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rawcherrycake · 3 months

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Right, let's do this one more time...

TMNT: Eden

My own TMNT fan iteration! I had lots of fun designing these guys and i'll admit one big inspo was @kaysdenofchaos Teenage Meddling Mutant Turtles! (i absolutely adore your boys i would kill and die for them,,)

I've tried different styles and dynamics, but so far this is my absolute favorite!

Alright, now let's properly introduce the Eden!turtles

Mikey:

The eldest at 19 years old

Mutant Bog Turtle

Energetic, playful, creative, a bit reckless, literally runs on spite, the most emotionally open, supportive, has incredibly high pain-tolerance, and don't even get me STARTED on his ability to hold his drinks

He was once told he was a boring goodie-two-shoes so he spent the rest of the day swearing like a sailor to prove a point, that's how spiteful he is

Has the most creative insults ever

His brothers know his spitefulness so if he ever forgets about his own well being his brothers are like "Bet you can't sleep 8 good hours" and he'll go "BET" AND DO IT

Not the smartest but has good intentions

Can go on hours ranting about the most random shit

Eats anything and everything, his stomach is probably made out of titanium

A great cook! Though don't ask for any surprise dishes, he can get... creative

An insomniac, his mask hides the eyebags pretty well

Probably has some kind of PTSD, but he doesn't like talking about it

CANNOT stand the smell of metal, it grosses him out

Unironically watches Super Nanny religiously

Donnie:

A couple months younger than Mikey (so they joke they're twins)

Mutant Giant Softshell

Mikey doesn't aprove his younger twin being taller than him >:(

Sort of a jack-of-all-trades, mostly because he's very determined to learn as much as possible and learn how to do it properly

Which leads on him getting incredibly frustrated if he can't grasp something

Can't cook for shit

The responsible one

Very clean... Mostly. If he's tired (which is most of the time) he'll go into "to hell with it" mode and walk around the lair full of motor oil and mud (which then Raph has to clean up xD)

Tries to act cool and collected but he's just too big of a nerd

Terribly near-sighted

Raph:

16 years old

Mutant common snapping turtle

LOVES crazy make-ups and drag races but would never admit it

Surprisingly tidy and responsible

Plays the drums! He'd love to play electric guitar but having three fingers makes it incredibly hard

Great with animals

Homophobic gay (he'll accept himself soon enough xD)

Brash and reckless, anger issues (what a surprise), has severe RBF syndrome, even when he's calm and content he looks like he wants to murder someone

Near-sighted (doesn't wear glasses or contacts, which worsens his RBF)

Leo:

The family's baby at 8 years old

Mutant Musk Turtle

Very quiet but not shy at all, curious, calm, collected, obedient

Has no trouble talking but prefers signs

Loves fashion, knitting and sewing!

Doesn't like being alone or being in the dark

Is always eager to learn from his brothers, to the point where he can throw his well-being aside to try and impress them

Easily influenced, Raph loves playing pranks with him

(Might change/add stuff later!)

#tmnt #art #tmnt fanart #tmnt: eden #tmnt fan iteration

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shantechni · 9 months

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Leo the Leader vs Leo the Learner

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.

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt 2003 #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2k3 #tmnt 2k12 #tmnt leonardo #tmnt leo #2003 leo #2012 leo #analysis

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baskeigh-ball · 1 year

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Mutant Manhunt Masterpost

Someone asked about making a masterlist for this AU, and I was eager to make one anyway just to get everything in one place. Now that I have a decent chunk of art and info to put here, I figured this was a good time to do it so here we go

Where to start reading? My recommendation

Fanfic status (subject to change)

Comic status

Official Designs: Donnie | Leo | Mikey | Full lineup (+ Raph)

Comics (in chronological order; some of these are in other sections but oh well)

Mrs Cuddles, Master of Childhood Trauma

Draxum Spills the Beans

Manhunt Mishaps

Father-Son Bonding Time

Reunions and Introductions: April | Splinter: silly and not so silly | Mud Dogs | Cassandra Jones

Q&A + Ideas (text posts + stand-alone art)

Patient Zero (aka first post, raph concept art + basic premise)

How Raph was separated post-mutation (kinda vague)

When does the "Lou Jitsu is Splinter" reveal happen?

How Raph meets his brothers

Does Raph know Franken-Foot or Mrs Cuddles?

Raph has fans all over the Hidden City

Hidden City publicity stunts

Raph's Caretakers (he's had quite a few)

Mona Lisa When? <_<

Doodle Dump (featuring mystery crane yokai)

Tidbits

Tidbits: Electric Boogaloo

Raph's Phobias: Rabbits | Cats | Mrs Cuddles

Who Named the Mad Dogs?

How did Raphael get named Raphael?

Eldest Brother Sleeper Agent

Mad Dog trio dynamics

Leo and Donnie's sibling rivalry

Scars: Donnie's shell | (more to be added)

Raph's favorite animals

How tall is that snapper tho

Movie Events, Mutant Manhunt Style

Bug Busters: Who caught Leo? | What next?

MUD DOGS MUD DOGS MUD D

First post (random doodles that illustrate their dynamic w/ Raph)

When they gonna reunite?

