Mal Underwood

Malek Underwood is a blue-band Alpha with the power of traumatic event negation: his body summarily rejects and rewrites any reality following physical harm. Mal is almost the definition of a legacy poster, being the child of two of the founding members of the Set, Amira bint Balqis and Corbin Underwood. Mal grew up in Foundation, under Amira's care, and began studying at the Academy around the age of eight.
After achieving a perfect score of fifty points in his first block at the Academy, he qualified for a sidekick position, becoming the Little Bird to his father's Rook. Shortly after he joined Corbin in Portland, however, both dropped off the grid, and neither one was heard from for close to three years. The Rook, it seemed, had returned to his vigilante roots.
When Mal returns to Foundation for his third block of training, Corbin is dead and Mal is no longer the golden child. He'd gone from a perfect fifty to a pitiful seventeen, and instead of being paired with a fellow high achiever, he finds himself stuck with the almost-failing Zipporah Chance. Although initially angry and resentful, Mal gradually warms to Zip as the two learn to work together, and they ultimately become close friends.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Mal was born at the Foundation to Amira bint Balqis and spent the first eleven years of his life there.quipquipquip: Things To Know About Mal Underwood After what had happened to Amira’s first son, she didn’t want to risk anyone she didn’t trust knowing of Mal’s existence, so he was kept largely isolated during his early childhood. Until he was old enough to be included in the first block class, Amira tutored Mal herself.quipquipquip: "What is Amira's accent?"
===At the Academy===
====First block====
Mal scored a perfect 50 in his first block, a feat no one thought possible.Origins, Issue #1
====Second block====
Mal's first block score qualified him to be a sidekick in his second block. After a long, hard talk between the estranged Amira and Corbin, Mal was cleared to become the new Little Bird to his father’s Rook.
Besides meeting his father for the first time, Mal also meets his older half-brother Marshal and Marshal's adopted sister Ellie Lark, who rescues him from a fight between the two.Origins, Issue #4
Soon after Mal became Corbin's sidekick, the two of them suddenly disappeared. While people still nurse outrageous conspiracy theories about what happened,quipquipquip: “What groups sit together at meals?” the truth is more mundane. Mal and Corbin stayed in Portland under false identities. Besides continuing to train Mal in hand-to-hand combat, Corbin taught him the everyday skills needed for a normal life that are not taught in the Academy.Origins, Issue #5
Mal's time as a sidekick ended with his father's death.
====Third block====
Before returning to Foundation for his third block, Mal attends Corbin's funeral, where he also says his farewells to Ellie Lark. Back at the Academy, Mal is shocked to find out that his combined score for the first and second blocks is a 67, meaning he was only awarded 17 points for the second block. Despite his protests that there must be a mistake, he is partnered with fellow low-scorer Zipporah Chance.
Mal learns from his Uncle John that his true second block score was a 48, but the Academy board changed it to a 17 due to his connection to the Rook. Upon meeting his new partner, Mal wastes no time in letting her know he is unhappy with the pairing, angering and upsetting Zip. However, the encounter piques enough interest in Mal to read her file, and he agrees to help her with her schoolwork the next time they meet.
Mal's school year gets off to a rough start. In classes, he knows all the answers, but continues to fight with his partner. He feels abandoned by his childhood friends Ernest and Rosario. He suffers from sleepless nights and nightmares about the circumstances surrounding his father's death.Origins, Issue #2Origins, Issue #3 More and more often, Mal takes to sleeping in hidey-holes in the woods to ease the sense of anxiety he feels in a room with a door that could open at any time. However, even in those refuges, he is harassed by one of Foundation's feral posterpowered cats.
After a couple of weeks, Mal realizes that he owes Zip an apology for his treatment of her. He also offers to help her with her two-man drills. The pair agree to start running and practicing together. As they continue to work together, Mal gradually starts to open up to her.
His persistent insomnia gets to Mal, adversely affecting his behavior. When Amira substitutes for John's Strategy class, he picks a fight with her during a discussion about the dangers of public heroes having children. He uses the Queen's personal example of her first son's death against her, and gets himself removed from the class.
