#I think Raph will understand

[ghostbredtt]

pfps request for @alphab00tyyyshaker9000!!

please don't use these, as they were drawn for particular person and his sibs. if you really want to - ask them for permission and be respectful. thanks! {3

[charcoaldustonmyfingers]

Raphael skeletal anatomy! Click for better quality

Turtle shells are really funky, and in real life turtles, their shoulders and hips are actually fused to the shell and form immobile shoulder and pelvic girdles. Their scapula (shoulder blades) therefore are pushed almost fully downwards to give turtle arms that elbow up look. Most of their muscles are attached via ligaments to their plastron and limbs, with their large neck muscles reaching back along their spine with very minimal muscles on their sides or back.

Because of how funky their bones are, I tried to find a good middle ground between the brothers’ humanoid shape and mobility vs. their original species limitations. Their shoulders are very human, with their collarbone instead connecting to the top of their plastron rather than a sternum (flat bone in the middle of the ribs) with the addition of their shoulder blades resting much lower than a humans and protecting the open space in the armpit of their shell (rather than being set on their back under their carapace). Their necks can stretch slightly longer than a humans and have some extra mobility, on account of how they usually sit curved and tucked into their shoulders. Their pelvises and lumbar vertebrae (hips and lower back) are not fused to their shell to enable them to twist their torsos some.

As for how flexible the show depicts their shells to be… suspension of disbelief! I like to keep the idea of their shells being turtle like, so even though they’re all bone, I’ll allow cartoon physics to bend them some.

Additional info on Raph: The spikes on his shell are mostly bone. Also (something I didn’t draw because it was only after I finished this that I was able to find a picture of an alligator snapper shell bone without its scutes) there are small gaps between his pleural bone plates (middle of shell) and his peripheral bone plates (edges of shell). The scar on his shell is probably from a bone deep injury, as broken scutes shed away, but because scars don’t grow with a person, the injury is small enough that it probably happened so long ago that Raph can’t even remember it.

This is all just my speculation, so feel free to disagree or expand upon these ideas!

[General][Donnie][Leo][Mikey][Splinter]

[hitwiththefandomz]

I’ve been thinking about BENT all day. Specifically a scenario where Don gets hurt in a place he can’t repair himself? Like a wire gets knocked loose in his central processing unit and he has to write down the instructions for his own brain surgery and hope they were clear enough for his brothers to understand? Can you imagine the amount of trust that would take? The weight of responsibility on whoever was doing it? And that’s the best case scenario where he’s conscious to know what’s wrong and how to fix it!

Luckily, between the thee of them I think they’d have his back. Although it wouldn’t be a smooth process

[nordidia]

having a very rough night so raph doodles needed to be made

when in need, mash two interests together

[turtleblogatlast]

One of the earliest examples of Leo’s “I’ll do my own thing to accomplish our goal without discussing it with my team first” is in episode one. It’s super, super quick, and ultimately inconsequential, but it subtly sets up a great precedent that I think is very interesting.

When the boys need to grab the medallion from Splinter without Splinter noticing, Raph, Mikey, and Donnie huddle together with Raph taking the lead in trying to devise a plan to get the mystic device. Meanwhile, Leo slinks away and grabs the device by clocking the situation (by knowing his father well enough to predict his actions - something he does with each family member multiple times in the series) and making a move on his own.

It works out perfectly fine, and is ultimately the best move, and it’s honestly okay that he didn’t consult everyone for something so small when it’s such a non issue to get it, but it nicely sets up how this tends to go in the series, including how it goes in the movie.

To be honest episode one is actually really good at setting up a lot of things for each character in the long run, this is just one example that caught my attention, as small and unassuming as it is.

[qoldenskies]

OK, but the mental image of cc Leo with a bunch of Donnie's hanging off him like cats is oddly adorable.

he'd be like really happy about it too. the attachment is reciprocal

[hellishgayliath]

Clem’s Log

Hi big brother. Today’s March 10th I think? I’m not so great at remembering dates but Papa was dead set on it because that’s your birthday, it’s amazing how he’s able to remember stuff like that after all this time.

I know it’s been a while since we talked, ever since you left I had to take over bird scout duties and just never had the time to sit down and write. Everyone’s been on edge. Y’know I still hold onto that jar of cinnamon sticks you gave me. Started chewing on them out of habit whenever the anxiety and dread was getting to my head. They taste just like home..

