Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Characters

Characters from the long-running comic book series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as some exclusive to some of its non-comic incarnations. Note: Several characters' allegiances shift between incarnations. They have been placed in the side they are most usually associated with.

Leonardo
"Leads. Always in control. Identifiable by his blue bandana and his twin swords. Appears in: all continuities."


 * Authority Equals Asskicking: Consistently the most skilled Turtle, he falls into the leadership role by default.
 * The Cape (trope)
 * The Chains of Commanding: 4Kids Series, 4th film.
 * Child Soldiers: Of the four, it's Leonardo who exemplifies this the most.
 * Combat Pragmatist: Leonardo's sense of honor dictates that he fight fairly, but when he's pushed into a corner or there is no other alternative, he will not hesitate to slice off your head.
 * Determinator
 * Dual-Wielding
 * Emotions vs. Stoicism
 * Four-Temperament Ensemble: Phlegmatic.
 * Guilt Complex: He is very bad with this. Very bad.
 * The Hero
 * Heroic BSOD: Mirage Comics, 4Kids Series.
 * Heroic Spirit: A big reason why he's a determinator.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Miyamoto Usagi.
 * Honor Before Reason
 * Indy Ploy: Alarmingly, a lot of his plans qualify as this. Most of the time, however, they actually work.
 * Jack of All Stats: Videogames.
 * Katanas Are Just Better: Obviously.
 * Martial Pacifist: Mirage Leonardo, in the future.
 * Master Swordsman
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: He gets into quite a few of these. If he's not on the receiving end, he's usually administering it.
 * The Messiah: Even after all the betrayals and all the terrible things he's seen, Leo still expects the best out of people.
 * Metamorphosis
 * Named After Somebody Famous
 * Nerves of Steel: Captured by aliens, trapped thousands of miles from Earth with no way back, poisoned and weaponless? For Leonardo, that's a training run.
 * Old Master: Mirage Leonardo, in the future.
 * A Protagonist Shall Lead Them: Leonardo usually gets the most lines of dialogue, and most of the stories are told from his perspective. Even when he's not presented as the main character (such as the TMNT movie), he plays a major role.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to Raphael's red.
 * Samurai: Leonardo is technically a ninja, but a lot of the tenets he quotes are in line with samurai. It's no surprise he and Usagi got along swimmingly.
 * Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: In the 4Kids series, he starts out at the very end of the Idealism scale, even believing the best of the Shredder and then this daughter Karai. As the seasons progress he shows signs of being capable of sliding down the other way--he does this in the fourth season--though he remains mostly rooted in idealism.
 * The Spartan Way: All the turtles train hard, but Leonardo--whether or not by his own design--is almost always subjected to the kind that involves complete isolation, distant countries, and/or imminent death.
 * In the 4Kids series, Leonardo as a child is suffering from fear of heights. Splinter brings him to the top of a gigantic reservoir and pretends to be in danger of falling. Leonardo forces himself to crawl out and save him, and apparently conquers his fear in the process.
 * Standardized Leader: Usually in his most basic, stripped-down incarnations.
 * Thou Shalt Not Kill: Mirage Leonardo, in the future.
 * Took a Level In Badass: In all incarnations, the turtles all go through this, but Leonardo is the one who most clearly demonstrates the trope. One example is in the first season of the 4Kids cartoon where he can barely handle fighting one of the Foot Elite, and is nearly killed trying to take on all four. By the end of the fourth season, he not only takes on all four without apparent difficulty, but also bests Karai, the incumbent Shredder, in the process.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: During the first half of the 4Kids cartoon's fourth season, combined with Heroic BSOD.
 * Weapon of Choice: Twin Katanas Are Just Better.
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy: Most of what Leonardo does is to please Splinter. Whether or not this is a good thing is still a debate in fandom.
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Leo gets this in the 4Kids cartoon from his brothers and Splinter when he's on the verge of becoming a Knight Templar.
 * Wise Beyond Their Years: In childhood flashbacks, he's usually the turtle acting like the adult. And for a teenager, he deals very well with duties and responsibilities most adults would be unable to fathom.

Raphael
"Is cool but crude. Throws the first punch. He wears red and fights with a pair of sais. Appears in: all continuities."

