what the turtles weapons say about their...masculinity?

[Sage Ninja]

have you ever wondered what the turtles weapons say about their masculinity? I mean think about it the turtles lives depend so heavily on their weapon, they've spent the best part of their lives training with their weapons of choice and becoming one with them, learning the strengths and weaknesses of their weapons and adapating to it to compensate for the weapons inherit weakness to become more proficient in battle. I think the turtles draw a very close connection with their weapons, since you notice they don't even take them off even when they are just relaxing around the lair. And I was wondering that since most males tend to draw a connection between their "toys" like their cars and their power tools and generally anything physical that gives them a chance to show off their prowess, that maybe the turtles weapons also shaped their indenity and personalities. And how they feel as men.

I have a theory that the the size and amount of metal in the turtles weapons make up their placement of importance in the team and how they are as males.

Let's look at Raphael's sias. Maybe they are some sort of metaphor to how he is viewed as a man. The sia's are a medium sized weapon (as opposed to the bo and the katana) that is mostly defensive (or at least appears to be) and it is sharp and edged, meaning Raphael is masculine but because the sia is a weapon that you need to fight defensively with to survive a battle, it may mean that even though Raphael is masculine he feels he always has to prove it and be aggressive about his masculinity to prove that he has it, hence why he is always moody and angry and cranky and has a short temper since he is actually rather insecure.

the sia like Raphael's personalty is rather sharp and he is always defensive and argessive, like the three prongs on his sia. And yet the sia is a medium sized weapon, which also fit into his position of a male in the group. He is definitely an important male and aggressive about it but he isn't the top male. Hence why his weapon is medium sized, but has the benefit of having lethal blades on it that denote his masculinity.

Now lets look at Don's Bo. Donatello's weapon is a long wooden staff. It has no sharp edges to speak of but its long size compensate for that lack of masculine edge that a bladed three pronged weapon of Raphael's weapon may have. It fits his personality and masculinity quite well. Because Donatello is a clean cut and mellow guy with no hard edges of testosterone to speak of, but his bo is long and a larger weapon than Raphael. Meaning that the position of males, he is ahead of Raph because of the size of his weapon but isn't quite as aggressive as Raph because his weapon lacks blades or sharp edges of any sort. But this doesn't mean he isn't as masculine as Raph it just mean that he doesn't have to prove it like him.

[Sage Ninja]

Lets look at Leo's twin blades. Leonardo can be very reasonably described as being the alpha male. And his weapon and personality certainly denote this. With his twin katanas they are not only big they are bladed and deadly. The katanas are long and sharp and and inflict a lot of destruction in battle. This could Tye into Leonardo's serious take no nonsense attitude and his dedication to ninjisu, Like Leonardo the Katana are sharp straight forward and unyielding, like his leadership skills. And because of this no nonsense and deadly way about him he is normally unopposed by no one excet Raph. In short no one wants to challenge him and try to take his role as top male. Except maybe Raph but I've already mentioned that.

Now you would wonder if Leonardo's masculinity is so undisputed and because he carries the most phallic weapon proving his masculinity. Why then would he need two katanas. A little bit over over kill right? Maybe the two Katannas represent the two sides of his masculinity, maybe he isn't so self assured of it as he likes to lead on. He is on the one hand very determined and powerful and quite intelligent, but on the other hand he does seem susceptible to to fits of insecurity. Maybe because his weapon his such a powerful unyielding blade he also lacks flexibility and that scares him. His whole identity and masculinity relies on on him being poerful enough to protect his family and know what to do in any situation. And when that is threated in any way he has a bit of a break down 9like in season four). His weapon like his nature is so unyielding and rigid that it has the ability to break. So maybe he has two blades because he feels safer with two, instead on one.

now on to Mikey Tee hee. Let's look at Mikey's weapon. Michaelangelo's weapon is the twin nunchukes. They are a wooden weapon that is connected with a chain in the middle of them. Which enables them despite the solidity of the two wooden parts to be able to bend easily and is really very quick and flexible in such a way that the Bo, the sia, and the katana can not. The other weapons are very inflexible weapons that are really quite rigid, and in a sense make them vulnerable. This is true of Michaelangelo's nature unlike the others he has a sort of flexibility to his masculinity that allows him to be less aggressive about it not have to prove that he has it like the others, so much so that he is able to dress up like a girl and not be totally destroyed by it and lose site of who he is and isn't demasculated over it, and thus has a sort of relaxed air about him. The others are less relaxed and more rigid and up tight about them selves. Mike doesn't seem to have this like the others.

