little info about my fav girl. Rise April is the only one who have known the boys since they were kids in canon, so I decided it'd be the same in this au (imagine having 12 brothers, like damn).
Hope this explains things a little! It's not a story/plot driven au, it's just mostly some silly ideas and little stories I come up with! Love y'all <3
Transcript:
What is happening in Sudan?
The war, its origins, and the key players involved.
The war in Sudan
On April 15, a war broke out in Sudan's capital city of Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since then, eight months of conflict has led to major destruction of Khartoum's infrastructure, the most developed region of Sudan, with fighting also spreading to the regions of Darfur in the west and Kordofan in the south.
Civilians in conflict zones have been forcibly displaced, under threat of physical and sexual violence, particulary by the RSF, which has looted, destroyed, and settled in people's homes.
In the western region of Darfur, a campaign of ethnic cleansing is being carried out by the RSF targeting the Masalit tribe. Allegations of genocide have been levied against the RSF.
Reports have just emerged that fighting has now spread to Wad Madani in AI Gazira state, which houses nearly 500,00 IDPs from Khartoum.
Key Figures: Abdel Fattah al Burhan (head of SAF), Omar El-Bashir (deposed dictator of Sudan), Mohamed Dagalo (Hemidti) (head of RSF)
Sudan: the war in numbers
24.7 million in need of critical humanitarian assistance
6.7 million displaced [5.4 million IDPS, 1.3 million refugees]
7,000+ cholera cases an increase of +136% over the past month
20.3 million people acutely food insecure- 4.9 million facing emergency hunger levels
19 million children are out of school
70-80% of hospitals out of service in conflict areas
FAQ - THE SAF
What is the SAF?
stands fro the Sudanese Armed Forces
is the de-facto government of Sudan
is headed by Lt. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
What is their capacity?
estimated to have aprox. 200,000 personnel and tactical advantage of airforce
currently control of relative northern and eastern regions of Sudan with functioning capital in Port Sudan (East)
Do they have backing and support?
on the international stage, primarily backed by Egypt
limited weapons supply from allies
internally, the SAF is ultimately considered the lesser of two evils
FAQ - THE RSF
What is the RSF?
stands fro Rapid Support Forces
paramilitary group originating from the Janjaweed, Arab tribal militias armed by al-Bashir in 2003 to fight against ethnically African rebel groups in Darfur + carried out 2003 genocide
is headed by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemidti)
What is their capacity?
estimated to have 100,000 to 150,000 troops
winning the ground fight in Khartoum and control 4/5 states in Darfur
Do they have backing and support?
on the international stage, primarily backed by the UAE
have steady weapons supply chain and diversified financial profile with critical assets in UAE and Russia
The war in Sudan: contextualizing April 15
6/1989 - 4/2019 - The Bashir Regime
Sudan was under the rule of military dictator Omar Al-Bashir for 30 years, who came to power through an military coup backed by Islamist factions in June of 1989
His time in power was marked by extreme repression, conflict, and economic decline
12/2018 - current - The revolution
In December of 2018, a popular democratic revolution began taht eventually unseated al-Bashir on April 11 through the revolt of security sector
Al-Bashir was ultimately replaced by al-Burhan, with Hemidti as his deputy of a Transitional Military Council
Protestors rejected military rule and continued to hold a sit-in outside the military headquarters until its violent dispersal on June 3 of 2019 by the SAF + RSF
Today, the Sudanese people still hope and advocate for freedom from the military rule and the transition to democracy
8/2019 - 10/2021 - Transitional Government
Agreement on transitional government signed between civilian forces and Transitional Military Council on August 17, 2019
Led to formation to joint sovereign council with Abdalla Hamdok as Prime Minister
10/2021 - Current - The Oct 25, 2021 Coup
Burhan and Hemidti carry out military coup overthrowing civilian counterparts
They draw power from international legitimization despite prolonged mass protests in Sudan
12/2022- The Framework Agreement
In December of 2022, civilians put out a framework agreement signed onto by SAF and RSF + civil society groups and political parties meant to return to a transitional government - key part of agreement: question of integration of the RSF into the SAF
