Tmnt 2003 - Blog Posts

Back on my (katana)shipping bullshit (I say as I make my first ever leosagi post)

(Tomorrow I might try to get a different photo with better lighting)

Donnie: Are you through with your shenanigans? Mikey: Nope. I think I am going to shenan-again.

Meanwhile the idw turtles

A TMNT Crossover fanfic where it’s just the 2012! TMNT boys trying to explain their Bishop to other versions of themselves.

Imagine the 2003 turtles hearing about a version of Bishop that’s actually an alien utrom that saved Mikey from vivisection.

Imagine the rise turtles having to hear about how he’s a “good kraang” and that he’s only a foot tall outside his robot suit.

Imagine the TOTTMNT boys trying to comprehend that all of the above while trying to wrap their heads around the fact that, somehow, a version of Bishop willingly worked with mutants with the goal to prevent the destruction of humanity.

Why are their barely 03 leosagi fics on ao3😭😭

(I'm aware a majority of them are probably on fanfiction.net but I have no idea how to search for anything on that site *sigh*)

I was giggling way too hard while making this

Okay so replies are turned off but you do not know the can of worms u just opened.

So there’s a shit ton of versions right? And each of them have separate abilities/ turtle like tendencies

We’ll start w the 1987 & 2003 turtles who can’t because….

Their shells are fused w their sides :D, if u can see their skin on their sides it’s most likely they cannot go in

Next is the 2012 tmnt and they….

Can go in their shells! (In my opinion these guys are the most turtle like in all of the versions) They can all fully retract into their shells and have in multiple instances in the show

Now the next one is a bit more complicated it’s the RISE!2018 tmnt turtles…

Leo, Donnie (who I don’t understand), and Mikey can go in their shells while…

The fandom isn’t actually sure if Raph can so a head canon that’s basically considered canon is he can’t :(

But that’s all 4 the shows lol

I know literally next to nothing about tmnt so I need you tmnt fans to answer something VERY, VERY important here. Can they hide in their shells??

It’s done :D

The peepaws of TMNT WIP ^u^

CW: BRIGHT COLORS

I love randomly dropping art then fucking off into the void

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Michelangelo: I think Leo's possessed.

Donatello: [barely looking up from his coffee] Oh, fantastic. That’s just what we needed.

Raphael: [grumpily rubbing his eyes] It’s seven in the freakin’ morning, Mikey. Can we not start with your nonsense already?

Michelangelo: I’m serious! Look at him!

[Leonardo sits at the table, calmly eating a spoonful of Cheerios while reading The Art of War.]

Raphael: [deadpan] Wow, Leo’s eating breakfast. Better alert the Vatican.

Michelangelo: He doesn’t eat breakfast!

Donatello: [squinting at Leonardo] I mean… he usually doesn’t, but maybe he’s turning over a new leaf? Healthy habits?

Michelangelo: Healthy habits my shell! It’s not what Leo’s eating—it’s what kind! Cheerios over Lucky Charms?! Everyone knows he has a sweet tooth he tries to hide from us, and those are his favorite!

Raphael: [throwing his hands up] One meal. That’s all I ask. ONE. Without Mikey accusing somebody of being a zombie, or a werewolf, or—

[Michelangelo suddenly holds up a crucifix and points it at Leonardo.]

Michelangelo: BEGONE, DEMON!

[Leonardo’s eyes flash black, and he lets out an unholy roar, flipping the chair over as he collapses to the floor.]

Raphael & Donatello: [screaming] WHAT THE HELL?!

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Leonardo: Can someone give me an example of a mistake made on this mission?

[Raphael immediately raises his hand.]

Leonardo: Thank you, Raphael. That’s a very good example.

Raphael: Hey! I didn’t even say anything yet!

Leonardo: You didn’t have to.

I thought Leo always chose to make sacrifices for his brothers and protect them? Sorry I am trying to understand the must I always suffer in your place line. Like didn’t he always choose to do that? He didn’t have to do anything for them. Then again I am a middle child so I guess I don’t get it.

In the 2003 iteration, Leonardo’s role as the eldest and leader is deeply tied to self-sacrifice. Throughout the series, it’s shown and even outright stated that he carries a heavier burden than his brothers. He’s held to a higher standard by both his master and himself, pushing him to train harder, expect more from himself, and make decisions that prioritize his family above all else. In the series, this responsibility is something he accepts willingly—he views it as his duty and his way of protecting his clan.