Their "opinion" on Splinter

Raph's nicknames

Family Photo

Sleep Pile! (+ bonus Mad Dogs pile)

Pre-Canon Leonard

Raph's Drip: a Compilation (why is there so much)

How the hell does his outfit work (cursed info, be warned)

Local Nexus Champion bullies naked and homeless turtles, more at ten (bonus teddy bear appearance)

Mikey goes into an infodump about japanese art techniques, Leo is in shambles

Luo Jitsu merch

Mud Dogs drip

Bellboy Raph! Customer Service King!!

Now Everyone Gets Drip

Leo, Donnie, and Mikey

April, Sunita, and Cassandra

Splinter and Draxum (WIP, they're giving me so much trouble istg)

#mutant manhunt au #rottmnt #rottmnt au #i swear if i missed anything #this took. so long.

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midnightwins22 · 2 years

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So I just got done watching season 2 and the rottmnt movie. I’ll first start off with my quick thoughts on season 2. I really hate how it was cut short as I think there is so much more they could explore. That being said it was still a good season. Really improved on season 1 as I really love how Draxum basically became a part of the family. My favorite episode, besides the finale, was Liar Games. Really love the twin dynamic between Leo and Donnie

Now onto the movie which was OMG SO FREAKING GOOD! This movie delivered on so much and it actually made me cry. I do think that there is some parts of this movie that could have be explore more but I still love it regardless. Leo was definitely the highlight, though Mikey and Donnie make an awesome B team.

Overall, I am so glad I got into this series. ROTTMNT is my new obsession now and I love all four of the turtles brothers, though Mikey and Donnie are still my favorite. I will definitely be coming back to the movie again and again and if what I heard is correct, I so hope we get a season 3 or at least another movie very soon

credit to the amazing author of this artwork: @diblmetta

#rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt movie #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt leo #rottmnt raph #turtle brothers

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ruija · 1 year

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“ He’s hanging upside down in the middle of the great underdark, weighed down by a half hysterical turtle in the middle of a bunch of pipes and water and rock that are conspiring to kill us both off, and Leo still manages to sound like he Has A Plan.”

Underdark by Nekotsuki / @plothooksinc is like THE TMNT fanfic for me. First read it probably in 2007, back when I didn’t even understand English perfectly. And over the years whenever I’d dip back into the tmnt fandom, as a custom I’d always make sure to reread it. It’s just my all time favorite, hitting my fave tropes of Mikey+Leo dynamic, leo Whump and Mikey stepping up to lead.

When I noticed the author had joined tumblr, I knew I had to draw fanart after all these years. I chose to do the visual, that the story’s summary has always painted in my head.

Extra:

Mikey waking up to a clingy and feverish Leo.

#leonardo #michelangelo #tmnt #tmnt 2003 #leonardo tmnt #michelanglo tmnt #plothooksinc #felt weird to shade these cause technically they're in complete darkness without light sources lol #the shells are the bane of my existence #want to draw dynamic poses with arched backs #and then the shells: bitch think again

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tmntkiseki · 1 month

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I think of one my favorite things about the 2003 show is showing the dynamic between the turtles. Like I know they aren’t touchy feely like most of us want. But they are physically affectionate. They also deeply care about each other. And you can see and feel that.

Yes, yes, yes! I'm always surprised when I see or hear about people claiming that the 2003 show doesn't do a good job emphasizing the turtles familial relationships with one another? When that isn't true in the slightest. The 2003 TMNT clearly love and enjoy being around each other; they play video games together, fool around with sports equipment, have a water balloon fight during one episode, multiple scenes where they're konked out all together, headpats, hugs, noogies, and the emotional devastation when one of them is in danger or hurt badly. Like you said, they aren't as touchy feely as a lot of people want, but so much of the love and care they have for each other is more expressed through their actions and words (Don calming down and assuring Mikey there's no way the Foot will find their home during "The King," Raph helping Leo forge his new swords in "The Monster Hunter," everyone group hugging Leo after he defeats Ue in "The Ultimate Ninja," Don's extreme protectiveness of Leo when he's poisoned during the "Big Brawl" arc, Leo, Raph, and Mikey being hellbent on rescuing Don during the "Space Invaders" arc, SAINW!Raph hugging Don, Raph and Leo rescuing Don and Mikey from the merpeople in "Sons of the Silent Age," Mikey going absolutely apeshit on Kluh when he threatens his family in "Grudge Match," Leo, Raph, and Don not wanting to graduate to Chunin without Mikey in "Graduation Day: Class of 2105;" I could keep going for ages, really.)

#teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #tmnt 2003 #tmnt 2k3 #tmnt leonardo #tmnt raphael #tmnt donatello #tmnt michelangelo #asks #anon

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nanaonmars · 2 months

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just finished watching batman vs the teenage mutant ninja turtles and tumblr you have failed me. WHERE IS THE CONTENT. i have so many feelings about this movie and they may be incoherent but here we go. bit of a longer post so i cut it here

first of all this is probably my new favorite piece of batman media i loved almost everything about this movie.

starting the movie off strong with my wife barbara gordon. she was so funny in this movie and i loved how much of her smarts and fighting skills were shown cause she can do it allll.

bruce was a little grumpy but when he eventually came around and listened to raph’s speech and agreed that they’re a family i was like 🥹🥹 this is the batman i wanna see.

mikey and alfred’s friendship 💗💗 would love to see alfred actually using mikey’s skateboard.

speaking of mikey I LAUGHED SO HARD THE ENTIRE TIME CAUSE OF HIM 😭😭 his entire vibe killed me lmfao. he was so unserious and i love that about him.

donnie came through as usual and him and babs being the smart duo who wear purple was very nice it made me smile. also it was very cute how often he hid in his shell.

raph was impulsive as usual but he also came through like always. i didn’t expect him to be the one to give the speech but i realized it was actually very fitting.

damian was a little whitewashed unfortunately but his very obviously going through puberty voice was adorable cause he kept trying to be intimidating but i couldn’t take him seriously. i thought he would mention that ra’s was his grandfather to the turtles as a shock factor but it didn’t bother me all that much. i liked his team up with raph bc they’re both secretly softies on the inside.

leo i love you sorry i don’t have a lot to say but keep being eldest daughter coded.

i do wish the rest of the batfamily had been there cause i think it would’ve been nice to see how similar they are to each other and also just explore their dynamics but if we get a sequel maybe they can do something about that. i wanna see jason and raph team up (if jason is red hood in this universe). and maybe HOPEFULLY (not very hopeful at all 😔) we can get the ENTIREE batfamily introduced. i know it’s based on comics and stuff though so i don’t know how they would work that out i’m just rambling. oh i also think we should see splinter!! he and bruce could bond over their teenage vigilante children.

idc about everyone else but i will say ra’s saying “maybe another needs to die” in reference to jason was UNCALLED FOR.

#batman #bruce wayne #dc #batfam #damian wayne #barbara gordon #batman vs teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #leonardo #raphael #michaelangelo #donnie tmnt #leo tmnt #raph tmnt #mikey tmnt #alfred pennyworth #batgirl #robin

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hatekawa · 7 months

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I really like how you're one of the only artists I've come across who doesn't force Donnie and Leo's 'twin bond' and instead sticks to the canon and has Donnie be closer to Mikey. Because in the Rise universe that's just how it is, Donnie and Leo aren't twins and they all seem to favor Mikey. I really like how you stick to that

I just think they're neat. but fr, Mikey is my favorite character, Donnie is my second fav and their dynamic in the series & movie is just perfect which made me hyperfixate on them a lot!! I LOVE THEM SM U HAVE NO IDEA Also I DO think that Donnie and Leo are twins, I'm just not keen on the whole disaster twins thing as much as the rest of the fandom haha

#Florida Purplewing symbolizes Donnie #and #Monarch symbolizes Mikey #!!:D #ask #Also my relationship with my sister looks a lot like pb&j duo absjdhabhdb #she was my inspiration for my first pb&j duo comic I've ever made :]#also dont hit me but i think that disaster twins are a little overrated

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fabuloustrash05 · 3 months

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My Top 5 Favorite TMNT 2012 Ships

5) Mikey x Renet

I feel we as a fandom has come to an unanimous agreement that all the canon romances/couples given to us in the 2012 series are bad/toxic/poorly written/inc3st/etc with THEM being the only exception (I'll talk about that ship soon), however I think Renetangelo is the other exception.

They’re certainly not perfect with their first problem being Mikey kinda “cheating” on Renet with Shinigami (they weren’t together or officially dating so it’s not cheating, but it still felt wrong that it was never acknowledged that Mikey was pretty much a skirt chaser, crushing on two girls at once), but I still really love their dynamic and relationship. Mikey and Renet are undoubtedly cute together, just two silly goofballs having a fun time and enjoying the other’s company with the occasional flirting and kiss on the cheek (which btw SO CUTE). Renetangelo is that couple that I feel works great both romantically and platonically. If you told me they’re best friends, I’d believe it, if you told me they’re a couple, I’d also believe it. That's how well they work off each other. I'm okay with them being a couple or just being friends.

Season 5 also practically confirms they’re together on two occasions with Mikey saying him and Renet are in a long distance relationship in the When Worlds Collide special, and Renet hinting during the Halloween arc that she and Mikey have some kind of future together.

Overall, I really like Renetangelo and I love seeing these two together. From Mikey's puppy love expressions when he sees her to their overall personalities clashing so well together. This ship is very underrated and needs more love.

4) Slash x Alopex

Btw this edit was made by @robins-treasure <33

Yes, this is a ship that exist and I take FULL CREDIT FOR THE CREATION OF THIS COUPLE! I AM THE REASON THIS SHIP IS ALIVE AND SAILING! YOU ARE WELCOME!!

Slash x Alopex (or what I like to call them Slaopex) is my rarepair of the 2012 series and I’m so happy that I’m slowly getting more and more people one board with it. It started off as just a random silly idea of mine, like "What if Slash got a gf?" and then I thought "Well, who could I ship him with?" and then my brain went "What if Slash and Alopex got together? That would be funny". I laughed at the idea, but the more I thought of it, the more I started to like it. I began coming up with headcanons and a story of their relationship, and the more I did that, the more I fell in love with this concept and the potential of this couple. So much that it placed 4th in my top 5!