Parties were to finalize the agreement and sign on April 1; RSF and SAF ultimately disagreed on the integration timeline with RSF wanting 10 years and the SAF wanting 2
12/2022-4/2023 - The Lead up to April 15
As framework agreement negotiations failed, both parties began mobilizing troops in capital of Khartoum in days leading up to April 15
Residents of Khartoum awoke to the sounds of gunfire on April 15 and by noon, the RSF had seized Meroe airport in the Northern state
Conflict today considered a battle of power between the two generals they are too far in to walk back
Framing alliances
Sudnese Armed Forces (SAF):
Saudi Arabia
armed groups- rebel groups that had taken up arms against the central government in the Bashir Era are forced to ally with the SAF due to the RSF's ethnic cleansing campaign. They include: Justice and Equality Movement (Gibril Ibrahim), Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (Minni Minawi), Gathering of Sudan Liberation Forces (Abdallah Yahya)
Ukraine (SOF)
Iran
Islamists
Israel (Foreign Ministry)
Egypt
Rapid Support Forces (RSF):
United Arab Emirates
Central African Republic
Russia (Wagner Group)
Chad
Arab Tribal Leaders- Arab tribal leaders across the Western region of Darfur have pledged their allegiance and support to the RSF, with members of the tribes across the Sahel crossing into Sudan to join the RSF's assault as well. Key tribes include: Beni Halba, Tarjam, Habaniya, Fallata, Misseriya, Taaysha, Rizeigat
Libya (Khalifa Haftar)
Israel (Mossad)
Is there an end in sight?
The state of negotiations
Effort- Jeddah Talks [May]
Parties Involved- Externally: United States, Saudi Arabia. Internally: SAF, RSF
Outcome: discussed humanitarian ceasefire; signed Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan- FAILED
Effort- Intergovernmental authority on development (IGAD) [July]
Parties Involved- Externally: Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan . Internally: RSF
Outcome: proposed peacekeeping troops to ensure humanitarian corridor-REJECTED
Effort- Jeddah talks [October]
Parties Involved- Externally: United States, Saudi Arabia . Internally: SAF, RSF
Outcome: discussed lasting ceasefire, safe humanitarian passage, political dialogue framework-FAILED
Effort- IGAD + African Union (AU) [December]
Parties Involved- Externally: IGAD, EU, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United States. Internally: SAF (Burhan in person), RSF
Outcome: agreed to face-to-face meeting in late December and ceasefire; SAF later issued a retraction-ONGOING
What can you do?
The conflict in Sudan calls for the collective support of all to raise awareness about war and aid the Sudanese people on the ground, especially when we live in nations that have been complicit in the oppression of the Sudanese people. Explore the potions below and share with others.
Educate yourself- deepen your knowledge about Sudan, empowering yourself with insights into the complexities of the situation.
Donate- extend a helping hand to Sudan by generously donation to individuals or grassroots organizations on the ground.
Contact your reps- amplify your impact by contacting your representatives, avocating for positive change
In today's door one of the prettiest and most famous Swedish East Indiaman - The Götheborg of Sweden
The Götheborg of Sweden
A little more info about her here:
The Götheborg of Sweden is a sailing replica of the Swedish East India ship Götheborg I, which was launched in 1738 (not to be confused with the larger Götheborg II, which was built a few decades later). All the sailors survived when the original ship sank off Gothenburg, Sweden, on 12 September 1745 as it approached the harbour on its return from a third voyage to China. Construction of the replica began in 1995, the hull was launched in 2003 and the rigging was fully tested for the first time in 2005. Much of the time was spent researching the reconstruction of the replica. In 2008, the Götheborg completed its first Baltic Sea tour. She is one of the largest operational wooden sailing ships in the world.
On 26 April 2023, she became known worldwide when she rescued a yacht at sea that had lost its rudder and drifted away.
A Young Person's Guide to 18th-Century Western Fashion
unabridged version at blogspot
General info
Cox, Abby. "I Wore 18th-Century Clothing *Every Day for 5 YEARS & This Is What I Learned (Corsets Aren't Bad!)." YouTube. May 10, 2020.
Cullen, Oriole. “Eighteenth-Century European Dress.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2004.
