Tear Jerker / Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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Series

Season 1

Episode 6B: Minotaur Maze

• Throughout the episode, Leo is seen feeling like The Load to his brothers. He's the only one who still can't control the power of his weapon correctly and became desperate to prove himself by becoming 'champion' in the Minotaur Maze. It's just hard not to feel sorry for him.
  • When the brothers try to have Leo create a portal to escape the mess Leo got themselves in, Leo is unable to do it and he remarks that he's useless.
  • Leo tries to ask his brothers to tell him that he's a champion, as encouragement to open a portal, but frustrated with his antics, they just try to get him to open a portal. With no encouragement from his brothers, Leo then quietly encourages himself by telling himself he's a champion before trying again.
• Leo tries to pull a Heroic Sacrifice with his brothers, by offering himself instead to take the punishment instead of his brothers, calling them champions, but his brothers comically tell the angry minotaur manager to just punish him.
• The saddest part about this episode is that it sorta ends with Leo not really becoming a champion or overcoming his insecurities about being useless and a burden (though to be fair, Mikey does lift Leo's hand in the photo for the Cheater's Wall, implying that his brothers do see him as sort of a champion, but not explicably said).

Episode 7: Bug Busters

• Right before he engages into combat with Big Mama, Donnie mentions that he takes great offense that Big Mama was the first person to ever give him positive reinforcement from a parent-aged adult. For a brilliant genius for Donnie, that's quite sad to know that he has never been really encouraged to do his amazing work.
  • The Dutch version takes it a step further by having Donnie say that he yearns for compliments and the positive validation from a mother figure.

Episode 9B: Mrs. Cuddles

• As the episode is ending and the group caught by Mrs. Cuddles are calling out to Raph for help, Donnie, who is tied up alongside Mikey, Leo, and April, mentions that he is afraid of togetherness.

Episode 10A: Stuck on You

• Watching Raph try so hard to be a leader, but not having it work out is heartbreaking. Raph may not have the natural talent for leadership like Leo has shown to have, but the big guy makes it up in hard work and effort. He is doing his best as the leader, but with the seeming future shift of the role from Raph to Leo makes it all the the more heartbreaking.

Episode 11A: The Purple Jacket

• When Donnie arrives at April's school, he gushes about how lucky April is to go to school. This implication implies that Donnie always wanted to go to school and learn, but is unable to as a mutant turtle. Think about it, Donnie had to learn all he knows on his own, there's no one to teach him about the stuff he wants to know. No wonder Donnie wanted the acceptance and appreciation from the Purple Dragons or other older adult figures.
  • It's also sad to think also that Donnie just has so much potential as a genius inventor, but is unable to fully utilize his knowledge in society much due to being different.

Episode 12: The League Of Evil Mutants

• The boys try to seek help from Splinter, who refuses to train them anymore than watching Lou Jitsu videos. Frustrated with Splinter's lack of hands-on training, the turtles tell him off and try to leave. This causes Splinter to lose his temper and ground them, even having them relinquish their weapons. The face he makes after his sons leave is nothing short of heartbreaking.
  • What caused Splinter to lose his temper exactly? When they called him "just a rat". This becomes harsher to look at since we later learn that Splinter is the same guy who stars in all those action films they've been watching.
  • At the end of the episode, Splinter tries to apologize to his sons about losing his temper. Even though he may not be the best dad or be raising them properly, he really truly loves them and seems to want to try his best.

Episode 16A: Portal Jacked!

• As Leo is begging help from Senor Hueso to find his brothers, Leo's aforementioned insecurities surface and he mentions that he needs his brothers and that he is nothing without them.
  • This line puts his flashy and loud personality into light. Leo is the only one of his brothers unable to use their weapon properly, and while he's gotten better since the events of Minotaur Maze, he still feels that he isn't on the same level as them. While he acts confident and prideful about himself, he truly feels that he is nothing. His jokes and one-liners, as he said in Episode 1, is how he copes.

Episode 22A: Man vs Sewer

• While it's somewhat played for laughs, the entire episode is centered around the brothers frantically trying to find Raph, who they got separated from, who while being alone, became virtually consumed his fear of being alone and went insane. Raph was so consumed by his savage instincts that he even attacks his brothers.
  • After turning back to normal, Raph shamefully asks his brothers if '[he] became weird again'. What a sad way to refer to such an incident.

