The Technodrome Forums - View Single Post

*Rooish* · 10-14-2008, 08:53 PM

I definitely agree that we people on the Drome are drawn to the TMNT because they are sympathetic characters.

Don - I don't think he was very sympathetic in the OT--he was actually kind of creepy at times. But at any rate, he was usually obliviously happy in his little world of inventions and technology, so there wasn't much to "feel" for. Don in most other mediums is a whole other story, though. He's never angsty, and I know people sympathize with angsty characters, but he is introspective and peaceful, especially in Mirage. And in the NT he's a bit sweetie, obviously. He feels everything really strongly and takes a lot of responsibility upon himself. I think he's written as the most sympathetic character in the NT. As far as the comics, he just has such a warm and thoughtful nature, it’s hard to find any fault with him.
So NT Don > Mirage Don > Movie Don > OT Don

Raph - Now, I know that Raph is probably the most popular Turtle among Mirage fans. But I never found him especially sympathetic. His role in "The River," the three-parter that every Mirage fan seems obsessed with, was sort of the exception--but I didn't even think that character acted much like Raph did throughout the rest of Mirage, so it doesn't count. But yeah, when Raph is mad, in Mirage and the new movie, he's kind of a bully. And when he's vicious or angsty, I don't usually sympathize with that. I roll my eyes and wonder what the hell his problem is. But I understand why people would sympathize with his anti-authoritarian beliefs (Leo can be bossy). And a lot of the time in Mirage he's pretty funny. Like he's just kind of wild and uncontrollable and when he's not taking himself too seriously, it comes across as fun. So I like him then. I actually think he's really quite different in the NT than he is in other versions. He's far more level-headed and responsible. In fact it was only really in Season 1 that he seemed out-of-control at all. So I think he's really sympathetic in the NT, or at least really well-developed. And in the OT he was funny, and I guess I sympathise with his fourth-wall comments about how ridiculous the situation is. But he was kind of a jerk to people and made jokes at their expense, so my sympathy only went so far.
So NT Raph > Old Movie Raph/Mirage Raph > OT Raph > 2007 Movie Raph

Leo - I think he is most sympathetic in the first and second movies, the new Mirage comics, and especially the NT, where he totally lacks arrogance. He just seems like a nice, smart, level-headed, hardworking guy. He's both insanely driven and insanely caring. He's always feeling remorse for everything. He seems emotionally stable in a manner that I admire. He just might be my favourite Turtle in the NT. In the OT he wasn't bad--a little bit of a goody-two-shoes but at least his heart was in the right place. I wish he'd had a bit of a more dynamic role, but then it was the OT so the standards for character development weren't that high. In the Mirage comics and the new movie he's a bit of an arrogant, cocky bastard, but I kind of like that in a way, even so. Especially whenever Raph kicks his butt (which happens both in Mirage and the new movie), I find myself rooting for Leo. But man can he be self-righteous.
So NT Leo/New Mirage Leo > Old Movie Leo > OT Raph > 2007 Leo /Old Mirage Leo

Mike - I think he’s really sympathetic for different reasons in both Mirage and the OT. Mostly because he just seems like a nice guy. In Mirage I find him sympathetic because he’s sort of enigmatic and in the background, but then these little things get revealed: he’s Raph’s best friend and the one who gets through to Raph; he’s sort of excitable and hard to control (like Raph), but in a completely happy way; he adopts a cat; he gets super attached to a kid; he cooks; he writes; he never has a mean thing to say to anyone. And in the OT he seems to be all heart, even though he’s a bit spacey and gluttonous. But he just struck me as really emotional and I sympathize with that. I always liked him in the movies; he was comic relief, but in a warm-hearted way. In the NT he obviously is not very sympathetic, especially in the first, sixth and (so far) seventh seasons.
Mirage/OT Mike > Movie Mike > NT Mike

Jeez, I guess I like the NT versions. Well actually this is not the order I like them in; it’s just how much I find them sympathetic. Does that make sense?

The only real sympathetic version of Splinter is in the old movies and Mirage, I find. As much as he annoys me in the NT, though, I admit he’s slightly more sympathetic than in the OT.

I don’t ever find Shredder sympathetic. But Baxter is sympathetic in both the OT and NT. I guess especially the NT, just because he, like most everyone else, is more developed in the NT.

