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In the IDW continuity, Tang Shen was the wife of Hamato Yoshi during his previous human life in feudal Japan, and the mother of his four sons.
Personality[]
Tang Shen is naturally tranquil and kind, comforting the Turtles and Hamato Yoshi when they struggle. Her loyalty to those she loves is quite strong, shown in her refusal to reach Nirvāṇa without Yoshi in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder in Hell issue 4. Shen is perceptive. She sees beyond the surface of things as displayed in her conversation with Donatello in Vengeance, part 1 and beyond Oroku Saki's manipulation as shown in her awareness of the dynamic between Saki and Yoshi in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time issue 2.
History[]
Shen has been a gardener and horticulturist since she was a child as stated in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sourcebook issue 1. As a young girl, Shen regularly witnessed Saki and Yoshi fiercely yet joyously playing together in the woods as she collected cuttings and seeds for her garden, but avoided them in fear of the anger they exhibited and riled in one another.
It wasn't until years later when Shen, anticipating an opportunity to speak with him, first met Yoshi while hemeditated on his anger near a river in Splinter. However, he was startled by her approach and fell into the river. Shen suggested building a fire to allow him to dry and talked to him as they sat beside it. They became a couple later and eventually married, living together on a hillside. After a severely injured Yoshi returned from a clan mission to assassinate Lord Ochi, Shen informed him that she was pregnant with her and Yoshi's first child. However, Shen and her positive influence on Yoshi was resented by Saki.
Shen attended the nighttime celebration that was thrown in The Secret History of the Foot Clan issue 2 to revel in the success of the assignment Saki and Yoshi had been given to avenge the death of Kaneko's son by assassinating Lord Ochi. Shen was left by Yoshi at some point during the celebration so he could talk with Masato and she was approached by Saki, aware that he only philandered with her to upset Yoshi. She struck Saki across the face once he touched her waist during his flirtation and was nearly slapped back by him before Yoshi intervened.
Shen gave birth to four sons over the next few years, and was happy with her life. When Yoshi enraged Saki with open criticism of his hunger for power and bloodthirstiness, he sentenced Yoshi and his family to death for treason. Saki sent a pair of Foot Clan ninja to Shen and Yoshi's home in Enemies Old, Enemies New: Prologue and Shen was struck down by them, but Yoshi returned home before she succumbed to her wounds. Her dying words encouraged Yoshi to take their four sons—the youngest of them not yet able to walk—and flee. She made Yoshi promise to not confront Saki in a fight, but to remain alive for their sons. Yoshi kept that oath, and he managed to hide himself and his sons for three years until they all were eventually tracked down and executed by Saki.
After their reincarnation and mutations, Splinter revealed to the Turtles the story of his former life, including Shen's death. Leonardo sometimes dreamed of Shen, which for him was confirmation of this story.
When Leonardo was abducted by the Foot and brainwashed by Kitsune into turning against his family in City Fall, part 2, Shen's spirit appeared in his dreams in City Fall, part 4 and City Fall, part 5 and tried to guide him through his brainwashing back to his family. He became dependent on her guidance, subconsciously not trusting anyone as much as her.
Shen, ignorant of the Turtles' relation to her, treated the Turtles as guests and let them play with her sons when Yoshi brought them back to their home in TMNT: Turtles in Time issue 2. She felt an inexplicable sense of trust in the Turtles and sought to help them. She let them borrow horses to follow Leonardo to the Foot compound as Leonardo sought to preemptively murder Saki for the executions of his family he would carry out in the future.
When he was recovering in Northampton, Shen visited Leonardo again in Northampton, part 2 to help him through the alienation he felt towards his family. She also visited her husband Splinter for the first time, and reassured him that he had not failed Leonardo.
Shen appeared in Vengeance, part 1 after Donatello was beaten almost to death by Rocksteady and Bebop in Attack on Technodrome, part 4. She gave him some advice, and assured her son that whether he chose to live or die, he wouldn't be alone.
Shen appeared during Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 issue 4, having called her sons to her in her garden. She imparted wisdom and love to the Turtles and thanked the Ghostbusters for helping them in issue 5, and as they departed, she told them to give her love to their father.
Shen momentarily reunited with Yoshi at the Tree of Life in TMNT: Shredder in Hell as he led Saki to Saki's Dream Forest. She urged Yoshi to help Saki navigate Hell and thus save the world from the Dragon. Instead of allowing her spirit to ascend and attain Nirvāṇa, in issue 4, she decided to continue the cycle of saṃsāra because she didn't wish to leave Yoshi behind. Shen was then reborn, as was Yoshi.
Relationships[]
Family[]
- Hamato Yoshi: Yoshi is Shen's husband. She knew of him from a young age, but officially met him during his mandated meditation at a river in Splinter and felt an instant attraction to him. Shen's composed demeanor was a helpful contrast to Yoshi's combative one and she gave him emotional clarity, easing his anger. She is loyal to Yoshi, rejecting Saki and Peter Venkman's flirtation in The Secret History of the Foot Clan issue 2 and TMNT/Ghostbusters issue 5 respectively. She assured Yoshi that she still loves him as her husband in his reincarnation as a rat in Northampton, part 2, and gave up Nirvāṇa in solidarity with Yoshi in TMNT: Shredder in Hell issue 4.
- Sons: Shen gave her sons an education in music and art and tried to encourage their individual interests. She thought of her sons as strongly resembling Yoshi in their competitive natures (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue 89). Shen's spirit is always watching over her reincarnated sons as stated by her in TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 issue 5 and despite knowing it was Saki's fault, sometimes blames herself for leaving them prematurely as stated by her in City Fall, part 5.
- Leonardo: Shen loves Leonardo, regarding him as honorable and loyal. Shen feels he burdens himself with problems too much, even as the eldest of his brothers.
- Raphael: Shen has a deep love for Raphael. She acknowledges his grit and strength as well as his "delicate soul" and is aware that he feels alienated from his family at times. She is sure to comfort Raphael by telling him he is never truly alone.
- Donatello: Shen loves Donatello. She considers him to be "astoundingly brave" and clever. She helped Donatello consider whether he should die or keep living after his near-death experience at the hands of Bebop and Rocksteady in Vengeance, part 1.
- Michelangelo: Shen loves Michelangelo. She adores his great compassion and encourages him to be loving.
Friends and allies[]
- The Ghostbusters: Shen encountered the Ghostbusters in issue 4 and issue 5 of TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 and appreciated their protection of the Turtles.
Trivia[]
- Shen and her family practiced Buddhism as Yoshi prayed to the Buddha before his execution in Enemies Old, Enemies New: Prologue and Shen discussed the Buddhist belief of rebirth with Yoshi in TMNT: Shredder in Hell issue 1 and issue 4.