Thoughts on Fred Wolf's version of the Rat King?

[Prowler]

He was one of my favorite villains form the OT. He was pretty competent and a legitimate threat in every episode he was in. Other than Night of the Rogues I liked every episode he was in, even the 3 episodes where he didn't play much of a role.

And speaking of that, have you noticed that the Rat King was the only villain in the show to actually help the turtles in a few occasions? In his second episode he helps the Turtles find April O'Neil, and in Donatello's Duplicate he tells them where they can find Pinky McFingers and Donatello. Sure he did it just to get back at him, but he still aided them, nevertheless.

Another thing noting is that, he was the most recurring of the secondary villains. In fact, he was in more episodes than big turtle allies/friends such as Casey Jones, Zach and the Neutrinos. From the top of my head he was in at least 10 episodes. 2 of them were he helped the Turtles and 1 of them where he was caught in the crossfire between the Turtles and the Shredder(Pizza by the Shred). It seems that the writers really liked him and always had something for him to do. Not to mention that he was one of them few villains of the show to get proper closure. Not even Bebop and Rocksteady had such privilege.

I think that if the OT had been a more serious cartoon, the Rat King wouldn't really have been a villain but someone who'd fight or cooperate with the Turtles depending on the situation. He had a lot of potential.

What about you? What did you think of Fred Wolf's incarnation of the Rat King?

[CyberCubed]

He's one of the best incarnations of the character. He also got the most appearances of any recurring villain, he appeared more than Baxter.

[Powder]

He's by far my favorite all around. Character design, personality, motive, etc. Perfect.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I also like how he fights with Leatherhead in some episodes, and works with him in others.

[FlogginMcMurryZombiePizza]

He's interesting... I been wanting to draw him but I dont really like his costume in the OT... I can't really figure it out or why he would wear such stuff... like, ribbons or whatever across his nose and so on.

But I never disliked the character, and I did like him better than the other, more bumbling villains.
Really the only "threats" of the show were Krang, Shredder and Rat King. Leatherhead had a few moments of being legitimately dangerous... like in Season 3 in his 2nd appearance... and he was mostly thwarted by Rat King there.

My biggest gripe is... what is he wearing? lol It's just... silly. Leathers? I dunno haha His powers or cause was a bit unrealistic but... really... he was the most sane (it's a stretch) and "normal" in comparison to the rest of the villains.

I dont remember him actually aiding Shredder or Krang at all...
Anyways, if it doesn't sound like I like him, I do. I just wish I had seen the Nick show by now to compare him. And I do want the Nick figure.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I dont remember him actually aiding Shredder or Krang at all...


Watch "Night of the Rogues"

[cammy85]

Watch "Night of the Rogues"

AND Season 8's "Wrath of the Rat King".

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Aside from Shredder and Krang, he was my favorite villain from that show. I liked him so much, I've even included him in a rather large role in my on-going TMNT tale. (He wasn't in the original draft, but when I re-wrote it, I decided he HAD to appear!) I always thought he was the creepiest and conceivably the most dangerous threat to them, because of his command of rats- and Splinter by extension. He brought the entire city to a standstill in his FIRST appearance! Even Shredder and Krang rarely managed that. And his bandage wrap/animal hide attire made him seem kind of- disturbing. I always thought he skinned them himself, which is a whole new level of weird.

[Pterobat]

He's a pretty righteous dude.

I like that the FW Rat King is the closest thing the cartoon has to a neutral villain: sometimes helping the Turtles, sometimes being a villain, or just showing up right the heck out of nowhere.

Also, that he's a little bit creepy in a way that no other FW villain is, such as the vaguely stalkery attitude he took towards April in a few appearances. That also makes him funny.

[mikey22]

he should definitely be in a movie

imagine a dark rat king villian in a movie

woudl scare everybodyyy- even the jokerrrrr

loved him in the red sky episode too w/ those massive rats

[Prowler]

He's a pretty righteous dude.

I like that the FW Rat King is the closest thing the cartoon has to a neutral villain: sometimes helping the Turtles, sometimes being a villain, or just showing up right the heck out of nowhere.

Also, that he's a little bit creepy in a way that no other FW villain is, such as the vaguely stalkery attitude he took towards April in a few appearances. That also makes him funny.
His voice helped.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

He's a pretty righteous dude.

I like that the FW Rat King is the closest thing the cartoon has to a neutral villain: sometimes helping the Turtles, sometimes being a villain, or just showing up right the heck out of nowhere.

Also, that he's a little bit creepy in a way that no other FW villain is, such as the vaguely stalkery attitude he took towards April in a few appearances. That also makes him funny.

He seems too have even deeper conflicts with Channel 6 staff than Shredder.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Agreed. Wolf's Rat King had the best VA of any version.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think it was good to have him in just some episodes, and not overuse him.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

My problem with the Rat King is that though he might have been a scary character because of his power over rats, he seemed almost pointless in a way.