As the Night Games near, Mal forms an alliance with his childhood friends Rosario and Ernest and their partners. Their plan seems to be going well until Zip is ambushed and thrown into a lake. Ofelia rescues her, but she is not breathing. Mal panics, and it takes June's quick thinking to save her life. Mal feels guilty over being unable to come up with the plan to save her, and being unable to protect her from harm in the first place.Origins, Issue #6
Mal tries to figure out who attacked Zip and Maks. His suspicions are confirmed when Clay Dillinger makes poorly veiled jokes about the incident. Clay also takes verbal potshots at Mal's father, scars, and score, but the theft of the rook necklace Ellie had given him finally prompts Mal to fight him.
After he wins, he goes straight to Amira and turns himself in. He finds her to be surprisingly understanding -- she shows him Corbin's second block evaluation and uses her powers to help him into a restful sleep. Mal agrees to move back home with Amira instead of staying in the dorms.
Although Mal earns a month-long detention with Sheriff Galán-Grant for the fight, it quickly turns into study sessions and socialization with his friends. The group continues to gather at the Galán-Grant household even after Mal's detention ends. The seven vow to catch the people responsible for the Night Games attack.
At the end of the year, Mal invites Zip to attend the Pre-Holiday Posthuman Bash with him as his Beta partner. While there, he sees his half-brother Marshal in the crowd. Mal confronts him, but when he is unable to give Marshal any information about their father's death, the older man beats him. Shocked by Mal's healing powers, he stops, and leaves entirely when Zip intervenes.Origins, Issue #7
Back at the party, Ellie Lark finds Mal as he is recovering from the beating.  He is pleasantly surprised to see her again, but distressed by the feelings she evokes in him. He admits to Zip that he is interested in Ellie despite his general disinclination towards relationships.
==Personality==
Mal is extremely intelligent, and this is apparent in his consistently high test scores and unusually large vocabulary; Zip observes that he speaks like he ate a dictionary for breakfast.Origins, Issue #2, pp. 62-63 He is a high achiever and feels the weight of others' expectations upon him: as the son of the Queen and the Rook, he is expected to accomplish "great things" and he fears that his standing will not recover from the blow of his low second block score.Origins, Issue #4, p. 175 Mal has an ego and needs to learn to take a hit to his pride.Origins, Issue #6, p. 283 He hates being wrong, and hates having to admit that he knows he is wrong even more.Origins, Issue #3, p. 118
Mal is most comfortable when his back is against the wall and he has a clear vantage of a situation.Origins, Issue #1, p. 22 When he is stressed or frustrated, he turns to training as an outlet as the physical activity helps to wear him out and calm him down.Origins, Issue #1, p. 25
Mal does not swear often; he feels it cheapens one's words and so does it sparingly.quipquipquip: "There are some things one misses out on by not being raised by Corbin Underwood..." In this, he is very unlike his father and brother.
Mal falls under the gray-asexual umbrella; he is very slow to develop an attraction to others and even slower to pursue or explore any attraction that develops.quipquipquip: “Is Mal asexual? Or demisexual?” At fifteen, he is conscious that his development has not been typical and, keen to hide anything that marks him as Other, conceals his confusing emotions.quipquipquip: “Is Mal grey-asexual?”
Although Mal has trouble expressing himself, he is the opposite of apathetic: "Mal feels things with a singular intensity, so that ball of untouched feels has a density equal or greater to a neutron star." He does not make friends easily, but is deeply loyal to the friends he does have.Origins, Issue #1, p. 23
While most male students opt for "tough" names, Mal is an exception, deriving his moniker from one of the smallest birds in Northern America, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The name is a nod to both of his parents, reflecting the meaning of the name his mother chose for him ("Malek" translates to "king") and acknowledging the Rook's avian-themed legacy.quipquipquip: Things To Know About Monikers
==Physical appearance==
Mal has dark skin, which makes the pale scars that cover his body very noticeable. His hands, in particular, are heavily scarred, mostly around his knuckles.Origins, Issue #1, p. 33 These are mostly the result of injuries during childhood, when his healing ability had not reached its current strength. He is not bothered by them, but tends dress to cover them as they unsettle others.Origins, Issue #6, p. 274
Mal is a practical dresser, and can almost always be seen in a navy hooded sweatshirt thrown over his usual training duds — a blue-sleeved t-shirt and either loose track pants or jeans. When he has to go to a formal event, he just lets his mother pick out his clothes.Origins, Issue #2, p. 56quipquipquip: "Does Mal ever wear Islamic clothing?" At the end of Origins, Mal is 5'9" and still growing.quipquipquip: "How tall are the kids?"
