Turtles in a... half shell??

Shreddette · 02-17-2004, 02:57 PM

Heh, this might seem kind of dumb but my hubby brought this up recently and it totally made me wonder the same thing when I was a kid, even now...

they're in a half shell? I thought full shell, because they have the front part of the shell as well on their torso.

Daaaaah...

*PizzaPower* · 02-17-2004, 02:59 PM

LOL, well half shell because they look human kind of.

THE-X-FLO · 02-17-2004, 03:11 PM

well they have a half shell on their back, I guess their torso doesnt count

Aaron · 02-17-2004, 03:34 PM

I've often wondered this same exact thing. But I wasn't smart enough to post it.

host_punktmy · 02-17-2004, 03:46 PM

hmmmm....... I'm pretty sure they were on drugs when they were making the old toon. Every time soemone yelled out staff meeting it really meant let's smoke some reefer in the board room.

**Jo Dawn** · 02-17-2004, 04:23 PM

I've thought of that too... But I just tell myself that "heroes in a half-shell" sounds cooler than the alternative.

~~Jarrah White~~ · 02-17-2004, 05:08 PM

The torso part of the shell is flat, where as the back part of the shell is curved, hence half a circle. If both sides of the shell were curved that'd be Heroes In A Round Shell.

Spectre · 02-17-2004, 05:12 PM

Yeah, I've always wondered why they used "heroes in a half-shell". I'm not saying I could've done better, though. I guess it was because it sounds cool.
(or it sounded cool back then. I'm not bashing the original series here, so please don't get mad. I'm just saying that it might've sounded good in the late 80s when it was aired.)

*jeff the cheff* · 02-17-2004, 05:24 PM

Maybe they weren't referring to a turtle shell, but like a circular shell. They look kind of like clams on a halfshell.

Tinselcat · 02-17-2004, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreddette

Heh, this might seem kind of dumb but my hubby brought this up recently and it totally made me wonder the same thing when I was a kid, even now...

they're in a half shell? I thought full shell, because they have the front part of the shell as well on their torso.

Daaaaah...

i think the whole reason for the "heroes in a half-shell" is a play on the term "half-shell" used when describing how seafood is served (or more specifically, seafood from creatures with shells). i figured they were just being clever with the wording. but that's just my take on it.

GodzFire · 02-17-2004, 06:45 PM

Okay now no bringing up topics I posted awhile back

*Deathknight* · 02-17-2004, 08:30 PM

What's weird is that whenever I bring up TMNT to someone and they start singing the theme song they always say "Turtles in a half-shell" instead of heroes. I really wonder why, every single person that remembered the theme that I've talked to says that.

~~Reznorite420~~ · 02-17-2004, 08:32 PM

You're not the only one DK. Close to graduation time a guy in my economics class saw me wearing my TMNT shirt, and that's exactly what he did: "Turtles on the half-shell...turtle power!"

But then again he was an idiot anyway.

*Cascadia* · 02-17-2004, 09:09 PM

I believe that it was suppose to represent that they were half-human due to their mutation.

Savanti Romero · 02-18-2004, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarrah White

The torso part of the shell is flat, where as the back part of the shell is curved, hence half a circle. If both sides of the shell were curved that'd be Heroes In A Round Shell.

But the definition of a shell is: a hard rigid usually calcareous covering of an animal. So, while it is a half circle, it is not a half of a shell. The Turtles, even mutated, still have a full shell. My guess for that part of the song is their "half human half turtle," or it just sounded good to the creators.

coryroo24 · 02-18-2004, 10:24 AM

Carapace-top shell, an outgrowth of bone
Plastron-bottom shell

I got this off a site...I guess they are both called shells so really its "heros in a half carapace" or "heros in a half plastron"

Orochi Chimera · 02-18-2004, 11:07 AM

"heros in a half carapace" or "heros in a half plastron" heh heh

I was just thinking that it would be funny if they tried to market TMNT using those as catch phrases.

Shreddette · 02-18-2004, 01:05 PM

Hmm, maybe it is referring to seafood on a half shell....

Turtle soup... Shredder...

Shredder would be partly conducting cannibalism if he ate them in soup!

~~Jarrah White~~ · 02-18-2004, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreddette

Hmm, maybe it is referring to seafood on a half shell....

Turtle soup... Shredder...

Shredder would be partly conducting cannibalism if he ate them in soup!

Wouldn't the mutagen in their bodies give him radiation sickness?

~~Reznorite420~~ · 02-18-2004, 02:46 PM

The mutagen isn't exactly IN their bodies (or even ON), so to speak.