Glasscock, Jessica. "Eighteenth-Century Silhouette and Support." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2004.
Accessories
Banner, Bernadette. "Women's Pockets Weren't Always a Complete Disgrace | A Brief History: England, 15th c - 21st c." YouTube. April 10, 2021.
Colonial Williamsburg. "#TradesTuesday: Men's Accessories." YouTube. June 13, 2021.
Murden, Sarah. "The Georgian era fashion for straw hats." All Things Georgian. December 6, 2018.
Cosmetics & hygiene
Cox, Abby. "I Followed an 18th-Century Moisturizer & Sunscreen Recipe & it kinda worked??." YouTube. February 21, 2021.
Cox, Abby. "We tried making *5* different 250 year old rouge (blush) recipes || [real] regencycore makeup." YouTube. August 29, 2021.
JYF Museums. "Hygiene in the 18th Century | From the Farm to the Army." YouTube. August 21, 2021.
Décor
Heckscher, Morrison H. “American Rococo.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2003.
Munger, Jeffrey. “French Porcelain in the Eighteenth Century.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2003.
Formal wear
SnappyDragon. "This dressing gown changed fashion forever : the feminist history of going out in loungewear." YouTube. April 15, 2022.
Stowell, Lauren. "The Many Types of 18th Century Gowns." American Duchess. March 15, 2013.
Zebrowska, Karolina. "Cottagecore Style Is Much Older Than You Think." YouTube. June 30, 2021.
Hair care
Cox, Abby. "I made 250-year-old Hair Products Using Original Recipes (and animal fat...)." YouTube. November 7, 2021.
Cox, Abby. "I tried a 300-year-old hair care routine for a year & this is what I learned (it's awesome!)." YouTube. January 23, 2022.
Cox, Abby. "What's the Deal with 18th Century Wigs? (and why Bridgerton really messed this up)." YouTube. June 1, 2023.
Laundry
Cox, Abby. "Making 300 Year Old SLIME for Laundry Day." YouTube. June 15, 2023.
Townsends. "Historical Laundry Part 2: No Washing Machine, No Dryer, Hit It With A Stick?" YouTube. June 3, 2019.
Outer- & working-wear
JYF Museum. "Getting Dressed | Clothing for an 18th Century Middling Woman." YouTube. March 18, 2021.
Major, Joanne. "The practicalities of wearing riding habits, and riding ‘en cavalier’." All Things Georgian. March 12, 2019.
Rudolph, Nicole. "What did Pirates ACTUALLY Wear? Fashion at Sea in the 18th c & Our Flag Means Death Costumes." YouTube. May 8, 2022.
Shoes
Chin, Cynthia E. "Martha Washington's Shoes." George Washington's Mount Vernon. No date.
Murden, Sarah. "18th-century shoes." All Things Georgian. December 15, 2015.
Rudolph, Nicole. "Real 18th century Shoes? Historical Shoemaker Examines an Antique." YouTube. December 13, 2020.
Textiles
Cox, Abby. "18th Century Printed Cotton Do's & Don't's." American Duchess. December 23, 2019.
Stowell, Lauren. "Fabrics for the 18th Century and Beyond." American Duchess. June 14, 2021.
Townsends. "Oil Cloth - Waterproof Coverings for Your Campsite." YouTube. July 30, 2018.
Undergarments
Major, Joanne. "Quilted Petticoats: worn by all women and useful in more ways than one." All Things Georgian. November 20, 2018.
Rudolph, Nicole. "Making 18th century Stays for the Ideal Body Shape : Historical Undergarments." YouTube. August 12, 2023.
SnappyDragon. "RUMP ROAST : Ranking historical fashion's wildest fake butt pads." YouTube. October 27, 2023.
Townsends. "Sewing Histories' Most Popular Garment - The Fabric Of History - Townsends." YouTube. September 3, 2022.
I know almost every iteration of TMNT emphasizes that the boys cannot properly function as a team without everyone there, especially without their fearless leader.
In terms of cartoons and movies though (as much as I've had time to watch/rewatch), the '03 and '12 series are my personal favorites, with Rise and MM tying for a very close second, because they both acknowledge issues in the team that the characters work to fix. '03 Leo and '12 Leo both struggle to lead the team at significant points in their respective stories, but the manner in which they struggle and what they struggle with differentiate, in a good way mind you.
