Donatello (2012 TV series)

Donatello is the brains of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is in charge of the design and manufacture of all the tools and weapons in their arsenal. He fights with a bō, which converts to a naginata (a spear-like weapon).

He is voiced by Rob Paulsen (Raphael's voice actor in the 1987 animated series).

Personality
"Donnie" is extremely intelligent and technical, always working on a strategy whether building machines or battling villains; the complete opposite to the free-flowing Mikey. He talks a lot in order to describe or explain a situation or theory in full, even when in the face of danger. He is also more short-tempered, getting frustrated easily and shouting when angry, although Donatello is usually kind, caring, and compassionate. He is very protective and complimentary of April (Who is also in teenage years in this adaptation)  whom he has a huge crush on. Donatello has a more prominent role in this series compared to the original 1987 series, being more active and purpose-driven, but at times does not understand and/or has a hard time grasping the lectures of Master Splinter. He the second-youngest turtle, despite being the tallest.

Biography
Fifteen years before the Rise of the Turtles, Part 1, the benevolent Hamato Yoshi purchased the four turtles. Yoshi came into contact with a rat and had to fight against a couple of Kraang. The aliens dropped their mutagen causing the mutation of Yoshi and the turtles. Yoshi raised the turtles as his own children and continues to train them in ninjutsu. His character design was also updated, giving him a gap in his teeth and a taller, leaner appearance than his brothers.

Appointed a Ninja
Donatello earns the right to be called a Ninja, in the interactive prequil comic "Tales from the Turtle Lair", During Donatello's test, Donatello lands in an empty shaft, noticing an air vent some distance up the wall. He at first thinks this isn’t much of a challenge, until the floor starts to fall out from under him forcing him to a back wall. This leads him to pause and reflect on a time where his brothers and himself were going through an obstacle course. One of the obstacles they had to cover was a stone wall which, Leo, Raph, and Mikey climb easily. Unfortunately Donatello doesn’t succeed quite as well, as his siblings do and proceeds to get frustrated as a result. Splinter approaches and asks if it was truly the obstacle course that he was angry with. Donatello admits that no matter how hard he trains, he feels he can’t keep up with his brothers. Splinter answers Donatello by asking “If a tree falls into a stream, does it stop flowing? “ Donatello answers this anecdote by stating ‘The water doesn’t stop, but instead makes a new path by flowing around the tree.’ Splinter then informs Donatello the task of the obstacle was to get over the wall, and nothing was said about climbing it. Donnie, then uses his bo as a vault and is able to ascend the wall easily.” Realizing what must be done, Donnie retracts the naginata blade from his staff and throws it at the opposite wall so that it’s near the air shaft. He then takes a leap of faith grabs his bo and uses it to valt to the air shaft and passing his trial.



Trivia

 * Donatello's name is Italian, meaning "Given/Gift from God". Given the fact that he was adopted by Hamato Yoshi/Splinter, Donatello's full name would be "Hamato Donatello".
 * In Katakana, Donatello's name is spelt: ドナテッロ (Donaterro).
 * Donatello is the tallest amongst his brothers, presumably at around 6 ft tall as seen on concept art of The Pulverizer scale refers to the Turtles' maximum height.
 * Donatello has Diastema, (a noticeable gap between his front teeth).
 * Donatello has OCD
 * In this incarnation, Donatello has a crush on April O'Neil, having fallen for her at first sight.
 * While Donatello still fights with his weapons of choice, a Rokushakubo, (a Bō staff), in this incarnation his staff can be converted into Naginata, (a "pole-blade"), via a retractible blade inside one end of the staff. It has been seen as early as the events of "I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman".
 * In the episode "Metalhead", Donnie gets permission from Splinter to upgrade his weapon, but after the events of the episode, it would seem that he decided against it, but the retractible blade feature makes more appearences afterwards.
 * His eye color tends to shift between red and brown.
 * He's the third oldest/second youngest of his brothers; Leonardo, Raphael & Michelangelo.
 * Donatello is an expert in fields of metallurgy.
 * Rob Paulsen, Donatello's VA, voiced Raphael in the 1987 TV series.
 * It is revealed at the New York 2012 Comic Con that Donatello has a pet cockroach named Chong, who will undergo two mutations and become a villain.
 * According to J.R. Ventimilia (executive producer) Donatello is "(...)a little fussy, nervous and obssesive-compulsive"
 * Donnie is the first turtle other than Mikey to use the catchphrase "Booyakasha"
 * In both of Leatherhead's appearances so far, he repeatedly grabs Donatello by the face and shakes him around.
 * Due to his behaviour in "I Think His Name Is Baxter Stockman" (and various other episodes), he is the second to Raphael in temper and anger.
 * Despite being opposites, Donnie has been shown being really close to Mikey.
 * When Donnie's T-Phone rings, it has the tune of the intro of the 1987 series.
 * In Karai's Vendetta, his caller ID for April's phone is "Donny Boy" and she has a picture of him with flowers and stars, a dark red butterfly or bow on his mask and a silhouette of a cat.
 * In this incarnation, he has a strap over his ninja belt, while in the other incarnations besides the 90s films, he does not; this is the second incarnation other then the 90s films that Donatello has a strap over his ninja belt.
 * Both humans who have entered the lair (April and Timothy) have been closer to Donnie out of the four turtles

Gallery
See: Donatello (2012 TV series) / Gallery

Quotes
See: Donatello (2012 TV series) / Quotes