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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Character Profile
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is releasing in theaters everywhere August 2nd, 2023. With this new, younger, iteration of the Turtles comes a huge cast of classic mutant adversaries! Most are familiar or even popular, but why not revisit their histories and get a refresher on who they are! Now let’s get a breakdown for the raddest dude on 4 wheels, Mondo Gecko!
1987 ORIGINS
There are several origins for the character of Mondo Gecko, and all pretty much revolve around a human, metal head, skateboarding enthusiast that mutates after contact with mutagen and a lizard. However in the 1987 animated series, Mondo Gecko, voiced by John Mariano, was once a gecko that was exposed to the same mutagen that transformed the turtles. He was found and picked up by a mysterious criminal known as Mr. X, who raised him to become a professional thief. Michelangelo would have had dreams remembering the existence of Mondo investigates. When he meets Mondo Gecko, he learns he is being used by Mr. X and convinces him to ditch the life of crime and fight for good!
2012 NICKELODEON SERIES
In the 2012 Nickelodeon series, Mondo, voiced by Robbie Rist, is introduced as Jason, a teenage skateboarding star who was skating home one night when a vial of mutagen fell on his head. As he placed his pet leopard gecko, Lars, on his shoulder, he mutates and is abandoned by his parents to the streets, where he is taken in as an errand boy by the criminal Fishface. Mondo meets Michelangelo and Casey Jones, and eventually sees the true colors of his boss. He later befriends Muckman and is recruited as a transportation specialist for the Mighty Mutanimals!
IDW COMICS
In the more recent IDW comic series, Mondo Gecko is created by Old Hob, along with Herbert the Hermit Crab, as a soldier for his mutant army to sieze control of the New York city streets, using a sample of Splinter’s mutated blood and mutagen stolen from Stockgen. Mondo eventually meets Splinter and the Turtles and immediately bonds with Michelangelo. After a deal goes bad in an alley between Old Hob, Bepop and Rocksteady, and the Turtles, Mondo realizes he’s on the wrong side.
MUTANT MAYHEM: PERFECT CASTING
Not much is known about the plot of Mutant Mayhem, but just from the trailer it seems that Mondo’s story will probably be along the same lines as the IDW comics story: A mutant army is created for sinister purposes, but under the guise of a noble creed, which is to protect mutants against humans. Mondo Gecko will be voiced by the hilarious and always chill Paul Rudd. With a couple on animated features already under his belt, Monsters Vs. Aliens and Sausage Party, Rudd has the experience in the booth and on the screen to bring Mondo Gecko to life in an authentic and hilarious way. It feels like a match made in mutagen!
