On the implications of the cancellation of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TOTTMNT), the difficulties in reviving Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (ROTTMNT), and the uncertain future of the franchise.
TMNT is a franchise that burst onto the market without asking for permission: a self-published comic blending absurd and outrageous ideas, many of which were trendy at the time. No one expected it to become a cultural phenomenon.
Those familiar with the history of the Ninja Turtles know that, despite its undeniable successes, the franchise has also faced moments of uncertainty, when its survival was in doubt. And yet, it has endured. It has given us distinct and interesting versions, each contributing something unique to the turtles’ universe.
When Nickelodeon took the reins, there were doubts, but they managed to create TMNT 2012, a series that, while not perfect, received highly positive reviews. Four seasons concluded the main storyline coherently, accompanied by a fifth with complementary stories. Overall, its ending was satisfying and harmonious.
Then came Rise of the TMNT in 2018. This version broke conventions and, at first, many fans rejected it. Today, it seems evident that it was ahead of its time. However, its visibility and success were limited, partly due to insufficient promotion and unfavorable airing schedules. Some point to low toy sales as the main reason for its cancellation, which came in the second season and was cut short compared to the original plan. A movie, thanks to Netflix in 2022, attempted to give the story closure, but it only made clear that there was still much left to explore. The ROTTMMT fandom remains active, calling for a third season; officially, the series is “on pause,” not canceled, and hope remains alive.
In 2023, Mutant Mayhem arrived, a new cinematic version considered a success. Its sequel, originally scheduled for 2026, was postponed to 2027. To maintain interest, TOTTMNT was launched, a series that, because it depends on the movie, is difficult to compare with others and can be seen as a supplement. Three or four seasons were planned, but it was recently confirmed that the second, set to premiere at the end of 2025, will be the last, leaving a gap until 2027.
Why was TOTTMNT canceled? Basically, for profitability: only the most lucrative series are prioritized. That TOTTMNT ended in its second season, as ROTTMMT did, reveals a troubling pattern: the franchise is treated as just another product, without long-term vision or consistent support. This reflects TMNT’s instability and puts its future at risk, despite the active fandom and committed creators.
Other projects, such as the adult-oriented movie based on The Last Ronin comic, are also uncertain. What will happen after the release of Mutant Mayhem 2? Meanwhile, the ROTTMMT fandom continues demanding a third season, though it seems unlikely that the executives will listen.
Today, we live in a system where artistic value is almost exclusively measured in money and popularity. Original stories are lost if they are not profitable enough. And this happens with all art. The sad part is that TMNT has proven that it works… yet apparently, not enough for Nickelodeon and Paramount.
TMNT has identity, strength, and potential to stand on its own. It may sound idealistic, but the franchise deserves to become independent and have its own studio, even if smaller.
In short: it is no longer just about saving a single series. It is about saving TMNT as a whole. And while it hurts to see how it has been handled the last years, it is also fascinating to imagine everything it could become if given the chance it truly deserves.
This is a short essay I wrote quickly because I needed it, so it may contain some inaccuracies or missing information.
Have you noticed that ever since Splinter suddenly decided Leo would be the leader instead of Raph, there must have been constant tension and arguments between Leo and Raph leading up to the events of the movie? I honestly think they spent months like that… and it’s only by the very end of the movie that they truly reconcile.
But it’s not just that. This underlying tension between Raph and Leo clearly caused a bigger division within the team. In the movie, Donnie and Mikey are closer than ever, and Mikey—who’s usually the one trying to handle family conflicts—seems completely lost, not knowing how to deal with this situation. Of course, by the end you can see him relax and finally unlock himself (which goes hand in hand with unlocking his mystic powers to create the portal that saves Leo).
All of this is shown implicitly, not explicitly. That’s just how rottmnt is.
Yesterday was a really exhausting day for the rottmnt fandom. I genuinely can’t express how sad it makes me to know that people like this still exist in 2026, on tumblr, while calling themselves tmnt/rottmnt fans. I truly don’t understand it.