…

Um..

Papa told me he saw you again.

When he and a couple of the others were out on patrol with Mr. Leo and big sis Luci I mean COUSIN SERGEANT Luci haha, I think she’d resent me calling her that but I know she secretly adores me.

…

They said.. they said when they saw you you were.. already turned.

You knucklehead I guess that’s why you left in the first place but to leave without saying anything to anybody?! You know Uncle Mikey would’ve helped you like he did with the others that were infected. Or did you already know that it would’ve been pointless? Don’t you at least owe your own little sister a goodbye?! Dummy dum dumdum..

…

…

Papa thought he could somehow magically get through to you, y’know make you remember who you were before life went crazy.

I heard from Mr. Leo that Luci tried to stop Papa from acting like a idiot and getting himself killed. But she ended up getting hurt instead.

Bad.

…

…

Next thing Papa knew, you and Luci were on the ground, with only one of you moving. Judging by Mr. Leo’s face when I saw him come in, he looked very torn and distraught about a very tough call he had to make. I can already guess what it was he had to do. Cousin Luci is in rough shape but insists on rejecting any medical help saying it’d just be a waste of time and resources. Doesn’t she know we’re just trying to help her? The dumdum… Don’t tell her I called her that. I just don’t want to lose her too.

…

Papa said he could’ve sworn he saw a little smile on your face when he cradled you. Maybe that’s you finally realizing you’re not being controlled by those monsters anymore and can now be at peace knowing you can’t hurt anybody else. At least that’s how I see it. It must have been terrifying to go through that alone.

…

It’s not fair it’s not fair it’s not FAIR IT’S NOT FAIR

They said they couldn’t even bring your body back because of safety reasons and that it would put the base at risk of being tracked so I couldn’t even get to see you one last time!

I miss my big brother, I miss your dumb goofy smile, I miss us having bug eating competitions and laughing at you nearly choking on a beetle, I miss falling asleep on each other while watching tv, I miss seeing you chase after the raccoons with a broomstick whenever they raided our trash cans, I miss the dogs, I miss the taste of fresh fruit, I miss our HOME! I just want this nightmare to be done with. I’m just so.. tired..

…

Papa told me they at least gave him the chance to make a grave for you and to say his goodbyes. I should’ve been there with him saying them together.

He just looks so defeated and sad. I insisted to him that we at least put together a funeral service for you so the rest of us can say our peace.

…

It was nice.

Uncle Mikey and Bao combined their powers to transform the room into a beautiful recreation of a lush meadow full of butterflies and yellow daffodils while Mr. Tello played some lovely music he still had saved recorded in his tech. It was so tranquil it almost makes you forget for a second you’re in an apocalyptic hell scape.

I think you would've loved it.

…

…

Talk to you again soon and happy birthday you numbskull. I love you.

I miss you..

[whattraintracks]

I kinda feel we didn’t much of raph and splinter’s relationship in 03 thoughts?

Hmm, I suppose that's fair. I've heard it said that 03 isn't a very character-driven story, and I agree we don't see as many character dynamics or arcs explored as we could have.

Below the cut are the pieces of Raph and Splinter's relationship I've pieced together for myself.

Splinter's bio on Raph in Tales from the Sewer presents this interesting duality in Splinter's perception of him. He's a difficult child but just a kid. He trains the most but he's a difficult student. He makes poor decisions but Splinter has the utmost faith in his abilities. As both father and teacher, Splinter sometimes struggles to approach his sons and their needs in the appropriate role, especially when it comes to Raph.

For example, his hands-off approach to Raph's rage, or what I usually think of as emotional dysregulation (either as a product of neurodivergence or his young age). When Raph nearly maims Mikey during a rage attack/dissociative episode (see S1E4 "Meet Casey Jones") Splinter doesn't try to stop Raph or separate him and Mikey, although he very well could have. He doesn't step in until after Leo and Donny have broken up the fight. Despite addressing Raph parentally, he comes at the issue like a teacher offering those ninja master-esque nuggets of wisdom about rage being a monster and a true warrior is balanced in all things. I think he wants to come across sympathetically (gentle voice, physical contact, calling Raph "my son") but there is a sense of disappointment and unmet expectations in what he says.

