Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael need no introduction. Everyone knows the four Ninja Turtles who stand out for their colorful bandanas and distinctive weapons.
It’s also no secret that there is a turtle girl in the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” universe, as Jennika, wearing her yellow headband, recently joined the group in the comics.
However, did you know that before Jennika, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael had another companion as the fifth member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? If not, let us now introduce Venus, the Forgotten Ninja Turtle.
Venus is the fifth turtle that also underwent the mutation that transformed Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael into turtles with human characteristics. However, she was separated from the other turtles and grew up in China, where she was adopted by a shinobi master who named her Mei Pieh Chi.
The character wears a light blue mask with elaborate ties at the back, similar to a ponytail. She is skilled in the mystical arts of shinobi and uses mystical orbs in combat, differentiating herself from the other four turtles, who are skilled in Ninjutsu.
Due to her isolation and protection in China, Venus demonstrates little knowledge of modern culture and Western customs.
Venus debuts in the television series “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation”, which aired from 1997 to 1998 in the United States. The attraction had a single season consisting of 26 episodes. Venus was part of the core group of protagonists throughout the series.
Created specifically for this series, the character was not part of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mythology, nor in the comics and previous cartoon series.
At the beginning of the series, they introduce the story of Venus during a five-episode arc called “East Meets West.”
The girl was one of five mutant turtles exposed to a mutagen in the sewers. However, she was accidentally separated from the other turtles by Master Splinter.
The turtle is found and cared for by Chung I, a master shinobi, who takes it to China. There, he raised her as his daughter and named her Mei Pieh Chi, teaching her the shinobi arts.
Chung I and Master Splinter occasionally met in the Dream Realm, where they secretly shared stories about their turtles. However, one day, while Splinter was meditating, he was unexpectedly trapped in the Dream Realm by evil humanoid dragons. These dragons were originally contained in a mirror by Chung I, but managed to escape and attack the shinobi master, thus capturing Splinter’s spirit.
On his deathbed, Chung I revealed his true origin to Mei Pai Chi. He then leaves for New York and joins the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to save Splinter. With his mystical abilities, she leads the boys into the dream world to save their master’s spirit.
In fact, the name “Venus” was given to the turtle Mei Pieh Chi when she joined the other four turtles in New York, years after her mutation. This nickname arose following a battle in which Mei Pieh Chi found a statue of a woman with damaged arms.
After winning this battle, Mei Pieh Chi took the statue to the Ninja Turtles’ lair, which led Michelangelo to name it “Venus de Milo”, in reference to the famous ancient Greek statue.
Venus is a controversial character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. After his appearance in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation”, the character no longer appeared in the official media of subsequent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The implication with the character is not so precise. An important factor can be attributed to the fiasco of “The Next Mutation” series, which was considered low quality by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans.
Another important factor is that Peter Laird, one of the creators of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, hates the character.
Laird has expressed his opinion on his blog that Venus represents the epitome of superficiality and lack of originality in Hollywood. He argued that the industry often chooses to follow established formulas rather than pursue genuine innovation and creativity, exemplifying this idea with the following reasoning: “If four turtles are successful, then five would be even better.”
The screenwriter and director of the film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Returns” (2007), Kevin Munroe, revealed in an interview that Laird established a series of rules for the adaptation of the film, among which was the prohibition of mentioning the character.
However, in 2022, Venus made a surprising reappearance in the franchise through the pages of IDW comics, receiving a new origin story and an update to her design.
The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Already Had a Fifth Member: Meet Venus, a Forgotten Character appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