Episode 23A: Turtledega Nights: The Ballad of Rat Man

• The episode's main focus is on Splinter attempting to relive his prime back when he was the badass action hero-star/Battle Nexus Champion Lou Jitsu, and generally plays his character more as someone who feels his glory days are long, long gone and misses them than just a slobbish punchline. Given that he also makes it clear he wants to spend more time with the Turtles and Donnie seems eager to do so, it also implies that some of his more neglectful moments may be a side effect of being stuck in his past.
  Splinter: "Every day I wake up as a tiny little rat man, and I wanted some glory back in my life. I'm sorry."
  • "Many Unhappy Returns" and "Goyles, Goyles, Goyles" retroactively make Splinter's dream about his days as the Battle Nexus Champion even worse. He was outright kidnapped and forced to participate by the woman he was planning to propose to and ended up getting so exhausted from the constant fighting that he gave up on violence altogether before Draxum revealed his plans to turn the turtles into his mutant army. The fact that he now looks back on his days as an unwilling gladiator fondly really shows how trapped in the Glory Days he is.
• When Donnie realizes that Splinter lied to him, he looks absolutely broken. This is the first time in the show where raw emotion is expressed with no comedy sprinkled in, just serious and tense emotions. Donnie's insecurities and innate desire to make his father proud and his immense disappointment that his father lied just boils over into unfiltered heartbreaking dialogue of a young kid who just wants to make his father proud.
  Donnie: You said this was a car fair! You know I wouldn't come if I knew it was a demolition derby.
  Splinter: (Angry) Turn this tank back on now! Or else I'll-
  Donnie: (Tears in his eyes, cutting Splinter off) 'Or else I'll what?' You tricked us into coming here! You said you wanted to spend time with us! YOU LIED.
  Splinter: (Speechless, making a face that he knows he's screwed up really bad this time)
  • The small expression Donnie has before his father starts to apologize is solemn. All his life it seems the only thing he's ever wanted was the acknowledgement of his father and to make him proud. Although he pretends not to care, he even writes down all the times he's interacted with his father on his calendar. Interactions with Splinter are important to him. According to Bug Busters, Splinter has never really given him much positive reinforcement. The face Donnie has is someone who looks like they've given up.
  • Although only a small moment, Mikey's face as he watches Splinter apologize to Donnie is one of pure sadness and sympathy.
  • Splinter's apology is something both heartwarming and tearjerking. The fact that Donnie tells Splinter that despite his aloof nature, he does want to spend time with his father and truly loves him, with Splinter saying the same sentiments. Even more so, Splinter address Donnie, not as Purple or the Funny One...he calls him Donatello, presumably the name that Splinter gave him, clearly not a normal nonoccurence as Mikey was shocked to see Splinter address him in this way.

Episode 23B: The Ancient Art of Ninja Hide and Seek

• Though it's comedic, Splinter's reaction to the realization that he had sent his sons to their doom really warrants such a frantic reaction. For Splinter, the turtles are really the only family he's had left. Everyone who's once stood by him as Lou Jitsu has now gone. Even if he is annoyed with their antics, he loves them so much. If Splinter ever loses the turtles...well, let's hope that doesn't happen.
• Splinter looks genuinely upset when he recovers a lost picture of him (as Lou Jitsu) and Big Mama from an unknown room in Big Mama's hotel. For a character who spends most of his time sleeping and laughing, it's rare to see him get so genuinely heartbroken.

Episode 24A: One Man's Junk

• Although a villian, Repo seems to genuinely love his pet cat. It's written to be comedic, but Repo can no longer cuddle his cute little kitten the way they used to as being a mutant made her want to kill Repo despite how much he loves her. He went through all the trouble of putting in her a cage and even feeding her, showing how much he really does care.

Episode 24B: Snow Day

• In the fight against the new mutant Ghost Bear, Donnie tells Leo to 'sacrifice himself for more time'. A funny line at first, until you realize how many times Leo has genuinely offered himself to die for his family.

Episode 26: End Game

• How does Baron Draxum get Splinter to relinquish the final piece of the Shredder armor? By threatening to torture his sons, all the while mocking Splinter about not knowing where they are imprisoned. The look of resignation on Splinter's face as he surrenders is painful.
  • And earlier, the ancestors tell Splinter that he has two choices: either he takes the last piece of the armor and hides it away while saving humanity or he can give it to Draxum but let his sons die as martyrs. Considering that the turtles are the only thing Splinter has as family, that is a very horrifying thing to think about.

Season 2

Episode 27: Many Unhappy Returns

• "The Ancient Art of Ninja Hide and Seek" ended with Splinter retrieving a photo of him, as Lou Jitsu and Big Mama together. This episode expands on this more: Lou truly fell in love with her and was about to propose...until Big Mama revealed her true colors and made him a Battle Nexus competitor.
  • On top of that he's shown to be absolutely miserable in the Battle Nexus, contrasting with Draxum's memories of him being full of energy and a lust for battle.
• After blowing off everyone's lack of faith in his judgement with his usual wisecracks for much of the episode, Leo finally lets the facade drop when Splinter rebukes him for the umpteenth time, sounding legitimately hurt as he asks Splinter to believe in his plan.
  Leo: How come nobody trusts me? None of you guys have any faith in me!