"Raph: (Examines one of Casey's bats) A Jose Canseco bat?? Tell me... you didn't pay money for this..."
 * Aloof Big Brother: Partially inverted. He's younger than Leonardo making him an aloof little brother, but older than Michelangelo and Donatello, playing straight for them.
 * The Berserker: Mostly (every continuity but Fred Wolf cartoon).
 * The Big Guy
 * Brooklyn Rage
 * Deadpan Snarker: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * He has his moments in the movies as well:


 * Expy: Of Wolverine in the Mirage comics.
 * Eyepatch of Power: All of his future incarnations.
 * Fire-Forged Friend: With Casey, in most incarnations.
 * Four-Temperament Ensemble: Choleric.
 * Glass Cannon: Fastest move rate and attack speed in most games he is featured in, but he has to kiss enemies to hit them with his sai, and has the lowest health. The lack of strength is completely inverted in the comics.
 * Good Is Not Nice
 * Hair-Trigger Temper
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 * Jerkass Facade: Oh, he cares. He just doesn't want anyone else to know he cares.
 * The Lancer
 * Medium Awareness / No Fourth Wall: Fred Wolf series.
 * Metamorphosis
 * Named After Somebody Famous
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red to Leonardo's blue.
 * Secret Identity: Nightwatcher, in the fourth movie.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: If you're more familiar with the Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Weapon of Choice: Sai Guy.
 * Wolverine Publicity

Donatello
"Does machines. Is the brains of the bunch. Marked with a purple headband, and fights with a bo staff. Appears in: all continuities."


 * Adorkable
 * Badass Bookworm
 * Beware the Nice Ones/Quiet Ones
 * Bond Breaker: Donatello was warped into an alternate future where he had disappeared for 20 years. Without his resourceful, tech savvyness, the Turtles were disbanded and the Shredder had succeeded in world domination. The supporting cast made up the last rebel resistance.
 * Also an example of It's a Wonderful Plot, where a character often sees that their team or the whole world is worse off for their absence.
 * Big Little Brother: Taller than Leo but, fittingly, tied with Raph.
 * Brainwashed and Crazy: Not quite brainwashed, but mutated and certainly crazy enough to live up to the spirit of the trope during the Good Genes arc-- unwitting Face Heel Turn included.
 * Crazy Prepared: "What I really want to know is why Don carries around a pigeon puppet..."
 * Doesn't Like Guns: Mirage comics.
 * Fighting From the Inside: A variant while he was prisoner on board the Triceraton mother ship, resisting against borderline Mind Rape. He held out for awhile, but needed help to fend the assault off.
 * First-Person Smartass: Whenever he's the one voicing the opening narration in the 2003 series.
 * Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The responsible to Michelangelo's foolish.
 * Four-Temperament Ensemble: Melancholic.
 * Gadgeteer Genius: Considering that he's self-taught, living in a sewer, and working mostly with scavenged junk, Don's inventing abilities are downright super-reptilian.
 * Intelligence Equals Isolation: Not often, but on occasion he's sequestered off in his lab. Most noticeable in 'Return to the Underground'.
 * The Klutz: A trait that doesn't come up often-- but if/when it does, it's always in the middle of a fight or stealth mission.
 * Layman's Terms: Often the one doing the translating, sometimes visibly annoyed.
 * Martial Pacifist: According to his official profile, he'd like to be one.
 * Metamorphosis: Twice-- once in the backstory, once at the end of the 2003 toon's fourth season.
 * Mighty Glacier: In most games. Slow as a... Well, turtle, but has the most health and the longest reach.
 * Mr. Fixit
 * Named After Somebody Famous
 * Nice Guy
 * Number Two: In the original comic series.
 * Omnidisciplinary Scientist
 * OOC Is Serious Business: Played backwards, actually. We get the 'serious business' part within the first few minutes of Same as it Never Was. Just before the episode's Bittersweet Ending, the OoC part comes in.
 * Out-of-Character Moment: Don  at the end of SaiNW, a far cry from his usually pacifistic actions. Understandable, of course given the circumstances.
 * The Professor
 * The Smart Guy
 * Technical Pacifist: In some incarnations.
 * Teen Genius
 * Weapon of Choice: Simple Staff.
 * Weirdness Magnet: Even amongst his brothers. He's been to at least three different worlds/dimensions that the others haven't, at any rate.

Michelangelo
"Is a party dude. Wiseguy. The most laid-back of the turtles, who lists among his interests pizza, comic books, and more pizza. Wears an orange-yellow bandana, and duels with nunchaku. Appears in: all continuities."


