Raphael - Part of That World PART 1

PART 2 IS OUT NOW: Raphael - Part of That World Part 2
Latest : Raphael - Part of That World Part 22


Based on The Little Mermaid.

This story based-on-a-film idea is stuck in my head for quite some time now, I just had to draw it out. Seeing this is a short story compared to the main story arc (Don vs Casey), I'd say a 4,5 parts down the road maybe. Enjoy.

I took some inspiration from TMNT IDW - where Splinter's wife and children were slained by Oroku Saki. None of his Foot clan members and friends came to help him at all and finally he too was killed. Before the execution he prayed and swore vengeance. He and his children were reincarnated later on in second life as rat and turtles (before being mutated). Having memories of his past life, he came to despise the humans and lost faith in all humanity, choosing to remain in the shadows below the ground.

In this story Raph and his brothers were 14 years old. They were forbidden from going to the topside world above (they only went up when they're 15 in the show). I think I read somewhere that 15 was a mature age in feudal japan for boys to be ready for war, hence why Splinter only allow them at that age, giving them a little bit of freedom and treating them like young adults - while he himself chooses to remain down below.

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I also received questions on why I choose Raph as the lead character. In my head, Raph would be the funniest one to be seen in this type of setting. And yet.. it doesn't seem that off, it kinda clicks and works perfectly.   Tough guy yet so vulnerable and sensitive. And gosh I got plans for him for key scenes from that movie..

In addition, Raph is just visually more similar to Ariel compared to other turtles. Their color palettes are basically the same! Red head, green.. Attitude wise is similar too: hotheaded, stubborn, rebellious, impatient, rash behaviour.. So in the end, I feel that he fits the role the best compared to the other turtles.