How would April's death impact the Turtles?
 

This goes for any incarnation, the two cartoons, the Mirage universe, any of them.

How would the Turtles lives and personalities be impacted by April's death? In nearly all versions April was the Turtles first contact to the human world and their closest human friend.

If April died, especially from a villain or in a situation where they were unable to save her, how would they be impacted? I'm really curious as to how each Turtle would deal with their own views on the loss of their closest friend.

I honestly believe April will die of natural causes. Unless you count the binky way she was created in Mirage- which complicates things a lot.

But when she passes away, the Turtles will miss her but will accept that humans do not live as long as mutant turtles.

I think that would make a great issue of Tales! I'd love to see it, even though it would make me pretty sad.:cry:

Things may get done much faster! Ha ha just kidding. They just would lose their source in villain history and such. I don't think her death would necessarily change their personalities on a count of they had those same personalities before they even met her. If it were a villain that killed her, they may just try to avenge her and last quite a few comics or episodes, but they'd still move on.

I think it also depends on how it goes down. If Donatello is the one who "lets April down" and she is killed, he will not stop until she's avenged...but this is 2k3 Donnie in my minds eye. He'd be distraught, like he was in BttS, and would work tirelessly to avenge her.

I second a Tales issue about this. And I still want ones about the Turtles' individual deaths. Not to be morbid for mobrid's sake, but because I think there could be some really poignant stories there.

Depends on how April dies, I suppose.

If April eventually died due to cholesterol/heart disease/obesity/anything else that can result from being around pizza loving turtles all the time, maybe it would finally sink in that they shouldn't always be eating that stuff. Or maybe the guilt would drive them to promote fruits and vegetables. It would be like a health food version of the Spider-Man/Uncle Ben thing. :P

"With great pizza comes great responsibility."

Nah, I just don't think it would stick.:P
Though, it might be a good "Turtle Tips" parody segment for the old toon. Definitely potential there.

If Mirage ever gives up publishing for good, I think they should at least go ahead and give us the official death of the Turtles... even though it would make me sad. Something I've always loved about Mirage is that Peter/Kevin[?] believed that good characters should be allowed to grow, mature, and eventually die. Bigger comic companies have to find new ways to keep their characters the same age and never tie themselves down to a definitive future continuity that would constrict storytelling possibilities. Hence Spider-man and the Marvel Universe experience "Brand New Day" after the writers find themselves backed into a corner with Civil War aftermath.

Obviously her origin in the comics is controversial but I'm not really sure how it complicates anything.

April's secret origin seems to me like it's supposed to be a metaphor for someone finding out they were adopted or concieved as a result of IVF treatment.

Judging by her spotlight issue in Tales and some of Laird's comments in letters pages it seems April's arc is supposed to be her coming to terms with the fact that it doesn't matter how she was "born" as she's no more or less normal than she was before.

Unless Laird reintroduces her in the main book and portrays her as more than human and gives her funky powers etc than she'll pretty much live and die as any human.

As for how they would take her death...if she died tragicaly, if she either killed directly or indirectly by one of their enemies I could see the turtles going on a avenging kick.

If she died naturaly of old age they'd naturaly deal with it. It might hit them how they'll all outlive their friends but ultimately life for them has to go on.

I'd peg the same responses in almost every other incarnation. In the new toon it would probably affect Don the most given his feelings for her.

If April die tragically won't it impact Casey the most? Like his true love is gone! I can hear April's boss saying "where is my star reporter?". This time he gets morbid silence. What about Irma isn't she April's best friend? Imagine Irma becoming a superhero to avenge April's death.

Somehow, I'm seeing Casey as dying first, regardless of universe or age.

Yeah, I too see Casey dying first. But, I think either death would definitely effect the Turtles, because these are the first people to actually accept and be part of the Turtles as a family. I also think that out of all the Turtles, Raph would probably take the death harder, seeing how he's more emotional than the rest.

Well with April's background and "conception", why would she die of old age? Why wouldn't she just disappear like all other drawings? When Kirby drew his drawings, they disappeared into that dimension. So therefore, April wouldn't die. She would just disappear into the other dimension. The turtles find a similar crystal (since the original one is with Kirby) and draw a protal to see her whenever they want. Done. Lock thread please. lol jk

I get the "metaphor" part... sh*t, I'm the only one who understood "Final Crisis"... but as far as an origin story that stands as "canon", it just isn't that great... and the way they told it, what with her going back in time as a roach to mate with roaches and do other "roach things"... jeez, man, the WWE bookers only wish they had drugs as strong as the Mirage crew... Thumbs down.

My fiancee loves TMNT to death, but that story turned her off Mirage permanently. Well, that and the art gives her a headache...