For the story, however, I wanted to explore what happens when that unwavering sense of duty is pushed too far. Being resurrected as a flesh-eating monster by his own brother becomes a breaking point for him. It’s not just the horror of what he’s become, but the deeper betrayal of his own values—sacrificing his humanity to save his brother.

The line “But now, it seems like for so much of our lives, I must suffer in your place” reflects that shift. It’s Leonardo recognizing how often he’s had to endure pain, not just for the sake of his family but in place of them. This moment of clarity is not about resenting his brothers but realizing the toll of always being the one to bear the burden, the consequences, or the suffering so they don’t have to. In this particular context, it cuts even deeper because his younger brother’s decision to resurrect him—despite knowing there would be consequences—was ultimately driven by not wanting to endure his own suffering.

I hope this helps clarify the meaning behind the line and the emotions it’s meant to convey! Thank you so much for the ask—it’s always wonderful to dive deeper into these moments!

Leo and Raph have a beautiful relationship. I been so obsessed with them lately

Raph: I would die for you Leo

Leo: please don’t

Raph:

Leo: what?

Raph: you know what

Hi, sorry for the lateish response! I’ve been obsessed with their relationship ever since I first watched the various iterations as a kid, but there’s something about the 2003 series that really stands out. I feel like their dynamic was written so well because their conflicts never felt unnecessary or forced, like they sometimes do in other versions. Even when they argued, their love for each other was always so evident.

And yes, absolutely—Raphael is always ready to throw himself into danger for Leonardo, and all Leonardo wants is for him to stop doing that (even though he’d do the exact same thing for him in a heartbeat) Their bond is just so compelling. Thank you again for the ask!

This is absolutely stunning, and I’m beyond honored that my fanfiction inspired this! Seeing one of my favorite quotes, “Must I always suffer in your place,” woven into the background makes it even more heartbreakingly gorgeous. Thank you for bringing this to life so beautifully!

Do you love having your heart broken? Then you might enjoy the fic "Sometimes Dead is Better" by @bangs-coffee-fandoms-unite as much as I did! I had to draw some two AM fanart for it so it wouldn't haunt me (Just kidding, it's still going to haunt me :'D) Seriously, though, it's so gut-wrenchingly good. Go check it out!

I’m not sure if it was intentional, but this art brilliantly captures how young and terrified Leonardo is in this moment. It’s easy to forget, given how badass this iteration of Leonardo is, that he was only fifteen years old during this fight—fifteen, staring death in the eye and refusing to back down. This really brings that vulnerability to the surface, and it hits so hard. Amazing work—I absolutely love this!

This is an art collab between me and @atomicmindz! I did the composition and draft and she did the rest!

Honestly, the colors came out so good for her part, I'm really happy with it! :D

Is it just me or do 2003 Leo and Raph have the best relationship out of all the iterations? It's my favorite, at least. Like they do get snappy with each other sometimes but their spats aren't nearly as often, as intense or festering as long as some others I've seen.

It was refreshing that Raph didn't challenge Leo's position as leader nearly as much. Sometimes he would challenge the decisions he made while leading but not undermine his position. He learned and mostly accepted that Leo would be a good leader in childhood and he backed him up nine times out of ten (even when Leo didn't know it: e.g. the "If Leo needs us, we're here. But let's see what this is all about." An instance of Raph pulling a Leo-type move, hanging back to recon rather than rushing in, while Leo's judgment was clouded. Learning from each other and supporting even from a distance)

How ready they are to be there for each other? How openly protective they are of each other? Like they're not as coy or begrudging or emotionally constipated as others about showing how much they care. Small gestures, big gestures, it doesn't matter. Leo's having trouble focusing on a plan because of the noise? Raph makes the noise go away. Wasn't Raph the first one who wanted to look for Leo when his morning training (getting ambushed by the Foot) ran unusually late? Or the scene where Leo's suddenly getting pulled away by an unknown magical force and he calls out to his brothers in alarm. Don cries, "Oh, no!" as he and Mikey stand there and watch; they freeze up. Raph dives headlong after him instantly.

