IV. LEONARDO
DONATELLO
One word to describe Leonardo? "Leader".
MICHELANGELO
Everyone else is gonna say "leader". That's the obvious thing to say. Just to be different, I'll say...um..."compassionate".
RAPHAEL
Oh, I got lots o' words to describe Leo. (laughter) But I've been working on putting all that in the past. So let's just say "leader".
LEONARDO
Several months after Splinter began our training, he came down with mutant flu. He was bedridden, and someone had to lead us in our exercises. He chose me. I thought at the time...I don't know. Maybe he was just cycling through us, and I was first. You know, I'd lead this time, and next time it'd be Mikey's turn. But it never came down to that. It was always me from then on.
MASTER SPLINTER
From the earliest days, Leonardo showed promise in this capacity. He would recognize problems when they arose, often in their very earliest stages, and immediately make a move to correct them. He was always the first to be prepared for practice, and the last to leave when it ended.
MICHELANGELO
Don't get me wrong. He can lead better'n anyone. Except Splinter, of course. He's got that...I dunno. No matter what the situation, he can instantly eye it and dope out a plan. Immediately, he'll send of us scurrying in different directions, and I'm wondering "Why's he having me do this?" It isn't 'til it's all over that you go, "Oh, that's what he had in mind." We used to go, "Wait - why do you want me to do that?", but soon we realized he knew what he was doing. Well, sometimes he wouldn't be able to explain what he knew - he just knew. And we'd be wasting time with questions. Now we just do what he says, immediately, without even thinking.
DONATELLO
Three, four times I can think of, we've been in situations, and I've thought, "There's no way out of this mess." Leo's found a way every time.
LEONARDO
I can't really explain it. I move into this...well, Sensei calls it the "selfless state". It's like everything speeds up - my thinking, my reaction time, my movements. I do what I do every other time - size up the situation, look at alternative plans, pick one, and implement it - but I do everything at twice the speed. Or faster.
RAPHAEL
He is pretty intense. A bit too intense.
MICHELANGELO
He's got to learn to relax, though. Not everything's a battle situation.
LEONARDO
My brothers - Michelangelo especially - seem to think I take things too seriously. And maybe I do. But the survival and well-being of my family is...beyond important, actually - it's the most important thing to me.
RAPHAEL
His intensity is his problem, actually. Splinter says you've got to bend with the wind or you'll break. Leo don't bend. Not ever.
MICHELANGELO
The rest of us, we have hobbies. I've got my cooking, my writing, and my skateboard. Donny reads and builds things. Raph plays street hockey with Casey, and recently picked up the drums. (pauses) Leo doesn't really have a hobby. And I don't think that's good.
LEONARDO
Mikey's...well, I know what he's trying to do. He'll ask if I want to go 'boarding with him and Mondo, or he'll challenge me to a game of chess. He's trying to get me to...I almost said he's trying to get me to slack on my duties. He doesn't see it like that. He's trying to get me to relax - think about other things for awhile. (smiling) I appreciate it. Really. But relaxing doesn't come easy for me.
MASTER SPLINTER
I blame myself. I may have impressed Leonardo too hard on the importance of duty and family. (smiling) Now I have found myself trying to force him into relaxation. A contradiction in and of itself.
LEONARDO
I do need to take it easier. They're right. And I'm working on it. (smiling) Hey, I'm sitting here talking to you, right? And I haven't grabbed my katana for over almost thirty minutes! (laughing) I've dabbled in a few things - playing Splinter's shakuhachi, reading. I kinda like drawing, but I'm really bad at it. (shrugging) Sensei says that doesn't matter, and he's probably right.
DONATELLO
Splinter wanted to teach us all on every weapon. And he did, to a degree. We're all familiar with the most basic forms of each one. But it didn't make any sense to make us all experts on all of them. Splinter didn't have that many weapons lying around.
MICHELANGELO
Originally, I started training on the katana, same as Leo. But I decided I liked the nunchuku better.
LEONARDO
When Michelangelo gave up on the katana, suddenly there were two swords available.
MASTER SPLINTER
One day, I saw Leonardo with both katana. Most likely, he was simply comparing the two, but suddenly I was reminded of niten ichi-ryu.
LEONARDO
Splinter began teaching me the fundamentals of niten ichi-ryu - two-sword fighting. I remembered Sensei talking about it when he told us the story of Miyomato Musashi, but once he showed me the technique, it utterly fascinated me. That's the style I've concentrated on ever since.
MASTER SPLINTER
Leonardo adapted to the style very quickly. I only knew the basics, but Leonardo has taught himself, adapting the style to fit his persona and his physique.
LEONARDO
Actually, every aspect of martial arts fascinates me. Not just fighting and sparring, but the physicality, the artistry, the history. (smiling) There's a lot of books at the library about martial arts. I've read them all.
MICHELANGELO
If I had to choose one of us as a fighter - to go up against somebody, mano a mano - I'd pick Leo. Raph can get too emotionally involved, Don can get too clinical, and me...well, my mind can wander. Leo's the best.
DONATELLO
Leonardo brings that same intensity, that focus, to whatever he turns his mind to. He's as devoted to his studies as he was to defeating the Foot. And when he's focused, he's unstoppable.