 * Annoying Younger Sibling
 * Ascended Fanboy: Sorta, he's a big comic book geek who happens to be a superhero himself.
 * In the Mirage comics he's a comic book geek who gets to write for comic books and even becomes a published novelist.
 * Badass Adorable: Silly, loves him some comic books, childish, always willing to crack a joke and and can kick tons of asses with his nunchucks. Yup.
 * Taken to it's furthest extreme in 2007's TMNT where Mikey is the shortest turtle and has huge adorable Blue Eyes (we know it doesn't make sense, but it's cute, dammit)
 * Beware the Nice Ones
 * Big Eater: In the 'Fred Wolf cartoon, he'd often annoy his brothers by eating all the pizza.
 * Brilliant but Lazy: He's usually portrayed as having great potential, but because of his more laidback personality, he'll focus on something more fun instead.
 * Butt Monkey: Especially in the cartoons. If any of the Turtles klutzes out or has something bad happen to them for comic effect, it's Michelangelo.
 * Characterization Marches On: Depending on the version, really - in the comic books, he isn't really a party dude, but more of a down-to-Earth type of guy as opposed to his brothers. He was able to author a book at one point.
 * In the Mirage comics he often traded back and forth with Donatello as The Smart Guy with Donny being the expert in science and technology while Mikey's specialty was culture and literature.
 * Cloudcuckoolander
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: (4Kids series): Although he can always kick ass, his skills will occasionally take a bump as the plot requires, allowing him to take on foes that would normally defeat him or his brothers.
 * Dope Slap: Gets it a lot in the 4Kids series.
 * Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The foolish to Donatello's responsible.
 * Four-Temperament Ensemble: Sanguine.
 * Genre Savvy: 4Kids series.
 * Hard Work Hardly Works: Although the trope is disproved by Leonardo, there is an element of this to Mikey's abilities, and he is consistently considered to be the most naturally gifted of the turtles despite his lack of focus and dedication to training.
 * The Heart: Although he exasperates his three brothers on a constant level, when a serious rift between their bond takes place, he usually is the one to try and patch things up...usually via humor.
 * Hidden Depths
 * Hooks and Crooks: Occurs in later seasons of the original cartoon, due to censorship in England.
 * He also uses one briefly in the 4Kids cartoon as a callback.
 * Jumped At the Call: 4Kids series.
 * Keet
 * Kid Appeal Character
 * Kindhearted Cat Lover
 * The Knight Who Says Squee: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Michelangelo runs faster than Leo and Don and has more health than all of his brothers. However, his nunchucks are slow and have little range (Turtles in Time, The Arcade game, Manhattan Project).
 * Metamorphosis
 * Real Men Wear Pink: in Back to the Sewers he was positively delighted when April asked him to be her Maid of Honor, when people tried to call him the more gender-neutral "Turtle of Honor" he would correct them.
 * The Red Mage: In the games, average movement speed and faster attack speed than Don, but defensively weaker than Leo.
 * Screams Like a Little Girl: 4Kids series.
 * Secret Identity: Turtle Titan (4Kids cartoon).
 * The Slacker: 4Kids series.
 * Surfer Dude: Mostly in the 'Fred Wolf cartoon, although aspects of this remain in other incarnations.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: In the Next Mutation series. To a lesser extent, in the 4Kids series as well.
 * Trademark Favorite Food: Though pizza is the favorite food of all four turtles, Michelangelo eats it more obsessively than the other three, especially in the 'Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Weapon of Choice: Fighting with Chucks (the hardest to master of the four turtles' weapons).

Splinter
"Taught them to be ninja teens. A mutated rat who serves as the turtles' mentor, raising them from when they were young. Appears in: all continuities."


 * Badass Grandpa
 * Cool Old Guy
 * Composite Character: He and Hamato Yoshi are one and the same in the 'Fred Wolf toon.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Damn.
 * Gentleman Snarker
 * Honorary Uncle: To Shadow (Mirage comics).
 * Killed Off for Real:
 * The Mentor
 * Metamorphosis
 * Minored in Asskicking
 * The Obi-Wan: First live-action movie.
 * Old Master
 * Papa Wolf
 * Rodents of Unusual Size
 * Simple Staff: The 2003 cartoon TV series.
 * Sophisticated As Hell: 4Kids series.
 * Team Dad

Venus de Milo
"Check it out, another one found! The female Ninja Turtle, from the Next Mutation series. Wears a light blue mask (with braided tails) and fights with iron fans and mystical orbs. Don't ask Peter Laird about her.

Appears in: Next Mutation."


 * Action Girl
 * Canon Foreigner
 * The Chick
 * Funny Foreigner: She never did manage to learn that the Turtles lived in the "sewer" and not in the "toilet."
 * Non-Mammal Mammaries: Behind her shell, no less. Usually the first thing mentioned by those who hate her.
 * But fan drawings love to emphasize them. Really, Venus isn't a Base Breaker, her breasts are!
 * Kung Fu Wizard
 * Only Known by Their Nickname: Her real name is Mei Pieh Chi.
 * Retcon: During her introduction, Venus was somewhat clumsily inserted into the Turtles' already-established origin.
 * The Smurfette Principle
 * Weapon of Choice: Battle Fans.

