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"Layton has been my archnemesis ever since that fateful day!"
— Don Paolo to Luke Triton, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

Paul, otherwise known by his alias, Don Paolo, is the primary antagonist of the first trilogy of the Professor Layton series. He is a criminal mastermind and a master of disguise who sees himself as the arch-nemesis of Professor Layton, and spends most of the series plotting against him, hindering his progress in his investigations and generally wreaking havoc in the main settings of each game he's in.

Biography[]

Appearance[]

Don Paolo is a fairly tall man with pale skin, a long nose, and black hair. His eyes are small with dark bags under them, and his eyelashes are long and jut out from the outer corners of his eyes. He's got both a mustache and a goatee. His most defining feature is the hair on his head; he's bald on top (and has been at least since his late 20s) but jutting out the sides is hair shaped like devil horns pointed upwards in the middle. He wears a purple coat with a red interior and the lapels upturned over a white dress shirt with a dark teal tie, orange pants, brown shoes, and black gloves.

His younger self wears a pink blazer over a blue sweater vest and a white dress shirt with brown buttons. His facial features were also much softer: His hair was down, he had no bags under his eyes, his eyebrows were thin and un-furrowed, his mustache drooped down at the ends, and his pupils were slightly elongated. The shock of witnessing Layton and Claire kiss, however, is what resulted in his facial features warping into how he currently looks.

In Layton Mystery Detective Agency: Kat's Mystery-Solving Files, his "horns" are shorter, his mustache no longer ends in points, and his goatee juts outward. He also wears a red trench coat with a teal inner lining and the lapels upturned, black gloves, black pants, and teal shoes.

Personality[]

Being the Moriarty to his Holmes, Don Paolo is the opposite of Layton in every way: While Layton is polite, composed, never raises his voice, and does his best to help others, Don Paolo is rude, easily agitated, overly loud when he speaks, and antagonizes everyone he meets. He causes chaos pretty much everywhere he goes, and unabashedly revels in it. Despite this, he's renowned as a scientist of the highest order by those who know of him.

He despises Layton and company with a passion and is always plotting against them, stopping at nothing to put an end to them. There are times, however, where he helps Layton, though he claims he only does it for Flora, likely to repent for the many things he's put her through. According to his in-game profiles, he enjoys playing and listening to music, and does so when he is not scheming.

Plot[]

Only read this section after finishing the game! Click to skip spoilers.

Pre-Game Life[]

There is little information on Don Paolo's early life, most of which was revealed in Unwound Future. Professor Layton's sweetheart, Claire, was also loved by Don Paolo, then known as Paul. However, after seeing Claire choose Layton over him, he got into such a rage his hairstyle changed forever. He cried and ran away, running into the river. His hatred towards Layton worsened when Claire died. Paul swore that one day, he would have his revenge on him, but has been unsuccessful so far.

The World of Professor Layton artbook describes more of his history: "Don Paolo is a brilliant but unfortunately evil scientist. His dark ambitions got him exiled from the society of scholars. Don Paolo is a master of disguise, which he demonstrates when he infiltrates St. Mystere by way of impersonation. Don Paolo considers Professor Layton to be his greatest nemesis, and the reason for this rivalry can be traced back to a specific event in their shared history." The "specific event" mentioned relates back to his unrequited feelings for Claire.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village[]

While Professor Layton and Luke were inside Reinhold Manor in St, Mystere, Don Paolo's flying machine crash-landed nearby. The impact of the landing was enough to frighten Lady Dahlia's cat, Claudia, and cause the feline to escape. He immediately set to work, breaking and entering into Reinhold Manor, but was horrified to discover the apparently dead body of Simon, a resident of the building. It was after some further inspection that Don Paolo realised that Simon was a robot, and decided to steal the non-functioning robot in order to examine it for himself.

Don Paolo also took this opportunity to infiltrate Reinhold Manor. He disguised himself as Inspector Chelmey, a well-respected police inspector at Scotland Yard, and claimed Simon's supposed death to be a murder. He began to 'investigate' the murder, taking statements from everyone present during the incident, and initially 'suspected' Professor Layton and Luke of the crime. However, due to their alibi and a lack of evidence, he let them go but rudely warned them not to interfere with his investigation.

