V. DONATELLO
RAPHAEL
There is only one word for Donatello - "genius".
MICHELANGELO
I'd say "smart", but on second thought, that kind of makes the rest of us sound stupid. How about "brilliant"? Yeah, that'll work.
LEONARDO
It's easy to say he's the smart one, because he is, after all. But he's so much more than that. He's really...caring, and sensitive. (laughing) He's gonna hate me saying that - he thinks it makes him sound like a wuss.
RAPHAEL
Good story about Donatello. One time, couple years back, Splinter got a real bad case of mutant flu. Usually it's over in two, three days, but Splinter was laid up for almost two weeks. At its worst, Splinter couldn't even get up the strength to talk. We all took turns taking care of him, but Donny spent the most time with him. Volunteered. Just kept putting cool cloths to his head and wrists, making sure he could get some fluid in him. One night, Donny was with him for hours. Leo finally took over for him, and Don headed off to bed. I walked by his room, and Donny was there, sitting on his bed, arms around his knees, head down. I was like, "Hey, you okay?" He looks up, and I can tell...well, he's been crying. I was like, "Jesus, Don, what's the matter?" And he just said, "Splinter can't die. He just can't." (pausing) That's stuck with me ever since. Partially because I never really considered that Splinter's going to die some day, and leave us alone. I mean, I guess I knew that's something that happens to everybody, but it never really hit me until then. But the main reason I remember it - it was a side of Donny I never really noticed before. All of us, we're kinda rough-n-tumble guys - I'm just the worst at it. But Donatello's also got this quiet side. And he wasn't ashamed to let me see him like that. He didn't care that I saw that he cared so much. And that's...I dunno. Kinda cool in a way. I mean, yeah, I love Sensei and my brothers and all, but I don't want anyone to see us huggin' or nothin'. Donatello would be like, "I love you, and I don't care who knows."
DONATELLO
(sighing) Yeah, I'm the smart one who cries at sad movies. Can we move on?
MASTER SPLINTER
Living where and as we did, we of course did not have most of the conveniences that most people had access to. Donatello managed to overcome many of these obstacles, and create for us suitable replacements. Soon, it was as if we were living much as everyone else did.
LEONARDO
Splinter would mention some...amenity that humans had. One of us would say, y'know, it'd be neat if we had one of those. Somewhere between one hour and three weeks later, we'd have one. Or something like it.
DONATELLO
I liked the challenge. You know, using what was available, at the dumps and in the sewer, can I make this? (smiling) You'd be surprised how often the answer was "yes".
MICHELANGELO
We'd be like, wow, we got a refrigerator! Then, two days later, we'd be like, "Howzabout a freezer?" Never satisfied. (laughing) We probably drove him nuts.
DONATELLO
It helped that I didn't know what the "real" ones looked like. I didn't know what a garbage disposal looked like. So I sort of built something that chopped up bits of food and attached it underneath our sink with a little switch. It doesn't look at all like one you get at Home Depot or anything. If I had known that they look like that, I would've tried to make it look like that - and probably ended up with one that didn't work as well. Take a look at our old shower - most humans wouldn't have any idea that that's what it was. But to us, it was just our shower, y'know? (smiling) And Splinter didn't let on how dumb it looked.
RAPHAEL
Every so often, he'd gather us together and show us what he came up with. It was like Christmas every month. He could make anything, it seemed like.
DONATELLO
I didn't always succeed. One of my biggest failures were these air purifiers. I was trying to take the stench out of the sewer. Kinda funny, if you think about it - I mean, we were so used to it, we hardly noticed it. Maybe I thought we'd get company over if I could keep it from smelling so bad. Anyway, I made these little things that were supposed to make it smell better. My first ones made it smell worse. The second ones didn't do a thing. My third ones toned it down a bit, but they sucked up way too much electricity to make it worthwhile. So I gave up. (shrugging) I kinda feel bad about giving up on that. They're selling something similar in the Sharper Image catalog now for $150 a pop.
MICHELANGELO
I remember worrying once that he spent all his time tinkering with things. I thought he should be more...social. Spend more time with the rest of us. But it's not like he shies away from interacting with other folks. He's just happy working on his own. And you couldn't argue with the results, right?
