Which turtle is the most dispensable?

[Davetello]

As in, which turtle is the least important to the team? Not even necessarily a liability, but just not really needed to win most battles?

You can select a turtle for differing iterations. Show your working.

[judasghost]

You could omit Donatello from the running in pretty much any Turtleverse, especially the Fred Wolf, IDW, and Nick versions. He saved the day so many times. Things got ridiculous during the Fred Wolf run.

And Don isn't even my favorite. How sad.

So that leaves me with 3 to choose from...

Mirage: probably Leo.
Fred Wolf: Raph (great jokes, but his bad-assery is non-existant)
Live-Action (#1-3): Raph (gets beat down twice)
Image: i barely remember these.
TMNT (#4 CGI): Leo again.
4Kids: i've seen maybe a half dozen of these episodes... no clue.
IDW: Leo yet again.
Nick: Mike. Buzz buzz.
TMNT (#5): never watched it

games:
TMNT 1 NES: Raph, shortest reach
TMNT 2 NES: None, all equal
TMNT 3 NES: Mike, with that stupid slow-moving special attack kick
TMNT 4 SNES/GEN: Leo/Mike/Raph. Don had the best reach.
TMNT 1 Arcade: Mike/Raph. Fastest but weakest.
TMNT 2 Arcade: Mike/Leo/Don. Raph has a different/better special attack.

time to hit "submit". been typing and editing this long enough.

[Mellie]

That's a really tough question. I keep thinking "but wait, __ is needed for __".
I'm basing them on their general well-known cartoon personalities.


Don is probably the most important Turtle. They wouldn't get far without his intelligence, inventions and level head.

A leader is important, or else there would be chaos. Raph and Mikey would make bad leaders.. Don might be a good one, but he has too much on his plate already. So Leonardo is necessary..


That leaves Mikey or Raph as least important. I'm having NES flashbacks


Mikey is not only a great fighter, he's the morale booster. They'd probably go mad without his lighthearted shell around. Leo and Raph would kill each other.


Raph brings a ton of strength and passion to the team, but he also brings a lot of conflict. If he wasn't around they'd be weaker, but their teamwork may improve..


When it comes to winning battles, I think Mikey would be the least important. If I had to erase a Turtle's existence, I guess Raph..

Hey wait, can I pick Venus?

[Candy Kappa]

As a team, none of the are expendable. They all fill the core types you have within a team dynamic. The Brains, The Brute, The Hearth and The Leader

[pingclang]

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

As a team, none of the are expendable. They all fill the core types you have within a team dynamic. The Brains, The Brute, The Hearth and The Leader

That was...very well said.

[Mellie]

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

As a team, none of the are expendable. They all fill the core types you have within a team dynamic. The Brains, The Brute, The Hearth and The Leader

Yep.. this is the correct answer.

[blindturtle02]

None of the TMNT, in my opinion. He probably doesn't count, but I'd say Mr. Turtle from the old tootsiepop commercial is dispensable. Never liked that one. He bites. Literally, he does. Oh my God, I'm such a fiend. Here it is a little over a week until Christmas and I'm writing about offing turtles! I'll honor the spirit of the turtle every day of the year. I shall live in all three animated series and the comics. Surely, the awesomeness of all these shall strive within me. Tell me that I may sponge away the writing on this screen! Sewers, and pizza time be praised! I say this while grating cheese, old Splinter: grating cheese!

[DarthRaphael]

Their strength comes from that fact they are a team of four. Yes they do split up at times but it doesn't seem like they win the day until all four are on the scene. It is kind of like asking, which of your four limbs are expendable?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Well speaking from a strictly unbiased view of who is the least necessary for MOST situations, I'd say probably Raph. His head-strong, impatient personality and his anger issues make him a liability at times, and he has difficulty following orders, too. Strength is good, but they ALL have that going for them (even though he's the strongest, it rarely becomes a factor) so it's not enough to make him indispensable. His only other real asset seems to be his ability to take more hits due to toughness, but that still might not make up for his attitude problem, which gets them INTO more trouble than he ever gets them OUT of.

