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Master Splinter, once known as Hamato Yoshi and by the stage name Lou Jitsu, is a descendant of the Hamato Clan, a former martial arts movie star and the (partially) biological father and (sometimes) sensei of the Mad Dogs.
Physical appearance
As a Human, Yoshi was a tall and lean Asian (presumably Japanese) man with black hair combed over into a pompadour, black eyes, light-toned skin, and perfect abs. His attire usually consisted of outfits resembling wingsuits, with glasses or sunglasses worn over his eyes.
As a Mutant, Splinter is a short, plump rat with grey fur, as well as white fur in his ears, white hair with a section tied into a top bun, white bushy eyebrows and a goatee to compliment. He has golden yellow eyes, a red-pink nose, black whiskers on his cheeks, his arms and legs are pink (with his hands having five fingers instead of the usual four) and a small tear on his right ear. Splinter wears a black hair tie to hold up his white chonmage and a brown yukata with orange trim and red lotus flowers printed on it.
In some episodes of Season 2, his yukata appears to be longer, much like a kimono, and the Hamato Clan symbol is branded on the left side of his chest.
Personality
Splinter, unlike his previous incarnations, is laid-back and very lazy. He is absent-minded and even has trouble remembering his sons' names, often referring to them by their mask colors. He also attempts to stir up mischief and trouble with his sons, including stealing the Turtle Tank in "The Fast and the Furriest."
However, he is shown to take action when needed, like in episodes such as "Origami Tsunami" and "Mrs. Cuddles." Also as shown in "The Evil League of Mutants," Splinter deeply cares about his sons and their safety.
Splinter has also been shown to slowly grow more serious as the first season progresses, especially after learning of the existence of the Shredder. He deeply cares about the safety of the Mad Dogs, and as a result he is shown to be strict at times. Although his first on-screen training session was viewing a Lou Jitsu tape (which, given the later revelation, was actually a video of himself), Splinter is very serious in training the Mad Dogs to perfect their fighting skills.
As the series progressed, it was revealed that the reason for Splinter's laziness is that he despised his clan's duties due to it separating him from his mother, and his grandfather's harsh training made him less inclined to continue with the clan's legacy. Splinter ultimately has a good heart, and his unmotivated attitude comes from wanting to live a peaceful life after being traumatized from battling for Big Mama in her Battle Nexus.
History
Childhood and Rise to Fame.
Hamato Yoshi is a descendant of the Hamato ninja clan who defeated the Shredder 500 years ago and trained themselves to be warriors to fight against the Foot Clan and prevent the Shredder's return. When Yoshi was just a boy, he heard the story of how the Shredder was defeated from his grandfather, Sho, but on that same day, Yoshi's mother, Atsuko, left her father and son so that she can perform her duty as a Hamato, which greatly saddened Yoshi.
For many years afterwards, Yoshi trained under Sho in martial arts so that he may defeat Shredder should he be resurrected, quickly becoming a master of it. However, Yoshi's sadness over his mother leaving him eventually turned to bitterness towards his own clan, leading him to disbelieve the existence of the Shredder. Then one day, as a teenager, Yoshi entered an argument with his grandfather, which led to him deciding to abandon his family duties so that he can pursue his dream of going to Hollywood to become a movie star.
Using the skills he was taught, Yoshi quickly rose to fame and fortune as the action star known as "Lou-Jitsu". Then one day, he was visited by Grandpa Sho, who demanded that Yoshi end his career so that he can come back home to fulfill his true destiny. However, Yoshi sternly refused one more time before closing his trailer's door in his face. Seeing that Yoshi has truly cut ties with his clan, the saddened Sho chose to respect his grandson's wish and left, never to speak to him again. Yoshi watched from the window as his grandfather walked away, slightly remorseful for he treated his former teacher.
Kidnapping and Mutation
When shooting for a film, Yoshi met Big Mama, who drove his trailer, and the two started a romantic relationship. However, Yoshi was unaware that she is a Yōkai, despite some obvious signs. After attempting to propose to her, he was thrown into the Battle Nexus , where he triumphed over his opponents. Sometime later, Yoshi had sworn off of fighting in the Nexus and tried to resume a more peaceful lifestyle where he not harm any living creatures.
However, his fame in the Battle Nexus attracted the attention of Baron Draxum, who wished to use his DNA to mutate an army that would serve him. It was through this process that the Mad Dogs were mutated from ordinary reptiles, making Yoshi the biological father of their human genes. However, unwilling to watch innocent creatures be turned into monsters for Draxum's cause, Yoshi freed himself and destroyed Draxum's laboratory, causing Draxum to believe that the Mad Dogs had been killed in the fire. In the midst of his escape, Yoshi released Draxum's other test subjects and a rat bit his finger just after his exposure to the ooze, causing his mutation. He doesn't remember everything from his transformation into his current form.
