The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spend their nights fighting well-armed ninjas and tech-heavy aliens, leading fans to wonder why they do not carry more deadly weapons. The Turtles’ father, Splinter, puts the question to rest when he tells his sons that those weapons were given to them for defensive purposes.
This revelation is surprising because the Turtles have been fighting against enemy forces since the 1980s and while it is true they often defend themselves, the heroes in a half shell have been known to take the fight to villains like Shredder and the Foot Clan. Does the defensive intent of the weapons truly explain why the Turtles do not all carry more dangerous weapons? Or was it merely a ploy from Splinter to try and justify his actions in going against his sons?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Weapons of Mass Defense?
Though there have been several iterations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since their debut comic in 1984, the weapon that each Turtle uses has been constant. Aside from Leonardo’s swords, Splinter’s statement from 2018’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #80 by Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, Tom Waltz, Brahm Revel, Ronda Pattinson, and Shawn Lee about their weapons being for defense holds up, and almost seems obvious. Donatello’s Bo staff and Michelangelo’s nunchaku are blunt instruments, and Raphael uses sai, which may look deadly but are similar to the batons police officers once carried for less-than-lethal deterrents. The fact that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been able to consistently thwart their enemies using weapons of this nature proves how deadly they could be if they were not always bringing sticks to a sword fight.
Splinter tells the Turtles that their weapons are not meant for offensive attacks, which may be true, but as leader of the Foot Clan, Splinter’s word is in question. Splinter will always be the Turtles’ father, but he is no longer their master. He claims to use the Foot only to ensure the world remains safe for his sons, but the Turtles do not agree with Splinter’s tactics. In the issue, the Turtles are trying to convince their father not to attack the Triceratons, a race of alien dinosaurs back to claim the Earth they were stolen from. Splinter believe they are a danger, but the Turtles feel that there is a non-violent way to work with the Triceratons. During the debate, Raphael indicts his father for believing the Triceratons are there for war simply because they carry weapons even though Splinter and the Turtles all carry weapons. It is impossible to know if Splinter is being truthful when he claims he only gave his sons weapons to defend themselves or if he is trying to persuade his sons to see things his way.
While Splinter is normally trustworthy, after taking over control of the Foot Clan, his means and motivations become uncharacteristic. He claims he gave his sons defensive weapons, but does so in the midst of battle with his sons. However, all of his actions have been in regard to his family’s safety, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been able to fight off enemies that are much larger and more heavily armed, so defend themselves they have.
