⚔ character survey of doom

[duelkatana]

Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
5'2"; he's a pretty short turtle-man. His weight is rather disproportionate to his height, however, due to his heavy shell and muscle mass. He's leaner than most of his brothers, more toned than full-out muscled, and out of all four turtles, he's the second-lightest (with his younger brother Donatello just barely edging him out).

2. How old is he?
Eighteen or thereabouts. Leo's the assigned "eldest" of the turtles, but in actuality nobody knows who is physically the oldest of them. They've never really worried about age or birthdays, anyway.

3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Leo's posture is usually immaculate, thanks to years and years of formal Japanese upbringing. He has the tendency to be slightly guarded in his interactions with others, displaying body language that can come across as secretive or untrustworthy (e.g. steepling his hands or narrowing his eyes). He usually doesn't mean anything menacing by it; it's just his way of processing information.

When he's in a bad mood, Leo tends to keep tense and shrink down from his normally tall, confident posture. Expect hunched shoulders and crossed arms.

4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
Leo's young and in fantastic physical shape. It takes a lot to make him ill unless he's been traipsing around in filth while bleeding like a stuck pig.

5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
He's incredibly graceful and fluid in pretty much all of his actions, whether they be in everyday life or in battle. If he's feeling tense enough, he can start moving a bit like a broken film strip, smooth motions occasionally interrupted by jerking or halting movements.

6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
He's a turtle.

7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Leo has one of the lighter skin tones of the four; only Don's olive-green, somewhat paler color beats his out.

He's got his fair share of scars, too; the most prominent of which being the large gouge in the carapace over his left shoulder. It's rather dramatic-looking, but since Leo's use of katana tends to rarely let him get too close to enemies, he's actually one of the least overall scarred turtles.

8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
None, but apparently it would be black, short, and straight, according to just about every fan-made turtle gijinka in existence.

9. What color are his eyes?
Dark gray, almost black

10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Turtle.

11. What are his chief tension centers?
Jaw, shoulders, hands

12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
He actually just kinda...rolls around naked. Except for his blue mask, elbow/knee pads, and belt, anyway. He'll dress up in baggy old clothes sometimes to keep warm in winter or blend into a crowd, but other than that, he's free as a bird.

13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
Again, the only actual clothes he ever wears are way too huge for him. It feels like wearing a giant blanket.

14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
He'll sometimes take off his mask when he's at home, but he feels even more naked than usual if he's not wearing his pads or belt, so he keeps them on pretty much 24/7 except when sleeping.



Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Varies; he's got a fairly average voice typical of a human man his age, but it tends to run deeper because of the serious inflection he always puts in it. When he's relaxed or joking around, his voice is much lighter and sounds closer to his age.

2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
Leo can be...all over the place, actually. As mentioned before, he's often got a very business-like tone, and he can range anywhere from politely formal to drill sergeant-loud. While he's normally very smooth and controlled in his speech, even a bit smug, he's very prone to stumbling over his words or pausing awkwardly when blindsided in a conversation.

3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
He can tend to lapse into a bit of a Japanese accent when speaking to others of similar dialect, but that's more of a habit gained from speaking with his father. His normal accent is very generalized American.

4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Perfect English and damn-near perfect Japanese. He's picked up a few basics of Spanish and a handful of Eastern languages. Heck, he could probably even communicate a bit with them, but actually trying hold a meaningful conversation in those two languages would likely involve more charades than strictly appropriate.

5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
Leo will use Japanese in the dojo and when having deep, formal conversations with his father. He and his brothers will also switch to it for impromptu conferences in front of strangers, since all of them speak it to some degree.

6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
You might not think it, but he's really bad. Leo needs to mull over just about any answer he gives, and if he's caught off-guard or forced to wing it, he sounds like a kid on the stage of his elementary school play who just forgot his lines.

7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Like mentioned above, he will stumble over himself embarrassingly if he has to give an impromptu speech. However, if in possession of enough time and situational awareness, Leo can be eloquent and professional.


Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
A good mix of the two. He's nowhere on his genius brother Donatello's level, but he's got excellent linguistic and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Leo grew up a bit sheltered from the human world, so he naturally has some difficulties understanding the way some things work (especially sociopolitical matters), but by this age he's become decently adjusted to the way the human world operates.

2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
See Speech Question No. 6 in regard to social interaction with others.

He's somewhat similar when it comes to decision making - Leo is a strategist at heart, and he'll want as much time to consider his next course of action as possible. However, he's also used to flying by the seat of his nonexistent pants on this one, since their plans rarely ever go smoothly as that.

Battle is another matter. Leo is highly kinesthetic and thinks with his body. There's often very little in the way of deliberation when he's fighting.

3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
A very odd cocktail mix of all of the above. Leo is naturally driven by reason, but he's also got a strong sense of intuition that will more often than not override all logical reasoning. Similarly, while he is fully capable of pragmatism, Leonardo is a classic bleeding heart idealist and will unfailingly attempt to see the best in people.

