Heartwarming / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)

"You're the best, bro."

The turtles have had an emphasis on family since day one. Seeing the Hamato Clan interact with one another proves that Sensei's lessons have rubbed off on the boys.

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

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Series

Season 1

1x01 & 02; Rise of the Turtles

• "Rise of the Turtles pt. 2" After recounting the tale of how he lost his wife and daughter, and Leo agreeing that he lost much (he is no longer human), Splinter says that he had gained much as well- his four sons. (Which he originally bought as pets.)
• The introduction of Spikes was this due to how adorable it is to see a guy like Raph gushing over his pet.

1x04; New Friend, Old Enemy

• Raph's moment with Mikey at the end of the story, assuring his brother that he doesn't need a 'friend' like Chris Bradford to be worthwhile or beloved.

1x06; Metalhead

• Splinter tells Donatello that though he was responsible for Metalhead, his actions saved the city, and for that, he's proud of him.

1x07; Monkey Brains

• April slowly warming up to Donnie in "Monkey Brains" especially coming to his defense when the other Turtles laugh at him for getting beat up.
  • Also from "Monkey Brains," when Donnie returns to the lair after getting beat up his brothers immediately go to help him and only laugh at him after they are certain he's ok.

1x08; Never Say Xever

• At the end of "Never Say Xever" Mikey hugs Mr. Murakami when he reveals that he knows they're turtles and accepts them anyway.

1x09; The Gauntlet

• After Kirby decides to cover the turtles' escape from the Kraang's base, and, as a result, gets left behind (which is something of a moment in and of itself, since April's watching it all happen). Devastated, April hugs Donnie, who goes on to reiterate that they'll get her father back. It's still on the sad side of heartwarming, but says a lot.

1x10; Panic in the Sewers

• After the turtles save the sewers, Splinter comes forward and apologizes for his earlier severe treatment. Granted he was trying to prepare his son, he doesn't let it be an excuse to for letting fear cloud his own judgement. If anything, he praises the turtles for having overcome their own fear.

1x11; Mousers Attack!

• After hearing that April's phone has been stolen, the Turtles immediately try and get it back for her.
• When Mikey trips and Dogpound is about to attack him, Donnie jumps up and whips his face with his bo staff to give Mikey a chance to get away. Doubles as a CMOA for Donnie, as Dogpound far outclassed him and he was still in his "constantly breaking his weapon" phase.

1x12; It Came From the Depths

• Any scene of Mikey bonding with Leatherhead, starting with Mikey feeding him "pizza noodle soup". Then after Leatherhead talks to Mikey about what a dangerous monster he is, Mikey says "Maybe you just think you're a monster because everyone treats you that way." Maybe he really is wise beyond his years.
  • After Mikey feeds Leatherhead his pizza noodle soup, he expects Leatherhead to say he hates it, because he's heard it from his brothers a million times before. Instead, he says it's the best thing he's ever tasted.
    Mikey: Really? All right! Someone finally likes my cooking!
  • When they are cornered by the Kraang, their only hope is to use the power source they have with Leatherhead. Without hesitation, Leatherhead offers to stay behind to by the turtles time to escape, immediately trusting Mikey with the source, because he was willing to trust him.
    Leatherhead: I will buy you time! My friend, you have trusted me, now I am trusting you.

1x13; I, Monster

• In the beginning, Master Splinter was worried that his sons soon will no longer need him now that they’re improving in their training which the Rat King took advantage of. During the Turtles’ confrontation with their mind controlled father, Leo assured Splinter that he and his brothers will always need him. This allows Splinter to take back control.
• Raph will hit Mikey, but that doesn’t mean anyone else can, especially his own father.

  Raph: Nobody hits Mikey but me.

• The Turtles' reunion with Splinter.

1x14; New Girl In Town

• There's something very sweet that Mikey immediately goes to hug Leo when he thinks he'd been crying. He might not be the brightest, but he's definitely The Heart of his brothers.
• Raph's worry when Mikey is knocked out when they're fighting Snakeweed. He doesn't even try to hide his relief when Mikey finally comes to.
• Up until she learns that Karai is in the Foot Clan, April is very happy and supportive of Leo meeting a girl he likes.
  • Also, Raph shouting Mikey's Character Catchphrase "Booyakasha!" as he delivers the final blow to Snakeweed, for the same reason. Doubles as a Moment of Awesome.
  • Especially heartwarming when, back in the lair, Raph says that he has no problem risking his own life, but not his brothers.
  • Points to Donnie as well, who, despite his usual Snark-to-Snark Combat relationship with Raph and being in an extremely stressful situation in his own right (he had to temporarily contain Snakeweed himself with one brother unconscious and the other mid-mental breakdown), is remarkably gentle with Raph during the latter's Heroic BSoD. He grabs him by the shoulders, looks him in the eye and says, directly and urgently but gently that they're in over their heads and need to take Mikey and go now. He also doesn't hold Raph's breakdown against him later.
• Karai choosing to help Leonardo escape from Snakeweed instead of letting him die. Especially notable since Shredder had already given her a stern warning that she wasn't to let him live the next time they met.
  • Leo saving the knife she threw at his head as a memento at the end of the episode.

1x15; The Alien Agenda

• Raph making sure Leo was okay after the Justin scene and trying to help him out.
• When Karai asks Leo about the Kraang, he immediately warns her that they're dangerous and to stay away from them.

1x16; The Pulverizer

• Mikey picks up a piece of gum on a subway track, and is about to eat it only for Raph to smack him, preventing him from eating something unsanitary.
• Mikey and Don's concern for Raph when he gets bitten by Xever/Fishface.
  • Especially the way Mikey defends Raph, busting out his most badass moves, often not even taking his eyes off of Raph while fighting off all comers. Doubles as a Moment of Awesome.

1x17; TCRI

• When the Turtles return to the lair, April is relieved and shares a brief hug with Donnie.

1x18; Cockroach Terminator

• Raph pretty much ignoring how terrified he was of the roach when it had Mikey.

1x19; Baxter's Gambit

• Splinter decides to give April her own ninja weapon, a Japanese war fan. Also heavily overlaps as a tearjerker since Splinter originally planned on giving it to Miwa.
  • The dialogue in their preceding scene really drives home how much he has come to think of April as his surrogate daughter.
    Splinter: Miwa would have been about your age now. I would like to think she would have turned out as well as you have...my child. Which reminds me, wait here. [Goes to find the fan.]