April O'Neil
"A Girl Next Door who serves as one of the turtles' first human friends. Appears in:Mirage comics,'Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie comics, 4Kids cartoon, Dreamwave comics, IDW comics, films."

"Michelangelo: She ain't no fun, she fainted."
 * Action Girl: Latter Archie Comics, 2003 series, 2007 film, 2012 series.
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: Her attraction to Casey.
 * Art Initiates Life: Mirage comics.
 * Badass Bookworm: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Bare Your Midriff: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Bound and Gagged: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * The Chick
 * Cursed with Awesome: April is turned into a fish mutant in one episode of the Fred Wolf cartoon. She's understandably upset about it, but it saves her life when the villain's base is flooded and she's able to breathe underwater like the Turtles.
 * Damsel in Distress: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Fainting: Occurs after she first sees the turtles in every incarnation.


 * Going for the Big Scoop: Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie Comics.
 * Green Eyed Red Head: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Hot Scoop: Cartoons, Archie comics, first two movies.
 * Intrepid Reporter: Fred Wolf Cartoon, Archie comics, first two movies.
 * Leitmotif: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Mission Control: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Motherly Scientist: In the IDW Comics, where she becomes quite attached to the pre-mutation turtles and even gives them their names.
 * Odd Friendship: In most adaptations Splinter and April strike up a deep but rather strange friendship. April is sometimes perplexed by the various personality quirks of each turtle while Splinter is exasperated having seen this all before.
 * Put on a Bus: Mirage comics.
 * Race Lift (Mirage comics): Although her race was never established within the comics, or even agreed upon by the creators, Kevin Eastman used to draw her with distinctively non-caucasian features, which went away when he stopped drawing.
 * Second Love: Mirage comics.
 * Took a Level In Badass: In most continuities.
 * Unfazed Everyman

Casey Jones
"An eccentric vigilante who fights crime with various sporting tools (baseball bats, hockey sticks, etc.) Tends to have the most in common with Raphael. Appears in: Mirage comics,'Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie comics, 4Kids cartoon, Dreamwave comics, IDW Comics, Films."


 * Badass Long Hair
 * Badass Normal
 * Bash Brothers: With Raph.
 * Batter Up
 * The Berserker: Initially.
 * Big Damn Heroes: Gets to do this occasionally, like in the first live-action movie.
 * Blue Eyes: 4Kids, and the show just loooves to focus on them
 * Boisterous Bruiser
 * Brooklyn Rage
 * Catch Phrase / Battle Cry: "GOONGALA!!!"
 * Combat Pragmatist: Even the bad guys admit that Casey just plain fights dirty.
 * Dark and Troubled Past: For the 4kids 'toon, although aspects of it were later adapted to the original comic book incarnation.
 * Demoted to Extra: Fred Wolf cartoon; the 3rd movie.
 * Drop the Hammer: In the comics Casey carried, as a weapon of last resort, a sledgehammer (along with regular croquet mallets).
 * Embarrassing First Name: Arnold. Casey is his middle name or nickname, depending on the incarnation.
 * The Faceless: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Fire-Forged Friend: His friendship with Raphael consistently begins this way, and leads him to befriending the other turtles.
 * Heartbroken Badass: After Gabrielle's death.
 * Improbable Weapon User: Hockey sticks, baseball bats, golf clubs, croquet mallets, cricket bats...
 * The last being really amazing because you gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket!
 * I Know Madden Kombat: Casey uses sports equipment as his main weapon.
 * Leitmotif: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Mask Power: When going into action, Casey usually wears an old-style hockey mask.
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Took a Level In Badass: In TMNT: Back to the Sewer.

Leatherhead
"A mutant alligator/crocodile (depending on the incarnation) who fights, then befriends the turtles. Generally the subject of a lot of abuse. Appears in: Mirage comics, Archie Comics,'Fred Wolf cartoon, 4Kids cartoon."


 * Adaptational Villainy: His original cartoon incarnation was made a villain, and he starts out that way in the Archie comic until he becomes a Mutanimal.
 * Animorphism: Archie comics.
 * The Berserker: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon.
 * Catch Phrase: "I guh-rantee!", Fred Wolf cartoon
 * Genius Bruiser: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon.
 * Heel Face Turn: Archie comics.
 * Killed Off for Real:
 * Metamorphosis: From human to humanoid alligator in the Archie comic book, from alligator to humanoid alligator everywhere else.
 * You Can't Go Home Again: In the Mirage and 4Kids cartoon continuities, Leatherhead initially yearns to rejoin the Utroms.

Professor Honeycutt/The Fugitoid
"A scientist whose mind was accidentally transferred into a robot's body. Forced on the run by groups seeking to obtain his plans for a teleporter, he eventually meets and befriends the turtles. Appears in: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon."