In the aforementioned bio, Splinter notes that of all the turtles, Raph trains the longest and hardest. He likely equates length of training with dedication to ninjutsu and assumes that because Raph exhibits these things he should be something he isn't: more disciplined less angry. Perhaps he compares Raph to Leo who apparently trains less but fits Splinter's prototype of a good ninja. Speaking of Leo, later in the same episode we see Splinter chastise Mikey and Donny for interrupting Leo's practice and tell Leo to keep practicing his split kick without offering any advice on how to get it right.

We see this idea directed to Raph in Splinter's comment about a true warrior finding balance in all things. It's not particularly informative. This is his version of telling Raph to keep practicing but it's not what Raph needs at this moment, hot off such an overwhelming experience. So instead of reading this as the patient, parental advice I think Splinter intends it to be, Raph's body language screams chastised. He doesn't meet Splinter's eyes and he runs away. Raph (like all of the brothers) wants Splinter's approval and he's devastated to have fallen short in this instance. Then Splinter doesn't let Mikey follow after Raph. And yeah, Raph likely needed that space but it's this hands-off approach, again. Another example comes from the one of Raph's diary entries in the Raphael: Collector Book. He talks about Splinter assigning him more meditation exercises to help him control his emotions and temper. Perhaps training, space, meditation, and nuggets of wisdom are effective tools for Splinter to self-regulate his emotions, but Splinter is also an adult. Raph needs more guidance and practical advice at this point in his life that Splinter isn't providing. The tools aren't enough, he needs to be taught how to use them.

So. Raph responds in a couple ways to Splinter's hands-off, more-teacher-than-father approach. The first is to train harder, and longer, and learn everything he can about ninjutsu. If Master Splinter says becoming a true warrior will help him find emotional balance then he's going to try his hardest to become one. When he meets Casey, he shares with him verbatim the true warrior line but confesses to Casey he's not sure how hot-heads like them are supposed to do that. He still takes the advice to heart even if it's not helpful or he doesn't understand it because he wants to please and obey his father. The collector's book shows us that Raph has taken the time to learn aspects of ninjutsu that are confusing, uninteresting, and even inaccessible to him. This book contains a lot of technical information about ninjutsu techniques and teachings. It presents Raph as even more of ninja nerd than Leo! Some of this stuff appeals to his interests, for sure; the different punching techniques for instance. Some of it, he seems to have only learned to gain Splinter's approval. He has a detailed spread on hand signs that he explicitly finds too mystical and confusing, claims it took forever to learn, and he can't even use it as a three-fingered being, but he hopes Splinter will be impressed with him.

Second, he goes behind Splinter's back. If there's something he wants or needs and he thinks Splinter won't approve of it, he'll take it for himself. Such as going to the surface when he needs space or bringing his brothers to the surface when he thinks there's something important they need to do. This feels, to me, like access thievery, which is the concept (typically applied to disabled/neurodivergent folks) of taking what one needs (time, space, resources) without asking for permission or waiting to be offered it (because you likely won't be). Again in the collector's book, Raph exhibits an awareness of his faults and a self-compassionate recognition that he's just a teen. Splinter know this too but has shown that he can't always offer what Raph needs or won't give him it in some cases (forbids them from going to the surface). So Raph has developed a willingness to take what he needs for himself and sneak around Splinter to avoid the disapproval he fears.

All that aside, I think they're very similar in their fierce love and devotion to family and the ways it can drive them to anger, fear, hatred, and vengeance. There are traits Raph inherited from Splinter they bond over, too. They're both competitive. The Battle Nexus Tournament isn't their thing but we see them playing pokey in "Dragons Rising." I love the idea that they play a lot of games together! They have a similar sense of humility. They know they're skilled but they're more likely hang back and play support while their other family members take the spotlight than boast. Unless it's really personal, then they'll take over, like how Splinter's quest for vengeance guides them in Exodus and Raph's desire to help Casey leads the brothers to sneak out with him in "Meet Casey Jones." I think, they have a similar sense of humor, too. Raph has this silly line in the collector's book about Splinter being proud he used his head, that is, like a battering ram, and you cannot tell me Splinter wouldn't chuckle at that.

