This article is about the Manga version of Don. For alternate pages referred to by this name, please click any of the icons above.
I know we are not nearly as smart as you guys, but we're family, aren't we?! We're siblings right?! I just want you to have a little faith in us!— Don to Emma in "311045"
Don (ドン) is a ten-year-old orphan who formerly resided at Grace Field House Plant 3. Being one of the smartest children after Emma, Norman, and Ray, Don is considered as one of Grace Field House's "high quality goods". A cheerful but impulsive boy who cares greatly about his family, particularly Conny, he is brought into the escape plan alongside Gilda after the truth of the orphanage is revealed.
After successfully escaping Grace Field alongside fourteen other orphans, Don now seeks to find William Minerva, whom he and his team believe can grant them the liberty to live a safe and peaceful life away from the demons.
History
Don was born at Grace Field on July 4, 2035 and sent to Plantation 3 a year later in 2036. Growing up as an orphan under the parental care of Isabella, Don grew close with several other children, including Conny. Don is brought into the escape plan alongside Gilda after Emma, Ray and Norman falsely told them Isabella had been selling their siblings to "bad people" and that ultimately their siblings may still be alive. Don and Gilda later discover the trio had been lying to them after snooping around the secret room, which forced the trio to come clean. Don and Gilda were enraged and shocked by the truth of the orphanage, but agreed to help the trio in any way they can. Over the next few months, Don helped to prepare for the escape by training the younger children and learning how to lasso a tree from a considerable distance in order to cross the cliff which surrounds the Grace Field complex. Don successfully escaped the house along with the rest of his siblings who were over the age of five.
Appearance
Don is a young boy with a slender appearance, an oval-shaped face, dark skin, and a rather tall stature, towering over all the other children at Grace Field House Plant 3. He has short, messy black hair with an undercut and brown eyes. He wears the standard Grace Field uniform- a plain white long sleeved button-up shirt and white pants along with brown boots. His identification number, "16194", is tattooed across the left side of his neck.
In 2047, Don stopped wearing the standard Grace Field uniform, instead adopting long black pants and a long sleeved white shirt with the same brown boots he wore at Grace Field House. Now at the age of twelve, Don has grown taller, being about as tall as Emma and slightly shorter than Ray. He is slightly bulkier compared to his ten-year-old self and also has longer hair with slightly messier, spikier bangs.
Personality
Don is perceived by others to be a cheerful, energetic, happy, and social boy who is always friendly towards everyone.[6] In contrast to Gilda, he is very careless, rowdy, less inclined and talkative. Like the rest of his siblings, he enjoys playing games such as tag and hide-and-seek. Don is also an optimist and always tries to look on the bright side of things. He seemed to hold a rivalry with Norman, where he displayed acts of pettiness and childishness. However, he also seems to be very intelligent and gets good test scores. Don is a prankster and enjoys telling jokes and goofing off. He also enjoys performing card tricks.[7] Due to his playful and fun-loving personality, many of the younger kids often beg Don to play with them.
Similarly to Emma, Don holds a great deal of love towards his siblings and is fiercely protective and cares deeply about them. For example, he swore he would rescue Conny and the rest of the orphans when he was told they were sold off. He also wants to be seen as a person whom his siblings can rely on, so he is always determined to help out and hates keeping secrets within the family.
Don is noted to be impulsive and driven by his feelings, which Norman comments on at the beginning of the series. Some examples are getting himself and Gilda in trouble by accessing their way to Isabella's room, and using violence against Ray and Norman in a fit of anger for hiding the harsh reality. In reality, Don was upset with himself for not being able to protect the ones close to him. After this, Don expresses his desire to become stronger so he can be there for his siblings, which culminates in his decision to whole-heartedly help Emma, Norman, and Ray. Throughout his experiences, Don gains more self-confidence and boosts his skills.
Ever since the escape from Grace Field, Don has been maturing and learned to think from everyone perspective. He was the only one who was not against Emma's plan to search for "The Seven Walls". Even though he personally didn't agree with her, Don understands where she was coming from. This shows that Don has become a lot more understanding and supportive.
