#nightwatcherraph

And something stuck out to us.

Trail mix. Dried fruit. Peanut butter. They're all practical choices for someone going on a long hike. Very Leo.

But then there's the chocolate.

Still a practical choice - good in moderation for a quick energy boost.

But this is also the tail end of Leo's super serious arc. Chocolate seems like a treat he wouldn't see himself 'deserving'. I struggle to see Leo packing something so indulgent for himself.

So, that begs the question: who did pack it? Maybe one of his family snuck the chocolate in to his bag?

Just imagine:

Leo's just been told by Splinter that he's sending him away to another Sensei in Japan. His brothers were eavesdropping on the conversation, so they know too. Leo's in his room packing his bags.

His family are all on edge and unsure what to do or say. Leo's been "brooding, surly, and stubborn" as Splinter pointed out. And he just lashed out and wounded their father! No one knows what to do or say to him anymore.

They all gather in the main area of the lair as Leo emerges.

Don tries to hug him. Leo doesn't shrug him off, but he isn't receptive to the hug, either. It's cold and stiff, and Don withdraws self consciously.

Raph is crossing his arms and glaring at the wall. He's still mad at Leo for losing control and hurting Splinter. Anger and fear and confusion are churning silently within him.

Splinter puts a hand on Leo's arm. For a moment, Leo almost softens. But then they blink, and it's gone. They're both hurting too much to say anything.

Mikey doesn't know what to do. He can't talk to Leo. He can't hug him. All he wants is his oldest brother to put a reassuring hand on his shell and tell him everything will be OK.

But that's not going to happen.

As Leo makes for the exit to go to the docks, Mikey stealthily slips a small sweet treat into Leo's bag. Something that says "We still love you. Come home safe."

Bonus:

Leo's successfully snuck onto a cargo ship to Japan. As he's tucked away in the storage area, he begins to unpack the few things he brought for the multiple days he'll be at sea.

Something catches his eye. He pauses. He definitely didn't pack that. He reaches in and draws out a small bar of chocolate.

Mikey.

Oh easy; they're amazing

I love 2003's dynamic for Leo and Raph becuase they sure they fit the Lancer Archetype, they are so much more than just yin and yang. They're clearly best friends who constantly rely on each other.

Outside of the City at War arc and that one throw away line about Leo and Raph arguing they just click together so much. It honestly shows how the writers were still trying to get their standing with the show's writing to think these two would ever have the redvblue rivalry that other versions of them have. Of course they still manage to lightly include it in Tales of Leo where the rivarly is shown to be a one-sided thing of immaturity and Leo's not really into it.

Heck even in those early seasons they understand each other such as in Lone Raph and Cub where when Raph is seething and stressed due to Splinter not being there, Leo tells him to go to the surface and blow off some steam. Adding that he might find something.

Rather than admonishing him, instead Leo knows Raph needs a place to put his energy while also giving Raph something more lighter alongside of this.

Really the only time we see Leo doing anything but this positive style approach when it comes to Raph's emotions is during time like the search for Splinter where he reminded Raph to keep a lid on it becuase well, brutalizing a carjacker is not helping the mission. And when Leo's in mission mode that's what he's focused on. It's part of what makes him a good leader and brother is helping direct his brother's energy towards more productive pursuits rather than lashing out at less than ideal targets.

This favor is later returned in that previously mentioned Tales of Leo.

While sure Raph starts out with his external tough guy persona, taunting Leo as if he hopes it will wake him up so they can fight, but by the end of the tale Raph is so overwhelmed by emotions he has a hard time articulating his thoughts and even understanding his emotions. Which says a lot seeing as Raph seems to be the one who understands emotions the most(of course self-awareness does not automatically mean anything besides getting fed up that you can't rationalize you're way out of feeling things. You still have to feel, even if you understand what your emotions are trying to signal).

They're not opposing forces, they're complementary instead

Shout out to the moment in the forest's of D'Hoonnib, when Leo's having his space forest breakdown it's Raph who's the proactive one, already reassuring Leo that things will work out, with Mikey soon following suit. I am not illustating a point here, I just really like that moment. Though looking at the Mirage comics does make me sad it was not kept as a Donny moment, but I suppose that doesn't fit the characterization of 03 Donny. Despite going Through The Horrors, somehow my man does not have chronic anxiety like Leo(Interestingly instead Donny get's more reckless and impulsive as the series goes on, such as him jumping in with April to save her uncle even though SAINW was just last season. But my Donny and Leo become more like season 1 Raph while Raph becomes more like season 1 Leo is a theory for another day as I am not fully confident in it)

I think the best demonstration of their dynamic is these previously mentioned season 1 stuff but also their season 4 stuff. It kinda shows how the other interacts with them at their angriest(No I am not touching City at War again, that's not them at peak rage, that's them being stubbornly moral, which is different. Unlike the writers, I am not about to tell you what is the correct choice for the troly problem. The only thing I will note is after this they never have any similar style argument about this until Dna is Thicker than water and even then they don't really fight the same way. Instead it's just a light acknowledgement of their different views. Of course FF is where the Flanderization for Raph and Mikey begins due to the corporates mandated tone shift, so I am hesitant to fully look into that for this post).

