Leonardo is one of the main protagonists of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series. He is the leader of the Turtles. He is the most mature and responsible of the four brothers, and takes honor and responsibility as his priority.
Physical appearance[]
Leonardo appears to be a normal, healthy teenage mutant turtle. He is muscular and stocky like his brothers. His skin tone is forest green and he wears a blue ninja bandana. As of the season 3 finale, part of his shell by his left shoulder was broken off during the final fight with the Shredder, after Karai stabbed him in the shoulder.
Personality[]
Leonardo is the leader, whose key attributes consist of honor, sensitivity, patience, and encouragement. He is the most "spiritual" of the four brothers. Despite being a teenager, he acts kind of like a grown-up due to all his seriousness, but can still have fun with his brothers.
Of the brothers, he has the closest bond with Splinter, often going to him for help and attempting to follow his orders to a T (at least when his brothers aren't out causing trouble, forcing him to go along with their antics). While responsible, Leo can still be sucked into trouble by his brothers out of his own curiosity or his sense of duty to keep an eye on them. All three of Leonardo's brothers view him as a pillar of strength. They are at a loss when he is injured or absent, such as in the first season when the Foot Clan beat him unconscious and put him near death.
Leo has a strong sense of honor and ethics, along with being a dedicated follower of the Bushidō code. Episodes that deal with the Shredder and honor usually also focus on Leonardo. Leonardo is the turtle who decapitates the Shredder early on in the series—of course, before they are aware that Shredder is in fact an evil Utrom by the name of Ch'rell who doesn't have a neck, let alone a distinct head. One of Leonardo's most prominent qualities is his determination to believe the best in people, even potential enemies. This trait can cross over with being naïve, though, as his trust almost led him to siding with the Shredder the first time they met. Even so, he is willing to give even people who betray him a second chance if he sees good in them, such as with Karai.
Leo may be mature, but he sometimes would have a hot temper. He also can have emotional outbursts of rage similar to how Raphael would if he was upset, except more violent. The first half of the fourth season shows a more traumatized, dark Leonardo, due to his feelings of failure, as did a short period in season one after the Shredder returns, in which he became depressed and angry. It wasn’t until he accidentally injured Splinter and subsequently received training from the Ancient One that his personality returned to his normal level headed self.
History[]
Childhood[]
Young Leonardo as king of the trash.
Leonardo was a pet turtle bought by a young boy along with three others, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo. The boy was waiting at the crosswalk when a teenager noticed a blind old man crossing the street while a truck sped toward him. The teenager bumped into the boy with the turtles, causing him to drop the jar in which he held them. The turtles fell into the sewer. Meanwhile, the teenager had successfully saved the old man's life. While the truck veered away from the scene, the doors flew open and a canister fell right into the sewer with the turtles, covering them with an odd substance. A rat by the name of Splinter was passing by and picked up the turtles, touched the odd chemical as well, when one of the turtles shook it all over him. When Splinter woke up the next morning some point later, he found he and the turtles had grown taller, and slightly more intelligent.
Splinter thought it wise to train them in ninjutsu, just as his Master Yoshi had unknowingly done for him. Leonardo and his brothers were taken by Splinter to Japan when they were children to bury Hamato Yoshi's ashes with Tang Shen's remains, and alerted the Ancient One of his and Yoshi's condition. The turtles constantly noticed an odd demon visible to them, but invisible to the Ancient One and Splinter. Finally, when the Ancient One went to consult with the Ninja Tribunal, Splinter noticed an odd smell in the air, believing it to belong to the demon the turtles continued to see, and they secretly followed the Ancient One. The two ninja masters finally were attacked by the demon, but Don managed to throw a stone at the amulet, causing it to shatter and reveal the demon. The Ancient One and Splinter quickly killed the demon. The Ninja Tribunal applauded the turtles' efforts, though eradicated all memories of the trip. The Ancient One gave the turtles bandanas, Leonardo's being blue. The Tribunal used their connection with nature to wrinkle space and open a portal to the turtles' current lair.
Later, Leonardo found Donatello pursuing a remote-control car that had gotten caught in the flow of the sewer water. Donatello's life was endangered by large amounts of sewer garbage, but Leo managed to free his brother.
