April's character
 

guys...I usually don't have anything bad to say about TMNT 2012 (cause I love it XD) but something has been bugging the heck outta me...:(

it's April.....and her development? she just doesn't seem to be her own character....

everyone here almost always associates her with Donnie.......isn't that a problem?......it's always Donnie and her this....Donnie and her that....well what about April just doing stuff for April or with other characters???

don't get me wrong
my problem isn't that she's a love interest to Donnie...my problem is that's ALL her character seems to have time for.

she's either worrying about her father...training....or in some scenario with Donnie. she doesn't seem to have time to build a relationship with the turtles (except Don) or just hang out....she says she's like a sister..but I have a hard time seeing it. (I can only name 3 times she's done something different...and each were extremely short moments)


I know she's not supposed to show up EVERY episode...but when she does, I expect her to do something other than just be driven by the plot
I mean she hasn't shown up for 2 episodes.....and the first thing that's mentioned when she does is Don's crush on her....

I...kinda hope next season she isn't anyones love interest...not Don's...or Casey's....I just want to like April.

I just need to know if I'm alone here.....(end rant)

(I think the only scene that made me happy was when Leo went to her for his girl problems)

I'm probably in the minority, but I don't really care to much about April. Never have.

I'm sadly starting to not care either...she's become "that" girl to me now...

I've always loved April...but for the first time Karai is becoming my favorite.

Mmm, I don't know. We've seen quite a bit of her personality so far, and since it's a show about turtles, it's reasonable that she doesn't get as much screentime as the others. I'm sure, however, that we'll see her being more developed once she becomes a kickass companion for the turltes (whenever that happens).

Karai is a completely different character, and I don't really think that her being you favorite has anything to do with the level of development that April had so far. It's just that Karai, as a character, is much more interesting for numerous reasons.

In episodes that focus on her she gets a decent amount of development.

but that's just it...I want to see her personality before she becomes a kick-butt girl. why do we need to wait?

I saw April's personality in 2003....and she didn't know how to kick butt till....what season 2? or season 3?

I don't think that's a good excuse. :(

I really like it when Donnie goes all Socially Awkward Turtle around her. I'm sorry, but that's enough for me. :D

she should'nt just have to be the girl that makes Donnie socially awkward should she?? ..thats my problem..

she should be a little more....

2k3's April was much older than this one, so that could account for the added personality.

Oh, don't be silly! If they waste time actually developing characters, they can't introduce random mutants every week :|

xD

Well, after TCRI, we should have come to the conclusion that this was going to happen. Makes it kind of hard for April to be her and do her own thing when she becomes priority #1 to everyone and her development would be solely based on why The Kraang want her.

Personally I don't think they could reveal anymore, heck they only revealed a couple things about her development and the story has changed dramatically every time.

Baby steps were needed here to start, but the finale is pretty much going to answer everything we're wondering about so I personally don't think it's much to be bugged about.

it's not revealing stuff about her character that I want....

I want to see her personality. I want to see her interacting with the turtles more......she doesn't NEED an episode....just a couple more scenes......some of them could have been switch out for those Donnie/April scenes.

I mean has she ever TALKED to Raph?? once or twice maybe?

Even though it does make me worried, I'm sure once the others characters like Irma start appearing in the show, we'll have interactions which will help to flesh out her character and are not just Donnie and April.

I guess you're right....It just kinda sucks that season 1 is almost over and we didn't get much from her other than a love interest 60% of the time....I mean she has the other turtles to talk to....it shouldn't have to be only Don and April...

Do plot twists count as character development? You do bring very valid points though: the writers are clearly hiding stuff, and by overexposing us to April, they might be inclined to give something away before schedule. However, I don't see how a few random 'character moments' at the lair would have been detrimental in any way. A talk with Leo, a fun moment with mikey; anything that would make April more relatable. After all, so far all our interaction with her has been very plot driven, and there hasn't really been any 'off' moments in which she just chimed in a conversation without serving any specific plot idea.

Well if I was being chased by a mutant pigeon and then got laughed at on multiple occasions talking about my peril by Raph like it was all a big joke, I probably wouldn't want to talk to him either. :D

This!! this is what I meant!! XD

April is a very important part of the Turtles live. Shes there only human companion in the real world

I'm not saying she isn't....I just want to be proved it.

they want to make sure she's safe....but they don't seem close...they don't feel close..(again except Don)

a few more scenes with them goofing off.....or spending some random time together would have helped....

I don't know what you guys are talking about, this incarnation of April is the best version they have done. Besides it can't be helped if April doesn't get as much air time as the turtles since it is there show not hers and it's only the first season. I would like to see her get more air time and interact more with the other turtles, not just Donnie and Splinter, and some human characters like her aunt and human friends. But I still think she has more character development then Karai or any of the other villians.

Maybe she will develop more as a character in the 2nd season since shes getting some Ninja trainer from Splinter as well.

that would be nice and I'm sure she will.....

I just hope with Casey coming she doesn't go back to being just a love interest...

I agree. Although her and Donnie's relationship is cute, I don't want to see April be used as a "prop" if you will. I'm sure her role will get better after the whole Kraang thing.