 * Badass Bookworm
 * Brain Uploading: The most commonly accepted explanation for his existence, although doubts are eventually raised as to whether this is the case.
 * Just a Machine: Although it's not true, he is considered this by The Federation.
 * Instant AI, Just Add Water: The alternate explanation as to his origins.
 * The Professor
 * Took a Level In Badass: Once he gets his battle form in volume 4 of the comics.
 * Transforming Mecha: In volume 4 of the comics. Transformations include his battle form, and wings that allow him to fly.

Shadow Jones
"The daughter of Casey Jones' first wife, who was raised collectively by Casey, April, Splinter and the Turtles after her death. Appears in: Mirage comics."


 * Action Girl
 * Anti-Heroine: In Tales of the TMNT #69.
 * Black Sheep: In Tales of the TMNT #69.
 * Future Badass: In Tales of the TMNT #69.
 * Goth: During her early teen years.
 * Happily Adopted
 * Morality Adjustment: Tales of the TMNT #69.
 * Parental Abandonment: Her biological mother, Gabrielle, died giving birth to her; her biological father is out of the picture for unknown reasons.
 * Scars Are Forever: Her future self sports a scar through her left eye.
 * Took a Level In Badass: Although she was always able to hold her own, her skills have taken a marked leap by the time we see her future self.

Carter
"A college student who seeks out Splinter in order to gain some ninja training. Becomes an ally of the turtles in their fight against Dregg. Appears in: Fred Wolf cartoon."


 * Black Best Friend
 * Cursed with Awesome: In his debut appearance, he gains a Hulk-like mutation power that sporadically causes him to turn into a huge, muscular yellow-skinned mutant with a metal arm and spikes.
 * Magic Pants: Averted the first time he transforms, but played straight on all subsequent occasions.
 * Only One Name
 * The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: We never actually see Carter at college. Either his attendance rates are lousy, or his college has one heck of a long summer break.
 * Put on a Bus: Halfway through the final season, he's taken away to the future to get his mutation cured. We never see or hear from him again, so whether or not the cure was successful, we'll never know.

Renet
"An apprentice "Timestress" whose job it is to oversee and protect the timestream. Appears in: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon"


 * Character Development: (Mirage) Initially a ditzy, irresponsible and overly impulsive girl, she eventually evolves into a mature, responsible and self-reliant woman -- after having spent some time as grim-faced, solemn and reluctant. What makes it confusing is that, thanks to her traveling back and forth through time, we don't necessarily see this development in chronological order.
 * In fact, we're informed that her parents originally made her take the job as an apprentice timestress in the hope that she would undergo some much-needed Character Development.
 * Deus Ex Machina: In the Mirage comic Juliet's Revenge the fully-adult, post-Character Development Renet plays this role (having changed so much that the Turtles don't recognize her at first). For the most part, however, she averts this.
 * The Ditz: In her pre-Character Development appearances.
 * Dumb Blonde: Again, pre-Character Development she's the embodiment of this trope.
 * Forgotten Phlebotinum: She's completely and inexplicably absent from the Fast Forward season of the 4Kids cartoon, where the Turtles are stuck in the future -- because if she'd appeared she could instantly have fixed their predicament.
 * Ms. Fanservice: (Mirage) About the only thing that stays consistent about her appearance is her huge breasts and tendency to wear skintight (and sometimes rather revealing) clothes.
 * Most Common Superpower: It's especially prominent in the Mirage comic (especially if Jim Lawson is drawing her), but the 4Kids cartoon version is notably endowed as well.
 * Shout-Out: The third movie prominently features a time travel scepter that looks very similar to Renet's.
 * Time Police
 * Took a Level In Badass: (Mirage) It's a long way from the Damsel in Distress we're first introduced to, to the nearly god-like woman who shows up to save the Turtles from certain death.

Oroku Saki/The Shredder
"A Ninja Master with ties to the New York underworld, and the franchise's most visible villain. Note: While all Oroku Sakis are Shredders, not all Shredders are Oroku Sakis. Appears in: all continuities."