Mal's accent is similar to his mother's, but he works to cover this, having perfected an average Cascadian American accent during his time in Portland. This facade can slip when he is excited or angry.
Mal barely resembles his dad, instead taking after Amira. He does, however, have his father's smile.Origins Issue #4, p. 194
==Powers and abilities==
Mal is a blue-band Alpha with the power of traumatic event negation, sometimes known as rapid regeneration. His ability goes beyond simple healing (an orange-band ability); rather, his body summarily rejects and rewrites any reality following physical harm. When he is wounded, he heals. If a limb is cut off or a tooth knocked out, it regrows.quipquipquip: Things To Know About Color Band Classification He is resistant to most tranquilizers and poisons. He ages at a normal rate, however. As of yet, he has not found a limit to his regenerative abilities.quipquipquip: Things To Know About Color Band Classification
The cellular regeneration attached to his ability is double-edged: the hormonal imbalance resulting from his healing heightens his emotions, and makes him hyper aggressive and his senses painfully acute. He can survive for long stretches without basic necessities, but it interferes with his regeneration and mental clarity. Starvation is one of the few things that affects him: although he can physically keep going without food, psychologically he struggles.
While his powers automatically heal serious injuries, they will not react to minor complaints like soreness or cramps. Mal is getting better at controlling his abilities and can push the healing process if he concentrates.Origins, Issue #2, p. 39
Mal has an enhanced metabolism, and as a result his core body temperature is warmer than an average baseliner's.quipquipquip: "Do the Wrights' body temps run higher than baseliners?"
Mal inherited a photographic memory from his mother, as well as her genius-level intellect.Origins, Issue #2, p. 48 He also has superior eyesight and hearing,Origins, Issue #1, p. 22 though not at the level of an orange-band like Marshal or Ernest.
When it comes to combat, Mal mixes forms, but favors capoeira.quipquipquip: "Since learning that Maillardet's combat class uses capoeira, I am helpless but to form headcanons of people's play style."
In addition to English, Mal is fluent in French and Arabic.
==Relationships==
===Zipporah Chance===
Mal and Zip's partnership gets off to a rough start. Already reeling from the shock of having been given an almost failing mark of 67, when he learns that he is to be paired with the equally low-scoring Zipporah Chance, he is so furious that he storms out of the forum.Origins, Issue #1, p. 25 When they first meet, he bluntly informs her that she is a burden to him, angering and upsetting Zip.Origins, Issue #1, p. 30
For the first few weeks, they struggle to work together, with Mal barely even talking to her. However, he grows to appreciate her determination and "aggressive optimism", and after unfairly admonishing her for a well-meaning mistake during athletics, he surprises her by apologizing and inviting her to train with him.Origins, Issue #3, p. 118 The two begin running together, and over the course of their evening training sessions, a friendship starts to form.