Episode 28B: Goyles, Goyles, Goyles

• Lou's fate, as it is Foregone Conclusion, has him thrown into a cell, and then taken to Baron Draxum's lab so he can become the donor for the DNA of the turtles. He could've had a life as a famous movie star but we know that he will fade into obscurity and grow up into the grumpy Splinter trying to relive his Glory Days by rewatching his films.
  • Just the look on his face when he's in the cell; someone who lived to fight (in films) is now absolutely broken and tired of it all, trying to find inner peace from this mess he got himself into. It says something that he willingly is dragged off by Hugin and Munin to become part of Draxum's plans just as long as he's not fighting in the Battle Nexus.
• Lou picking up the baby turtles destined to become Raph and Leo with such a tender smile on his face.
  • Likewise, the look in pre-Leo's eyes when Draxum picks him up. The horror of Draxum mutating those baby turtles is enough for him to break his vow and fight back, taking them far away from Baron Draxum. This is probably the reason why Lou/Splinter kept this all a secret from the boys in the first place.
• How was Lou mutated in the first place? He was attempting to befriend a rather aggressive rat in his prison cell who slipped inside his jacket as part of his attempt to embrace peace. When he pulled him out to announce he was going to save him in addition to the turtles the rat bit him and the mutagen splashed onto him seconds later triggering Lou's mutation into Splinter. If the rat hadn't bitten Lou, he'd still be human. Just one rat fucked up Lou's entire life.
• Basically Lou/Hamato/Splinter's backstory when put in perspective: he was a famous movie star, fell in love with Big Mama and wanted to settle down and marry her. But what did he get? Thrown into the Battle Nexus with no hope of escape, sick and tired of it all before learning that Draxum was going to use his DNA to mutate four baby turtles into soldiers, causing him to revoke his vow of not harming anyone in order to save the turtles. And after successfully saving them, he becomes mutated into a rat man with no support whatsoever to raise these baby boys, no way to return to who he was prior to this entire mess and trying to figure out what to do with himself for the next thirteen years, living underneath the sewers while supposedly "training" the boys through the uses of his old movies/trying to relive his glory days and doing all he can to not let the boys know about the Hidden City. One twitter post expands on how Lou's plight is an accurate depiction of a man going through PTSD, with Splinter's own trauma button being himself. As stated in Turtledaga Nights: The Adventures of Rat Man , he wakes up every day as the rat man he became and dreams of being Lou again. Another reason why Lou was so angry at Draxum? He was going to force these innocent turtles to fight, just like how Big Mama made him a gladiator for the Battle Nexus. The last thing he wanted was someone to end up in his state.

Episode 29A: Flushed But Never Forgotten

• While it turned out that Piebald never had a grudge against the turtles, what happened to her was incredibly sad. The turtles and Splinter truly loved her, but the brother's carelessness led to her being ripped away from her family. She narrowly avoided being eaten and ended up accidentally eating an oozesquito and mutating. When she does come back to her home, she finds that she's been replaced by a rock with googly eyes.
• When Piebald is holding his family hostage, in his desperation, Leo begs Piebald to let his family go and to flush him instead, taking full responsibility for what happened to her. When it looked like Leo was going to lose his family, Leo's last words to his family was 'I love you, guys!'.

Episode 35A: Hidden City's Most Wanted

• Splinter is mad that how Mikey treats Draxum as a parent. When questioned about this, Mikey just states that Draxum created the turtles and Splinter.
• Splinter is pissed off at Baron Draxum because while Splinter ruined Draxum's day, Draxum ruined Splinter's life. Draxum can only laugh and state that Lou was a shell of a man back at the Battle Nexus. When Splinter stated that Draxum ruined Splinter's day with Mikey, Draxum replies that without Draxum there would be no sons. A flashback reveals Jitsu, turning into Splinter and hiding from the rain in a large box wondering what was next for him. He then sees baby Mikey touching his hand as a sign of reassurance alongside his brothers. Lou then hugs his sons, feeling hope. It should be noted that during the fight, Mikey is in tears at seeing Splinter and Draxum fight. And Mikey then comforts Splinter by holding his hand just like in the flashback.
• Draxum then telling Splinter to get our boy (Mikey) to safety as he makes himself a distraction for the police.

Finale Part 1: E-Turtle Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

• Through the Turtles traveling through Splinter's memories, we see how difficult Splinter's relationship to his Hamato heritage was when he was growing up: when he was just a little boy, he was separated from his mother Atsuko, who tearfully chose to carry on her duty as a Hamato while leaving Yoshi in the care of his grandfather Sho. Said grandfather did his best to raise him and impress that same sense of duty to the boy, but Yoshi rebelled and headed to America to become an actor. Sho desperately tried to break through to his grandson even years later after Yoshi stepped into the persona of Lou Jitsu, only for his grandson to shut the door on him once again. And Yoshi's expression after their argument makes it clear that while he wanted nothing to do with the Hamatos' traditions, he still didn't want to lose his grandfather.
  • Raph is the only one present in Splinter's mindscape when he relives the moment his mother leaves him. And while he stands silent and nearly dumbfounded at the sight, child Yoshi understandably starts bawling, which in turn causes a manifestation of the present Splinter to appear in the memory, crying just as hard, like he's a child again revisitng the worst moment of his life. Raph just puts a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

Finale Part 3: Anatawa Hitorijanai

• After the Turtles lose Karai and their home to the Foot (with Splinter and Draxum also getting captured), April tries to teach them about the Hamato ninpō by acting as a medium to channel Karai's spirit. She's... not as successful in getting Karai's lessons across, and the pressure of everything that happened causes Raph to break down in tears, believing that he's failing them. Thankfully, Karai's spirit, his brothers and April are there to comfort him and remind him to trust them the way they trust him.

Movie

The Movie