[cottoncandywoof]

ok so, i just want to comment a little on 2003 splinter. @purplepixel and i are on season 1 still, and im REALLY liking it thus far, but theres something i want to complain about.

why on Gods green beautiful earth is splinter annoyed at his kids for "breaking stuff" at aprils and being like "this is what i live like every day". like i get it. hes an actual rat. he doesnt know any better and thats a point i made in later episodes, but... bruh.

why am i mad? well, because the kids quite literally feel bad and offer to fix it. THEY dont know better either. they think this is the best way of doing it and are overconfident in their skills, but feel bad and offer to glue the plates together. yes, it doesnt do much, but... i dont know, im not saying it should be changed or anything, but something about a parent being annoyed at something THEIR KIDS WOULDNT KNOW NOT TO DO really just rubs me the wrong way. TEACH THEM BETTER THEN SPLINTER!!! like, mikey i get, but the rest? come tf on

yeah thats all lmfao

[hatterladz]

I think people have a wild misconception of what the elements are in terms of personality traits

People keep associating fire with rage or emotions! Wrong! Fire is passion, drive, and determination. Fire is anger only because the most passionate get angry about it. It's warmth and love and light. It's not just wildfires, it's what brings you cooked foods and warmth in your campfires, it's the sun kissing your skin.

Then people see water as calm, also wrong. You're thinking of water as if it's controlled and in the cup. A small amount. "The ocean is calm" the ocean is deadly. The ocean is constantly moving, it's hot and cold, it can be soothing waters lapping at the shores and it could be tsunamis destroying everything in it's turbulence. Water is emotions, it's feelings.

Honorable mentions to Earth and Air, Air being adaptibility and quick thinking. Air is on the move and travels. It dances around everyone but never stays it keeps moving. It's fun and playful but it never stays.

And Earth is grounding, stable and stubborn. It's unmoving unless it's great power. No matter how scorched and torn it grinds it's heels in and refuses to move. A solid structure that can't be moved in the storms until you break it and tear it apart.

[insomniac-dormouse]

Raph doesn’t understand Donnie’s sensory issues, but he’s trying. He’s annoyed that he keeps ruining shirts for seemingly no reason tho

@nerves-nebula

[mariegreen-2000]

You know what’s funny

Back when I used to watch the tmnt 2012 show, little me always thought that raph was the leader. One of the reasons was because he had a red bandanna (only to later found out that leo was the leader the hole time, I was young when this show was airing ok 😭.) so when I started getting into rise and found out that raph was the leader this time, I was pretty happy about the chose the writers went with him.

[meanderfall]

maybe im just remembering wrong or looking back on it with rose-tinted glasses, but im not sure i see the fight between Raph and Leo during City at War as them being like. Angry with each other.

like, Raph might be the closest bc he's upset with Leo for endangering the lives of himself and their brothers, and for agreeing to an alliance with the Foot, a group that has caused their family nothing but pain. And I think Leo is frustrated that no one is really explaining to him WHY this isn't their mess to clean up.

but like. Angry? Genuine, bonafide anger? with each other? idk, im not sure i see it. maybe my perception of what anger counts for them is just skewed, bc when I think of Raph and anger, my mind goes to him trying to seriously hurt Mikey after losing a spar, something that only needed to happen once (1) for Raph to never get that far again. And for Leo and anger, I go to s4 when he tore into his brothers for "letting" Hun get away. idk idk idk there's just not enough hostility between them during that arc for me to think they're actually straight up mad

[o4o41]

Common characteristics for each characters' iteration (when they act differently). And how I connect them, personality-wise.

I seem to think about how I tie the every-tmnt-iteration (past and present) characters in a way that each one won't be OOC (out of character) from another. A justification theories and all.

I did for Leo.

Now I'll do for R and a bit for the M-guy.

In 2003 R was pissy and had a foggy head when pushed too much (agitated, purposefully angered, or neglected might be). M's favorite pastime was to come and bother him, on purpose. Making him angry, knowingly.

You know for M it might be nice for him to have as much of a hyper friend like him as not to disturb and bother his bros. He tries to be positive and pass his time by trolling and being kind of mean to his bros. Esp to Raph when he (emotionaly) wears out quickly.

R has a thick shell like he doesn't really wanna allow anyone unless they know they are genuinelynice. He also likes to pride by achievements (fights perhaps) also has an ego but is defensive for his ego. While Mikey is on the way and playing with it. You know like bothering a tame dragon. On purpose. Like a purposeful d.

