Dark Leonardo is Leonardo himself under Kitsune’s influence. During City Fall, she twists his memories and turns him into Shredder’s second-in-command, setting him against his own family.
In this video, I tell his story and explain how he escapes the Foot Clan.
In this article
- Who he is and why he wears a black mask
- How he becomes Shredder’s ally
- His rescue and the lasting effects on Leonardo
- Which comics tell his story
- How he differs from Fast Forward, Nickelodeon, and Deviations
- The Dark Leonardo Funko Pop
- Frequently asked questions
Who Is Dark Leonardo, and Why Does He Wear a Black Mask?
In IDW’s continuity, Dark Leonardo is an identity forced on Leonardo through magic and manipulated memories. He still has his fighting skills, discipline, and ability to lead. The difference is that he now believes Oroku Saki, better known as Shredder, is his true master.
The switch from blue to black makes this version instantly recognizable. His new mask comes with armor and weapons that reflect his place in the Foot Clan. Shredder appoints him chūnin, making him the organization’s second-in-command.
That is what makes fighting him so difficult. His brothers see the Leonardo they know, but he sees enemies who abandoned him. Bringing him home means earning back his trust and breaking Kitsune’s hold.
Dark Leonardo’s Story in City Fall
Spoilers ahead for City Fall and its aftermath.
The Trap: Casey Jones Is the Bait, Leonardo Is the Target
Shredder wants to bring New York’s gangs under his control and crush the Hamato Clan’s resistance. His ambush serves two purposes: draw the Turtles out of hiding and capture their leader.
The Foot Clan kidnaps Raphael and Casey Jones. Raphael escapes and warns Splinter and his brothers. Leonardo suspects a trap, but leaving Casey in enemy hands is not an option.
At the docks, Shredder seriously wounds Casey to provoke the Turtles. Raphael charges into battle, and the others follow. During the fight, Alopex hits Leonardo with a dart that knocks him unconscious. The Foot ninjas carry him away.
His family faces an immediate choice: pursue the kidnappers or get Casey to a hospital. They choose to save Casey’s life. Kitsune will use that separation to convince Leonardo that the people he loves betrayed him.
Kitsune Rewrites What His Memories Mean
Kitsune, an ancient being connected to the Pantheon, is the key to Shredder’s plan. Her powers let her enter Leonardo’s mind and change how he sees his family and Shredder.
She uses his fears and emotional ties to build a false reality in which the Hamato Clan is no longer a source of safety. Oroku Saki becomes the person who deserves his obedience and loyalty. Dark Leonardo is born.
The conditioning is still fragile. When Leonardo gets a chance to attack his family, Shredder stops him on Kitsune’s advice. Pushing him into an irreversible act too soon could undo her work.
The Family Searches for Help as the Foot Gains Ground
While Casey recovers, his father resumes his identity as Hun and his position among the Purple Dragons. Out on the streets, the Foot Clan moves against rival gangs. Shredder uses the Turtles’ crisis to strengthen his grip on the city.
The search for Leonardo leads the Hamato Clan to Old Hob and Slash. Hob plays both sides and steers the Turtles into a confrontation with the Foot. There, they discover Leonardo fighting for their enemy. Slash intervenes, giving the family a chance to escape.
Splinter later agrees to work with Old Hob in exchange for help rescuing his son. Their alliance includes a raid on StockGen for mutagen, advancing Hob’s plans to assemble a team of mutants.
Raphael, meanwhile, blames himself for charging in at the docks. Donatello and Michelangelo look for him to bring the group back together. Rescuing Leonardo remains their priority, even if it means relying on people they cannot fully trust.
Karai Loses Her Place and Plans Her Next Move
Leonardo’s arrival also disrupts the Foot’s hierarchy. Karai watches Shredder hand a newly captured enemy the position she believes should be hers. Alopex does not receive the recognition she expected, either.
Karai responds with a project of her own: creating Bebop and Rocksteady. The two mutants become a new fighting force for the clan. Meanwhile, Donatello and April seek Harold’s technical help as they prepare the rescue.
How Does Leonardo Rejoin His Brothers?
Kitsune’s control starts to crack. Leonardo has visions of Tang Shen, his mother in his previous human life. In this continuity, the Hamato family’s memories of feudal Japan are part of its history and help explain its conflict with Oroku Saki.
The breaking point comes during a meeting Shredder arranges with the city’s gangs. When Saki executes the Savate leader, Leonardo remembers the violence he suffered at the same man’s hands in his previous life. The image of a protective master no longer fits what he remembers.
Splinter, the Turtles, and their allies break in to rescue him. Casey and Angel, Hun, Karai, Bebop, and Rocksteady also take part in the clash. Shredder seriously injures Splinter. Alopex turns against Shredder, but Karai intervenes.