Tmnt has always been a franchise about valuing and giving visibility to people who are different, to those who don’t fit into society’s expectations. That symbolism has always been there, and honestly, it feels ridiculous to ignore everything the turtles represent.
Yes, symbolism allows for interpretation. But all those interpretations are valid, because whether people like it or not, tmnt does resonate with and represent queer people (among many other things, of course). Ignoring that symbolism is ignoring what tmnt stands for in the first place. Are you really going to say you love tmnt while rejecting the very themes it represents? That makes no sense.
Stories don’t need to spell everything out explicitly. Just because something isn’t directly stated doesn’t mean it isn’t canon or intentional.
And I want to clarify something so my words aren’t misunderstood: in the rottmnt fandom, many of us headcanon Leo as gay. That is a headcanon, not canon. But what is canon is that Leo is queer-coded and clearly connected to the lgbtq+ community through the way he’s portrayed. And that’s only one example, there’s so much more in the series that can be analyzed through that lens.
There are even moments where the queer coding feels especially explicit (besides Warren and Hypno’s relationship, which is practically explicit at this point).
That rainbow behind Leo in The lair games? Do people seriously think it’s just random decoration?
Or the flag the characters create in Snow day, where Raph literally says:
Since we all love Jupiter Jim equally, and we all worked together as equals to put Ghostbear on ice, our flag should represent all of us.
If you dislike what the series represents, are you sure you actually like tmnt/rottmnt?
And honestly, that’s not even the most important part. Behind all this representation and these discussions, there are real people just trying to live their lives peacefully. Most of them aren’t activists or trying to start fights, they’re simply asking for basic respect.
Why is it so hard to respect people?
Because even if your intention is “just” to attack the community and not people, you need to remember that real people are part of that community. You are hurting real people, people who are simply trying to exist normally.
And I’ll say it again: you can have your opinions, but that doesn’t mean you have to voice them everywhere. And if you do express them disrespectfully or with hate, don’t expect there to be no consequences. People shouldn’t have to tolerate this kind of behavior, especially in a fandom space that’s supposed to feel safe for the very people the series represents.
Please, have a little more respect and responsibility. That’s the bare minimum if we want everyone to enjoy the things we love and continue creating amazing things for the fandom together.
It genuinely hurts to see this fandom so divided and wounded.
It shouldn’t be like this.
It really shouldn’t be like this.
🌈 But be pride of yourself 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Let’s not allow this kind of hateful discourses to affect us or invade our spaces. Things like this should never be welcomed in this fandom (actually, nowhere).
Okay, now this is really the last time I’m talking about this. Honestly, it feels absurd that this even has to be discussed in the first place. I’m still shocked that people like this exist in the fandom, tbh.
We all know Donnie is the one who has the hardest time understanding magic and, by extension, mystical powers. It’s probably because magic is, among other things, tied to emotions, and Donnie has always struggled to understand them.
The way he ended up using his mystical powers was by integrating them with his technology, and I think that’s really cool. It’s a nice way of showing that he can’t use magic the same way his brothers can.
But there’s one more thing I’ve always thought about. Yeah, we see his tech appear whenever he uses his mystical powers, but to me, that implies he has to prepare before a fight. Like, if he doesn’t already have his tech ready before a fight, he just wouldn’t be able to use his powers. At the end of the day, he still relies on his technology to access his magic.
And I think that makes him more vulnerable than his brothers, because if he doesn’t have his equipment ready ahead of time, he simply can’t access his powers. The same goes for his battle shells. We know he has multiple ones built and can summon them with his powers, but he can only summon the ones he’s already made. If he’s got five battle shells ready, he can use those five. If he only has one, then that’s all he’s got. His powers are still limited by whatever technology he has available for the fight.
I don’t know if anyone has talked about this before, but it’s something I personally take into account in my fics.
A few days ago, I came across a comment in the rottmnt fandom that really caught my attention.
Basically, it was a confession about something that bothered them a lot: angst fanfics that focus on Donnie, especially those that give him the Kraang trauma that, in theory, should have affected Raph more. The discussion wasn’t only about this, but I want to focus on this point and offer a new perspective on why, in my opinion, it happens. Because yes, for me there’s a very clear explanation, and it comes from a flaw in the rottmnt movie (yes, you heard that right, even if it hurts).
