History Main / TurtlePower

!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16643443620.59313700 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

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[[quoteright:275:[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/turtle_mount.png]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:275:Here we see the latest model, the Tortoise 9000! Strong, durable, and only 5000 gold!\\
Only available in hardtop.]]-]

->''"High Five, Turtle!"''
-->-- '''Matt Parkman''', ''Series/{{Heroes}}''

Just like Monkeys and [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins Penguins]], many people have an odd fascination with turtles. They come off as clumsy, shy and slow, and [[FlippingHelpless helpless if turned on their shell]], but they also appear [[WiseOldTurtle wise and spiritualistic]] at times. [[LongLived They are also among the longest-living animals on the planet.]] If you want a very elderly funny animal, it's usually going to be a tortoise.[[note]]For those that don't know, '''turtles''' are at least semi-aquatic and more likely to hunt live prey like fish or insects, while '''tortoises''' are land-based and generally herbivores. '''Chelonians''' or '''Testudines''' can be used to describe all members of the order.[[/note]] If they get large enough, they can also qualify as a fantastic transport or [[TurtleIsland living island]] (or in the case of [[Literature/{{Discworld}} one series]] and [[OlderThanTheyThink certain mythologies]], [[GeniusLoci the entire world)]].

Sea turtles in particular are quite popular and are often included as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charismatic_megafauna charismatic megafauna]] for ocean and beach conservation. Giant Tortoises are also quite popular for island conservation, especially the Galapagos Tortoise, which the islands were named after.

They're also notable as the main exception to the ReptilesAreAbhorrent trope, being seen as cute and non-threatening. A localized exception is the snapping turtle, which [[WhatMeasureIsANonCute isn't generally considered cute]] (that being said, their prehistoric looks make them pretty badass), and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin pretty bad-tempered]] to boot; softshelled turtles usually tend to be depicted as evil as well, being frankly ugly by most standards. Compare LovableLizard, for another goofy-looking and harmless reptile.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* Comcast Cable has, as their mascots for high speed Internet, the speed-hating [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI7uYBGA8k8 Slowskys]] -- a husband and wife turtle couple.
* "Mr Turtle, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?"
* "Vonu" is an American-style lager brewed in Fiji by the Island Brewing Co. It has a sea turtle as its mascot. The word "vonu" is also Fijian for "sea turtle."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Kamemon in ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'', as well as [[TurtleIsland Ebonwumon and Eldradimon]].
** Especially Ebonwumon: he's one of TheFourGods, and they thought his back was ''a forest'' when he first appeared.
* ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'' has Melan, an old fairy who looks like a turtle. However, she can fight when she transforms into a huge dragon. [[spoiler:she defeats the five Pretty Cure twice!]]
* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasChronicleOfTheMoonExploration'' have an alien tortoise named Mozo who's a [[SpeedySnail Speedy Tortoise]], capable of running circles around enemies in mere ''seconds''. Additionally, Mozo is a tech genius and have a NighInvulnerable shell which turns out useful when he uses himself in a FastballSpecial moment taking down the BigBad.
* ''Manga/DragonBall'' had not only Master Roshi, the Turtle Hermit (whose TrainingFromHell involves wearing huge turtle shells on your back all day), but also his pet turtle, which also happened to be a competent martial artist, and [[Manga/DoctorSlump "Baby Gamera"]].
** And [[KamehameHadoken the signature move of the series]] has the Japanese word for "turtle" in the name. Roughly translated, it means "Turtle Destruction Wave". How cool is that?
*** WordOfGod says he was inspired by a trip to Hawaii, and a statue of their King [[MeaningfulName Kamehameha]]. The rest is history.
* A symbolic instance with the Ōarai Student Council/"Turtle Team" from ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'': their logo is that of a running Turtle, but their tank, a Panzer [=38(t)=] light tank, doesn't actually live up to the toughness of their namesake's shell. That changes when they [[MidSeasonUpgrade upgraded]] it into a [=JagdPanzer 38(t) Hetzer=].
* Coco Jumbo from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'' is a tortoise with a Stand that enables the heroes to use its shell as {{Hammerspace}}. [[spoiler:[[BodySwap Soul-swapping shenanigans]] near the end of the Part leave a human inhabiting its body after his dies, [[TalkingAnimal somehow still able to speak]].]]
* ''Manga/LoveHina'' Cute little Tamago aka Tama-chan, who was originally Mutsumi's pet that she gave to Keitaro as a gift. Tama-chan also happens to be able to [[{{Flight}} fly]].
** Everything's better with [[HumongousMecha giant robot turtles]].
** [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Unless you're Aoyama Motoko]].
* One of the aliens that the [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Wolkenritter]] stole {{Mana}} from in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' were giant turtles with metal plates and shells containing rocky protrusions. As one could guess from the description, they weren't the docile type of fictional turtles.
* The wise old turtle from ''WebAnimation/MoriNoAndo'' who the animals go to for advice and appears to be able to read kanji.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': [[BruceLeeClone Might Guy]] is capable of summoning ninja turtles ([[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles no, not those ninja turtles]]), though he doesn't do it very often.
** There is also a giant island in The Land of Lighting that's really just a [[TurtleIsland ginormous turtle]]....With another semi-ginormous turtle on top.
* One of the ''Manga/OnePiece'' movies featured an island that turned out to be giant turtle, which the BigBad had set his eyes on manipulating to help him TakeOverTheWorld.
** One of the Four Emperors, Big Mom, has a crewmember named Mr. Pekoms, who has a Turtle Zoan. However, he is also a sentient Lion, making him a [[MixAndMatchCritters Mix-and-Match Critter]].
** Miss All Sunday also used a turtle as her main means of transportation [[HeelFaceTurn back when she was a villain]]. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse No one knows where that turtle is now]].
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Squirtle, Torkoal and Turtwig are all examples of turtle ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''. Squirtle and Turtwig are both starter Pokemon, and one of the more popular ones in their generation, while Torkoal is the signature Pokemon of gym leader Flannery. Ash, the main character of the series, has had all three of them at one point or another.
** In the ''Sun and Moon'' anime, Kiawe has a Turtonator, another fire turtle (also a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon-type]]), as his partner Pokemon.