I fell so in love with them I even ended up writing a short fanfic of how I headcanon they would first meet and the beginning of their blooming romance (you can read it HERE). But in short, Slash runs into Alopex during a late night patrol and helps her beat up some crooks who were attacking her. The two get to talking, sharing a tender moment before parting ways, with Alopex now being the only thing on Slash's mind <3

I also reference this ship a few times in my fanfic Courting a Salamandrian. Consider it a continuation of that little oneshot.

3) Leo x Casey

While everyone else was shipping Jonatello, I was shipping Caseynardo! I was never a fan of Jonatello, I don't hate it, just couldn't get on board nor understand the hype around it, but then one day I stumbled across fanart of Leo x Casey and I thought "Huh... these two actually look cute together!" and quickly sunk into the rabbit hole. Looking up every little bit of fanart, fanfics and edits I could find.

Liking this ship this much for it to be ranked 3rd in my Top 5 favorite TMNT 2012 ships says a lot. This ship really grew on me very quickly, so much so that I wrote a fanfiction on them! I wrote a Caseynardo fanfic before writing a Renetangelo one (you can read it HERE), which is funny cause I've been shipping Renetangelo since the show was airing, and I didn't start liking Caseynardo till long after the show ended! That says a lot about how much these boy effected me! LOL

My whole HC for this ship is that they bonding a lot in season 3 at the farmhouse which led to a mutual romantic attraction. Eventually they secretly date without telling anyone but due to the circumstances and problems going on in Leo’s life, he was unable to keep the relationship going. They agree to just be friends, which Casey promising to wait for him. It’s basically the “right person, wrong time” trope. But I like to headcanon that by season 5, Leo and Casey finally get together officially and made their relationship known to everyone else. The only one not surprised was Raphael who knew about those two since day one, cause he was stuck being their third wheel/wingman XD

2) Karai x Shinigami

I will NEVER forgive Nickelodeon for be too cowardly to make this happen. They'd rather ship inc3st and force Shini to be straight than give us our goth kunoichi lesbians. For shame, Nickelodeon... For shame...

Not to mention that one of the writers of the show, Peter Di Cicco, shipped them! Calling them his "OTP" and referring to Shini as "Karai's girlfriend", and even pitching an alternate ending to the series where Splinter and Shredder make up but the only thing they fight over now is who gets to walk Karai down the aisle during her wedding to Shinigami XD

The moment I saw Shinigami, I instantly thought "Oh that's a lesbian and she and Karai are a thing". I really love their dynamic, their friendship and the potential they have in being a cute couple of childhood friends to lovers. You can see how much they care about each other. The fury in Shini's voice when she confronts Super Shredder, "I will destroy you, Monster! For everything you have done to Karai!". Shini is supportive of Karai and is always the one down to start chaos with you. Makes me wish we could've learned more about these two and their history. I like to think they've known each other since they were little, being childhood friends while training and growing up in The Foot Clan.

My personal headcanon is that Shinigami has had a crush on Karai since they were young, like preteens, and is so loyal to her and willing to help Karai not just because she is her best friend but also because she loves her. However, she is scared to tell Karai how she really feels because she's worried she won't reciprocate and it'll ruin their long time friendship. Luckily, Mikey is there for support!

Not to toot my own horn, but I did write a fanfic relating to this concept that you can read HERE

1) Raphael x Mona Lisa

What have I not already said about RaMona? If you follow me then you know full well that these two are my life. I’ve written multiple fanfics based on them on AO3 (LINK HERE) and have done a few analysis posts about them as well here on Tumblr. They have consumed my life. I love them so much!

Overall, I believe they are the healthiest ship the series offered us, and the best one in canon. I know some complain that they were rushed and how they got together too quickly, but in truth I can understand why Raph and Mona got into a relationship as quickly as they did. They are both warriors with the mindset of "I might die tomorrow" so it makes sense they'd be open and honest about their feelings right from the start just in case something happens to either one of them in battle. You only live once, you know? And I like how open Raph is when it comes to his feelings for Mona. From the very start, the moment he realized he liked her, never once did he deny it. Even when his brothers and friends laughed or scolded him, Raph proudly admitted he likes her with no ounce of shame. Mikey even points out that Mona is "bigger, stronger and a better fighter" than Raph and him responding by saying "Exactly! What a woman..." The boy does not care that she will be the pants in their relationship. He loves that she's stronger than him, bigger than him, a better fighter than him. We even see how excited he gets when she suggests training with him someday. Not to mention how we also learn in the show that these two have written love letters to each other during the course of the season 4 space adventures. Their personailties clash so well together. Both being strong willed warriors who put their loved ones first. Both can be stubborn and jump to conclusions quickly. We even see that Mona can have a short temper much like Raph. Both are ready to kick some ass with anyone who talks shit (Raph defending Mona but then Mona defending herself *chef's kiss*)

