The Leonardo Thread

[Metropoliskid41]

Originally Posted by Donnie

What do ya mean? I rarely see any group shot that doesn't showcase "Leo is the leader".

Yeah I agree, to me it seems like if anyone gets pushed to the back in group photos its got to be Donatello. There are a few pics I can recall where a different turtle is in the front and Leo may be 2nd or 3rd and off to the side, but very rarely is he in the full on back. To me when he is thats just them trying to give some of the other characters more of a full body shot instead of just their head and an arm.

[LEOTMNT]

i traveled back here in desperate times...i was on the verge of switching favorites after a life long allegiance to Leo. doubt was upon me and i found myself only focusing on his faults, and not his strengths and what it was that i admired about him most. Righteous moral and situational awareness, Noble mind, honorable, disciplined, and loyal.

Safe to say that wont be happening and as everyone has already covered so many of Leos exceptional attributes as well as faults i cant say it any better than in previous posts! Leonardo is, and ALWAYS will be my favorite Turtle!!!

[Redeemer]

Im loving how badass Leo is n season 4 of the 2k3 series

[Logan]

I've always loved Leonardo. As a kid, I tended to be drawn toward the "leader" characters of my favorites heroes. It also didn't hurt that he had swords.

When I watch the OT, I'm actually rather glad Leo isn't given much in the way of one-liners. In a way, he kind of kept the show grounded and didn't let it completely slip into comedic territory. Cam Clarke is also one of my favorite VAs. Leo, Kaneda from Akira, Liquid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, Max Sterling from Robotech... he's got a memorable voice.

Lastly, Leo has probably my favorite line in the Mirage series.

[plasticturtle]

Leo was never my favorite turtle but he definately has the best weapons. My best memory of Leonardo comes not from the cartoons or comics but from the action figures. The time when I was getting into the turtles was also around the same period that the depression that has plagued me most of my life began to rear it's ugly head. There were many days I was so deep in the pit I thought I'd never be able to claw myself out. On one such occasion I was given the Leonardo action figure by my mom as a way to cheer me up. It worked. Leonardo was the one turtle I needed to complete the set of four. But while the figure itself was a factor in my feeling better that day it was the knowledge that my mom cared enough about me to do something like that for me that was really what perked me up.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, Leo will always be my favorite Turtle hands down. He's just awesome.

[Hermano Dyvas]

While I do think Leo is an awesome character I must say he is my least favorite. I guess it's because I don't like it when he gets cocky, while I understand Leo's viewpoint I actually root for Raph in their fight in "Return to New York", just like I do in their fight in the 2007 movie, Leo was really way too cocky in that one.

But I do admire his sense of discipline and he obviously cares a lot about his brothers. I think he'd be the most hurt should they ever split up. Also his fighting skills are awesome and you gotta love that mirage micro of his, even the 2K3 episode adaption of that was awesome!

So to conclude, not my favorite turtle but ironically the star of some of my favorite stories.

[Powder]

IMO Leo was only truly cocky in TMNT, which didn't really portray ANYBODY accurately.

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by Powder

IMO Leo was only truly cocky in TMNT, which didn't really portray ANYBODY accurately.

I thought Raph was handled well, but I've grown to hate Nolan North lol.

But yeah, other than him... and maybe Karai, everyone else was off.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

the one with the snakes.

Snakes Alive!

[FearlessLeader]

Originally Posted by Hermano Dyvas

While I do think Leo is an awesome character I must say he is my least favorite. I guess it's because I don't like it when he gets cocky, while I understand Leo's viewpoint I actually root for Raph in their fight in "Return to New York", just like I do in their fight in the 2007 movie, Leo was really way too cocky in that one.

But I do admire his sense of discipline and he obviously cares a lot about his brothers. I think he'd be the most hurt should they ever split up. Also his fighting skills are awesome and you gotta love that mirage micro of his, even the 2K3 episode adaption of that was awesome!

So to conclude, not my favorite turtle but ironically the star of some of my favorite stories.

Originally Posted by Powder

IMO Leo was only truly cocky in TMNT, which didn't really portray ANYBODY accurately.

I really feel like TMNT Leo is probably the most misunderstood version of Leonardo, someday when I have a couple hours to kill I want to sit down with the film and write a long analysis of the character like Donnie has done with movie 1 Mikey and Splinter.