At some point, Splinter had discovered Leo was afraid of heights and trained him for weeks to conquer it. When it proved fruitless, Splinter faked a fall, which succeeded in forcing Leo to conquer his fear by focusing on saving his father.
Even as a child, it was shown that Leonardo was extremely focused on his training, able to ignore Michelangelo's antics until the latter tried to fight him which resulted in the latter's foil.
Seasons 1-4[]
Leonardo was introduced in the first season where he and his brothers are fighting Purple Dragons for the first time. In The Shredder Strikes, Part 1 Leonardo is almost tricked by the Shredder when the latter offers him to join the Foot Clan. After consulting Master Splinter, he then rejects the offer. In The Shredder Strikes, Part 2, The Shredder battles them, and plots to destroy Leonardo but is defeated. In The Shredder Strikes Back, Part 1, and The Shredder Strikes Back, Part 2, Leonardo goes out for a morning run where he is ambushed and defeated by the Foot Ninja, Hun, and the Elite Foot Ninja and finally the Shredder. He lands in April's apartment where the others help to evacuate him out. After the Shredder burns down April's apartment the gang retreats to a farmhouse. During this time Leonardo is in a coma but his driving spirit frees him. In The Monster Hunter, while Donatello, Michelangelo, and Casey Jones are helping a creature escape a scientist, Raphael helps Leonardo, by helping to forge him new katana swords. The gang eventually returns to New York in the Return to New York trilogy and at the end Leonardo uses the Sword of Tengu to defeat the Shredder. After that Master Splinter goes missing, and the Turtles infiltrate the T.C.R.I Building to find him but are found out by the Utrom and are teleported into outer space.
After arriving in space Leo and his brothers help Professor Honeycutt in a series of mayhem against the Federation and Triceratons. The are blasted back to earth were the battle the Shredder and his army in the T.C.R.I building. Leonardo becomes angry that with the Shredder's defeat, the Foot, Mob, and Purple Dragons have engaged in a war for control of New York. Raphael tells Leo not to get involved in the war but Leo ignores him. Leo also meets Karai in this arc. Leo also battles the Ultimate Ninja, and wins. In the season 2 finale arc, the Turtles get sent to the Battle Nexus tournament. Leo befriends Usagi, a samurai rabbit who is also honorable and shares Leo's interest in swords and Bushidō .
In Season 3 multiple things happen: the Triceratons invade Earth, the Fugitoid returns, the Turtles meet Agent Bishop, and meet Renet in which they travel through time with the Time Scepter. Ultimate Drako returns and plots to scatter the turtles across time and space. Leo gets sent to the world of his best friend Usagi. In the Season 3 finale, Exodus, Part 1, and Exodus, Part 2, the Turtles confront Shredder for the final time. The Shredder is planning on leaving Earth to control galaxies, but is stopped by the Utroms and is sent to permanent exile. This event causes a dramatic change in Leonardo.
For the first half of the fourth season, Leonardo develops Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) when he becomes mentally damaged and hot headed because of the turtles final fight with the Shredder. He believes he wasn't good enough a leader to save his family without the Utroms rescuing them. This goes on until he injures Master Splinter out of rage. He is then sent to train with The Ancient One in Japan. He returns in Prodigal Son where Karai supposedly "killed" his family in Scion of the Shredder. Leonardo eventually rallies his family and finds a new lair. In the episode Outbreak, Donatello gets infected by a Monster, and mutates into one in Adventures in Turtle Sitting. In the Good Genes arc Leo, Raph, Mikey, Leatherhead, and Splinter travel to Agent Bishop's base to demand a cure for their brother. After that the Turtles now go out on the rooftops again but are kidnapped by wooden ninja, the explanation of which expands in the next season.
Ninja Tribunal[]
In the fifth season, as he is a part of the eight acolytes under the Ninja Tribunal's training, Leonardo is the only one who doesn't receive a weapon from the Spirit Forge. The reason is unknown, but it's possible that while it saw him and Faraji as both worthy candidates, it sensed a greater force in Leo meaning he didn't need a weapon.
