Master Splinter

Splinter
Artwork for the cover of TMNT Micro-Series vol. 5, June, 2012. Art by David Petersen.
Publication information
Publisher	Mirage Studios
First appearance	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984)
Created by	Kevin Eastman Peter Laird
In-story information
Team affiliations	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Notable aliases	Hamato Yoshi Master Splinter Hamato Splinter
Abilities	Highly skilled master of ninjutsu High intellect Master of stealth Keen sense of smell

Splinter, by his students often called Master Splinter, is a fictional character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media.

Splinter has three origin stories, and which one is used depends on the medium. In the original version of the tale, he is Hamato Yoshi's pet. In other versions he is Hamato Yoshi himself, but always mutated into the form of a human-sized rat. In one film version, he is a mutant rat with no connection to Yoshi.

In both the original comics and the live-action movies, Splinter is the pet rat of a ninja named Hamato Yoshi in Japan. Intelligent for his species, Splinter is able to learn ninjutsu art by mimicking his master's movements while he practiced. Yoshi becomes embroiled in a dispute with a fellow ninja by the name of Oroku Nagi, and is eventually murdered by Nagi's brother, Oroku Saki, who is seeking revenge for his brother's death. However, in the 1990 film and 2003 TV series Nagi is removed entirely. Additionally in the 1990 film, Splinter escapes from his cage during the murder, and attacks Saki, clawing at his face. Saki in turn slices his ear off. It is suggested that this mutilation is the reason Saki took the Shredder disguise to hide the scars. In contrast, in the 2003 TMNT cartoon it was Hun's face who Splinter clawed.

Without a home, Splinter is forced to run away and live in New York City's sewers. Due to a traffic accident, four baby turtles and a canister of radioactive ooze are sent down into the sewer. The canister mutates both Splinter and the turtles. Splinter names the four turtles Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo (after a book on Renaissance artists that he found in a storm drain) and trains them in the arts of ninjutsu, so that they can take revenge for his dead master, while raising them as his own sons.