What's Michelangelo good for?

[saul]

Aside from comic relief for the audience, what does he contribute fighting-wise to the TMNT's battles?

Leo leads and is level-headed, Don's the gadget guy and brainiac, Raph provides aggression and often the catalyst for the plot, but Mike?

Ya, I know there was an old ep with the same title, but it never actually explored the premise.

[TheUltimateShredhead]

He won the battle nexus championship, and he beat touch and go. I wouldn't say his useless.

[sdp]

Without Mikey the team would crumble, he provides the heart of the team. I believe there was a thread about which turtles death would have the most impact and mikey got the most votes.

[Koi]

I always thought Leo was more useless of a character then Mikey. Not fighting vise tho. but more "needed character" wise.

[CyberCubed]

The title of this thread is actually a title for one of the original shows episodes

[Brodie]

The title of this thread is exactly what I've always been trying to tell these people.

[Ulisses31]

Let Mikey explain:

Spoiler:

"My brothers are all so busy being spitefull or serious that it takes someone to lighten the mood and remind then to take it easy once in a while."

From here: http://www.obscurezodiac.com/chapterindex.php

[pl212]

Mikey was literally the first turtle created ! so without him the others wouldnt be

[willtupper]

First off, I love that comic .

Second, the way I've always looked at is:

Leonardo tries to shape the world around him with discipline, focus, and practice.

This has been done many, many time before.

Donatello tries to shape the world around him with mathematics and science.

This has been done many, many times before.

Raphael tries to shape the world around him with blind rage, lashing out, anger.

This has CERTAINLY been done many, many times before.

And Mikey? He takes a lighthearted, cheerful, joyous approach. He doesn't care who has the most, or the best... of pretty much anything. He's Robert Frost's most famous poem walking. He IS the road less travelled, the unbeaten path.

And THAT, to me at least, makes him the most "revolutionary" of all the turtles. I mean, can you name the 22nd or 24th Presidents of the United States?

(They were both Grover Cleveland)

But everyone, or at least, probably everyone, can name the little man with the bowler hat and cane, making his way through the big bad confusing world in all those early silent movies.

So, I ask you: who made a bigger difference in the world? President Cleveland, or Charlie Chaplin?

That's why I <3 Mikey .

[Koi]

When the other turtles could easily take the spots of one, they are pretty much useless in my opinion.

What does Leo got? Leadership? Leo has left enough times that the other turtles leadership skills could easily replace Leo. Without leadership Leo is a pretty plain and easily replaced character.

I think Raph's and Mikey's personality has been most explored so they have become more developed, and have personality traits that easily individualize them apart. Don is pretty well developed as well not as much as Raph and Mikey though in my humble opinion.

For all their fighting skills, I think they all are equal. No one really has been shown to be so horrible in the shows/comics that they are no good.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by sdp

Without Mikey the team would crumble, he provides the heart of the team. I believe there was a thread about which turtles death would have the most impact and mikey got the most votes.

Now you know what makes us wonder where old Michelangelo is in the comics.

[Redeemer]

First off Mikey is what keeps the team stable. He is the heart and emotion of the team. He is also raphs and Leo's outlet. The team would be destroyed.

Second without Leo The team would fail. Leo provides important Leadership as well as tactics. He brings balance to the team. He is arguably the best fighter among the brothers, but hands down is the most proficent fighter of the brothers.

Third Raph does bring aggression, but that sounds like a bad trait. Raph brings an more important quality. He brings passion, passion allows someone to fight beyond their normal means. The team would not be able to fight the people the do without him.

Last Don jst isnt nerdy, but he brings technological no how as well as perception. He anilyzes, plans, counters during tough battles, ex(Security, Stealth foot, and more) The team could take on the people they do without him.

[Samhain]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

First off Mikey is what keeps the team stable. He is the heart and emotion of the team. He is also raphs and Leo's outlet. The team would be destroyed.

Second without Leo The team would fail. Leo provides important Leadership as well as tactics. He brings balance to the team. He is arguably the best fighter among the brothers, but hands down is the most proficent fighter of the brothers.

Third Raph does bring aggression, but that sounds like a bad trait. Raph brings an more important quality. He brings passion, passion allows someone to fight beyond their normal means. The team would not be able to fight the people the do without him.

Last Don jst isnt nerdy, but he brings technological no how as well as perception. He anilyzes, plans, counters during tough battles, ex(Security, Stealth foot, and more) The team could take on the people they do without him.

This I agree with.

[Guitar_Raph]

Mikey has always been the coolest for me!

He hosted his own radio show (The Sewer Hour) while driving his jeep. In COOTS, he wrote all the lyrics & was lead vocals/guitarist. Wish I'd never have swapped Mikey & Raph's musical talent. But I always picture Mikey playing drums.

Guess what?
]
It's my 750th post!

[DonatelloDomeHead31]

This can also be discussed in the Video Game Discussion part of the Board because Michelangelo is the turtle used in the Gameboy Turtles Game Radical Rescue.

But when it comes to the movies/tv shows, he's good with the jokes and laughter...then again Raphael has the sarcastic humor too.

[Garreth]

Michaelangelo is a mad dog

[Luzmagica]

Any web you can find these definitions on the balance of 4 general elements applied to all the aspects of the life (work, personalities,friendship....)... it is the western/occidental concept of Ying-Yang...
I will never understand because one renounces the element of AIR...
From any website:..(I didnt change or delete any word)

Leonardo: WATER: Flexibility, adjustment, sensibility, fluency, reservation(reserve), intimacy, pity, need to link itself(himself,herself) emotionally and service.

Raphael: FIRE: Vitality, passion, vehemence, energy, enthusiasm, force, honesty, radiation, abruptness, will, initiative, exaltation and restlessness.

Donatello:LAND: Firmness, stability, tenacity and accumulated energy, search of the concrete thing, practicidad, patience, autodiscipline, caution, safety in the procedures and convention.

Michelangelo:AIR: Freedom, ideas, looseness, change, I centre in his(her,your) mind, analysis, indifference, perspective, verbosity, curiosity, conceptualization and need to socialize.

[dontplaydead27]

I believe every turtle serves their role well and supports the others. My opinions on them are gathered from the years of their characterizations across ALL media, but i'd say the comics the least. Leo serves as the "example" of what a leader or great "soldier" should be- a great balance. This isn't his only service, but it's the most obvious one and maybe the most important for the group. Raphael, as mentioned before, has passion and can drive him to extremes, which could lead to good or bad judgement calls. Don has patience and observation, and can remain open-minded and collected in particularly difficult situations. Mike is also observational to a degree and compassionate, and can offer an alternative "outside-the-box" perspective to something and not be so judgmental, and obviously bring levity to a situation.

They all have many characteristics I didn't mention, and some of us choose to like some and disregard others. I wasn't fond of Mike when I was growing up because he was "immature" in his movie and cartoon depictions (too goofy at the time- even for me being a 5 year old) and I didn't think he was funny but everyone else loved him. I see now that every one of them are essential to the "group" and without one they would not be the same. Donatello was always my favorite...which is odd because even at such a young age, I loved him..and now at my age I consider myself most similar to him. I understand why I like him now, but i'm amazed at how my taste hasn't changed for that personality since I was 5. It almost makes me wonder if it played a part in dictating the person I would be.

[Redeemer]

Dontplaydead27 I have to give a shout out for ur quote

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by saul

Aside from comic relief for the audience, what does he contribute fighting-wise to the TMNT's battles?

I know this thread has gone off into deeper stuff, but to answer than simple question: He's a trained ninja, he kicks ass even if he's known as a goofball.