Donatello

"Candy for good children...steel stakes for bad."

- Donatello

Father Donatello (ドナテロ, Donatero) is a priest obsessed with the idea of punishing evildoers. In 1927, he commits a series of murders in and around Little Italy, aided by his newfound incomplete immortality.

He is devoured by Szilard Quates after the man deems him useless.

Appearance
Donatello has short light brown hair, and is a relatively tall and skinny man. He is only depicted wearing the robes of a Catholic priest, and wears a cross around his neck. Firo thinks Donatello looks to be in his twenties.

Personality
Donatello comes across as (to those he perceives as innocent) a friendly young man, as well as a touch clumsy. On the subject of criminals and 'evildoers', however, he acts completely differently, full of violent hatred towards those who undermine the innocent. It is likely that his clumsiness too is an act, given that he displays fairly impressive athletic abilities during his fight with Claire Stanfield.

Chronology
Before the start of the manga, Szilard Quates bestows upon Donatello the gift of incomplete immortality. Donatello goes on a killing spree, targeting criminals and other 'evildoers.' He is referred to in rumors as "the Phantom Father."

In 1927, Donatello is walking along the streets near the Coraggioso when a purse-snatching thief bumps into him (as he's making his getaway), knocking Donatello to the ground. Firo Prochainezo, accompanied by Keith Gandor, helps him to his feet. Donatello thanks Firo and offers him a lollipop, introducing himself as a priest. He invites Firo to come watch a children's puppet show, at which Firo declines. One of Donatello's colleagues calls him over to help carry some items. Donatello says farewell to Firo and Keith, telling them they should enjoy tomorrow's festival (The Festival of San Gennaro) to the fullest. As he walks away he trips and falls to the ground again. Though he gives no outward indication, it is probable that he immediately recognized Keith as the head of the Gandor family.

Later that day (or perhaps on the morning of the festival--it isn't clear) Donatello seeks out and murders the thief, skewering him with stakes (one in his neck, one in his back, one in each arm) and strings him up in an alleyway (the body is discovered on the day of the festival by Firo).

Donatello confronts Keith in an alleyway (exactly when this happens is unclear) and laments how innocents suffer "for the sake of evil." He calls New York 'incredible,' and says that it is filled with 'villains and scum' (clearly implying that Keith is one of them). No matter how many evildoers you kill, there is no end to them. Indeed, they infest New York...much like vermin. The two presumably have some sort of physical encounter (off-page), and Donatello 'kidnaps' Keith, leaving Keith's bloody jacket and a smashed lollipop behind in the alley.Walking through the streets a little ways outside where the main festival is being held, Donatello hands out lollipops to children. He is confronted by a suspicious Firo, who introduces himself officially as Camorra, part of the Martillo family and asks what Donatello has done with Keith.



The revelation that Firo is a criminal causes Donatello to turn antagonistic towards him. He slides a stake out from his sleeve and prepares to stab Firo with it, only to have his wrist seized by Claire Stanfield. Claire throws Donatello to the ground a few feet away, splattering a small amount of blood onto the ground. Out of Firo and Claire's sight, the fallen blood retracts back into Donatello's skin, and he gets to his knees; the two look over at Donatello and are perplexed to see he is uninjured.

Donatello explains that he has divine protection and compares himself to San Gennaro, claiming that his gift is what gives him the ability to continue taking vengeance against criminals who have gone unpunished. He rushes Claire, only for Claire to seize his stake and use it to impale Donatello's forearm. Claire tugs at the stake; Donatello sneers and throws a punch at Claire. Claire compliments him and punches Donatello's face, which heals moments later.Firo puts two and two together, affirming that Donatello must be the rumored "Phantom Father" who has been terrorizing the streets of little Italy. Donatello alludes to 'God's plan' for New York to be 'reborn'. After the festival, he says, the mafia will be given a warning, which Claire deduces will probably be Keith's death. Donatello says he'd been advised to start targeting the small organizations so that innocents wouldn't be dragged into the conflict, and so chose the Gandors...although, he could have gone with another mafia family like the Martillos instead (not mafia, camorra, corrects Firo, at which Donatello replies "all scum look the same to me")''. ''

Claire quips that he is technically correct -- after all, they are with the mob -- and Donatello charges him once more. The two begin fighting in earnest, moving upwards via the firescapes towards the rooftop of a nearby building. As Claire continues pummelling Donatello, the priest manages to ask him "what...are you?" at which Claire responds "I'm just a hitman. Don't worry about it."



Firo reaches the roof and calls out to Claire, drawing Donatello's attention. Donatello makes a break for it, heading in the opposite direction of Little Italy and towards the edge of the building. Firo barrels into him, grabs him by the waist, and the two plummet towards the ground below. Donatello jabs Firo in the face with his elbow, causing Firo to unintentionally let go of him. Donatello falls directly onto a flagpole protruding from one of the firescapes. He is impaled through his torso. Firo, meanwhile, lands in the midst of sandbags and boxes (after hitting the railing on the way down). While Claire and Firo are distracted, Donatello regenerates and escapes.



Clutching a hand to the healed wound, Donatello curses as he hurries down the streets but consoles himself by saying he hasn't lost to evil yet, thanks to San Gennaro's continued protection. He reaches the church, which to his horror is engulfed in flames. The front doors to the church open and out steps Keith, unharmed from the flames. Completely nonplussed, the addled Donatello compares Keith to San Gennaro himself. As Donatello stands there dumbstruck, Claire calls out to Keith and the two of them leave the scene.

That night, Donatello kneels in front of the rubble in the church interior. Szilard enters the church and calls Donatello a disgrace. Donatello, bereft, kneels in front of Szilard and begs for his guidance - for the "righteous must not bend to evil." Szilard devours him without a moment's hesitation.

Trivia

 * In 1935 Firo realizes he has Donatello's memories via Szilard. Looking through Donatello's memories, Firo learns that Donatello truly believed he was saving the world by killing people.