TMNT: Blood Brothers or Family by Adoption?
 

So, the "4 Shades of Green" thread got me thinking:
Do you prefer your Turtles to be Blood Brothers of an Adopted Family?

Personally, I think I prefer adoptive family, mainly because it fits the franchise the best. The Turtles, Splinter, April, and Casey are all one big happy family....not by blood, but by their shared camaraderie. It really seems played up in the 1st movie in the whole Turtle Family vs. Foot Family dynamic.

What say you?

i agree with your statement. Adopted Family is way closer sometimes as blood related.

Blood brothers, for all the reasons in the other thread. I also prefer red bandanas.

At first, I preferred related by blood, but overtime started to appreciate adopted. I mean, Splinter's obviously not their biological father, so does it have to matter if the Turtles came from the same clutch of eggs if they're going to remain close as a family? Having a close bond to whom you consider family isn't mutually exclusive to being biologically related. Hell, in most cases, like IDW with Casey's dad/Hun, being related by blood means absolute jacks*it because that relationship is so strained and had a lot of abuse built-up into it.

So I think I'll just put down as "No preference/who cares" since I feel both approaches are fine and have value depending on the continuity.

I feel like even if you prefer them blood brothers, they still have to be family by adoption since you know, Splinter being a rat and all. Then you can toss in April and Casey as one big happy family.

But I'm a fan of blood brothers myself...and red bandanas too.

Doesn't matter either way. They were raised together since birth (or mutation, at least).

My preference is that they are Family, so closely united (even with bickering) that it never occurs to you to wonder or realize which it is.

Staring angrily at YOU, Next Mutation. Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done!!!

I don't really have a preference.
If they are from the same clutch, age difference would be measured in hours or perhaps a day or two, yet it plays a fairly major role in at least some of their incarnations, so from that standpoint, adoption would make more sense.
On the other hand, the chances that 4 baby turtles purchased from the same pet shop on the same day by the same person would be from different clutches are pretty much nil, so if we go that route, they pretty much HAVE to be blood brothers.

It never mattered to me.

I always assumed they were blood brothers. I love the idea that they could find out if they really wanted to, but no one wanted to know the exact truth because it just didn't matter to them (or maybe it would matter but it might effect their relationship and they'd rather just not?). If it didn't matter to them then I'm not too concerned with it. They act like siblings. They love eachother like siblings. They work together and bicker like siblings. They're siblings regardless of their lineage.

I prefer to consider them blood siblings with, of course, adoptive family, so that way both elements are there.

I kinda like the thought that somewhere they originally shared a set of regular little turtle parents... if they had any clue or ability to comprehend what became of four of their babies their little turtle minds would be blown. :)

Back then there wasn't all these Pet Smart, Petco and other big chain pet stores; it could very well have been only a small family-owned pet shop who's critters came from a local person rather than some turtle version of a puppy mill (so to speak), and if that were the case then very likely from the same clutch/breeder.

I have no preference, to be honest. Both way, if they were blood related or not, they will still behavie like a family.

Actually, I really am happy either way. Having said that, I quite like the idea that blood doesn't matter. Splinter is no less a father to them without a blood or even species connection.

I dunno how the specific species of turtles works out lifespan-wise but I think a storyline where they discover their birth parents are alive and struggle with the decision of if they should try to mutate them could be interesting.

Brings to mind Michelangelo shedding a tear in the beach in "Turtles Turtles Everywhere" (Fred Wolf) saying the giant sea turtle reminded him of his Mum, and of Raphael sobbing into April's shoulder in "The Mother of all Anger" (Tales of the TMNT), crying for his mother.

Family is family, regardless of whether that family is genetic or not.
The turtles are brothers, even if they're not the same species or from the same clutch. Just like Splinter is their father, regardless of whether he's a rat or a man.

