Dr. Mala

—Dr. Mala

* DV7
* Season 2

**Dr. Mala** (Korean:**말라** [rom. Malla]) was a former member of the Impa Tribe and head scientist on the DV7 project. He is the only member to swear allegiance to Charming Gold with his own will and the only DV7 who is not brainwashed. Armed with his staff and smoke bombs, he serves as the leader of the DV7.

He idolizes Charming Gold, believing that he is the savior and will usher in a new era for mankind.

## Physical Description

As an impala, he has a reddish-brown coat matched with a white underbelly, grey-like horns that face upwards, and dark brown tips on his ears. In contrast to his body, he has white hair cut into a bowl cut and brown glasses resting neatly on his face.

As part of the DV7, he has red eyes and wears a black coat with red accents, paired with matching black pants and shoes, carrying around a cane with an automatic mixer containing his amplifier juice.

After the events of season 2 however, he is shown to have grey eyes and is seen wearing a white lab coat with a green top underneath, paired with black three-fourths and boots of the same color, as well as a red scarf wrapped around his neck instead of the armor he wore as a DV7.

## Background

Dr. Mala was formerly an exceptional herbalist master in his tribe, but was exiled for conducting illegal experiments and dabbling in prohibited magic. After being exiled from the Impa Tribe, he encountered Charming Gold and accepted to work for him, eventually becoming his chief scientist. While working for him, he discovered Charming Gold's true purpose of using the Materion but continued to serve him, believing that he was doing the right thing.

While serving Charming Gold, he invented the 'Amplifier,' a red gas capable of enhancing one's strength with deadly side effects, and assisted Charming Gold in the development of the DV7 project, eventually becoming its head. During his employment, he unintentionally discovered Charming Gold's abilities and chose to serve him out of fear of what would happen if he disobeyed.

After the Materion exploded and Ulcus awoke, he assisted in instructing the Running Men to seal Ulcus with the relics and is shown slowly walking away from the scene once everything was settled, getting caught by the DV7 before he could escape.

## Personality

As an ex-member of the Impa Tribe, he is shown to be extremely intelligent, creating a drug known as the 'amplifier' that was able to enhance one's physical capabilities with dangerous side effects, as well as being able to read ancient languages. Because of this, he is quite prideful of his intelligence.

Underneath his haughty personality however, he is implied to be a deeply insecure person, becoming Charming Gold's assistant because he desires respect, something he stopped receiving after getting exiled from his tribe. He is also sarcastic and generally pessimistic, as he quickly gives up as soon as he found out the God of Earth was going to kill them, only get back to his senses after being forced to by the Running Men.

## Abilities and Equipment

### Abilities

* **Alchemy** - Dr. Mala was once an excellent herbalist of his tribe before getting exiled due to his practice of illegal substances. After joining Charming Gold, he produced a dangerous crystal known as the 'amplifier' that can brainwash and enhance the abilities of his victims.
* **Language Proficiency** - He is shown to have mastered multiple languages, being able to understand the ancient texts of the slates left behind by the heroes as well as understanding the pullulu language.

### Equipment

#### Staff

* Dr. Mala sports a staff which, compared to Pala's, contains a built-in mixer and a red liquid inside it's vial.

## Relationships

### Pala

Dr. Mala is regarded by Pala as a traitor to the Impa Tribe due to his dabbling in unlawful magic, calling him a servant of Charming Gold due to this. Dr. Mala, on the other hand, thinks Pala is a disgrace to his tribe because he is the team's worst player. However, despite their obvious differences, they are shown to have mutual respect for one another following the events of Season 1.

## Appearances

**Episode 7, Blackout** - He is shown briefly at the end of the episode. When Charming Gold asks about who will take responsibility if the Materion bursts, Dr. Mala tells him that he would, but is punished even harder for it.

**Episode 27, A Risky Plan** - At the command of Charming Gold, Dr. Mala activates the DV7.

**Episode 28, Battle of the Highlands Pt. 1** - It is revealed that is he is a member of the DV7, as he is shown participating in the games.

**Episode 33 Gaining Ground Pt. 2** - He confronts Kuga with a crimson gas grenade from the pyramid race, unaware that the gas is doing nothing to him. Once Kuga is aware of his obliviousness, he pretends to pass out from the gas in order to trick him. When Dr. Mala believes he has finally defeated him, he moves closer to steal his shield, only to be seized and slammed into a pillar, where his head remains until the end of the episode.

**Episode 36, The Red Explosion** - Dr. Mala tries to stop Charming Gold from implanting the amplifier into the DV7 by stating that it is currently unstable and could produce severe side effects, but he is shoved aside by him.

