Were there ever a series set in the future of TMNT...

[Tarris Vaal]

This question came up during some discussion over possible new iterations of TMNT if a new series or Comic book came along;

Lets say that there is an iteration which is set say 5-10 years after the IDW run or Nick closes (to take those as examples);

With the turtles now in early-mid twenties, how would you - as a viewer/reader - feel about the idea that one or more of the turtles has a long term relationship, potentially have been married, or even had started a family?

Obviously with the family point, its less a question of 'could they' (genetics aside, there are methods like adoption or the chosen partner having pre existing children). Its more a question of how would you feel as a viewer?

Would the idea of older Turtles, with some of them being in relationships or starting families, make you feel uncomfortable to the point you wouldnt want to watch/read?
Would you be ambivalent so long as it was well written or justified?
Would it be fine, its just very different to what your used to?
Or would such a different perspective be very interesting to you?

Would that new set of responsibilities and risks for the turtles to consider be something you would become invested in or something that would have you running for the hills screaming blue murder at the creators for daring to change the preordained setting?

Obviously characters do get old (death notwithstanding) and realistically, characters would have to face this question at some point.


I ask out of honest curiousity And put this question to the members of the Drome. What do you think?

[TigerClaw]

In the archie series comics, there were two stories that took place 100 years in the future, And we see the future turtles as adults. the Future Shark Trilogy and Cyber Samurai Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In the future Raph was married to a mutant coyote name Mezcaal, and ran a restaurant.

The future was bleak however, since it was set 100 years in the future, due to global warming, the polar icecaps melted causing New York to be flooded.

[Tarris Vaal]

I was aware of the Future Shark one

I know Ninjara and Raph have a major relationship but like I say this idea came out of a conversation we were having - how are such relationships viewed by the fans generally?

If say Nick showed one of them 30 yrs old and married with an adopted kid (for example) would viewers be intrigued or hit the roof?

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by Tarris Vaal

I was aware of the Future Shark one

I know Ninjara and Raph have a major relationship but like I say this idea came out of a conversation we were having - how are such relationships viewed by the fans generally?

If say Nick showed one of them 30 yrs old and married with an adopted kid (for example) would viewers be intrigued or hit the roof?

What about the Cyber Samurai one? it was a 5 part storyline, besides Raph being married, Leonardo was a sensei teaching his students, One of hid students was April's great granddaughter.

I would like for the Nick series to have an episode set 100 years in the future, and show one of the Turtles as adults going back in time, to the present day to ask the younger turtles for help.

[Tarris Vaal]

Originally posted by Tigerclaw
What about the Cyber Samurai one? it was a 5 part storyline, besides Raph being married, Leonardo was a sensei teaching his students, One of hid students was April's great granddaughter

I dont know that one personally. I'll have to look it up


And yes I agree, a glimpse of adult versions of Nick's turtles would be interesting

[IndigoErth]

Have thought on a little of that before and would love to see something (esp a series) that catches them up in age with the franchise and putting them in their 30s.

When Nick eventually wraps up the current series, I'd love it if a short time later they surprised us and rolled out another that's a continuation on it and the characters have turned into young adults. Though in that case I'd make them young/mid 20s instead.

Long term relationships could be fine, if done right. Just someone they are with, it's there, but it isn't a focus of the show. I could deal with it if one of them finds some orphaned kid, takes him/her under his wing and eventually considers the kid adopted.

Just please, no cross-species kids that should not be able to happen. I know we're already talking humanoid mutants, but just up and making some cross-species babies like it's just that natural just (to me) requires too much logic to be throw away, on top of the mutant thing, and mildly headache inducing. If there's a lady mutant turtle someone ended up with, fine, though 'realistically' I think it would make more sense that mutants would have a high probability of being sterile, unfortunately.

[Tarris Vaal]

When we were discussing the idea I think everyone agreed that genetics alone would make any 'cross species' kids impossible

Though isnt there a comic that strongly implies Mikey having fathered children with a Triceraton(or some other kind of dinosaur related alien) Princess?


Regardless, it was interesting to judge the reactions of some of those in the discussion as to even 'adopted' kids being involved and the Turtles having any kind of family unit beyond their own brotherhood.