Zip doesn't ask Mal to pretend to be nice, and she forgives him when he says the wrong thing. When he does something that upsets or offends her, she tells him straight out, and Mal appreciates that.Origins, Issue #4, p. 163 He grows to genuinely like her, and when she almost killed during the Night Games, he sits vigil by her bedside and prays over her, agonized by his failure to protect her.Origins, Issue #6, p. 272
By the end of the year, Mal and Zip are close friends, and Mal seeks to show his appreciation for her by inviting her to go with him to the Pre-Holiday Posthuman Bash, a high-profile event. "I want the public to know that you are my partner," he tells her. "Next year — this year — will be ours."Origins, Issue #7, p. 323
===Ellie Lark===
Mal has never felt a real attraction to anyone before, but he has strong feelings for Ellie. He does not know quite what that means, but he knows that she is significant. Although he derides the inexpertly-carved rook pendant Ellie gives him for his fourteenth birthday and resolves to throw it away, he wears it constantly.Origins, Issue #7, p. 371Origins, Issue #1, p. 8
Mal cannot lie to Ellie any better than he can lie to his mother.Origins, Issue #4, p. 157
===Marshal Underwood===
Marshal hated Mal from the moment he laid eyes on him.Origins, Issue #1, p. 8 Amira had kept Mal's existence hidden and Marshal did not know his half-brother existed until he saw a new Little Bird at his father's side who bore an upsetting resemblance to his dead brother Matt. He directed all of his anger and betrayal at Mal.quipquipquip: "Things To Know About Ellie Lark" He is one of the few people Mal finds intimidating.Origins, Issue #7, p. 349
===Corbin Underwood===
Mal sums up his relationship with his father as "a frustrated and misguided gesture", something they never managed to get quite right.Origins, Issue #3, pp. 113-114 After Corbin's death, Mal struggles with anger and grief. He resents Corbin for 'giving up'. He feels that Corbin viewed him as a disappointment, that he was "barely his [son]" and that Corbin did not care.Origins, Issue #1, pp. 26-27
===Amira bint Balqis===
Mal can never fool his mother, who always sees straight through his lies. Although this sometimes nettles him, he admires her sharp perceptiveness and hopes someday to master it himself.Origins, Issue #2, pp. 45-48
===Ernest Wright===
Mal and Ernest first met when they were six years old. Ernest was a shy little boy, despite being physically bigger than all of his peers, and struggled to interact with children his age. Nevertheless, the first time he met Mal, Ernest realized that Mal was a lonely boy. He dragged Mal to the lake and taught him how to catch orange-bellied newts, and the two quickly became friends. Mal and Ernest remained friends throughout their childhood and would regularly play in the woods with Rosario.quipquipquip: "What's the Ernest/Mal dynamic like?"
Ernest was Mal's first friend and Mal has never forgotten it that, even if he does think sometimes that Ernest is a little hopeless. He thinks of Ernest as a sibling but keeps this fact to himself.quipquipquip: "When Mal asks Ernest if he has a plan, is he just being malicious?"
===Rosario Galan-Grant===
Mal has been close friends with Rosario since childhood and would regularly play with her and Ernest in the woods. Being the only one of them with real social skills, Rosario became the ringleader of their group. He thinks of Rosario as a sibling but keeps this fact to himself. He respects Rosario's fighting skills and agility.Abuelito
==Trivia==
*Of all the things Mal excels at, singing is not one of them. He cannot carry a tune to save his life.quipquipquip: "Who is the best singer of the core posterkids?"
*After living in climate-controlled Foundation for most of his life, Mal likes poor weather, especially rain.Origins, Issue #7
*Before moving in with Corbin, "nuts" was the strongest expletive he had ever heard.quipquipquip: "Pretty sure '"Nuts!" Ernest swore.' is still the best line I've ever written." The first time he and Corbin had a disagreement, Mal hissed "NUTS TO THAT!", which always let Ernest know that he meant business. It did not have the same effect on his father.
*Mal has a single dorm because he hates having people sleep near him.quipquipquip: "Are people grouped together in dorm rooms?"
*Mal's favorite colors are blue and black.quiqpquipquip: "What are the kids' favorite colors?"
*Mal is left-handed.quipquipquip: "Are any of the Posterchildren characters left-handed or ambidextrous?"
*Mal is the youngest of the Super Magnificent Seven.quipquipquip: "I keep forgetting everyone is 14"
*If Mal were at Hogwarts, he'd be a Slytherin.quipquipquip: "Hogwarts houses"
==Appearances==
*Origins (POV character)
*Castling: Part One
*Castling: Part Two
==References==
Category:Alphas
Category:Blue-bands
Category:Characters
Category:Sidekicks
Category:Origins characters
Category:Castling: Part One characters
Category:Castling: Part Two characters