The nun chuck is also a medium sized weapon, like Raphael's sias, this means that as far as where Michaelangelo stands in the placement as males is that he is about equal with Raphael. Raph's weapon unlike Michaelangelo has a blade to it so that means that he is slightly above Michaelangelo and there for a more important male. However, even though Mike's weapon has no blatant blades or edges doesn't mean he isn't as powerful (or important) a male as the rest of them. Because Unlike Donatello who has a wooden weapon, Mikes weapon has some metal in it, in the chain that links his chucks together. the fact that his weapon has a harder substance (like metal) to it at all is very interesting. Just because he is usually wacky and in your face doesn't mean he isn't tough and macho, just because the nun-chuck is made of wood and has no blades in it doesn't mean that it isn't still a formidable weapon.

The chain it self in the nun chuck could represent Michaelangelo's un-realized potential at being a great male, but instead of the metal in Mike's weapon being a blatantly sharp blade that shouts it prowess the metal is instead a chain that loops itself into links and becomes a collective system of that is strong and hard metal that is hard to break because it becomes it is strong because it supports itself instead of being pointy and threating like a blade. And it allows it self to be flexible enough to control the two hard blunt ends of the nun-chucks and do all those fantastic moves and be very deadly. Just like Michaelangelo's masculinity. So ultimately its not the size or the sharpness that counts its how you use it.

[Evenstar227]

the Turtles' equipment

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by Evenstar227

the Turtles' equipment

First time I've laughed out loud all day

[Jester]

Indeed, this thread is very Freudian.

That said, April wields a Katana out of penis envy.

That is a really well thought out analogy to the symbolism of their weapons, Sage. Well said!

Though I should point out that the sai doesn't have bladed edges to it. The prongs may be pointy however. And that's if they're custom made to be pointy, because otherwise a real traditional sai is basicly a metal baton with a tapered blunt end that is more often used to attack pressure points than to actually stab through flesh.

Though good point on Raph's aggressiveness due to his short weapons, because when using a short weapon, one does have to be more agressive in combat and take chances leaping into harm's way in combat to get in a strike, as opose to a long reach weapon where the weilder can attack at a safe distance, and there for be more relaxed.

Also, I'd like to make a point that Mikey's weapon, due to it's flail nature, can be both the shortest weapon when folded, and the medium weapon (longer than the sai) when at it's full length. This could suggest Mikey normally being the lowest male in the group (his 'chucks are usually folded when not in use), and yet he has the potential and ability to surpass Raph (due to his weapon extending in combat).

Originally Posted by Jester

April wields a Katana out of penis envy.

I'm going to have to agree with that.

[Spitfire]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but aren't sais meant to be a defensive weapon? I thought the point of them was to disarm. I also seem to remember all the real pairs I've seen being dull.

Interesting subject though.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

That was a funny comic, thanks!

BTW, nobody mentioned Master Splinter. All he has is a flimsy walking stick!

How's a hard wooden stick flimsy? If Splinter's cane was made of foam, then sure, it would be flimsy.

Splinter's cane is basicly a hanbo, which is a Japanese fighting stick about half the length of a regular bo.
In Japanese stick-fighting, there are several different fighting sticks, all with their own length for specialized fighting. From the longest, being the Roku-bo (or just bo), which is on average 6 feet though best customized to be the length of the owner's height. Then there's the jo, which is a four-foot long staff. And as I mentioned, there's the hanbo, which is three feet in length. Then you got two foot long sticks, like the Eskrima battle stick pair. And finally you have sticks so short that they just fit in one hand with an inch poking out at each end of your grip. Those tend to be used for attacking pressure points, and they're even available as part of your key chain as a defensive weapon, which are nice because you can also slash with your keys. haha

[Sage Ninja]

well since the turtles lives depend on their weapons and how well they use them I just figured that it wouldn't be such a stretch of the imagination that their weapons shaped how they see them selves as males and their masculinity. It's like an extension of them selves and the like, in a sence, the physical manifestation of their lethalness and prowess as males.

Like for instance Leo and Raph have the metal weapons and they are by far the more aggressive males of the turtles and both seem to put alot of emphasis and concern on their effectiveness in battle and in domestic situations. They are the ones that are more likely to willfully inflict injury on a enemy than Don and Mikey, and they have the two bladed weapons (I know sias are are genrally blunt but it's a meatal weapon), and I wonder if the nature of their weapon shapped them on how aggressive they are. Sort of like some one a gun is more likely to use it than another.

But then the sias are a diarming weapon and you have to be particularly aggressive with them to fight. this could have been a split reaction with Leo and Raph are concerned that shaped them as men.Where as having the two long lethal blades made Leo more aggressive and lethal and powerful as male since the weapon is naturally effective and his prowess as a male is "natural" because of the power his weapon gives him, Raph has the the sias which even though a bladed weapon isn't a naturally deadly or lethal as the leo's katanas, so in affect has shapped him to be more aggressive and fierce as male to prove his prowess. So Leo and Raph's weapons may have shapped them and how act and view them selves as men.