But first: I completely understand the comment and, in fact, I agree with it. In the movie, it’s clear that the one who suffered the most from the Kraang trauma was Raph: he literally became some kind of one! I don’t think he came out of it unscathed, and I’m sure he suffered much more than what’s shown. Donnie also experiences the Kraang trauma when connecting to the ship, but unlike Raph, he does it willingly and doesn’t lose awareness of himself. Donnie’s experience seems more like a sensory trauma than one caused by the Kraang.
With that clarified, I still think it’s interesting to dig into why the fandom seems to give more importance to “Donnie’s Kraang" trauma than Raph’s. Yes, it’s a mistake that Raph’s trauma is barely mentioned, but it opens the door to analyzing how certain details in the movie affect fans’ perceptions and, consequently, the creation of fanfics.
So, let’s talk about that small flaw (yes, I’d call it a flaw) in the rottmnt movie. But first, it’s important to understand something about storytelling: stories are made of promises. What do I mean by that? If a story focuses on a candle, it means something is going to happen with that candle, it has special meaning, or it represents something. It’s not just decorative. And, consciously or unconsciously, the audience will form expectations: they expect that candle to be significant later on or that something important will happen related to it. When we create stories, our duty isn’t just to fulfill those expectations, but to surpass them, so the audience feels satisfied. Why do I bring this up? Because in the rottmnt movie, a promise is made that isn’t fully delivered, and that caused some dissatisfaction among fans (especially Donnie fans).
Here’s what I mean: in the movie, when Donnie protects Mikey to save him, his battle shell breaks, and Mikey says: “Oh no, Donnie, your soft shell! You’re exposed!” This gives fans reason to think that Donnie, being a soft-shelled turtle, is more vulnerable without his battle shell than his brothers are. That Mikey says it like that not only confirms it but promises that something could happen to Donnie later because of that weakness. Also, later, when Donnie tries to connect to the Kraang ship and tells Mikey to remove his battle shell, Mikey says: “No, you’re too vulnerable with just your soft shell.” In other words, this vulnerability is made very explicit and is mentioned twice, but in the end, nothing happens about it. The promise isn’t fulfilled. All we get is what we’ve already talked about: a trauma related to his hypersensitivities when connecting to the Kraang ship. Yes, something happens to him, but it doesn’t meet fans’ expectations, it’s not enough.
Is this a flaw or not? It depends on how you look at it. The movie is 100% focused on Leo, it’s short, with no filler, and aimed at kids (and it already has enough angst!). But personally, I do see it as a flaw, especially in Mikey’s dialogues: if nothing more was going to happen, he shouldn’t have said it that way, nor emphasized that vulnerability so much. And I think that’s why fans, especially Donnie fans (who are many), felt unsatisfied and started creating fanfics, fan art, and fan comics about Donnie Kraang trauma, to fill the gap that the movie left open.
With Raph, this doesn’t happen: there’s no promise left unfulfilled, which is why there are fewer gaps for fans to explore (but please, do explore them! As I said, the movie didn’t show all the consequences of what happened to Raph!).
I hope you found this interesting, entertaining, or at least a little enlightening. As I said, this is just one possible explanation I offer on this topic, nothing more.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Most Misunderstood Version of TMNT
español
Warning 1. This analysis contains spoilers of both the series and the movie, so I recommend not reading it if you haven’t seen them yet.
Warning 2. This is my personal analysis, which means it’s biased toward my own perspective, so it’s normal if there are discrepancies. Of course, I would also love to read your perspective, especially if you disagree on something. Always remember that diversity of opinions is richness.
