Tmnt 2003 Donnie - Blog Posts

What Are Your Unpopular TMNT Opinions?

Please respect other opinions. Thank you

I don’t love TMNT 2003.

Before watching this version, many fans said 2003 series was the best version. I didn’t have a lot of TMNT content to watch so I tried it(with some high expectations). I really liked it and had a fun time watching it, but I wouldn’t say it’s the best version- there isn’t a best version imo. I had some issues with it such as some intriguing moments from the show that wasn’t further explored like Leo’s first loss, and traumatic injuries from the Shredder and Donnie’s reaction of the alternative universe in Same As It Never Was. They were good but I needed more. Season 6 and 7 were not great and was tough to go through because of the sudden tone and art style change.

Though, it’s my second favorite version so far.

I like 2012 April.

I already made a post about this so I will shorten my explanation.

I have many reasons, but I’m going to say only two or three reasons since I don’t wanna bore you guys to death.

I don’t hate April because she is a victim of bad writing. TMNT 2012 has overall great writing, but there were some mistakes. Apritello is a big example.

When I ignore the bad moments, April is a really good character. Is she my favorite? No, but she had great potential.

Rise has one of the best family dynamics.

When I watch the show, I can tell that the Turtles love each other no matter what, which is a big thing in the fandom. I enjoyed their brotherly relationships since their was rarely an physical confrontation between them compared to how much 2012 Raph hits the other brothers. I don’t like hitting people, unless I need to protect myself, so I always felt a bit uncomfortable with all the hitting in TMNT 2012. I’m not saying TMNT 2012 had bad brother relationships, it’s my favorite because the raw moments the turtles had always warmed my heart. If it happened too often, the moments would have less of an impact.

I think TMNT 2003 went a bit downhill after season 4.

I feel like the storylines after season 4 were not as good. They focused mostly on mystical things, which is fine, but having so many versions of the Shredder was annoying for me. I know it might sound rude, but I think the show should have ended after season 4.

The 2003 Same As It Never Was storyline was not executed as greatly as it could be.

I feel so bad for critiquing the 2003 version since it looks like I don’t like the series. That’s not true, I really like the series and I applaud it for doing storylines like SAINW and Leo’s PTSD.

The reason why I don’t feel like SAINW didn’t live up to its full potential is because of the length of episodes it could have taken and how it didn’t seem to bother Donatello afterwards.

If SAINW was not added in the Ultimate Draco storyline, I think more episodes like an extra one would have been a better idea. The episode felt pretty rushed and I really wanted to learn more about the future like what happened to Casey, why Hun and Stockman betrayed Shredder, and the circumstances right before Future Donnie disappeared.

Leo’s storyline collided with Donnie’s potential character growth, which makes me upset. I adore Leo’s growth, but the other brothers had so much potential. Maybe some hints of Donnie’s fear of the future or the brothers being separated would have made up for it, but it didn’t happen. All the future Turtles’ deaths didn’t seem to affect Donnie like I thought it would.

2012 Fugitoid should have passed away.

I feel so bad for saying this, but for the better of the story, Fugitoid coming back to life was not a great choice. I love Honeycutt, but his sacrifice would have had a lot of impact on the reality of heroes dying. 2003 TMNT did this really well. Some good people died and it symbolized how dangerous and important it is to fight for what is right.

TMNT 2003 had too many characters, which ruined some development for more important ones.

I feel pretty bad for criticizing TMNT 2003 so much, but I still really like it. Every cartoon has its flaws and I’ve noticed more on TMNT 2003 since I’ve been binging it.

Anyway, the show has too many arcs and characters. Too much for any to gain development. Like the Rat King. I would’ve loved to see him more since he was so interesting. And the Monster from season 4. I was so upset when we didn’t get back to him. He deserved a happy ending, and his story would have been great development for Bishop, good or bad.

2012 Karai’s redemption arc was not handled that great.

To be honest, her arc was always a bit shaky to me. What surprised me most was how fast Karai’s mind was changed. All her life the Shredder was her father, but when almost once Splinter revealed the truth, she switched. I don’t think that would’ve happened so soon since, usually, kids that handle trauma like that kind of try to rationalize or try to make sense of it all. It would have been better if Karai was having this mental battle as she was working with the Shredder. She would be neutral though because she doesn’t want to hurt the Turtles and Splinter if what they said was true.