* ''Manga/SgtFrog'': One episode has Tamama coming across a tortoise in the countryside, plodding along the same path day after day. It's revealed later on that Fuyuki had that tortoise as a pet but lost it ''several years ago'', and it's done nothing but make its way back to its breeder ever since. [[spoiler: It succeeds.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Art]]
* In Worcester, Massachusetts, there is a sculpture (or rather, a now-defunct fountain). It features a young teenage boy riding a sea turtle, naked. Except it looks more like he's doing something else entirely with the turtle. The sculpture is officially called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnside_Fountain "Burnside Fountain,"]] but it is affectionately known to locals as "Turtle Boy."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Card Games]]
* In ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', Turtles are classic [[StoneWall low power/high toughness]] creatures which, unusually for most creatures, can be found as both Blue and Green with regularity. [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=397526 Horned Turtle]] is a classic example, while others include the plain ol' [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=1528 Giant Turtle]] and [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221565 Giant Tortoise]]. The ''slowest'' turtle is the [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=386602 Meandering Towershell]], which moves so slowly that whenever it attacks, it takes a turn to actually reach your opponent.
* ''TabletopGame/MagiNation'' has the [[http://bluefurok.com/DEimages/parathin.jpg Parathin]] and the [[http://bluefurok.com/BSImages/Giant_Parathin.jpg Giant Parathin]], both of which function as Fantastic Transport. In addition, the [[http://bluefurok.com/VSimages/torpar_bc_vs.jpg Torpar]] is a mobile village. The [[http://bluefurok.com/AWImages/yarothis.jpg Yarothis]] is a flying turtle.
* TabletopGame/{{Sopio}} has the "Time Traveling Tortoise", which reverses play direction.
* The [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Attribute_Reptile Attribute Reptiles]], of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'', are high-cost Monsters that nuke the field of anything not in their attribute when destroyed. Each one takes the form of a different reptile: a crocodile for Fire, a basilisk for Dark, a sea snake for Water, and so on. Three guesses what the Light reptile is, and the first two don't count.
** Back in the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness early days of the game]], many pack-filler cards were turtle MixAndMatchCritters. A couple examples are [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Turtle_Tiger Turtle Tiger]], [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Turtle_Bird Turtle Bird]], and [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Crab_Turtle Crab Turtle.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In the various incarnations of ''ComicBook/{{Elflord}}'' comics the sidhe Windblade has a turtle which he mutates into a goofy bipedal sidekick and names Mister [=MacTutt=].
* Fastback and the Crash, AnimalSuperheroes with [[SuperSpeed speed powers]] in Creator/DCComics' ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew''.
** There's also DC's [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] turtle speedster (and Fastback's uncle), the Terrific Whatzit.
** While not an actual turtle, Franchise/TheFlash had a turtle-based villain, complete with super-slowness and a launchable shell.
** ComicBook/WallyWest, the third Flash has been shown with a pet turtle in stories such as ''ComicBook/TeenTitansYearOne''.
* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''. This concept, crazy as it is, spawned at least four TV series, six movies, and couple dozen video games. This or one of the adaptations is the {{Trope Namer|s}}.
* In one issue of ''Comicbook/XMen Fairy Tales'', Charles Xavier is represented by a (talking but otherwise basically unanthropomorphized) tortoise.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* John the Tortoise from ''ComicStrip/{{BC}}''
* ''ComicStrip/OffTheMark'': [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1991-10-18B-240x331.gif Mark]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1992-03-16C-240x331.gif Parisi]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2011-07-08B-240x331.gif is]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1992-04-27B-240x331.gif apparently]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1993-05-29B-240x331.gif rather]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1993-07-14B-240x331.gif fond]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2013-04-16B-240x331.gif of]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1993-11-29B-240x331.gif turtles]], [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1994-10-06B-240x331.gif as]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/cartoon/animals/reptiles-amphibians/1996-04-12 they]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1997-04-04B-240x331.gif tend]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/1997-06-19B-240x331.gif to]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2000-01-21B-240x331.gif show]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2005-01-24B-240x331.gif up]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2007-07-21C-240x331.gif quite]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2010-05-06B-240x331.gif a]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2011-03-03B-240x331.gif lot]]. [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2014-05-15B-240x331.gif And]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2014-09-24B-240x331.gif we]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2016-04-10C-500x259.gif mean]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2018-03-13B-240x331.gif a]] [[https://www.offthemark.com/image/cache/data/cartoons/2018-05-15B-240x331.gif LOT]].
* Churchy La Femme in ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' certainly subverts the 'wise' trope.
* Filmore the sea turtle from ''ComicStrip/ShermansLagoon''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Just before the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', Kuzco is accidentally turned into a red tortoise.
* Crush and his offspring Squirt from ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo''. Bonus points for being both the laid-back Ninja Turtle type and the wise old mentor at the same time.
* Master Oogway from ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' is wise beyond all others, the ''inventor'' of Kung Fu, and [[spoiler:badass enough to drop the nigh-unstoppable Tai Lung with a lightning-fast nerve strike pattern]].
* The mayor in ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'', voiced by Creator/NedBeatty, [[spoiler: who turns out to be evil]].
* Toby Tortoise from ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973''. Curiously enough, his best friends are ''rabbits'' (likely in a {{shout out}} to the famous aesop).
* A turtle is among the many animals [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Snow White]] befriends in the woods during her stay in the Seven Dwarfs' cottage.
* The first animal Merlin turns into during the WizardDuel from ''WesternAnimation/TheSwordInTheStone'' is a blue tortoise.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ErnestGoesToCamp'' features [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot turtle paratroopers]]!
* [[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.'s]] extending neck is based on a turtle's neck.
* Film/{{Gamera}}, a comparatively benevolent {{Kaiju}} resembling a giant tusked turtle, and a FriendToAllChildren. And abundant food source, as seen on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''. ''Gamera is really neat! Gamera is full of meat!''
* In ''Film/GodzillaTokyoSOS'', a deceased giant turtle named Kamoebas (first appeared in ''Film/SpaceAmoeba'') washes up on the beach after getting killed offscreen by [[TheBigGuy Godzilla]]. Not so powerful now.
* ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles,'' from a line of the ThemeTune. They're a slight Administrivia/NotASubversion since they're in no way clumsy... except Michelangelo sometimes. The [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIITheSecretOfTheOoze second movie]] introduced a [[PsychopathicManchild stupid infant]] snapping turtle in Tokka.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Creator/CordwainerSmith'''s character T'ruth in the novella 'On the Storm Planet' is an Underpeople Turtle-Woman with a lifespan of 90,000 years and immense telepathic and possibly-reality-warping powers. She usually chooses to appear as a young human girl.