It's not talked about often among the fandom/shippers, but the fact that Mona is as much in love with Raph as he is with her is what truly makes this ship great. While the other 2012 ships make it unclear (writing wise) if the love interest truly feels the exact same way towards her Turtle she's shipped with, but for Mona her feelings are obvious. She's the one who makes the first move during all of their kisses/nose nuzzles, she's the one to say "I love you" first" and do I have to remind y'all of the push up scene? XD

These two are obsessed with one another. You can tell and see just how in love they are with one another. Even with only appearing in about 4-5 episodes, they truly left a major impact on shipping in this fandom. I feel it has come to a unanimous agreement that this ship is the best (canon) couple this show gave us. I love them, I love their relationship, I love what these two have done for the show and this fandom. They were able to bring back a classic ship from the 87 series and add so much more to them! I hope we get to see more of this couple in future generations. They certainly aren't a perfect couple, they got their flaws too, but overall they are truly the best couple in the 2012 series. <333

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mikasleaf · 1 month

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YO CHALLENGE TO CELEBRATE THE TURTLES'S 40 YEARS! LETS HAVE A T-MAY-NT

Hi fellow shellheads! Since we have this special date coming upon us! This may 5th will be the 40th anniversary of the creation of our beloved turtles! So i wanted to make something special, an inktober but turtles themed! and I also don't think it needs to be only an art challenge,many of the prompts I shared could also be completed just sharing a picture or something! But the idea is to fill all kinds of platforms with our turtle boys! I already got a lot thought out but I know many of you may have great ideas that im missing, I'm gonna share the prompts on my art profile and stuff, but of course I'll credit you if with the username you choose if I include one of your prompts! Here's what I have so far, any suggestions on prompts or prompt orders will be welcomed of course!

Also like inktober I'm pointing to have a version of the challenge where you just draw 1 prompt a week and just answer the rest

Okay now, here they are:

1. Your Favorite turtle(-)

2.Favorite turtle merch/toy that you own

3.Favourite lesson

4.fav low ranking villain!

5.Favorite turtle curseword!

6. Favorite April!

7. Fav splinter

8. Favorite shredder

9.Favorite villain!

10. Favorite ally!

11. Favorite ship!

13. Baby turtles!

12. Favorite pizza toppings! And who'd like it the best?

13. Best leo (from all incarnations)

14. Best raph (from all incarnations)

15. Best Donnie (from all incarnations)

16. Best Mikey from all incarnations

17. FAV turtle Duo!(of 2)

19. Turtles in their 40's

18. Favorite episode (from any series)

19. Favorite movie

20. Favorite rivalry (Turtle+Villain Dynamic)

21. Favorite turtle + ally dynamic

22. Favorite opening or t

23.fav High ranking villain

24.Human turtles!(-)

25.favourite alternative outfit or design

26.Favorite turtle curse!

27. If you were a mutant! What would you be?

28. best gadget/vehicle

29. fave turtle video game

30. best Casey jones

31. best karai!

32.your turtle Sona!

33.Favorite opening or theme song

34.Human turtles!(-)

35.If you were another kind of mutant(not turtle) What would you be?

36.best gadget/vehicle

37.fave game

38.One of the three oldest versions of the turtles (1984, 1987 or 1991)

Which ones do you vote out? All feedback you can give will be welcome!

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dysfunctional-doodle · 1 month

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Do you have an all time favorite duo/duos when it comes to the different iterations of the turtles? At the moment I just going insane over the 2012 Raph and Mikey dynamic, I found this slideshow of the 2012 comic and their so <33, the way Raph goes along with Mikey’s plan and both dress up it’s so silly https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLrnv4jA/

Of course I have favourite duos of each iteration, you fool. Though my overall favourite is 2003 Mikey and Raph, which I talk about WAY too much and need to make a fic on them, here are the others:

1987: Raph and Donnie

90s: Raph and Leo

2003: Raph and Mikey

2007: Donnie and Mikey

2012: Not sure, I haven’t watched much of this at all but I want to say Raph and Mikey? Though Mikey gets thrown a lot, someone give me a brief on each duo here lol.

Bayverse: Donnie and Raph

Rise: Donnie and Leo or Donnie and Mikey

2019/Batman: Donnie and Mikey

Mutant Mayhem: Leo and each of his brothers tbh, I really liked the little speech he gave at the end to each of them to hype them up

#tmnt asks #asks and replies #tmnt #tmnt mikey #tmnt raph #tmnt leo #tmnt donnie

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i-did-it-again-cringe · 13 days

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Rewatching rise! as you you do, and I hate to say it fellas. I think my favorite brother dynamic is the tidepod duo. Disaster twins my beloved but Leo and Mikey are so funny 😭

#rottmnt #unpause rottmnt #save rottmnt #tmnt leonardo #rottmnt mikey #rise leo #tide pod duo

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imagionationstation · 7 months

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This is simply my characterisation of 2k12 Hamato Donatello, so feel free to add up your thoughts and opinions :]

This idea just randomly popped out in my head; how stresful it is for Donnie to be still identified as the 'babies of the clan' yet had to bear the title of an older brother. He loves his job, his rensponsibility— ofc, there's no denying that he is absolutely thrilled at being needed/wanted, but there hasn't been much talk of his family dynamic.