Amid the fighting, returning memories, and his family’s efforts to reach him, Leonardo chooses to escape with his brothers. Old Hob helps cover their retreat. Shredder keeps control of New York’s criminal underworld, and Karai regains her place as second-in-command.
Rescue Does Not Erase What Happened
Leaving the Foot Clan does not immediately restore Leonardo’s sense of self. The manipulation leaves him questioning his memories, his family, and his own decisions. The group takes refuge in Northampton, where his emotional recovery continues.
His black mask ends up with Slash, creating a visual connection between the two characters. For Leonardo, letting go of that symbol is only a first step. He still has to rebuild the trust Kitsune damaged.
That is the most compelling part of this storyline. His family can get him away from Shredder, but feeling like he belongs with them again takes time.
Which Comics Should You Read for Dark Leonardo?
This story belongs to IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which began in 2011. Check the issues included in each collected edition before buying: collections and translated editions can use different titles and volume numbering.
For the Full Conflict and Its Aftermath
- TMNT: The IDW Collection, Volume 3. Collects issues #21–28, the 2012 annual, and villain one-shots featuring Old Hob, Alopex, Karai, Hun, Bebop and Rocksteady, and Shredder. It brings this stretch of the main series together with its companion stories. See IDW’s official listing.
- TMNT: The IDW Collection, Volume 4. Continues with issues #29–37, plus Utrom Empire and the 2014 annual. It covers the period after City Fall, when the Turtles take refuge in the countryside. Check the contents in the distributor’s catalog.
For a Character-Focused Collection
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Best of Dark Leo is a 100-page special published in September 2024. It collects stories featuring this side of Leonardo. For the wider conflict and its parallel storylines, the collections above offer a more complete reading experience.
Other Dark Versions of Leonardo: How Are They Related?
The name Dark Leonardo can be confusing because the shows and comics have explored similar ideas. A black mask or outfit does not always identify the Leonardo controlled by Kitsune.
Nickelodeon: Leonardo in Black
In Broken Foot, from the 2012 series, Leonardo secretly works with Karai and Shinigami against the Foot Clan. He may look like Dark Leonardo, but the circumstances are different: he is making his own choices. Paramount+ lists it as Season 4, Episode 16.
In the fifth season’s End Times, all four Turtles also wear dark outfits. The visual similarity is easy to spot, but those costumes belong to a different story in a separate continuity.
Fast Forward: A Clone of Leonardo
The Dark Turtles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward are clones of the four brothers, with different bodies and personalities. They are introduced in Bad Blood.
Here, the dark Leonardo is a separate individual from the original hero. That is the crucial difference from IDW’s story: in City Fall, the family is trying to bring back its own brother.
Deviations: All Four Turtles Work for Shredder
Published in 2016, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Deviations imagines an alternate outcome to City Fall: what if Shredder gained control of all four Turtles? Splinter must organize a different resistance to try to save them.
This alternate-history one-shot was written by Tom Waltz and illustrated by Zach Howard. Read it as a variation on the original conflict, keeping its events separate from the main series’ resolution. IDW’s original solicitation is reproduced here.
The Dark Leonardo Funko Pop and Its 25,000-Piece Run
Funko adapted IDW’s design for Pop! Comics Dark Leonardo #38, a PREVIEWS exclusive. The distributor’s catalog announced it for February 14, 2024, with a run of 25,000 pieces.
The figure includes his black mask, front armor plate, katanas, and hand-mounted blades. It stands approximately 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) tall, and Funko’s product number is 76914. You can check those details in Funko’s official listing and the PREVIEWS announcement.
The announced quantity describes the figure’s production run. It does not tell you how many remain available or guarantee a particular resale price.
Dark Leonardo FAQ
Is Dark Leonardo a Clone?
In IDW’s comics, he is the original Leonardo under Kitsune’s influence. The version in Fast Forward is part of a group of clones.
Does Leonardo Join the Foot Clan Willingly?
During City Fall, Kitsune alters his memories and his perception of his family. His loyalty to Shredder comes from that manipulation.
Who Turns Leonardo into Dark Leonardo?
Kitsune uses her powers to condition him as part of Shredder’s plan to defeat his enemies and take over New York.
Why Does Slash Also Wear a Black Mask?
The mask Leonardo wears during this storyline ends up with Slash. That connection is part of the aftermath of City Fall.
Does Leonardo Become Good Again?
He escapes with his family. His recovery continues after the rescue because Kitsune’s manipulation leaves lasting damage to his trust and memories.
Explore more characters and stories in ArcadeBot’s TMNT archive.