Figuring It Out As I Go Along

Aww, Happy Halloween, fellow Katie!

Here! Take a bunch to share with your family! ^_^

Oh! My first trick-or-treater! ^_^

Awww, how cute! Here you go, sweetie!

So I'll admit, I read this at first as "Do you have a least favorite Donatello" and I was gearing up to answer that, but then I reread the question and realized what it was asking, which is good, because finding stuff on The Next Mutation is not as easy as it should be, and that Don is my least favorite Don.

However, I now see that it's asking which turtle is my least favorite which is, hm, an interesting question.

You see, I don't have a least favorite in the terms of "I don't like that one" or "I would prefer not to have that one there" or anything like that. I love all the turtles! No, for me, the idea of least favorite turtle is more like the turtle that I focus on the least or something.

Which is actually really interesting, again, because of how that works out. Let me explain:

When I was first in the TMNT fandom, over 10 years ago, when 2003 was still coming out, my clear favorite was Donnie. After that, Mikey was my second favorite. Raph and Leo bobbed up and down in third and fourth place, and I just really didn't think too much about them.

Fast forward (Faaaaaaast Forward!) to now and, typically, Don is still my favorite, but the placement for the others bob and weave around as I've developed my sense of character more. When you take into account all of the iterations, too, well, things get a little more complicated. I'll spare you the long, drawn out explanations as to why, but here's my rankings in a nut shell:

1987: Don first, Raph second, Mikey and Leo bouncing around for third and fourth.

90s Movies: Honestly, there's not enough character development for all four turtles for me to pick well. I default to Donnie being my favorite, but I really, really feel for Raph and Mikey in movie three. They're all about equal, honestly.

The Next Mutation: This is my least favorite Don, ngl. But I still like him a little more than the others, even thought they're all about equal.

2003: Don first, Raph and Mikey bouncing around for second, and then, depending on who is second, Raph, Mikey, and Leo bounce around for third and fourth.

2007 Movie: We, again, don't get a lot of character development beyond Raph and Leo, and even then it feels like I was dropped into the middle of a story. However, I think I do like Donnie and Mikey better than Raph and Leo here, just because I relate to the overworked sibling trying to hold it all together vibe.

2012: Don first, with Raph, Mikey and Leo all about equal with such slight moments of pulling ahead that no one ever takes a clear place.

Bayverse: Don is my absolute favorite. Raph takes second place. Mike and Leo are about equal here.

Rise: Don takes first place again, but here, Leo takes second place. Raph and Mikey bounce around third and fourth.

Mutant Mayhem: I don't really have a favorite here? I think if Don had been given more techie moments, he would have been my clear favorite, but right now I just kinda like all the boys equally. This will probably change with rewatches and the new series.

When you get to looking at that, Leo is almost always near the bottom of my rankings. And that's because he doesn't tend to fit in types of characters that usually my favorites. My favorite characters tend be the smart ones (Spock, Data, Daniel Jackson, Milo Thatch), the underestimated comic relief (Justice League Flash, Beast Boy, Sokka), or the stoic warriors that really care (Worf, Teal'c).

I can find two of those favorite types of characters in Don (the smart one) and Mikey (underestimated comic relief) but neither Raph nor Leo typically fit those or the stoic warrior types--with the exception of Rise Leo, who fits in the underestimated comic relief type.

But that doesn't mean that I love Leo any less than I love the rest of them. This boy is always looking out for his family, he's dedicated, he is so talented with strategy, and I absolutely love him. "Least favorite?" I guess, but it's like putting a Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, Reese's Cups, an Almond Joy, and a Carmello in front of me and saying "which is your least favorite?" Like, none? I love them all? Please give them all to me? I may have one that I want more than another at that moment, but I love them all.

So I guess Leo? But also at the same time, I love him.

And yes, 2k3 Leo is still my favorite Leo. Look at this boy:

Oh that's an easy one! That would have to be 2003 Raph!