 * Arch-Nemesis
 * Ascended Extra / Breakout Villain
 * Back From the Dead:
 * Big Bad
 * Blade Below the Shoulder
 * Composite Character: In the first movie, it is Saki himself who fights Yoshi over the love of Tang Shen, as opposed to his brother Nagi.
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Dead Person Impersonation: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Evil Laugh
 * Evil Overlord:, 4Kids cartoon.
 * The Utrom Shredder was one in an alternate Bad Future. Even before that there was an episode in the 1987 cartoon with the same premise of Shredder being ruler of the world in a Bad Future, however, due to the decay he suffered in that version, he was more inept than evil on that occasion and even wanted to go to a world where he wasn't ruler.
 * Healing Factor: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Hey, It's That Voice!: Holy crap, it's Uncle Phil! In the 1987 version anyway.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: Mirage comics, Turtles Forever.
 * Large Ham
 * Laughably Evil: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Left for Dead: A lot.
 * Legacy Character: Several characters end up taking the identity.
 * Leitmotif: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Mobile Suit Human: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Mind Over Matter: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Not Quite Dead:
 * Omnicidal Maniac: Turtles Forever.
 * One-Winged Angel: Super Shredder in the movies and video games during the Fred Wolf cartoon era. Shredder simply has enlarged exo-suits,   Shredder can turn into a dragon.
 * Physical God: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Put on a Bus: Fred Wolf and 4Kids cartoons.
 * The Bus Came Back: Both Shredders return in Turtles Forever.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Rival Turned Evil: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Secret Identity
 * Shoulders of Doom
 * Spikes of Villainy
 * Super Strength: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Take Over the World
 * Tin Tyrant: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Touched by Vorlons: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Villain with Good Publicity: 4Kids cartoon.

Karai
"A high-ranking member of the Foot Clan. Appears in: Mirage comics, Volume 3; 4Kids cartoon, 2007 animated film."


 * Action Girl
 * Anti-Villainess: Type II
 * Broken Bird: In seasons 4 and 5 of the 4Kids 'toon.
 * Co-Dragons: After her introduction, she shares the role of The Dragon with Hun.
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive
 * Daddy's Girl: 4Kids 'toon.
 * Dragon Ascendant: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Enigmatic Minion: 4Kids cartoon, 2007 movie.
 * Foil
 * Heel Face Turn: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Which extends to Heel Face Revolving Door when she switches sides twice in Turtles Forever
 * Hot Amazon (4Kids cartoon): When Dr. Chaplin bases his Amazon Blade Bots on her, it's kinda clear that her ability to kick ass is a large part of her appeal.
 * Honor Before Reason
 * Lady of War
 * Leitmotif: 4Kids cartoon.
 * My Master, Right or Wrong: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Secret Identity
 * Shoulders of Doom: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Spikes of Doom: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Tin Tyrant 4Kids cartoon.
 * Tyke Bomb: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Villainess with Good Publicity: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Wild Card
 * Worthy Opponent

Baxter Stockman
"Mad Scientist and creator of the mouser robots. Never quite seems to remain whole (or even human, in some versions). Appears in: Mirage comics, 'Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie comics, 4Kids cartoon, Dreamwave comics, IDW Comics."


 * Animorphism: His Fred Wolf 'toon incarnation eventually gets turned into a fly.
 * Anti-Villain: Eventually, in the 4Kids cartoon. He started out as one in the Fred Wolf cartoon but went crazy when he became a fly.
 * Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny: In the Fred Wolf cartoon, in his later episodes he would sometimes suffer from this due to having the mind and attention span of a fly.
 * Back From the Dead:
 * Black and Nerdy: Except in the 80's cartoon.
 * Body Horror: In 4Kids' "Insane in the Membrane," after four seasons of losing body parts, Baxter Stockman finally obtains a new body via cloning. Soon enough, however, he discovers that it's unstable, as his limbs start deteriorating and melting off. Worse still, his mind is going with it...
 * Butt Monkey: In both the the Fred Wolf cartoon and 4Kids cartoon incarnation.
 * Brain In a Jar: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon.
 * Clone Degeneration: 4Kids cartoon.
 * The Dragon: He was briefly this to the Shredder in the Fred Wolf cartoon, prior to his transformation.
 * For the Evulz: His original motivation in the comics.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard (4Kids cartoon): In "Return to New York".
 * Horrible Judge of Character: In the Fred Wolf cartoon, he agrees to help Shredder even though he approaches him on the streets in his full villainous garb and it gets worse from there. Even when Baxter turns into a fly as a result of Shredder sending him to Dimension X, as all it takes for Baxter to change from wanting revenge on Shredder to wanting revenge on the turtles is Shredder telling him that it was the turtles' fault.
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: His motivation in both cartoons. Ironically in the 4Kids cartoon he actually does eventually get his body back while in the Lighter and Softer series, he ends up trapped forever in dimensional limbo.
 * Irony: Interestingly, in the original TV Show, he ended up getting a Fate Worse Than Death, in a Lighter and Softer show, while in the darker show, not really mattering since Fast Forward still had Dark elements, Baxter gets a somewhat happier ending.
 * Killed Off for Real:  series.
 * Leitmotif: 4Kids cartoon.
 * Mad Scientist
 * Metamorphosis: From human to giant fly, in the Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Omnidisciplinary Scientist
 * Race Lift: Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Scars Are Forever: 4Kids cartoon.
 * The Starscream: To the Shredder, in the 4Kids cartoon.
 * Third Person Person: The 4Kids version is prone to this when gloating.
 * Used to Be a Sweet Kid: In the 4Kids series. He used to be a fairly benevolent and principled scientist too until his ego and arrogance got the better of him.
 * We Can Rebuild Him: Mirage Comics, 4Kids series.
 * Wetware CPU (Mirage Comics, 4Kids series): As loses more and more of his body, Baxter begins becoming this.

