Donatello

Background:

One of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donatello is considered the smart one of the group. Just like his brothers Donatello was mutated as a tiny turtle by ooze which caused him to grow and gain intelligence. A mutated rat, Splinter, raised them in the martial art of ninjutsu and now they all act as vigilantes for the city of New York.

Major Plots:

Animated Series:

Donatello from the 1987 series

In the first television show for the turtles, called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donatello was a genius who would invent and build most of the equipment and vehicles the turtles used. His genius, however, isn't perfect and some of his inventions throughout the series would break or malfunction but still end up helping the turtles out in the end. Donatello was also the turtles with the plans, he was usually the turtle to come up with solutions to defeat whichever opponent they were facing next. Donny was especially useful when their enemies, Krang especially, would use other dimensions for sources of attacks and Donny was able to develop warning systems against their technology.

The 2003 animated series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, returned Donatello to resemble his comic book form. He personality is no long one-sided and is very introspective. Donny still retains his intelligence nature but isn't the full on genius as portrayed in the 1987 series. Donatello also shows a closer relationship to Michelangelo and April O'Neil mostly due to fighting between Raphael and Leonardo.

TMNT Movies:

mmm pizza

In the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film Donatello was shown as less mature and more of a jokester than before. He often spends time with Michelangelo, again due to Raphael and Leonardo's fighting. After Splinter is kidnapped and the turtles are forced to flee the city temporarily, Donatello deals with the pain is his own unique way. He spends some time with Casey Jones, fixing up some cars and appliances around the O'Neil family home to pass the time and focus his mind.

It isn't until the second movie, Secret of the Ooze, Donatello is now much more into his role as the science smart turtle. As Splinter learns more about the company TGRI from April's news reports he comes to learn that the turtles are linked to that company. Splinter sits down with this sons and tells them that the canister of ooze that caused their mutation was from TGRI and that their origin was an accident. This effects Donatello the most and we see him become introspective and upset about his life being an accident. Splinter must talk with Donny and convince him that just because his origin was an accident doesn't make his life meaningless.

Donatello from TMNT movie

TMNT, the 2007 CGI film, showed a dismantled turtles team after Leonardo left the group and the remaining turtles off on their own to make ends meet, except Raphael. Donatello works for a tech call line to earn money helping people with their technology problems. Despite his typical good natured attitude Donny doesn't approve of Raphael's new more violent vigilantism he has taken on while not helping his family out like Michaelangelo and Donatello have been. Donatello serves as the de-facto leader in Leonardo's absence, ensuring that Michelangelo doesn't become a vigilante himself and keeps the turtles somewhat together.

Personality and Traits:

Donatello is frequently viewed as the smartest out of his brothers and sometimes a full on genius. He is always able to invent or tinker with some device to help the turtles live better in their sewer lairs or even invent something to defeat a new evil they are facing. Often, Donny grows close to Michelangelo possibly due to the fact that they are the two youngest or because Raphael and Leonardo fight often about Leo's leadership and inclination towards planning everything out.

Donny chooses to use a bo staff as his main weapon and often wears the color purple. Of course he also loves pizza, cause come on, who doesn't?