As I know some of the members of the Drome feel infuriated when anything like the idea of romantic relationships or stuff like Apritello is brought up - I was curious to see how viewers would feel if a series had a setting which involved the turtles with romantic/family relationships.

Looking at the poll so far it seems fairly unanimous - which I'm actually quite surprised at

[Shark_Blade]

Same As It Never Was (a 2003 tmnt episode for those who don't know) is the only future I believe will happen tbh. None of these marriage and having kids scenarios, bah! Too cliche and slobbery.

All the turtles will die except Donnie who grew old alone (refer TMNT IDW comic, there's an old Donnie there). That's a good closure for me. A gloomy future but the greatest plot twist ever. The lonely isolation feel for them being different is heightened during that era, more so than ever i.e. Splinter gone, April and Casey probably moving on, etc.

[IndigoErth]

In that case I'm glad this franchise leaves it open to many possible scenarios for their fate.

Really I'd rather a real end to them never be written... when the franchise someday dies out (I hope not until well after we are all gone too) it's just left unknown.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

No show or story can truly appeal to adults unless it references and explores adult themes. Sexuality, attraction, romance, feeling alone, isolation, wanting to leave a legacy... ALL of these are things that make adults tick. They deserve to be explored.

They also need to be explored by someone with maturity, creativity, and insight. Steve Murphy did it well in "Sons of the Silent Age", and Peter Laird was handling it superbly with Michelangelo in Volume 4.

As much as I dislike the Archie TMNT comics and Ninjara in particular, Raph's relationship was well done. And Raph's relationship with Alopex is also intriguing in IDW.

EVEN Donatello's crush on April in Nick TMNT was once a good idea... one that has been ruined by the writers and producers not willing to advance it or bring any type of growth or closure to it. Now it's just a trope.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

No show or story can truly appeal to adults unless it references and explores adult themes. Sexuality, attraction, romance, feeling alone, isolation, wanting to leave a legacy... ALL of these are things that make adults tick. They deserve to be explored.

They also need to be explored by someone with maturity, creativity, and insight. Steve Murphy did it well in "Sons of the Silent Age", and Peter Laird was handling it superbly with Michelangelo in Volume 4.

As much as I dislike the Archie TMNT comics and Ninjara in particular, Raph's relationship was well done. And Raph's relationship with Alopex is also intriguing in IDW.

EVEN Donatello's crush on April in Nick TMNT was once a good idea... one that has been ruined by the writers and producers not willing to advance it or bring any type of growth or closure to it. Now it's just a trope.

Agreed! I really don't understand fans who decry these things as "unnecessary" or "ridiculous" in TMNT. We're talking about a franchise that already has aliens, magic, time-travel, alternate realities, and just about everything else under the sun in it, so why NOT have actual adult relationships? Mikey and the dino-chick aside, there have been plenty of instances where they've been shown either having relationships (almost always outside their own kind, barring Venus) or even suggesting that they could have kids. So yeah, I'm all for it- as long as it doesn't get treated like the Apritello mess or some similar travesty.

For the record, here's my take.... Not MUCH older, but it's something to consider, at least! (Mind, it's mainly based on the OT series with some movie and 2K3 influences, AND contains spoilers for my biggest fic, but I think it works.):

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11194352/1/Second-Chances

[Powder]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

No show or story can truly appeal to adults unless it references and explores adult themes. Sexuality, attraction, romance, feeling alone, isolation, wanting to leave a legacy... ALL of these are things that make adults tick. They deserve to be explored.

My favorite TMNT stories are the ones that focus on isolation & existentialism but I think you finding stories unable to appeal to adults without relationships rather ridiculous.

Teenagers care about that stuff because they don't feel whole & need other people to validate them, plus their hormones are all over the place. I'd like to think a real, well-rounded adult can appreciate anything done well, regardless of its intended demographic or seriousness.

[Tarris Vaal]

Quoted by Powder
My favorite TMNT stories are the ones that focus on isolation & existentialism but I think you finding stories unable to appeal to adults without relationships rather ridiculous.

Teenagers care about that stuff because they don't feel whole & need other people to validate them, plus their hormones are all over the place.

I kind of agree with you on this. When we were discussing this originally, the idea that was bandied around was what if one or two of the turtles had long term relationships and/or families, but that others did not.