His otherworldly form is that of a dragon, a rare form, unheard of in someone his age. It could be a reason why the Spirit Forge didn't give him a weapon, and Kon, of the Tribunal, mentioned that he and the rest of the Tribunal were right about Leo, meaning they could have known he was given a great power that meant he didn't need a weapon. It is shown destroying evil guarding the second artifact with its ki alone. This avatar is first shown in More Worlds Than One. His brothers later exhibit dragon avatars as well. In the fifth episode Beginning of the End, he is given the sword Gunshin by the dying Faraji Ngala. He returns Gunshin in episode 12 Enter the Dragons, Part 1 when Faraji returns to help battle the Tengu Shredder.
Fast Forward[]
In the Fast Forward season, and the Back to the Sewer season, the damage that occurred to Leonardo's shell as stated above has somehow been repaired. Leo, Splinter, and his brothers are sent to the future by Cody Jones and Leo often calls Cody "little ninja". Leo still remains the most skilled. However, he does not play as big of a part in this season as in the previous five. He is still the level-headed eldest brother.
In one episode focusing on Leo, Darius Dun, Cody's uncle, made dangerous clones of the Turtles designed to kill them. In a fight, Leo's clone is hit with a laser by Donatello's clone. He is knocked unconscious and the Turtles take him in (under security precautions, of course). Leo gives his clone a chance to redeem himself and join Leo and his brothers, but the clone betrays their trust and runs away. However, it is later shown that Leo's words have had an effect on the clone, who now wants the other clones to stop living like animals and share, as Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey have taught him.
Back to the Sewer[]
In the Back to the Sewer season, Leo and his brothers must find Master Splinter's data bits after Viral blasted him apart into Cyberspace. At the end of the series, Leo helped get Splinter back and goes to Casey and April's wedding. After that, Leo and his brothers battle the Cyber Foot and defeat the Cyber Shredder. Leo also sees Casey and April get married after all the Foot Ninja and the Cyber Shredder are defeated. Leo is still the most skilled in combat despite the fact that he did not kill the Cyber Shredder.
As in the previous season, he does not play the lead part in this season. He mostly serves as a support character for Donatello's role.
Turtles Forever[]
In Turtles Forever, Leonardo doesn't get annoyed by the Ninja Turtles of the 1987 TV series for the most part and is amazed by the existence of the turtle-verse.
Biography[]
I try to be the leader of the team, since someone has to be and I'm the only one who seems to be interested in order. It's often frustrating to choreograph tactics only to see them disappear in an emotional outburst from one of my brothers.
I take Ninjutsu very seriously, as it should be. As it must be. Ninjutsu is not a game!
I train diligently and read up on strategy to better prepare my family for times of duress. I've been accused of being too stringent in my expectations, but I don't agree with that assessment. I'm not striving to be perfect, only perfectly proficient. Perhaps when we are out of imminent danger, I will relax, but a proper ninja is ALWAYS prepared, and always three steps ahead of any nemesis. That takes hard work and dedication.
I love my family more than life itself, so I feel responsible to ensure their protection. Master Splinter is very capable of taking care of himself, but my brothers worry me. I feel that I must be there to compensate for their lack of focus. I guess this may seem a little hard-nosed, but if you were in my shoes, I think you'd agree that someone has to play the "heavy."
With that aside, I do realize the need for fun and relaxation. While I often disagree with Raphael, he is my brother, and I enjoy the times that we spend goofing off. I just wish that he'd try to see things from some other perspective than his own (something he no doubt says about me as well!)
My favorite times are at dinner, when the five of us sit together and listen to Master Splinter tell stories and teach lessons.
Skills, powers, and abilities[]
Leonardo is extremely skilled and is very effective with his swords. He displays balance in physical strength and mental strength. He is the most responsible as he has to obey Master Splinter and keep an eye on his brothers.
