Are the TMMT really superheroes?

[sdp]

Turtles are heroes but each one has a superhero/vigilante persona:

Mikey: Turtle Titan
Raph: The Nightwatcher
Donatello: Dark Turtle

Leonardo is the only one that doesn't have one

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

IMO, no, they are not. Heroes, but without the "super."

They have no super powers (sans a certain movie deciding to make them bulletproof) and rely on skills that stem from what's available to learn in the real world.

And I personally prefer that the "super" part doesn't apply to them (imo). Unlike a bunch of super powered humans, a bunch of mutant Turtle guys are more like us and just trying to make do with what they have to work with.

Nailed it! I mean, yes... they are a team. Yes, they do save the city... and occasionally whole planets... They are not superheroes because they dont really have any of the superhero tropes... also, besides the Foot (and maybe Purple Dragons), they are not really crime fighters either. They don't patrol like Batman.

[Sumac]

Never viewed Turtles as a superheroes, like Batman or Spider-Man. For me they are always were more like "community volunteers" who watched after peace in between training, family time and pizza. Though, of course, this impression has been formed largely by FW series, but I don't think any other TMNT media change it.

This idea, influenced a lot of my writing to the point that characters I write are more like "community volunteers" or agency officers, rather than vigilantes.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by Sumac

Never viewed Turtles as a superheroes, like Batman or Spider-Man. For me they are always were more like "community volunteers" who watched after peace in between training, family time and pizza. Though, of course, this impression has been formed largely by FW series, but I don't think any other TMNT media change it.

This idea, influenced a lot of my writing to the point that characters I write are more like "community volunteers" or agency officers, rather than vigilantes.

That's a good analysis... More than anything, the TMNT are reactive. They just kinda live their lives until trouble comes... but when it comes, they handle it. They're not out there looking for trouble like Batman and they dont have the obligation the way Spidey does either. They're just there to volunteer help if they can... not on a mission to be heroic or whatever.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Luckyday

So if they not portrayed as crime fighters, which I honestly don't mind because them being mutants outcast is intriguing conflict of itself, they are 80% of the time just walking chaos magnets that sometimes fight ninjas because reasons.

Basically. After "Mission Accomplished!" on killing Oroku Saki, they just kind of live their lives.

[Coola Yagami]

IDK... in a certain way the 80's Turtles also rarely patrolled the streets looking for crime to fight. Their main mission was to fight Shredder, it's not their fault he keeps coming back with a new scheme every week. And when he's blasted off into space or the bottom of the ocean or the arctic, Shredder STILL comes back.

There's been episodes where the turtles legit just wanna kick back and do nothing after they think Shredder's gone for good. It's Splinter that keeps bugging them telling them that there's other bad guys out there. I guess they're too scared to talk back and say 'that's what the police are for'.