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In the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, we are told

It was a powerful mutagen. It caused whoever touched it to take on the form of whatever animal they had most recently been in contact with. The turtles started becoming human as they had most recently been with Yoshi.

This explains why the turtles become half-human, as Splinter picks them up to clean them.

But Splinter continues...

But Yoshi had most recently been with... the rats.

Except, Yoshi just handled the turtles. Why didn't he turn into a half-turtle too?

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  • 3
    You should specify which TMNT cartoon.
    – Rogue Jedi
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 14:56
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    the video makes it clear it's the original late 80's cartoon but agree for the sake of readers and in case the video ever dies
    – NKCampbell
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 14:57
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    @DaveJohnson being that Splinter is Hamato Yoshi, I see no difference.
    – phantom42
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:25
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    He may have just "been with" the rats, but he just handled the turtles.
    – phantom42
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 20:37
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    @NKCampbell The video died.
    – lly
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 17:13

2 Answers 2

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It's a question of timing, but the answer is in the video.

  1. The turtles were with Yoshi. Yoshi leaves.
  2. Yoshi was with rats.
  3. The turtles touched the mutagen.
  4. Yoshi stepped in the mutagen (note the bare feet).
  5. Yoshi picked up the turtles.

He came into contact with the mutagen after the rats but before the turtles.

(For clarity's sake, Splinter is Hamato Yoshi in some continuities, including the late-80s cartoon the question is referring to. In other continuities, he owned the rat that became Splinter.)

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  • This is a good point, but the turtles mutate before Yoshi does.
    – phantom42
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:27
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    @Phantom42 It's best not to apply too much science to a cartoon and a comic 'cause it's unlikely they thought too hard about it. If they were being realistic, it could be related to absorption and mass. Relatively speaking, the turtles were exposed to far more mutagen than Yoshi, likely prompting a faster change.
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:33
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    @T.J.L. It's not that I don't agree with you for the most part, but if we all bought fully into the "relax, it's just a show" argument, this whole site would cease to exist overnight.
    – Doug Warren
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 16:59
  • It's also not part of the question - "Why isn't Splinter a half-turtle?" and "Why did the turtles transform faster than Splinter?" are two different questions.
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 17:18
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    @phantom42 - Why shouldn't the turtles mutate first? They're exposed to the mutagen first, and for a longer period of time, and in greater quantities relative to their body mass (they're basically covered in mutagen by the time Yoshi finds them). One could also argue metabolic differences between turtles and humans, or that the mutagen acts at different rates on different species, but I don't think that's necessary. It's clear from the video that the turtles are exposed first; it follows that they should mutate first.
    – aroth
    Commented Feb 19, 2016 at 1:24
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In the 2012 version, Splinter is not a turtle because he got them from the pet store, and the Krang bumped into him, and he followed them, where he stepped on a rat. It squeaked, and the Krang fought him, then the rat climbed onto his shoe when the mutagen covered him and the turtles, which turned half human because Yoshi petted them. It seems the rat DNA is more powerful. Sorry for the big explanation, but I am a big TMNT nerd.

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1
  • OP is asking about the 80s cartoon.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Oct 20, 2017 at 7:00

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