Splinter remained unaware of his sons' contact with Draxum and the Foot Clan until the events of "Shadow of Evil". Upon discovering evidence of the Foot Clan, he impersonated a teenager and managed to spy upon his enemies, discovering that they were reassembling the Kuroi Yōroi. Realizing that this foreboded the possible return of the Shredder, Splinter pretended to be a member of the Clan in order to take a piece of the armor. This attempt was thwarted by Draxum and, unwittingly, his sons. Upon escaping without the armor piece, Splinter promised to tell his sons "everything" and stated that they were "way behind" on their destiny.
Abilities
As reflected in his status as the most popular martial arts movie star of all time, Splinter is a very skilled fighter, capable of defeating all four of his sons at the same time even when out of shape. He has also shown to be an extremely adept improvisational fighter, using items such as fish and ladders as weapons.
Relationships
Family
- Raphael: Apart from Mikey, Raph and Splinter seemed to have the most conversations that showed their bonds of family. In the episode Mrs. Cuddles, Splinter helped Raph defeat the giant rabbit growing from screams. After locking her away, Splinter announced they should free his brothers and April, who were all taken captive by Mrs. Cuddles. However, he then says "Eventually", being well aware this was their fault to begin with for teasing Raph over his fear of the puppet. In the season 2 finale, he demotes Raph of being leader of the team and gives the position to Leo, much to Raph's sudden shock.
- Donatello:
- Leonardo: Leo was the one that would get on his bad side most of the time. But there are times that he gets impressed by him, he even makes him leader in the season 2 finale.
- Michelangelo:
- April O'Neil: As a close friend of the family, April is much like a big sister to the Mad Dogs. But April's relationship with Splinter is not quite like that of Splinter's relationship with his sons; Splinter and April are not responsible for or answerable to one another other in the ways a father or daughter would be. They are nevertheless still close friends, no matter how badly Splinter behaves or how strongly April criticizes him. Splinter is also less hesitant to express his appreciation for April's talents, even as he seldom expresses similar appreciation to his own sons who crave it from him all the more for being their father. It was not difficult for Splinter and his sons to regard April as a kind of surrogate family, but later on April would formally acknowledged by clan matriarch Hamato Karai as truly being a member of their clan.
- Piebald: Piebald was his beloved pet fish. After she mutated, she revealed that saw Splinter as her father. They have since gotten along well, conspiring along with Franken-Foot to play a prank on the Mad Dogs for having originally flushed Piebald down the toilet and lying about it.
Allies
- Bullhop:
- Todd Capybara: Splinter once entrusted Todd to teach the Mad Dogs wilderness survival training.
- Baron Draxum: The other of the Mad Dogs' two fathers, along with Splinter. Draxum and Splinter have a complex history that goes back to shortly before the Mad Dogs were mutated. Draxum was no fan of Lou Jitsu's movies, but he was nevertheless in awe of Lou's formidable might and fiery personality, and coveted the human warrior's DNA to create formidable warriors who would be raised to serve Draxum. Draxum helped Lou escape Big Mama's servitude in exchange for Lou agreeing to be Draxum's laboratory subject, but their arrangement quickly soured when Lou opposed Draxum's plan for the mutant turtles they had just created together, and Lou destroyed Draxum's lab and fled with the turtles who he would raise as his own sons. Draxum was reintroduced to the now-teenage Mad Dogs almost thirteen years later, recognized them and demanded they serve him as warriors as he had intended; unlike Lou Jitsu, Draxum still had too much darkness in him and wanted to possess his creation, rather than seeing them as his sons as Lou had. It was through Draxum that the Mad Dogs learnt for the first time that their human mutation father had always been Lou Jitsu. But it wasn't until Draxum met Lou again in person that he learnt Lou had become a mutant rat who called himself "Splinter;" it was through Draxum at the same time that the Mad Dogs discovered for the first time that their father Splinter had actually been Lou Jitsu all along. Later, Draxum captured the Mad Dogs, holding them hostage and demanding Splinter exchange his last piece of the Kuroi Yōroi for their safe release, which Splinter eventually relented to. Draxum and Splinter met again later, after Draxum had already been betrayed by his Foot Clan partners, his life force drained almost to death by the dark armor, become a wanted fugitive unable to return to the Hidden City, and their son Michelangelo shown Draxum the real love of a son. Mikey had tricked Splinter and the rest of his family into having dinner at Draxum's new apartment, but Draxum and Splinter loathed each other and the other sons didn't think much better of Draxum. Mikey's influene would later be instrumental in Draxum coming to a genuine change of heart by willingly risking his own life to save the lives of strangers; from then on, Draxum's sons started to accept him, and he gradually started loving them as his own sons, but Draxum and Splinter were still openly hostile to each other. Later, during a family tourism trip to the Hidden City (where Draxum wore a cloaking brooch to disguise himself from the authorities), Mikey arranged for Draxum and Splinter to be his only company during their outing, in the hopes that he could inspire them to finally get along, After some initial conniving between the two fathers, Draxum's cover was blown, and all three had to hide from the police in a dumpster; here, Draxum and Splinter were finally forced to face each other and talk, at first as a paint-peeling verbal fight about all the reasons they despised each other. But, almost like a miracle, Splinter realized he would never have had his sons in his life if Draxum had not made it happen, and Draxum came to appreciate that they were both fathers of a son who loved them both, and this was enough for Draxum and Splinter to at least start trusting each other as the other father of the children they had created together as two parents. From then on, for the most part, Draxum and Splinter started treating each other with respect, at least in front of their sons, and they would join together to fight in the defense of their sons when they were in danger. Later, after the Shredder had destroyed the lair and taken both Draxum and Splinter prisoner without their sons, at first it seemed that Draxum would again readily betray Splinter for Draxum's own self-interest, but Draxum had only feigned betraying Splinter in an attempt to attack their captors; when Splinter apologized for momentarily doubting Draxum's honor, Draxum replied, "You better be." The two fathers were now truly allies, with or without their sons around, and would not turn on each other again.
