I know many fans of the 2003 TMNT series do not enjoy the "Fast Forward" season. While finding the episodes and sometimes characters in that season flatter and the animation style less satisfying myself, there are other elements of that season I personally enjoy. I like the optimistic atmosphere of it. It seems to show a brighter future the turtles helped create. Their being there, therefore, seems like a reward, even for Raphael. They don't have to fear being hated by those they pass on the street in 2105.

At the same time, the detractors of that period like lack of junk-food, tamer sports, and the absence of Casey, April, and other friends from the past shows viewers you can't have it all. There were also episodes with some depth to them in Season 6 like "DNA is Thicker Than Water." To this day, I don't know how many of Dark Leo's actions and words were planned to gain trust and which were real.

When I thought of times Raphael had grown in his life during the 2003 series, this season at first seemed a wasteland since he was so angry during it. Then "The Freaks Come Out at Night" came to mind, and how he was the lone turtle standing in it and even lone team member free for a moment. Yet, he helped save the day, he, Cody Jones, and the sun.

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Splinter knew very well that his son Raphael was not happy here in 2105. He tried to keep Raphael's unhappiness from spreading to young Cody Jones. He knew the boy, nearly a man, was discouraged by one of his heroes being so unhappy in his home. Their new host, friend, and family member had made everyone of them happy here in the future except Raphael.

Splinter knew Raphael at first struggled to honor Cody Jones, who had accidentally brought them here. Despite being the brilliant April O'Neil and warrior-like Casey Jones' great-grandson, Cody Jones was yet a boy. He was also extremely naïve being unguided throughout his life save by the stories of his ancestors, the fussing of a narcotic robot, and the dubious instructions of his Uncle Darius.

Despite Darius Dunn being Cody Jones' only living family member, the man still sent chills down Splinter's spine. He seemed to do the same to, or at least annoy, his sons as well, particularly Raphael. Michelangelo could laugh at Darius. Donatello could argue with him. Leonardo could replace him as Cody Jones' mentor figure. Raphael just yelled about the man. He did not trust Darius but could not articulate "why" well. This made Cody Jones gently defensive of his uncle, which only annoyed Raphael more.

Raphael was disappointed by nearly everything else in the future too: the food, wrestling, the dojo. Splinter feared while this might be a time of enjoyment and growth for his other sons (though perhaps more the former than latter for Michelangelo) 2105 would stifle and send Raphael backward several steps.

Splinter hoped someday, they would all get to go back and see how Casey Jones and April O'Neil built a life that resulted in all they saw here now. Donatello was thrilled to learn he and April had built a successful and respected company that produced wondrous, advanced technology even into 2105. Splinter had always hoped Donatello's gifts would someday benefit others besides the five of them. It seemed they now aided many throughout the galaxy.

Mikey was ecstatic about the future's "gaming" technology. He could barely drag his youngest away from the game controller to train. While Raphael disliked the future intensely, it might be his youngest son whom their time in it would affect the worst.

Leonardo had become a fine teacher. He often gave Cody Jones lessons by himself. He was being an eldest brother to not only the other turtles, but also this young human, who was not used to having other living creatures around to learn from.

Michelangelo entertained Cody Jones until even the boy got bothered by his immaturity. Donatello challenged the young genius' mind as he helped him with their time portal and other things. Leonardo taught Cody how to become a good leader, as the Jones and O'Neil descendant would have to be to lead their company someday. Raphael, however, was not happy here, and he was not good at hiding it.

Unlike Michelangelo, he did not love the new video games. Like Michelangelo, he hated the food. Like Donatello, Raphael wanted Cody to find a way to send them back to their own time. Unlike Donatello, he could not help him do so. Like Leonardo, he loved teaching Cody. Unlike Leonardo, he was hesitant to train in the new ways Cody provided for them.

If he had been in his right mind, when the spores had a hold of him and his other sons, Splinter would have been very worried it was Raphael who last remained unaffected by the spreading alien mutation. Michelangelo alone being under its influence had been bad enough. He may not have been the best-trained ninja in the family, but he had been quite a handful under that alien life form's control all by himself.

Leonardo had been nearest his brother while they looked into what had happened to him. So, he had been the next to be infected. Donatello and he had gotten too close to Leonardo trying to help him. Therefore, he and his brilliant son had both lost their thoughts to that alien conqueror.

Then only Raphael and Cody had been left to help the rest of them. That would have frightened him enough had he still been in a state in which he could become frightened. At the time, he must have been feeling rather smug being their temporary enemy. He could not remember.

Even Cody was at last exposed and had begun to attack Raphael. His angry son though, for once, had not been in a hurry to attack back. Had his passionate son felt despair at that moment? It was hard to know. His most willful child was hesitant to share feelings of sadness with others even if they were in the past. It might have been so only for a moment, however.

Almost as soon as he'd changed into a monster, Cody Jones had changed back. Raphael had tried to explain to the confused boy what had happened. So, he and the young genius had had the same thought at the same time. While the curious mind of April O'Neil's great-grandson had questioned their conclusion, his most passionate son had flung them into a test of it.

Using the brute force of a machine, Raphael had broken down walls before and beside but not on top of the rest of them. Sunlight alone fell on and healed his family and strangers. While he and the others had stood about for a moment not remembering what had happened to them, it had been Raphael and Cody's lead they finally followed in rescuing still others from the alien mutation and then from the building falling down around them. So, Raphael had played a large part in saving everyone.

Before, Splinter had wondered during their stay in the future if things might have been better had all of them save Raphael had been brought to it. Cody Jones had mentioned the possibility of sending them all back very close to the time which they had left. Had Raphael only had minutes, hours, or days to worry about the rest of them, would that have been better for him than months in a world that made him so angry while the others enjoyed it? Other times, it was clear to Splinter even Raphael appreciated how people in 2105 did not run in terror at the sight of them.

His passionate son loved his new "little bro," Cody Jones, just like the others did. He often called him a "nice kid." Now, he had not just saved Cody Jones and the rest of their family from that which twisted its victims into monstrous version of themselves, but also everyone on earth in this future he disliked so much. Raphael would be happiest out of all of them to return to their own time. Perhaps though, even he would miss this time he had been left alone to save, if only briefly, and had yet been successful in doing so.

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes