Warning: Spoilers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2Brotherhood is at the core of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, but Michelangelo's relationship with his brothers just took a shocking turn. After decades of working together, recent circumstances have driven the TMNT apart, and Mikey's resentment towards his siblings has reached a breaking point. Michelangelo officially takes a stand against his Raphael and the others, changing their relationship forever.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 – written by Jason Aaron, with art by Rafael Albuquerque, Marcelo Maiolo, and Shawn Lee follows Michelangelo in the aftermath of a mysterious falling-out with his brothers. Without his siblings to rely on, Michelangelo has become a famous TV star and built a life for himself on his own. Now, his ninja past comes back to haunt him as he gets ambushed by ninjas. Raphael shows up just in time to save him, but instead of fighting the ninjas alongside his brother, Mikey makes an unexpected move and attacks him.

Michelangelo's pent-up resentment towards his brothers reaches a devastating crescendo when he and Raphael clash, and the turtles' brotherly bond may never be the way it once was as brother fights brother in an all-out brawl.

Michelangelo Fights Raphael, Permanently Upending Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Status Quo

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 – Written By Jason Aaron; Art By Rafael Albuquerque, Marcelo Maiolo, & Shawn Lee

Michelangelo's easygoing life of fame and fortune means he's let his guard down, which gives ninjas the perfect opportunity to strike. It's revealed that they poisoned the pizza he just ate, causing Mikey to visualize his brothers attacking him rather than his actual assailants. Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello engage Mikey in battle while ridiculing his lifestyle, and he has no choice but to fight back. Then the poison wears off, but Mikey's rage towards his brothers doesn't subside; instead, once he encounters the real Raphael, Michelangelo unleashes his fury upon him with a strike right in the face.

In his darkest era since The Last Ronin, Michelangelo lets his grudge against his brothers get the better of him. His anger with Raphael and the others stems largely from the fact that they've "abandoned" him, as he puts it, leaving him alone when he's so used to counting on them through thick and thin. Therefore, upon encountering Raphael after their long period of separation, he isn't thrilled to see him. It isn't the ninjas' poison that drives him to attack Raphael. It's Michelangelo's own fury, befitting his current character shift from the goofiest turtle to a more serious role.

Michelangelo Has Finally Outgrown His "Party Dude" Reputation

But The Other Ninja Turtles Still See The "Old" Mikey

Throughout TMNT history, Michelangelo has been known as a "party dude". He's the comic relief of the team's lineup, always eating pizza and cracking jokes at inopportune moments. On the surface, in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2, it looks like Mikey is leaning into that persona more than ever. He smiles for the cameras while filming his ninja TV show and gives paparazzi the performance they want. When he's alone, though, Michelangelo reveals that he doesn't care for the party scene anymore, and he's become introspective and solemn in general. Party dude Michelangelo is officially no more.

Michelangelo's "party dude" nickname originates from the theme song of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, with lyrics and vocals by Chuck Lorre.

Despite Mikey's evolution as a character, he remains the immature slacker he was before to the other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When his poisoned pizza causes him to hallucinate his brothers, they all call him out for never growing up, even though it's evident that he finally has while making a name for himself in Tokyo. Michelangelo believes that his brothers will never see him as more than a one-note party dude, which fuels his bitterness towards them. As Raphel and Michelangelo reunite, the time has come for this festering conflict to be settled one way or another.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Bold New Era Splits The Brothers Up

Can Michelangelo & His Brothers Still Make Amends?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' new series kicks off with the turtles separated, in a subversion of their usual status quo. Instead of operating as a team in New York City, they've scattered across the globe and are each embarking on their own journey. In the first issue, Raphael gets locked up in prison and framed for murder, and now Mikey's fate has been shown with his celebrity era. The reasoning for the brothers' division is yet to be seen, but it seems to be catastrophic if it's led to such deep-seated frustration on Michelangelo's part.

Michelangelo may have turned against his brothers, but there's a chance that they can rebuild their relationship – depending on how their fight plays out.

Although Mikey's managed to pave his own star-studded path in Tokyo, it isn't enough to replace what he had with his brothers in New York. Even after he dines at the fanciest restaurant money can buy, all he can think about is that the real best meal he's ever had was the pizza he shared with his brothers in a sewer. Michelangelo may have turned against his brothers, but there's a chance that they can rebuild their relationship - depending on how their fight plays out. Michelangelo and Raphael's battle to decide the future of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 is available now from IDW Publishing.