I mean, look at this boy! Do you see him? Do you see this boy? Do you?

I mean, yes, all of the other versions of Raph are nice too, don't get me wrong. 87 Raph is a funny little dude, who can have a short temper here and there, but is mostly there for the sarcasm and I love it. 12 Raph does have some anger issues, but he also can be very caring and to me is just trying to find a way to balance all the parts of himself out. Rise Raph is a sweetheart and a teddy bear and took on so much. 90s Movie Raph loved life and just wanted his brothers safe and alright and wanted more for all of them. 07 Raph still wanted to do good, and was able to realize and learn from mistakes. Bayverse Raph would die for his family, and was upset when he was left for dead, because he felt like he'd failed them. Even Next Mutation Raph, as goofy as that show was, was still good, sticking up for Venus a couple of times, if I remember correctly. And Mutant Mayhem Raph is passionate and clearly cares about his brothers, he just covers how much with some tough-guy attitude.

But 2003 Raph? Oh, he's top tier to me! I mean, look at this guy!

He's protective.

Like, how many times have we seen him jump in the way to protect a brother, or be outraged on a brother's behalf? There are so many gifsets of him being protective to Don, and that's just one brother. There's so many other instances of him being protective towards Mikey and Leo too! Like when Mikey runs into that other prisoner when they're in the Triceriton prison, and Raph gets in front of Mikey--of all of them--and is ready to fight the dude.

He's got his brother's backs.

I mean, this ties in with being caring, but the dude is constantly backing up his family, and getting upset when things aren't fair or right for them. Look at how upset he got in season four, when Mikey had to face Kluh down again, and the magic was messed with. Yeah, he was ready for Mikey to get taken down a peg or two, because of Mikey's bragging, but the minute it was clear something was wrong, that Mikey was getting hurt, Raph's first words were "That's not right!" And in the City at War arc, even when he didn't agree with Leo's decision to involve them, he still ended up getting Splinter and going back to fight alongside his family.

He obviously loves his family.

Have you seen the affection this boy pours out? Worrying about Don when he's overworking in Return to the Underground. Clearly worried out of his mind when he thought Mikey was seriously injured in The Shredder Strikes. Helping Leo reforge his swords after the Shredder broke them. How upset he was that they couldn't find Splinter after they took out Foot HQ. And there's no way we can forget Tales of Leo. And that's not counting all the little physical things, like touches, helping brothers with things, and just so many small ways.

He's respectful.

Just go watch Touch and Go. Like seriously. Random old lady mistakes him for someone else, and he's all just like "yes ma'am" and "sorry ma'am" and helps her move boxes. Like, he is just the most respectful and I am so, so, so here for it. And it's not just with her. He's respectful with April, with Splinter, with anyone, unless he thinks they don't deserve it, and even then, he'll not go out of his way to be intentionally rude to him, although he's definitely not one to let opportunities slide.

He's caring.

Again, this ties in heavily with most of the above, but he genuinely cares about others. Helping Mrs. Morrison, trying to get Tyler to safety and then helping him get his mom back, being kind to the cat, Lucy, looking after April and Casey, trying to protect Cody, and, again, all of the moments with his brothers.

And yet he's still a goofy teenage boy.

I mean, looking all of this. Noogies, silly faces, pranking Casey with his brothers--he's just having fun! He's still a teenager, still just a kid, but he's got such a complex character and is just so, so, so good!

And we can't forget the SAINW hug. Like, that's a must.

Like this boy is just so well written--I think all of the characters in 2003 are, tbh--and I just absolutely love how complex and deep they make them. This Raph, to me, has layers that the other Raphs either don't have, or were executed not as well. Even with 2003 Raph's hot-headedness, we can clearly see how it effects him, and how he eventually learns to use it, even if it still does get him in trouble sometimes.

Like, 2003 Raph is my favorite Raph, and so far no other Raph has come close, and if I wasn't about to run off to church I'm sure I could articulate why better. But hopefully this'll be enough!