* In ''Literature/{{Dinoverse}}'' Bertram's Ankylosaur body is frequently compared to that of a turtle, albeit one with more offensive capabilities. As descriptors go, "clumsy, shy, and slow" fit him well. He considers himself plodding but with a powerful intellect. Mike has to help him when he gets overturned, turtle-style. They also encounter a beach full of ''Archelon'', enormous sea turtles, laying their eggs and being preyed on. Mike decides to try and attack their predators.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** Great A'Tuin, the multiverse's largest turtle, carries the Literature/{{Discworld}} on her back through space. With elephants.[[note]][[OlderThanTheyThink Based on]] Hindu mythology, slightly seasoned for taste with extra elephants.[[/note]] In the second book which is also the second half of TheFilmOfTheBook, it’s revealed that the strange lights in the sky are A’Tuin’s eggs, which hatch into new baby Discworlds.
** ''Literature/SmallGods'' features the Great God Om stuck in the shape of an ordinary tortoise.
* In the Creator/StephenKing [[TheMultiverse multiverse]], especially Franchise/TheDarkTower series, The Turtle is a benevolent force who watches over various characters and even acts as a type of DeusExMachina at times. The "Voice of the Turtle" is the force which compels King to write, especially about things related to Franchise/TheDarkTower.
** More specifically, in Franchise/TheDarkTower series [[spoiler: the Turtle is one of the old gods/guardians which protect the foundations of the [[WorldTree Tower]] itself]].
*** There's also a small figurine referred to as the "sköldpadda" that is used by the ka-tet; it has hypnotic effects which make people very open to suggestion. The name literally means "turtle" in Swedish, and it was coined by a Swedish diplomat Susannah meets in 1999, and due to its influence he cheerfully gives her directions and money for a hotel stay.
** Also in ''Literature/{{It}}'', where the Losers are sort of the champions of the Turtle. Unfortunately, the Turtle apparently dies in their universe before their FinalBattle (although It very well may have been lying to Bill when he said that in an attempt to discourage him [[spoiler:although probably not, given the line ''"Oh, shit, the Turtle really IS dead!"'']]
* The Clutch in the ''Literature/LiadenUniverse''. Big, ancient, smart turtle species. Very, very polite, but do not mess with them.
* ''Literature/LizardMusic'': In the end, Victor leaves the island and returns to Hogboro via riding a surfboard that's towed by a turtle.
* Also from a Creator/MichaelEnde story: Cassiopeia, the wise turtle from ''Literature/{{Momo}}'' who can see half an hour into the future, and communicates by making letters appear on her shell.
* Morla, the giant swamp turtle in ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory''.
* In the ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' book ''Rakkety Tam'', the MacGuffin being sought by the villain is the "Walking Stone", which is the symbol of power in his homeland and must be owned by the king. It turns out to be a tortoise, which is nicknamed "Rockbottom" and [[FurryConfusion adopted as a semi-sapient pet]] by the heroes. (Ironically, the villain, despite being a savage maniac in all other respects, must have taken pretty good care of it for a cold-blooded animal to survive in the "Lands of Ice and Snow".)
* ''Literature/SavageDivinity'' has Ping Ping who is a massive ancient turtle capable of eating Kraken, that follows the protagonist around like an oversized dog.
* The turtle wizard Clothahump in Creator/AlanDeanFoster's ''Literature/{{Spellsinger}}'' series. This trope is rather literal as he is the most powerful wizard in the entire world.
* Peter Hatcher's pet turtle Dribble in Creator/JudyBlume's ''Literature/TalesOfAFourthGradeNothing''.
* [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing Themed superhero example]]: Creator/GeorgeRRMartin's [[Literature/WildCards The Great And Powerful Turtle]], a very powerful telekenetic who can only work well given [[WeaksauceWeakness peace and concentration...]] and so built a giant turtleshell covered with [[NighInvulnerable battleship armor]], which he flies around in to fight evil.
* {{Downplayed|Trope}}/{{Inverted|Trope}} with Creator/DrSeuss's Yertle the Turtle (from ''Literature/YertleTheTurtleAndOtherStories''), but he isn't outright evil, just greedy. He ''was'', however, [[WordOfGod an allegorical stand in]] for Hitler as Dr. Seuss stated in an interview.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Underwater nature documentaries love to show swimmers riding the back of a turtle.
* Jeremiah, the wise old turtle in ''Series/BearInTheBigBlueHouse''. Oh, and he runs the Post Office.
* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', Sheldon and Amy had a brief infatuation with adopting a turtle as the perfect house pet -- until one bit him.
* The HomeBase in ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'', the Gran Tortoise, is shaped exactly like what you think it's shaped like.
* ''Series/{{CSI}}'' had an episode where a guy was killed accidentally in the same way as Aeschylus. He was a fringe religion starter who called himself The Steven and got the shell dropped on his bald head.
* ''Series/{{Elementary}}'': After his owner is found murdered, Clyde the turtle is taken in by Sherlock Holmes and can be seen wandering around Sherlock's brownstone, or being used as a paperweight.
* The Creator/DiscoveryChannel miniseries ''Series/TheFutureIsWild'' has Toratons. They are basically dinosaur-sized turtles with less shell.
* The Genio Innocuo in ''Series/{{Grimm}}'', one of the most peaceful and harmless Wesen.
* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'':
** The first season featured Shellshock as a MonsterOfTheWeek, leading to this hilarious ShoutOut after he grew to giant size:
--->'''Shellshock:''' Wait until those teenage mutants see what a full-grown turtle can do!
** The second season has Tor the Shuttlezord. He's big, he's green, and more often than not the only way you'll know he's there is the growing shadow from him about to [[DeathFromAbove crush you from above.]] His counterpart in ''Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger'' was Daimugen, the mightiest of [[TheFourGods the Mythical Chi Beasts]], but also the gentlest of them, preferring to stay away from conflict and taking on the form of a fat turtle-loving man named Kameos.
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'': Crabman has a box turtle, named [[SpeciesSurname Mr Turtle]], who occasionally [[ButtMonkey suffers from the actions of others]]. He also once got lost, and had all kinds of crazy adventures (ran in a marathon, got caught in the middle of a gang war, and mated with another turtle he found) on the way back.
* Abby of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' had a pet turtle as a kid large enough to ride on. She was told that the turtle would be replaced with a wagon upon its passing, but that turtle hung in there...
* It's probably obligatory to mention ''Series/NinjaTurtlesTheNextMutation'' here--although many people see it as [[DorkAge Turtle LACK of Power]].
* ''Series/OurMissBrooks'': In "Madison Mascot", Stretch Snodgrass offers his pet turtle as Madison High's mascot:
-->'''Stretch Snodgrass''': I know, maybe I can bring my turtle over as a mascot.\\
'''Walter Denton''': The Madison Mudturtles! That's sort of alliterative. How big a turtle have you got, Stretch?\\
'''Stretch Snodgrass''': He's exactly three inches square!\\
'''Mr. Conklin''': Now there's a brilliant suggestion. How could the crowd in a football stadium possibly see a three inch turtle?\\
'''Miss Brooks''': I know. We can paint Madison in huge red letters on his back.
