Donatello (2012 TV series)

"Donatello is a fellow, has a way with machines!"

- 2012 TV series Theme song

Donatello or Donnie 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
"Donatello" is extremely intelligent and technical, always working on a strategy whether building machines or battling villains; the complete opposite to the free-flowing Michelangelo. 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 is the second-youngest turtle, despite being the tallest.

Abilities
Donatello may not be the strongest, experienced, or most talented fighter, but his intelligence makes up for it. He has a good line of defense, and is the best at planning strategies. Donatello's intelligence helps him plan out strategies, and be able to build, fix, take apart, and hack machines. Though Donatello avoids using much hand-to-hand combat, he is strong when it comes to defense and counterattacks and he mainly prefers kicks over punches. In it is revealed that Donatello is able to use impressively quick logical thinking and mathematical calculations while in combat, and thus throw shurikens at nearby surfaces, in order to make them bounce off again in the exact directions he calculated previously. Like his brothers, Donatello is stealthy, can hide in the shadows, sneak around without being detected, and use decent hand-to-hand combat.

Biography
Fifteen years before the, 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. Donatello's character design was also updated, giving him a gap in his teeth and a taller, leaner appearance than his brothers.

Weapons
During most of the series, Donatello wields a Bo Staff which, like his brothers with their individually chosen weapons, he is highly skilled with. In Pulverizer Returns, Splinter says that the boys are getting too reliable on their own weapons, telling them to swap for once. After this exercise, Donatello is left with Raphael's sai. During a later, more serious fight, the turtles become way too uncooperative with their new weapons and in the end decides to swap back. Afterwards, when Splinter finds out, he take away all their weapons, stating that anything can be useful for true fighters. When Donatello and his brothers are trying to save Timothy, Donatello uses a broom and holds and fights with it in a style similar to his own staff. His Bo staff can convert into a Naginata. In Turtle Temper and The Gauntlet he also used a Yumi bow and like the rest of his brothers wields shurikens.

Inventions

 * T-pod
 * T-Phone
 * T-Rocket
 * Shellraiser
 * Turtle Sub
 * Patrol Buggy
 * Stealth Bike
 * Metalhead
 * Mutagen Tracker
 * Ooze Specs

Family Members

 * Leonardo - Donatello's oldest brother. He and Leonardo rarely fight, unless absolutely necessary. They do tend to tease each other often, but never try to hurt each other physically. Although, there are points in the series where Leonardo tends to stress out Donatello while he fixes or opens bombs, locks, etc., as seen in The Gauntlet and It Came From The Depths. Donatello, in return, questions Leonardo occasionally about his plans to see if they're accurate or safe. Leonardo feels like Donatello worries too much, and Donatello feels the same way about him, but they share a strong brother/best-friend relationship and show compassion and always have each other's backs.


 * Raphael - Donatello's second-oldest brother. He and Raphael do fight occasionally, but tease and taunt each other more. Raphael tends to tease and taunt Donatello about his "dorkiness" and smarts, while Donatello does the same to Raphael about his "meatheadedness" and temper. Overall, they still have each other's backs and care about each other, as they are brothers, but they hardly show that kind of affection.


 * Michelangelo - Donatello's younger brother. He and Michelangelo fight the most out of all his brothers, but they seem very close as brothers. Donatello tends to be the actual big brother to Michelangelo, whereas his other brothers just plan out what they're going to do, and just use Michelangelo as a sidekick. Donatello hates it whenever Michelangelo doesn't use his common sense or whenever he goofs off too much, but Donatello still loves him, as he is his little brother and best friend. Michelangelo, on the other hand, looks up to Donatello, and teases him about his huge crush on April, but he always tries helping Donatello; trying to impress him with his nunchuck skills.


 * Splinter - Donatello's surrogate father and sensei. Donatello tries his best to listen to Splinter's advice, but most of Splinter's words tend to confuse him, which is ironic, because Donatello is never confused once it comes to words. It is shown that Donatello questions Splinter's advice the most, despite being the smartest.

