Raphael

• 23 Feb 22:54
• •
• 1 list

Raphael (or Raph), a fictional character, is one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). He carries two sai. He is usually depicted as being aggressive, sullen, and rebellious. According to his creators he is the second youngest of the four and he is co-creator Kevin Eastman's favorite Turtle.

In the Mirage/Image comics all four turtles wear red bandanas, but unlike his brothers in other versions, he is the only one who keeps a red bandana. The origin of Raphael's anger is not always fully explored, but in some incarnations appears to stem partly from the realization that they are the only creatures of their kind and ultimately alone. He also has a somewhat turbulent relationship with his older brother Leonardo because he is the group leader. He is generally the most likely to experience extremes of emotion. He is named after Raphael Sanzio.

Raphael wields twin sai as his primary weapon, although historically, sai were never used by ninja as the sai is a Kobudo weapon originating in Okinawa. In the Next Mutation series, his sai stick together to make a staff-like weapon.

In the earliest black-and-white Mirage Comics, Raphael was the most violent turtle and had a tendency for...

Read more...