What kind of character should April be?

[Prowler]

As we all know, April is the Turtles' first ever human friend and also the closest one. Their main link to the outside world. April has had quite different interpretations over history and I've noticed a lot of fans being split over her. I've seen several saying they never found her that interesting of a character, even.

Personally, I'm fine with April remaining as the Turtles' closest human friend and being their main link to the outside world. Nothing wrong with that. I do think April doesn't need to show up all the time to the point of basically being a main character, though. If we're talking about a cartoon series, then it's fine if she's in most episodes of the first couple of seasons but after that she doesn't need to appear nearly every single episode. April learning ninja moves is completely unnecessary.

April as a reporter works GREAT in a series like FW, and it made sense she appeared so often. There's only like what, 2 episodes where she didn't show up? From the top of my head I can only think of Turtle Trek. And that's a season 8 episode already.

But overall, if we're talking about non-FW TMNT stuff then April being initially a lab assistant and then inheriting an Antique Store is probably the best bet. Also, she should be in her 20s. April being around the same age of the Turtles never sat well with me. If the Turtles need a human being to link them to the outside world then it should be an adult. Also, no Turtles having romantic feelings for April or vice-versa please.

April should also remain as a young woman of Irish ancestry. When they made April black I saw some people here saying that would automatically make her more interesting and also saw some history revisionism by people claiming her to "have always been black".

So yeah, TMNT without April to me would just be strange. It's like not having Splinter or Shredder around at all as well. They're staples of the series. And they're all important elements of the property.

Thoughts?

[CyberCubed]

White cis heterosexual she/her, either brown or red hair is fine with me.

[neatoman]

Not a journalist.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I would like to se a take on TMNT where April O'Neil is an astronomer. It could give a new perspective on issues dealing with Triceratons and Utroms, and the extraterrestrial origin of the mutagen.

[IndigoErth]

The older sister figure. Don't really care if she's a journalist, lab assistant, or shop owner, any of them will do. With a name like O'Neil, I'd prefer to stick with the Irish redhead aesthetics.

No more with the same age April... It was fun to go that way for 2012, but I'd have rather it stayed with that series. Having a human friend who is an adult is a lot more beneficial. A kid friend just can't help out with all the things that an adult could, nor realistically have the freedom, connections, etc to do so at any time.

[Leo656]

I don't mind her being a reporter as it gives her more of a reason to be around and involved. As a lab assistant she can have stronger ties to the Turtles' origin, but I'm not sure that's even necessary. I often wonder if most people simply prefer the job April had in the first version they encountered her in. It's just like, in most versions where she's a lab assistant she isn't one for very long and then after that it's a real struggle to find any reason for her to even be involved. So I don't have any problem whatsoever with her being their "Lois Lane".

I don't mind if she hangs out with the Turtles a lot or even picks up a little martial arts - it makes sense that they'd want their best friend to be able to defend herself - but even then I feel like it needs to be pulled back before she's off having Ninja Adventures by herself. I like it better when she's mostly a "normal" person who occasionally gets drawn into extraordinary situations.

I also prefer it when she's older than them.

[Dejablue]

Making a thread for people to fight about April....do you just want blood to flow?

[pferreira]

Make her a reporter or journalist. I never really thought April was good as a scientist.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I don't mind her being a reporter as it gives her more of a reason to be around and involved. As a lab assistant she can have stronger ties to the Turtles' origin, but I'm not sure that's even necessary. I often wonder if most people simply prefer the job April had in the first version they encountered her in. It's just like, in most versions where she's a lab assistant she isn't one for very long and then after that it's a real struggle to find any reason for her to even be involved. So I don't have any problem whatsoever with her being their "Lois Lane".

I don't mind if she hangs out with the Turtles a lot or even picks up a little martial arts - it makes sense that they'd want their best friend to be able to defend herself - but even then I feel like it needs to be pulled back before she's off having Ninja Adventures by herself. I like it better when she's mostly a "normal" person who occasionally gets drawn into extraordinary situations.

I also prefer it when she's older than them.

I think the 90s movie works where she's both a reporter but also owns the Second Time Around shop.

I get the slight feeling that with today's modern mindset, a show starring 4 guys nowadays is just a big no-no, even when it comes to the turtles. We already had one show with a younger April fighting alongside the Turtles, now suddenly we have a second show and this new April seems to fight on equal ground with the Turtles.

I have a feeling if we get an adult April that is 'useless' when it comes to actually fighting side by side alongside the Turtles, they night compensate with Venus/Jennika. Cause heaven forbid we have a 4 male team in 2020 or whenever

[Powder]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

I have a feeling if we get an adult April that is 'useless' when it comes to actually fighting side by side alongside the Turtles, they night compensate with Venus/Jennika. Cause heaven forbid we have a 4 male team in 2020 or whenever

I dunno about anyone else, but I'd personally much prefer that 5th fighting friend be a character other than April. Her fighting on equal or even near-equal ground with the turtles is inherently wrong.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Powder

I dunno about anyone else, but I'd personally much prefer that 5th fighting friend be a character other than April. Her fighting on equal or even near-equal ground with the turtles is inherently wrong.