10-14-2008, 08:53 PM	#7
Rooish Devil's Advocate Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 2,130	I definitely agree that we people on the Drome are drawn to the TMNT because they are sympathetic characters. Don - I don't think he was very sympathetic in the OT--he was actually kind of creepy at times. But at any rate, he was usually obliviously happy in his little world of inventions and technology, so there wasn't much to "feel" for. Don in most other mediums is a whole other story, though. He's never angsty, and I know people sympathize with angsty characters, but he is introspective and peaceful, especially in Mirage. And in the NT he's a bit sweetie, obviously. He feels everything really strongly and takes a lot of responsibility upon himself. I think he's written as the most sympathetic character in the NT. As far as the comics, he just has such a warm and thoughtful nature, it’s hard to find any fault with him. So NT Don > Mirage Don > Movie Don > OT Don Raph - Now, I know that Raph is probably the most popular Turtle among Mirage fans. But I never found him especially sympathetic. His role in "The River," the three-parter that every Mirage fan seems obsessed with, was sort of the exception--but I didn't even think that character acted much like Raph did throughout the rest of Mirage, so it doesn't count. But yeah, when Raph is mad, in Mirage and the new movie, he's kind of a bully. And when he's vicious or angsty, I don't usually sympathize with that. I roll my eyes and wonder what the hell his problem is. But I understand why people would sympathize with his anti-authoritarian beliefs (Leo can be bossy). And a lot of the time in Mirage he's pretty funny. Like he's just kind of wild and uncontrollable and when he's not taking himself too seriously, it comes across as fun. So I like him then. I actually think he's really quite different in the NT than he is in other versions. He's far more level-headed and responsible. In fact it was only really in Season 1 that he seemed out-of-control at all. So I think he's really sympathetic in the NT, or at least really well-developed. And in the OT he was funny, and I guess I sympathise with his fourth-wall comments about how ridiculous the situation is. But he was kind of a jerk to people and made jokes at their expense, so my sympathy only went so far. So NT Raph > Old Movie Raph/Mirage Raph > OT Raph > 2007 Movie Raph Leo - I think he is most sympathetic in the first and second movies, the new Mirage comics, and especially the NT, where he totally lacks arrogance. He just seems like a nice, smart, level-headed, hardworking guy. He's both insanely driven and insanely caring. He's always feeling remorse for everything. He seems emotionally stable in a manner that I admire. He just might be my favourite Turtle in the NT. In the OT he wasn't bad--a little bit of a goody-two-shoes but at least his heart was in the right place. I wish he'd had a bit of a more dynamic role, but then it was the OT so the standards for character development weren't that high. In the Mirage comics and the new movie he's a bit of an arrogant, cocky bastard, but I kind of like that in a way, even so. Especially whenever Raph kicks his butt (which happens both in Mirage and the new movie), I find myself rooting for Leo. But man can he be self-righteous. So NT Leo/New Mirage Leo > Old Movie Leo > OT Raph > 2007 Leo /Old Mirage Leo Mike - I think he’s really sympathetic for different reasons in both Mirage and the OT. Mostly because he just seems like a nice guy. In Mirage I find him sympathetic because he’s sort of enigmatic and in the background, but then these little things get revealed: he’s Raph’s best friend and the one who gets through to Raph; he’s sort of excitable and hard to control (like Raph), but in a completely happy way; he adopts a cat; he gets super attached to a kid; he cooks; he writes; he never has a mean thing to say to anyone. And in the OT he seems to be all heart, even though he’s a bit spacey and gluttonous. But he just struck me as really emotional and I sympathize with that. I always liked him in the movies; he was comic relief, but in a warm-hearted way. In the NT he obviously is not very sympathetic, especially in the first, sixth and (so far) seventh seasons. Mirage/OT Mike > Movie Mike > NT Mike Jeez, I guess I like the NT versions. Well actually this is not the order I like them in; it’s just how much I find them sympathetic. Does that make sense? The only real sympathetic version of Splinter is in the old movies and Mirage, I find. As much as he annoys me in the NT, though, I admit he’s slightly more sympathetic than in the OT. I don’t ever find Shredder sympathetic. But Baxter is sympathetic in both the OT and NT. I guess especially the NT, just because he, like most everyone else, is more developed in the NT.