1x20: Enemy Of My Enemy

• Karai saving the Turtles, and Leo saving her in return.
• Despite the rocky moments and strained relationship we've seen between Karai and her father, she still immediately moved to save him from the Turtles' attack.
  Leo: Why are you helping him? You said he was driving you crazy!
  Karai: He drives me crazy because he's my father!

1x21; Karai's Vendetta

• Donnie's concern for April is palpable while she's being chased by Karai.
• The turtles are clearly impressed and happy hearing about April's escape from Karai.
  • Splinter afterwards says one of the most important lessons about being a Ninja is making it back home.
• When April is fighting Karai, she says she lost her mother. Karai pauses the fight and is caught off guard, even repeating "you lost your mother?" in a shocked, sad tone, and when April is escaping, Karai gives her a...genuinely sorry look.

1x22; Pulverizer Returns

• Don's concern for Pulverizer's safety throughout the episode and the end where he promises to turn Pulverizer back to normal.

1x24; Operation: Break Out

• Raph telling April about Donnie's heroism at the end.
  • April hugging Donnie.
• After almost an entire season, April is finally reunited with her father.
• Raph's behavior towards Mikey and Donnie throughout the episode, it emphasizes how much he really cares about his family.
• "I've got this."

1x25 & 26; Booyaka-Showdown

• After gearing up for their mission, Raph gives Spike a pat on the head, or rather a tap on the head. Later, he picks up a pigeon and uses it to block one of TCRI's security cameras and once his brothers have snuck past the camera, Raph puts the pigeon down and also pats it on the head.
• Raph and Leo have clearly patched up their differences, with Raph rescuing him from falling, and even bemoaning his Disney Death, saying he should have been nicer to him.
• April tells Donnie after he helps rescue her, "You're my hero."
• And at the very end, we have a Dance Party Ending, as the turtles and April celebrate saving the world.
• Splinter tells the turtles that when they first went to the surface, he was worried they wouldn't be ready, but states that if the fate of the world had to rest in anybody's hands, he's glad it's in their hands.
• A very bittersweet moment when Splinter discovers his supposedly dead daughter is alive and working with his worst enemy.

Season 2

Even after everything, Karai is still and always will be Splinter's daughter.

2x01; The Mutation Situation

• Despite acting all feral around the turtles and speaking only in roars, Kirby's Mutated form acts positively gentle around April, indicating that Mr. O'neil is still in there to save.
  • In his own feral way, he brings April food (or something like food) because he's trying to make sure his young is fed.

2x03; Follow The Leader

• The ending where Raph admits that he's happy Leo is home in his own aloof way.
• The fact that Don kinda goes to Raph over his April-based problems.
• We get to see Leo's Big Brother Instinct again, with him threatening Karai to stay away from his brothers from now on. To add to how impressive Leo is here, he still manages to make an attempt to help Karai too during this threat, telling her that Shredder is lying to her about Splinter and imploring for her to believe him about this.
• Karai looking at the picture of her deceased mother, Tang Shen. This is probably the first time we see a girl like Karai with real happiness, instead of the arrogant, snarky kind she usually displays.

2x04: Mutagen Man Unleashed

• At the start of the episode itself, the other brothers join Mikey in watching a parody of Mazinger and Voltron. A mild example, but considering how the other brothers usually treat him, it's rather nice to see them all like something that Mikey is into.
• April, near the episode's end, leads Casey Jones, someone she barely knows, away from the fight with the Turtles and Mutagen Man to protect him without him knowing it.
  • She may have also been doing it for the turtles as well since it prevented Casey from seeing them, despite still being mad at them.
• Raph complimenting Donnie for stopping Mutagen Man. Compare that moment to the end of Metalhead.
  Raph: You did what you had to, Donnie.
• Splinter telling Donnie not to lose hope about April's departure.
• Donnie's feelings toward Mutagen Man. He may be the Monster of the Week, but he still has the mind of the Pulverizer.

2x05: Mikey gets Shellacne

• After everything Mikey goes through, Splinter takes a moment to praise Mikey for his innovative thinking.

2x06: Target April ONeil

• There's something sweet that April goes to Casey, a guy she only really knew in battle or for work to have company now that she's fallen out with the turtles.
  • And that Casey inadvertently gives her a moment of recognition on how accidents happen and friends can drift apart sometimes.
• April rejoining the turtles after accepting their apology, realizing that it was beyond their control. She even gives Donnie a smooch on the cheek!

2x07: Slash and Destroy

• Leo's tea party with the little girl. Also doubles as a Funny Moment.
  • Even more so when you notice that she's not even remotely afraid or unnerved of Leo, even though very few humans in this show don't feel that way about the Turtles at least a little (even April was a bit weirded out when she first met them). Even though the little girl is oblivious to the severity of the situation, and even though Leo tries to play the whole thing as if it were her imagination, it's all very sweet that she's innocent enough to look past Leo's being a mutant, refer to him endearingly as "Mr. Turtle", and want to have a tea party with him of all things.
• Raph's intense brotherly instinct that comes out when Slash resorts to beating the crap out of Mikey and Donnie.
  • Even before Slash starts beating them, when he hears that Donnie is missing, Raph makes it perfectly clear what his priorities are.
    Raph: My brothers come first, no matter what.
  • Also, when Raph is about to be defeated by Slash, Donnie and Mikey try to restrain him by jumping on his arms even though they're in no shape to continue fighting.
• Splinter tells Raph how to drown his sorrows when a loved one is lost, take comfort in the loved ones you still have.
  Splinter: Raphael, do you know what I do when I miss my loved ones from the past?
  Raph: No.
  Splinter: I focus on the friends I am surrounded by in the present.
  Raph: Thanks, Master Splinter. Hey, what's a guy got to do to get in your little competition?
  Mikey: Next game is all yours, dude.
  Leo: Sorry about Spike, Raphael.
  Raph: You guys aren't too bad to hang out with either.
• When Spike turns into Slash after getting into the mutagen. Its clear that even after his transformation he still cares about Raph with all his heart and truly does want the best for him. Unfortunately this also doubles as a Tear Jerker later on.
  • Likewise, even after everything Slash had done, Raph still tries to Save the Villain in the end.
• There's just something about the little girl's lack of fear towards Leonardo. It managed to strike a chord in multiple fans hearts despite her and Leo's tea party being part of a gag.