Since I wrote the Honest Opinion of the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, I knew I wanted to do the same with other versions. It’s something I love to do, but it also requires time and energy. Lately, however, I’ve been feeling a little unmotivated, because I realized the last thing we got from rottmnt was its movie, released in 2022—three years ago. And we still don’t have any news about the project being continued. Nothing. Zero. Until recently, I kept thinking it was impossible for them not to announce it soon, considering how much the fandom has grown since then. That’s why I decided it was time to talk more in depth about this version, as both a defense and a protest. Because it’s not fair. Because this version deserved it, and it had huge potential that hasn’t been explored.
Before starting, I want to talk about my own experience with rottmnt, coming from being an ultra-fan of tmnt 2012. Personally, I enjoy 3D animation more, and in tmnt I like when they show darkness and ugliness; that’s why, when I first saw what they did with the Ninja Turtles in 2018, the contrast was enormous: a version with vibrant colors and hyperactive 2D animation. At first, I skipped it, until I was convinced to watch the movie, then the series, and little by little I started to understand it… and love it. Nowadays, after knowing very well the 2007, 2012, 2014–2016 and tottmnt versions, and partially the 1987 and 2003 ones, I can say without a doubt that rottmnt is my favorite version. And I’m going to explain why in this analysis.
The truth is rottmnt was ahead of its time. First, because of its animation style: very expressive, dynamic, and exaggerated, with fast movements, dramatic angles, unusual framing and quick cuts—things that today can be seen in other animations and work perfectly. Second, because of its unconventional narrative: it doesn’t follow the classic problem-resolution structure (except for the movie); the story feels chaotic or fragmented, which makes it unpredictable (and this isn’t negative, it’s just the sensation it gives, because in reality it does have structure). It also mixes absurd (not dumb) humor with meta and self-referential jokes. Third, each character has a very distinct personality without rigid stereotypes, something rare for its time. Fourth, even though it’s clearly a show aimed at children, its humor, references and situations also work for adults, along with subtle messages about identity, responsibility, diversity, and internal conflicts of the characters—presented in a sophisticated way for a young audience.
In summary: rottmnt may look, at first glance, like a superficial, silly, or childish show, but in reality, it has a modern visual style, a risky narrative, and complex characters—before these trends became mainstream. The series is built on what isn’t said and what is barely shown, and that’s where its magic lies.
Now, if we compare it to other versions, it’s clear why there was almost immediate rejection (including from me). At first glance, they didn’t look like the Ninja Turtles. And I emphasize: at first glance. Because in reality, they are the same characters, but in another context, with a different dynamic. And it works incredibly well.
I can’t go into detail about everything, but for example: now the turtles are from different species and have different ages. Also, from the very first episode, mystical powers are explored (which, I don’t know about you, but it reminded me of tmnt 2003, where they also develop some skills that could be compared, though to a lesser degree and not considered magic). Another big difference is that Leo is not the leader of the team anymore; now it’s Raph, who is also the eldest brother. In other versions, even though the turtles are the same age, Leo always carries the burden of being the “older brother.” So, what happens to Leo when you take away that responsibility and leadership? In my opinion, we get Rise Leo, the turtle who (seemingly) looks the most irresponsible of them all. This change also breaks the dynamic of competition between Leo and Raph, which we had always seen in previous versions and which was always an unmissable subplot. And yes, in rottmnt this also happens, in the movie, but we’ll talk about each character in more detail later.
First, let’s talk about Mikey. He seems the least changed of the four, because he still behaves like the youngest and most innocent of all; we also see that he’s very skilled, like in other versions, and that he enjoys fighting with flips (a nod to tmnt 2012). He’s also the one with the most scattered attention, and at the same time, the one who cares the most about how his brothers feel. Rise Mikey is the artist of the family and the one with the greatest ease in developing mystical powers — which, if you look closely, in this world seem to represent the expression of emotions, powers controlled by those very emotions. Mikey is the ONLY one in his family who shows his feelings exactly as he experiences them, and fulfilling the “younger brother complex,” he tries to make sure everyone is emotionally okay, becoming a kind of family therapist. His way of dealing with this is being very direct; this makes sense if we consider that Splinter, due to his own history and traumas, was emotionally negligent with his children (he’s NOT a bad father!!! Just he’s not perfect), so Mikey takes on that responsibility. He’s also hyperempathetic, to the point of rescuing one of his worst enemies from the streets — yes, I’m talking about Draxum — and he always tries to keep the family united, even making sure Splinter and Draxum get along, since both are like parental figures to him. In the movie, which isn’t centered on Mikey, we can see him suffer, because Leo and Raph have been fighting a lot over the leadership change, and for the first time, Mikey doesn’t know how to intervene. We also see that sometimes he takes advantage of being the youngest, but at the same time wishes he were treated less like a child. Although Mikey shows some development throughout the series and the movie, it’s clear he still has a long way to go and that his evolution is incomplete.