R would be glad to have smb to be secure and tame with (not nessessarily a love interest). Like Peter Parker when he goes to Mary Jane (her character majorly lacking, she sucks, clearly writers had no idea with her, who she iswhat her life was that kind of stuff). He goes to her after a very rough day, beatings, struggles, villains, flying etc. But R is stuck with himself. Almost everyone is emotionally stunted, D doesn't have to deal with psychological stuff, he has a hobby, M is a jerk and L seems to like to order around (maybe he doesn't like, depends. When he cant help himself that's when). He might need to meet and talk to a pyichatrist that would be nice. (Imagine the setting)

He is stuck with himself. He and his emotions.

And the bravery. He needs to remind himself to get a hold of himself. Maybe. He doesn't like ... maybe he thinks he has no personality, a monster-freak. He is passionate and ready to fight anyone that gets in the way of their group, but sadly M uses that care and push in order to run against, offender attempts against him. M is a jerk but he wants to stay positive (could be insecure too, why not) and that could mean he can do it on account of his bros. Could be gluttonous and take away kept food without warning.

Everybody is emotionally detached and hurt, and has a "?"sign about many things about themsleves (L is identity, R is his feels that he pretends he doesn'thave and D is focusing on his hobbies and tries to ignore pesky "?"s: depression and clingy thoughts maybe he is a faithful person(there's smth that keeps him gentle is it the TV series? Is it the faith in himself that he can change (life, make it more appealing and comfortable) and play as a benefit to their closed ones?)).

And M needs to have fun(be positive) in a mean way. Like a mosquito.

Edit: my HC for why Rise Mikey is tame. The 3 Brothers have been alright that M is in a position of "being taken care of, fave child and loved" from the 3. While '03 M was super bothersome because 4 were basically equal. So he was less about "being fave and more loved child" part and "parents being more attentive to him and his emotional needs", rather than he is one of tmnt and even viewed more of a slacker and a bothersome bro, rather than someone doing smth worthy and useful for the day. In Rise they came to the consensus and understanding about M. He also needs to be careful because now he has 3 more "parents", who have their own vision for how he needs to be brought up. Maybe beaten up too, a bit abused 🤔 🤷

M is self-serving, while D is detached (has passions and interests that make him feel better accomplishing).

[m00n-d34r3st]

I am sorry I get the impression you don’t like Raph much. But please correct me

No, I love Raph, he's such a sweet guy and even when he isn't when the writer takes great care, it's clear that he's literally the kid that many adults and peers has labeled "difficult" and has a complex since they really gloss over the fact that he is just a scared kid and in most situations not realizing that himself, since they don't give him to space to. He might take some wrong times in his interpersonal relationships, but it always comes from a place of love and concern. I know alot of people don't like him in the idw comic, but my hot take is I love that they allow him and his trauma to be messy. He makes contradiactory decisions and in some ways self- sabotage at times, but that's the reality of trauma at times, and it's usually because in the back of their mind it's ruining something for yourself for the illussion of control in turn of actually going through with it and the possibly of it being disappointing or him failing.

So, that is what makes his growth so satifying to watch since you watch as he breaks that down and start to understand as well as heal. And even, tho I would had said it wss played out years ago, I feel like in that aspect, I think Him and Leo are two sides of the same coin, with him being more willing to fly off the hand and leo just holding on to the mask for dear life.

But overall, what made him click for me and many other topics of the fandom was keeping this one thing in mind: they didn't nor had the luxury to have the space to really grow their interpersonal skill and that means they won't be perfect, especially factoring in and I think alot of times Raph is a reminder to be patient with people in those situation because likely at they need is gentle understanding to help soften up.

[turtleblogatlast]

Something I’ve been thinking about lately is that small moment in “Air Turtle” where immediately after the Daves lose yet another game, Leo says how sorry he is and how he’s doing his best as the mascot. This moment is so short but it’s honestly jam-packed with a whole heap of characterization.

His need to apologize for things clearly not his fault - especially when it feels like he messes up the job he was given despite doing the best he can (the phrase “it’s not about you” takes a new meaning when this is one of the lessons to be learned from that - that he is not always solely responsible for things going wrong), his need to save face and make a connection with an older adult man in his life (something he consistently does throughout the series - he’s got a few daddy issues, always collecting potential father figures, it’s no wonder he jumps at the bit to keep rapport), and the way he sounds and looks and the words he chooses really pushes how he is just a kid (“Mr. the Dunk, I’m so sorry”).

Like I know it’s a one off moment that doesn’t truly mean much, but when put against the rest of the series it works really well with the rest of Leo’s established character and helps in solidifying later concepts as well.