2x08: The Good The Bad And The Casey Jones

• Casey saves Raph from being run over by a subway. Later, Raph returns the favor when a Foot Bot knocks Casey off the subway. The two are actually grateful to each other.
• When April vouches for the turtles to Casey, he immediately backs off.
  Casey: So, they're not the bad guys?
• When one of the Foot Bots scan the lair, Splinter instructs them not to let it escape. Casey immediately runs after it to prevent it from revealing the lair's location to Karai.
• Casey's entire motivation: he wants to make the city safe from the monsters and ninjas before someone close to him is hurt. Like his dad, his little sister, or April. (The fact that he already counts April as someone close to him really hammers it home)

2x09: The Kraang Conspiracy

• The first thing Mikey does when they find out April is a mutant is joyfully say "Welcome to the family!"
• Raph and April's interactions during the second half of the episode are actually pretty sweet even though the intense moment it happens in is relatively frightening.
  • Especially since we rarely see these two interact one on one.
• It's pretty cute how all the turtles manage to show their affection towards April, in their own individual ways of course.

2x10 Fungus Humongous

• The opening where April and Casey are hanging out together on the park bench, listening to music and waiting for a chance to enter the sewers. April says she's grateful for Casey's friendship, finally having another human she can talk to about the Turtles. Whether you ship her with Casey or not, it's nice to see April acting like a normal teenager for a change.
• The way Mikey takes care of Raph after he gets hit with the spores.
• Splinter commending Leo for facing his fear, even though Leo admits he has yet to master it.
  Splinter: Would you say you mastered your fear?
  Leo: No, I only faced it.
  Splinter: And that, Leonardo is why you are a great leader.
• After the mutant mushroom is defeated and all snap out of their hallucinations, Raph and Mikey reunite with Donnie, April and Casey. What is the first thing Mikey does? Jumping right at Donnie and hugging him. The look of relief and happiness and especially how he snuggles up to him are adorable. What more, Donnie just smiles and doesn't push him away or anything, something Raph would have most likely done.

2x11" Metalhead Rewired

• Metalhead sacrificing himself to save Donatello, the other guys and other captured mutants from the Kraang by maintaining the portal to their prison until they all escaped.
  • Leo and Mikey trying to console Donnie about Metalhead's "death".
    Leo: You were right Donnie, I should've trusted you.
    Mikey: Sorry about Metalhead Donnie.
  • Even Raph became less of a jerk.
    Raph: *referring to the portal* Come on you tin can, move your butt!
• Slash/Spike and Raph exchanging a brief look as the mutants are escaping...the bond is still there.
  • Heck all of the mutants (even Snakeweed and Spider Bytez) had some minor moment. Like Mr. O'Neil staying calm and following Donnie's instructions in order to escape.
• Donnie refusing to follow Leo's orders of erasing Metalhead's AI since it's basically killing him.
• When Donnie says the training session with Metalhead was successful, Leo points out that Metalhead could've ripped Mikey's face off. Considering Leo himself almost got decapitated by Metalhead, which is worse than what Mikey was going through, it was nice to see someone being selfless towards Mikey for once.
• Raph helping Mikey when his arm is stuck in the vending machine.
• After Donnie is sucked into the Kraang portal and Leo is dragged in trying to save him, Raph and Mikey briefly exchange glances...then charge in after them.

2x12" Of Rats And Men

• April, and even Donnie, being worried about Casey when he's captured.
  Donnie: Get everyone else to safety. We got this covered.
  April: You always do.
• During the fight Raphael gives Leo the extra manpower he needs when taking on one of the giant rats. Raph even shouts his name when charging in.
• Sort of a subtle one, but after Splinter starts trying to attack Mikey, April can be seen standing protectively over him.
• Ice Cream Kitty. That thing is freaking adorable and she actually participated in the battle against the Rat King with Mikey, the one who mutated her in the first place.

2x13 & 14" The Manhattan Project

• At the end, Mikey is relieved that Donnie, April, and Casey are okay and hugs them.
• When Tiger Claw was about to shove them into the surface, Mikey tells Leo and Raph that he loves them and confesses to eating Raph's last pizza slice. It's amusingly adorable.
• Donnie and Casey finally becoming real friends as well as the instances shown:
  • When Casey fails to reach for Donny and is believed to be dead by being eaten by the worm, Donnie is just as if not more heartbroken by this.
  • Casey being impressed by Donnie's smarts when he saves them and taking back all the insults he gives, resulting in the two fist bumping.
• Karai eavesdropping on the heroes at the end shows that she's beginning to have second doubts about her loyalty to Shredder and implies a Heel–Face Turn in the future.
• Leo shoving Karai out of the way of a falling smokestack during the opening fight.
  • Also, his revealing to the others the truth about her and saying they have to fight to get through to her because "she's our sister".
• Raph goes into the portal to be first, Casey goes in after, bringing April with them. Donnie goes in after April. And Mikey? He tells Leo "You can't let them go in alone dude" in an almost uncharacteristically serious voice and goes in after them.

2x15" ''Mazes and Mutants

• The turtles befriending Malachi (aka Martin Milton) after learning he's just a lonely kid whose machinations were born out of loneliness. It's rather sweet to see them part on good terms.

2x16" The Lonely Mutation of Baxter Stockman

• Kirby O'Neil being restored to his human form and April reuniting with him.
  • Splinter insistence on saving Kirby first and saying he does not blame Donnie for the situation at all.
• Speaking of which, Donatello voicing that he intended to use one of the two doses of retro-mutagen to turn Splinter human again. There's something sweet about how Donnie spontaneously wanted to give his father a chance to rejoin society once more.

2x17" ''Newtralized.

• When Slash threatens to lay a second beatdown on Donnie, Casey of all people comes to his rescue.
  Casey: Get away from him!
• Raph saving Slash and then offering him a place on the team afterwards.
• Mikey breaking Raph's fall.
• Slash having no qualms about eliminating Kraang, and not people. If any human were to see him, they would scream and run away thinking he's a monster with malicious intents and probably try to hurt him first. Kind of heartwarming and a bit of a tearjerker protecting people who would mistake you for the enemies you're fighting.

2x18" ''Pizza Face.

• Mikey apologizes before fighting Leo, Donnie, and Splinter.
• At the end when the turtles and April check on Mikey and assure him that his little "adventure" was all just a bad dream, April closes the door to his room and waves goodbye before she leaves.

2x19 "''The Wrath Of Tiger Claw."

• Karai finally seeing the truth about Splinter being her real father.

