Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with a few of your favorite fics that you've written, and then you can pass it on to other writers. If you do not write fanfic, then simply pass it on to those who do! Spread the self-love 💚
I always love questions about fanfiction! Adore both writing and reading them. While I've written in quite a few fandoms, I'm going to stick to my TMNT ones as they are my major ones.
A Simple Act of Kindness
2003 Verse. Probably one of my most popular and well known TMNT stories. When the Battle Nexus Tournament comes around again, Mikey has finally lost his title as Champion. But his brothers find, to their shock and dismay, that all his bragging was covering quite the gaping wound...
What Is Intelligence?
1987 Verse. My first TMNT fanfiction and what got me hooked! A follow-up to "Donatello's Duplicate" where Michelangelo confronts his brother about some of the cruel things his clone said. Because if they were copies, does that mean Donatello feels the same?
What Darkness Most Fears
2003 Verse. Originally written for a TMNT Halloween themed fan book and was my first attempt at horror. When Mikey's brothers don't return from a pharmacy run for him when he's home sick, he sets out after them. Fighting his way through a cursed house while fighting a fever was not in his plans tonight...and dawn is a lethal deadline.
Insane Clarity and Lucidity
1987 Verse. A duo of stories when Michelangelo's empathy takes center stage and maybe Baxter is not beyond saving.
Nothing Is Ever Simple
2003 Verse. Originally written as a prize story but I don't think a lot of people know about this one. When Mikey gets kidnapped when an arms deal break up goes wrong, it's Raph to the rescue. And we get to get inside our favorite hothead's mind quite a bit!
Ignorance Vs Stupidity
1987 Verse. One of my favs because I get to have Don and Mike bonding over some of the most unexpected things
this might be a very random thing to do at 4 in the morning but im on a track today.
@brightlotusmoon @catbowserauthor how did you guys start writing mikey ideas? part of me is very curious because i started thinking of it from reading your fics. so i kind of want to know how you guys started doing it. what started it?
probably an off question because of course mikey is an empath. what with his bursts of that kooky emotional wisdom or the fact he's the official heart of the family.
but you know... i wanna know why because after seeing a certain post on empathy based powers my brain is doing that think again where it starts to question every single thing on a subject just to make me annoyed. as if i dont have the picture or my picture is so outdated i need the refresher on it.
I'm gonna steal your question (thank you so much for sending it, by the way 💚) and ask you:
What is it about Mikey that you love so much? And What are your thoughts on the different versions of Mikey?
Ooo… thanks for asking! Fun-fun! Fair warning, this shall be LONG.
What draws me to Mikey—any version of Mikey—is his empathy. This turtle just genuinely loves people, he thrives on other people bring happy and being able to contribute, even in a small way, just makes him light up like a Christmas tree.
Mikey just illuminates joy. And the type of joy where someone finds connection--be it with other people, within themselves, or with some activity that just sets their world alight. Mikey is the personification of living life to the fullest and making your own happiness because it's the journey, not the destination.
His relationships with his brothers, especially Leo, are really centered on helping them find what passion they have and helping them find a way to have that, being a mutant be dammed.
I’m also of the opinion that Mikey gets most of his emotional needs met by his brothers, not Splinter. Not because of malice but because most Splinters are more reserved in terms of emotional expression. But because Mikey thrives on emotion, this is also why I think he’s closer to his brothers than he is his father.
Mikey has emotional intelligence off the charts, even more so than 03 Donnie (in my opinion) because he not only can read others emotions and can relate to them but he also knows his OWN emotions so well.
That can also be his downfall, he feels so much that it's pleasure that is his primary driving force. That makes it harder for him to focus on things that maybe need to be done or responsibilities that can result in sadness or discomfort.
I don't think it's simply he doesn't like these things, I think Mikey likely has Emotional Rejection Sensitivity—-rejection or being perceived as failing isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be physically painful. That’s one reason he seems to be so “okay” with the status quo even when he’s capable of so much more. If he doesn’t strive for more, he also can’t disappoint. And he doesn’t get hurt.
On a similar note, I think Mikey is so focused on others that he routinely neglects himself, he's very similar to Leo in that way--probably one reason they bond so well. He feels his job is to keep his family happy, to give them hope and if that comes at his own detriment, then so be it.
There's a lot of me in Mikey—I was and still am the peacemaker in my family. I'm the one who worries about others, who makes sure they're taken care of. Even as a kid, that was a connection we had.
Now, as for my favorite Mikeys…
Number one is still 1987.