And how they take it when they can't be there for each other? He dove headlong and he didn't actually make it in time to grab Leo's hand before he's gone. Master Splinter has to physically hold him back as he's still shouting and fighting to get to him (and then he has to be restrained again by magic when it looks like Leo's in danger in the 1v1 he was pulled to. Screw the fact that he's obviously outpowered by the almighty binding rules of the duel, he'll go kicking and screaming anyway, that's his bro!) And the scene where they're on top of a moving car, Leo loses his grip on Raph and he falls and from Leo's POV, time slows until he sees Raph land alright. Raph facing his fear ick about bugs, jumping down to defend Leo from the big boss bug with no hesitation when he sees him get stung? And of course when he cries just the once (as far as I recall) in the whole series when Leo's seriously hurt. How he makes me cry in SAINW as he crawls to Leo's side, reaches out for him, calls his name with his dying breath, his last word is his brother's name as he falls beside him, hand against his??? And that was after being estranged in that what-if future! LIKE BRO THAT SCENE MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM

Even just the two or three lines where Leo's waxing poetic about their family, being completely sincere, and Mikey bursts out laughing and teases him for being a sap. Raph immediately tells Mikey to lay off and that Leo's got a point.

They're just so good. They have a few arguments like all siblings do but there is zero doubt that they love each other to pieces and they don't hesitate at all to show it on the regular. And outside of that estrangement timeframe where they were traumatized and grieving and in a literal apocalypse where they lost all hope, they didn't let their relationship fall apart the way some other iterations did. (Like I love 2007 but that fight on the rooftop? Where Raph could have killed him? I watch it and I can't help but think to myself, "2003 Leo and Raph would never." We saw them have a tussle on a rooftop and the moment there was a possibility he put Raph in real danger, Leo came to his senses and dropped everything to make sure he was okay. I dunno)

Asfjskjfks this is all just biased four AM rambling. The point is I love them, your honor, best/closest/healthiest R&B dynamic duo forever in my heart <3 (Natural disclaimer: I don't say any of this to crap on any of the other iterations. I like them all! I just like 2003's portrayal the most)

Do you ever imagine that all your favorite characters, who have absolutely no connection to each other, just chill in your head when you’re not actively thinking about them?

For me, it’s like: Leonardo from the 2003 iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sam Winchester from Supernatural, and Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars prequels all sitting at a table sipping tea. And yes, they’re totally aware they’re in my head:

Leonardo: [staring at the mug in front of him] Is it just me, or does everything feel... jittery today?

Sam: [rubbing his temples] Oh, it’s not just you. I think she’s had, like, three cups of coffee already this morning.

Obi-Wan: [raising an eyebrow] Three cups? Amateur. During the Clone Wars, I once drank six cups in one briefing just to stay awake while Anakin explained his ‘perfect’ plan to flank a droid battalion. It wasn’t perfect. I ended up digging us out of a crater for three hours.

Leonardo: [sighing] No wonder I’ve been feeling like I should be training non-stop. The energy in here is buzzing.

Sam: [grinning slightly] Hey, at least she’s somewhat productive when caffeinated. Sometimes it’s just doomscrolling and procrastination.

Obi-Wan: [calmly setting his cup down] Perhaps we should find a way to encourage her to hydrate. Tea, perhaps?

Sam: [shrugging] We can try, but she won’t listen to me about drinking water. Dean’s been yelling at her from somewhere in the subconscious for years.

Leonardo: Maybe if we say it’ll help her focus on writing, she’ll actually consider it.

Obi-Wan: [thoughtfully] A clever suggestion. But I suspect we may be at the mercy of her next coffee run regardless.

Gnawing on the bars of my enclosure and foaming at the mouth because SAME. The grip that early 2000s dark-side Leonardo fics had on my soul is still unreal.

This AU has everything I crave. Venom Leonardo in the 2003 series would eat (pun intended) with all that delicious angst.

Somebody needs to write this. Immediately. Or I will.

they share a braincell

To whoever sent this, I opened it Christmas morning expecting the usual nonsensical spam Ask and instead found what is probably the sweetest and most encouraging Ask I have ever received. As someone who just writes in their free time around work and college, I suppose I do not think of myself as contributing much, but seeing messages and comments like this really makes my day and this holiday season! And I am working on the fourth and final chapter! I really hope you like it! I hope I have it out by the end of this week! Happy Holidays, and thank you!