2x22 "''Vengeance Is Mine"

• After a lot of episodes with the truth coming out and Karai learning the truth, she finally is able to share a real hug with her true father, Splinter. The poignant music that accompanies it just shows the payoff for her, Splinter and the turtles. This makes her mutation all the more heartbreaking.
  • It's to the point where Splinter rescinds what he previously said about the turtles not bothering to take the risk. If this taught him anything, it's that some risks are worth taking.
• Karai laughing at the Turtles' antics during training. It sort of gives her a Cool Big Sis vibe from her.
  • Generally, the fact she got to spend one day with her true father and her (for lack of better words) brothers.
• Raph's concern for Mikey after seeing that he was injured by Rhazar.
• This episode shows that, even in his own twisted, abusive way, Shedder actually does care for Karai.
• Before knocking him out, Karai places her hand on Leonardo's chest in an intimate manner. For a few seconds, the affection feels very genuine.

2x24 "Into Dimension X"

• The Turtles reuniting with Leatherhead.
• Mikey remembering how he and Leatherhead became friends, reminding the audience why he's so special to Mikey.
• After Mikey jumps through the portal Leo and Raph don't hesistate and follow him, despite Donnie pointing out how dangerous it could be. And even Donnie, despite being afraid, only waits another few seconds before jumping through the portal as well. Just shows again that for their little brother they'd go through hell and back to get him back.
• Leo playing with the cute 'little' creature. Doubles as a CMOF as well. And it shows that, just like when he was playing with the little teatime girl, he might be a really great dad someday.
• At the end, when they return to earth, Mikey is sad that now he'll be back to his old clumsy self. However, Leo and Donnie point out that he did a really great job in Dimension X and that they never would have succeded without his leadership. Donnie even calls him a genius and Leo mentions that he got the crystal in their world. So basically, not only do they comfort him, they also praise Mikey for his actions and show him respect, something Mikey has always wanted!

2x25 & 26 "The Invasion"

• Raph defending Donnie. When Casey asks if April ever talks about him, Raph quickly responds with "it doesn't matter" and "you know how Donnie feels about her." A good Cool Big Bro moment for Raphael.
• When Raph and Casey meet up with the others, Mikey hugs Raph. Instead of getting annoyed, Raph smiles and says "Aw, I missed you too, little brother."
• As The Turtles are grabbing things from their lair, Donnie goes to the frozen Mutagen Man/Timothy and vows to return for him someday. Failing that, he sincerely hopes to his old friend that things will be better by the time he thaws out.
  • Raph takes a picture of Spike as his only possession from home.
• Donnie taking charge of evacuating the family, as it's him clearly acting as The Atoner after not listening to Leo when he wanted to leave earlier, and what happened to Leo as a result. Now he's taking it to heart, and personally ensuring that Leo and the rest of the family gets out as quickly and safely as possible.
• When the turtles (sans Leo) and April see Splinter and Shredder fighting in the sewers, Shredder defeats Splinter and throws him into a whirlpool to drown to death. Raph swears vengeance on Shredder and tries to open the sewer gate bars, and when Mikey tells him to calm down, Raph is about to hit Mikey only for Mikey to hug Raph to cool him down.
• The ending with Karai (in her mutant snake form) saving Splinter from the rushing water in the sewers can be this. For bonus points, Karai nudges Splinter before swimming away, as if she was giving him a soft kiss.
• The pizza delivery guy going out of his way to save the little girl. Even d-list characters can be heroes!

Season 3

3x01 "Within the Woods"

• Raph watching over Leonardo when he was recovering and Leonardo doing the same later on in the episode.
  • There is something else in in Raph's vigil. When he shouts to the others to come to the room, Leo is awake and coherent. Since Leo's been in a three month long coma, it's highly doubtful that he came awake all at once. Raph probably had to explain where they were and a bit of what happened. Raph also waited until Leo could handle visitors to call the others up, so Leo wouldn't be overwhelmed.
• Mikey's reaction to seeing Leo awake is naturally Played for Laughs, but he launches himself at Leo to hug him while crying, and basically only lets go when Raph makes him. Mikey had been described as... not really doing that much in relation to Raph, who had stayed at Leo's side, and Donnie, who had been working full-time trying to create an effective medicine for Leo. This moment showed that he had also been upset and worried over Leo, even if he hadn't shown it the same way.

3x02 "A Foot Too Big"

• Even after getting smacked around and having his face grabbed, Mikey without a second thought agrees with Donny to treat Big Foot's wound.
• Mikey calling out both Casey and Leonardo for what they said about Big Foot.
• Donnie tells April that he's realized that his attraction to her is the same as Big Foot being attracted to him, and that he's just a mutant. She tells him, "You're my mutant", and she kisses him on the lips, leaving him stunned.
  Donnie: I understand… nothing.
• As... weird as the whole situation is, The Finger's horror at finding out that Big Foot is a woman, Big Foot comforting him and the two shacking up is kind of sweet.

3x3 "Buried Secrets"

• When Mikey is sad that the others are angry at him for attacking April's Mom, Ice Cream Kitty cheers him up immediately. Mikey then squirts some whipped cream and puts a cherry on her head making a cute scene. It helps that Ice Cream Kitty was the only one who believed Mikey.
• Though things quickly change, it was emotional seeing April reuniting with what she believes to be her mother.
• Casey asking April if she was all right after the whole fiasco with her mother.
  • Then Leo reminding her You can't give up hope. Trust me on that. and extending his hand to help her up. Awwww.

3x4 "The Croaking"

• Seeing Mikey and Napoleon's friendship develop throughout the episode was rather sweet.
• Raph and Mikey's awkward sibling hug!
• Even though it's cliché on paper, Attila sees first-hand that not all humans are cruel and destructive when Casey and April save him from the fire.

3x5 Dream Beavers

• Raph is a good brother and very caring to Leo throughout the episode.
• Granted it's all a dream set up by the titular Dream Beavers, there's something wholesome about Leo dreaming of not only his leg healing, but also growing strong to the point of superhero levels.
• April seems concerned the most with Donnie during the episode: even though he's the last Turtle they check on, he's the first that she realizes is in trouble, and tries to wake him up immediately; when she and Casey then move Donnie downstairs, she sits closest to Donnie (and never seems to leave his side), cradles his head in her chest, psychically contacts him first, even gets so worried that she tries to slap him out of sleep, and finally gives him a big, relieved, kiss on the cheek when finally he wakes up.
  Donnie: Wait, did... did April KISS ME a while back?

3x6 Race With the Demon

• This episode shows that Casey is just as much Vitriolic Best Buds with Donnie as he is with Raph. They even refer to each other as friends repeatedly, make an effort to make up after their argument, have fun building a car together, and they have an insult game. Considering how much they've been at each other throats for so long, this episode was a much needed insight into their relationship.
  "I don't care about winning, I just want my friend back!"