Don also seems to have picked up traits from Emma's leadership, such as rather than him causing needless danger and conflict, he actively tries to avert it. Despite despising the demons, Don is against Norman's plan of exterminating them, being able to view situations from different perspectives.
Plot
Introduction Arc
Taking daily tests, eating delicious homemade food, having a good time and wearing the same white uniform, Don went through the same routine every day in Grace Field, an orphanage where he lived since he was one year old. Under the loving parental care of Isabella, Don spent a pleasant childhood in Grace Field.
Don is first introduced when Emma greeted him and Conny (and Little Bunny) while she was running around and carrying Phil.
Don is later seen asking Norman for help with fixing a clock in their room. Don, not knowing at the time, is confused when Norman starts looking at Emma when she's with Mama Isabella. Don is called when the older children have to help Mama with chores. While cleaning, he shouts that he wants to play and asks why they got chosen to do the chores. He questions if they are getting punished for something. Gilda then grabs him and pulls him to another room. When they return, he starts yelling because he sees Emma slacking off. He then continues to complain about doing chores.
Jailbreak Arc
When Emma, Ray, and Norman began to suspect that one of the other children is a spy working for Isabella, they decide to share the secret behind the House, Isabella and the human trafficking with Don and Gilda, although Norman chooses not to tell them that Conny is dead. Don refused to believe this and began to laugh in disbelief and ask what the 'joke is', but later comes to accept the harsh reality.[8]
Norman later lays a trap to determine who the spy is by telling Don and Gilda the location of their ropes that night. Norman told Ray that Don was told that the rope was under his bed. Initially, Don was suspected to be the traitor since the rope under the bed was gone. However, Norman lied to Ray about telling Don that the rope was under the bed and actually gave Don a different location. When the rope under the bed was gone, Ray was the only one who could have done it because he was the only one who knew of the false location. Ray was trying to frame Don, thus revealing himself as the true spy.
Don is seen to be visibly shaken by the new information he and Gilda had received, yet he starts to believe that Emma and the others are hiding something from them. Later, Emma deduces that there is a hidden room in Isabella's office where Isabella reports to Headquarters. Emma, Norman, and Ray decide to not enter it. The three try to convince Don and Gilda not to go searching for the hidden room, but the pair decide to do so anyway. As Don and Gilda enter Isabella's office, they find the entrance to the hidden room. They gain access to Isabella's hidden room and find inside a communication machine, used by Isabella to report to Headquarters. They also find toys which belonged to the children who left the house, which makes them realize that Conny and the other children that left Grace Field are actually dead, and that Emma, Norman, and Ray lied to them.
Don later confronts the trio and learns from them the true purpose of the House. When he gets the whole truth, he is so shocked and furious that he punches Norman and Ray. Don was about to punch Emma but stops and finally calms down. He then tells the three that he wanted them to believe and rely on him since they were all family. Don then timidly apologizes, leaves, and tells Gilda about how he wishes he was stronger so he could protect the ones he cares about. Don and Gilda later decide to help everyone escape.
Don played a key role in the escape, since he trained the younger children as well as created a way to cross over the cliff. Don and his siblings escape from Grace Field House on January 15, 2046. [9]
Promised Forest Arc
After escaping Grace Field with his siblings, Don and the others started looking for location B06-32 with some help from two demons; Mujika and Sonju, whom they learned many things from. They later found out it is a hidden shelter in the wasteland. He begins living there for about two years and meets Mister.[10]
Search For Minerva Arc
Don and Gilda are entrusted to take of the younger kids while Emma, Ray, and Mister depart on their trip to Goldy Pond. Don expresses his worry towards them several times.