Leo's natural lethalness with his katana shapped him to be aggressive and powerful but doesn't need to compensate by acting more so. Raph's weapon shapped Raph to be even more agressive to compensate for the weapons inherit weakness and possiably to keep up with leo, making him into the man he is now.

I hope I didn't confuse any one or that my post is even comprehensive to others, I am mixing litteral meaning with symbolysm between the turtle in question, and the weapon and making anolgies between the them.

I was going to get into Don and Mikey and their more milder masulinity and their weapons but I have to finnish studying.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

I never heard or saw Splinter's walking stick in either the TV show or the E&L comic book series described as anything other than a walking stick, and I've seen it broken on several occasions, so I assumed it was not meant as a regular weapon. But you may be right.

Well, sure, it's drawn to look like a regular walking stick, and often the case is that's all it is. But dispite it's crude shape, it still has the length and thickness to be used as a fighting stick.

And yeah, the old series did make his weapon easily breakable, which was just stupid, because it's a solid peice of wood. Not a bread stick. But that series also made Don's bo break often, which was also idiotic because real staves are made of very dense wood. Not the regular kind for furniture and such.

[Lil G]

ha ha ha funny picture i loled all day long ha ha. no but, sage ninja, you make some interesting points. i think that you are correct on everything you wrote.did you think of all that yourself, cuz if you did i would say youre pretty smart.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Type 97 Chi-ha

I never heard or saw Splinter's walking stick in either the TV show or the E&L comic book series described as anything other than a walking stick, and I've seen it broken on several occasions, so I assumed it was not meant as a regular weapon. But you may be right.

May I also go to the old stand by line: "In the hands of a true ninja master anything is a weapon."

[Sage Ninja]

Originally Posted by Lil G

sage ninja, you make some interesting points. i think that you are correct on everything you wrote.did you think of all that yourself, cuz if you did i would say youre pretty smart.

yes I did Lil G I did thankyou very much. though I haven't decided if it means I'm smart or insane.

[Buslady]

Funny how the sai are the only defensive, disarming weapon and Raph's got it...maybe sensei knows the sharp stuff's too dangerous for widdle waffy. heh..

What's it say about his masculinity? That he's got balls to take on a short range weapon unlike the others.

[Jelly Bean]

wow...the turtles weapons represent the turtles masculinity, huh. I never thought about it like that. If all the weapons are symbols of their masculinity than does any one think it's odd that Don and Leo have the most phalicy weapons and Raph and Mikey don't? Don and leo's weapons are long and and Raph and Mikey's...aren't, particularly Mikey's, he has the least phalicy weapon of them all because it isn't pole like at all.

I think what's interesting about the Raph's sia verses Leo's katana is that sia's are designed to disarm swords. So I guess that whole scene in the movie where Raph locks his sias with Leo's swords and breaks them has a whole meaning to it!

[NameGoesHere1066]

of course Mikey has the least phalicy weapon of the four, he's the most effeminent male of the goup. I mean look at the nunchuckes their long or hard like the katana, the sai, or the bo, it's limp. Why do you think Mikey went for that souped up battle armour in FF instead of his chucks in FF? like Starlee said "compensating for something?"

[Raph's Girl]

Originally Posted by Evenstar227

the Turtles' equipment

Poor Raphie.

Leo's actually the only one with an actual weopon. Sais were originally used to plant flowers....it's a farming tool (still is used that way in some countries) Bo's and Nunuck's are also farming tools. Bo's used to carry buckets easier and Nunuck's used to beat wheat.

They only became weopons in the 1600's when the Shogun banned Swords. And really Raph should have 3 sais. 1 with a string around it so he can just get it back everytime without losing it.

[Evenstar227]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

Poor Raphie.

Leo's actually the only one with an actual weopon. Sais were originally used to plant flowers....it's a farming tool (still is used that way in some countries) Bo's and Nunuck's are also farming tools. Bo's used to carry buckets easier and Nunuck's used to beat wheat.

They only became weopons in the 1600's when the Shogun banned Swords. And really Raph should have 3 sais. 1 with a string around it so he can just get it back everytime without losing it.

It seems the exact origins of the sai are lost in the mists of time. I've read a few things that correspond to your info, but then several others (such as this) which say that it's not 100% certain where they came from. This website has some interesting info about the origins of Okinawan kobudo weaponry (which includes the Turtles' arsenal except for Leo's katana):

Most the weapons used in kobu jutsu resemble farming tools employed by the natives of the Okinawa Islands. And there is a popular tale that all the kobu jutsu weapons were developed due to restrictions placed upon the peasants.

In actuality, it is more likely that the use of farm tools were adapted during weapon restriction only because many of the farm tools resembled weapons of the former Dynasty.

As a result, the kobudo weaponry and fighting system was adapted to these traditional farming implements. Modern martial arts scholars have been unable to find historical backing for the various stories that exist concerning these weapons being developed from farming tools.