* Mia's Zord on ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' (or Mako's Origami in ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'') is of the flying sea turtle variety.
* Motoki in ''Series/PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'' is obsessed with turtles, specifically his pet turtle Kamekichi.
* Maura Isles on ''Series/RizzoliAndIsles'' has a giant turtle... [[InsistentTerminology "It's a tortoise!"]]
* On ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', Dr. Beckett decides that the ideal pet for him would be turtles, as they don't require much care or space (any animal that did require such would be unfairly served by him and his job) but are still appealing to him. He reveals this when they're leaving on a particularly dangerous mission, and he realizes he never left any instructions that the "baby wee turtles" should be cared for, lamenting, "Ah've prob'ly killed them." Deleted scenes from a later episode establish that the turtles survived, [[spoiler: and that after Carson died, they passed into Rodney's care]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* '60s pop group Music/TheTurtles, of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mploADKBihc Happy Together]]" fame.
* ''The Tortoise and the Tourist'' from Music/ModestMouse's album ''Strangers to Ourselves'' tells a story about an incredibly wise tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell who attempts to offer his knowledge to a man he came across. [[HumansAreBastards Sadly, that man instead kills him]] [[{{Greed}} for the shell]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
* It should be mentioned that one of TheFourGods is a turtle. A turtle that is having sex (some say consensually, others not) [[HotSkittyOnWailordAction with]] [[InterspeciesRomance a giant snake]].
* In Myth/EgyptianMythology turtles are associated with the GodOfEvil Apep and considered to be creatures of darkness that are enemies to the sun god, to the point that eating turtle meat was a serious taboo to ancient Egyptians. [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Some demons]] have [[http://www.demonthings.com/ancient-egyptian-demon-advent-calendar-day-17-turtle-headed-guardian/ entire turtle bodies]] as their heads.
* The Longgui, or Dragon Turtle, of Myth/ChineseMythology is described as a giant turtle with the head of a dragon. It's considered a symbol of prosperity and wisdom, often depicted carrying a large stele on its back.
* Many mythologies, particularly Hindu and Native American ones, have the earth on the back of a tortoise. (Exactly what the tortoise itself is standing on is rarely mentioned.) The creature in Myth/HinduMythology varies quite a bit, but the most well-known version in the West is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukwa this guy]]. Another Hindu turtle of importance is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurma Kurma]]. While not ubiquitous, this is common enough among Native American cultures for some to propose using the name "Turtle Island" as a truly American (non-European) replacement name for the continent of North America ("America" is derived from some Italian guy's name).
* ''Literature/AesopsFables'': In particular, ''The Tortoise and the Hare''.
* Kusu Island, one of Singapore's several offshore territories, was said to be created when an ancient turtle transformed into an island to save Chinese and Malay sailors when their boat capsized during a storm. To this day, a temple on Kusu Island raises tortoises and turtles alike.
* The Japanese folktale about Urashima Taro involves him rescuing a turtle that then takes him to an Undersea Palace.
* Also from Japan is the {{Kappa}}; basically an anthropomorphic turtle with a few extra features. Essentially a bogeyman of rivers, the Kappa was originally blamed for deaths caused by drowning, and in time evolved a complex mythology of its own. It has a hole on top of its head that carries water, allowing it to survive on land, and hence can be defeated by causing it to spill, loves to eat cucumbers, and according to some sources, eats through its butt. The Koopas from ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games are based on this legend.
* In [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek Mythology]], [[{{Irony}} Hermes]] is associated with turtles/tortoises because he made the first lyre out of a shell.
** Meanwhile, it was said the elderly outlaw Sciron kept a giant sea turtle he would feed passersby after forcing them to wash his feet and bend over, leaving them open to be kicked. Theseus defated him by doing exactly that, and in my accounts [[HoistByHisOwnPetard he is eaten by it]].
* In parts of Africa, the tortoise is [[TheTrickster a trickster]] along with the hare and the spider.
* Some people have suggested that sightings of SeaSerpents and [[SeaMonster lake monsters]] are actually a bizarre undiscovered species of long-necked turtle dubbed "plesioturtle".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* USWA and Wrestling/{{SMW}} had Kowabunga, known as Turtle Kamen in Wrestling/{{FMW}}. Basically a wrestling ninja turtle.[[labelnote:*]]It should be noted Smoky Mountain only used him in dark matches in the smallest arenas they ran and only let him beat non wrestlers like Wrestling/JimCornette "[[KidAppealCharacter to send the kids home happy]]".[[/labelnote]] He was better known as referee Wrestling/BrianHildebrand aka Dr. Mark Curtis.
* In 1992, Lucha Libre Internacional and Wrestling/{{AAA}} debuted Los Tortuguillos Karetekas, four masked men clearly inspired by ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.
* Vegetius the BigEater bird turtle from Wrestling/KaijuBigBattel. Technically he's a bird ''tortoise'' but then again, read the promotion's name again. The inaccuracy is on purpose.
* Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} has featured Steve "The Turtle" Weiner, who sometimes dressed up in full costume and drew chants of "Turtle power! Turtle power!" The March 19, 2016 event was titled ''The Secret of the Ooze,'' from the title of [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIITheSecretOfTheOoze the second TMNT film]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' had humanoid turtles called tortles (as well as an evil subrace called snappers) and giant turtles, including the snapping variety.
** In second edition there were also giant turtles called zaratans frequently mistaken for islands. Their inhabitants tended to live in fear of it awakening and submerging.
** Dragon Turtles (giant turtle-like marine dragons with a BreathWeapon of concentrated, superheated steam) have been a staple of the Monster Manual since the beginning.
** The third-party ''TabletopGame/DragonMech'' setting had humanoid turtles called tortogs, whose FeelNoPain made them very good at smuggling in an environment where agonizing micrometeorite showers are a nightly hazard.
* ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' features the minor and mercantile Turtle clan, who are mostly despised by the rest of Rokugan for their semi-secret mission of being the Empire's contact with the Gaijin, but they have the direct support of the Emperor in that mission.
* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' has the undersea Aelves known as the Idoneth Deepkin, whose largest, toughest unit is a massive six-flippered sea turtle called a Leviadon, ridden by several warriors on a howdah.