Mikey might be next on the list, but he's a good order-taker, his optimism and morale-boosting gives him a unique place of keeping the team steady under pressure, and his skills (when he focuses) are off the charts, so when it's balls-to-the-wall time, he is probably a bigger asset than Raph.

[plastroncafe]

I'm seconding Venus, and running Slash up second.

[snake]

Of the main four? None.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by judasghost

Mirage: probably Leo.
TMNT (#4 CGI): Leo again.
IDW: Leo yet again.

Totally letting my Leo fanboyism show here, but...

Mirage Leo is arguably the most well rounded fighter, his performance is very calculated & precise. You gotta remember, this is the turtle who took on tens of foot at a time, alone, on several occasions, defeated the Shredder, strategized most of the turtles' best laid plans, etc. He's very much the leader & the glue keeping the team together & focused, at least for most of the series.

TMNT's Leo left home & all the other turtles literally just stopped giving a damn. When he's around, they're on point, but they're otherwise unorganized, unfocused, & somewhat dysfunctional. I know he was rendered useless in large portions of the film, but I think the change in status quo during his down-time speaks clearly to the state of the team without him.

IDW's Leo has gotten spiritual guidance from his mother, which goes to show he has power beyond sight & the physical plane, something his brothers lack. He's got memories of his past life, the strongest bond with Splinter, his leadership role, he's definitely a key player. One who, like Mirage Leo, was able to take on an army by himself. The brainwash thing was/is tricky but if nothing else it showed he was a formidable opponent against the entirety of his family, & that when driven with a goal, evil though it may be, there's little that can stop him (which is why he was selected for that).

[IndigoErth]

None... it's a loss and setback to all no matter who is removed.

Lose Leo and there's no one to help keep Raph and Mikey reigned in until the best moment to let the fury and chaos loose. If Donnie took up lead along with everything else he does for the team he might be more likely to freeze up or freak out under the pressure, and if Raph is butting heads with him he may not be able to stand up to Raph as well as Leo is able.

Lose Donnie and their arsenal/tech is permanently bare bones. While their enemies improve their own capabilities, the Turtles are stuck and will eventually be outdone and unable to compete with what's against them. While Leo is a good planner, without Donnie they lose the brains behind answers to some of the tougher plans.

Lose Raph and you lose the passion and drive, the proactive push to get things taken care of now. The force that does not care to stop for anything short of the goal is gone. The one who'd help push to keep the two thinkers thinking and problem solving quickly and efficiently.

Lose Mikey and you lose the enthusiasm and cheer that keeps up moral and the will to keep going no matter what the odds. No more silver lining to help the rest from worrying and brooding too much. No more reminder of the good in the world that makes doing what they do well worth it.

[oldmanwinters]

Benvenuto?

[JackLondon]

i'd get rid of ralph, he's too much of a hothead. When i was kid i always thought he needed to be nicer (probably because of movie) but now as an adult, he just comes off as an Ahole

[pennydreadful]

Ralph totally sucks. I hate that guy.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by JackLondon

i'd get rid of ralph, he's too much of a hothead. When i was kid i always thought he needed to be nicer (probably because of movie) but now as an adult, he just comes off as an Ahole

[Shark_Blade]

I can't choose. I disliked Raph before but 2k12 and IDW made me like him very very much.

So none really.

Originally Posted by JackLondon

i'd get rid of ralph, he's too much of a hothead. When i was kid i always thought he needed to be nicer (probably because of movie) but now as an adult, he just comes off as an Ahole

Originally Posted by pennydreadful

Ralph totally sucks. I hate that guy.

I know right, I hate him in Wreck it Ralph.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

As a team, none of the are expendable. They all fill the core types you have within a team dynamic. The Brains, The Brute, The Hearth and The Leader

Couldn't agree more

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Benvenuto?

Oh no you didn't *snap*

[DarthRaphael]

I think you guys have Raph all wrong. He is always the one who wants to take out bad guys even when the others don't or can't. He is the physical strength of the team. Seems he can go longer than the others in a fight. He is also super loyal. This is of course any version of him except the OT.