Along with his siblings, Don was crying tears out of joy after Emma woke up from her coma.[11]
Cuvitidala Arc
As more than a year has passed, Don, along with Gilda, Ray, Emma, Violet, and Zack infiltrated into a demon village in disguise after their success in finding the Golden Waters and the temple as they walked through the village to the direction of Shelter B06-32. They soon returned to the shelter and reunited with Mister, Lucas and the others.[12]
Along with his family, Don escapes the Shelter B06-32 after it was raided by Andrew and his crew, and later and mourns Lucas, Mister, and the other children who lost their lives in the attack.
King of Paradise Arc
Upon arriving at the Paradise Hideout and meeting Norman, Don was seen to be overjoyed.
Seven Walls Arc
Don later gets a mission by Norman to find Mujika and Sonju again along with Gilda, but both of them are suspicious of his true intents. They end up departing on a trip to find them along with Hayato and Ayshe as their escorts.
Human World Arc
Upon arriving in the Human World, Don is seen to be visibly worried and shocked about Emma's disappearance. Don, along with the other children, agrees to search for Emma so they can reunite with her again.[13] Over the two years spent in the Human World, Don began attending school. During spring 2049, he finally reunites with Emma.[14] In the special epilogue chapter, Dreams Come True, Don lived out his dream of participating in hot spring ping pong.[15]
Skills and Abilities
Intelligence
Flexibility
Don has rather quick reflexes and is great at pick-pocketing, as he was able to take Isabella's master key so that he and Gilda can get into the secret room and see what they can find out about Conny and the other children that left the orphanage. He did this by bumping into her and making it look like an accident, demonstrating that he's extremely quick as it was only a split second.
Physical strength
Being the physically largest and tallest of the children makes Don have an advantage with physical strength. In the anime, when Ray tries his best to beat down a door by kicking and ramming into it with no avail, Don breaks in with a single shoulder check and recovered quickly after falling down with the door. At the end of the Escape arc, Don is the one who secures the escape route by throwing a rope with several stones at the end across the cliff.
Relationships
Conny
I'll always help you! Anytime, anywhere you're in need!— Don to Conny.[16]
Growing up together in Grace Field House ever since they were born, Don and Conny developed a very close relationship. Don loves Conny as a younger sister and was greatly protective of her, stating that he would always protect her. He would often spend time playing with her and help her with different things. Conny, in return, viewed Don as an older-brother figure and adored him, and was very appreciative for everything he did for her. Both parties were extremely sad to be parted, as Don broke down in tears when Conny left the House.
When Don heard the truth that Conny was shipped off and killed, he was extremely saddened and frustrated over the loss of his dear sister. He was especially furious with Ray since he knew about yet couldn't prevent it. However, Don was also frustrated with himself for not being able to protect Conny and the things important to him. Like Emma, Conny is one of Don's main motivations to fight for a future where children don't have to become demon food.
Gilda
Due to being the same age and having grown up together, Don and Gilda are very good friends. Gilda and Don were recruited together by Emma, Norman, and Ray to aid them in their investigation about the orphanage, the world outside, and how to escape. They are proven to get along and work well with one another even better after they worked together in the escape plan. They also care about each other and are often seen by one another's side. Don trust Gilda greatly and is able to confide his fears and hopes with her. Likewise, Gilda is able to calm him down when he is angry or sad and comforts him whenever this happens, as shown when they both find out the truth about Conny and their other siblings that got shipped out.
Emma
Don and Emma grew up as close siblings in Grace Field House. Both get along well and care about one another. Emma also trusts Don, as he was one the few first people she recruited into their escape plan. Don is also happy that Emma had supposedly relied on him, but this soon changes after finding out that she had hidden the whole truth about the orphanage and that Conny had been killed. Don expressed his desire for Emma to have faith in him since they are family-- since they are siblings.[17] Don's words held great importance for Emma, and she later understood that their siblings weren't as childish or immature as she thought they were and proceeded to recruit them to the escape plan as well. After this, Don's becomes one of Emma's closest and trusted allies who aid her to the best of his abilities, and he looks up to her as their leader, and does the same, only vice versa.