**Episode 38 Battle of the Thrones Pt. 2** - While checking on the DV7, he nags Shan about being alone because of her job as a king, mistakenly disclosing the information to Kuga, who was discreetly relaying it to Liu. Shan grabbed his horns and threatened him, telling him to 'watch his mouth' before hurling him out of the way.

**Episode 39, Battle of the Thrones Pt. 4** -It is revealed that he was previously a well-known herbalist who was exiled from the Impa tribe for engaging in illegal practices. Pala criticizes him, calling him a traitor and a servant, prompting Dr. Mala to challenge him to a herbalist battle in which they both drink homemade concoctions, seeking to outdrink the other. Later, as Lonky enters the room with a weary Miyo, he is noticeably nauseous and, after being prodded in the stomach, vomits his potions onto the duo off-screen.

**Episode 41, The Revealing Truth** - Charming Gold calls him through his watch as he returns to his laboratory and orders him to carry out the final part of the plan, which is to inject the Materion with his Amplifier liquid. Dr. Mala, who is hesitant, tries to persuade him to reconsider his choice, noting that the change in plans could have unanticipated consequences. Charming Gold, enraged, threatens him, and a flashback shows Dr. Mala catching Charming Gold in the act of stealing someone's life energy, with the former hiding in fear. Dr. Mala, who is in a state of panic, agrees to start working right away. Even after consenting, he is shown attempting to argue with Charming Gold, advising him of the probable consequences of overdosing on the Materion to no avail. He then continues on with Charming Gold's plan, reluctantly injecting the Materion with his amplifier.

**Episode 43, Charming Gold** - Dr. Mala is seen going through the laboratory, chatting to himself, before being confronted by the Running Men, who threaten him with revealing the truth about Charming Gold and his goal. Dr. Mala walks back far enough to activate the tempered shield in his control panel, shielding him from the Running Men while he boasts about Charming Gold's plan to absorb all of the Materion's energy.

**Episode 44, The Materion** - As the amplifier is being injected onto the Materion, Dr. Mala taunts the Running Men before getting surprised at seeing Pala climbing up to touch the Materion, making him panic and prompting him to climb up to stop him. He is then shocked when the Materion explodes.

**Episode 45, The Seventh Slate** - Dr. Mala is seen having a faith-heel turn over the death of Charming Gold and the waking of Ulcus, but is swiftly shaken out of it when Miyo compels him to translate the seventh tablet, progressively comprehending the true purpose of the 'Savior' of their world alongside the Running Men. Defeated, he begins to accept his fate before being lifted by the collar by an enraged Lonky and Popo for giving up so quickly. When Miyo discovers the extra text written by the heroes from before, she orders Dr. Mala to translate it, interrupting the trio. When the Running Men mistake him for ridiculing the tribes, he is threatened once more, but he continues with the translation and activates a secret room that leads to the Hall of Heroes.

**Episode 46, What Makes a Hero** - He guides the Running Men by showing them the different holes on Ulcus for each relic to enter.

**Episode 47, Captured** - When Shan asks Dr. Mala if the heroes' plan will truly work, Dr. Mala reassures her, telling her that he has full faith in them. He is shown tracking the progress of each of the running men and is seen shocked when Pala suddenly dies despite inserting the relic in the hole. As he talks to himself, trying to find an explanation, he slowly realizes the truth of why the plan didn't work, informing Shan that the relic Pala retrieved was a fake.

**Episode 48, The Last Card** - After Popo's time-reversal spell, Shan demands where the Running Men went and Dr. Mala, equally shocked, informs her that they are inside Ulcus. He is later seen at the end of the episode trying to sneak away from the scene only to get interrupted by Pala, who teasingly calls him a traitor. He scolds Pala before being interrupted by Spin, who grabs him by the horn and corners him in front of the rest of the DV7, who are all angry with him.

## Quotes

*"That staff...The Impa Tribe's symbol for... for the greatest herbalists! Even so, you are no match for me, especially with this potent concoction I have rooted with the most potent concoction in the entire world!"*

## Trivia

* Despite being Charming Gold's assistant, he seems to be rather hesitant to go along with his plan as he is shown trying to reason with him or coax him out of his plan of overdosing Materion, often times getting dismissed by him.
* He, Manus, and Aria (S2 P1) share the same English voice actor.
* He is the oldest player in the championship.

## References

1. ↑ Running Man Animation Episode 41, The Revealing Truth
2. ↑ Running Man Animation Episode 46, What Makes a Hero
3. ↑ Running Man Animation Episode 48, The Last Card
4. ↑ Running Man Animation Episode 35, Battle of the Thrones Pt. 3