April O'Neil is an ally and older sister or even motherly-figure to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She is voiced by Veronica Taylor.
Appearance
April is a slim, redheaded woman with pale skin, and due to her appearance and name, she may be of Irish descent. As time goes on, she develops a bit of a muscular tone to her limbs. Her primary outfit is a purple crop top, baggy khaki pants and dark blue shoes. Her hair is normally made into a bun in the back. Nobody has any idea why April's midriff is exposed too much, and how is no one aware of it.
Back to the Sewer, her design is streamlined to emulate her 2007 film. Her normal civilian clothes consist of a pink t-shirt with a white rectangle, a pair of gray jeans, brown bracelets with blue and purple shoes. Her hair, still in a bun, is more of an orange or light auburn colour. In battle, she tends to wear a yellow jumpsuit reminiscent of her 2007 movie appearance, as well as Bruce Lee.
Personality
April is smart and intuitive. Despite the weirdness she is thrust into on a daily basis since her attempted assassination by her boss, she has been able to acclimate eventually to where nothing at all seems to be too weird for her.
Despite Casey's brutishness, ill-temper, and low intelligence, she falls for him in a true case of "opposites attract". But it could also be due to his inherent kindness and honesty.
April gets along with Donatello the best of the Turtles, as she's the only one who he can talk to about anything scientific.
Powers and skills
- Scientific knowledge: April is gifted in technology-based science, as she was Baxter Stockman's lab assistant and a programmer in the Mousers' operating system. While her fields of knowledge extend a bit beyond tech, that is where she finds herself most at home.
- Nurturing: April is essentially a big sister and "Team mom" to the Turtles.
- Aviation: April can fly a helicopter.
- Ninjutsu: April gradually learns ninja fighting skills from Splinter and from osmosis due to close proximity to other ninja.
Weapons and Equipment
- Spear: When trapped in the world of the Giant wasps, she fashions a spear and is shown to be handy with it.
- Katana: April wields a single katana in Back to the Sewer, similar to her and 2007 film incarnations.
- Ying's Ring: As a result of wearing the Ying's Ring, April becomes demonically possessed and gradually transforms into a monstrous form, gaining several powers to go with it. See that page for specific abilities granted.
Personality
Just as in the Mirage comics, April started out as a 23-year-old science assistant to Dr. Baxter Stockman, the creator of the Mousers, but later helps the Ninja Turtles in their fight against The Shredder. Likewise, April owned an antique store which came under attack by The Shredder and the Foot Clan, who have come for the Turtles, and was destroyed in the ensuing battle. However, when she returned home from the Northampton farmhouse where she had been staying, she decided to re-open the store.
In the episode, Secret Origins, Part 3, the creators of the show paid homage to the original cartoon series by having April don a familiar yellow jumpsuit. This also includes a pinned label that reads "9," but during a mock interview it slips, turning into the familiar "6." Posing as a reporter in order to help the Turtles escape from the T.C.R.I. building, April stalls the military and buys the Turtles enough time to defeat the Shredder. Upon their escape, Leonardo jokes that April seems to have an aptitude for a career as a reporter; she responds with a sarcastic "Maybe in another lifetime."
April is also shown to have an attraction to Casey Jones, though their contrasting personalities often make them bicker. By the third season, the two are shown to be dating and appear to have developed a serious relationship. In the Fast Forward season, it is revealed that the two eventually marry and have children. In the series' actual plotline, the development between April and Casey is finally consummated in the episodes The Engagement Ring and Wedding Bells and Bytes.
This version of April makes much more use of her scientific expertise, and she often uses her computer skills to aid the Turtles. This has also meant that she has developed a closer relationship with Donatello, who shares many of her interests. Truthfully, according to a bio book given to Toys 'R' Us, they share more of a brother/sister relationship, similar to that of twins. She is also revealed to have earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of New York.
April also has developed modest combat skills after training with Splinter. Her quick thinking is often key to the Turtles' survival. Indeed, in the second season episode of April's Artifact, the Turtles refer to her as 'Jungle Girl' when they are accidentally sucked into a jungle-like realm and she demonstrates the mentality and skills of a natural fighter and survivalist. She is voiced by Veronica Taylor.
Fast Forward
In the Fast Forward season, it is revealed that in the future, April, Don and Casey founded O'Neil Tech and that she and Casey have children leading up to Cody Jones in the year 2105. April and Casey do not appear in this season in person, but many references are made to them, especially by her great-grandson Cody, and their voices are used as the narration in the episode "The Journal."
Back To The Sewer
In Back to the Sewer, April, now 27, sometimes helps Donatello in collecting Master Splinter's data bits. Casey eventually comes up with the courage to propose to April. When Casey places the ring he proposes to April with on her finger, it does not take very long for her to fall to the Ring of Yin's dark powers and evolve into a monster. However, all ends well when Casey removes the ring from April's finger, and they, along with the Turtles, immediately talk about the wedding that comes along later.
April and Casey intended to get married, though they were visited by several different allies and friends. One of which being Angel, who she hugged quickly after first seeing her. At the wedding and while changing, she told Michelangelo that he was the "Best bridesmaid ever". After telling him this, she came out and asked him how she looked. After Splinter failed to retrieve her for the wedding, April came to the turtles and Casey and asked them if everything was okay. After Splinter was thrown around, April fought several of Cyber Shredder's minions with the turtles and Casey. After seeing Casey was okay, she came up to him and hugged him in relief. Later, the two were finally able to get married.
In this season, April's hair colour changes from red to auburn. Nonetheless, she remains a redhead, but with a different colour.
Trivia
- Her favourite colour is red.
- Her favourite food has been stated to be chocolate.
- Her favourite author has been stated to be Robert Fulghum. Because his books help her find peace in the whirlwind of chaos that usually surrounds her.
Quotes
- Don't call me babe.