3x7 Eyes of the Chimera

• Leo thanking April for not giving up on him and their hug at the end.
• Casey convincing Raph they should let Leo win their spar at the beginning and their concern for him when his knee gives out.

3x8 ''Vision Quest

• The boys just spending time together.
• The boys briefly reuniting with Splinter through the magic fire.

3x9 ''Return To New York

• The family is finally reunited, except for Miwa.
• The turtles referring to themselves as Splinter's sons as they're trying to break through to him while he's in his primal state.
• April using her powers to help Splinter.
  • Once he returns, there's something uplifting about seeing the dignified look in Splinter's eyes once he comes to his senses.
  • Raphael subsequently calling Splinter "father" after he makes his triumphant return.
• How about Splinter acknowledging both April AND Casey as part of the family?

3x10 ''Serpent Hunt

• Of all the things our heroes bring back from the lair to their hideaway, Leonardo brought Splinter's family photo of Tang Shen and baby Miwa. Splinter is nothing short of appreciative towards his son for such a thoughtful gift.
• When the turtles are trying to get Karai back to her senses, Mikey says, "It's okay, Karai. It's me, Mikey. Your brother."

3x11 ''The Pig and the Rhino

3x12 & 13 Battle for New York"

• Donnie and Mikey hugging when they think Mikey's chemical mixture is going to explode. Donnie flips out at him the moment they realize they're actually safe, but when they thought it was dangerous, his first priority was holding onto and protecting his younger brother.
  • His initial "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SHELL?!" comment also seemed to be Anger Born of Worry more than his subsequent upset at Mikey messing with the retro-mutagen formula he'd been working at for months. He knew Mikey could have easily gotten himself killed with the things he was mixing.
• In both parts, both the Turtles and the Mutanimals squabble over how their respective plans should be carried out while working together. Mikey and Leatherhead on the other hand are the only members of their respective teammates who don't argue with one another since they're both good friends. (Leatherhead in that Mikey was his first friend ever, and Mikey because he always sees Leatherhead as a big cuddly pet) Leatherhead even looks sad that he couldn't get to hear out the Turtles' plans when the Mutanimals force him to attack the Kraang without the input of the Turtles.
• While we got a taste of Slash's impending Heel–Face Turn in "Newtralized," this episode was when it was finally solidified. Going from being a psychotic, vengeful Well-Intentioned Extremist, to becoming an edgier loner looking for his own place, to finally becoming the leader of a gang of mutant misfits who (like him) found a bigger, common-er enemy. His reconciliation with Leo feels much more heart-felt this time around.
  "I just tried to model myself after the best leader I ever knew..."
  • Another layer of heartwarming here is that Slash has generally been portrayed as an exaggerated version of Raph. His initial hostility towards Leo was largely based on Raph's one-sided rants to him when he was Spike, then turned up to eleven. His newfound respect for Leo is based on Slash getting to know Leo in his own right and not just through Raph, but given the similarity in personalities, it also reflects the other side of Raph's feelings for Leo that Slash probably didn't hear as much about: Yes, there are the annoying things, but there is also genuine respect and affection.^note This is actually further reinforced by Raph interceding between them when Leo and Slash are arguing. Raph understands that Slash has a blinkered and inaccurate perception of Leo and of Raph's relationship to Leo, and he also understands that Leo's hostility towards Slash is based on Slash harming the family. He mediates until they're able to get to know each other well enough to develop a more nuanced view of each other - like he has for both of them.

3x14 ''Casey Jones VS the Underworld

• Although the opening is basically Casey belly-aching about how he missed out on the action in the previous episode, two sweet moments comes out of this.
  • First, we see April and Kirby run a soup drive for those effected by the invasion, showing how a little generosity and kindness can spark camaraderie in dark times.
  • Also in that same scene, Casey warmly smiling at April from afar, possibly recognizing that even if she's not out there kicking butt like she is, April is saving the city one soup at a time.

3x15 ''The Noxious Avenger

• Muckman not only befriending the turtles after he chooses to do good of his own volition, but also using his heroic sway over the public to maintain the turtles' anonymity.

3x16 ''Clash of The Mutanimals

• After a brainwashed Slash attacks Splinter, knocking him to the group, Mikey checks on him. Mikey tells Splinter that he and Donnie can stay with him while Leo and Raph take on their brainwashed friends, but Splinter insists that Mikey help his brothers.
• It's a mix of heartwarming and CMOA, but Leo just absolutely goes on the warpath as soon as Raph is taken. He is visibly angered as he, his remaining brothers, and the remaining Mutanimals track down Raph and their brainwashed friends, he doesn't even slow down long enough to make a plan, and even in the midst of a gladiatorial pit with Shredder and some of their most dangerous opponents, Leo laser-focuses on Raph until he gets him to expel the brainworm and gets his brother back. Even when he's forced to fight Raph, he only does so defensively and tries not to hurt him.
• In the ending, Raphael thanks Leo for saving him. Leo playfully makes fun of him, saying that every team needs a hothead. At first, Raph growls and it seems like he's gonna blow a gasket... instead, he picks Leo up and hugs him.
  Raphael: "You're the best, bro."

3x17 ''Meet Mondo Gecko

• Mondo Gecko and Mikey's friendship. The two are kindred spirits who love to have a little fun.
  • Mikey influencing Mondo to realize the importance of friendship, something he definitely didn't learn from Xever.
  • The episode ends with the two of them agreeing they can each borrrow their respective catch phrases (Mikey's "Booyakasha" and Mondo's "Kowabunga") from time to time. Sweeter still, Mondo is voiced by the original Michelangelo from the 1990 film, feeling as though the past is second-hand passing down something to the future.

3x18 The Deadly Venom

• Despite not being able to get back Karai, Leonardo managed to save his brothers via the new technique he learned. His brothers go and thank him for saving them all.
• When April opens up to Casey after watching a movie about she wants normalcy in her life and thinks he's not listening to her as he's excited over the movie they saw(with her talking about how her head fell off to check if he was hearing anything she was saying). When Casey asks if she knew his favourite part of the film after he walks her home, he admits it was not the action, but that the main hero never gave up, inspiring her...and wishing her luck that she would find her head, showing he actually was listening and getting a laugh out of April.
  • Splinter's So Proud of You moment with Leonardo helped Leo see that he did manage to do a good job and on he shows promise as a healer.
  • Donatello clarifies that while Karai may have attacked them, he mentioned it was due to Shredder's plot. Subtle, but it shows that they don't hold being poisoned against her, since she is no longer herself.

