Well Mikey, you're not too far off... Michelangelo is referenced as being only 13 years old in "Rise of the TMNT", Leo and Donnie are 14, while Raph comes in as the oldest at 15.
I agree, the new Splinter design is the stuff of nightmares.
But I actually enjoy this new series and I like the psychological aspects that the new approach allows.
Think about it; Leonardo has always been more stuffy and serious because he HAD to be- he was always the oldest, and as the oldest sibling you are supposed to not only look after the younger ones, but set a good example- be a role model. Leo also had the responsibility of being team leader, a lot of responsibility to burden him with since the world sees them as monsters and their enemies would not hesitate to kill them. His brothers lives depend on him, that is a ton of stress for just a teen!
But what if Leo WASN'T the oldest? Wasn't the leader? How much would freedom from responsibility and duty affect his personality when he is able to just enjoy being a kid and not a leader?
Raph in previous incarnations is known for being resentful of Leo's leadership and fights him. But this is not because Raph desires that responsibility, it is because of jealousy- he percieves Leo as Splinter's favorite, and Raph uses anger to mask his own insecurities.
But what if Splinter seemed indifferent to all of his sons?
Raph's role as leader comes from not only being the oldest and largest, but from his nature to be a protector and keep his bros safe- a constant trait to Raph's personality in several incarnations. Raph's leadership was not granted to him by their father's authority, it is a role HE adopted in order to protect his little brothers.
Splinter's indifference would affect Donatello as well.
A constant thing in all incarnations has been Splinter's positive reinforcement of his sons' strengths. Splinter has always praised Donatello's intellect and shown gratitude for the many things his most brilliant son would create to keep their family safe as well as give them all the comforts of a human family.
But what if Splinter didn't do that? What if nothing Donatello built was ever good enough?
This new Donnie has not had the benefit of positive reinforcement from a parental figure- something children with higher than normal intellect NEED because while theire abilities to absorb and retain information and apply it constructively are more advanced, their social skills are usually not- lack of praise and validation from a parent can end up crippling young geniuses socially and make it difficult for them to empathize and form healthy relationships with others.
There are sooo many fanfics where writers explore the "what if" scenario where Splinter is abusive or neglectful, well, this series is exploring that possibility and showing how that affects each of the turtles.
I believe the intent is to force the turtles to grow closer together and strengthen their bond since they can only depend on each other, and eventually, as the series progresses, we will see character development as the challenges they face help mold them into being more mature and closer to resembling the personalities the fans have grown accustomed to.
Tonfa and Sais are very closely related and the fighting style is almost identical. They are a defensive weapon and these "sticks" have mystical powers that are triggered by Raph's need to protect his family.
Well Mikey, you're not too far off... Michelangelo is referenced as being only 13 years old in "Rise
It is something new and fresh to keep things interesting.
I also like that each turtle is a different species and I think that opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to fanfiction when you think about the different traits each species has.
These new turtles are more relatable, they have not only character flaws but physical flaws as well, like Donnie's soft shell that makes him vulnerable, or Raph's peanut allergy- that is something kids can relate to- how many "Heros" are portrayed with a nut allergy? This relatable flaw can be a real confidence booster for kids- if Raph can be allergic to peanuts but still be awesome, then so can they.
Also, this Mikey is a precious cinnamin roll, and he is finally being treated with love and kindness from his big brothers- past incarnations seem to treat Mikey as a pest, an annoying jokester who gets a slap to the head when they don't want to put up with him. But not in ROTTMNT. He is still silly, but his bros don't treat him like he is a bother- they seem to recognize his need for affection that he has not gotten from their father, but he has yet to be negatively affected yet because he is still too young and naive to fully understand how poorly Splinter treats them, so the brothers protect him and indulge in his clingy nature that wants cuddles.
Plus, the new April is awesome.
But yeah, idk what they were smoking when they came up with the art for Splinter.
It is something new and fresh to keep things interesting. I also like that each turtle is a differe
As always, I love your psychological analysis. I really wish I had someone like you in my real life so I could chat about stuff like this for hours. Other people get bored with the topic and easily distracted, and call me annoying when my brain tries to start and keep up a conversation on these kinds of topics.
As always, I love your psychological analysis. I really wish I had someone like you in my real life
LOL! Love these comments man. Are you sure the creators were considering all of this when they came up with the idea or is it from your brilliantly creative brain? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really liked your thoughts on their new characters). I confess I never saw the feature where they introduced the new series so I'm not sure if they were going for that level of character analysis or if they just wanted a different angle of a prequel with a younger audience in mind (It does come on straight after Paw Patrol afterall). I don't mind some of the changes, but I'm not a fan of the spiky design and the animation style.
I've been watching it so now know how their new weapons are more powerful than the original ones, but you've got to admit when you first see the artwork before anything was explained it looks quite drastic. I'd been meaning to do this comic since I first saw that artwork but other stuff got in the way.
I know Raph will know exactly what tonfas are, but went for a little artistic licence so he could be mad about it for the comedic element. I still stand by Donnie's head and Splinter!
Thought - if Splinter doesn't pay them much attention, where does all their training and knowledge come from?
I totally agree with what you say about the fanfic posibilities. Infact, with that well thought out alternate upbringing analysis I would happily read anything you may do with it! :-)
LOL! Love these comments man. Are you sure the creators were considering all of this when they came
Tbh, I was feeling a bit like the turtles in this comic when it came to the Rise adaptation, but somehow it ended up growing on me (I think Ikara and other people pointing out the underlying psychology and how the changed environment could easily turn them into this really helped; that, and it's actually really well done and really clever in its own way.)
I love this!! XD Tbh, I was feeling a bit like the turtles in this comic when it came to the Rise a
Yes, this comic was based on when I very first saw the character designs and went 'huurgh??!!'. I just spent too long getting it out! I've been watching Rise and it's actually grown on me too! I full on laughed out loud 3 times during one episode. Donatello is hilarious in it. It's just took time to let go of the 'version' I'm so used to. I agree, Ikara's comments did make me think about and accept why the characters were so different. And now it's settled with me, I'm glad there is a Leo out there who is so chirpy and cheerful. Each character seemed to be morphing into an exaggerated version of their original dominant trait with each reincarnation/reboot: Raph bigger and angrier, Mikey dumber and sillier, Donny nerdier and submissive and Leo stoic and burdened. Such a difference from their characters in the 1990 film. (I mean, Donny was the wise-cracking skateboarder and Leo was more of a nerd with his comics). So Rise is an interesting re-imagining. I agree, it does seem quite clever in the way it does things. :-)
Yes, this comic was based on when I very first saw the character designs and went 'huurgh??!!'. I ju
Personally, nothing will ever top the 2003 tv series in my opinion. I do like the Rise series though. It's just awesome in its own way, and I prefer the grittier genre of the 2003 series in terms of personal preference. I'll still watch and enjoy Rise though of course. XD
And nothing will ever be a more gorgeous design than the 2007 cgi TMNT film which regrettably didn't get the other movies that were planned. Those designs were stunning and were what got my attention drawn to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the first place. Even back when I was 11 years old, the 2007 turtles were extremely attractive in my eyes. I really wish we could have seen more of them.
Indeed. Personally, nothing will ever top the 2003 tv series in my opinion. I do like the Rise ser