This was actually the first cartoon crush I had as a child and it was solely personality-based. I loved who Mikey was.
This turtle is such a sweetheart. He wants people happy, wants people to enjoy life and he makes that his genuine mission. I think Mike really embodies how important joy and play is. His ability to remind his brothers why life is worth all the struggles they go through really keeps them going sometimes.
This Mike really connects with people and animals. He can actually understand and talk to some animals (Pete the Pigeon in particular) and he is the first to worry about and protect anyone weaker than himself—even people who would rather see him dead or dissected.
He also has this spiritual connection none of his brothers have. He gets hunches, feelings of danger, and just overall vibes about people or places that more or less are pretty spot on. In later seasons, he had full prophetic dreams, this is where my ideas for Empath Mikey were born.
But this Mike knows too that part of the trade off for serving as the means through which his family stays happy is that he isn’t always taken seriously, and he honestly kind of believes it about himself. As high as he will praise his brothers, he thinks he’s not especially worth getting excited about. It can also go back to a feeling of “not belonging”
While the original cartoon couldn’t go as deep as later shows, the roots are here of what being isolated and a mutant can do to someone who just wants to fit in. Again, my ideas about low self esteem Mikey started here. And it’s backed up by science that the “class clowns” often hide a deeper emotional pain.
And I love how Mikey has such a trusting nature. And he has such faith in his brothers. There’s never a fear they won’t come to his aid, no matter what the circumstances. If they find out he’s in trouble, they’re coming. (One reason I don’t understand when people say 87 group isn’t a family)
And he and Leo have such a genuinely loving and cute relationship. If Mike needs guidance or protection, he goes to Leo. And judging by the way Leo doesn’t even bat an eye, he’d not have it any other way.
Number 2: Original Movie Trilogy Mike
He’s really similar to 1987 Mike just toned down on the surfer dude persona and allowed to go a bit darker with the storylines.
I love how they show this Mike will hide his own pain SO much. Complete denial and not wanting to even discuss Splinter being gone. Covering up fear with jokes and comments (Ever notice how he jokes the most in battle? When he’s probably the most anxious?)
And I admit to being biased when Mikey is characterized as the youngest. I think they get it just right here. He has the youthful, energetic “sometimes annoying” enthusiasm that just makes me smile but isn’t too over the top. And as a youngest sibling myself, it’s pretty spot on. Whenever Mikey’s brothers take on a guidance or even a semi parental role, it just makes me giddy. I love that kind of stuff.
Him and Donnie are some of my favorite interactions. Especially SOTO Donnie. He’s trying to give April updates and get information and his little brother just will not STOP.
Mikey: “Donnie, give me the phone. Give me the phone, gimme, gimme!” *following him around the Lair*
Donnie: Alright, alright, here! *exhale of exasperation *
And incidentally, the VHS/aired version of SOTO is different from the DVD! The DVD version took out one of my favorite moments and I still don’t know why—When Mikey is being swung around by Rahzar, he calls for Leo 🥹, I will never understand why they took that out.
The third movie is interesting because Mikey is dealing with unrequited love. I think this makes perfect sense for him. They’re in a place where they’re respected and accepted and Mike’s a teenager. I personally think he’s closer always knew there were no returned feelings and it’s another aspect of his personality that may not be the healthiest—he’ll accept she doesn’t return those feelings so long as he still gets to be something to her. A lot of that is probably immature teenage hormones too, honestly.
Number 3: 2003 Mikey
So, I really like 2003 Mikey. I think the writers, and Peter Laird, did him a big disservice in this series. Especially the “comic relief needs to only come from Mikey” thing Laird had.
Honestly, what turtles get focused on in the 2003 series is pretty biased: Leo they can do the most storylines with because of the leader angle, Raph has his rivalry with Leo which includes him in a lot of storylines and Donnie was Laird’s favorite. So, much as I love the 2003 series, my boy Mikey kind of got shafted. 😒
But I do think this series took the characteristic of “cover up my fear/insecurity with humor” and just went to town with it. Especially watching it as an adult who’s now a mental health counselor, Mikey might as well be carrying around a neon sign that says “My self esteem is shit!”
And I love the relationships in the 2003 series! Mikey and Leo are my favorite. Leo is Mikey’s parent in this series (specifically his Mom) and you cannot convince me otherwise. Mikey will willingly disobey Splinter (though not much) but if Leo pulls out that “Michelangelo!” Mikey caves. I really think it goes back to respect and unconditional love. Mikey gets that from Leo. He wants to please Leo.