3x20 Tale of the Yokai

• The Turtles calming down Tang Shen the second time they meet her. Once they convince her they're benign "kappa", she invites them to her apartment and gives them cucumbers (the Trademark Favorite Food of kappa). Even sweeter, the turtles are meeting the closest thing they have to a mother, if briefly.
  • Heck, baby Miwa's interaction with the turtles. Their second encounter prompts her to warm up to them instantly. Later, we see her playfully tugging at Leo's mask, with Leo demonstrating a brotherly patience towards her.
• Even if it unknowingly meant her death, Tang Shen chooses Yoshi over Saki. Why? Because Yoshi finally expressed that she and Miwa were more important to him than anything, even the dojo. In the least, he had a chance to confess his love for his family before he lost them.
• Ultimately, the turtles are despondent at how they had to let all the bad stuff that happened to Splinter in the past, in order to maintain the timeline. However, there was one part of the past fate allowed them to influence: they saved Yoshi from the fire. Splinter may not know it, but he ultimately owes his life to the very sons he would come to love and raise, the ones who saved him even before he even met them.

3x22 "The Creeping Doom''

• As it becomes increasingly apparent that something is wrong with Donnie, all three brothers and April show a great deal of care and concern for him. Leo and Raph seem nearly parental of him, pulling foreign objects out of his mouth and shoving him out of dangerous situations, while April brings him ice for a headache and generally tries to watch him while the brothers fight Creepweed.
• There are several particularly cute moments with Mikey, who is the reason Donnie turned dumb in the first place. Mikey seems to particularly take on the task of helping/managing Donnie, tries to reassure him when Donnie can't understand what's happening and is visibly terrified, and goes so far as to attempt to create an antidote for Donnie himself (that actually works!). It's a cute role-reversal between the two of them, as their usual dynamic is Mikey being chaotic and Donnie desperately trying to keep them both on-track.

3x23 "The Fourfold Trap

• Leo's frantic concern over Raph once he breaks into his hot-box trap and finds him semi-conscious.
• Donnie genuinely calling Mikey awesome for successfully getting Donnie out of his electroshock puzzle trap, especially since Mikey himself got badly shocked in the process.
• What Splinter says to Miwa before finishing the healing mantra on her.
  Splinter: "I love you, Miwa."

3x25 & 26 ''Annihilation: Earth!

• While also a Tear Jerker, Rocksteady holding Bebop close to him for comfort as they're both sucked into the black hole.

Season 4

4x2 The Moons Of Thalos 3

• Mona Lisa giving Raph a kiss after everything that happened in the episode. Raphael is left speechless.
  • He's also attracted to her fighting style, which is very cute.

4x4 The Outlaw Armaggon

• Honeycutt reveals how he became a robot and doesn't want to be thought of as just a machine. April reassures him otherwise and uses this desire to save him from Overmind.
• Honeycutt's robot assistant sacrificing its own consciousness to let Honeycutt keep living.

4x5 Riddle of the Ancient Aeons

• The planet the team's on gives everyone a short temper. The team learns of the fate of the Aeons, Casey simply says "That's a bummer." Leo yells at Casey about his insensitivity. Raph calls Leo out on this, retorting about his position as leader and being "Splinter's favorite." When he lunges towards Leo, guess how the Fearless Leader calms him down?
  • Leo: "Raph, I love you, bro."

4x6 Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind

• The visual of Mikey's inner self (in the form of his six-year-old self) with his brothers, driving home how he not only looks up to him, but they protect the youngest in their family.
  • Unto itself, the brothers helping Mikey's inner self fight off the Neutrinos by inspiring how his imagination is very powerful against them.

4x7 The Arena of Carnage

• The turtles befriending Zeno during their incarceration.

4x8 The War for Dimension X

• In a way, the audience gets to meet the real Irma through Rook, as opposed to when she turned out to be Kraang Sub-prime. She does display the same kind of personality traits Irma might've had if she was truly in this adaptation.
• The Salamandrians and the Utroms forming an alliance, due in no small part to the turtles convincing Mona Lisa and G'Throkka to help them save Queen.

4x9 The Cosmic Ocean

• Leonardo talking to the simulation of Splinter is this and Tear Jerker. It's clear he misses him, but Splinter's comforting words and such to Leonardo does reassure Leonardo on having hope and that they have made Splinter proud. While a simulation, Fugitoid points that the machine is psychic, using the person's memories as the basis for the simulation so it's clear that the words simu-Splinter is telling Leo would be the same words the real Splinter would say.
  • Mikey dissauding the others' concern over Leo's way of coping. He knows his brother well enough to accept what he is doing and shows hints of understanding Leo's reasons, especially in regards to the Chain of Command.

4x10 "TransDimensionalTurtles"

• While most of the Turtles are initially wary of their '80s counterparts, the two Mikeys hit it off almost immediately, cementing their friendship by high-fiving while simultaneously uttering their catchphrases.
  • Mikey: "Booyahkasha!"
  • '80s Mikey: "Cowabunga!"
• When the turtles return to their lair in past New York City, they happily reunite with Master Splinter, and embrace him in a hug.
  Master Splinter: Back so soon? You just left to patrol the city.
  Turtles: Sensei!
  Master Splinter: Is everything alright?
  Leonardo: Definitely, Master Splinter. It's... it's just really amazing to see you!

4x11 Revenge of the Triceratons

• Donnie blames himself for the Triceratons stealing the BHG pieces. April and Mikey assure him its not his fault and point out he's the only reason everyone is still alive.

4x12 The Evil of Dregg

• Raph getting out of his heart-broken funk when Mona Lisa gives her Anguished Declaration of Love.
• The episode ending on the visual of Raph and Mona Lisa tenderly holding hands to a starry background, just like their first interaction in the episode. If anything, it quietly indicates that despite what happened, nothing can change the way these two feel about each other.

4x13 The Ever-Burning Fire

• Raph being present for the hatching of Tokka's infant, naming him "Chompy Picasso" and later adopting him when it's presumed his mother is no more.