In the meantime here is my thoughts from earlier in this thread on the often pointed out "I'm better then you" line:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader

Also as for the "I'm better then you" line and Leo being better than Raphael. Leonardo didn't, in my opinion say that because he even believes he is better then his brother. Leonardo was struggling to figure out if he really was a good leader for the Turtles. When Raphael told him that they didn't need him and that they had gotten along great with him gone it cut through Leo like a knife. It was pretty much everything he feared happening thrown in his face. So he hit's Raphael back in the same place for him. By telling him he is better then he is, the one thing that I really think Raphael fears.

Neither is better then the other and I will go so far as to say that the two function terribly without the support of the other. Leo and Raph have a very ying and yang effect to each other. Leonardo tends to keep Raphael from acting too rash and getting himself or anyone else killed. Raphael tends to help Leo from turning his self criticism to deeply inward and makes him face his issues head on versus just brooding about them.

[Slade]

Leo. Not favorite, but I do rank him 2nd. I understand why people like him. Version I like the most would hav to be 4kids. Least would be 07 movie. Though I do have a different understanding of him now from reading the post above.

[Mr.Turtle]

leo is too perfect to be real...

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by Mr.Turtle

leo is too perfect to be real...

Looks like in the Nick show, Leo will struggle more than he ever has to prove his leadership. I can't wait to see what they have in store for him.

[Mr.Turtle]

^it's not unprecedented. leo was like that in the early 2k3 series.

[pannoni1]

For a time in the mid-late 90s when I was interested in martial arts, I liked Leonardo the most out of all of my Turtles, seeing him as a good model toward proper fighting technique and style. He is the only Turtle in the OT who doesn't have significant fourth wall breaking jokes and is underused in the first three movies in addition to his selfish TMNT attiude. I enjoy the Mirage and 4kids versions of Leonardo the most, and is my second favorite Turtle when playing the video games.

[Icegaze]

Did I mention that Leo was my favourite turtle?

[Mr.Turtle]

^can u say leo's name in french?

[Icegaze]

Originally Posted by Mr.Turtle

^can u say leo's name in french?

"Lay-o-narr-doh". Léonardo. *Like a boss*

More seriously though, I realize how much Leo's character shaped me into who I am today.
Leo is the leader and "big brother" of the turtles / I am the first born of 4 children.
Leo wears blue / I chose blue to be my favourite colour (and since the age of 4-5 have stuck with it).
Leo is a ninja and does martial arts / I became a huuuge martial arts/fighting genre geek.
Leo is serious and "responsible" / I grew up holding those 2 traits as fundamental virtues.

Leo is and will remain my childhood hero.


PS: When I do get married and have a son, Leo (Lionel) will be one of the names I will consider, seriously.


Edit:
Cadeau.



Cowabunga le cris des ninjas!

[Refractive Reflections]

My personal reasoning to explain Leonardo's appeal to some and disinterest with others:

His appeal: He embodies the aspirations of what is ideal, noble, and admired: self-sacrificing concern and love towards others, always putting others' concerns above his own, although he may not be the most talented his determination and persistence leads him to excel, obedient and respectful, a pillar of strength to his other brothers or of innocent victims, leadership qualities, his courage, intolerance for personal failures yet accepting of others' shortcomings, his determination to overcome any adversity, and showing mercy despite how easily he could overpower/kill his opponent.

Lack of interest toward his character: Seen as too perfect (gary stu/mary stu perfection qualities), too serious about accomplishing a task/mission, his stern/disciplined approach about many things makes him unrelatable to the more outward emotional frustration his other brothers experience, his excelled qualities in fighting that display no weakness despite some not realizing he's the most disciplined in fighting.


Obviously all the Turtles feel the same emotions, its just that Leonardo is probably the one who has learned to control/hide/repress his emotions or quirks the most since he is burdened with the responsibility of leadership and with the welfare of his brothers. Therefore it gives the impression to others of Leonardo having a flat, serious and boring personality when he's almost always expected to be the pillar of strength, courage, wisdom and support in almost all situations to an unhealthy point that it supersedes above his own needs/welfare.

It almost makes you wonder what Leonardo's personality would be if he wasn't the "leader" from the beginning or wasn't the eldest brother. It's one of those "What came first? The chicken or the egg" analogies. Was it his noble qualities that made him assigned to be a leader OR was it because he was the eldest and had to be responsible for others that developed his leadership/noble qualities?