Leatherhead

Leatherhead (a.k.a. Lead-head, Big Guy, Jaws)

Leatherhead is a mutated Alligator with increased intelligence and anger issues that the turtles meet.

Physical Description

Body Features

Leatherhead is a massive, 8 foot tall, anthropomorphic alligator with hulking proportions. He stands on two legs and is very muscular. He has a long alligator snout lined with a snaggle toothed grin, and ridges that go from the top of his head, down his back, to the end of his large tail. His skin is black with a pale white underbelly. He has green eyes with a reptilian pupil when he's normal and calm, but when he goes into his rage mode, his inner eyelid will close, making his eye appear white.

Special abilities

Leatherheads mutation caused him to become massive in size. His muscular body makes him one of the strongest humanoid mutants around, able to break and bend steel with enough effort. His jaw strength alone can crush bones and tear a living creature in two. But he is not all brawn. The mutagen also jumpstarted his brain and allowed him to absorb information at a rapid rate, making him incredibly intelligent as well.

Apparel & Accessories

Leatherhead doesn't where much in regards to clothing, as it feels unnatural to him. Not only does he swim a lot, but not much will fit his massive size. The most he wears is cloth wrappings on his arms and legs, and a loin cloth around his waist.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Leatherhead was born a normal American alligator in Florida. When he was only few years he had wondered onto someone's property and they chased him off with a gun, shooting him several times. He escaped with his life but he was badly injured and couldn't eat without assistance. He was eventually found by a fisherman named Carlo, who felt pity for how weak the alligator was, so he brought it to his property to nurse him back to health. Carlo would feed the alligator by hand and treat his wounds, and allowed him to recover in the pond on his property.
Once the alligator had grown strong enough, Carlo attempted to release him back in the river, but Leatherhead would keep coming back to the property. He was shockingly gentle for an alligator and never attacked Carlo, so he decided to keep him as a pet, giving him the name Leatherhead. Carlo was aware how dangerous Leatherhead could be, but they had an unspoken bond with each other, and he trusted the animal.
During a routine walk by the beach that he would take Leatherhead on occasionally, Leatherhead encountered a canister of Mutagen that had broken open on the rocks. Thinking it was food, Leatherhead began drinking the green ooze, until Carlo had to pull him away, rightfully assuming it to be a dangerous chemical. They went home ASAP, but Leatherhead soon grew sick, and would writhe around like he was sick. Carlo feared that whatever he had eaten was killing him, but he couldn't have expected what would happen next.
One morning Carlo went to check on Leatherhead, and instead he found he'd grown significantly and now had human arms and legs, He was even more startled when the hulking beast woke up and mumbled "Buenos dias" in the same tone Carlo would greet him in the mornings. After a moment of extreme confusion, they both realized that Leatherhead had mutated into a half alligator, half human hybrid. Not only that, Leatherhead's mind was developing rapidly. Within days he was able to read, use objects with his new hands, and speak full sentences. Suddenly Leatherhead was no longer a pet, but a son.
Leatherhead picked up on human concepts very quickly, and found an interest in learning about the world, absorbing information into his mutated brain at a rapid rate. It wouldn't be long before he had the brain of an adult, but he did struggle with one thing. Leatherhead had moments where he would go into an animalistic rage that he couldn't control. He would black out during this moments and become violent and destructive. Carlo still loved him regardless, but Leatherhead knew that it wasn't sustainable.
He wanted to learn more about mutagen so that he could try and control or stop these outbursts, and manage to track where the canister may have come from based on ocean currents. He had asked Carlo if he may travel north to learn more about where the mutagen came from and about his condition, but Carlo forbid it. He insisted humans would treat him like a monster and try to kill him if they saw him. This upset Leatherhead and the ensuing argument triggered a blackout. When he came to he and the room was covered in blood. He was certain he had killed Carlo, and he ran away into the river in shame.
Eventually he would follow the scent of mutagen and swim all the way to New York to find the source of it, where he would meet the turtles.

Education

Leatherhead is entirely self taught. Carlo helped him learn a lot of the basics of being human, but he learned about math and science from books and the internet.

Mental Trauma

Leatherhead has had a lot of problems come from his black outs. They are usually triggered by strong emotions like fear or anger, and he'll completely lose control of his actions during them. He has issues with emotional regulation so these outbursts can be triggered rather easily. They can be only a few minutes long, or on bad days, hours or days long. Usually he can snap out of it by being talked down from them, and if the people around him prove to not be a threat.
He is deeply ashamed of these outbursts and is afraid to get close to people in fear that he will hurt someone. As far as he knows, he's already hurt someone he cared a lot about, and nightmares of that day still plague him.

