Raphael's Big Mistake
is an AU fanfiction of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) by Katarena.
When April doesn't meet the turtles like they ask, Raph takes matters into his own hands. After all, Splinter said to "bring the girl", not how to bring her and after all, it's better she be a bit scared than killed by the Foot, right?
Too bad the turtles didn't know about the second person living in the flat.
It has a sequel called Living Well Is The Best Revenge.
The film includes the following tropes:
- Accidental Kidnapping: Played for Drama.
- Adaptational Early Appearance: Casey.
- An Aesop: Acting without thinking can have serious repercussions, and someone could get hurt.
- Sometimes it's not just the bad guys who end up traumatising people.
- Repressing emotions is not a good thing, as you'll just end up carrying them around with you and eventually you might snap.
- Ascended Extra: Taylor was in the film for only two scenes. Here, she’s the main character.
- Central Theme: Recovering from a traumatic event and forgiving people who have hurt you.
- Failed a Spot Check: Raph didn't know there was someone else living in April’s flat. Justified, as Donnie wouldn't have needed to check in the first place when tracking April down.
- Faint in Shock: Taylor faints after seeing the turtles. She was already stressed and terrified after being kidnapped and seeing her abductors weren't human was the last straw.
- Heartfelt Apology: After Taylor snaps and lets everything she’s been feeling out, Raph sincerely apologises – by kneeling down, bowing and pressing his forehead to the floor and telling her sincerely how sorry he is. This is the deepest form of apology a Japanese person can give.
- Killed to Uphold the Masquerade: Taylor realises this could have happened to April the night she met the turtles. She’s also afraid that they could kill all three humans to stop the secret getting out. Of course, the turtles are horrified she would even think that.
- The Kindnapper: This was Raph’s intention. His plan backfires horribly.
- It happens to Taylor again, courtesy of Leo. See Poor Communication Kills.
- Oh, Crap!: Raph is horrified to realise he’s kidnapped the wrong person.
- Old Shame: Downplayed. Leo admits the turtles’ first meeting with April could have gone better. He apologises (off-screen) for threatening her.
- Poor Communication Kills: April goes to stay with the turtles after the Purple Dragons make it clear they don’t like her investigating them. Leo realises that if she’s going to keep investigating them, they’ll probably go round to the flat again, which is where Taylor is. Since he doesn’t want to leave her where she might be hurt, he goes to the flat to take her into protective care. Unfortunately, he doesn’t check with Taylor if this is OK and what Taylor hears is “You’re coming whether you like it or not.”
- Rejected Apology: Downplayed. Raph does sincerely apologise to Taylor, but she doesn’t accept it (the first time) because she genuinely doesn’t know what to say or do. It’s clear that she’s not in the right place to forgive him yet.
- There Are No Therapists: Justified, since Taylor can’t exactly tell a therapist about what happened to her. Deconstructed in that this means she doesn’t tell anyone how she really feels and keeps everything bottled up until she eventually snaps.