First off, I'd like to point out how the show treated both Mikey and Donnie like a complimentary, or an extension to the rivalry between Leonardo and Raphael. They mainly focuses on what the two eldest has going on and had the two youngest thrown into the predicament sometime later. Even so, the show clearly emphasis on how the two eldest had connections— brotherhood only one could wish to have. How if one goes down, the other immediately follow suit.

I imagine the Donnie would be so anxiety-riddled, especially after S1 and so on (or even earlier. That boy been going through some stuff). He has seen how Splinter's death absolutely shattered Leonardo, his oldest brother, who is bound to be the next head of the Hamato clan— just as he witnessed how Raphael has the tendency to drive himself to self-annihilation if anything were to happen to the oldest. He's there. He saw how Leo exhibit textbook signs of psychosis, just as he knew that Raph might as well be suicidal. He knew.

If Leo were to go down, then Raph will go down with him— and Donnie would have to pick up the mantle. He had to be there for Mikey who had, too, lost his father; and with how things are going, his two oldest brothers too. Leaving his younger brother, his only younger brother, would be cruel, no?

I wish the show would also give us content on how Leo and Raph's dynamics affect the two youngest; how many times do you think they stayed up late making sure the two oldests are still there? How do you think they cope with the loss of their father, while simultaneously having to deal with their two oldests?

Do you think that, at one point, Donnie said, "We lost our father too, not just you— and we need our oldest brothers too... I need my oldest brothers too...".

Alright, thank you~

HOLY MOTHER OF MUTATIONS

YOU CANNOT THROW THIS ON ME WHILE I’M LISTENING TO UNSAID EMILY

Silent days, mysteries and mistakes Who’d be the first to break? I guess we’re alike that way…

FREAKING SONG WHY

🤣 Yes, I am blaming you for something completely out of your control because I didn’t pause my music as I opened this. How dare you make me experience emotions and why are these brothers are SO WHOLESOME and YOU DESCRIBE THEM SO WELL LIKE HOW

“I don’t usually feel things, but this one broke through.”

This was absolutely the best thank you

I have many thoughts. Click at your own risk.

I dunno if the idea of being a “baby of the clan” would stress him out as much as the idea of being the head of the clan would. As much as I can argue that he can act as leader in times of trial as the show has proven (see New Girl In Town/Mousers Attack), he’s very much a follower. When he did try a one-man mission (see Operation Break Out), he almost ended up getting himself captured and only escaped because his team tracked him down.

I don’t see Mikey&Donnie as an extension. I see them as their own people, a separate group, their own enthusiastic team.

The reason that they don’t get the spotlight like some people seem to want is because it’s not in their personalities. They don’t have the experience or responsibility of leading/making impromptu decisions like Leo&Raph have. As older brothers in general, giving the final say and having to make the right choices in everything is something you have to learn to adapt to. Mikey&Donnie are used to being led, and that throws off their game when they have to lead themselves.

They are willing and have potential to do so, but that doesn’t mean they can (see Mousers Attack).

One of my favorite thing about the dynamic is how realistic it is. When Mikey&Donnie are worried/scared and need reassurance, they look to Raph&Leo. When something needs judgement, they look to Leo&Raph for the a-okay. When something’s gone wrong and they need an immediate solution, they look to Leo&Raph.

Oftentimes Leo makes the final call, but he’s the eldest and team leader, so it’s his right.

Leo&Raph only look to Donnie if it’s a tech/science problem. If it’s something that they are aware is out of their expertise and don’t know how to handle. Yes, it’s a hard and stressful job, but the reality is that if Donnie messes up, his older brothers will be there to pick up his slack, through fists and plans and retreats.

No eldest sibling is going to lean on the younger ones. Leo only leans on Raph as much as he does because Raph doesn’t give him a choice in the matter. He’s always there- and he’ll always be there- and that’s an unspoken promise that they’re used to. Raph is going to shove himself into Leo’s personal bubble anyway, so Leo lets him in as much as their prides will allow.

One of my favorite parts of the show is that Raph calls Leo, “brother” and Mikey and Donnie, “little brother”. Leo is not his older brother. He is simply his brother, his equal. They are on the same page, and he will not be treated as anything but his equal.

They are the protecters. They can’t lean on their “baby brothers”, so they wholeheartedly lean on each other.

I… Don’t support the psychosis as canon. I will headcanon it the same way I headcanon Leo being unable to use kitchen appliances (despite the fact he has been seen making food in the show), but I don’t see it as canon. It’s a fun idea, but not one I choose to believe.

A favorite thing about the show that I noticed is what happens after Leo gets knocked into a coma. Donnie’s struggle through multiple episodes in the first two seasons to be in charge (questions Leo’s choices, calls Leo out, fights Leo’s decisions, insists his own plans, and even runs off on his own) either softens significantly or disappears completely.

Yk why?

BECAUSE HE BLAMES HIMSELF FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE INVASION AND CARRIES THAT WEIGHT OF ‘KILLING’ HIS FATHER AND BROTHER WITH HIM FOR THREE AGONIZING MONTHS!