Friends/Allies

 * April O'Neil - Donatello's best friend and crush. Donatello instantly developed a crush on her when he first saw her, despite her not noticing his immense attraction towards her. There are several episodes where Donatello actually shows his feelings for her, but he quickly takes it back, fearing that she'll not accept him and their friendship will go awry. When she discovers that the turtles caused her father's mutation and becomes furious at them (in The Mutation Situation), he is devastated. However, after he and his brothers save her from Karai and her talk with Casey, April reconciles with the turtles and she gives Donatello a hug and a kiss on the cheek as an apology.


 * Leatherhead - Donatello has neutral feelings about Leatherhead. While he sees him as a valuable ally, Donatello's very terrified of Leatherhead; mostly because the running gag where whenever Leatherhead looses control, he grabs Donatello by the face and shakes him like a rag doll. Leatherhead has regreted this action though and he see's Donatello as a good friend like he does all the turtles.


 * Pulverizer - At first, Donatello was annoyed by the Pulverizer in the The Pulverizer, but in Pulverizer Returns, Donatello develops a friendship with him. He thought the Pulverizer was a hopeless guy in over his head at first, but then he realized there was more to him. Timothy tries to mutate himself, hoping that he'll turn out to be like Donatello and his brothers. Fortunately, Donatello tries his best to stop him, warning Timothy that the mutagen is dangerous, and could even kill the Pulverizer if he came in contact with it. Unfortunately, Timothy doesn't listen to him, and optimistically gets attacked by some mutagen. Donatello then promises that he'll find a cure for the Pulverizer.

Enemies

 * Shredder - Donatello's archnemesis. Donatello has heard a lot about the Shredder from Splinter ever since he and his brothers were younger. Even though he never met him until The Gauntlet, he knew the Shredder was dangerous. When he does officially meet him, he is rightfully afraid of him and tries his best to fight him. This encounter does make him and his brothers realize how inexperienced they are in contrast to the Shredder. However, when they encounter the Shredder in Enemy of My Enemy, he, Raphael and Michelangelo are able to stand their ground against him much better.


 * Kraang - Donatello's targeted archnemesis. From their Dimension X, the Kraang are partially aware of Donatello's inventions spying on them for information, but never focus on them. Meanwhile, he invents gadgets to spy on the Kraang to gather the exact information that he and his brothers need in order to get rid of them. Donatello is very impressed with their technology.


 * Rahzar - One of Donatello's enemies.


 * Fishface - One of Donatello's enemies.


 * Dr. Falco / Rat King - One of Donatello's enemies. Falco is one of the few enemies Donatello was able to defeat on his own.
 * Newtralizer - He is the Kraang prisoner who escaped with Donatello's help. Also he is the first and only enemy of the turtles whose name was given by Donatello, and not by Michelangelo.
 * Snakeweed - Snake made his debut in the first episode of the series Rise of the Turtles, Part 1, before he mutated into a mutated weed he was a henchman for the Kraang. Michelangelo then named him Snakeweed.
 * Spider Bytez - Yet another of Donnie's enemies.

Quotes
See: Donatello (2012 TV series) / Quotes

Gallery
See: Donatello (2012 TV series) / Gallery

Trivia

 * Donatello's name is Italian, meaning "Gift Given 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.
 * He is the only Turtle that does not have an archenemy that he personally dislikes as Leonardo's archenemy is Karai, Raphael's archenemys are Xever, Spider Bytez and Spy Roch and Michelangelo's archenemy is Chris Bradford.
 * Donatello has Diastema, (a noticeable gap between his front teeth).
 * Donatello has OCD: According to J.R. Ventimilia (executive producer) Donatello is "(...)a little fussy, nervous and obsessive-compulsive.
 * 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 retractable blade inside one end of the staff. It has been seen as early as the events of "I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman." The other episode being "The Alien Agenda."
 * 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 has already been through one of two mutations and will become a villain.
 * Donatello is the first turtle other than Michelangelo to use the catchphrase "Booyakasha!"
 * In both of Leatherhead's appearances so far, he repeatedly grabs Donatello by the face and shakes him around "like a rag doll."
 * Due to his behavior 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, Donatello has been shown being really close to Michelangelo.
 * When Donatello's T-Phone rings, it has the tune of the intro of the 1987 series.
 * 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 than 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.
 * Donatello appears for the first time without his mask in the Slash and Destroy