Hun
"A hulking, tattooed gangster who serves as the leader of the Purple Dragons street gang. Appears in: Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon, Dreamwave comics."


 * Animorphism:
 * Badass Abnormal: In Turtles Forever
 * The Brute
 * Canon Immigrant
 * Catch Phrase: "Oh, crud" (4Kids series).
 * The Dragon: Eventually becoming Co-Dragons alongside Karai.
 * Karmic Transformation
 * Large and In Charge
 * Leitmotif
 * Lightning Bruiser: Don't let his size fool you, Hun is astonishingly fast--more than fast enough to be a match for the turtles.
 * Tattooed Crook: In the cartoon, he sports twin tattoos of the Foot and Purple Dragon symbols, removing the former after he leaves the organization for good. In the comic books, he sports a dragon tattoo on his right arm and hand, an one of a human vertebra over his left arm and back.

Bishop
"A government agent who will do absolutely anything to protect Earth from aliens invasion. Head of the Earth Protection Force. Appears in:Mirage comics, 4Kids cartoon."


 * Alien Blood: Despite being human.
 * Anti-Villain
 * Badass
 * Badass Abnormal
 * Badass Longcoat
 * Canon Immigrant: He makes a cameo appearance in tales of tmnt vol 2 #61
 * Clone Degeneration
 * Default to Good
 * Four Eyes, Zero Soul
 * Guns Akimbo
 * Healing Factor
 * Heel Face Turn: In Fast Forward.
 * He Who Fights Monsters
 * Improbable Weapon User
 * Karma Houdini
 * Leitmotif
 * Playing with Syringes
 * Powered Armor
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: He's somewhere around 220.
 * Sinister Shades: In his battle outfit, and in Fast Forward.
 * Super Soldier
 * Super Strength
 * Touched by Vorlons
 * Unwitting Pawn
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist: In the present.

Krang
"An alien general fighting a losing war, and who turns to Earth for assistance. A small, brain-like creature, he often uses a robotic exoskeleton to move around. Appears in: 'Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie comics, IDW Comics."


 * Big Bad: Along with the Shredder (Fred Wolf series).
 * Canon Foreigner
 * The Exile: (Fred Wolf Cartoon, Archie Comics) Part of his backstory is that he's an exiled warlord from Dimension X.
 * Laughably Evil: In the original cartoon and Archie comics.
 * Mark of Shame: (Fred Wolf Cartoon) He was reduced to his brain-like state by the people who exiled him, and he is quite embarrassed about it.
 * Put on a Bus: Fred Wolf series, Archie Comics.

Bebop and Rocksteady
"Human gang members who were mutated into a warthog and rhino respectively, and serve as henchmen to the Shredder. Neither of them are particularly bright. Seen in their human forms in the IDW comics. Appear in: Fred wolf cartoon, Archie comics, IDW Comics."


 * Animorphism
 * Becoming the Mask: In the Archie comics series, the animal part of their natures began taking over more and more. This actually increased their intelligence, while also making them more neutral and less evil.
 * Canon Foreigners
 * Character Development: The Archie comics series gradually increased their intelligence and made them less evil as their animal natures took over more and more.
 * Cool Shades: Bebop.
 * Dual Boss: In a few of their video game appearances (namely the arcade games), they're fought as a pair.
 * Dumb Muscle
 * Friendly Enemy: In their final appearance in the Archie comics series, they hijack the spaceship used by Krang and his henchmen to reach Earth, using their guns to "convince" the Turtles not to stop them. However, Bebop and Rocksteady cheerfully accept Leonardo's request to take Krang and his goons back to the prison planet they escaped from, before returning to the Eden-like planet they've made their new home.
 * Harmless Villain
 * Laughably Evil
 * Metamorphosis
 * The Millstone: On many occasions Shredder may well have won if not for their bumbling. Of course then there would be no more show..
 * Musical Theme Naming
 * Pig Man: Bebop.
 * Put on a Bus: Fred Wolf series, Archie comics.
 * The Quincy Punk
 * Rhino Rampage: Rocksteady.
 * Simpleton Voice
 * Team Rocket Wins: Their final appearance in the Archie comics series has them convincing the Turtles not to fight simply by pointing their guns at them.
 * Those Two Bad Guys

The Rat King
"A man dressed up in rags and bandages who shares a rapport with rats. Varies wildly within incarnations--descriptions for each can be seen in the other Wiki.