Keep in mind though, it's only been 2 episodes since she's been "forced" to live with them, which she didn't want to do in the first place. Storyline wise, April would still be in the "Why do I have to stay down here" period, probably not in the mood to want to talk to anyone. The fact that in the finale promo, she was captured on the surface (And appeared to be alone) should tell ya how she feels about having to live in the sewers. Not too swell.

...well IDK...she was supposed to be living with them...but we didn't see her there for 2 episodes....she could have gotten adjusted by then.

it would have been nice to see her get adjusted....that would have been a nicer filler than Parasitica (and Mikey's my favorite character)

This post pretty much sums up my problems with April in the Nick show.

The show loves to tell us how much Splinter and the Turtles care about her, how great she is as a character, but we never actually see that. I fully agree that her best moment so far was her talk with Leo - I genuinely love that scene, and it's because we see April actually interacting with one of the Turtles as her friend - not as a potential love interest, not as a plot point, as a friend.

I don't need her to be a ninja. I don't need her to be a love interest. I just need her to feel like a well written, fleshed out character. If she ends up being that, a ninja, and a love interest? Great! But it's such a waste of a character to throw real character development out the window.

(I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! XD)

It makes perfect sense to make her ninja unless you want a useless damsel in distress who can't defend herself and is the most easily kidnapped character ever like in OS series. Though it will be awhile before she gets good enough for it to matter though.

that's how I feel! and that's what I want....

I would love to see an episode where she actually FIGHTS Karai.

Maybe it's because I'm old and cynical, but I don't mind a character being used just as a plot device. Especially when the result is so funny and cute. I kind of washed my hands of the whole April thing when I realized she's nothing like the OT April. That being said...I really believe they will develop her more, so cheer up. :anime: It's not like they can just cast aside a core character like April once the gags get old.

Just because someone's not a ninja doesn't make them useless. I'm not saying turn her into OT April, but there are plenty of things she can do without ninja skills. Heck, she's already done things without ninja skills.

Again, I'm not saying "don't make her a ninja", I'm saying I care more about her being fleshed out. The only reason I personally am not a huge fan of the ninja angle is because it's a kids show so they are going to rush her development. I give it two seasons before she can fight on even ground with Karai (though I'm hoping I'm wrong).

I guess I just don't want April to be used like that. (at least not most of the time)
especially since we don't have enough female characters. :(

but you're right..I should cheer up...I'm sure season 2 will handle her better :)

I completely agree that April's development in this series is totally lacking and that's a real shame. She's always been one of my favorite characters and now...bleh. She HAS been reduced to "Donnie's crush" (and likewise I often feel Don's own development has been stunted as well as he's been transformed into the "turtle with the awkward crush") and we never see her with anyone other than him or Splinter.

I'm also not a huge fan of the whole "April training to be a ninja" either, and that's never really sat right with me in any version of her. To me, April was always that "real" person, the one the viewer could identify with who is thrown into this crazy world of ninjas and has to take care of herself the best way she knows how. This absolutely does not mean she's weak and helpless (hell, even 1st film April had some guts trying to knock some Foot out with her bag instead of running and screaming before she was knocked out), simply that she really is an average girl and not someone who can pick up fighting skills just like that. IDW April handles the issue of her fighting pretty nicely since she essentially wanted to learn to protect herself as many young women in college do, but she hasn't jumped up to become some crazy fighter which is how it should be since learning the basics and actually becoming GOOD at them takes time and diligence. Still, Nickelodeon seems adamant about turning her into some hardcore ninja, so I'm not holding my breathe that she'll be portrayed as anything less fairly soon.

i still have yet to have a problem with how theyre treating april. that being said, if it continues like this, it will get annoying then.

Finale, shes captured, is needed for the invasion, probably be rescued by turtles. ok. sweet.

2nd season, i would hope her kunoichi skills would kick in, maybe go out on missions, interact like the turtles with each other, become a more knowledgeable and useful character, like above casey and irma, rather than always being the one being "needy" (hope this makes sense).

I getcha :D

in the first part of the season she wasn't but the second part she became a little "needy" huh :3 but aliens are after her XD

I would love to see a scene where April is laying on the couch or something and reading a magazine in the background of the turtle lair. Something to show that she is there but not attached to the turtles. Much like they show Donnie or Mikey in the background while Leo and Raph are watching Space Heroes (I think Raph secretly likes the show).

i know, i know, but like, April (thought she) needed help with karai, april needed rescued from dogpound, April needed saved from the pigeon, from Ms Campbell. And just her personality comes off as a little more, i dont know, timid, like shes still not on the same level of mentality as the turtles.
again, i have no problem with this so far, i love this incarnation of april, but hope she starts developing.
Like, can handle herself better in battle, figures some things out on her own, acts more confident.

she seemed confident at first....when she went alone to that kraang hideout XD

she's gonna need a little help, since she's not a skilled fighter yet...

but she will be....I presume.

Again, i think shes a great character, just hope some of her developments start soon:twink:

I hope she develops a better personality but for some reason I don't really care for her to become a fighter.

I'd vote personality over fighter any day

but

http://i.imgur.com/AsLwZqJ.gif