DONATELLO
I ended up with the bo. (smiling) Because I got last pick. I remember thinking, hey, everyone else got these cool weapons - two of them, actually - and I'm stuck with this stupid stick. But I've grown attached to it. I'm actually happy I got "stuck with it". I thought at first I'd master this thing in a few months. I mean, it's just a stick, right? Nope. Still learning new things to do with it.
LEONARDO
Generally, Donatello runs defense. He can take the offense with his bo, but it makes for a better defensive weapon.
RAPHAEL
Don's not a wimp or nothin'. But if one of us was gonna chose not to fight, it'd probably be Don. He'd probably rather read a book.
DONATELLO
Splinter had a fair number of books, considering his refugee status and all. But it wasn't long before I had read them all. Heck, it wasn't long before I had memorized them all.
MASTER SPLINTER
April, I recall you offering to get a book out of the library for Donatello. (smiling) No doubt you had no idea what you were getting yourself into.
DONATELLO
I was so in shock. You could just go get books, like that, for free! Soon, I was having you make weekly trips for me. After a while, though, I felt bad about that. You shouldn't have to pore over the racks at the public library for me. And that's when I decided I was going to go get my own library card. (smiling) Our first foray out into the real world.
MASTER SPLINTER
I was very worried when Donatello announced he wished to begin going to the library himself. But my worries proved to be groundless.
DONATELLO
I was so stoked when you took me to the library that first time. Splinter had me practice being polite over and over before I went, and I guess it paid off, 'cause they all took great care of me. After a few weeks, they started expecting me every Tuesday. Suggested some great books I would've never read without their advice.
MICHELANGELO
When Donny started going to the library, and returning without having gotten into any sort of trouble, it was like, "Hey, maybe we can venture outside."
MASTER SPLINTER
Isolating them from the outside world, perhaps I erred on the side of caution. I have been most heartened by how few problems we've encountered with people.
LEONARDO
Once we became entangled with the Foot, I worried that Donatello might be putting himself in danger, showing himself topside once a week. But Donatello just said, "You actually think I'm gonna run into Bebop or Rocksteady at the library?" (laughing) He had a point.
DONATELLO
I'm on a first-name basis with everyone at the library now. I've actually considered volunteering over there, but I'm not sure if that'd be wise. (smiling) Might freak out the clientele.
RAPHAEL
There is only one word for Donatello - "genius".
MICHELANGELO
I'd say "smart", but on second thought, that kind of makes the rest of us sound stupid. How about "brilliant"? Yeah, that'll work.
LEONARDO
It's easy to say he's the smart one, because he is, after all. But he's so much more than that. He's really...caring, and sensitive. (laughing) He's gonna hate me saying that - he thinks it makes him sound like a wuss.
RAPHAEL
Good story about Donatello. One time, couple years back, Splinter got a real bad case of mutant flu. Usually it's over in two, three days, but Splinter was laid up for almost two weeks. At its worst, Splinter couldn't even get up the strength to talk. We all took turns taking care of him, but Donny spent the most time with him. Volunteered. Just kept putting cool cloths to his head and wrists, making sure he could get some fluid in him. One night, Donny was with him for hours. Leo finally took over for him, and Don headed off to bed. I walked by his room, and Donny was there, sitting on his bed, arms around his knees, head down. I was like, "Hey, you okay?" He looks up, and I can tell...well, he's been crying. I was like, "Jesus, Don, what's the matter?" And he just said, "Splinter can't die. He just can't." (pausing) That's stuck with me ever since. Partially because I never really considered that Splinter's going to die some day, and leave us alone. I mean, I guess I knew that's something that happens to everybody, but it never really hit me until then. But the main reason I remember it - it was a side of Donny I never really noticed before. All of us, we're kinda rough-n-tumble guys - I'm just the worst at it. But Donatello's also got this quiet side. And he wasn't ashamed to let me see him like that. He didn't care that I saw that he cared so much. And that's...I dunno. Kinda cool in a way. I mean, yeah, I love Sensei and my brothers and all, but I don't want anyone to see us huggin' or nothin'. Donatello would be like, "I love you, and I don't care who knows."
DONATELLO
(sighing) Yeah, I'm the smart one who cries at sad movies. Can we move on?
MASTER SPLINTER
Living where and as we did, we of course did not have most of the conveniences that most people had access to. Donatello managed to overcome many of these obstacles, and create for us suitable replacements. Soon, it was as if we were living much as everyone else did.