DONATELLO
One word to describe Leonardo? "Leader".
MICHELANGELO
Everyone else is gonna say "leader". That's the obvious thing to say. Just to be different, I'll say...um..."compassionate".
RAPHAEL
Oh, I got lots o' words to describe Leo. (laughter) But I've been working on putting all that in the past. So let's just say "leader".
LEONARDO
Several months after Splinter began our training, he came down with mutant flu. He was bedridden, and someone had to lead us in our exercises. He chose me. I thought at the time...I don't know. Maybe he was just cycling through us, and I was first. You know, I'd lead this time, and next time it'd be Mikey's turn. But it never came down to that. It was always me from then on.
MASTER SPLINTER
From the earliest days, Leonardo showed promise in this capacity. He would recognize problems when they arose, often in their very earliest stages, and immediately make a move to correct them. He was always the first to be prepared for practice, and the last to leave when it ended.
MICHELANGELO
Don't get me wrong. He can lead better'n anyone. Except Splinter, of course. He's got that...I dunno. No matter what the situation, he can instantly eye it and dope out a plan. Immediately, he'll send of us scurrying in different directions, and I'm wondering "Why's he having me do this?" It isn't 'til it's all over that you go, "Oh, that's what he had in mind." We used to go, "Wait - why do you want me to do that?", but soon we realized he knew what he was doing. Well, sometimes he wouldn't be able to explain what he knew - he just knew. And we'd be wasting time with questions. Now we just do what he says, immediately, without even thinking.
DONATELLO
Three, four times I can think of, we've been in situations, and I've thought, "There's no way out of this mess." Leo's found a way every time.
LEONARDO
I can't really explain it. I move into this...well, Sensei calls it the "selfless state". It's like everything speeds up - my thinking, my reaction time, my movements. I do what I do every other time - size up the situation, look at alternative plans, pick one, and implement it - but I do everything at twice the speed. Or faster.
RAPHAEL
He is pretty intense. A bit too intense.
MICHELANGELO
He's got to learn to relax, though. Not everything's a battle situation.
LEONARDO
My brothers - Michelangelo especially - seem to think I take things too seriously. And maybe I do. But the survival and well-being of my family is...beyond important, actually - it's the most important thing to me.
RAPHAEL
His intensity is his problem, actually. Splinter says you've got to bend with the wind or you'll break. Leo don't bend. Not ever.
MICHELANGELO
The rest of us, we have hobbies. I've got my cooking, my writing, and my skateboard. Donny reads and builds things. Raph plays street hockey with Casey, and recently picked up the drums. (pauses) Leo doesn't really have a hobby. And I don't think that's good.
LEONARDO
Mikey's...well, I know what he's trying to do. He'll ask if I want to go 'boarding with him and Mondo, or he'll challenge me to a game of chess. He's trying to get me to...I almost said he's trying to get me to slack on my duties. He doesn't see it like that. He's trying to get me to relax - think about other things for awhile. (smiling) I appreciate it. Really. But relaxing doesn't come easy for me.
MASTER SPLINTER
I blame myself. I may have impressed Leonardo too hard on the importance of duty and family. (smiling) Now I have found myself trying to force him into relaxation. A contradiction in and of itself.
LEONARDO
I do need to take it easier. They're right. And I'm working on it. (smiling) Hey, I'm sitting here talking to you, right? And I haven't grabbed my katana for over almost thirty minutes! (laughing) I've dabbled in a few things - playing Splinter's shakuhachi, reading. I kinda like drawing, but I'm really bad at it. (shrugging) Sensei says that doesn't matter, and he's probably right.
DONATELLO
Splinter wanted to teach us all on every weapon. And he did, to a degree. We're all familiar with the most basic forms of each one. But it didn't make any sense to make us all experts on all of them. Splinter didn't have that many weapons lying around.
MICHELANGELO
Originally, I started training on the katana, same as Leo. But I decided I liked the nunchuku better.
LEONARDO
When Michelangelo gave up on the katana, suddenly there were two swords available.
MASTER SPLINTER
One day, I saw Leonardo with both katana. Most likely, he was simply comparing the two, but suddenly I was reminded of niten ichi-ryu.
LEONARDO
Splinter began teaching me the fundamentals of niten ichi-ryu - two-sword fighting. I remembered Sensei talking about it when he told us the story of Miyomato Musashi, but once he showed me the technique, it utterly fascinated me. That's the style I've concentrated on ever since.
MASTER SPLINTER
Leonardo adapted to the style very quickly. I only knew the basics, but Leonardo has taught himself, adapting the style to fit his persona and his physique.
LEONARDO
Actually, every aspect of martial arts fascinates me. Not just fighting and sparring, but the physicality, the artistry, the history. (smiling) There's a lot of books at the library about martial arts. I've read them all.
MICHELANGELO
If I had to choose one of us as a fighter - to go up against somebody, mano a mano - I'd pick Leo. Raph can get too emotionally involved, Don can get too clinical, and me...well, my mind can wander. Leo's the best.
DONATELLO
Leonardo brings that same intensity, that focus, to whatever he turns his mind to. He's as devoted to his studies as he was to defeating the Foot. And when he's focused, he's unstoppable.