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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:
Let's face it, the 80's produced a lot of crappy stuff. Meatloaf sucked. Mullets sucked. Big belt-buckles sucked. Even, so the 1980's were not a complete loss. Nearly smothered by a period of social retardation, American television somehow managed to thrive. My entire generation was especially molded after four particular media heroes. Yes, I am talking about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What young boy didn't avidly follow their every episode from the time he was 3? The heroes in a half-shell were a perfect cross-section of the pre-pubescent male American throughout the 1990's.
The head of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was Leonardo (the blue one). Those of you who remember the show might argue that Splinter was the boss, but he doesn't count. Leonardo was the quiet, polite figure who always proved to be an excellent leader. When the times got tough (when the evil Shredder attacks…) Leonardo never pulled his head into his shell. He stood up for what was right, no matter the odds against him.
Then, for the intellectual in us all, there was Donatello (the purple one). Not only could Donny beat up the bad guys with his trusty bo, but he built the Turtle Van. So for the scholar / athletes out there, Donatello is the guy to go with. Any guy who loves technology, science or math naturally relates to Donatello. As an added bonus, Donny had the longest weapon in all the videogames, so he was the best.
Michelangelo (the orange one) provided the comic relief for the foursome. Always optimistic and lighthearted, Mikey did his best to keep the team in high spirits. Whenever there was a party, he was the one to bring the pizza, so everyone naturally liked him. His whimsical attitude towards life did not keep Mikey from getting down to business every once and a while. When it was time to get serious, his nunchukus would start twirling and the foot soldiers would start falling. Anyone who has a good sense of humor, or has ever been the class clown, identifies himself with Michelangelo.
To finish off the team, Raphael (the red one) provided the perfect compliment. Raphael was the emotional, intense, angry Turtle. Decked out in his trench coat and wide-brimmed hat, he would often leave the other turtles to go and brood among the humans. Whenever bad things started happening, Raphael would start grumbling, but he always cared about the team. Everybody, at one time or another, can relate to Raphael. From the huge jocks who bash in lockers after flunking a test, to the creepy-ass goths, many people are most like Raphael.
By studying the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, one can accurately classify any male who grew up with the show. Leonardo was the leader, Donatello was the genius, Michelangelo was the clown, and Raphael was the emotional one. Unless you lack any redeeming qualities, you should be able to relate to one, if not several, of the Ninja Turtles. As the archetypal heroes of my generation, the Turtles provided excellent and identifiable role-models.
-SKILLET-
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