Why was one of the Punk Frogs named Rasputin?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

Rasputin is a name in Russian that means the "Debotched one" Since the punk frogs were meant to be alternates of the Turtles under Shredder's control in their first outing, Rasputin was meant to be Donatello's alternate. Rasputin in history was a mystical adviser and became involved in the Czar's court because of his prophetic visions and healing abilities.

One of the last prophecies was of the fall of Tsar Nicolas II and his family, which came true 15 months after his murder at the hands of Count Yusupov.

One of the myths surrounding Rasputin was that he was a secret puppet master controlling the Tsar and the Tsarina from the shadows. And another myth said he supposedly had an affair with the Tsarina.

I had no idea of any of this, very interesting. Thanks for the info!

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

One of the myths surrounding Rasputin was that he was a secret puppet master controlling the Tsar and the Tsarina from the shadows. And another myth said he supposedly had an affair with the Tsarina.

This is what I heard as well through possible brainwashing or some other form of manipulation. So yeah, a hero he wasn't.

[victory_angel]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

This is what I heard as well through possible brainwashing or some other form of manipulation. So yeah, a hero he wasn't.

Myth 3: He was Russia’s secret ruler

Because of his constant presence in the royal court, whispers grew that Rasputin was acting as a puppet master over the royal couple. Alexandra’s growing dependence on Rasputin and his apparent healing abilities with her hemophilic son only exacerbated these rumors. Occasionally, the monk did offer military advice as well as medical help, but his ideas never proved beneficial for the Russian army or Tsar Nicholas personally. In fact, after Tsar Nicholas took personal control over his armies on Aug. 23, 1915, under the advice of Rasputin and the Tsarina Alexandra, the Tsar became the target of blame for Russia’s battlefield defeats. Meanwhile, with the Tsar away fighting, a vacuum of leadership was filled by the Tsarina. Here, the myth does approach the truth. Though the Tsarina was in charge, Rasputin did wield great power as her adviser. The mystic healer wasted no time in appointing his own church ministers and other public officials.

So it seems while he wasn't completely villainous like some history would have us believe. He was obviously shady.

Myth 4: He was impossible to kill

Rasputin’s behavior and influence came to symbolize everything negative in Russian politics and society at the time. Even prior to his final assassination, other attempts on his life were made. In June of 1914, a beggar woman stabbed the monk in the stomach, claiming he was seducing the innocent. Rasputin made a full recovery, even though he had lost a lot of blood and was close to death after the incident.

Two years later, a group of nobles led by a man named Felix Yusupov plotted to get rid of the holy man once and for all. On Dec. 30, 1916, Yusupov invited Rasputin to dine at his home. After a heavy meal, complete with wine and dessert, all supposedly heavily laced with poison, the men looked on, as amazingly, Rasputin showed no symptoms that the poison was having an effect on him. The men proceeded to shoot Rasputin, who, according to legend still drew breath after a barrage of bullets and only died after he was thrown into an ice-cold river to drown. However, while Rasputin’s death was in fact plotted by Yusupov and other nobles, autopsy reports show that no poison was found in Rasputin’s system and that he seems to have died from a single bullet to the head.

On March 15, 1917, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the Russian throne as a result of the February Revolution. The following year, Bolsheviks eliminated the last vestiges of the Romanov dynasty. But myths about Rasputin endured—and, underneath those myths, there does reside some truth. Several historians have speculated that Rasputin’s influence did indeed play a role in the contempt for the royal household and everything it came to represent. The tale of Rasputin indeed shows that mythology can take a life of its own, and grow to become more important than the truth.

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

I always figured that was the joke, that one of the frogs names didn't quite fit the category.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I don't think it was so much conquerors as infamous historical figures with bad reputations. Attilla, Ghengis, and Napoleon were no saints, either! (He could have added Nero or Caligula instead of Rasputin, but I think he was going for more subtle "power" on that one.) All in all, they were ALL powerful figures in one way or another.