* In the tabletop RPG ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'', each [[{{Splat}} tribe]] follows a specific totem whose beliefs, goals, and philosophies match those of the tribe. The extinct Croatan (yes, [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy that Croatan]]) followed Turtle as their totem, due to their ties to the Earth element and the recurring myth that the world is carried on the back of a turtle. After the tribe's HeroicSacrifice, Turtle withdrew his support from the werewolves for over 500 years. When the ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'' line ended, a possible scenario for the end of the world involved Turtle's return.
** The Mokole weresaurians once had a chelonian subgroup, the Ao, who gradually disappeared over a period of time from the sixth century BCE to the first century CE. Unlike most fallen Changing Breeds, no-one knows what caused the Ao's disappearance.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''Robo VideoGame/{{Aleste}}'', the Stage 6 boss is a gunship shaped like a turtle, with a retractable head.
* In ''VideoGame/AlQadimTheGeniesCurse'', when the protagonist needs to leave the island on which the game begins, he is given a magic phrase to summons a turtle which can carry him. (The turtle is not a long-term method of transport, instead delivering the player to a claimable ship.)
* The ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' games have the elderly tortoise Tortimer as the mayor of town. He's retired in ''[[VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf New Leaf]]'', but still shows up to host the mini-games on the tropical island.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Aquaria}}'', you ride an Ancient Turtle to speed-travel. The game also has an entire cave full of peaceful turtles, looked over by a gigantic Turtle Mother.
* Gohma squashers from ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath''.
* ''VideoGame/CrossedSwords'' have a giant matamata turtle as a boss in the second game. Said turtle can ''[[TalkingANimal talk]]'', taunting you as you tried crossing his swamp, and later tries shoving it's spiked shell on you during the boss fight.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/DarkwingDuckCapcom Darkwing Duck]]'' LicensedGame for the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, there are turtle enemies that [[RemovableShell sneeze their shells]] at Darkwing and [[HeavilyArmoredMook can only be hit when their shells are off]]. Interestingly, these enemies are still really tough, requiring six hits to go down, and since the shell acts like a boomerang, watch your back while attacking them.
* Tiptup from ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', considered to be one of the best drivers in the game. He proved to be popular enough to have cameos in a later series starring one of his fellow racers, ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''.
* ''Videogame/DwarfFortress'' has its share of turtles and tortoises, naturally, but the Giant Tortoise has gained a surprising amount of popularity among the more domestication-minded players. Due to the fact they ''actually'' retract into their shells, they quickly become close to unkillable to unarmed enemies and even wooden arrows, which lets them survive events many other pets would be slaughtered in. And if they find ''Gigantic'' Tortoises, their even bigger wild variants, all the better: they retract into their shells too, shells so thick entire ''squadrons'' of people can hit them with iron weapons all day and night and achieve ''nothing'', making them excellent distractions.
* In Creator/{{Infocom}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Enchanter}}'', a turtle is one of the friendly creatures you encounter, and its shell [[spoiler:combined with a haste...er, exex...spell]] make it a useful ally in getting one necessary item.
* In ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'', Souma initially wanted to join the Marine Bio Club when he was shown a video about sea turtles, which moved him greatly and made him very excited to see them in real life. Unfortunately, Kanata immediately informs him that sea turtles are actually endangered and can't be kept as pets. However, they do have pond turtles at the club, and Souma swiftly becomes attached to them, particularly one he nicknames 'Kamegorou' and eventually becomes the effective owner of, regularly cooking for and taking care of him.
* The Quadav from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' are a large-scale subversion of AlwaysChaoticEvil. Think Indians vs. Colonists, and you can get an idea of why they fight back.
** The ancient Sage Ghido from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' is the oldest living creature in the world, supremely wise, monumentally sarcastic (especially towards [[IdiotHero Bartz]]) and can engage [[BigBad Exdeath]] in hand-to-hand combat that leaves the young adventurers positively flabbergasted. He still needs help flipping over if knocked on his back, though.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', a turtle ferries the party across a subterranean lake into a cave that allows them to access Figaro Castle.
** Adamantoise enemies from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' bear only a passing resemblance to turtles, but they've got the [[OneHitKill "power"]] [[GiantMook part]] [[BonusBoss down]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has a relatively mundane version of the Adamantoise that simply looks like an oversized tortoise, but it can be obtained as a mount that moves surprisingly fast and can even fly Gamera-style once you unlock the ability. ''Stormblood'' introduces the Kojin beast tribe who outwardly resemble turtles and live beneath the sea, though unlike the aforementioned Quadav, their shells are artificial and hand-crafted. Also in ''Stormblood'' is Genbu of the [[TheFourGods Four Lords]], a wizened turtle with powerful water magic.
* A sidequest in ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' ends with a large turtle offering (through telepathy) to carry the party to his secret island, where they can fight powerful monsters and a sub-boss who grants a useful {{summon|Magic}}. To get him to offer this you have to bring him a baby turtle who relieves his loneliness, much to his surprised joy.
* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' has the Luxon. Their turtle clan builds nomadic cities on the backs of giant land tortoises, and they strap cannons to turtles to make mobile siege platforms.
* ''VideoGame/JackieChansActionKungFu'' has flying turtles as the typical sort of platforms that move up and down in mid-air.
* ''VideoGame/KickleCubicle'' has a turtle enemy named Myrtle that likes to drop into its shell and charge.
* One of the [[MiniBoss mid-bosses]] in ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'' is the Rolling Turtle, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a turtle who attacks Kirby by rolling at him]]. Even though it's not technically a boss, the Rolling Turtle is still [[ThatOneBoss one of the toughest enemies in the game]] because of how [[SpeedySnail fast]] and [[ConfusionFu unpredictable]] its movements are.
* The Turtle Tamer is a class in ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing''. Their ultimate ability is actually ''called'' "Turtle Power". They're essentially TheBeastmaster with turtles, being in tune with ancient turtle spirits who give them blessings and able to tame turtles as familiars (hence the name). Live turtles are also used in lieu of helmets, apparently without any harm to the turtle. You can even get them upgraded with linoleum or chrome plating.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has a turtle enemy called Snapper, and [[TurtleIsland an island that turns out to be a giant turtle]] (which also appears in the Great Bay stage of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'').
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' has a number of turtle-themed enemies. There are actual turtles in the Palace of Darkness which can't be killed until you can flip them over with the Magic Hammer you find in that dungeon, and the boss of Turtle Rock Dungeon is Trinexx, a three-headed, tri-elemental dragon tortoise.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' continues this theme. Its version of Turtle Rock comes to life thanks to an ocarina song, and must be destroyed before you can enter the dungeon it guards.
* ''VideoGame/TheLordOfTheRingsOnline'' has a variety of giant turtles, most of which toss characters across the map. Notable turtles include one of the harder mid-level quest instances (The Tomb of Elendil) and Nornuan, a turtle that is an entire raid unto itself.