LEONARDO
Splinter would mention some...amenity that humans had. One of us would say, y'know, it'd be neat if we had one of those. Somewhere between one hour and three weeks later, we'd have one. Or something like it.
DONATELLO
I liked the challenge. You know, using what was available, at the dumps and in the sewer, can I make this? (smiling) You'd be surprised how often the answer was "yes".
MICHELANGELO
We'd be like, wow, we got a refrigerator! Then, two days later, we'd be like, "Howzabout a freezer?" Never satisfied. (laughing) We probably drove him nuts.
DONATELLO
It helped that I didn't know what the "real" ones looked like. I didn't know what a garbage disposal looked like. So I sort of built something that chopped up bits of food and attached it underneath our sink with a little switch. It doesn't look at all like one you get at Home Depot or anything. If I had known that they look like that, I would've tried to make it look like that - and probably ended up with one that didn't work as well. Take a look at our old shower - most humans wouldn't have any idea that that's what it was. But to us, it was just our shower, y'know? (smiling) And Splinter didn't let on how dumb it looked.
RAPHAEL
Every so often, he'd gather us together and show us what he came up with. It was like Christmas every month. He could make anything, it seemed like.
DONATELLO
I didn't always succeed. One of my biggest failures were these air purifiers. I was trying to take the stench out of the sewer. Kinda funny, if you think about it - I mean, we were so used to it, we hardly noticed it. Maybe I thought we'd get company over if I could keep it from smelling so bad. Anyway, I made these little things that were supposed to make it smell better. My first ones made it smell worse. The second ones didn't do a thing. My third ones toned it down a bit, but they sucked up way too much electricity to make it worthwhile. So I gave up. (shrugging) I kinda feel bad about giving up on that. They're selling something similar in the Sharper Image catalog now for $150 a pop.
MICHELANGELO
I remember worrying once that he spent all his time tinkering with things. I thought he should be more...social. Spend more time with the rest of us. But it's not like he shies away from interacting with other folks. He's just happy working on his own. And you couldn't argue with the results, right?
DONATELLO
I ended up with the bo. (smiling) Because I got last pick. I remember thinking, hey, everyone else got these cool weapons - two of them, actually - and I'm stuck with this stupid stick. But I've grown attached to it. I'm actually happy I got "stuck with it". I thought at first I'd master this thing in a few months. I mean, it's just a stick, right? Nope. Still learning new things to do with it.
LEONARDO
Generally, Donatello runs defense. He can take the offense with his bo, but it makes for a better defensive weapon.
RAPHAEL
Don's not a wimp or nothin'. But if one of us was gonna chose not to fight, it'd probably be Don. He'd probably rather read a book.
DONATELLO
Splinter had a fair number of books, considering his refugee status and all. But it wasn't long before I had read them all. Heck, it wasn't long before I had memorized them all.
MASTER SPLINTER
April, I recall you offering to get a book out of the library for Donatello. (smiling) No doubt you had no idea what you were getting yourself into.
DONATELLO
I was so in shock. You could just go get books, like that, for free! Soon, I was having you make weekly trips for me. After a while, though, I felt bad about that. You shouldn't have to pore over the racks at the public library for me. And that's when I decided I was going to go get my own library card. (smiling) Our first foray out into the real world.
MASTER SPLINTER
I was very worried when Donatello announced he wished to begin going to the library himself. But my worries proved to be groundless.
DONATELLO
I was so stoked when you took me to the library that first time. Splinter had me practice being polite over and over before I went, and I guess it paid off, 'cause they all took great care of me. After a few weeks, they started expecting me every Tuesday. Suggested some great books I would've never read without their advice.
MICHELANGELO
When Donny started going to the library, and returning without having gotten into any sort of trouble, it was like, "Hey, maybe we can venture outside."
MASTER SPLINTER
Isolating them from the outside world, perhaps I erred on the side of caution. I have been most heartened by how few problems we've encountered with people.
LEONARDO
Once we became entangled with the Foot, I worried that Donatello might be putting himself in danger, showing himself topside once a week. But Donatello just said, "You actually think I'm gonna run into Bebop or Rocksteady at the library?" (laughing) He had a point.
DONATELLO
I'm on a first-name basis with everyone at the library now. I've actually considered volunteering over there, but I'm not sure if that'd be wise. (smiling) Might freak out the clientele.