4. What kind of education has the character had?
Nothing formal - their sensei probably taught them the basics, but you can't exactly send mutant turtle children to school. Luckily for them, Donatello was basically a child prodigy and likely took up the reins of their education. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say Leo's overall equivalent hovers somewhere between high school graduate and standard college level.

Because of his upbringing, Leo is also intimately familiar with Eastern fighting styles, ideology, weaponry, and etiquette. He's incredibly well-versed with both the technical and spiritual aspects of the culture, including form, history, application, and more.

5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
Leo's a strategist, through and through. His critical mind makes him a naturally capable tactician who can pursue an objective through any angle. He's used to working with limited resources, adapting his plans to the situation, and applying the strengths and weaknesses of his team.

He's also an expert on matters of existentialism and all that spiritual jazz. Achieving balance of the mind, body, and soul. Kind of a hippy, only without the drugs. You know the type.

Lastly, he's a bit of mythology/philosophy buff, though that's more of a pastime than anything else.

6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert. Even though Leo does enjoy the company of his family, he's incredibly guilty of withdrawing into his own mind and pretty much staying there forever unless he's needed. You might not imagine it, considering how charismatic he is as a leader, but Leo is a hugely private individual when it comes to even the smallest details about himself.

7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Leo has a strong tendency towards the Melancholic temperament. He's prone to being depressive and moody at times, lost deep in thoughts of existentialism and human nature. In contrast, however, he can be very laid-back and relaxed when he's in good spirits.

Generally, the mood he's in is directly correlated to his surroundings: if keeping like-minded company or if left to his own devices for too long, he'll display the more melancholic traits; if spending time with his brothers and/or properly stimulated, he's more upbeat.

Either way, Leonardo is a rather calm, even-tempered individual. He generally has a great deal of patience for others; it takes some impressive effort to make him explode (unless you're Raphael).

8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
He tends to be suspicious and slow to fully trust strangers. However, his intrinsic desire to believe in people will more often than not make him willing to take chances on them.

9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
Situational. Their family being as reclusive as it is, Leo's always watched the human world move along from the shadows, and only ever stepped up to the plate when things got a little too close to home. On the other hand, BLEEDING HEART. Leo despises the suffering of others; if there's a situation where he can make a difference, he'd rather die trying than watch things progress from the sidelines.

10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight. Most definitely fight.

11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Drier than the Sahara. Leo's sense of humor can be a little hard to spot just because of how subtle it is. He peppers it into a surprising amount of conversations, but he's usually so serious anyway that it's hard to tell if he's being sincere or not.

And then sometimes he just makes these awful, corny jokes out of nowhere. Like, back-of-the-cereal-box tier shit. God it's terrible.

12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
Obssessive-compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), with a strong leaning towards the Conscientious subtype.

Pretty much all right there. It's not quite as debilitating as all that, though - given their lifestyle, it could even be argued that he and his family benefit from it.

13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
Oh boy. If you really want to know THAT much, how about I just direct you to his wiki page. Okay? Okay.

14. What does he fear?
- Failing.
- Losing control.
- Getting sick, crippled, or otherwise disabled permanently.
- His family dying.
- Innocent people dying, because of him.
- Him or his family being dissected.
- Being betrayed.
- His brothers not needing him anymore.

15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
For his family to make it through one more day, every day.

...yeah, he could use a re-examination of his life goals, I know.

16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
That he sometimes really, truly believes that his sole purpose in life is to protect his brothers. It sounds pretentious, and he doesn't think they'd understand, anyway. The last thing he wants is for them to feel guilty for something they never even tried to push onto him.


Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
No mother, but he has a very strong relationship with his adoptive father, Splinter. Leo respects and idolizes Splinter greatly.

2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
Three younger brothers, and...it's...complicated. For all of them. In a mutually obsessive, interdependent sort of way. Trust me, let's leave it at that or else this answer will go on for ages.

3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
No blood relatives. In fact, chances are that even the turtles aren't biologically related.

4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?

Casey Jones - Bonehead, protective, almost as hot-tempered as Raph. Kind of like that loud cousin who's such a lovable oaf you can't help but adore him. Even when he puts on a hockey mask and starts beating criminals to a pulp. ...okay, especially because of that.

April O'Neil - Intelligent, fiercely loyal, and caring. The first human who ever really accepted them. She's very much a maternal/sisterly figure to the turtles, and Leo unwittingly lets his guard down around her more than he would for any other person in existence.

Leatherhead - A brilliant and gentle mutant crocodile affected by the same ooze that mutated the turtles. Something of an uncle figure to the turtles, he gets along very well with every one of them thanks to his quiet, genial nature. Has a few...unpleasant triggers.

5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
Miyamoto Usagi, a skilled samurai from another dimension. Also a rabbit. He and Leo met at the Battle Nexus, a tournament held for fighters across the multiverse to test their skills - Usagi helped him fend off an assassin attack, and later saved his life when he was poisoned with a dart. Later on, Leo traveled to Usagi's world and helped settle a nasty political situation there.