Agreed. Wasn't Casey supposed to be the one to fill in that role? In 2k3 series he starts out rather strong, with Raph having trouble dealing with him, but once season 2 rolled in Casey became a joke and kept getting his ass handed to him.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Agreed. Wasn't Casey supposed to be the one to fill in that role? In 2k3 series he starts out rather strong, with Raph having trouble dealing with him, but once season 2 rolled in Casey became a joke and kept getting his ass handed to him.

Yeah but he's yet another male so.....

[Andrew NDB]

"Big sister"/den mother kind of role. Older than the TMNT. Anything but a reporter.

[2K3]

Personally, I'd make April and 21-23 year old computer programmer and part-time worker at the "2nd Time Around" (just like Mirage/ 2K3/ IDW). To make ends meet, she'd share the flat upstairs with intern reporter Irma Langstein (best of both worlds). And definitely be the "Big Sister" to the Turtles (no love interests from them; save that for Casey).

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Prowler

There's only like what, 2 episodes where she didn't show up? From the top of my head I can only think of Turtle Trek. And that's a season 8 episode already.

I think April and Irma communicated with the turtles in all episode they appeared except Take Me to Your Leader.

[Pazlet]

See, I'm on mixed grounds with April.

There's two sides that I really see of her, a link for the turtles to the outside world and a link to us - the audience - to the turtles world. She should definitely be a role model, but as an independent character and not as a damsel in distress.

Her race doesn't really matter to me, but her age should be at least a young adult in their early twenties. Someone responsible and has her head screwed on so that she can be a good role model to the turtles too. Like a big sister, definitely.

Jobwise, anything but a reporter. Something about characters working within journalism irks me (sorry Peter Parker) but I loved her when she's working in science or owning her own business with the antique shop. A profession that is basically a testament to her intelligence and independence. She doesn't need to be able to fight alongside the turtles and learn ninjutsu in order to prove her worth.

And as much as I love the dynamic between Donatello and April, I see them as best friends than as anything more. Gonna have to go with her being with Casey on that one

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Pazlet

antique shop. A profession that is basically a testament to her intelligence and independence.

The antique shop is usually there to allow some mystic artifacts and objects to appear. It hasn't much with April O'Neil's character to do.

[Pazlet]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

The antique shop is usually there to allow some mystic artifacts and objects to appear. It hasn't much with April O'Neil's character to do.

Touché, from a writer's perspective her antique shop is a plot device rather than a representation of her actual achievement, but a girl can dream

[Sage Ninja]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I don't mind her being a reporter as it gives her more of a reason to be around and involved. As a lab assistant she can have stronger ties to the Turtles' origin, but I'm not sure that's even necessary. I often wonder if most people simply prefer the job April had in the first version they encountered her in. It's just like, in most versions where she's a lab assistant she isn't one for very long and then after that it's a real struggle to find any reason for her to even be involved. So I don't have any problem whatsoever with her being their "Lois Lane".

I don't mind if she hangs out with the Turtles a lot or even picks up a little martial arts - it makes sense that they'd want their best friend to be able to defend herself - but even then I feel like it needs to be pulled back before she's off having Ninja Adventures by herself. I like it better when she's mostly a "normal" person who occasionally gets drawn into extraordinary situations.

I also prefer it when she's older than them.

This right here. I never liked April becoming a (f)ucking ninja on par with the turtles who have been groomed by Splinter since childhood to be what they are even though they have outside interests, spend all their time cultivating their skills as ninja. However I do not mind her learning martial arts and becoming competent at it in her own right, just keep it realistic for a person who has been learning the art for only a few years as a side interest versus person(s) who were raised from birth. 2k3 April had a background in gymnastics (if I remember correctly) so she was exceptionally athletic and it was handled well, so I don't mind her semi keeping up with the turtles athletically so long as they keep realistic.

I also do not mind if April is a reporter or a scientist, but I personally feel she is more useful as a person connected to the media. They always seem to drop her scientific job in favor of having her an antique shop owner and I always felt like that nerfs her potential. Also I am so done with her and Donatello at this point.

Also I prefer her to be normal not someone with secret special powers, or some half baked BS origin of her being a drawing or anything that makes her not normal. Her appeal is that she is normal.

As for her age, I prefer her to be older than the turtles instead of the same age. I can see the appeal in having someone the turtles ages so they can have a buddy, but that shouldn't be April. On that note I do not like her to be super older than them. Young adult (early twenties) is just fine with me,otherwise it gets weird that a thirty plus woman is hanging around a bunch of 15/16/17 year olds, even if the turtles do not register as that young. Young enough to still sort of relate to them but old enough to have some experience in the adult world to give them that window they lack.

Also I prefer her to be like a cool, down to earth older sister, not really a den mother figure.

I do not care what race she is really, but I prefer her to be an Irish descent individual with red hair like she has been portrayed since the original cartoon series. I do not mind her being another race/ethnicity but since she has been so established as redheaded Irish chick I feel you could just make an original character of another race if you wanted to.

[Slade]

I've never really thought much about it, but I do know, I hate when they make her a fighter. Never cared for it at all. I wouldn't mind Splinter giving her lessons, but stick to her being very amateurish with it. As far as her age, 18-25 doesn't seem bad. Do prefer the red haired version.