Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin- Which turtle was the Last Ronin? Comic storyline explained
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin recently became the talk of the town when The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the title would be getting an R-rated adaptation in the future. The comic in discussion is one of the most influential Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles narratives of the last few years and tells a rather dark story, resulting in its R rating.
The title is set in the distant future and follows the last remaining turtle on a revenge path. The identity of the turtle is something that is kept under wraps for a while as the comic has readers guessing who is behind the hood and the mask.
The turtle is eventually revealed to be Michelangelo, who seeks revenge against those responsible for the death of his family.
Who is the Last Ronin in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is a comic book written by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz with art by Esau and Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Eastman. It's a five-issue comic book series set in the distant future where readers follow a lone turtle, revealed to be Michelangelo, haunted by the death of his brothers.
In the future, New York City is ruled by the late Shredder's grandson, Oroku Hiroto, who is responsible for the death of Michelangelo's brothers, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello. Fans then learn that the final turtle, a.k.a. the Last Ronin, is now seeking revenge on Hiroto.
However, his identity is kept a secret for a massive chunk of the comic. His identity is revealed when the turtle attempts seppuku and is saved by an older April O'Neil. The latter reveals that he is Michelangelo, meaning that Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello are dead in this universe. This revelation comes as a shock since Michelangelo is the comedic relief of the turtle group, and fans don't expect to see him take a darker path.
Does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin have sequels?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin was followed up by two sequels. The first one titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years released in 2023. The comic was a prequel/sequel that saw Casie Marie Jones train the next generation of turtles and also featured Michelangelo training for his fight with Oroku.
The third comic, titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution, released in March 2024 and followed the new generation of turtles protecting New York as they were led by their sensei Casie Marie Jones.
However, it is important to note that these stories aren't canon to the mainline TMNT comics and operate in a universe of their own.
R-rated film and a game are in development too
Over the years, the comic has gained quite a steady fanbase, and it was reported by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week that an R-rated film based on The Last Ronin is in development at Paramount Pictures. Walter Hamada will reportedly be producing the movie. A game based on the book is said to be in development as well, as per THQ Nordic.
However, further details on both projects are currently awaited.