* In the ''VideoGame/MahouDaisakusen'' series, turtles bear cannons, tanks, and sometimes whole fortresses.
* Rainy Turtloid from ''VideoGame/MegaManX6'' and Heat [[ShoutOut Genblem]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManZero4''. One of the bosses in ''VideoGame/MegaMan7'' was a robotic tortoise.
* In ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'', one common source of meat is the peculiar turtle/dinosaur cross known as an Apceros. They're also one of the few herbivores which will actually chase and attack the player on sight -- albeit verrry slooooowly.
* In ''Ordyne'', the second boss is a giant turtle.
* The Zeshrayda from ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2'' is a massive bipedal turtle with rocket thrusters in its shell, cannons on its back, and a demonic-looking face on both sides of its shell. It calls to mind [[Film/{{Gamera}} a certain other giant turtle]] rather readily, though this one is most definitely ''[[MadeOfEvil not]]'' a friend to all children..
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Squirtle, a water-shooting turtle is one of the starters in the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue first two games]]; it was pretty popular, likely because it evolves into Wartortle and finally Blastoise, a giant turtle with cannons on its shell.
** There's also Torkoal from ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', a fiery tortoise. Even moreso come ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', where it was [[BalanceBuff blessed with]] [[ThePowerOfTheSun Drought]], letting it automatically summon harsh sunlight upon entering battle.
** Another turtle starter, Grass-type Turtwig was available in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl''. It evolves into Grotle and finally Torterra, a gigantic tortoise with a forest growing on its back. To this date, Torterra is the only Grass/Ground type in existence.
** The [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite fifth generation]] adds Tirtouga and Carracosta, based on the prehistoric Archelon.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' has Turtonator, a giant, explosive, Fire/[[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]]-type turtle based off both the Main/{{Kappa}} and the South American [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mata_mata mata mata turtle]].
** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' gives us Chewtle (Water-type) and Dreadnaw, (Water/Rock type) based off the alligator snapping turtle.
* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'':
** Giant Tortoises in the Underground Jungle and Ice Tortoises in Underground Snow. They have lots of health and armor and are pretty slow, but they utilize a fast spinning attack to move around and deal heavy damage.
** You can collect Turtle Shells from the Giant Tortoises to craft the Turtle Armor, which boasts extremely high defense and a SetBonus of reflecting damage back to physical attackers.
** 1.2.4 adds the Turtle Mount, which improves your mobility underwater when in use.
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'': Mr. Pokeylope, an infantile old lady's pet with a deep voice and a mind full of stratagems. ''"That's right baby, Daddy's here. Everything's going to be alllllright."''
* In ''VideoGame/ReturnToMysteriousIsland'', spotting a sea turtle on the beach and backtracking it to its eggs is what part of what keeps your stranded character alive.
* The GameMod ''VideoGame/RidgesideVillage'' has Torts, a turtle that has lived for many generations in the eponymous village and is loved by many of its inhabitants, especially the children. The player character can befriend him and share many funny moments with him, and in his 10 heart friendship event if they made the right choices, Torts reveals himself as a huge cosmic turtle being that has observed humanity for eons.
* Tartagon mounts in ''VideoGame/{{Rift}}'': basically giant two-headed riding tortoises.
* The Ninth Colossus from ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'', a really, really big turtle/tortoise, is ''very'' nasty. Also one of the hardest Colossi in the game.
* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'': Bentley. Even after he loses the use of his legs in [[VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves the second game]], he still proves to be essential to the Cooper Gang.
* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' has various robotic turtle enemies created by Dr. Eggman.
** In the [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Genesis]] version of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'', in [[LevelsTakeFlight Sky Chase Zone]], the Turtloid enemy consists of a tiny robotic turtle operating a big one, allowing it to shoot at Sonic and Tails. The tiny turtles can be defeated, revealing regular turtles and chickens inside that fall to the ground. Once the tiny turtles are defeated, the big ones can be used as platforms. In the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog28Bit Master System and Game Gear versions]], the Game-game enemy in Sky High Zone is a robotic turtle that can fly into the air when it goes inside its shell.
** In ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogTripleTrouble Sonic Triple Trouble]]'', there are various robotic turtle enemies with springs on their backs in [[GreenHillZone Great Turquoise Zone]]. They can be destroyed with roll attacks, but jumping on their springs can allow Sonic and Tails to reach higher places and/or items. In the same game, the boss of Great Turquoise Zone is the Tart Turtle, a flying robotic turtle who can be defeated by hitting his underside multiple times. In the second phase of the battle, you'll need to use the aforementioned robotic turtle enemies to get up to him.
** In ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', the Cameron enemy is a robotic turtle that comes in green and gold colors and appears as a recurring enemy in the game. Green Camerons can be destroyed with Power attacks, but Gold Camerons either have to be flipped on their backs to hit their undersides, or be destroyed with the [[SmartBomb Team Blast]].
** In ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', in [[EternalEngine Titanic Monarch Zone]], there is the Turbo Turtle, a small robotic turtle that carries a fan on its back, which can blow the player away.
* Pretty prominently featured with the Koopas from the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series. Most of them are intelligent but very nasty, especially Bowser and his kin, but the rank-and-file are [[AdorableEvilMinions still kinda cute and cartoony]]. After the switch to 3D, numerous good Koopas have turned up as well.
* In ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', the turtle-like [[http://metroid.wikia.com/wiki/Tatori Tatori]] and Tatori, Jr. creatures in Maridia are non-hostile toward Samus; Tatori even lets Samus stand on top of it to access an [[HeartContainer Energy Tank]] and a Missile Expansion. (They will still damage you if you approach them the wrong way.)
* In 3D games of the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'', truck-sized tortoises are a common monster type. They tend to not be very threatening, due to moving and attacking slowly, and being very large targets. ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' has the enemies called turtles and their Tethe'allan counterparts crush turtles.
* ''VideoGame/TossTheTurtle''. Yes, you get to throw turtles. With cannons.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' series used to feature a flying turtle named Genji as main character [[{{Miko}} Reimu Hakurei's]] main method of transportation. He has [[PutOnABus not been seen]] since the series migrated to Windows and Reimu learned to fly on her own. WordOfGod is that he now lives in a pond behind the shrine.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has turtle beasts, typically immense and fanged, with heavy armour. Wild turtles can be tamed as Hunter pets and as one can expect, are good for tanking. Lastly, one of the trading card bonuses is a ridable turtle without any requirements, but it's not any faster than walking (and recently, a new turtle mount has been introduced, which is obtainable by fishing and gives movement speed bonuses only while swimming). One quest involves two talking turtles as well.