Dear @bangs-coffee-fandoms-unite ,

'Sometimes Dead is Better' is absolutely incredible. I found it before going to bed one night when I was looking for a fic to read in the morning, but it was SO GOOD that I stayed up late reading it, oops! You have such a good grasp on who the 03 turtles really are, I could vividly see them in all their glory. The sibling banter during the opening fight was on point, peak 03 brother behaviour, I loved it so much! It was such a contrast to the rest of the chapter (and rest of the fic lol), it was jarring to see the switch from lighthearted fun to total devastation. I knew it was coming and I was still caught off guard with how raw and desperate the emotions were. Media doesn't often make me cry, but this one made me have to set my phone down for a moment and blink tears away. That is a huge feat and is a sign of a masterpiece, tbh. When I saw the last update went from 3 chapters to 4, I got so excited, I am SO eager to see the conclusion to this fic!!

Have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!

@bangs-coffee-fandoms-unite

Christmas Kindness Event Post

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Raphael: Look at him, all serious and disciplined. Bet you anything he’s drinking straight black coffee.

Michelangelo: Pfft, nah, bro. He’s definitely the type to drink, like, boiled water. Nothing in it. Just… water.

Donatello: He’s more likely to go for green tea.

[Leonardo calmly takes a sip from the festive red mug in his hands. The faintest trace of whipped cream smudges onto his upper lip.]

Donatello: Is that… whipped cream?

[Leonardo, unbothered, takes another sip. A few colorful sprinkles glint faintly against the rim of his mug.]

Michelangelo: No way. NO. WAY.

Raphael: Our brother is drinking hot chocolate. With sprinkles.

Stawwwwppppp 🤣 Not Usagi hitting the Family Guy Death Pose lol

I love this so much!

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Donatello: Oh, look! Leonardo and Usagi are standing under the mistletoe.

Michelangelo: [Eyes widen in panic.] Oh no!

Donatello: [Rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.] Come on, Mikey. Grow up. It’s about time Leo—

Michelangelo: [Frantically waves his hands, interrupting Donatello.] Not that! Raph told Leo that it’s tradition in Usagi’s dimension, when you stand under the mistletoe—

[Leonardo abruptly snap kicks Usagi in the face mid-lean, knocking him back. Then he turns to his brothers, giving them a thumbs-up like he just nailed the perfect kata.]

Michelangelo: [Facepalms.] —you fight them.

Raphael: [Leaning against the wall, snickering.] I call it ‘mistlefoe’.

[Leonardo, oblivious to the chaos, glances up at the mistletoe again, prepared to defend his honor from any other "attackers."]

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Donatello: Oh, look! Leonardo and Usagi are standing under the mistletoe.

Michelangelo: [Eyes widen in panic.] Oh no!

Donatello: [Rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.] Come on, Mikey. Grow up. It’s about time Leo—

Michelangelo: [Frantically waves his hands, interrupting Donatello.] Not that! Raph told Leo that it’s tradition in Usagi’s dimension, when you stand under the mistletoe—

[Leonardo abruptly snap kicks Usagi in the face mid-lean, knocking him back. Then he turns to his brothers, giving them a thumbs-up like he just nailed the perfect kata.]

Michelangelo: [Facepalms.] —you fight them.

Raphael: [Leaning against the wall, snickering.] I call it ‘mistlefoe’.

[Leonardo, oblivious to the chaos, glances up at the mistletoe again, prepared to defend his honor from any other "attackers."]

Incorrect Canon 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Quotes

Civilian: You in the lizard costume, I want to speak to your manager!

Raphael: Oh, you wanna talk to my manager? Sure, hold on.

[Raphael pulls out his shell cell, dials a number slowly, and holds it up dramatically.]

Raphael: [speaking into the phone] Leo, some bitch wants to talk to you.

[Raphael pauses, listening to muffled talking from Leonardo on the other end of the line. Turns back to the civilian with a smirk.]

Raphael: Yeah, he says you can take that complaint and shove it up your—

[Raphael cut off by loud yelling from Leonardo on the other line.]