[Utrommaniac]

Eh, I'm betting on Slash.


Don is the only one of the whole group that would personally care about Ma'riell getting killed. He's the only one who's developed a relationship with her, and he's also the one who's put the most effort into Burnow Island's stability. Also, with Ma'riell gone, Ch'rell would take over unopposed and have no one to truly challenge him - thus the apparent "Civil War" probably wouldn't happen. Sure, Ch'rell is angry at Ma'riell, but I don't think he's angry enough to kill her.
Don be the only one emotionally affected. His brothers would be more concerned with keeping Ch'rell under control and the Mutanimals just wouldn't care; they don't know who the weird alien lady is or why her brother is such a big deal. The turtles alliances would never fall apart over someone only one of them had some degree of closeness with. April might care a little more, if only because Ch'rell drama has potential to get in the way of whatever her plans with Stockman are.


Slash, however, is the only one that everyone has some sort of emotional investment in. The turtles have known him longer than the Mutanimals have, were the first ones to make breaks in getting him settled, was their first big test in making decisions in morality, is family to the Mutanimals; the emotions of that are combined with the situation where he left them because of disagreements with Hob. Speaking of Hob, he's the one who first took Slash under his wing; Slash was his first real friend and basically was his second-in-command until Ray came on the scene. The Mutanimals have a lot to lose emotionally over Slash's death and that will absolutely ripple down to the turtles. Probably originating from Michelangelo. April and Lindsey were there from the very start when he was just a tiny suffering lab animal. Mike was closer to Slash than any of his brothers were.

Another thing to consider is that the Slash storyline began close enough to the beginning of this first big story arch. So I see sense in closing it nearing the end.

Besides, Slash has basically been doomed for a very long time. Maybe from the beginning.


The emotions of Slash's death would spread like a virus to those who knew him. Ma'riell's death would be more of a "Stop crying Don, let's figure out stopping Ch'rell" situation. While the Mutanimals just roll their eyes and participate.


And finally, there's Tom Waltz's own cryptic comment about #88 being a big deal. Being an even distance from #44. and Slash being the only character on the cover, blood soaked and tormented. That boy ain't gonna be tormented anymore.