The People's Choice

Donatello's Role
Overall Involvement - Major

Don observes that Casey gave them a great spot for a camp out, as they travel to an abandoned building. Eager to explore it, Donnie climbs inside, and a worried Leo tries but fails to stop him. Mikey says Don can handle it.

Leo asks what Don can see from the roof, and Donnie points out the top of a mountain and is excited when he sees a shooting star. But the star starts to turn on them, which he points out is impossible. Don quickly jumps off the roof before the flying object hits, yelling "Geronimo!". The object collides with the building and destroys it. Don is shaken up a little from the fall. Raph holds onto him.

They discover that the shooting star is in fact a giant robot. Don observes that it must've been in bad shape to have been destroyed so easily. The turtles find a girl inside the machine and pull her out.

When the girl wakes up, she finds Mikey and Raph sparring and Leo and Don watching from the side. Don tells his brothers to quit fighting when he realises this. She assumes the turtles are enemies, and Don is the first to smooth things over by explaining how they saved her and mean no harm. She tells the turtles her story, and Don expresses his interest. Her name is Jhanna, and she was preparing for a duel against the tyrannical ruler of her people when she was ambushed and came to Earth.

Jhanna shows the turtles a piece of technology that will signal for her people to come and take her home, and Don is impressed. They join the battle with her against Jhanna's ruler, Moriah. Don is the first to attack, and he later fights with a flying alien. Striking at it, the creature flies away and Don calls it a coward. When Don sees Moriah about to kill Jhanna, he intervenes, saves Jhanna's life, and asks if she's okay. For which he is thanked.

Another creature, made of stone, takes a swing at Mikey and Donnie tells his brother to watch out. After Don fends it off, it explodes, and Jhanna and the turtles are disoriented. Donatello rallies for his brothers to get Moriah, but he is stopped by Jhanna who wishes to fight alone. The turtles simply observe. Watching Jhanna be attacked, Don becomes agitated and suggests the turtles do something. But Jhanna demands they stay out of it, as fighting honourably is the way of her people.

Jhanna is finally victorious, and she leaves Moriah on the ground. Don is worried and suggests she might try something else, and that they should've let Moriah be, but Jhanna reassures him. The turtles lay Jhanna down and let her rest, and Donnie watches over her in the night. In the morning, Jhanna cuts off her warrior's braids and leaves them on Donatello while he's asleep as thanks for saving her.

When Don wakes up, he quickly looks around for Jhanna and observes that she's gone. Casey and April arrive to pick up the turtles, but just before they leave, Don stands for a moment to stare off into the distance. He can be seen holding the braid and smiling. This scene has romantic undertones, making her one of only three characters throughout the entirety of the franchise to ever be the target of Donatello's affections (the others being April in the 2012 series, and Batgirl in the Batman/TMNT Adventures comic respectively).

Quotes

 * "Wow! Casey was right ...this is a great place for a camp out."
 * "Yeah, I can see the ranger's station on Mt. Tom, and ..."
 * "Look--a shooting star!"
 * "It turned! That's not possible!"
 * "Geronimo!"
 * "This thing must have really been in rough shape to blow that easily."
 * "Hey guys, break it up, she's awake."
 * "We mean you no harm. We just pulled you out of that robot, that's all."
 * "Interesting!"
 * "So what will you do now?"
 * "Ouch! That looks like something Splinter would dream up, an' she makes it look easy!"
 * "Let go of my staff, you turkey!"
 * "Come back here, you coward!"
 * "Are you okay?"
 * "Watch it, Mike!"
 * "It's bases loaded and bottom of the ninth ...yahoo!"
 * "Let's get her!"
 * "Uh-huh, pretty close."
 * "We can't just stand here ...!"
 * "But ...but she might try something else."
 * "She's gone!"
 * "Yeah, I'll be right there."