- Mutant Physiology: As a mutant, the Mutagen ooze produced by TCRI heightened Leonardo's physical attributes to considerable extraordinary levels. He possesses strength, speed, reflexes, agility, endurance, recovery speed, and stamina much greater than even the finest human specimen athlete. His mutant abilities has been listed as shown below:
- Enhanced Strength:
- Enhanced Speed: Leonardo is able to move at great speeds, able to free run on rooftops without losing momentum. Despite being a turtle, he is not slow.
- Enhanced Reflexes:
- Enhanced Agility: Leonardo is very agile and shown to be more agile than his brothers except for Michelangelo.
- Enhanced Endurance: Leonardo is resilient to great amount of injury.
- Enhanced Stamina: Leo possesses a high stamina and much more than Olympic-level athletes.
- Semi-aquatic Adaptations: He is able to swim long distances, dive deeply and hold his breath underwater for a long time.
- Leadership: Leonardo's bravery, determination, and willpower make him a great leader.
- Kenjutsu: Leonardo is a highly skilled martial artist and expert swordsman. Leonardo was trained by Splinter in Japanese sword fighting.
- Tantōjutsu:
- Ninjutsu:
- Indomitable Will:
- Master of Stealth:
- Improvising:
- Tactician and Strategist:
- Dragon Transformation:
Weapons[]
Leonardo primarily fights with his twin katana swords, but has used shuriken, grappling hooks, claws, and those of his brothers.
Relationships[]
Family[]
Donatello[]
Leonardo and Donatello have been shown to get along well. Leo knows the value of Donnie's intelligence and like all of his brothers, he often relies on his engineering skills to get them through any situation. He also looks out for Don's well being, such as him looking out for Don when Don was getting sick from Mutant Outbreak in the second half of season 4, or Leo getting worried about Don as Don worked overtime in Season 7 to save Master Splinter.
Raphael[]
Raphael and Leonardo tend to be very close, and Raphael has come to accept and respect Leo's leadership as he's gotten older. However, due to their strong personalities, different view points, and fearing that one of them would make a bad choice, they occasionally get into arguments. After an argument, they tend to resolve it and make up. Despite this, the two have a very close bond. They also can be the voice of reason for each other, especially Leo with Raph. They also tend joke around with each other in more playful times.
Michelangelo[]
Like Donatello and especially Raphael, Leonardo gets really annoyed and frustrated with Michelangelo's taunting, pranks and wisecracks. He would scold Mikey for his lack of focus and his obnoxious behavior and like Raph, Leo would smack Mikey upside the head. Leo can also join the others in poking fun at Mikey's cowardice. Leo is the only one to support and train Mikey in the episode “Grudge Match” but is noticeably harsh, projecting his own insecurities to the point where Michelangelo questions “Are we still talking about me?”. Despite the extreme contrast in their personalities, the two are seen to get along and will split off from the other two to spend time together as seen in the episode “Nobody’s fool”.
Master Splinter[]
Leonardo is the closest turtle to Master Splinter and is loyal to him. He knows what Master Splinter expects of him and will do anything to meet his expectations.
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- Like his brothers, Leo is a practitioner of Chi Gong, as shown in "Turtles in Space - Part 3: The Big House".
- Leonardo's favorite color is blue.
- Leonardo's favorite kinds of music are traditional Japanese music and new-age music.
- Leonardo's favorite book is Sun Tzu's The Art of War.
- Leonardo's favorite foods are rice, fish, salads, apples, and pizza.
- In the season 3 finale episode, Leonardo was stabbed in the shoulder. In early season 4, when his bandages were removed, it was revealed that a portion of his shell had been hacked off too. But in Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer the injury was removed.
- Occasionally the damage on his shell would disappear, this can largely be attributed to animation errors.
- Leonardo has expertise in blacksmithing, as he was able to forge new katana with the help of only Raphael in "The Monster Hunter".
- Leonardo sometimes rides a foot-propelled scooter.
- Leonardo has been shown to be somewhat naïve, when he ignores Raph's skepticism and trust enemies such as Shredder and Karai.
- "Super Power Struggle" is the only episode where Leo doesn't appear.
Gallery[]
- Leonardo Splinterson (2003 TV series)/Gallery
- Leonardo Splinterson (2003 TV series)/Animations
- Leonardo Splinterson (2003 TV series)/Appearances