In the 2003 series, the very first episode opens with Leo already being in the leading position as he tries to keep his brothers from going off script or doing something irreparable while they work to find Splinter. And when they do eventually find themselves in trouble, he's the one to lead them through it and make it back to Splinter in one piece. We see this formula more or less repeat for almost three seasons with a few different variables to spice things up; the brothers look to Leo for guidance, think of a plan of action with their combined efforts, and go from there.
Until the S3 finale.
The boys had times where they wondered if they'd make it out alive, but this was the first where it genuinely seemed like the end for their little family, and Leo could do nothing but watch as they execute their plan to blow up with the starship.
Of course they survive, otherwise we wouldn't have another four seasons💀but that short amount of time was more than enough to scar Leo, physically and emotionally. When he begins closing himself off from everyone, April's the only one to get him to open up and he lays it all out: He feels like a failure of a leader. He wasn't strong enough to protect his family or stop the Shredder, their last resort was going out with a bang, and they had to be saved by the Utroms. It doesn't feel like they won and he doesn't feel like he accomplished anything.
His fears and frustrations manifest into an ever present anger, slowly going from cold to hot, that chooses its target at random. His brothers don't know what to do since they don't seem to know why Leo's behaving this way, nor have they ever seen him like this. And dear Mikey says something that so accurately sums up their team: "...it can’t be fun always being the responsible one, and we’re the ones who really benefit. Raph’s free to not think ‘cause Leo does all the thinking for him. Don’s free to dream, and I’m free to take it easy, all ‘cause Leonardo is busy being responsible enough for all of us."
Mikey knows Leo is cracking under the pressure of his role partly because they've become so comfortable in their own roles, and no one refutes him. They didn't intend for Leo to translate this dynamic into, "everything is on you," but that's how it inevitably turned out over time. One could even argue that them not knowing how to handle this new Leonardo is yet another downside to them getting too comfortable, and it doesn't help that Splinter is the only one (aside from Usagi on one instance) who attempts to help Leo, even when the young turtle is pushing him away.
Things finally boil over when Leo pushes a little too hard though and harms Splinter during training, a regrettable action that clears away the steely air he had around himself for so long.
It's not until Splinter sends him off to see the Ancient One that Leo finally pulls himself out of that bubble of negativity and he accepts that there was nothing more he could've done in their final fight against the Shredder.
He did all that he could, and he can continue doing all that he can for his family.
In a weird way, Karai's violent eviction notice was exactly what everyone needed.
Leo was told his family likely hadn't survived the attack, something he'd spent countless days trying to prevent through relentless training, but he believed they were okay and ultimately found them alive. He wasn't there to protect them, but he sees for himself that they made it out without his help, and this was also a learning experience for the others if you think about it. They've already been shown to be capable of handling situations on their own or in pairs, but this was the first time they had to deal with a huge confrontation as a team without the comfort of their leader behind their shells.
Raph is the one who takes the helm for a brief few seconds and dishes out instructions amid the chaos, telling everyone to split up, find their way out and meet back up on the surface, with one last demand for them to be careful. And when Leo finds him, his distress is palpable; he couldn't find the others and therefore had no idea if they were okay, let alone alive, while he kept himself hidden from Karai's forces. Before this, we see that Raph is willing to make his own plan of action in this series' version of City at War when he doesn't go with Leo's word. But this time, in Leo's absence, we see he's willing to fill in as leader when the situation calls for it, and he realizes he isn't quite cut out for leadership like Leo.
We don't see any significant shift in team dynamics after this, mainly because Leo's inner turmoil from their fight with the Shredder is what caused problems with the team in the first place, but that goes to show that outside influences are what gave birth to the team conflict. Despite me pointing out earlier how Leo shoulders quite a bit not just because of his role but because of his brothers' roles as well, we can see throughout the series that Leo doesn't buckle from the pressure until they're in a situation where he can't effectively perform his role to his satisfaction.