Appears in: Mirage comics, Fred Wolf cartoon, Archie comics, 4Kids cartoon."


 * Ax Crazy: During his debut in both the Mirage comics and 4Kids series.
 * Bandaged Face
 * Beast Man: Mirage Comics, 4Kids series.
 * The Beast Master
 * Clone Degeneration: 4Kids series.
 * Cyborg: 4Kids series.
 * Dead All Along: During the arc.
 * Depending on the Artist
 * Healing Factor: As The Slayer (4Kids series).
 * Invisibility: As The Slayer (4Kids series).
 * Magic Music: In the Fred Wolf series, where he used a flute to control rats.
 * Mind Control: Over rats, in the Fred Wolf series, Archie series.
 * Mix-and-Match Man: 4Kids series.
 * Super Soldier: His Slayer persona was designed to be one (4Kids series).
 * Super Strength

Tokka and Rahzar
"A snapping turtle (Tokka) and wolf (Rahzar) mutated by the Shredder. Appears in: Films, Fred wolf cartoon, 4Kids cartoon"


 * Advertised Extras: In Turtles Forever.
 * Adult Children: "They're BABIIEESS!"
 * Canon Immigrants: From the movie to the Fred Wolf cartoon and then to the 4Kids cartoon via Turtles Forever.
 * Continuity Cameos: Their appearance in Turtles Forever
 * Dual Boss
 * Dumb Muscle
 * Expies: Of Bebop and Rocksteady. In fact, they were created specifically for the second live-action movie because Eastman and Laird did not want Bebop and Rocksteady in it.
 * Spikes of Doom: Tokka.
 * Turtle Power: Tokka.

Dregg
"An alien warlord from Dimension X with aspirations to take over Earth. Stop us if this sounds familiar... Appears in: Fred Wolf cartoon."


 * Big Bad: For the last two seasons of the Fred Wolf cartoon, replacing Krang and Shredder.
 * Manipulative Bastard: After trying to defeat the Turtles by force fails, he tries using propaganda against them.
 * Villain with Good Publicity: Initially.
 * You Have Failed Me: Dregg is a lot more willing to punish failed subordinates than Krang or Shredder ever were, to the point of giving his right-hand man a Fate Worse Than Death in the Season 10 premiere.

Hamato Yoshi
"Splinter's owner, a martial artist whose death at the hands of The Shredder gets the ball rolling. Appears in: All Continuities"


 * Animorphism: His origin in the Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Ascended Extra: Fred Wolf, 4Kids cartoons.
 * Composite Character: He and Splinter are one and the same in the Fred Wolf cartoon.
 * Death by Origin Story
 * Facing the Bullets One-Liner: "He who lives without honor, will end without honor." (4Kids cartoon)
 * Metamorphosis: To a rat, in the Fred Wolf cartoon and Archie comics.
 * Opposites Attract Revenge: Yoshi's love triangle with Oroku Nagi over Tang Shen would help to set up a Cycle of Revenge.
 * Posthumous Character
 * Spared by the Adaptation: The Fred Wolf cartoon, since in that version, he became Splinter.
 * Technical Pacifist: In the IDW Comics.

Tang Shen
"Yoshi's lover, who is murdered as part of his backstory."

- Appears in: Mirage comics, films, 4Kids cartoon, IDW Comics.


 * Death by Origin Story
 * Missing Mom (IDW Comics): As far as is known, she is the only member of the Hamato family to not have been reincarnated.
 * Posthumous Character
 * Stuffed Into the Fridge: Her only purpose in the narrative is to get killed.
 * Yamato Nadeshiko: Most notable in the 4Kids cartoon, where she's actually allowed to have lines and a semblance of a personality, but she is presumably one in other continuities as well.

Klunk
"Michelangelo's pet cat, originally a stray that Mike found and adopted one Christmas."

- Appears in: Mirage comics, Image comics, 4Kids cartoon.


 * Killed Off for Real:  continuity.
 * Team Pet: Curiously enough, subverted. He's a completely normal cat who never gets involved in the stories and whose appearances are generally spent lying around on the floor or in someone's lap.
 * What Happened to the Cat?: When Shredder attacks April's apartment in issue 10, Klunk is nowhere to be seen, and isn't even mentioned when April, Casey and the Turtles escape. (This is doubly frustrating because he was explicitly shown to be in the apartment in the Leonardo special, which takes place immediately before.) He remains unmentioned for several issues before he shows up on Casey's farm with no explanation at all.