02-17-2004, 02:57 PM	#1
Shreddette Hench Mutant Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chained to Shredders Bed Posts: 402	Turtles in a... half shell?? Heh, this might seem kind of dumb but my hubby brought this up recently and it totally made me wonder the same thing when I was a kid, even now... they're in a half shell? I thought full shell, because they have the front part of the shell as well on their torso. Daaaaah...

02-17-2004, 02:59 PM	#2
PizzaPower Foot Elite Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pizza Parlor Posts: 3,200	LOL, well half shell because they look human kind of. __________________ https://www.twitch.tv/turtlepizzapower

02-17-2004, 03:34 PM	#4
Aaron Hench Mutant Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tennessee Posts: 357	I've often wondered this same exact thing. But I wasn't smart enough to post it. __________________ "Death comes for us all, Oroku Saki"

02-17-2004, 03:46 PM	#5
host_punktmy Hench Mutant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Shadow Moses Posts: 469	hmmmm....... I'm pretty sure they were on drugs when they were making the old toon. Every time soemone yelled out staff meeting it really meant let's smoke some reefer in the board room. __________________ "Eat this" www.geocities.com/kingsofpain408 This is our site

02-17-2004, 04:23 PM	#6
Jo Dawn Inactive Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Authority On All Things Don Posts: 5,190	I've thought of that too... But I just tell myself that "heroes in a half-shell" sounds cooler than the alternative. __________________

02-17-2004, 03:11 PM	#3
THE-X-FLO Foot Soldier Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 242	well they have a half shell on their back, I guess their torso doesnt count

02-17-2004, 05:08 PM	#7
~~Jarrah White~~ Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,394	The torso part of the shell is flat, where as the back part of the shell is curved, hence half a circle. If both sides of the shell were curved that'd be Heroes In A Round Shell.

02-17-2004, 05:12 PM	#8
Spectre Foot Soldier Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: U.S.A Posts: 124	Yeah, I've always wondered why they used "heroes in a half-shell". I'm not saying I could've done better, though. I guess it was because it sounds cool. (or it sounded cool back then. I'm not bashing the original series here, so please don't get mad. I'm just saying that it might've sounded good in the late 80s when it was aired.) __________________ I'm a kid working at Kroger, so what!

02-17-2004, 05:24 PM	#9
jeff the cheff Mad Scientist Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: 122 and an eighth Posts: 2,129	Maybe they weren't referring to a turtle shell, but like a circular shell. They look kind of like clams on a halfshell.

02-17-2004, 06:45 PM	#11
GodzFire Hench Mutant Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Sewers Posts: 292	Okay now no bringing up topics I posted awhile back

02-17-2004, 08:30 PM	#12
Deathknight Mad Scientist Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: One of the 972 rooms of the technodrome Posts: 1,995	What's weird is that whenever I bring up TMNT to someone and they start singing the theme song they always say "Turtles in a half-shell" instead of heroes. I really wonder why, every single person that remembered the theme that I've talked to says that. __________________ Shredder: "Ninja hall of fame? Ha! Where's MY statue?!" -My Brother, the Bad Guy

02-17-2004, 08:32 PM	#13
~~Reznorite420~~ Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 3,851	You're not the only one DK. Close to graduation time a guy in my economics class saw me wearing my TMNT shirt, and that's exactly what he did: "Turtles on the half-shell...turtle power!" But then again he was an idiot anyway.

02-17-2004, 09:09 PM	#14
Cascadia Oregonian in heart & soul Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,731	I believe that it was suppose to represent that they were half-human due to their mutation. __________________ Formally known as Scientific freak

02-18-2004, 10:24 AM	#16
coryroo24 Hench Mutant Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 448	Carapace-top shell, an outgrowth of bone Plastron-bottom shell I got this off a site...I guess they are both called shells so really its "heros in a half carapace" or "heros in a half plastron" __________________

02-18-2004, 11:07 AM	#17
Orochi Chimera Mad Scientist Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,289	"heros in a half carapace" or "heros in a half plastron" heh heh I was just thinking that it would be funny if they tried to market TMNT using those as catch phrases.

02-18-2004, 01:05 PM	#18
Shreddette Hench Mutant Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chained to Shredders Bed Posts: 402	Hmm, maybe it is referring to seafood on a half shell.... Turtle soup... Shredder... Shredder would be partly conducting cannibalism if he ate them in soup!

02-18-2004, 02:46 PM	#20
~~Reznorite420~~ Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 3,851	The mutagen isn't exactly IN their bodies (or even ON), so to speak.