nightskylies: Donovan Baine

Donovan Baine is a character from the Darkstalkers series of games. First seen in Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge, he is a stoic and intimidating dark hunter who fights using extremely exotic weapons and moves often deeply rooted in Buddhist and Hindu mythology, making him quite a unique character. He is sometimes seen as the series' main protagonist, although this changes from perspective to perspective.

Story

Donovan is a Dhampir, the offspring of an affair between a vampire male and a human female. His true origin is unknown, however it is known that he was shunned as a child for his tainted blood. One day, a terrible event occurred in his hometown which had something to do with him. The end result was the death of everyone in the town, including his mother. Donovan wandered the world for a long time, following the teachings of Buddhism in an attempt to control his massive power as well as inner turmoil. Donovan is a man who seeks an answer to his cursed existence. Along his journeys as a wandering monk, he learned many things, and eventually came into possession of a gigantic magical sword known as Dhylec.

This sword had the unique ability to channel the spirits of various elementals and gods for use of their power. Combined with his powerful telekinetic abilities, his strength, his mental discipline as well as the power of Dhylec and his spirit beads worn around his body, Donovan became a force of justice to be feared by all evil. The Darkstalkers' arrogance may have been their undoing with the creation of Donovan.

Donovan is a Dark Hunter but is not part of any official organization of dark hunters. He does not hunt for profit like Baby Bonnie Hood does. His reasons are spiritual in that hunting the dark gives him a meaning to his existence, to protect others from the dark, and maybe even cleanse himself of his tainted blood.

On one of his journeys, Donovan came across a young girl named Anita. As Donovan came onto the scene, she was threatened by a monster. Donovan easily dispatched it, and turned to the villagers for an explanation. The people told him that Anita had never exhibited any kind of emotion or said any words since her family was slaughtered by a Darkstalker. Taking his sword Dhylec, he slicing off the head of Anita's doll. Anita responded with a violent psychic force. Donovan subdued the attack and told her that anger was the most easily summoned emotion, but that this was proof that she could still heal her own heart. He welcomed Anita to acompany him not only to find herself but to aid him in battle, as she had some unique abilities as well. Thus, Donovan became her guardian, and Anita has kept the headless doll ever since.

Powers and Abilities

Donovan's primary attacks utilize both his martial arts training and his large demon slaying sword, Dhylec. His psychokinetic abilities allow him to levitate Dhylec off the ground and can even ride it through the air. He can also ensnare opponents with his psychokinesis, suspend them in the air, and slam them on the ground as seen in his grab attack. His large prayer beads or japa malas can be used as a barrier or can be swung towards enemies. When they are swung, they give off an aura of blue and white energy.

With both Dhylec and his prayer beards, Donovan can summon gods from Buddhist and Hindu mythology (though the wind god in the Press of Death attack appears to be from Greek mythology) to fight alongside him. He can also temporarily revert to his true form as a Darkstalker, a dark skinned human-like demon with yellow hair and wings. He flies at his enemy and emits a large ball of lightning against his foe in this state.

Fate

Donovan's ultimate fate is a sketchy subject. In his ending in Vampire Hunter (Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge), Donovan sacrificed his humanity in order to protect Anita. This tragic turn of events causes her to cry, and is symbolic in showing that Anita is finally whole again and can feel emotion. Years later, a grown Anita wonders what became of Donovan, and she hopes that he is well. Sadly, we find Donovan sitting on a throne, beside the many bodies of his victims. He is fighting a neverending struggle with himself as he yearns for inner peace.

However, the epilogue then hints that Donovan may be slowly winning his fight. Regardless of any speculation, Donovan was meant to be a character exclusive to Vampire Hunter (with him being the Vampire Hunter). With his ending, it made a lot of sense for him to be absent in the follow-up, Vampire Savior (Darkstalkers 3), but due to him being a crowd favorite, he was put back in later versions of the game.

Dee (Evil Donovan)

In the Japan-only Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection, a brand new secret character is unlocked in the "Arranged Versions" of Vampire Savior. This character is named Dee (ディー), and he is essentially Donovan with more powerful moves and a mix of Demitri's moves and even a new laser projectile. While his sprite is the subject of much ridicule (it has Donovan's head put onto Demitri's red-colored body, with Dhylec floating behind), he brings up a very interesting point.

Vampire Savior takes place in a separate dimension, and it is hinted in Dee's ending that Anita has mentally projected herself younger and beside Donovan's earlier incarnation. Dee confronts her, she shows her true form, and he begins to fight an older Anita. The outcome of this fight isn't shown, but during the credits various pictures are shown of the older Anita visiting a grave, giving rise to assumptions that Donovan (as Dee) was defeated and slain by her.

Trivia

When Demitri's Midnight Bliss is performed on Donovan, he transforms into a simple female version of himself.
When Anakaris' Pharaoh's Curse is performed on Donovan in Vampire Savior (DarkStalkers 3), Donovan transforms into a tiny woman carrying curry on his head. In Vampire Savior 2 & Vampire Hunter 2, he transforms into a smaller version of himself but in DarkStalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, it very similar but with a angry face expression.
When Jedah's San=Passare is performed on Donovan, his beads swell until they explode.
In the Darkstalkers video game series, Donovan is voiced by Nobuyuki Hirayama.
Donovan's stage "Unknown" from NightWarriors is reused for DarkStalkers 3 (home console only); the stage is renamed "Revenger Roost". The stage for DarkStalkers 3 is the same color background from the second game but in Vampire Savior 2 & Vampire Hunter 2, it has a different color to it.
Donovan's winning and Vs portrait is the same as his artwork from DarkStalkers 3 (home console only).
Donovan is the only character in the game that cannot be dismembered at all, whether sideways or vertical, even in mirror matches.