2012 Karai is overrated.

Don’t get me wrong, 2012 Karai is my favorite version, but she is not as developed as some people say.

Her arcs with finding the truth about everything and “curing” her of the mutation were not handled well, especially the latter. It took the last halves of season 2 and 3 to save her. Was I only one annoyed that the group looked for so long, only for the retro mutagen to not work? 😑

She’s on my list of wasted great characters along with April and Casey.

In the 2012 series, female characters are not as well written as male characters.

This is one of my complaints with the 2012 series. Most of the female characters were either reduced to love interests or severely sidelined. April and Karai are the biggest victims with this.

April had great potential to be a great character, but the love triangle ruined it. If they solved this plot line already, April’s character wouldn’t have suffered as much. Can’t determine if fans would like her more, but that’s my opinion.

With Karai, she was a love interest at first, but then this Splinter’s daughter plot line happened. Tbh, I think this decision was last minute because I hope to god the creators were not promoting brother/sister romantic relationships of any kind. Anyway, that story was going along until that wild goose chase trying to cure her from the mutation(which didn’t work). After that craziness, she was just sidelined and there was barely any Splinter/Karai moments(one of my biggest disappointments with the show). It would have been amazing to see her journey as the new Shredder, but I don’t blame the creators for that because they had a limited amount of episodes.

2012 April is not op.

Oof.. I’m gonna get so many disagrees on this. 😂

The reason I’m saying this is because of the and my definition of overpowered. Overpower: defeat with superior strength.

While rewatching the show, I looked closely through April’s fights, especially with her powers. Usually, overpowered people defeat supposedly stronger opponents without explanation.

April has rarely beaten someone stronger than her except once with TigerClaw, but with the Dragon’s Tail kick and a sneak attack, not her powers. She used her powers with the Shredder, Shini, Kavaxas, and many more enemies. She lost every time. The only time April won with her powers was against that evil Aeon and it was severely weak.

I would say April is not very close to the fighting level with the Turtles, especially with Raph and Leo. If they went full force on her, she would lose, even with her abilities.

2012 Leo has better characterization than 2003 Leo.

I really like 2003 Leo but he can be pretty bland. He only ever focused on training and meditation. He was also too perfect in some areas. However, S4 made him better in those areas.

With 2012 Leo, I like that he has more interests than training and has a reason why he wants to be the leader. He also messes up and doesn’t get the full swing of being the leader until half way through S2. For me, I think realistic character progression is very important for a show.

I like 2018 April’s design.

I admit, I was shocked when I learned that April’s race was changed, but I have no problems with it. There’s more diversity.

The only thing I don’t like about her design is her hairstyle. I don’t like the pigtails. Much preferred finale look with the high ponytail.

My Version of the Hamato Family

Hi everyone! Thank you for reading and liking part one. It made my day!

So, this is where I shine in writing. I love creating characters and their backstory; it’s so fun. I think it is more important to focus on characters than the plot since a character can create the storyline- well at least for me.

I’m excited to share! Hope you enjoy!

Comment your thoughts! It would be cool to read them! 😁

……………………..

 Leonardo:

We’re starting with the usual leader-in-blue!

Although I adore Leo, his “perfect” personality can get a little boring. His versions usually have flaws, though they are the kind that makes you sympathize with him rather than feeling indifferent like with Raph’s anger issues.

Season 1 Leo would be a toned-down Rise Leo. He can be cocky when he succeeds over his brothers and would jokingly comment how he is Splinter’s favorite. However, it doesn’t come without hard work. Leo trains the most out of his brothers and spends most of his time studying fighting techniques. He is not naturally talented in ninjitsu like the past incarnations. Also, Leo’s motivations for training very hard and wanting to be leader is more for himself than anything.

Compared to his brothers, Leo was relatively average. Donnie was extremely smart, Mikey had his kind and joyful soul, and Raph was naturally a great fighter. Leo felt left out and decided that training to be a hero would be his way of standing out. He also believed that being special like his brothers was the only way to get Splinter’s attention; and it kind of worked. With all the progress Leo made, Splinter praised him, and they had a way to connect.

Around the beginning of S1(maybe ep. 5), Leo became the leader though how was different. Instead of Splinter deciding, the brothers did; the explanation was the turtles were a team and should make a consensus as one. This news made Leo ecstatic; he was finally living his dreams. Even so, he didn’t realize the baggage and responsibility a leader had to shoulder. Over the course of the story Leo grows as a great leader and fighter.