The way he sees it: Leo told him what they needed to do to keep everyone safe and he fought him. He got injured, Leo was in a coma, their dad was possibly dead in the sewers, their safe place, and they’d been kicked far from their only home because he insisted upon a robot that failed!

He messed up big time and that traumatized him into submission.

So imagine how terrifying it must be to realize that his family is killable. That there won’t always be a back button. That their father is gone and the chances of Splinter Jr. following his lead and doing something insane, and Raph throwing himself headfirst into the situation in the hopes of getting Leo out, and both of them getting themselves killed permanently isn’t actually all that far-fetched.

And Mikey’s not stupid. He can see the amount of times Leo’s thrown himself into trouble. He knows how far Raph is willing to go to keep Leo safe.

So, YEAH, especially since they know that Leo has no hesitations to solo missions (see Attack of Mega Shredder and Broken Foot) and Raph has a tendency to let his anger guide him towards vengeance, there are so many ways they could lose them. So many reasons that they might blink in the future and find out that it’s just the two of them now.

This would absolutely be something that haunts them at night.

For a while, at least, because I do notice that Leo isn’t quite so Lemme go *off* myself for the good of man in season five. There could be many reasons for this inside canon, but I believe that they did have a conversation about what his actions could do to them.

I believe something happens, maybe they almost lose them and Donnie gets fed up, and a much needed conversation happens.

“That is IT! I’m tired of you two! I’m not going to sit back and watch you kill yourselves! Try thinking about someone else for once! You’re not the only ones who lost him! You’re not the only ones hurting! And your lives are no more expandable than his was!”

“You never think before you act! You could have died! You both almost died! And then what?! You’re gone! You’re gone and we have to bury two more bodies next to Splinter’s! And then we have to live with that! We have to live without you! We have to fight without you! And I CAN’T DO THAT!”

“SHUT UP! You can’t possibly ‘get it’ or you wouldn’t be spending every night taunting death and expecting us to stand by and let it happen! This isn’t a game! This is real life! And NEITHER of you are ANY MORE invincible than we are!”

“I WON’T calm down because YOU’RE NOT GETTING IT! You’re not LISTENING! How would you feel if I threw myself in Kraang fire at every change I got?! Or Mikey?! Yes, Splinter’s gone! Yeah, it hurts and it sucks and maybe this just seems easier to you both because, heck, we’re all just going to die anyway so might as well choose a time and place- I AM MAKING A POINT LET ME TALK!”

“I am being COMPLETELY reasonable! How would you feel if you have to leave the lair every mission wondering if two of us will even come home? I may have wanted to lead once, but I don’t want that anymore! I don’t WANT to take your place anymore than you WANTED to take Splinter’s! Why would I want that?! Why would you make me take that?!”

“You are! Every single mission that you play chicken with death! I can’t take your place- I can’t be sensei! We need you! Maybe more than you need us because clearly you don’t care enough to stick around- but I- we- we don’t want t-to remember heroes or martyrs. We- we just want to keep our brothers. We want- we can’t- I-I can’t-”

“We need you. Why- why can’t that be enough for you to stay?”

Cause the light just keeps leaving my eyes And I don’t know where it goes But the touch from the warmth of your hand And I feel all over again

GOSH DARN IT SAVE ME

THIS PLAYLIST WILL BE MY END

I’M FEELING THINGS AGAIN

All of this is to say- I love your perspective on this. I’m so very grateful to you for sharing because this is one of those things that crosses my mind sometimes, but I don’t give enough consideration too. These new emotions and scenes in my brain are much appreciated. Thank you, anon 💞

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sleepyheadd0 · 8 months

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tmnt 2012: splinter projecting himself and shredder onto leo and raph

a rant / analysis

1.4k words; unedited

under cut

WRITING THIS AT LIKE 5:30AM BECAUSE I PHYSICALLY CANNOT GET THIS OUT OF MY BRAIN WHY HAVEN'T I SEEN PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS

okay okay, im gonna try to talk about this as clearly and concisely as i can. 2012 splinter is projecting his relationship with shredder onto leo and raph. people have probably talked about this but i just wanna explain my point of view on this.

so. as the story goes, shredder (also known as oroku saki) was found by splinter's (also known as hamato yoshi) father after the foot clan was defeated. splinter's dad adopted shredder and raised him as his own, having splinter and shredder be brothers. we all know this (i assume).

we also know that splinter and shredder's relationship, while always competitive, doubled down on that (and even became bitter and spiteful, even on both sides at points), when tang shen is added into the mix. as the story goes, both splinter and shredder fall in love with tang shen, but she falls in love with splinter, and so shredder gets all pissy and violence occurs. since they couldn't come to an agreement, tang shen died and miwa (now known as karai) was literally kidnapped by shredder.

but what does this have to do with leo and raph? lemme tell you what

leo and raph, in the very beginning of the series (literally the pilot), are introduced to us to be butting heads, even after sparring is over. as the pilot continues, raph is bitter that leo was chosen as leader, even though raph was physically stronger than leo. even after it was proved that raph couldn't be leader (and leo got to stay leader), there was always some sort of tension between the two throughout the course of the series (or at least up to season four, i have yet to find a way to watch season five and watch their dynamic during then. but i figure, given the clips ive seen, that their tension seemed to mellow out in that final season.)