The thought was then that a show could compare and contrast the relationships that each brother has (not as a story focus on drama necessarily, just as background relationships to a more action focused story perhaps).

Michelangelo might be married with an adopted kid for example - and dealing with the dangers his family might be exposed to and the responsibilities that come with it. Whereas Leo might have become cripplingly lonely because - for whatever reason - he choose to or circumstances made him so. Now he would have to see the relationships his brothers have, and compare them to himself.

To me it seemed like prime area to explore - both from the perspective of the turtles 'growing up' to have families/partners, but also 'growing up' to be alone and the comparison between the two.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Powder

My favorite TMNT stories are the ones that focus on isolation & existentialism but I think you finding stories unable to appeal to adults without relationships rather ridiculous.

Teenagers care about that stuff because they don't feel whole & need other people to validate them, plus their hormones are all over the place. I'd like to think a real, well-rounded adult can appreciate anything done well, regardless of its intended demographic or seriousness.

Context:

Shows that have no character development or growth have little to no appeal for me; shows with soap opera type drama have even less. So that eliminates the '87 cartoon (fun with no consequences or development that ever last more than one episode) and the Nick cartoon (unwilling to commit to permanent development or growth).

That leaves the 2003 cartoon, which we can just label as "Mirage Lite", the Mirage/Image comics, and the IDW comics. All of which feature dynamic character growth, permanent development, and relationships. Aside from nostalgia, these pieces of the TMNT franchise seem to be the most popular with adults.

Everyone that I know of is into fiction for one of two things: Escapism or Relatability. They either want something that is completely unlike their life (I'm not talking about doing things, like flying spaceships or blowing up terrorists, but where real-life consequences either don't matter or don't effect them) or they want something that matters to them, that they can relate to, emote with, and suffer alongside.

So yeah, most adults probably prefer escapism. I'm in the minority. Let me amend my statement: "I think the only types of stories that can MATTER or be of any real weight to adults is a story that explores adult themes or concepts."

Star Wars versus Star Trek: Wars is all spectacle and coolness and wow, but Trek is all about humanity, values, strife, and triumph over adversity.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Tarris Vaal

The thought was then that a show could compare and contrast the relationships that each brother has (not as a story focus on drama necessarily, just as background relationships to a more action focused story perhaps).

I could see that, making interesting contrast between life choices and/or circumstances and how their lives slowly differ as they get older.

Originally Posted by Tarris Vaal

Whereas Leo might have become cripplingly lonely because - for whatever reason - he choose to or circumstances made him so. Now he would have to see the relationships his brothers have, and compare them to himself.

Gah, right in the heart. *hugs him*

If he is alone, I could see it more likely as having been an personal choice, taking a self sacrifice in that department to purposely spare any would-be potential partners or kids of the danger he knows that would be a risk to them; instead devoting his life to what he sees as his duty. So... maybe lonely at times, but need not be 'crippling' as it was a choice, and still far from alone as he could still focus on being a good brother and, maybe, uncle.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Indigo, given your "affections" toward Leo, you'd DEFINITELY like that fic I linked to above. Duty AND a personal life- what could be better?! Actually, I see Leo trying to carry on Splinter's teachings (whether to his own family or his brothers') as a big part of his legacy, something he would take very seriously. After all, without someone to "lead", what else does he have? I think that he would want to pass it on to the next generation, no matter whether that's his own flesh and blood, or an adoptive family.

[IndigoErth]

I'll bookmark it, see about giving it a look sometime.

Similarly, what series is it that has him with his own dojo and students? Wouldn't mind seeing more of that sort of thing gone into with older Turtles and the things they might pursue if able.

Not that I mind the themes of isolation, etc., but I prefer it as part of an evolving story in an changing world where, after all that they've done and given of themselves, life at least eventually someday gets a little better for them to some extent. The underdog who's efforts were eventually all well worth it.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

^ This. That's how I've always preferred my turtles, too.

[Leo656]

That stuff's fine with me. It's all part of telling stories.

[TigerClaw]

Raph will be the only one with a relationship in the future, in that one future storyline in the comics, he was married to a mutant Coyote, even though the future was messed up, he was the only turtles to still have some kind of relationship while other turtles don't.

In the future, Raph will eventually find someone who understands him.