Vigilantism
 

What I've wondered is how what the TMNT do doesn't fall under the category of vigilantism? Basically, vigilantism means seeking out justice to criminals, just without government approval, like with the police or the military. So it's like serving as a member of the force, just without actually being a member of which. Naturally, the goal of vigilantism is to seek out and punish wrong-doers, whether that means threatening them, beating them up just enough to teach them a lesson, beating them and binding them for the police, or in some cases kill them should the need for lethal force arise, and hopefully before their crimes end up hurting any innocents. Vigilantism is not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes even people who act out of pure self-defense/defense-of-others (ex: Paul Kersey, Death Wish) are deemed vigilantes, though in most cases its meant to point at those who strike the criminals before they get a chance to strike...is it really right if and when the police are too slow to respond to wait until the last minute, 'til you or someone other innocent's at gunpoint until you make a quick reflex action to pull out a gun, knife, etc. and strike a criminal down just so it can legally be declared self-defense, or is it better to go out and strike them while their guards down if you know the police are to slow and with these specific criminals, it's either you (innocents) or them? I believe if and when there's any difference between honor and vigilantism, it's based on nothing but the degree of the use of violence and its degree of necessity in any given situation.
But anyway, the point of this isn't to decide whether vigilantism is acceptable or not, it's to determine whether or not what the turtles do falls under the subject. Because it seems to me when it comes to dealing justice, it's either one of these two things: you're a member of the force, or you're a vigilante...I don't see any other way to classify it.

Being a vigilante is wrong in my opinion...I mean...people do deserve a fair trial. However, if someone is in danger, and it's a spur of the moment thing, I find it totally acceptible to do what is neccessary. I like the comic turtles where they don't even act as vigilanties, until it is brought up in city at war with them talking about how they aren't the heroes of the city. I always liked that aspect...they aren't the town superheroes...they're just teenagers who happen to be ninjas.

Nightwatcher was a vigliante in the new movie so was Casey

Bascially almost all sueprheroes are vigilantes.

Well, Casey has always been a vigilante, hasn't he? In every incarnation I can think of, he never stops being one until he hooks up with April, and even then he sorta keeps going sometimes (like the new movie).

i think the only medium where the turtles can be considered vigilantes is the old toon. In the old toon the turtles activily appointed them selves protectors of the city and patroled around looking for offenders (Shredder or other wise) and went of their way to solve crimes that didn't neccasarily affect them at Splinter's urgings.

In other mediums like the new toon and the first live action movies the turtles seem less like vigilantes since go looking trouble because more often than not trouble finds them.

In the movie verse, they were definitely vigilantes. Remember the opening scene and Splinter's first speech with them after they saved April. Remember Leo's little quote, "We have had our first battle master Splinter. There were many, but we kicked, uh, I mean we fought well!"

Splinter even had his own little phrase, "strike hard and fade away without a trace". And in a sense, the Turtles becoming vigilantes of some sort was probably Splinter's best way to give them a meaning of purpose in their lives, seeing how they would never be accepted in the regular world.

The Turtles are vigilantes, but so what? In the real world it's usually scary when someone takes matters into their own hands, but in the comic book world it makes the world a better place. Instead of someone like Bruce Wayne getting themselves killed, they end up making their city safer.

Vigilantism is part of the fun of comics, like radiation giving people superpowers.

oh so true... IRL even Superman would have had the U.S Army trying to nuke his ass...

Shredder
 

In the 1987 cartoon, the TMNT's original ambition was to find the one who was responsible for Splinter becoming a rat, and force that one to re-mutate Splinter into a human again.

That's a good point...

On a separate note though, I LOVE when the turtles are just regular teenagers trained for years and years, just to avenge Splinter...he's kinda their puppets, and if you wanna look at it in a certain way it makes him more of a black and white character...He's a good natured person, but he's kinda using his sons for revenge...its really interesting. But anyways, the idea of City at war, and the turtles going out of their way to clean up the mess they "made" by getting rid of the Shredder, is so much cooler when the turtles arent usually looking for a fight....except Raph of course:lol:

It always bothered me in the OT when they would say that they aren't. (i.e. in Corperate Raiders from D X.)

Plus Leo pissed me off in TMNT 07 for being so anti-Nightwatcher.

:lol:

He really didn't bother me, just the whole incident made me look at him like some sort of a hipocrit.

It's a shame really, to see the Nightwatcher living such a short life, they easily could have made a spin off series on him alone. Who here didn't think Raphael looked totally cool in that leather oufit, burning up the streets on his bike!

It was interesting to see him take on a new persona, but really, what would the point be of being the Nightwatcher once the team is back together?

Dunno, but it would be cool to see that suit more while fighting as a team. Kinda like Archie Raph with his black wrestling suit.