The Karai/Leo subplot will follow the 2003 version. He is convinced that Karai is a good person and tries to have her switch sides. There will be romantic feelings but its not the main motivation for both of their actions. I can’t say too much since this plot revolves around Karai more.

   Donatello:

Donnie is a blend of 2003/12 versions. He is intelligent with an extremely high IQ and was a gifted child. However, his intelligence came with a cost; making connections with his brothers and father was really tough for him because of their different interests. This left him withdrawing from everyone and focusing on his inventions. His social skills evolve once the turtles visit the city and meet April. The increasing danger of the Kraang further builds his relationships since communication is important in teamwork, and Donnie’s talent in inventing grew more in the spotlight.

Because of her fascination with Donnie’s smarts and inventions, April and Donnie become good friends as the story continues. Donnie also gets close with April’s best friend, Irma since they are science lovers. At first, Casey irritates him as they have clearly different personality; Casey’s impulsive and extroverted attitude conflicting with Donnie’s plan-based mindset.

Donnie’s love for his family is showcased after witnessing a terrifying, apocalyptic future where his family suffers. Paranoia sets in. His work to calculate the cause of this terrible, and its solution leads Donnie to rarely take care of his needs. He has to learn to trust in others instead of doing things alone.

 Raphael:

Unlike Leo, Raph is instantly gifted in fighting. He has more physical strength than his brothers and would constantly beat them in practice. Since childhood, Raph was Splinter’s “favorite” in the dojo and that definitely got into the red-banded turtle’s head. He would brag to his brothers and jokingly poke fun at their techniques. It wouldn’t affect anyone. Except for Leo.

Raphael’s ego started taking hits once Leo caught up to him and beating him in practice once in a while. It turned into anger after noticing Master Splinter praising Leo more. The tension soured their brotherhood. Unlike most versions, Raph’s anger is fueled by insecurity. He believes that fighting is the only thing he is good at and will get territorial if his spotlight is threatened.

Throughout the story, he learns to move on from his demons and realize his worth.

Family is important to Raph. He can be hard on his brothers yet will do anything to keep them safe, especially Mikey- his positivity must be protected. Casey and Raph become best friends for their similarities and love for fighting- they are impulsive bros.

 Michelangelo:

Mikey’s role is to be the positive and glue of the team. He loves to make people happy and would always do something goofy or kind to do that. His family have nothing bad to say about their youngest member and are very protective of him. The youngest brother doesn’t take ninjitsu as seriously as skateboarding, dancing, or just general fun. Though, he will be serious when the situation calls for it, such as the fate of his family and the world.

Although being an open ear to anyone, Mikey is not open to expressing his negative emotions due to his fear of damaging the family dynamic. It is noticeable when he is upset because he jokes more often and not focus. A lesson he must learn is to accept the good and the bad. Mikey can be reckless, mostly when his brothers rarely let him participate in missions. He wants to prove to his family that he is strong enough to protect himself and others. Reading people is his best skill and takes great pride in it, usually taking on the role of a therapist.

 Splinter/Hamato Yoshi:

I really wanted to take Splinter’s role in the Shredder’s descent to evil in the grayer area. He is usually the victim/innocent party of the story, which can get boring after a while.

Hamato Yoshi was born as the heir to Hamato Clan and childhood best friend of Oroku Saki. The Hamato and Foot clan were allies for centuries and would usually fight by each other’s side. Matters changed when the Foot’s beliefs grew more sinister. This left the Hamato Clan to eradicate their former ally. Splinter saved Saki before he could be killed, though, it came with consequences. Oroku Saki vowed to exact revenge for his fallen home. Growing up, Splinter became one of the strongest martial artists in Japan and married a woman named Tang Shen, later becoming a father to a girl. His world ended once he saw his clan destroyed and his family killed by the renewed Foot Clan.

Yoshi decided to move to New York and forget his old life. Years later, the martial artist noticed strange people caging defenseless animals. He would fight them long enough to protect four humanoid turtles, deciding to keep them after a moment of compassion. Splinter would continuously fight the strange men until a strange liquid turned him into a rat. This turning point banished Splinter and the turtles to the sewers for protection.

