Casey Jones' Personalities

[Powder]

NOTE: This is not a "which Casey Jones is your favorite?" thread, I know it looks & even somewhat functions that way, but the the question being asked is, what kind of Casey Jones do you prefer? Think of it like this- If you were in control of a new TMNT series, what route would you go with him, using these foundations from established versions of the character? He's been played out roughly 5 different ways over the years, & I did my best to break them down.


Art by Michael Dooney

Mirage/Live Action Film: A Wacko Who Goes Good
At his roots, he's a loose cannon. He's sick to death of the decline of western civilization, it drives him mad. He can't bear doing nothing while the world rots, so he takes the law into his own hands. But it's not as though he's a hero, or a true crimefighter, really. Casey wants to take his anger out on people, he's a violent guy with idle hands & little to no conscience, if only at first. He's a lot like Travis Bickle, from Taxi Driver; mentally unstable, dark, but ultimately well intended, at least in his mind. As far as we can tell from his first appearance, if you were killed in the process, well, that's just a consequence of justice served. He did eventually learn what's right, & how to hold back, but only after it was too late. He killed a young kid by mistake over petty crimes, & it really ate at him. Ultimately he'd be mellowed out by April, Shadow, & the turtles, becoming a more emotionally centered person, with the exception of a drunken slip here & there. Elias Koteas' portrayal of the character is very much in line what the Mirage books, given they were he film's inspiration. He'll cross the line unless Raph is there to stop him, but when he finally falls into the adoptive family dynamic, he changes his tone.

Fred Wolf: Totally Psycho

It's clear that the OT's Casey Jones is very much out of his mind altogether. In the bulk of his appearances, he is totally nuts, willing to obliterate j-walkers, litterbugs, & even those who sneeze at the salad bar. If you so much as think about breaking a law, he'll beat the snot out of you without a second thought. He has no self-awareness whatsoever, with reality being that he's likely done worse than the average criminal in doling out his particular brand of "justice". His speech is equally ridiculous, spewing one-liners left & right, with a voice like Clint Eastwood on a coke bender. A hilarious interpretation, but nonetheless wholly flawed as a dogooder. He would come in handy down the line, however, helping the turtles out in a pinch on at least 2-3 different occasions.

4kids: The Lovable Oaf

While the 4kids series is largely based out of Mirage's universe, it's very much it's own, taking a lot of creative liberties along the way. For example, with this version of the character, we finally get a real backstory & some motivation beyond simply wanting to crack skulls. His father's shop was burned down by neighborhood thugs (killing his father in the process, we're led to believe) & from that day forward he vowed to rid his city of all gang members & otherwise bad/evil men. (While this origin would later be adapted into Mirage canon via Tales Of The TMNT 2 in the mid to late 2000's, I've not included it in the Mirage section as it's sort of revisionist history.) He starts off with the same Hit First, Ask Questions Later attitude as his inspiration, but is much quicker to find an emotional connection with the cast & do what's right. The defining characteristic of this interpretation, is that he's a complete buffoon. He's big, clumsy, lacking in common sense, & overall none too bright. What he lacks in depth, he makes up for with unwavering loyalty & reliability, his love for April shining brightest in this particular universe.

2007's TMNT/IDW: That Cool Guy With A Hockey Mask

These two more modern iterations have made Casey brighter, taller, slender, better spoken, & all around less rugged than his counterparts. Despite his vigilante role, he's got a strong sense of morality, & at times even advises others before they act irrationally, which is ironic given the hypocrisy of it. He is very much a dedicated partner to April, not terribly insensitive like those who came before. In TMNT, he holds a job, in IDW he does his best to take school seriously. He still lets loose when night falls, but is a much more reeled-in version of the character. I suspect the same can be said of Platinum Dunes' upcoming interpretation. He falls in line with the pretty-boy look, sleeker design, character driven presence, etc.

Nickelodeon Series: Cocky Jock Of All Trades

What makes Nick's CJ stand apart is his overall attitude, which is to say he's a bit of a cocky jerk. He speaks in the third person, he thinks he knows it all, & he's very quick to act. To a point, you can't fault him, he's around 17-18 years of age, there's a lot to learn yet & plenty of time to make improvements. He makes the mistake of underestimating his opponents, talking a big game, but his bark often proves bigger than his bite. Don't be misled, he's quite a competent fighter, he just so happens to live in a city full of ninjas, mutants, robots, & more. For a kid, going toe to toe with them is breaking the mold. Despite being 3 seasons into the show, we don't truly know what drives him besides the fact he finds beating guys up to be good American fun on a Friday night. One advantage he has over his predecessors is that he's seemingly tech-savvy. He's no Donatello, but he's got electric gloves, explosive grenades, & a host of other enhanced weapons that he made on his own. Other unique traits are his artistic talents, such as drawing & graffiti, as well as heightened agility- This Jones has no problem doing rooftop runs with the TMNT, close combat in roller blades, or even fighting while riding a bike. Impressive!

So, how do you like your Casey Jones? Nutty? Well rounded? Bit of a showoff? Voice your opinions!

I like Mirage's Casey most of all. Best of both worlds, I say. You get half a run with the crazy badass & half a run with the dad who just so happens to beat up bad guys sometimes.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I voted the Lovable Oaf option, but ideally, I'd like to see a bit of a mix between that and the IDW/2007 version, with perhaps a bit of the Nick techie/artist thrown in.