As I mentioned in the beginning, Leo had been a leader in essence and in name for many years before their first home was raided by the Mousers. It makes perfect sense for him and his brothers to be accustomed to it by now.
2012 Leonardo is not used to being a leader. He may undeniably be a leader in essence, and had the drive and desire to be one, but he definitely wasn't a leader in name. The very first episode doesn't even open up with Leo being a leader, let alone with the turtles being a team. Their first time fighting together is a train wreck, and rather than Leo's strong sense of ethics and honor being the catalyst for his recruitment (not at first at least), it's the beginning of their long battle against the Kraang that convinces Splinter to officially deem him the leader of a newly formed team.
Being leader doesn't automatically mean the team will follow or respect you, which is something Leo learns right away thanks to his brothers, with Raph in particular challenging him when they butt heads over their opposing plans and ideals. It's touched upon in Rise of the Turtles Part 2, but Raph's desire to lead isn't a major plot device until New Girl in Town where he gets a taste of how Leo feels everytime he's responsible for his brothers and their wellbeing. However, Raph makes it known that even though he's resigned himself to not being the leader, he still doesn't like being told what or how to do something. Even Donnie challenges Leo when they can't agree on the best course of action in preparation for the Kraang, but Donnie realizes arguing was pointless as the invasion begins without warning and makes the idea of a second base the more favorable option.
His brothers aren't his only test of will though, as there are a handful of times where Leo questions his ability to lead and wonders if Splinter chose the right turtle for the job. Throughout all of that though, the boys ultimately rely on Leo and follow his lead when all is said and done.
Where this Leo truly differs from '03 Leo is that he not only struggles with leading a team that isn't so keen on being led, but he also struggles to grasp that he leads a team.
There are many times in the series where Leo runs off on his own or makes the decision to tackle something himself rather than with help, and that's not out of the norm, especially in comparison to his own brothers and '03 Leo. The problem is that '12 Leo's solo decision making more often than not leads to trouble (we all know the tale of him trying to turn Karai to the good side without informing the team about her). One of the first major examples of this though was in the S1 finale when he takes Splinter's words a little too close to heart and gives his brothers the scare of their life. Granted, him holding back Kraang Prime kept it on the sinking Technodrome, but you get what I'm saying.
His family actively calls him out on this behavior on two separate occasions during S4.
After they'd spent six months with the Fugatoid fighting the Triceratons and racing to collect every piece of the black hole generator before them, Fugatoid reveals that he was the one who made the world ending device, a reveal that lights a flame of betrayal in everyone, especially Raph and Leo. Believing that they're being used by Fugatoid, Leo rides off in a stealth ship on his own and nearly gets himself killed, a move that has his brothers scolding him, with Raph being the most vocal about Leo's idiotic decision: "Leaders are called leaders because they're supposed to lead a TEAM!"
The moment isn't lingered upon for long, but they all make it clear that they're tired of Leo's one man missions. They're a team, so they should plan and function like one.
Then, in Broken Foot, Leo starts doing missions with Karai and Shinigami in secret to aid them in taking revenge against the Shredder, but, in an attempt to find out what Leo was hiding from them, the other turtles get caught up in their plans and Donnie gets hurt. Leo immediately abandons Karai (who later apologizes for what happened) and Shinigami to check on them and come clean.
He explains to Splinter later on that he didn't fill anyone in on the situation at first because he knew no one would've agreed to help Karai get revenge, and he acknowledges that it was stupid of him to think he could control the situation. Splinter expresses his disappointment, and April reprimands him for once again not trusting his own team enough for them to help him.
Leo apologizes to Raph and Mikey afterwards, even going so far to say he probably doesn't deserve to lead the team after this, something Raph just harumphs at while Mikey remains silent. He pleads for their help in stopping and eventually aiding Karai and Shinigami, and they go along with him to fix things as a team.
We no longer get any one man missions from Leo in S5 (there surprisingly weren't any in S3 lol), likely for a whole list of reasons ranging from leading in Splinter's absence to learning from his mistakes over time. But he makes sure that whatever they have to do gets done together, and he does his best to keep his brothers in line.
I suppose one could say that '03 Leo remembered what it meant to be a leader, while '12 Leo discovered what it meant to lead.