Intellectual Characteristics

Despite his appearance as a hulking brute, Leatherhead's intelligence rivals even Donatello's. He has an interest in mathematics, computer science, and marine biology. But he also has a particular vested interest in researching how mutagen works and effects living creatures.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Leatherhead's greatest desire is to understand himself better and put an end to his violent outbursts, or at least learn how to manage them. But he also wishes to help other mutants like him and form a community of like minded beings.

Likes & Dislikes

________	Likes	Dislikes
Color	Purple
Food	Casado, Olla de Carne, Meat	Fruit
Music	Reggae, Latin	Electronic, EDM
Activities	Swimming, Computers, cooking, dancing, watching Spanish dramas.	Being overstimulated.
Book	Neptune’s Ark – David Rains Wallace, Moby Dick
Game	Later Alligator

Virtues & Personality perks

Leatherhead is a strong, intelligent man as well as an compassionate one. He is the kind of man that believes in returning the kindness that others give to you. He is loyal and always there to help out with a project or just give advice if needed. His skills make him a powerful ally to have in a fight.

Vices & Personality flaws

He is a lonely man, who is too afraid to let people close to him, due two his violent outbursts. He has issues managing his emotions and can get stressed and angry very easily, so it often feels like walking on egg shells around him.

Social

Family Ties

The closet thing to family Leatherhead had was Carlo, the fisherman that saved him. Carlo was an immigrant from Costa Rica, and Leatherhead absorbed much of his culture into his own personality. His biggest shame was hurting him during on of his outbursts, though he never confirmed whether or not Carlo had actually died that day, he is not ready for the answer.

Mannerisms

Leatherhead is a mild mannered man for his size, one could even call him a gentle giant. He's less like a mean gator man and more like a big puppy. He tries his best to be careful and gentle when he uses objects or touches people, as he has a tendency to be a bit clumsy. He speaks very softly and eloquently, and has a district Spanish accent. He also often speaks in the same Costa Rican dialect he heard when living with Carlo.

Relationships

Leatherhead

Friend

Towards Donatello

4

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Donatello

Friend

Towards Leatherhead

4

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History

Leatherhead didn't start off on a good foot with the Turtles. He was always enraged when he first emerged from the water on a beach they were hanging out on, and as soon as they drew their weapons in defense, he attacked them. It was only after Mikey had managed to calm him down that he was able to explain himself.
Donatello was the most excited to meet another mutant like them. Sure they had Splinter, but Leatherhead was once an animal like they were. They immediately hit it off when they began talking about computers, and once everything and settled down, Donatello was the first to help him set up a place to stay on the beach.
Donnie and Leatherhead would go searching for computer parts to help Leatherhead set up in an old beach house, all the while sharing their theories about mutagen and mutant biology. They would also fix up the boats outside together.

Nicknames & Petnames

Pepino - to Donnie.

Relationship Reasoning

Donatello looks up to Leatherhead almost like an uncle figure. It's not often he can talk to a fellow mutant of the same caliber of intelligence as him, so it gives him someone other than his immediate family he can talk to and relate to. Leatherhead is also more mature than say, April, so he acts as another adult he can go to for advice. Leatherhead is more then happy to hang out with Donatello, and finds him to be a good kid with the potential to do great things in the world.
Story Spoilers

When Donnie develops Mutagen Poisoning from an Oozequito bite and starts double mutating, Leatherhead is the first person he actually tells about the situation, as he doesn't trust his own family to help without freaking out.

Leatherhead

Friend

Towards Michelangelo

4

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Michelangelo

Friend

Towards Leatherhead

4

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History

Leatherhead's first encounter with the turtles didn't leave a good impression. He emerged from the water while the turtles were hanging out on the beach, and they quickly drew their weapons in self defense. This sent Leatherhead into one of his black out rages and he attacked the turtles.
Mikey was the first one to notice that he seemed to have some control of his actions as he avoided disturbing a nest of baby sea turtles mid rampage. Mikey used this as an opportunity to try to get through to him, dropping his weapons and speaking to him calmly, even offering him food. This was enough to shake him out of it and he profusely apologized for attacking them.
After explaining himself the turtles forgave him and were eager to help him on his mission.

Nicknames & Petnames

Pequeño - to Mikey.

Relationship Reasoning

Mikey likes hanging out with Leatherhead cause he's cool and big and another mutant like him. Mikey is one of the few people who can talk him down when he has an outburst, as he's sympathetic of what he's going through and won't treat him like a monster.

Species

Mutant

Mutant Type

American Alligator

Age

20-somthing (Physically)

Date of Birth

Sometime in 2013-2014

Birthplace

A Florida bayou.

Spouses

Siblings

Current Residence

Leatherhead's Dockhouse

Gender

Male

Eyes

Green

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Black

Height

8' ft.

Known Languages

English

Spanish

Ruled Locations

• Leatherhead's Dock house