[snake]

Psycho OT Casey is my favorite. I know I've said I hated Casey in the 4kids show before, but I've honestly softened up to that now.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Definitely Mirage.

[MikeandRaph87]

A more down to Earth version of Pat Fraley like Elias Kotas portrayed. A solid mix of those two. I also dont want him appearing but so often to make the character's appearances more special and meaningful.I like IDW's take, but I dont want him to be just as close to the turtles as April is.

[CyberCubed]

I think the first movie version is the closest to a perfect version of Casey. He's not completely psycho, but he's not just some pushover cocky kid either. He's also not entirely a loveable oaf.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I think the first movie version is the closest to a perfect version of Casey. He's not completely psycho, but he's not just some pushover cocky kid either. He's also not entirely a loveable oaf.

This for me. If seriously choosing, I'd go with this one.


That aside, I still love Pyscho FW Casey. He was just so entertaining. "The martians are coming, the martians are coming." I can't even type that without grinning like an idiot.

[Autbot_Benz]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

This for me. If seriously choosing, I'd go with this one.


That aside, I still love Pyscho FW Casey. He was just so entertaining. "The martians are coming, the martians are coming." I can't even type that without grinning like an idiot.

I love FW Casey when he yells "Face Stern Justice Appliances".

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

I love FW Casey when he yells "Face Stern Justice Appliances".

I just busted out laughing reading that. Yes, FW Casey is just hilarious. I still find him awesome because he walked into a building, wearing a suit for an interview, but kept on the mask and kept all of his weapons and STILL managed to get the job. How awesome is that? I wish I could go to a company and swing a bat around and get offered a job as opposed to jail time.

[Mew]

The Psyco Casey from Fred Wolf. He is definitely the most fun to watch.

[Sushi Shea]

I voted for the IDW-type Casey, but I was also very fond of his live-action persona. A balance between the two would be awesome!

EDIT: I actually want to elaborate on that, heh heh. I really like his personality in the live-action -- I felt like it made him more interesting than the typical well-meaning vigilante while not leaning into Batman territory. But I love his story in IDW, as well as the tighter bond with Raphael that I also enjoyed in 2003. So, I suppose if someone gave the live-action Casey the same individual weight, I'd be a happier fan!

[Cipher]

Wacko who goes good. I'm not sure his Mirage origin of "whacked out dude who watches too much crime TV and decides to go vigilante" really needs a whole lot more embellishment (though obviously the longer he's around, the more he deserves a bit of background).

But it's kind of the perfect level of upsetting strangeness for what I want out of TMNT, and as the story progresses it's nice to see him come, bit by bit, into a responsible, level-headed person.

Or as much of one as he can be, hanging out with the Turtles.

[Prowler]

I've always found FW Casey hilarious. Although that version of his isn't much of a help and his over the topness, despite being funny and memorable, actually holds him back just as much. I mean, imagine FW Casey being a regular like 4Kids Casey was? Wouldn't work very well, now would it?

[Yabuturtle]

I never really thought the live action movie and mirage version were the same. I never really saw the movie version as a wacko. Just a guy who takes the law into his own hands but sometimes goes overboard. He's also kind of snarky and a wise ass with his witty banter with April, the turtles and Tatsu. He's somewhat similar to the mirage version but definitely different the 1990 movie version I feel is what Casey should be. Not a psycho or a wacko, not an oaf not really arrogant. Just a smart ass who takes things into his own hands and sticks up for others.

[ssjup81]

I agree. The original movie Casey is the best portrayal to me personally and is my preference...but since it's not on the list, I went with OT Casey.

[Bry]

They're all fun in their own right, but the Mirage and 1990 movie versions are easily the best. Not much to add to what you already wrote, which summed him up very nicely... but the Mirage version's character development worked the best for me, and I think makes him the fullest character of the bunch.

The Elias Koteas version was just... so, so good. Though I think you can call him a bit of a psycho after this moment:

[Davin]

Pretty spot on breakdowns for each version. Although I feel a case can be made that the Mirage and 4 kids versions are similar as well.

I went with the Mirage/Movie Casey. But Psycho Casey is a close second.

[Leo656]

Man, movie Casey's just one'a my favorite characters eeever. That's how he appears in my head. Kinda nuts, means well, swings first and asks questions later, but ultimately, his heart and (most of) his moral compass is in the right place.

Although I agree, the Fred Wolf version is a blast to watch. That Guy easily could'a carried his own show. It could be as batsh*t nonsense as Aqua Teen but it'd still be incredible to watch. Few things are as entertaining as a full-blown lunatic.

[billbot85]

I loved Casey in the Fred Wolf series and the fact that he was completely nuts. But I gotta say, Casey in the 1990 film was by far my favorite. I feel like no one has ever done the role more justice than Elias Koteas. Definitely an underrated actor.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Davin

Pretty spot on breakdowns for each version. Although I feel a case can be made that the Mirage and 4 kids versions are similar as well.

I went with the Mirage/Movie Casey. But Psycho Casey is a close second.

Nah, bro...

Casey's crazy in one, completely 3 Stooges stupid in the other.

But other than that, yeah, we agree.