4x14

Earth's Last Stand

• After Leo makes yet another Heroic Sacrifice that actually literally kills him this time (Donnie is only able to revive him with a jolt from his electric staff), Raph gives Leo an Anger Born of Worry lecture about constantly striking off on his own and not letting his brothers back him up, and when Leo sheepishly apologizes, he grabs Leo into a hug and just gently tells him not to do it again, before Donnie joins in and makes it a group hug.
  • Part of the heartwarming aspect of this is that Leo really had been doing the solo-mission Heroic Sacrifice thing a lot this season, usually followed by an anguished Raph or anguished combination of brothers scrambling to save him. This confrontation had been building up for some time - Leo's brothers would rather follow him into the danger than stay safe and mourn him afterwards.
• The turtles being able to save Splinter this time around.
• Past-April doesn't mind the idea of having a time-clone of herself and even comments she's always wanted a twin sister.
• As opposed to his bad reaction to Professor Honeycutt's past, Future-Leo assures his past self that they can trust the Professor.

4x15 City At War

• April graduating into full kunoichi of the Hamato Clan is this and Moment of Awesome. It not only shows how far she has come, but she is part of the family, especially with the turtles congratulating her.
• Karai is still considered family by the Turtles, even if it is rough due to her choosing to go her own way and not for the best reasons.
  • They pretty much mobilize the instant when Leo gets a messege asking for help. She definitely trusts and cares for them.
  • Mikey referring to her as sis and asking her to come home solidifed she is considered family.
• Mixed in with Tearjerker, but her interactions with Splinter. She still fully acknowledges him as her father, but she insists on going at defeating Shredder her own way, despite Splinter's invitation to rejoin her family.
  • Karai seems to acknowledge that part of her doing is for vengeance, but she also wants to make Splinter proud of her. Splinter acknowledges that he already is.
• Karai and Shinigami also bowing to apologize to April for what happened earlier. April forgives them and she and Karai share a handshake, showing they're on good terms once more.
• Karai having Shinigami, "an old friend" who she is clearly quite close to, proves that she didn't have a Friendless Background back in Japan when she was younger.

4x16 Broken Foot

• Shinigami not only responds better to Mikey's flirting, but also flirts with him herself at one point.
• When the turtles are caught in a factory explosion, Donnie gets knocked unconscious. A concerned Karai asks how he is and Raph replies "he's a tough turtle".
• When Leo, Raph, and Mikey return at the end of the episode to see Donnie sitting up and okay, they run at him and literally tackle him to the ground in a group hug. Afterwards they're all just sitting and laughing and palpably relieved that he's okay.

4x17 ''Insecta Trifecta

• Splinter teaching Raph a meditative chant to help him through his crippling insect phobia.

4x19 ''Bat in the Belfry

• Mikey and Casey's initial interaction with Wingnut and Screwloose, at least before April's crystal corrupted them.
  • Towards the end, Wingnut making peace with the fact he and Screwloose have to return to the comic from whece they came, parting on good terms with Mikey.

4x20 The Super Shredder

• Shini's passionate declaration that Shredder will pay for what he did to Karai.

4x21 Darkest Plight

• Karai saving April from Tiger Claw during a fight, and April returning the favor later. Signaling the start of a friendship between the two.
• Although he eventually gives into his instincts, what saves Splinter's sanity when faced with the fevered hallucination of the Rat King? The memory of celebrating his sons' 15th birthday, along with the vision of Tang Shen, reminding Splinter that whether he's a rat or a man, he's still Hamato Yoshi. This gives him the Heroic Willpower to ride out the hallucination until his discovery of the Rat King's corpse brings him back to his senses.
  • And when Donnie and Mikey find him, he tells them he's never been so happy to see them. It marks the end of the nightmare.

4x22 The Power Inside Her

• No matter the risk to himself, Donatello never gives up on April and never blames her for any of it, including ripping his molecules apart.
• When April seems to have been lost and the Turtles are forced to try and end April, they're hesitant to hurt her because she is still their friend. They attempt to have her break free by reminding her of who she is. When Raph is in the psychic grip, he manages to get April to break Za-Naron's grip enought to fight. What did he tell her? To think about Donnie

4x23 Tokka vs. the World

• At learning that Raph took Chompy because he thought she was dead, her iris widens, as though recognizing Raph is a worthy care-taker for her young. As such, she wordlessly gives Raph her blessing to care for Chompy.
• Although he knows Chompy will eventually have to return to the stars, Raph is content to know he's been given the chance to raise Chompy.

4x25 Requiem

• Splinter imparting with Leonardo that he didn't choose Leo to be leader out of the arbitrary reason he asked first (that was just to humble him). He saw from the beginning he was meant to be leader, and he's telling him now because he knows that when he's gone, Leo will have to be A Father to His Men and lead with his heart.
• The camaraderie between Karai, Shinigami and the Mutanimals.
• Leo performing CPR on Karai.
• Granted it's a heart-breaking moment, the turtles sadly thinking back to all the times he touched on their lives speaks volumes of how Splinter is more the man and father than his murderer could ever dream of being.

4x26 Owari

• The fact that the Turtles, April, and Casey aren't the only ones attending Master Splinter's funeral - the Mighty Mutanimals, Kirby, Shini, Dr. Cluckingsworth, and Pigeon Pete (who is implied to have been kicked out of the Mutanimals) are there, too. It's definitely a Tear Jerker moment, but it's nice to see that the Turtles' friends are there for them in a moment of grief.
• Splinter may be dead, but not necessarily gone. His spirit gives Leonardo some words of advice from beyond the grave, both at the beginning of the episode and during the final battle with Super Shredder.
• A small moment during the battle: April gets shot at and uses a force field to protect herself, but she struggles to keep it up. Donnie quickly jumps in and tackles her aside. Cue a look of protective rage on his face after he makes sure she's OK.
• There's this line from Leo to Shredder during their final confrontation:
  Leonardo: You killed him! He was your brother, and you killed him!! He was your BROTHER, Saki! YOUR BEST FRIEND! How could you do THAT?!
  • Of course he's specifically referring to Shredder killing Splinter, and much of Leo's, and his brothers' enmity with Shredder up to this point has been about Splinter. But look at how he keeps repeating brother. Not father, not, "you killed my father and I think you're a monster" - Leo's emphasizing brother. Leo thinks Shredder is a Complete Monster, Leo can summon up the rage and courage and hatred to kill him, because Shredder had a brother and he killed him and that is the antithesis of everything Leo is and stands for. It's arguably the ultimate CMOH of the entire series, because Leo isn't sure he's going to survive this fight and his brothers aren't even around to hear this - it's just Leo's fundamental truth. "Your brother should have been your best friend, you should have loved and cherished and protected him with everything you had and everything you were. But you killed yours, and that is so incomprehensible to me that I truly know you're made of something evil."
• Karai doesn't blame the Turtles for Splinter's death, assuring them that she knows that they did all that they could. Even in her grief, she doesn't take it out on them.
• Karai and Leonardo's interactions in general. From holding hands at the hospital to sitting together on the rooftop and comforting each other in the aftermath of the final battle, it's obvious that whether their relationship is platonic or something more, their old tensions have been replaced by a much healthier bond.
• During that moment with Karai on the roof, Raph comes up and essentially glomps Leo from behind, apparently hard enough to hurt, then just sort of keeps hanging onto him for a moment even after he eases up. It's absolutely adorable, and really shows how their relationship has changed since the Pilot.
• The very end. Bittersweet Ending though it may be, the Turtles and their allies are ready to move on after Splinter's death, and face whatever the world's got in store for them next together.