** One dungeon has a turtle for a boss, called [[Film/{{Gamera}} Ghamoo-ra.]] Another turtle in the wild is called Gammerita. Unlike Gamera, both are very much hostile, though.
** Even larger turtles are or have been used as ships by the Horde and the tuskarr of Northrend. In Cataclysm we get to meet the even larger turtle ancient Tortolla (and combat his EvilTwin Nemesis, who is also on fire), and Mists of Pandaria takes it even further with Shen-zin Su, a TurtleIsland of massive proportions.
** The Pandaren's racial mount is a dragon turtle as well, and comes in the normal and epic speeds like any other. This averts the usual perception of turtles as slow, since they are indeed capable of sprinting when necessary.
** As a ShoutOut to the {{Trope Namer|s}}, some of the wild turtles in Pandaria have a [[SpectacularSpinning spinning attack]] called Turtle Power.
* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', one of the massive [[GeniusLoci Titans]] who comprise the game's setting is [[TheFourGods Genbu]], a gigantic sea turtle whose body houses the icy kingdom of Tantal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/ASDFMovie'': The recurring mine turtle (technically, he's a tortoise), who either self-destructs or is triggered to blow up in all of his appearances.
--> "Hello, Mine Turtle!" "Hello!" [[ActionBomb *KABOOM*]]
* In ''WebAnimation/BeeAndPuppycat,'' the man at the Temp Agency has a room full of turtle posters and a pet turtle.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/KoanOfTheDay'' has a [[http://www.koanoftheday.com/20/ tortoise]] who seems to know more about [[{{Neologism}} zenlightenment]] than anyone.
* Webcomic/NotQuiteDailyComic has Lulu, one of the rare instances of a TurtleGirl.
* The Khamega from ''Webcomic/SlightlyDamned'' are a race of 7ft semiaquatic turtle people that are ([[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch usually]]) [[GentleGiant laid-back and friendly]] . They are native to the Dragon Island Archipelago and some believe they are [[DragonAncestry descended from the native dragons]], physically they are stronger and tougher than humans or [[PintsizedPowerhouse jakkai]] and magically superior to the latter but not the former, however their main drawbacks are that they are cold-blooded and can't travel far north as well as being [[MightyGlacier slow and clumsy on land.]]
* Everybody in ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', if you believe Rak Wraithraiser. He refers to anybody but [[LizardFolk Anaak]] as 'turtles', often in a derogatory fashion. The best thing about it? He's a giant alligator that hunts and fights so-called strong turtles in order to become stronger himself.
** Hendrock Bloodmadder, a man obsessed with immortality, who has after achieving his goal been given the moniker long-life sea turtle, because of turtles renowned longevity.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Owen from ''WebVideo/{{lonelygirl15}}'' is a turtle. Also Spencer's dancing turtle from "Back to Work", either. His moment of fame was brief, but memorable.
* [[http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/2011/09/turtle-gallery.html This]] gallery on the paleo art blog Art Evolved.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRWAFQqQY9Y That's a tortoise!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has [[spoiler:the [[MixAndMatchCritters Lion Turtle]]. It's incredibly old, the LastOfHisKind, [[ThatsNoMoon the size of an island]], and has the power of [[DeusExMachina Energybending]]]].
** Gets elaborated on in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''. [[spoiler:Not only are the Lion Turtles the source of all bending, but they provided sanctuary for the humans back when the spirits colonized the planet and turned it into a DeathWorld.]]
** Also Turtleducks.
* In British kids' show ''The Caribou Kitchen'', a waiter at the titular cafe was a tortoise called Tom, whose main trait was that he was reeeaaallly slllooowww.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/ChalkZone'' made-for-TV movie "The Big Blow-Up", the titular realm's long-lost ruler King Mumbo Jumbo is revealed to be a bipedal tortoise. Thanks to Rudy, he returns at the end.
* [[TheSmartGuy Burt]] from ''WesternAnimation/DangerRangers''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'', [[CloudCuckoolander Ed]] uses a turtle as a hard hat.
--> '''Edd:''' Ed, do you know that's a turtle on your head?\\
'''Ed:''' Yep.
* Sheldon from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. [[spoiler: A turtle who seems to have an extreme dislike for Stewie.]]
* On ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', in "Crimes of the Hot", Bender is moved by the plight of African turtles migrating to Holland because of global warming because they remind him of the one he loves the most: himself (referencing ''Film/{{Blade Runner}}'', where the question of helping an inverted turtle is one of the questions used to test for emotions, [[{{Irony}} thus proving someone isn't a robot]]).
-->'''Bender''': "We both have a tough outer shell, but live a rich inner life. Also... I can't get up if I fall on my back."\\
'''Fry''': "But I've seen you get up when you're on your back before."\\
'''Bender''': "Those times I was slightly on my side."\\
** Also...
-->'''Bender''': "We pollute too much! We're hurting the planet and killing the turtles!" (Holds up a turtle)\\
'''Preacher Bot''': "To HELL with the turtles!"\\
'''Bender''': "[[MemeticMutation NO ONE INSULTS THE TURTLES]]!" (Attacks Preacher Bot)
* Creator/HannaBarbera gave us [[WesternAnimation/ToucheTurtleAndDumDum Touché Turtle]], a badass swashbuckling musketeer.
* Mrs. Turtle and Shelby from ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse''.
* Cecil Turtle is that rarest of ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' characters, one of the few characters who consistently thwarted WesternAnimation/BugsBunny.
* Lancelot of ''WesternAnimation/MikeLuAndOg'' fame.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', Master Fu, the wise old man who chose Marinette and Adrien to receive the Miraculous, has a Miraculous of his own, the turtle. However, we don't get to see what powers it gives him, because he [[CrackOhMyBack gets a cramp]] when he tries to transform. [[spoiler:We finally get to see it in action during season 2, when Nino borrows it. It grants the power of [[BeehiveBarrier protection]], and its weapon is a shield.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Rainbow Dash gets a tortoise she names Tank after she held a competition. While the tortoise failed to impress her in speed or coolness, he proves to be the most dedicated when he ends up saving her from an avalanche. To counteract the fact that tortoises can't fly, Tank gets modified with a helicopter rotor that straps to his shell.
* Filburt from ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife''.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn2SG9Dvf3k If I don't save the wee turtles, who will? Ah! Save me from the wee turtles! They were too quick for me!]]"