Now let’s talk about Donnie, my favorite, and it turns out that the rottmnt version is, without a doubt, my favorite version of him. He remains the genius of the family, but unlike other versions, here he is much more focused on technology and less on other sciences, which I really like. Like in past versions, he is somewhat obsessive and has very specific interests, although in this version they are a bit broader: he likes dancing, playing video games, enjoying Jupiter Jim… it’s not all limited to technology. What truly sets him apart is that he is very extroverted and, therefore, very expressive in his own way; he constantly shows who he really is: rationalizing his emotions, talking about his interests without filters, saying things exactly as he thinks, etc. He is a very interesting character to analyze because, although he clearly has low emotional intelligence (low empathy), it’s evident that he feels a lot and cares about many things, especially his siblings; he just has difficulty expressing it or does so in his own way. From the first episode, he rejects mystical powers completely, which generates insecurity and makes it hard for him to understand his brothers. However, he has significant character development: in the end, he understands that it’s not magic vs. science, and he manages to develop mystical powers like his siblings, but in his own way, blending them with his technology. Also, being a soft-shelled turtle fits him perfectly, not only because it allows him to use his technology to feel more secure in the face of vulnerabilities, but also because it represents the hypersensitivities that differentiate him from his brothers.
Let’s move on to Raph, because obviously Leo has to go last. What happens if you finally give leadership to Raph and it turns out he’s the older brother, without direct competition with Leo? Exactly, we get the Rise Raph version. Across his different versions, Raph has always been the protector of the family, the one who cares the most about everyone’s physical safety. With Rise Raph, these tender and sensitive traits are very clear, because there are no obstacles limiting them; still, he continues to mask his emotions with anger and deals with the “older brother complex.” He’s more direct, more action-oriented than careful planning, and he is aware — like his siblings — that he cannot be alone, a theme that even occupies an entire episode. But Raph is not a static character: little by little, he manages to do more things on his own. He is very attached to his siblings, although he also struggles to trust them for various reasons, and his development mainly focuses on learning to do so. Did I mention that the mystical powers in rottmnt seem to be an expression of emotions? Well, it’s clear that they are also directly tied to trust and hope, and the entire series is about that: how these emotions create a bond among them.
Leo, Leo… I really think it was a good idea not to make him leader from the start, because this allows us to explore him better as a character and as part of the team, and it turns out he’s the most misunderstood character of all. First, it must be said: he clearly has an inferiority complex disguised as a superiority one. At first glance, he seems like the most confident turtle in the world, but if we analyze his expressions and what he says at certain moments, it shows quite the opposite. Why is he so insecure? Let’s look at his brothers: Mikey is very skilled, Donnie is very intelligent, and Raph is very strong. Leo is… nothing? In other versions, he is usually defined only as the leader (although he has always been much more than that), but here he has nothing that makes him stand out, which is why he always tries to prove to others that he’s worthy, because deep down he believes he’s worth nothing. The lack of confidence Raph and the others have in him also discourages him. His absurd jokes work as a mask, a way to protect himself; literally, in one episode he says he is nothing without his brothers. However, from the first episodes, Leo already demonstrates leadership in several ways: choosing missions, distrusting certain characters, expressing his opinion, motivating each team member, and even proposing strategies to resolve conflicts, like when they faced Shredder for the first time. Even in the episode where Raph is alone and can’t handle the situation, Leo is the only one truly focused and concerned about finding him. From the beginning, there are hints that he has leadership potential; this leadership change was already written from the first episode, although Splinter’s explanations on why he did it at that moment are missing. In the movie, Leo’s development as a leader is completed excellently. At first, Raph continues to hold the team, because Leo is still insecure, and to prove he is worthy and deserves the position, he acts alone without listening to the team, seeming selfish. The movie, with a more serious and conventional tone than the series, shows a critical situation for all the characters, and that’s exactly how Rise Leo learns: he apologizes to Raph, shows that he understands him, and breaks the cycle of Leos from previous versions, who never bent in that way.