- Franken-Foot:
- Cassandra Jones: Casey the Foot Recruit was initially ordered by her Foot Clan superiors to watch more Lou Jitsu movies, at a time when none of them even knew if Lou Jitsu was still around, much less that he was a mutant rat who would become their enemy. On this basis, Casey had already come to hold Splinter in esteem, even when they were on opposing sides. One time, when Casey had briefly taken Splinter prisoner, and she came to realize that her brownie business would not help the Foot Clan in the ways she had hoped, the two bonded, with Splinter cheering Casey up with a pep talk and telling her about about April and her perseverence, though without mentioning April by name. From then on, even as enemies, Splinter and Casey considered each other friends. It was later, when Casey felt split between her loyalty towards the Shredder and her desire not to harm Splinter, that she finally made a choice to turn against the Shredder and protect Splinter; this was not long before Casey helped the rest of the Hamato Clan finally destroy the Shredder. No longer bound to the Shredder or the Foot Clan, Casey finally an ally to Splinter and his family.
- Mayhem:
- Sunita:
- S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.:
Frenemies
- Big Mama: Before Splinter became a mutant rat and met Baron Draxum, he was Big Mama's boyfriend in his years as Lou Jitsu and wanted to marry her, but after Big Mama showed her yokai form to Lou Jitsu, she captured him and made him a competitor in the Battle Nexus . Years later as a single father of four, Splinter still has some affection for Big Mama, but is now fully aware of the monster she is. Big Mama shares said feelings but only in a manipulative and duplicitous manner.
Enemies
- Mrs. Cuddles: Splinter hates Mrs. Cuddles for kidnapping his family and her show taking over his TV schedule.
- Huginn & Muninn:
- Shredder: The Hamato Clan was in possession of the Kuroi Yōroi's face plate for generations as a family heirloom, which they had come to use as a tea kettle they named Skully. The reveal of the Shredder being real is what led Splinter to take training the Mad Dogs more seriously.
- Foot Clan: The Foot Clan are the sworn enemies of the Hamato Clan.
- Kristoff Van Bradford: Splinter describes him as "An Atrocious Actor Who Is Dishonorable To His Core". He hated him for taking over his Lou Jitsu Dojos and his dishonored cheating ways of fighting.
Quotes
"I will never marry any of them off." Mrs. Cuddles |
“Hot Soup!” |
"You will never walk the Earth again, Shredder." |
"Oh, and Blue you are the leader now" |
Trivia
- Splinter is voiced by Eric Bauza, the same actor who voiced Tiger Claw in the 2012 TV series.
- Throughout most of Season 1, it was hinted that Splinter was once Lou Jitsu (and Hamato Yoshi).
- Throughout Lou Jitsu's appearances until "Shadow of Evil", he has been credited as "Additional Voices" and not as "Lou Jitsu".
- Like with most celebrities, he keeps copies of most of his merchandise. But the episode "Late Fee" suggests he may not keep copies of all his own films, as he had rented one of his films and the episode's plot involved his sons' attempts to return it on time.
- The name "Lou Jitsu" appears to be a pun of the term jiu jitsu, an outdated romanization of the word jūjutsu (柔術), which is the name of a Japanese martial art. The former variation is still used in derivative arts, such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
- Lou Jitsu's human form slightly resembles the singer Elvis Presley. and the actor Jackie Chan. According to an interview, the reason that Splinter looks like he's gained a few pounds is because since there is no Shredder in the new series, Splinter has no exact reason for training the Turtles.
- However, after they learn about threats such as Baron Draxum and the fact that the Foot Clan is planning to revive the Shredder, he begins training the Turtles more seriously.
- It is also possible that Splinter was lazy because he did not want to focus on combat following his time in the Battle Nexus.
- According to Leo, Splinter always falls asleep after eating milk and cake.
- Lou Jitsu's eyewear as a human strongly resembles Kamina and Simon's sunglasses from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
- While in Big Mama's Battle Nexus, Lou Jitsu briefly had a pet rat. This was a reference to previous incarnations of Hamato Yoshi having a pet rat that would later become Splinter.
- Splinter is the one of only two main characters in "Tales of the Hidden City" who does not get arrested, the other being Michelangelo.
Gallery
- Hamato Yoshi (Rise of the TMNT)/Gallery
- Hamato Yoshi (Rise of the TMNT)/Animations
- Hamato Yoshi (Rise of the TMNT)/Appearances