do you see any parallels there? because i do

so. two brothers, training to be ninjas in the hamato clan. growing up, they were always butting heads, but that's not to say there was any malicious intent in that. then, one day, something the both of them want is added. (tang shen for splinter and shredder, leadership for leo and raph.) this only causes more tension to grow between them, causing their previous unharmful headbutting to take a turn for something a bit more hurtful. next, this special something is chosen for the more responsible brother. (tang shen falling in love with splinter, and it being proven that leo is the only brother with the mental ability to lead the team.) this, of course, only deepens the hot headed brother's bitterness; which in turn makes this brother act out in aggression towards the responsible brother. (shredder attempting to murder splinter, and raph having less self control when training against leo. (if im not wrong, there's an episode where raph's anger gets the best of him, and he goes too far on training with leo. if anyone can confirm that, that would be great lmao).).

so why do i say splinter is projecting this relationship onto leo and raph? great question.

as seen throughout the series, it's not all that difficult to see how splinter has farm more of a relationship with leo than he does raph, donnie, and mikey. the blatant favoritism is, due to what i believe, is seeing his younger self in leo. he's hardworking, responsible, reliable, diligent, and would do anything for the hamato clan / family. this is how we saw splinter himself act when the turtles went back in time when they first met renet. and if it's true that splinter saw his younger self in leo, then he very easily could've been seeing shredder's younger self in raph.

raph, being impulsive, having a short fuse, being very physically powerful, butting heads with the responsible brother, those are all traits that shredder had when he was younger. even the way that leo and raph's relationship dynamic was, it was parallel to splinter and shredder's. and when splinter declared leo the leader, that parallel became even more apparent.

but, splinter had already seen first hand how that parallel ended the first time: death, loss, and overall tragedy. and so, i believe splinter decided to try and nip the problem in the bud.

with raph, we can see splinter time and time again trying to mellow raph's anger; to have him bottle it up instead of letting it be a part of him and learning to control it. the biggest example i can think of is the episode "turtle temper", one of, if not the first proper non pilot episode of the entire series. not only does splinter set raph up for failure with his training exercise, but he literally told raph a story of him and shredder, and how the shredder exploited splinter's anger. even though splinter was comparing shredder to someone else, the use of a story about splinter and shredder leads me to believe that splinter could be using those experiences, in more ways than the one shown in "turtle temper", to help splinter parent raph and leo. now, while not actively villainizing raph, splinter still does paint raph's anger issues in a darker light than what they are.

and on the flip side, how does this affect splinter's parenting of leo? well, splinter already saw what happened if that parallel went on, and it only led to death and suffering. and with tang shen literally sacrificing herself to save splinter, i feel as though splinter could believe he failed tang shen and miwa. so with splinter being splinter, he tried to teach leo to not fail in the ways splinter believes he did. the harshness and strictness, far more one on one time spent with leo on screen, hell, even telling leo he'll have to take splinter's job as both a mentor and father to his brothers when splinter passes? it's hard for me to not believe splinter is projecting onto leo. this is simply because splinter just doesn't want history repeating; he doesn't want another shredder created out of his son.

but, from what clips ive seen of season 5, it wasn't even necessary. leo and raph do get along while splinter isn't there to project, and that's even happened a bit in the space arc. (only major argument i remember between them in that arc is when they were on the corrupted planet.)

because leo and raph AREN'T splinter and shredder... they're LEO AND RAPH.

they're different people with different morals and motivations. but splinter didn't quite see that.

also, when the tang shen situation was happening, i feel like grandpa hamato was kinda pushed in between the conflict between splinter and shredder; unable to choose just one side to support, but getting pushed to the back either way. i think this parallels with donnie and mikey; they can't chose between leo and raph to support all the time, because they're their brothers. but they get pushed to the back and out of focus; and now also out of splinter's focus specially.

now i have seen those ending clips of season five, and i believe this can be seen as why splinter only hugged leo and karai.

-leo: he still saw himself in. but now, he could also see the success that he himself was unable to achieve.

-karai: his daughter, the one he thought he lost due to the conflict between him and shredder. she was one of the driving forces in the conflict, and came out still on splinter's side.

-raph: while splinter still loves raph dearly, just as i assume he still loves shredder dearly, the dark legacy of the shredder still taints his view of raph unintentionally.

-donnie and mikey: like his father, he loves them both dearly. but, like their grandfather, they ultimately got pushed to the side unintentionally. still loved greatly, just not the main priority.

now, do i think this is all canon? no, it's like 99% likely to not me. i was probably really reaching with this, and it could've just been completely unintentional by writers and just came about because of recycled conflicts. but it is now 6:34 am so i don't care.

thanks for reading lolzies.

#tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2k12 #tmnt 2012 analysis #tmnt 2012 rant #tmnt 2012 splinter #tmnt 2012 shredder #tmnt 2012 leo #tmnt 2012 raph #tmnt 2012 donnie #tmnt 2012 mikey #tmnt 2012 karai #tmnt analysis #tmnt rant #sleepys rambles #sleepyheadd.0

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