Splinter equally loves his sons. He would always make sure to give them equal amounts of love to avoid lasting issues. Though, he has made some mistakes. Emotions were rarely discussed because of Splinter’s unintentionally withdrawn attitude. The rat master wouldn’t instantly notice problems between his sons, and usually didn’t know how to resolve them. No matter what, Splinter is proud of his children and would do anything to keep them safe; sometimes not realizing that it could hurt them.

Hamato Yoshi’s guilt and trauma over the terrible moments in his life would be the main focus of his development.

What Are Your LGBTQ+ Headcanons for Any of the Characters?

I’ve got this idea because I’m in a meeting about learning the community and terms. I wanted to do this during Pride month, but forgot.

Any versions you can think of.

Here are mine:

2003 Version:

Leo: Gay

Donnie: Pansexual

Raph: Straight or Bisexual

Mikey: Straight, but is down to do drag for fun. 😁

Usagi: Bisexual

Leatherhead: Gay

2012 Version:

Leo: Demisexual

Donnie: Straight

Raph: Straight

Mikey: Pansexual

Karai: Bisexual

Shini: Bisexual

Tiger Claw: Gay

Bebop: Gay

Rocksteady: Pansexual

Usagi: Bisexual

Rise Version:

Leo: Gay

Donnie: Asexual & Genderqueer

Raph: Straight

Michelangelo: Pansexual

April: Lesbian

Casey: Lesbian

Splinter: Bisexual

Draxum: Gay

What do you guys think? 😊❤️TMNT 2003tmnt 2012rottmnt

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Raphael: Look at him, all serious and disciplined. Bet you anything he’s drinking straight black coffee.

Michelangelo: Pfft, nah, bro. He’s definitely the type to drink, like, boiled water. Nothing in it. Just… water.

Donatello: He’s more likely to go for green tea.

[Leonardo calmly takes a sip from the festive red mug in his hands. The faintest trace of whipped cream smudges onto his upper lip.]

Donatello: Is that… whipped cream?

[Leonardo, unbothered, takes another sip. A few colorful sprinkles glint faintly against the rim of his mug.]

Michelangelo: No way. NO. WAY.

Raphael: Our brother is drinking hot chocolate. With sprinkles.

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Donatello: Oh, look! Leonardo and Usagi are standing under the mistletoe.

Michelangelo: [Eyes widen in panic.] Oh no!

Donatello: [Rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.] Come on, Mikey. Grow up. It’s about time Leo—

Michelangelo: [Frantically waves his hands, interrupting Donatello.] Not that! Raph told Leo that it’s tradition in Usagi’s dimension, when you stand under the mistletoe—

[Leonardo abruptly snap kicks Usagi in the face mid-lean, knocking him back. Then he turns to his brothers, giving them a thumbs-up like he just nailed the perfect kata.]

Michelangelo: [Facepalms.] —you fight them.

Raphael: [Leaning against the wall, snickering.] I call it ‘mistlefoe’.

[Leonardo, oblivious to the chaos, glances up at the mistletoe again, prepared to defend his honor from any other "attackers."]

I love the idea that the 2003 iteration of Leonardo is so intent on being a mother hen that he tries to take care of literally everyone around him—even grown-ass adults. I especially love the idea of fifteen-year-old Leonardo mother henning Casey and April, who are in their mid-twenties.

Leonardo: [hands an apple and a protein bar to Casey] Here. You might get hungry during patrol, and it’s important to keep your energy up. I also have dark chocolate or peanut butter if you finish those.

Casey: [staring at the snacks, confused] Uh… thanks, Leo?

Raphael: [snickering]

Casey: [frowning] Does he always do this?

Donatello: [with a straight face] You have no idea…

Michelangelo: [letting Leonardo peel an apple for him with his katana] Oh yeah, all the time. It’s kinda nice—he cuts the apple into perfect little pieces.

@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos

Oh my goodness 😂 😂 😂 I love all of this so much! Now I really want to write this now, with Leonardo staying shrunk for an entire month, leading to chapter after chapter of endless hijinks. Just imagine the hilarious scenarios—Donatello carrying Leonardo around in a little sling, Raphael trying to act tough but secretly fretting, and Michelangelo relentlessly trying to use him as a toy.

I think a really underrated trope is "character gets shrunk to adorable size and hijinks ensue," and I especially want to see this used in the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Picture this: Leonardo, either through some villain of the week, freak accident, or alien technology, gets shrunk down to roughly the size of a Barbie doll.

