TMNT: Last Ronin Reveals How Raphael Tragically Dies

Warning! Spoilers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #2 below

In the latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, Raphael’s previously teased death has been revealed. Upon seeing that Master Splinter was on death’s-door, Raphael decides to take on the entire Foot Clan by himself – which resulted in one of the bloodiest battles in TMNT history, that ultimately cost the red-masked turtle his life.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might be best remembered as a kid-friendly franchise that’s had multiple live-action films, animated series, and action figures, but originally it was much darker. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird originally did a bizarre parody of comic series like Daredevil, which featured violent ninja fights and death (including Shredder on their first mission). The Last Ronin is a return to the series’ more violent roots, albeit even darker than the original comic has ever been. In the book, Michelangelo is the last surviving member of the Turtles and has attempted to kill himself. After that fails, he continues to see his fallen friends as ghosts and decides to take down Shredder’s grandson who is responsible for all of his pain.

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #2 by Eastman, Laird, Tom Waltz, Esau, and Isaac Escorza, the story flashes back to when the turtles first fell. After Splinter is gravely wounded by The Foot Clan, an enraged Raphael sneaks out and decides to take on the organization by himself. Determined to take out Karai (Shredder’s adopted daughter), Raph wants blood spilled for what happened to Splinter. Once he arrives, Raphael takes no prisoners and slaughters a number of Foot Clan soldiers before engaging in a fight with Karai. Bleeding out with arrows lodged in his shell, Raph and Karai exchange deadly blows before falling into the water, where they stab each other at the same time.

Raphael’s quest for vengeance is successful costs him own life. The next page reveals one of his bloody sai’s floating in the water, as his body sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

It’s a fitting, yet tragic death for the TMNT’s most hot-headed turtle. Raphael was determined to kill Karai for what they and their soldiers did to Splinter. He carried out his mission but sacrificed himself to make it happen. Perhaps, if he waited and the TMNT squad went out to face the Foot Clan together, he wouldn’t have died. But, blinded by rage, he decided to go out in a blaze of glory. It’s quite an amazing scene. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #2 is in stores now.

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Liam McGuire
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Lead writer for Screen Rant’s comic team. [email protected]. Find me on Twitter @LiamRMcGuire for comic news and reporting.

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