In Donkey Kong, he (Donkey Kong) kidnaps Pauline and Mario comes to save her. Then in Donkey Kong Jr. the old Donkey Kong (Cranky Kong in Donkey Kong Country) gets kidnapped my Mario and DKs son (Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong Country) has to save his father. Donkey Kong 3 looks like just some Donkey Kong (who knows which) rampaging and a dude saving his flowers.
In Country the Bananas get stolen, then in Country 2 K. Rool kidnaps DK, and Country 3 has some mind control or something, maybe kidnapping.
OG DK started it, but in Country it was all because of K. Rool.
Maybe I read that wrong, but Cranky was the OG DK and Cranky is the one who kidnapped Pauline in the 1981 arcade game. Our boy DK in the picture is his grandson.
https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Cranky_Kong