Donatello calls Raphael and Michelangelo into his laboratory, looking all grim and serious. The absence of their eldest brother has the younger two convinced that something horrible has happened.

Raphael: [bursts in, all worried] Donny, what the shell happened? Where's Leo?!

Michelangelo: [close on his heels, equally concerned] Yeah, where's Leo? Did something happen?

Donatello: [holding up his hands to calm them] Yes, but it’s not what you think! He’s fine. He's just... gone through a bit of a change.

Raphael: [squints] What kind of change?

Donatello: [sighs] Now, I’m going to bring him out, and you two better be on your best behavior. No laughing—this is serious.

Raphael: [crosses arms, suspicious] Serious how?

Donatello gives them a look that screams, "You'll see." He reaches under the table, carefully picks up something (or rather, someone), and gently sets Leonardo down on the table. Leonardo—now barely the height of a Barbie doll—straightens his gear and adjusts his mask, trying desperately to maintain his dignity.

Raphael: [silent, staring] ...

Michelangelo: [jaw drops] ...

Raphael: [deadpan, trying not to laugh] ...I’m not supposed to laugh, right?

Michelangelo: [slowly grins] He...is...so...AWESOME! Dude, he’s like the ultimate, super-realistic action figure! [jumps excitedly] Let me hold him! Let me hold him! Please, just for a minute!

Leonardo: [scrambles to climb up Donatello’s arm, in full panic mode] DO NOT let him hold me! DO NOT let him hold me!

@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos I would absolutely pay to see fan art of a shrunken Leonardo in his little glass tank. I imagine he’d need some shrunken objects to keep him entertained—maybe a tiny copy of The Art of War or a miniature pair of katanas to keep him occupied.

And the reactions from April and Casey would be priceless. I can totally picture April digging out her old Barbie collection from storage, dressing up mini-Leonardo, and making him play in the Dreamhouse with her dolls. Michelangelo, of course, would jump right in on the fun. As for Casey, I bet he would get creative—tying floss around Leonardo and lowering him down drains to unclog them or sending him into the hard-to-reach parts of his motorcycle.

I think a really underrated trope is "character gets shrunk to adorable size and hijinks ensue," and I especially want to see this used in the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Picture this: Leonardo, either through some villain of the week, freak accident, or alien technology, gets shrunk down to roughly the size of a Barbie doll.

Donatello calls Raphael and Michelangelo into his laboratory, looking all grim and serious. The absence of their eldest brother has the younger two convinced that something horrible has happened.

Raphael: [bursts in, all worried] Donny, what the shell happened? Where's Leo?!

Michelangelo: [close on his heels, equally concerned] Yeah, where's Leo? Did something happen?

Donatello: [holding up his hands to calm them] Yes, but it’s not what you think! He’s fine. He's just... gone through a bit of a change.

Raphael: [squints] What kind of change?

Donatello: [sighs] Now, I’m going to bring him out, and you two better be on your best behavior. No laughing—this is serious.

Raphael: [crosses arms, suspicious] Serious how?

Donatello gives them a look that screams, "You'll see." He reaches under the table, carefully picks up something (or rather, someone), and gently sets Leonardo down on the table. Leonardo—now barely the height of a Barbie doll—straightens his gear and adjusts his mask, trying desperately to maintain his dignity.

Raphael: [silent, staring] ...

Michelangelo: [jaw drops] ...

Raphael: [deadpan, trying not to laugh] ...I’m not supposed to laugh, right?

Michelangelo: [slowly grins] He...is...so...AWESOME! Dude, he’s like the ultimate, super-realistic action figure! [jumps excitedly] Let me hold him! Let me hold him! Please, just for a minute!

Leonardo: [scrambles to climb up Donatello’s arm, in full panic mode] DO NOT let him hold me! DO NOT let him hold me!

More of the Tiny-Nardo AU inspired by @the-cauldron-witch tags.

Donatello: [bursts into Michelangelo’s room, wide-eyed and frantic] Mikey, have you seen Leo? I had him in his hamster ball on the kitchen counter while I made him a tiny sandwich, and now he’s gone!

Michelangelo: [surrounded by scattered action figures, hiding something behind his back, and sporting tiny bite marks on his fingers] Uh, no, nope. Haven’t seen him. Hah, get it? Seen him! Because, you know, he’s so… small.