(I like 03 Splinter but the way he treats Mikey sometimes has me convinced Mikey feels he has to act a certain way for Splinter’s approval).
And Mikey and Donnie have this cute older-younger brother relationship too. Again, almost borders on parental at times (If Leo is Mom, Donnie’s the Dad “just let him have the toy!”) . I think Donnie is someone Mikey feels he can usually talk to and Donnie has patience of a saint with Mikey.
And maybe spoils him a little, 😝
Him and Raph are absolutely brothers who antagonize one another but that’s how they show affection and I love it. The sibling “I’m the only one allowed to pick on you!” Rule reigns supreme here.
And the Battle Nexus Champion thing? Yeah I think that was Mikey literally screaming for recognition that, truthfully, he doesn’t get very much of. I think his family doesn’t understand how important their validation of him is.
So, yeah, I love me 03 Mikey! I’m just salty at the writers and Laird for not doing more with him.
Those are my top 3! As for the other Mikeys:
Like 07 Mike but we saw so little of him! I wanted to get some into his and Donnie’s minds like we saw into Leo and Raph’s. I suspect he feels he’s failed at keeping his family together and likely carries quite a bit of self worth issues.
Batman VS TMNT Mikey is so cute. Reminds me a lot of both original movie Mike and 03 Mike. They kinda blended them together and the results are awesome. I wanted to hug him that whole movie and him and Donnie were just 😆
Bayverse Mike. I like him! But OOTS Mikey specifically. I don’t like the pervy vibes of the first movie Mikey. It doesn’t sound like Mikey. Sure, he’s had crushes and attraction and things like that but they were never overtly sexual. “I can feel my shell tightening.” 🤢 That was ALL Michael Bay.
But second movie Mike is much better. They focus again on that need to belong and that emotional need of his and wouldn’t you know, it works! They unfortunately again downplay his intellect, but I will gladly rewatch OOTS
(And I cannot tell you how much I squealed when his brothers ambushed Krang with “Nobody. Messes. With. Mikey!”)
Then we have 2012 Mikey. Oh boy. See, I want to like this Mikey. I really do! And sometimes, when the writing is tight, I do!
But they make him out to be an idiot, a perpetual child and I can’t really blame his brothers for not wanting to take him seriously because most of the time, the writers don’t! The one thing they do keep with him is his emotional intelligence but man, the writers really dropped the ball here.
I actually like Mikey best in the last season because this gets a lot better and him and Leo still have this beautiful relationship. That’s honestly my favorite bit of 2012–him and Leo’s relationship. I will rewatch solely for that!
So, I don’t hate 2012 Mikey but oh, what could have been!
Rise Mikey I like fine but since I never really got into Rise, (though I did enjoy it) I can’t say much. I do like how, again, his emotional intelligence is such a core part of who he is. And they play up the little brother angle which I love! Him and his brothers interacting are all kinds of precious.
Mutant Mayhem….I can’t get past the voice. I know that is terrible but it just doesn’t fit Mikey to me so I can’t really connect.
Last Ronin is such a perfect example of how much Mikey relies on others and what happens when the heart of a team loses the team. I love all the psychology they put into the story but it’s also extremely depressing so I don’t revisit it often.
Wow, I wasn’t expecting to give you a novel but Mikey is my darling so here you go! It was fun talking about him!
So, posting a little late but still wanna do this so I think it's a good way to get my posts flowing again!
Day 1: Favorite Turtle
Michelangelo, always has been, always will be. I definitely have my favorite versions of Mikey (which I'll save for those days) but as a general rule, Mike rules my heart.
Why? Honestly, it's his empathy, his creativity, his kindness. I've always said that he is his family's therapist because of how perceptive he is. I love that about him, he is most likely to put everyone else first. He just wants people to be happy.
And he has such raw and amazing talent! I fully believe he could best any of his brothers and in some cases even his father because of the unique way he thinks snd the unorthodox way he applies his skills. In the sci fi movie/series "Serenity/Firefly" they describe the fighting style of River as "a lethal dance" and that's exactly how I picture Mikey.
Do NOT threaten his loved ones though. It will not end well for you. For me, Mikey is the perfect example of "do not mistake my kindness for weakness"
I would love for them to give Mikey deeper plot lines in the future. It seems like the tv series especially are afraid to show him as anything more than a lovable fun guy. Which sucks because they have no problem exploring deeper stories with his brothers and Splinter. Give my boy his chance!