The next morning, Don Paolo left his room at the inn without paying or cleaning up after himself, leaving behind food wrappers and the smell of cigarette smoke. Posing as Chelmey, he called Beatrice at the inn, requesting Layton and Luke visit Reinhold Manor. When Layton and Luke arrived, they found Chelmey yelling at Matthew, the butler at the manor, for bringing him cakes. He claimed to detest all sweets, and ordered Layton and Luke to stop involving themselves in his 'investigation' and instead continue their search for the Golden Apple.

Ferris Wheel Cutscene

Don Paolo controlling the Ferris wheel.

In the meantime, Don Paolo stole a vase from the room in which Simon was found dead and handed it to Giuseppe, a butcher at the market, telling him that Layton had left it behind. This way, when Giuseppe briefly handed the vase to Layton, Layton's fingerprints were left on the surface. Don Paolo also stalked Layton and Luke throughout the village as he searched for the Golden Apple himself. When Layton and Luke decided to investigate the abandoned amusement park, Don Paolo rigged up the Ferris wheel with a remote control, and shortly later used it in an attempt to crush them by unhinging the wheel itself and rolling it towards them. This attempt failed, and the Ferris wheel instead destroyed a small building and crashed into the pond.

Chelmey Holding a Vase

Accusing Layton of Simon's murder.

Back at Reinhold Manor, Layton exposed Don Paolo through a series of mistakes he'd made while disguised as Chelmey. This included his unawareness of Chelmey's love of sweets, and Chelmey's wife's name, as well as other pieces of his supposed timeline that didn't make sense. Caught, Don Paolo revealed his true identity, made some scathing remarks towards Layton, and escaped by leaping through the window of the parlour. While climbing the village's tower, Layton and Luke deduced Don Paolo checking into the inn and his motives for kidnapping Simon.

After this, Don Paolo didn't return until later that evening, when he made one last desperate attempt to win the Reinhold fortune. Using his flying machine, he started to demolish the tower while Layton, Luke, and Flora, the baron’s daughter, were still inside. His machine was ultimately damaged by Layton’s improvised glider, and a sack containing Simon’s body fell out of his flying machine. As it crash-landed, he swore revenge on Layton.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box[]

Don Paolo was the first to steal the Elysian Box. With the knowledge that Dr. Schrader was in possession of the box, he broke into his flat in London, but instead found the man unconscious on the floor. Regardless, he stole the box from him, locked the door to the flat, and escaped by tearing off a piece of the curtain and using it to leave through the window.

Dropstone Flora

Kidnapping Flora.

Later, he followed Layton, Luke, and Flora to Dropstone, where he stalked them around the village. In order to join Layton on his investigation, he kidnapped Flora, left her in a barn, and disguised himself as her. As Flora, he advised Layton to speak to Romie, a man who had relevant information on the investigation. Don Paolo joined them for the duration of the train journey to Folsense.

Pandora's Box Don Paolo Revealed

Don Paolo's plan exposed.

Once in Folsense, ‘Flora’ claimed to be tired, so Layton and Luke decided to leave her behind in the hotel as they continued the search. Some time later, Inspector Chelmey gathered up all suspects of Dr. Schrader’s murder, including Don Paolo disguised as Flora. At first, Chelmey accused Sammy of the crime, but through a small mistake ‘Flora’ made, Layton revealed Don Paolo to be the thief of the Elysian Box and exposed his true identity. Don Paolo fled the scene and accidentally dropped the Elysian Box in the process, but was pursued through the town by Chelmey and Barton.

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva[]

Don Paolo appears briefly in the opening scenes of Eternal Diva. Don Paolo appears when Professor Layton accuses an elderly lady of silencing the bell of the Clock Tower. It turns out that the elderly woman is, in fact, Don Paolo in disguise. Don Paolo then jumps off Tower Bridge and flees with the use of an umbrella that converts into a small propeller as Layton and the authorities give chase. Inspector Chelmey and Barton also appear in this scene.

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future[]

Don Paolo was employed by Dimitri Allen to ensure Layton and Luke made their way towards the Towering Pagoda in Future London. At first, he disguised himself as an aged version of Dr. Schrader in Green Hospital. He went as far as to build a withered and non-functioning replica of the Laytonmobile outside the hospital to ensure the "future" London was as convincing as possible. Later, he reappeared, posing as Dean Delmona. However, Layton was able to realise the truth of both of these disguises — As Dr. Schrader, Don Paolo hadn't been surprised to see a young version of Luke in what was supposedly the future, and Dean Delmona is actually bald, but Don Paolo had selected a white wig instead to show that he had aged.