When Emma fainted after their escape when the wild demon chased them and Sonju and Mujika had to rescue them, Nat comments later when she awakens that he almost cried. Don's consideration towards Emma is also later shown when it was revealed that he, along with Gilda, was worried sick and almost cried when Emma was unconscious. After leaving Grace Field, Don would often stay behind in their shelter while Emma went out to explore. In reality, both Don and Gilda were eager to fight alongside them, so when Emma and Ray suggested that they should tag along on one of their trips, he cried tears of joy.[18] Don also respects Emma and her decisions even if he doesn't agree with them, as he was the only person who wasn't against Emma's plan to search for the Seven Walls.[19]
Ray
Don views Ray as a brotherly-figure. Despite little interaction being shown at first, they become allies after Don is recruited into the escape plan. Despite their initial fall-outs after Don was exposed to the truth about the orphanage and everything else and since Ray had watched Conny be shipped off with knowing the truth, Don and Ray were able to work on it and help each other out.
Besides Emma, Ray is the only one who Don views as their leader, and he respects him greatly. Despite their differences in personality, they get along very well as close brothers and view one another as equals. This is especially demonstrated after their escape from Grace Field.
Norman
Don and Norman grew up as brotherly-figures. However, due to Norman's perfect scores, Don grew jealous of him and made Norman his self-proclaimed rival. He would often become competitive and try to beat him in tag, but never succeeded in doing so. Despite their initial fall-outs, Don and Norman were able to work well together in the escape plan, and would often help each other out. Upon Norman's departure from the orphanage, he entrusted him to take care of Emma and Ray. Don agreed wholeheartedly and was saddened to see him being shipped off.
Like the others, Don was overjoyed and shocked that Norman was alive. As opposed to before, Don is not jealous of him and admires him as the resistance leader who had done so many good deeds for the cattle children. However, he grows wary and slightly distrustful about Norman's plans to commit genocide on the demons, especially since Mujika and Sonju belong to that group, with whom Don is great friends with.[20]
Isabella
Don viewed Isabella as his one and only mother and loved her deeply. He was very attached to her, which is why he was extremely horrified and distrustful when he found that Isabella, had in fact, been raising them to become demon food, to the point where he used violence to show his disbelief. After coming to terms with this, Don's love for Isabella faded away, and now he sees her as nothing but a threat against him and his siblings. As Don's Mama in Grace Field, Isabella kept a close eye on him, but not to the extent of Emma, Norman, or Ray.
Yugo
Lucas
Sonju
Mujika
Grace Field Escapees
Krone
Andrew
Peter Ratri
Alex Mikhaylov
Gallery
Trivia
- The following are Don's rankings in some of The Promised Neverland's official popularity polls.
- In Shounen Jump's popularity poll results announced in Chapter 88, Don is in 5th place.
- In Shounen Jump's 2nd popularity poll results announced in Chapter 102, Don is in 19th place with a total of 227 votes.
- Don's favorite food is hamburger.[1]
- Don learned pick-pocketing by copying the action of the Phantom thief from a novel from the House's library and he practiced a lot.[1]
- Don hates losing.[21]
- Despite not being the oldest, he is the tallest orphan at Grace Field House Plant 3.
- As of 2045, Don sleeps in the same bedroom as Conny, Ray, Anna, Alicia, Nina, Eugene and two other children.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Promised Neverland Fanbook
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Volume 1 Extra page
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 102
- ↑ The Promised Neverland manga: Chapter 181
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 96, page 9:
Mister is told by Ray that Don has the same blood type as Emma. - ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 100, page 5
- ↑ A Letter from Norman: Chapter 4
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 11, page 9-12
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 37
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 54
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 96
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 102
- ↑ The Promised Neverland manga: Chapter 179
- ↑ The Promised Neverland manga: Chapter 181
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Dreams Come True
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Anime: Episode 1
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 18
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 99
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 130
- ↑ The Promised Neverland Manga: Chapter 135
- ↑ A Letter from Norman