First, unlike everyone else, he had no origins (that I know of), and when he appeared, he didn't seem to do that much with his potential power. Who was he, and what were his goals? It seems he could have done more than just stealing a pizza and art objects from a museum.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

And speaking of that, have you noticed that the Rat King was the only villain in the show to actually help the turtles in a few occasions?

In one of the original episodes, Krang threatens to sabotage Shredder's plans to defeat the Turtles on every possible occasion until Shredder builds Krang the robot body he wanted, and when Shredder ties up Donatello to a chair, Krang unties him and tells him how to thwart Shredder's plans.

[CyberCubed]

My problem with the Rat King is that though he might have been a scary character because of his power over rats, he seemed almost pointless in a way.

First, unlike everyone else, he had no origins (that I know of), and when he appeared, he didn't seem to do that much with his potential power. Who was he, and what were his goals? It seems he could have done more than just stealing a pizza and art objects from a museum.

What I liked about him most is they didn't give him a backstory. That's why he always had a sense of mystery about him.

[turtle1237]

In one of the original episodes, Krang threatens to sabotage Shredder's plans to defeat the Turtles on every possible occasion until Shredder builds Krang the robot body he wanted, and when Shredder ties up Donatello to a chair, Krang unties him and tells him how to thwart Shredder's plans.

That was Mike, Not Donatello.

[ssjup81]

In one of the original episodes, Krang threatens to sabotage Shredder's plans to defeat the Turtles on every possible occasion until Shredder builds Krang the robot body he wanted, and when Shredder ties up Donatello to a chair, Krang unties him and tells him how to thwart Shredder's plans.Oh that was Mikey not Donny.

[Prowler]

My problem with the Rat King is that though he might have been a scary character because of his power over rats, he seemed almost pointless in a way.

First, unlike everyone else, he had no origins (that I know of), and when he appeared, he didn't seem to do that much with his potential power. Who was he, and what were his goals? It seems he could have done more than just stealing a pizza and art objects from a museum.
He wanted to take over the city and then the world with his minions(rats). Obviously a quite insane plan, but this is a man who believes he's a rat.

Yes, he didn't have origins, and to be honest, that never bothered me. Don't know why, but I'm just fine with him being a nutcase living in the sewers who loves rats.

And he tried to get Splinter on his side by playing the flute that put every rat under his control.

In one of the original episodes, Krang threatens to sabotage Shredder's plans to defeat the Turtles on every possible occasion until Shredder builds Krang the robot body he wanted, and when Shredder ties up Donatello to a chair, Krang unties him and tells him how to thwart Shredder's plans.

Hmm, good call. I've always wondered how Shredder would react if he ever found that Krang helped Michelangelo escape. Krang probably regretted that decision every single day, anyway.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Hmm, good call. I've always wondered how Shredder would react if he ever found that Krang helped Michelangelo escape. Krang probably regretted that decision every single day, anyway.

Undoubtedly Shredder would have rubbed that fact into Krang's face, and would use that every time Krang would scold Shredder for messing up. :lol:

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

He wanted to take over the city and then the world with his minions(rats). Obviously a quite insane plan, but this is a man who believes he's a rat.

Yes, he didn't have origins, and to be honest, that never bothered me. Don't know why, but I'm just fine with him being a nutcase living in the sewers who loves rats.

And he tried to get Splinter on his side by playing the flute that put every rat under his control.



Hmm, good call. I've always wondered how Shredder would react if he ever found that Krang helped Michelangelo escape. Krang probably regretted that decision every single day, anyway.

I doubt he used to belive he was a rat. He knew he was human, but just refered to himself as a rat once in a rhetorical way of talking.

[Desslok]

Such a fun, crazy villain. There was an exchange between him and April that I think summed up his character pretty well:

Rat King: My devoted rodent followers and I are establishing a new form of government in these sewers, a RAT-OCRACY, and I AM THEIR LEADER!

April: Oh brother. You're also nuttier than a truck load of fruitcakes

:lol:

[dkram230]

My first thought: "That guy is a major CREEPER!!"

[turtle1237]

My first thought: "That guy is a major CREEPER!!"

Sort of dressins like the Creeper too.

[pannoni1]

OT's Rat King even had a catchphrase: "My loyal subjects." He was written to be a monarch by using his rats to disturb the outsiders and kidnap people to later use them as servants to the rats. That pied piper flute which briefly turned Splinter against the Turtles was fairly dramatic, and the smoke bombs were a fun weapon. That said, its interesting that he would help the Turtles find April by posting a clue at the Channel 6 building. His final appearance was the best when he sided with Krang to attempt to mutate his rats. Townsend Coleman did a good job giving him an edge to his laughter.