What's Michelangelo good for?
 

Aside from comic relief for the audience, what does he contribute fighting-wise to the TMNT's battles?

Leo leads and is level-headed, Don's the gadget guy and brainiac, Raph provides aggression and often the catalyst for the plot, but Mike?

Ya, I know there was an old ep with the same title, but it never actually explored the premise.

He won the battle nexus championship, and he beat touch and go. I wouldn't say his useless.

Without Mikey the team would crumble, he provides the heart of the team. I believe there was a thread about which turtles death would have the most impact and mikey got the most votes.

I always thought Leo was more useless of a character then Mikey. Not fighting vise tho. but more "needed character" wise.

The title of this thread is actually a title for one of the original shows episodes

The title of this thread is exactly what I've always been trying to tell these people.

Let Mikey explain:


"My brothers are all so busy being spitefull or serious that it takes someone to lighten the mood and remind then to take it easy once in a while."

From here: http://www.obscurezodiac.com/chapterindex.php

Mikey was literally the first turtle created ! so without him the others wouldnt be :D

First off, I love that comic :).

Second, the way I've always looked at is:

Leonardo tries to shape the world around him with discipline, focus, and practice.

This has been done many, many time before.

Donatello tries to shape the world around him with mathematics and science.

This has been done many, many times before.

Raphael tries to shape the world around him with blind rage, lashing out, anger.

This has CERTAINLY been done many, many times before.

And Mikey? He takes a lighthearted, cheerful, joyous approach. He doesn't care who has the most, or the best... of pretty much anything. He's Robert Frost's most famous poem walking. He IS the road less travelled, the unbeaten path.

And THAT, to me at least, makes him the most "revolutionary" of all the turtles. I mean, can you name the 22nd or 24th Presidents of the United States?

(They were both Grover Cleveland)

But everyone, or at least, probably everyone, can name the little man with the bowler hat and cane, making his way through the big bad confusing world in all those early silent movies.

So, I ask you: who made a bigger difference in the world? President Cleveland, or Charlie Chaplin?

That's why I <3 Mikey :).

When the other turtles could easily take the spots of one, they are pretty much useless in my opinion.

What does Leo got? Leadership? Leo has left enough times that the other turtles leadership skills could easily replace Leo. Without leadership Leo is a pretty plain and easily replaced character.

I think Raph's and Mikey's personality has been most explored so they have become more developed, and have personality traits that easily individualize them apart. Don is pretty well developed as well not as much as Raph and Mikey though in my humble opinion.

For all their fighting skills, I think they all are equal. No one really has been shown to be so horrible in the shows/comics that they are no good.

Now you know what makes us wonder where old Michelangelo is in the comics.

First off Mikey is what keeps the team stable. He is the heart and emotion of the team. He is also raphs and Leo's outlet. The team would be destroyed.

Second without Leo The team would fail. Leo provides important Leadership as well as tactics. He brings balance to the team. He is arguably the best fighter among the brothers, but hands down is the most proficent fighter of the brothers.

Third Raph does bring aggression, but that sounds like a bad trait. Raph brings an more important quality. He brings passion, passion allows someone to fight beyond their normal means. The team would not be able to fight the people the do without him.

Last Don jst isnt nerdy, but he brings technological no how as well as perception. He anilyzes, plans, counters during tough battles, ex(Security, Stealth foot, and more) The team could take on the people they do without him.

This I agree with.

This can also be discussed in the Video Game Discussion part of the Board because Michelangelo is the turtle used in the Gameboy Turtles Game Radical Rescue.

But when it comes to the movies/tv shows, he's good with the jokes and laughter...then again Raphael has the sarcastic humor too.

Michaelangelo is a mad dog :D

Any web you can find these definitions on the balance of 4 general elements applied to all the aspects of the life (work, personalities,friendship....)... it is the western/occidental concept of Ying-Yang...
I will never understand because one renounces the element of AIR...
From any website:..(I didnt change or delete any word)

Leonardo: WATER: Flexibility, adjustment, sensibility, fluency, reservation(reserve), intimacy, pity, need to link itself(himself,herself) emotionally and service.

Raphael: FIRE: Vitality, passion, vehemence, energy, enthusiasm, force, honesty, radiation, abruptness, will, initiative, exaltation and restlessness.

Donatello:LAND: Firmness, stability, tenacity and accumulated energy, search of the concrete thing, practicidad, patience, autodiscipline, caution, safety in the procedures and convention.

Michelangelo:AIR: Freedom, ideas, looseness, change, I centre in his(her,your) mind, analysis, indifference, perspective, verbosity, curiosity, conceptualization and need to socialize.

I believe every turtle serves their role well and supports the others. My opinions on them are gathered from the years of their characterizations across ALL media, but i'd say the comics the least. Leo serves as the "example" of what a leader or great "soldier" should be- a great balance. This isn't his only service, but it's the most obvious one and maybe the most important for the group. Raphael, as mentioned before, has passion and can drive him to extremes, which could lead to good or bad judgement calls. Don has patience and observation, and can remain open-minded and collected in particularly difficult situations. Mike is also observational to a degree and compassionate, and can offer an alternative "outside-the-box" perspective to something and not be so judgmental, and obviously bring levity to a situation.

