Summary
Four turtles, four brothers, trained in martial arts by their rodent sensei, theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,came out of left field with their independent comics debut in 1984. They are now some of the most iconic characters in American pop culture history. Each turtle has their own distinct personality, with whom many resonate.
For some, that may be Leonardo. Chosen by Master Splinter himself to lead his brothers, he keeps the Turtles grounded in the present moment, or at least as grounded as four adolescents can get. His relationship/rivalry with Raphael is also the stuff of legends, having escalated on more than one occasion. Here are quotes from his more memorable moments in the franchise.
Leo Has Been Fighting The Kraang Too Much
Source
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), Season 1, Episode 8, “Never Say Xever”
Director
Michael Chang
Nickelodeon bought the rights to theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfrom the Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment in 2009. This left the franchise in a precarious position. Turtle fans would not be disappointed, though. Nickelodeon’s premiereNinja Turtlescartoonin 2012 would deliver a charming blend of comedy, character development, and epic adventures.
One of the primary foes in this iteration are the Kraang, a race of brain-like aliens who pilot metallic humanoid exosuits. They also have a habit of speaking in the third person and in overly elaborate sentences. Leonardo has heard it so many times that he ends up incidentally emulating it himself.
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Creators
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
While the child-friendly Saturday morning cartoon of the 80s introduced many to theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the characters first appeared in theindependent comic bookcreated by Eastman and Laird as a parody of Marvel’sDaredevilcomics. Issue #1 opens with the four brothers cornered in an alleyway by members of the Purple Dragons gang, one of whom refers to them as wearing “stupid turtle costumes.”
Leonardo’s response tells new readers what they are in for. These weren’t just humans with superpowers or running around in bright costumes. These characters were an oddball creation, helping to set them apart from some of the more mainstream competition. This quote also puts a question mark in readers’ heads, making them wonder just exactly who these Turtles were.
Steve Barron
In the 1990Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfilm, the Foot Clan trashes the Turtles’ lair and abducts their sensei, Master Splinter. In the confrontation against the Foot Clan’s leader,the Shredder, the Turtles interrogate him on Splinter’s whereabouts. Shredder’s response: “Ah, the rat. So it has a name. Or, it had one.” In response, Leo accuses him of lying, with anguish in his voice.
When Leonardo is faced with the possibility that his teacher is dead, it overwhelms him. Leonardo is usually the stoic one, the one who can be counted on to lead the team confidently and with sound judgment. In this case, the possibility of his teacher and father being dead is too much for him to bear. He charges at the Shredder, who pins him down and nearly kills him before Splinter shows up at the last moment.
4“I Did The Best I Could!”
Leo Lets Go Of His Anger
The Turtles’ most recent battle with the Shredder inthe 2003 cartoonleft them badly injured and ultimately doomed without the intervention of the Utroms. This leaves Leonardo carrying PTSD and heavy guilt for nearly failing his family. To channel his anger, Splinter sends Leonardo to Japan to train with The Ancient One, who trained Splinter’s master.
Leo’s final trial in the episode is against a stone guardian who tells him he is weak, prompting flashbacks to their last encounter with the Shredder. Leo fights back, shouting, “I did the best I could,” and slices at its face, revealing a mirror image of himself. Here, Leonardo moves past his anger and guilt. He felt that he had failed his brothers when what he did not realize was that sometimes, even leaders fail. He did all he could for his family, and at the end of the day, that is all anyone can do, their best.
TheTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’big screen debut blends the light-hearted slapstick of the 80s cartoon with the darker edge of the original comic books. A heated argument between Leonardo and Raphael would see Raph departing from their temporary hideout in theirfriend April’s apartment. Soon after, a confrontation with the Foot Clan leaves Raphael in a coma, and the Turtles, April, and new ally Casey Jones retreat to a barn in the countryside.
Leonardo’s conflict with Raphael becomes a distant memory when his brother barely clings to life. During the days that Raphael is unconscious, Leo keeps a constant vigil over him. When he finally awakes and requests some food, Leonardo is overjoyed. Although the two get on each other’s nerves sometimes, Leonardo is just glad he is okay.
Kevin Munroe
Leonardo and Raphael have always butted heads. Raph’s impulsive personality contrasts greatly with Leonardo’s more thoughtful, patient approach to situations. Their rivalry reaches a head in the 2007 CG filmTMNT, where Leonardo discovers that Raphael is the rogue vigilante Night Watcher. When Raph tells Leonardo that he is done following orders, Leonardo replies that he is not ready and that he is better than him, Raph pulls out his sais to challenge him, prompting Leonardo’s response.
This moment shows why Splinter picked Leonardo as the leader. Both of these characters are angry in this scene, but Raphael is allowing his anger to cloud his judgment, making him aggressive and even dangerous. Leonardo will fight if he has to, but it is his last resort, giving Raphael one chance to back down.Raphael may be strong, but that strength must be tempered with sound judgment.
Family Is Everything For Leo
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), Season 4, Episode 6, “Grudge Match”
Writer
Christopher Yost
Michaelangelo must train for a rematch against Kluh, the opponent whom he defeated in the Battle Nexus Tournament. WhenMaster Splinterdeclines to train him due to his boastfulness and overconfidence, Leonardo agrees to it. He takes Michaelangelo up to a mountain outside the Battle Nexus Arena to give him a pep talk, in which he says this line.
These words demonstrate the core of Leonardo as a character, as well as the core of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The story of the Turtles has always been one of family, of sticking together through the good times and the bad. Leonardo will do anything to look out for his brothers. This line also motivates Michaelangelo to fight back harder after Kluh threatens his family.