I can’t do a full analysis of all the characters, and I even feel like the one on the turtles is a bit short, because honestly, rottmnt leaves so much to analyze. There’s no filler; everything contributes: the gestures, the jokes, the dialogues, the movements. No character is 100% good or 100% bad (well, the Kraang is another story): the villains show multiple sides and goals, some even get redeemed, while the “good guys” have their own internal conflicts and also make mistakes. This makes absolutely every character complex, and for a show that looks superficial at first glance—and is also very short—that’s simply amazing.
It’s a very dense series because of the amount of details it hides, where each episode could be analyzed separately. Also, much of the narrative is told from the turtles’ perspective: they’re teenagers, and they act carelessly as such (unlike in other versions where they constantly worry about what the villains are doing). This makes everything happening around them seem unimportant… until it suddenly is, like when the villains gather the pieces for Shredder’s armor until they complete it. That’s why season finales and the movie have a much more serious tone than the rest of the episodes.
Another important point is that the central plot of rottmnt is not conventional. The main story doesn’t focus so much on “problem and resolution,” but on the characters, their relationships, and their development. That’s why I wanted to focus especially on the four turtles in this analysis, although trust me, every character in rottmnt has a world of their own. And that’s precisely one of the things people love most about the show: the deep characterization of all its characters, where every gesture, decision, and emotion has weight and meaning, making the show far richer than it seems at first glance.
In summary, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles achieves something few animated series do: every detail is alive and has a purpose. From a comedic gesture to an epic battle, everything builds both the characters and the world they inhabit. The fascinating thing is that, even though it’s a story about teenage superheroes, the depth of the characterization and the way each character has their own inner universe makes the series much greater than it appears.
And that’s exactly why it hurts that it’s incomplete. Rottmnt planted seeds that never had the chance to bloom: arcs that had just begun to open, dynamics that begged for further development, secondary characters who had much more to offer. The movie gave an epic closure to the Kraang invasion, yes, but at the same time it made clear there was still so much left to explore.
For example, we barely got to know a part of the Hidden City, a setting so vast and full of narrative potential that it clearly could’ve given us much more. Also, in the movie important characters were left aside, like Draxum, who already had weight in the series and deserved an explanation of what happened to him in the middle of the chaos. And how the heck does Casey integrate into the present? There were also subplots left unresolved that had been teased, like the one about the dentists. All of this makes the series feel like a puzzle with pieces still missing.
Because beyond being “just another version” of the Ninja Turtles, rottmnt is a bold and brilliant reinterpretation, with a narrative universe so rich that it still holds mysteries and paths left to be explored. And that’s where its strength lies: in showing us that behind the humor, the action, and the lightheartedness, there’s a complex story, with layers, that we haven’t yet fully seen. That’s why, more than a closure, rottmnt needs a continuation. Because what we got wasn’t all it had to give—it was only the beginning of something much greater.
And well, I know I could go on much longer, but I think I’ve covered everything important. I just want to add that I haven’t even touched on everything the series represents: dysfunctional families, non-romantic love (I really liked that rottmnt doesn’t focus on romance), neurodiversity, queer-coded elements, references to previous versions… that in this version there are actually quite a few female characters… and it has several episodes that are just iconic! Honestly, it’s just too much to cover.