DonPaoloYouth

During his younger days.

Layton confronted Don Paolo in secret and filled him in on the investigation so far. They struck an agreement, which involved Don Paolo, disguised as the professor, entering the Towering Pagoda with Flora, Luke, and Future Luke, effectively posing as a decoy. This way, when the group were trapped and caged by Dimitri at the top of the Pagoda, the real Layton was able to free them and assist in the group's escape from the building. Once they left the Pagoda, Don Paolo reluctantly explained himself and his motives for assisting in their plan. He explained the reason for his hatred of Layton, and his love for Claire, who had chosen Layton over himself. He too had found the circumstances surrounding Claire's death mysterious and wanted answers just as Layton did, hence his cooperation.

Surprise

Paul's horror at Claire's choice.

He then disappeared again to work on a “little project”, which involved him leaving a puzzle at the entrance to the research facility. After some bickering with Luke outside, he entered the facility with Layton, Luke, and Flora, only to join them in being cornered by the Family and rescued by Celeste, a false alias used by Claire. Once the group were nearly caught for a second time, he escorted Celeste to safety himself, leaving Luke and Flora with Layton.

The group, including Don Paolo, reconvened again some time later in the Thames Arms, where Layton revealed his deductions and Clive’s identity. With Flora kidnapped by Clive, Don Paolo provided Layton with a fully functioning copy of his Laytonmobile which included some extra features, unlike the unusable replica outside the hospital, stating that he was “only doing this for Flora”. Once Layton and Luke had made it into Clive’s mobile fortress, he allowed Celeste to use his flying machine in order to join them by controlling it from the ground below.

When the mobile fortress eventually fell and Layton successfully flew away from the wreckage in his modified Laytonmobile, Don Paolo stood on the roof of a nearby building in the real version of London and watched the escape with a pair of binoculars, shouting, “Ha! Well done Layton!”

Layton Mystery Detective Agency: Kat's Mystery-Solving Files: Professor Layton and the Relics Treasure[]

In the anime, Don Paolo re-appears ten years later during the tenth episode, briefly involved in the mystery concerning Layton and Luke that takes place before Layton's later disappearance. In the episode he is disguised as officer Donald Zachbarn, an employee of the British Museum. He had locked up Luke in a room in the museum's basement, because he was interested in the mystery of the Hidden Relics where Luke was working on. Layton saw through his disguise, however, and told him the police is waiting for him outside. Layton gave him the key to the door in the back alley so he was able to leave the place scot-free.


Spoilers end here

Puzzles[]

During the course of Unwound Future, Don Paolo gives Layton and Luke the following puzzles:

Gallery[]

Curious Village[]

Diabolical Box[]

Unwound Future[]

Kat's Mystery-Solving Files[]

Media[]

Music[]

Audioplayer

Don Paolo's Theme
Length: 3m 12s

Audioplayer

Don Paolo's Theme (Live)
Length: 4m7s

Trivia[]

