Why Raphael and Monalisa are the second strongest couple in TMNT.
As we know, Raphael and Monalisa's relationship started off with conflict. Monalisa thinking that Raphael and his brothers purposely destroyed her ship, dishonoring her and her commander, while Raphael was thinking that he was meeting another future enemy.
Little did he know he was meeting the love of his life.
Raph did not do like Donnie when he first met April and go, "I see her, I like her, and I want her"
No. It did not matter how beautiful and attractive Monalisa is, as long as she was a threat to his brothers and friends, claiming she will fight them then Raph did not care how she looked. Raph is always quick to assume someone they first meet will end up being an enemy, because that is no doubt how he was raised by Splinter because of their mutation, to not easily trust others.
All of them were raised that way, to not trust strangers, and being the protector, Raph took it to heart but his quick to love-struck brothers, did not, even Leo, who is always lecturing them about being safe and careful during missions.
Raph did not fall for Mona right away, it was only after she punched him and saw how ruthless of a warrior she is, that Raph began to have feelings towards her.
As for Monalisa, it was only after Raph saved her and he completely destroyed the snow monster, saw what an honorable warrior he is, that she began to have feelings for him.
Basically, it was only after realizing that both of them were the same kind of warriors, that their love began to grow. They did not love each other just because of how the other looks but because of the kind of people they are.
Raph never trusted or loved anyone as much as he loved Mona and Mona felt the same way about him. Still, it was more personal to Raph because he never thought in a million years, he would ever find someone. Being a mutant turtle on a world full of humans and all.
Raph was never so open to anyone. Not even his own brothers or father. That is the one thing about Raphael and Monalisa, they never held anything back, they told each other everything. Good times and bad times. Their families. Their dreams. Their struggles. Everything. Monalisa never judged Raph for any of it and he never judged her.
Showing everyone that they trusted no body but each other and Raph hoped it would last forever then...
Monalisa betrayed him. Though she had good reasons, it still did not change the fact that she had betrayed Raphael and hurt him, badly.
Raph was so hurt by her betrayal that he could not even fight to protect his brothers. Raph never in his life felt such pain, or anger. He trusted her, gave her his heart and she squashed it like a bug.
Monalisa tried to apologize but Raph was still angry at her and could not forgive her right away. Monalisa never felt such regret and though she knew Raph would probably never want to see her again.
She was still determined to make things right. If she had just told Raphael the truth, then they could have worked together, came up with a different solution but Monalisa did not want to take the risk when her commander and people were on the line.
As a Salamanderian warrior she is trained to always put her duties first, her people first but Raphael...meant more to her than any of that and she wished she had not given in to her fear for her commander and people so easily.
What she did, was not what she believed an honorable warrior to be. She was determined to make it right, to make it up to Raphael and his brothers, to bring honor back to herself even if it meant die trying.
Knowing this, Monalisa confessed her love to Raphael before going off to fight to protect him. She wished she could have told him under better circumstances....
But for Raphael...that was the best time for her to confess her love and he was all but smiles as he went to fight by her side.
He was still hurt by her betrayal but after she said that, calming him down, he began to realize that it was not all her fault but Dregg's. She did what she had to do, and Raph could not say he would do any different if it came down to his family.
Raph still loved Monalisa, despite everything, and he was willing to try to forgive her then...
He almost lost her. You can see that Raph was scared out of his mind for her. He did not want to lose her, even though he pushed her away and even though he was angry at her, Raph did not want to lose the only person he has ever trusted or loved.
He was pleading to her to hold on, to pull through and he stood by her bedside, until she thankfully woke up. Raph was beyond relieved and when Monalisa tried to apologize again, asking if he could ever forgive her, Raph did not push her away this time. He only grabbed her hand, offering her a smile which said it all.
Raph would do anything for Monalisa, absolutely anything. He loved her so much and her almost dying only made him realize that more. He did not want to lose her, and he was determined not to. That is why he decided to accept her forgiveness and kissed her.
A while later, Raph sadly returned to Earth where he would never be able to see Monalisa for a very long time, but they still kept in touch through Raphael's space helmet.
However, the long-distance relationship was hard on both of them. The missed each other and were very lonely without each other. You can tell that Raph thought of Mona often, every day, every minute, and every second.
He wanted to see her again, to fight with her again, to just be with her again but couldn't because she was miles away fighting in space while he was stuck on Earth, fighting Shredder.
Monalisa's calls no doubt grew less and less overtime, her getting too busy in the army and after so long of hearing nothing, Raph no doubt started to think that their relationship might be over, him saying, "Who needs love, Chompy?! I'm a lone wolf! A rebel!"
Then Monalisa calls and suddenly, Raph's lone wolf act drops, and he is overall excited when Monalisa says she is coming to Earth.
Even after so long of not seeing each other and fear of their relationship ending, Raph and Mona jumped back right where they left off. Their love for each other not lessening one bit.
It felt good to have each other in their arms again, to talk to each other in person and to fight together once more. It felt so good...and neither of them wanted it to end.
It did not matter how strong their love was, though. Raph could not live with this long-distance thing anymore. He wanted Mona by his side forever, he did not want to lose her, especially after he just lost his father. Raphael needed her which is why he asked her to make big sacrifice.
He asked her to stay on Earth with him. To abandon the only home, she has ever known and live on a planet that she is unfamiliar with.
To Monalisa, that was impossible in her mind. How could she abandon her people? Her commander? Everything she has ever known?
Raph knows he is asking a lot from her and would never force Monalisa to do anything she did not want to or hold her back but...he just did not want to do the long-distance thing anymore. It wasn't enough for him. He needed her here, by his side and if Monalisa did decide to return back to her planet then...Raph did not know what he would do.
He would either try to stay with the long distance a little longer, in hopes that Monalisa would one day come to live with him or...he could let her go.
Monalisa knew this, it was hard for her as well and she did want to stay with him but...she did not know what to do. Once again, Monalisa is stuck choosing between Raphael or her duties as a Salamanderian warrior.
However, after fighting by his side again, Monalisa realized that she always wants to be fighting by his side. She was tired of fighting alone and not a moment goes by where she is not thinking about him.
Which is why...Monalisa decided to stay on Earth, making the excuse that she wished to help protect it from future alien threats. Thankfully, Sal commander understood and allowed her to stay, (Though annoying Bishop tried to get in the way but Raph would not let him)
So, yeah, there has been conflict, betrayal, distance and sacrifice on Monalisa's part but like Splinter and Tang Shen's relationship, Raphael and Monalisa did not let that get in their way.
Despite being from different worlds, these two somehow made their worlds become one. Their love was clear as day to them and everyone else. Raphael found his better half and Monalisa found her's.
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