Let's talk about the trainwreck of romantic subplots in the 2012 TMNT series. Sure, some of them might’ve been interesting in theory, but in practice? Oh boy. Prepare for some brutal honesty.
April and Donnie
Donnie's crushing on April, which should be a sweet storyline, right? Wrong. This is the most painfully awkward, "just get together already" situation. Donnie's constantly pining, and April’s all “I’m not ready,” leaving us in a loop of will-they-won’t-they that ultimately feels more like get-on-with-it. The whole thing drags on without any emotional payoff. And you know what? April and Donnie together just doesn't work. Donnie deserves someone who can appreciate his unique brilliance without stringing him along.
Casey and April
Alright, now we’ve got Casey and April, and I’m gonna be blunt here: this felt like the standard "we have to make them a couple because that’s what’s expected" storyline. The chemistry just wasn’t there. Casey, with all his rough-and-tumble energy, and April, with her... whatever she is supposed to be in this series, never felt like a natural fit. Their interactions were stale, like they were trying to force something into existence. And don't get me started on how they went through the motions of a “romantic” relationship without any real depth. You could tell it was just there to tick a box.
Mikey and Renet
Mikey falls for Renet, a time-traveling sorceress. Cool concept, right? No. It's like Mikey just met someone who literally knew how to break the laws of time and space, and suddenly, he’s smitten. But the thing is, Mikey doesn't have the emotional maturity to handle a relationship like that. He’s more of a ‘goofy guy who wants pizza’ kind of guy, not a ‘let’s work through time paradoxes together’ guy. Renet, for her part, doesn’t seem all that invested in Mikey either. Their connection feels forced, and there’s no emotional grounding. It’s like watching a fantasy relationship that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. It’s cute in theory... but in reality? Nope.
Mikey and Shinigami
Now we’re talking about Mikey and Shinigami—what is even going on here? Mikey's supposed to be this fun-loving guy, and Shinigami... is a literal assassin? And they have chemistry? Maybe if they didn't speak every line like they were auditioning for a soap opera. Mikey and Shinigami’s dynamic is just weird and one-dimensional. There's nothing about their relationship that makes sense outside of "Mikey's got a soft spot for badass women." It feels forced. You can almost hear the writers saying, "What if we paired Mikey with a character who’s mysterious and badass?" Except it didn’t work.
Raph and Mona
And then, finally, we get to the one ship that actually feels... right.
Raph and Mona. THIS is the ship that nailed it. I don’t know what cosmic magic happened, but the writers finally got it together with these two. Mona’s strong, confident, and doesn’t take any of Raph’s brooding nonsense, and Raph? Well, he’s got that intense, tough exterior, but he’s got a soft side too, and Mona’s the perfect foil for that. It’s not just “Oh, they’re together because the plot says so”—no, these two earn each other’s respect and affection. Mona calls Raph out when he’s being stubborn (which is all the time), and Raph, in turn, shows genuine vulnerability. It’s a slow burn, it makes sense, and it doesn’t feel rushed or forced. It’s one of the only relationships in this entire series that actually feels real. Take notes, everyone else.
- Leo and Karai
Now, Leo and Karai... where do I even start with these two? The drama, the back-and-forth, the inevitable betrayal—it's all there. But, the real kicker? That plot twist where Leo and Karai find out they’re siblings. I mean, what?? The writers spent so much time building up their complicated dynamic—Leo’s pining, Karai’s tough exterior—and then they just drop that bombshell on us, like, "By the way, you two are related!" It was jarring, confusing, and honestly, it completely destroyed any potential romantic tension that had been built up. So much for "will-they-won't-they"... because the answer is, "Nope, they can't." That’s the ultimate romantic cockblock, right there. And you know what? It’s for the best, because their relationship was always toxic. What we got instead was a sibling rivalry that added way more depth than any romance could have.
Conclusion
So there we have it. The absolute trainwreck of romance options in 2012 TMNT. April and Donnie? Stale. Casey and April? Boring. Mikey and Renet? Over-the-top. Mikey and Shinigami? No one asked for it. Leo and Karai? Plot twist... now they're siblings.
But Raph and Mona? They’re the only couple that actually feels right. It’s a classic case of two opposites who complement each other perfectly, and it’s the only romance subplot that doesn’t make you cringe. In a sea of awkward pairings, they’re the only couple that could’ve actually worked.
It’s sad that the best romance in the whole series was the one that was the least complicated and didn’t rely on “will-they-won’t-they” nonsense. But hey, at least Raph and Mona had actual chemistry. If there was one thing 2012 TMNT got right, it was them.
(The forums shall live even if its some stupid post like this. Im DEDICATED)