Both. Considering they were sold/bought from a pet store before their mutation and are all the same age, I'd assume it's very likely they're genetically related and came from the same... uh, what's the turtle version of "litter"? Whatever that is. :trazz:

But adopted family is what the series is all about. Splinter adopted the Turtles and is the only father they've ever known. They've "taken in" adopted family members in April and Casey, as well as several others in the various adaptations, and those bonds are just as strong. Their family has never been about what they were born into, but what they built.

So yeah - I personally think they're blood brothers, but whether or not they're genetically related has never been important.

Even the '87 cartoon totally downplayed the family aspect, right? I can't recall if it was always the case, but I feel like Splinter was specifically called their sensei and they were his students, not father and sons.

I really don't have a preference myself and feel that either way works for the series. Even if they are blood brothers, they're still adopted into Splinter's family, so they would still be the adopted sons of Splinter. I say whatever they want to do works for me.

Speaking of extended adopted family, makes me wonder if Splinter/Yoshi's own parents are still around; if so it might be nice to see them come into the picture a little.

How they cross that bridge over the mutation thing and get them ok with it... who knows, but the Turtles meeting their adoptive grandparents would be too cute. Didn't grow up with a mom in the picture, but here's your grandma eager to spoil you with love - once she/they have come to terms with suddenly gaining four Turtley grandsons of course. (Not to mention these poor people would finally find out that Yoshi and their granddaughter are alive. But maybe leave a reunion until after Karai is home and ok... then leave her safe in their care.)

Yeah, it would be, definitely some moral questions to face in a situation like that and if the existence that we/they live is as suprior to that of other creatures as we are prone to think.

Did they ever explain their relation in any of the series? I know they've called each other brothers before but did they say it because they are a family or did they say it because they are literally brothers?

My only preference is that it not be confirmed they're biologically related. Best never to know.

Even though that was totally their relationship, you're right. The series was weirdly consistent about sticking to "Master" and "pupils." Like, so weirdly consistent compared to anything else in that show I almost wonder if it was in some kind of production bible.

I mean, it actually makes sense based on that version of the characters: that's the one major version where the Turtles were mutated fully formed into teenagers from day one. Splinter didn't raise them from infancy, so it makes sense that a father-and-sons bond wouldn't be as strong as the other versions.

That show just never had family or emotional connection at its core. Even beyond all the goofy/weird interpretations and tonal disconnect from the source material, that's the main thing that makes the '87 cartoon just feel "off" to me. It's still funny to me that the most widely-remembered, widely-"nostalgized" version of the property would be such an anomaly amongst all the rest, but... hey, we're all used to that by now.

I feel the same way- except for the bandana part. I still prefer the varied colors.



Yup. I've been saying this all along. It makes sense when you know a bit about the pet-breeding and selling aspects. Based on that alone, they would almost certainly be related.



This is very true, and I'll add that I've had an idea or two fro doing exactly that, and having them try to hunt down where they originally came from to see if their parents were still alive, or at least learn the truth. Haven't gotten very far with it, though.



As mentioned above, I've thought of doing this, maybe I should pursue it. Could be an interesting concept.



I remember that, actually. I always liked that episode for it's "Save the Earth" message, as well as the sentimental aspect at the end.



True enough, but Splinter DID call them "my sons" and refer to them as "brothers" a few times. And it was also implied in one or two episodes that they had grown up with him for MUCH longer than the flashbacks seem to indicate. There are a couple of mentions of them having been "little" once before, in the episodes where one or more of them are de-aged.



I read a story on Stealthy Stories (I think it was) where Mikey (the Nick version) wanted to find Splinter's mother and went so far as to contact her on Nick's version of FB. It was cute, and also kind of bittersweet.

Yes, that story was by Rachel Erica, but I don't think she's finished it yet. It's a very sweet read though. Can't remember the exact title name though.

Has there ever been a TMNT universe where Donatello has used his science skills to determine if they are blood relkated. It seems like it would be really easy for him to figure it out, if they wanted to know.

What kind of kid actually talked his parents into getting 4 of the same pet at once is what I wanna know.

Perhaps all of TMNT hinges on a buy one get one sale at the pet store?