And yes, just as I think this version is incredible, I also believe it’s a version that’s not for everyone, precisely because of its unconventional storytelling and how fast-paced it is. These two things aren’t criticisms per se, but they are things to keep in mind.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this analysis in defense of rottmnt. Thank you for your attention <3
Do you see him as being around Splinter’s age? Younger? Older? Or way older, like thousands of years old because yokai might live for millennia? What do you all think? I’m going to share some of my random thoughts about the topic 👀
First of all, in my head, Splinter was around 35 when he got mutated. Idk… to me, moving to New York, starting over from scratch, and becoming as famous as he apparently was (which I imagine was really famous) feels like something that would’ve taken years and several different stages of his life. Then came his downfall. So, yeah, 35 just feels reasonable to me. That would make him around 50 during the movie, and in my head he looks old because, after being mutated, his life expectancy dropped to around 59 years according to some random calculations I did.
But back to Draxum.
I know he’s a yokai, so he could naturally have a much longer lifespan. I haven’t really thought about how yokai age or develop tho, so I’m mostly thinking in terms of human developmental stages. In other words, he could technically be older than Splinter in actual years while still being at a similar biological or developmental stage. At least, that’s how I see it.
I’ve been rambling without explaining myself, sorry.
The thing is… Draxum just doesn’t feel like someone who’s lived for centuries. It’s a little hard to explain but I’m gonna try.
He’s undeniably a genius, and maybe that makes him seem older. But at the same time, I feel like he’s constantly lacking the kind of judgment that comes with experience. A lot of geniuses hit their peak in their twenties, you know? And I kind of picture Draxum being at that equivalent stage of life when he created the oozquitos and mutated the turtles.
There’s also the fact that he knows a lot, but he doesn’t listen to people who obviously know more than he does. Like when he discovers the prophecy about the destruction of the yokai and completely misinterprets it, even though the Council of Heads literally warns him that he’s misunderstanding it. To me, that’s a sign of inexperience more than anything else.
And even if yokai can live for thousands of years, those extra years should still translate into more life experience… and, in my opinion, that’s exactly what Draxum seems to be missing.
Also, when he ends up with nothing and Mikey basically rescues him from being on the streets and changes his whole life… Idk, to me he could totally represent someone in the middle of a 30s crisis (although he’s probably already close to 40 by the time that happens… but I’d still say he’s in his thirties).
I know these age-related life stages are pretty subjective and definitely not an exact science. But they’re little hints that I personally interpret as Draxum being younger than Splinter, overall.
Did you like miss the entire episode where raph went insane from being alone or….. were you watching with your eyes closed? :)
Of course I saw that episode :) In fact (as I say about many others), it’s one of my favorites! It clearly shows that Raph has a hard time being alone and that he needs his brothers (season 1, episode 21a: “Man vs. Sewer”).
But Raph isn’t a static character, and he has some character growth: little by little, he learns to trust his brothers more, as we see at the end of season two and also in the movie (especially with the leadership shift with Leo). And there’s also in season 2, episode 8a: Raph’s Ride-Along, where Raph is already handling things on his own as best he can. Another piece of evidence of his growth to being alone.
Now, in season 2, episode 5b (“Pizza Puffs”), Raph gets angry because he’s been doing all the missions on his own while his brothers don’t really follow through. That’s where my comment came from: “Rise Raph was this close to going solo—no doubt about it—just like 2007 Raph and 2012 Raph. It’s in his blood. Just saying.” (Context here)
I wasn’t saying he was going to abandon his team. In this version, that wouldn’t even make sense—he’s the leader. There’s no contradiction. He was angry, yes, but the way he handled it was by making his brothers take responsibility for their own messes.
If we compare with other versions:
In 2007, Leo (the leader) had left them for a long time, and even though Raph said otherwise, he needed him. That’s why he became destabilized, and his way of dealing with it was going off on his own.
In 2012, Raph is more impulsive, constantly clashes with Leo’s leadership, and ends up going solo on multiple occasions. But he would never abandon his brothers. He’s very protective of his family (and he always came back to the team, which shows that his actions were emotional reactions—not a true rejection).
In short: yes, I saw the episode you mentioned. Yes, I understand Rise Raph and his development. And I also understand the other versions of Raph, with whom he can be compared in certain aspects.