6. Does he have other close friends?
A handful he would certainly consider friends - Honeycutt, Angel - but none as close as those listed above.

7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
Leo's the primary diplomat of the team, so if a person is of decent moral character, chances are he can get along with them. Again, though, few people pass that threshold between "ally" and "close friend".

8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Family, without a doubt. Buuut it tends to be an "all or nothing" sort of deal with these guys.

9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
He's never even kissed a girl! Or boy, for that matter.

10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Nope.

11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
He's never had one. More on that later.

12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
More on that later also.

13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
You try having DNA that turns a microscope into a kaleidoscope and see if you can pass that shit on!

14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
Haha...hahaha...ha. Yes.

15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Leonardo is asexual. He does not experience sexual attraction towards other people, nor would he derive physical pleasure from intimacy. Falling in in love with someone romantically isn't entirely out of the question, but that would be a very steep slope and would probably require from him a self-awareness that he just doesn't possess at this age.



Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological sign? How well does he fit type?
No known birthday, so unfortunately, no known astrological sign. The best I can really do is take the season I personally associate with him (autumn) and give a few options. So that'd be Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, or Sagittarius for the Western zodiac. Out of those, I tend to side with Libra the most.

2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
He's VERY spiritual. He doesn't strictly follow any one religion, but he's sewn together something of a patchwork quilt of beliefs, primarily influenced by Buddhism, Taoism, and even a dash of Christian principles. It's complicated.

3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
Splinter hammered Bushido into the turtles' brains pretty much since they could talk, and Leo follows it with his whole heart. However, it's very obvious that the turtles' version of Bushido is nowhere near as rigid as the code upheld by true samurai. Traditional Bushido tends to frown on the sneaky tactics that ninja thrive on, and due to the very nature of their lifestyle, it would be impossible for the turtles to be devout followers of the original code. Thus their version of Bushido is considerably more flexible.

4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Tolerant. He's generally happy to let people do their thing and may even try to come to an understanding of their beliefs, so long as it isn't negatively impacting those around them.

5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
Unfortunately, human horror stories were also hammered into the turtles' heads at a young age. Splinter made humans out to be terrifying beasts that haunted every dark corner, and for a long time, Leo believed him. It wasn't until he was a teenager and experienced the human world himself that he realized that Splinter might have been dramatizing it a tiny bit.

But those ghost stories never really went away; especially when he lived even more and realized that some of them were true. He's encountered enough darkness in the hearts of non-humans to realize that it's more a question of society than species, but a tiny, helpless part of him, the child staring up at his ranting father with huge, round eyes, will never stop seeing humans as the monsters under his bed.


Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Poorer than dirt. His family always had to scavenge or even steal before they became acquainted with Casey and April, who now keep them supplied more often than not out of their own pockets.

2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
Nonexistent so far as the world's concerned, and that's fine with him.

3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
He used to live deep in the sewers, but now he and his family reside in an abandoned reservoir pump station. Not exactly fancy living, but the smell is nicer, at least.

4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
If he had it? Books, or else just give it away to his brothers. He'd first try to pay back Casey and April for all the cash they spend on the turtles, though they probably wouldn't let him.

5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
He's a ninja, a warrior. It's all he's ever done and all he can ever see himself doing. But it's his passion and he honestly enjoys it, so he has no complaints at all about it.

6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
He actually likes training and meditation, so he spends a good chunk of his free time doing that. He's also a voracious reader and will read just about any published work he can get his hands on.

If he's feeling a little lonely (it happens!) and he wants a conversation partner, chances are he'll reach out to Don or April. He can do simple tasks in the lab for Don while they talk, and in an odd way, he enjoys listening to April chatter about even menial topics like her day or what she sold at the antique shop recently. He's a listener, through and through.

At night, he likes to go out and run across rooftops or just people-watch.

And if his brothers are watching a movie, going out for an ice cream run with Casey and April, or doing...well, just about anything, he'll probably join in.

7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Leo prefers eating small, light snacks throughout the day over sitting down and having one or two hearty meals; an apple here, a sandwich there. He tends not to eat all that much as it is, and he'll often skip meals if he's lost in doing some other activity. Even with his fairly high metabolism (though not as high as Mikey's), he grew so accustomed to near-starvation as a child that a pang of hunger here and there doesn't even register as a problem in his brain. Kind of a dunderhead. But he's far from ignorant of the connection between proper nutrition and good health, so if he finds he's letting himself get a little too skinny, he'll make an extra effort to eat properly.


Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:

1. Color?
Blue
2. Smell?
Candle wax, incense, smog
3. Time of day?
Twilight
4. Season?
Autumn
5. Book?
The Art of War
6. Music?
Traditional Chinese, Jazz Rap, Underground Hip Hop
7. Place?
City rooftops
8. Substance?
Steel, calligraphy ink
9. Plant?
Bamboo
10. Animal?
Panther (aside from the obvious)


END
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