Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, & Raphael. Together, these four brothers would make up the unit known as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. With their origins dating back to a small black-and-white comic first released in the state of New Hampshire, the turtles have seen their paneled adventures adapted to screens big and small for decades.

One of the more recent miniseries to be written is a possible future for the turtles and their friends titled The Last Ronin. This story arc is set in a futuristic setting, with a focus on one remaining turtle and his mission to honor the legacy his family left behind. Here we are going to look at why this project should be brought to the big screen, a prospect many are looking towards, as evidenced by the short fan-made film depicting a scene from the first issue of the series.

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Mature Tone

     IDW

The early stages of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics didn’t shy away from graphic violence. The turtles would often cuss and dismember their opponents, with the turtles themselves lacking the distinct personalities that would define them later on. Standing in solidarity with one another (while also making up for the limitations of black-and-white print), the Turtles would also wear the same colored headbands, with only their names and weapons serving as proper identifiers.

While the tone of the series would soften with the introduction to animated television, The Last Ronin story arc would be a callback to the series’ roots, with our remaining turtle, now having mastered all four of the turtles’ weapons and holding nothing back when it comes to fighting. The miniseries also takes the time to focus on the effects of trauma and grief, as there are multiple characters that must relive the events that took so many loved ones from them and are still being affected to this very day.

Future Setting

While it would be easy to simply feature the evolution of The Last Ronin over the course of a chronological series, the comics used a compelling storytelling method. Starting immediately in a future that appears at least twenty years postmodern day, we’re treated to visuals of a city adorned with technological marvels while also being suppressed by city guards and drones with advanced military artillery.

Interspersed throughout the adventure of The Last Ronin are memories of the past, where the characters look back on how they had lost their family and friends to the war that began with the Foot Clan. The placement of these scenes helps to bring new revelations forward at appropriate times, and it would serve an adaptation well to pay attention to the pacing that the inclusion of these scenes affects.

Respecting A Legacy

As noted previously, the Ronin would engage his enemies with not just his weapon but the weapons of all of his brothers. While his personality has become hardened due to suffering the loss of his entire family, the Ronin would still recall the words of his brothers and the teachings of his father, Master Splinter.

When approached by an old friend and their daughter, the Ronin, initially wishing not to encourage such a youth to take part in the war, would soon recognize the same fire that he and his brothers had. The Ronin would teach the young girl how to fight properly as well as how to clear her head and harness her emotions so as to keep her mind focused during a fight. And while the Ronin is set on vengeance, he is also keenly aware that he has strayed from the path his father taught him. Knowing this, he also wishes to instill an essential lesson in the young woman, asking her to “know peace” in her life.

Setting Up the Next Generation

This young lady would be known as Casey Marie, the daughter of Casey Jones and April O’Neil. Casey helps lead a gang of young rebels in disrupting the conquest of the Foot Clan. This spark would be a characteristic similar to her father, Casey Jones, who, in some continuities, would not only fight the Purple Dragons street gang but lead them towards redemption.

While the last Ronin would leave Casey with many lessons to carry into the next generation, this story would not only see the continuation of the ninja but of mutants, with it being revealed that April and Casey Jones had been exposed to levels of radiation from being around the turtles for so long. With this revelation, as well as the observations that Casey Marie has exceptionally high levels of strength and reflexes for her skill level, it is reasoned that the young girl is growing into her mutation. With such a focus on the end of a generation, it’s nice to see the seeds are being planted for a future generation, leaving the door open for sequels, be they in the comics or straight to film.