The common theme is having patience and empathy towards the other in the anger and rage. Sure they may show it differently with Leo having a cool but long rage while Raph's a hot but fast rage that will have repeat explosions during stress rather than one very tense and intense build up, but they both have that similar passion with in them.

Giving each other room for their anger, letting them feel it without shame. Helping direct their energy towards a new outlet.

Look at how Raph did exactly that for Leo by letting him 1v1 rat king. And I've already talked about Leo doing the same for Raph in season 1.

So of course after the big explosion that leads to Leo being sent to ninja therapy, who's the first Leo goes looking for? Raph.

Instantly they both give each other reports on how the other's doing, both physically and emotionally. From there working together to find a new shelter and bring everyone back. When this happens Raph's tough guy person kicks in for everyone else. But he didn't have it up with Leo. There's a trust of emotional vulnerably there that's rarely seen else where in the series.

As I keep saying, they're best friends. Sure there's a little friendly rivarly here and there, but for the most part it's Raph poking fun[read: masking his worry] at Leo's perfectionism.

They both have this deep need to worry and protect the other and it shows through out the show. Like all the brothers they have this inherit trust, with that being part of why the Shredder was able to just brutalize Leo for a whole night on the rooftops, an in turn why Leo felt it would be Raph who was taking care of the rest of his family when he could not find them.

Of course this protects also extends emotionally, with Raph's rage at Leo's treatment from the Ninja Tribunal being at full front. Because he knows Leo would just take. That turtle seemingly only rises to Raph's taunts, not people who he see's as being more experienced and powerful. In turn Leo tries to protect Raph from himself, helping pull him back before he hurts Mikey in Meet Case Jones, knowing that Raph will hate himself for it, that and he was protecting Mikey but that's not who this post was about.(I can't think of any time per say Leo protects Raph socially, becuase Leo keeps reading as having introverted autistic swag. Man is not interested in hanging out with anyone but his brothers, even April he's a bit hesitant for. Unless it's someone he knows well, or it's related directly to battle, plans or action, he tends to hang out in the back of things. Raph meanwhile is super socially graceful and doesn't end up in situations where he needs such protecting.)

So over am in love with this dynamic. They are each other's pillars, they are brothers through and through. Pushing and pulling, always having a level of unbreakable confidence in the other while still being aware of their weaknesses and thus trying to step up and cover for them.

Hiya. Thank you so much for your ask 💚

Oh stars, I love all the 03 boys! Every one of them is just perfect, as far as I'm concerned. They will always be the version of the turtles, for me. 😅

This got long, so I've put it below a Read more 😅

Oh I mean, yeah. For sure.

Like, I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth bro, but by god I will be complaining the whole time

Like, if I’m going to die out here you better hell be right next to me

Like,

In general? I love Raph. His archetypal role tends to be one of my least favorites in ensemble casts: impulsive, moody bad boys tend to get on my nerves. I simply don't find their angst and lack of self control Cool or Relatable, no matter how tragic their past is to justify their antisocial behavior.

Raph's frustration, however, comes from a place I can easily sympathize with - his family is on their own and in constant danger. You often get the feeling that he'd like to be part of society in some way, but he can't and that's stifling! The result is a core drive to protect the small circle of family and friends he does have, no matter the cost.

Though the human world is too dangerous to interact with openly, Raph still sees humans as fellow People, and will readily intervene on their behalf. He leaps boldly into action in part because he worries that indecision and delay will give the enemy more time to cause harm (of course, he also finds combat fun and fulfilling, which may occasionally get him into trouble). He may grumble and complain, but at his core Raph is a helper.

My favorite versions of Raph are the ones where he and Leo are almost too similar underneath their wildly different demeanors. Their conflicts usually come down to how they want to approach their goal, not on which goal to approach.

In fact, there's an argument to be made that in D&D terms, my ideal Raph and Leo could both be cast as paladins, with Leo as Oath of Devotion (focused on honor and protecting the innocent) and Raph as Oath of Vengeance (focused on justice and punishing the wicked). Mirage Raph, on the other hand, is 100% a barbarian. So I mean, there's a range of viable interpretations, and the character can be well-written anywhere within it. It's just that the more selfish Raph is, the less I will connect with him.

3: My Non-Romantic OTP For this Character

For 2003 Raphael!

My favorite friendship, for 2003 Raph is his friendship with Casey. These two are each other's ride or die friendship.

Raph and Casey will always go to bat LITERALLY with each other.

They also help each other, ironically mellow out. When they first meet each other, they're at their most tense in that moment, but as the series goes on, Casey is just part of the family. He's not afraid to tell Raph what he NEEDS to hear, not what he wants to hear and vice versa. There's no need for sparing their feelings, they can handle it. And I love that. Cause let's remember: At any point, Casey would've after EVERYTHING they've been through, been 100% in the right to walk away.

And he didn't.

You only risk your life and limb for family and Raph and Casey's friendship/bond as brother figures to each other is AMAZING.

Also, Raph is Casey's wingman, let's be real.

He basically went: "I am trusting you, with my sister DO NOT SCREW THIS UP!" when it came to April.

Casey's farmhouse is his second home, it's just as important as the Lair.

I was rewatching The Monster Hunter the other night and just... aahh.. Farmhouse arc episodes are always so good.

So yeah, there's my thoughts. Thank you!