** Homer encounters a magical tortoise in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E9ElViajeMisteriosoDeNuestroJomer El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer]]" that is going to lead him to a pyramid. However, Homer soon gets tired of its slowness and kicks it into the distance. When he reaches the tiny pyramid and is about to climb it, it suddenly becomes much higher, and he asks the turtle if it was punishment for kicking it. It happily nods yes.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' (the {{Trope Namer|s}}) and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003''. And ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012''. And ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.
* The Council of the Animals in ''WesternAnimation/{{Wunschpunsch}}'' is led by the wise turtle Aunt Noah.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* A 5th century B.C.E. Greek writer (claimed to be the founder of Greek tragedy), Creator/{{Aeschylus}}, was reportedly killed when an eagle, attempting to crack open a turtle shell, mistook Aeschylus's bald head for a rock and dropped the turtle on it. Despite the fact that Aeschylus was killed instantly, the turtle lived. Turtles > Greek Writers.
* Any true Marylander knows that you should [[https://web.archive.org/web/19970606121707/http://www.umd.edu/testudo.html Fear the Turtle]]. Because you should REALLY [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testudo_formation fear the turtle]].
* Anything capable of living more than a century and a half has to be pretty cool.
* The largest known turtle known to have existed, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archelon Archelon]]'', lived in the Cretaceous ocean that is now the Niobrara Basin. The largest ''Archelon'' fossil, found in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota in the 1970s, measures more than 4 metres (13 ft) long, and about 4.9 metres (16 ft) wide from flipper to flipper.
** On average, the freshwater turtle species ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupendemys Stupendemys]]'' (from Pliocene South America) was even larger, with an estimated average carapace length of 3.3 metres (11 feet) and an even greater width. A "stupendous" turtle, indeed!
** The largest land-dwelling tortoise known to have existed was ''[[http://reptilis.net/2016/05/08/t-u-r-t-l-e-power-part-4-the-little-known-paleobiology-of-the-worlds-largest-tortoise/ Megalochelys atlas]]'' (sometimes ''Colossochelys''), the Atlas Tortoise, which lived in India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia during the Ice Age and was the size of a car.
* The largest living turtle is no less incredible. The Leatherback Sea Turtle holds a number of records, including being the largest living turtle, the most widespread reptile and surprisingly enough, the fastest reptile. That's right, the fastest reptile is a turtle ([[GracefulInTheirElement in the water of course]]). Unfortunately, they're also among the rarest of reptiles, so conservation is highly important. It is also able to swim in cold water despite not being a truly warm-blooded animal, due to generating heat through its fat and swimming motions.
** It's also a phenomenal ''marathon'' swimmer. In the one successful case of leatherback turtles being reared in captivity for longer than a few weeks, the manhole-cover-sized youngsters ''never'' quit sculling their way through the water, and had to be leashed with a "jolly jumper"-like harness to the center of their tank so they wouldn't try to swim right through the glass walls. Marine biologists' annual "Tour de Turtles", a just-for-fun comparison of migration distances by satellite-tracked sea turtles, regularly awards leatherbacks top ranks for traversing ''thousands of miles'' in their neverending search for food. What kind of food? ''Jellyfish''. Which, given how most species avoid their venomous tendrils like the plague, rates as Turtle Power all by itself.
* It's also notable that the largest shelled freshwater turtle is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle alligator snapping turtle]], which typically averages around 2ft (60cm) and 165lbs(75kg) -- the catch being they never stop growing over the course of their life. Confirmed specimens top 4 feet (1.2 meters) and 249 lbs (113 kg), and an unconfirmed specimen in 1937 reportedly weighed in at 403 lbs (183 kg), which would be about ''6ft(1.8m)'' of extremely irritable turtle. These animals are the reason that hand-catching catfish ("noodling") is illegal in many areas -- these apex predators tend to [[AnArmAndALeg react predictably]] when someone sticks a hand into the wrong burrow.
** Snapping Turtles are said to have the second strongest jaws in the animal kingdom, right after crocodilians of course. This is actually untrue, their jaw power is in fact quite unimpressive but they make up for it with their razor-sharp beaks. Many an unwary turtle hunter has lost part of their hand thanks to the bite of an angered snapping turtle.
* Giant soft-shell turtles are even deadlier. They get even larger (up to five hundred pounds), have a projectile neck, swim faster than many fish, and are among the most aggressive carnivorous reptiles.
* Turtles can live without eating for a ridiculous long time. Many species in temperate zones don't really hibernate, they just stop eating and move very little during the cold months. Centuries ago, giant turtles were often rounded up in islands by passing sailors, carried to the ships and left upside down for months so they couldn't move, one on top of the other, until they were killed and eaten when the crew run out of food. The turtles were ''never fed'' during the time aboard.
* Even though turtles are reptiles and obviously don't have gills, pet sliders can spend up to 4 hours underwater without breathing air. Part of it is because of their low metabolism, part is because there are areas of their skin that are thin enough to get oxygen directly from the water and into their blood. One of the most efficient areas [[BrainBleach is around the anus]].
* Several sea turtles not only are immune to jellyfish stings, but even eat jellyfish (or similar creatures) as part of their diets. Considering the many, many nasty things jellyfish stings can do to you (such as never-ending agony or instant death), this is a ''good'' thing. Unfortunately, plastic bags resemble jellyfish and turtles will try to eat them, only for the bags to clog up their digestive system, which isn't a good thing.
* Think turtles are slow? Think twice! In September 1968, two tortoises were launched in prototype "Soyuz" craft around the Moon as a part of Soviet lunar program (they were chosen generally to simplify life support, because they could easily stay without food or water for several days. The spaceship circled around the Moon, and returned to Earth, achieving the highest recorded speed for any "inhabited" spacecraft yet. That's right, tortoises are still holding the record of the fastest-moving living being, tovarischi!
* "Turtle Ships" is a nickname for the Geobukseon, armoured ships in Joseon-era Korea which had allegedly had spiked armour plating on its back.
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* The Creator/DiscoveryChannel {{mockumentary}} ''Series/TheFutureIsWild'' has Toratons. They are basically dinosaur-sized turtles with less shell.

* On ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', in "Crimes of the Hot", Bender is moved by the plight of African turtles migrating to Holland because of global warming because they remind him of the one he loves the most: himself (referencing ''Film/{{Bladerunner}}'', where the question of helping an inverted turtle is one of the questions used to test for emotions, [[{{Irony}} thus proving someone isn't a robot]]).

* "Mr Turtle, how many lick does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?"

* Toby Tortoise from ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood''. Curiously enough, his best friends are ''rabbits'' (likely in a {{shout out}} to the famous aesop).
* A turtle is among the many animals [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Snow White]] befriended in the woods during her stay in the Seven Dwarfs' cottage.