  • His name of choice regarding his alias may imply that he is of Spanish descent, as 'Don' is a title given to nobility in Spanish culture, meaning the name 'Don Paolo' basically means 'Lord Paul' in Spanish. In Hispanic and Mexican cultures, however, "Don" is reserved for older men as a different way of saying "señor" (Mister), so his name would mean Mr. Paul in that case.
  • He is one of the very few characters to not have a British accent or European accent in general in the English dub of the games.
  • In the games, he is voiced by Christopher Miller, but in Eternal Diva, he was voiced by Jonathan Keeble. It is unknown why.
  • He despises sweets to the point that even looking at them makes him feel sick, which is one of the clues that gives him away while posing as Chelmey in Professor Layton and the Curious Village.
  • In Professor Layton and the Curious Village, due to strong stink of smoke coming from him, it is first assumed that Don Paolo smokes; however, it is later revealed, that said stink was due to the crashland he exerienced while arriving at the village.
    • In Unwound Future, it is also shown that he, at least occasionally, drinks liquor.
  • In one of the illustrations featuring him in the end credits of Curious Village, the back of his lapels are colored red when they're supposed to be purple, as the inner lining of his coat is red, while its exterior is purple. Despite this, it was not corrected in Curious Village EXHD for Mobile.
  • In Diabolical Box, he disguises as Flora and matches everything, even her height. The ability to do this and match the character's voice is unknown.
    • He does something similar in Eternal Diva, by disguising himself as an old woman much smaller than he is.
  • In Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, when Don Paolo upgrades the Laytonmobile so that Layton and Luke can enter the Mobile Fortress, he claims he was "only doing it for Flora".
    • In a similar fashion, before Layton and the others split up in order to leave the Towering Pagoda, he tells Layton that he wants to be the one to escort Flora. And later on when exploring the time machine facility, one of the text boxes that shows up when tapping around is a statement from him saying, "I'll make sure Flora's safe, no matter what happens here." This can be interpreted as quite a surprising character development, considering his actions towards her in the previous two games before it.
  • He also appeared in Professor Layton and the Last Specter as a character in London Life, the bonus RPG game attached to the main adventure.
  • Don Paolo appears in another game called Inazuma Eleven (from another franchise owned by LEVEL-5) and appears on a team called the Layton Team. but it is only a brief appearance and his team may not be even challenged. This team includes Professor Layton, Luke, Flora, Don Paolo, Inspector Chelmey, and Anton.
  • Don Paolo is composer Tomohito Nishiura's favourite character.

Profile[]

Curious Village[]

PL1Profile38

The criminal mastermind who poses as Inspector Chelmey, Don Paolo is renowned as a scientist of the highest order and views himself as Layton's rival. When he's not plotting evil, Don Paolo also enjoys playing music.

Diabolical Box[]

Normal[]

US Version
PL2Profile05

A brilliant scientist who believes himself to be Layton's archnemesis, Don Paolo disguises himself as Flora to gain access to information and to wreak general havoc. Unbeknownst to Layton, Don Paolo also studied under Dr. Schrader.

UK Version

A brilliant scientist who believes himself to be Layton's arch-nemesis, Don Paolo disguises himself as Flora to gain access to information and to wreak general havoc. Unbeknownst to Layton, Don Paolo also studied under Dr Schrader.

Disguised as Flora Reinhold[]

PL2Profile87
US Version

Don't be fooled. While this may look like Flora, this is actually Don Paolo in another of his masterful disguises. He swapped places with the real Flora to spy on Luke and Layton. He's such a master of mimicry that he's even got her walk down pat.

UK Version

Don't be fooled. While this may look like Flora, it is actually Don Paolo in another of his masterful disguises. He swapped places with the real Flora to spy on Luke and Layton. He's such a master of mimicry that he's even got her walk spot on.

Unwound Future[]

Normal[]

US Version
PL3Profile04

A brilliant scientist who believes himself to be Layton's archnemesis, Don Paolo's appearance changed forever when he found out that the girl he loved, Claire, was seeing Hershel Layton. His skill as an inventor is matched only by his mastery of disguise.

UK Version

A brilliant scientist who believes himself to be Layton's arch-nemesis, Don Paolo's appearance changed forever when he found out that the girl he loved, Claire, was seeing Hershel Layton. His skill as an inventor is matched only by his mastery of disguise.

Disguised as Andrew Schrader[]

US Version
PL3Profile13

This time around, Dr. Schrader was actually Don Paolo in disguise. The likeness was perfect, but the mask slipped a little when Dr. Schrader wasn't surprised to see young Luke in the future.

UK Version

An impersonation of Dr Schrader by Don Paolo, his former student. The likeness was perfect, but the Don was unable to resist taking a sly dig at his great rival and Dr Schrader's favourite student, Hershel Layton.

Disguised as Dean Delmona[]

US Version
PL3Profile14

Another uncanny disguise by Don Paolo. He gave himself white hair to indicate that Delmona has aged 10 years, but this subtle touch proved to be his undoing.

UK Version

A fake future Dean Delmona staying at the hotel, he is really Don Paolo in disguise. He gave himself white hair to indicate that Delmona had aged 10 years, but this subtle touch was what gave him away.

London Life[]

Paolo uses a few disguises in an attempt to obtain the Queen's Blood. He was living in the Humble Homes, but kept avoiding the police.

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