Donatello
(Profile #1 - Early)
Context
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (“TMNT”) was an indie comic book launched in 1984. It was an underground parody of popular comics of that time, such as Daredevil. Oddly enough it became a marketing phenomenon a few years later, with a massive media and merchandising presence during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Our TMNT profiles are currently based on the original, Mirage Comics run – specifically issues #1-#21. Everything else is ignored for now. At this point the book is still about 4 uplifted turtles trained in ninjutsu by an uplift rat. They chiefly fight evil ninjas in the city in a spoof of 1980s Daredevil noir atmosphere.
If you’re not familiar with the material, check our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team profile first.
Background
- Real Name: Donatello.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Raphael (Brother), Leonardo (Brother), Michaelangelo (Brother), Splinter (“Father”).
- Group Affiliation: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
- Base Of Operations: Sewers of New York.
- Height: 5’0” Weight: 155 lbs
- Eyes: Golden Brown Hair: None
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Powers & Abilities
Known Superhuman Powers
Donatello possesses several of the species wide adaptions that one would find in reptiles classified as turtles (chelonians).
He:
- Possesses a durable bony shell that originates from his ribs and protects his chest and back.
- Can hold his breath underwater for approximately 10 minutes.
- Can draw his neck down into his shell.
- Can operate for extended periods in below-freezing conditions with little or no protection from the elements.
Presumably the mutagenic ooze converted Donatello into a warm-blooded organism (unlike normal turtles).
Abilities
Through intensive life long training, Donatello has become an accomplished hand to hand combatant. The education provided to him from Splinter has made him:
- A skilled practitioner of the Bojutsu martial arts style.
- A superb athlete.
- A world-class acrobat.
- A master of Ninjutsu.
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Outside of his physical attributes, Donatello possesses a genius level intellect. Despite his not receiving any formal education, he is capable of understanding complex concepts with ease (especially those within the field of software development and hardware engineering). He’s also adept at repairing conventional technology when given the right materials.
Weapons
Donatello uses a long sturdy bo staff in combat. Like all of his brothers, he also keeps a reserve of shuriken on his person at all times.
History
(A general history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles can be found in the team’s own WORG entry.)
Description
Like all of his brothers, Donatello appears to be a large bipedal turtle. His body is hairless, has no visible ears or nose and is a deep green colour. His hands and feet are three fingered/toed, and his eyes are jet black.
Unlike a normal turtle, his eyes point directly forward and are distinctly human in appearance (if not unusually large). Donatello is the tallest and leanest of his brothers.
Donatello has a large and pronounced shell situated in the centre of his back. It is clearly a part of his body, and extends across the entirety of his torso. The portion of the shell that covers his chest, stomach and crotch area is a light brown in colour.
With his shell protecting his modesty as well as his vitals, Donatello doesn’t normally wear cloths unless he is attempting to hide his mutated features from humans.
The only clothing that he wears is:
- A battered leather belt that he uses as a harness/holster for his weapons.
- Light strips of cloths around his joints (wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles).
- A red strip of cloth that he wears around his eyes when expecting combat. The cloth resembles a domino mask while on, but in truth does little to protect his identity.
Personality
Of the four brothers, Donatello is the quietest and most pensive. He doesn’t share their love of combat. While he takes his lessons seriously, if given a choice he will spend his time working out an interesting mental puzzle or playing with a computer instead of practicing his ninjutsu.
He constantly searches for a better (and often more modern) way of dealing with the issue at hand. He embraces technology that his siblings and father would not.
Donatello scientific mind and practical manner has made him the “odd duck” of the family. The others have similar (if still varied) interests that he simply doesn’t share.
Quotes
Donatello: “You know, I could get used to this… “
Leonardo: “What’s that, Don ?”
Donatello: “Living above the streets, Leo, rather than under them.”
“For Splinter !”
“Your overconfidence betrays you for I am a ninja turtle, and my best weapons are my body and my mind ! HYAH !”
“I’ll go first — this place must have security devices —”
“Hmmm… just as I thought — magnetic locks ! So all I’ve got to do is create the right flux pattern in this probe… mmm…”
Donatello: “These machines monitor and support his vital functions !”
Raphael: “I — I guess you would know, Don —”
“For honor !”
April: “You sound sad, Don… “
Donatello: “Shouldn’t I be, April ? A man died yesterday — a sick, deluded, misguided man, yes — but still a living being.”
“We’re not the guardians of society, Raphael. We never were.”
“We’ll need a diversion to pull foot troops away from the main complex… timed and preset infiltration alarms at various outputs around the city should do it.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Donatello
| Dex: 05 | Str: 03 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Responsibility of Power |
| Int: 07 | Wil: 08 | Min: 05 | Occupation: Crime Fighter |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth}: 002 |
| Init: 018 | HP: 025 |
Powers:
Cold Immunity: 02, Sealed Systems: 08, Skin Armor: 02, Suspension: 02, Swimming: 02
Bonuses and Limitations:
- All Powers: Have Form Function Bonus (+1FC each).
- Sealed System has the Free Diving Only Limitation.
- Skin Armor: : Partial Armor, Can be bypassed by a Trick Shot (- 2FC).
- Suspension is a Skilled Power (a meditative trance once used to conserve oxygen).
Skills:
Acrobatics (Athletics, Climbing)*: 05, Gadgetry: 07, Martial Artist: 05, Military Science (Camouflage, Danger Recognition): 08, Scientist: 07, Thief (Security Systems, Stealth): 09, Weaponry (Ninja weapons): 05, Weaponry (Staves): 06.
Advantages
Familiarity (Automotive Mechanics, Japanese History, Ninja Lore), Languages (French, Japanese), Scholar (Computer Repair, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Software Development).
Connections:
Raphael (High), Michelangelo (High), Leonardo (High), Splinter (High), April O’Neil (High), Casey Jones (High).
Drawbacks:
Mistrust, MPR (Thick two fingered hands, and feet), Strange Appearance.
Genre:
Mock-Real
Equipment:
- Bo Staff [BODY 04, EV 04 (06 w/Martial artist)].
- Shuriken (x10) [BODY 01, EV 02, Note : thrown weapons].
Source of Character: Mirage Comic Series – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, created by Kevin B. Eastman (author, illustrator) and Peter Laird (author).
Helper(s): Roy Cowan.
Writeup completed on the 20th of September, 2014.