Donatello: [crosses his arms, tapping his foot impatiently] Michelangelo, where is he, and what exactly have you done to him?

Michelangelo: [pouts, then pulls out a very annoyed, shrunken Leonardo in a tiny Silver Sentry costume, who immediately bites Michelangelo’s finger] Ouch! Hey, Leo!

Donatello: [frown wavers as he struggles to hide a smile] Did you… already take pictures?

Michelangelo: [holding his finger and grinning sheepishly while holding up his phone] Oh, you know I did!

Leonardo: [crosses his arms, muttering] I hate both of you.

I think a really underrated trope is "character gets shrunk to adorable size and hijinks ensue," and I especially want to see this used in the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Picture this: Leonardo, either through some villain of the week, freak accident, or alien technology, gets shrunk down to roughly the size of a Barbie doll.

Donatello calls Raphael and Michelangelo into his laboratory, looking all grim and serious. The absence of their eldest brother has the younger two convinced that something horrible has happened.

Raphael: [bursts in, all worried] Donny, what the shell happened? Where's Leo?!

Michelangelo: [close on his heels, equally concerned] Yeah, where's Leo? Did something happen?

Donatello: [holding up his hands to calm them] Yes, but it’s not what you think! He’s fine. He's just... gone through a bit of a change.

Raphael: [squints] What kind of change?

Donatello: [sighs] Now, I’m going to bring him out, and you two better be on your best behavior. No laughing—this is serious.

Raphael: [crosses arms, suspicious] Serious how?

Donatello gives them a look that screams, "You'll see." He reaches under the table, carefully picks up something (or rather, someone), and gently sets Leonardo down on the table. Leonardo—now barely the height of a Barbie doll—straightens his gear and adjusts his mask, trying desperately to maintain his dignity.

Raphael: [silent, staring] ...

Michelangelo: [jaw drops] ...

Raphael: [deadpan, trying not to laugh] ...I’m not supposed to laugh, right?

Michelangelo: [slowly grins] He...is...so...AWESOME! Dude, he’s like the ultimate, super-realistic action figure! [jumps excitedly] Let me hold him! Let me hold him! Please, just for a minute!

Leonardo: [scrambles to climb up Donatello’s arm, in full panic mode] DO NOT let him hold me! DO NOT let him hold me!

🎃 🐢

As Halloween creeps closer—yes, I know it's over two months away, but who's counting?—let's have some fun! Here are the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in as the best Salem moments from Sabrina the Teenage Witch:

Leonardo:

Raphael:

Donatello:

Michelangelo:

I think a really underrated trope is "character gets shrunk to adorable size and hijinks ensue," and I especially want to see this used in the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Picture this: Leonardo, either through some villain of the week, freak accident, or alien technology, gets shrunk down to roughly the size of a Barbie doll.

Donatello calls Raphael and Michelangelo into his laboratory, looking all grim and serious. The absence of their eldest brother has the younger two convinced that something horrible has happened.

Raphael: [bursts in, all worried] Donny, what the shell happened? Where's Leo?!

Michelangelo: [close on his heels, equally concerned] Yeah, where's Leo? Did something happen?

Donatello: [holding up his hands to calm them] Yes, but it’s not what you think! He’s fine. He's just... gone through a bit of a change.

Raphael: [squints] What kind of change?

Donatello: [sighs] Now, I’m going to bring him out, and you two better be on your best behavior. No laughing—this is serious.

Raphael: [crosses arms, suspicious] Serious how?

Donatello gives them a look that screams, "You'll see." He reaches under the table, carefully picks up something (or rather, someone), and gently sets Leonardo down on the table. Leonardo—now barely the height of a Barbie doll—straightens his gear and adjusts his mask, trying desperately to maintain his dignity.

Raphael: [silent, staring] ...

Michelangelo: [jaw drops] ...

Raphael: [deadpan, trying not to laugh] ...I’m not supposed to laugh, right?

Michelangelo: [slowly grins] He...is...so...AWESOME! Dude, he’s like the ultimate, super-realistic action figure! [jumps excitedly] Let me hold him! Let me hold him! Please, just for a minute!

Leonardo: [scrambles to climb up Donatello’s arm, in full panic mode] DO NOT let him hold me! DO NOT let him hold me!