Season 5

5x02'' The Forgotten Swordsman

• Karai smiling when Shini says Karai is a more deserving heir to the footclan, showing how close their friendship is.
• April showing sympathy for Karai for everything that the Foot Clan put her through, this shows that their friendship is growing stronger, and April has let go of their past rivalry.

5x03 Heart of Evil

• Karai saving April's life a second time, when she is about to be burned by Kavaxas, showing that she and April really do care about each other as friends.

5x05 When Worlds Collide

• While they annoy Raph at the time, the Ship Tease moments his brothers get at the start of the episode are very sweet, regardless of if you use shipping goggles:
  • April and Donnie are too busy having a popcorn fight to watch Space Heroes.
  • Leo and Karai are sparring, during which Karai states that even though she likes him, she won't go easy on him.
  • Mikey appears to be talking to Renet, having formed a long distance relationship with her.
• Raph and Mona's reunion hug, of course.
  • Also her decision to stay on Earth.
• Triples as a Tear Jerker and a Moment of Awesome, but Raph's immediate reaction to Mikey being disintegrated is to zap The Newtralizer until his weapon runs out of power. Extra points for borrowing Mikey's "booyakasha".
• After their final fight with Lord Dregg, Karai and April can be seen helping each-other stand in the background.

5x9Lone Rat and Cubs

• The whole episode is framed as Splinter's story to the turtles.
• In a way, Splinter initially referring to the then baby turtles "Turtle Creatures" has a heartwarming implication behind it. Because even though he didn't see the turtles as people at the time, this implies he still took it upon himself to shelter them and feed them.
• Baby Michelangelo offering Splinter some of his food. Splinter shows appreciation for the little turtle's manners.
  Splinter: Thank you, young turtle.
• Splinter naming the baby turtles proper marks the turning point where he starts to bond with them, not just as mutated pets, but as his family.
• The image of Splinter putting the baby turtles to bed.
  • Once Splinter resumes the story, the audience gets a shot of Splinter sleeping close by his infant sons' makeshift bed, where they sleep peacefully.
• "My turtles..."
• Splinter obliterating the spy drone when it plays a part in Raph getting his trademark shell crack.
• Splinter meditating in the sewers on what the baby turtles mean to him, and the possibility they're meant to be his second chance to raise a family.
  Splinter: I use to wonder if I had the discipline to be a proper father. For any family. In the darkest part of our journey, I wonder I would have another chance to be both. I wanted to be both.
• Splinter saving his infant sons from drowning in the climax, gathering the strength to free them from the cart they're trapped under.
  • In turn, the little turtles swim their unconscious father to the safest part of the sewers, unwittingly discovering their future home.
• The ending reveals that Splinter's reason for telling his sons this story was the explain the meaning behind each iconic weapon he bestows on them.
  Splinter: Although these are mostly from your own choosing, they chose you. The katana, a royal samurai weapon, for those with courage and keen skill.
  Leonardo: Hai, Sensei.
  Splinter: The Sai, for a fierce and fearless warrior, who will always fight the hardest for his family.
  Raphael: Thank you, Sensei.
  Splinter: The Bo Staff, for a thoughtful soul and peaceful heart.
  Donatello: Aw man! A stick??
  Splinter: The Nunchuku because... uh... they are perfect for you!

5x14Monsters Among Us!

• Compared to his literary counterpart who dies unloved and in vain? Frankenstein's Monster (named Frank by Mikey) is allowed to live in the future courtesy of Renet, who assures the creature he will be better accepted there.

5x18Raphael: Mutant Apocalypse

• Even this grim arc had heartwarming moments. To start with, just how much the various Turtles missed each other and wanted to be together. Bear in mind one very thin silver lining for them in this situation is that they no longer have to hide themselves. They can go about freely and associate with whichever mutants they want. But they want to be together, showing that even in the rest of the series, it's not merely their isolation from society tying them together.
• Mikey's reunion with his two brothers is incredibly sweet. He leaps into Raph's arms and snuggles in.
• Raph, who has memory problems in this arc and can't even remember Splinter (suggesting he can't remember most of his childhood) remembers his brothers. It only takes the phrases "mutant turtle" and "Holy Chalupa" to make him think of Mikey, and he immediately recognizes Leo as soon as he sees his eyes. They hadn't seen each other in decades and both had aged, and moreover Leo had a secondary mutation that made him all but unrecognizable, but it only takes seconds for Raph to know with certainty that Kong is Leo.
• Maximus Kong/Leo had entirely forgotten his past and now had his own little Evil Empire thing going on, but as soon as he recognizes Raph, Donnie, and Mikey and remembers who he is, he just... walks away from it all to be with them just to search for an oasis.

General

• Just the relationship between the turtles, they goof off and sometimes fight, but it's obvious they care about each other. This especially stands out with Leonardo and Raphael, since a lot of versions have the two all but at each other's throats. In this cartoon they get along and seem to genuinely enjoy being with one another. What's more, in most of the episodes there is a least one moment that highlights that, even if it's just in the background like Leo holding on to Raph for support while he laughs.
• Donnie and Mikey are similarly given a fairly unique and frankly adorable relationship in this iteration. They're usually portrayed as the more laid-back younger brothers in contrast to Leo and Raph's intensity. In this version, they bicker - a lot. Possibly even more than Leo and Raph do. But they're also shown hanging out and spending time together constantly, and they're actually extremely affectionate with each other. Mikey seems to practically climb Donnie regularly, and Donnie just kind of... lets him do it.
• You probably won't notice it on first viewing. In Season 1 the turtles at one point all encircle Splinter in a group hug, and only Donnie really makes it to his shoulder, and even then just barely. In season 3 when they're finally reunited with Spinter after being separated for half a season they all run up and hug him again. This time Donnie's head is just below his chin and Mikey, the shortest one of the bunch, is at his shoulder. We are literally watching them grow up, just like Splinter is.

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