They all have many characteristics I didn't mention, and some of us choose to like some and disregard others. I wasn't fond of Mike when I was growing up because he was "immature" in his movie and cartoon depictions (too goofy at the time- even for me being a 5 year old) and I didn't think he was funny but everyone else loved him. I see now that every one of them are essential to the "group" and without one they would not be the same. Donatello was always my favorite...which is odd because even at such a young age, I loved him..and now at my age I consider myself most similar to him. I understand why I like him now, but i'm amazed at how my taste hasn't changed for that personality since I was 5. It almost makes me wonder if it played a part in dictating the person I would be.

Dontplaydead27 I have to give a shout out for ur quote

I know this thread has gone off into deeper stuff, but to answer than simple question: He's a trained ninja, he kicks ass even if he's known as a goofball.

Two words: comic relief.

Without him, TMNT would be too serious. It would be beyond gritty and totally humorless. But Mikey brings youth, innocence, and lightheartedness.

And Raph needs a brother that will take the brunt of Splinter's displeasure half of the time anyway.

Maybe in your own fanficiton universe. But all the turtles joke, even in the Mirage Universe.

That is a good point. He's more like the glue holding them together IMO. I'm sure you've noticed he's always in a good mood even when Raph and Leo have their squabbles (squabbles..? why did I use that word)

...people really over exgerate this...:tgrumble:

thankyou...

heh, heh! shameless plug

http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=23589

this is a thread I made about the actual episode from the OT.

this comic lays it on really think with the whole perspective of "you need to smile" aspects of Mike's personality.

Michelangelo is great with the knock-knock jokes.

Also, whenever I have a lot of friends over, and they're from all different parts of my life, I usually invite Mikey to the party. Because he puts everyone at ease, instantly.

Plus, he still has yet to return my rubber chicken.

This will be off topic: I've read your comic by skimming at it. It makes me feel uncomfortable. I can't bear to see the turtles suffer like that. Maybe in the end, Don should time travel back to the day Leo and Raph were possessed, grab the sword to become cursed, and belittle his brothers calling him things he would never say or think. Then have Mikey grab the sword, become curse himself, trying to kill his brothers. As Splinter tries to sacrifice his life, a man who is a descendent of a famous ninja clan will take his life for him. That way Splinter will still be alive, and the four turtles will be together without leaving, and everything will be back to normal again. Would that work?:tsmile: I mean, if you say no, then I'll save that part for my idea.:tsmile:

There you go.:tsmile:

Like I said, Mikey's not useless. He's just lighthearted and a little bit dopey. I've got a character I've created (not TMNT related) who's like Mikey a little bit: book smart, but does not have much common sense. I know. That's not Mikey. Mikey is supposed to be the one with common sense. But they're not morons. They just tend to act like that. That's what I believe. I still think Mikey's cool.

As for Leo (my #1 favorite), you're right about him. If he's gone from the team, his brothers will be powerless. Still, I guess his brothers don't always need him, like the Penguins don't always need Skipper. I mean, when it comes to small villains that rob a bank or carjack, I guess Raph, Mikey, and Donnie could do it without Leo. However, when it comes to villains like The Shredder or the Foot Clan (or even terrorist groups), THAT'S when you'll need Leo. When it comes to the biggest threats, you'll need to bring someone in with ninja experience. As I recall, he's probably the best with that experience (and Jack Bauer:tlol:).

I also agree with Raph having passion. I know he's a hothead, but he's a good person, inside. Why do you think he's after bullies in my "High School Dream" idea? I mean his stories kind of get old when you see the same elements in characters like Wolverine, but I still like him.
Okay so Don's not that nerdy, but I still think there's still a bit of it in him. What do you mean "The team could take on the people they do without him."? I'm guessing this means that villains that are not purely science majors or something may be easy for him than the others. I don't know.:tconfuse:

Wow. This all goes back to the threads I've made. This talk about Mikey can even go back to Turtle Smarts.

http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=34360

Mikey always seems to be the most natural of the group. IMO, he seems to be a fold for Raph (who is hot-headed and aggressive), while Mikey is light-hearted and upbeat. This is is why he's my favorite turtle. He seems the most real, in terms of personality.

You guys take his (Leo's) personality WAY TOO serious, he's not useless in character. Neither is Mikey. Mikey forever!!!

You're one to talk :twink:

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You do know. :tsmile:

Just like I've said: they're not useless at all. Now and then they may appear weak during a few situations. But in the end, heroes come through. They get their mojo back!

There are moments where I've found Leo a weak character . . . until he slices someone's weapons in half! I have to admit, he becomes cooler when he's out onto the surface. Also, Mikey is pretty funny. Probably not Bill Engvall funny, but just likeable and oddball funny. :tgrin:

The way I see it, Michaelangelo gives the collective turtles their personality to the outside world. The other turtles wouldn't think that important. So in a weird way, Mikey's basically their PR guy, lol.