Malcolm Betruger

Amazing things will happen here soon. You just wait.— Dr. Malcolm Betruger to Elliot Swann, moments before the invasion begins (Doom 3)

Doom 3

Spoiler summary mirrored from the Doom Wiki (trimmed).

Dr. Malcolm Betruger is the main antagonist of Doom 3 and Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil.

Being the head scientist at UAC's research division on Mars, Betruger became corrupted by Hell and plotted the demonic subjugation of humanity. In Resurrection of Evil, he leads the forces of Hell as the Maledict.

Doom: Mercury Rising

Malcolm Betruger appears in the Doom: Mercury Rising SnapMap campaign (2141, Mercury — Jobim (Shaft)). Additional details regarding this character's Mercury career — and any DATAPAD text — will be expanded here when ready.

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{{Infobox Character
|image = Malcolm Betruger.png
|rank = Head Research Director / Head of Demons
|alignment = Hostile
|fate = [[Doom 3]]: Turned into the Maledict<br>
[[Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil]]: Dead<br>
|voicedby = [[Wikipedia:Philip L. Clarke|Philip L. Clarke]]<br>
|firstappearance = [[Mars City]]
|onlyappearance = [[Doom 3]]<br>
[[Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil]]
}}
{{Quote|Amazing things will happen here soon. You just wait.|Dr. Malcolm Betruger to Elliot Swann, moments before the invasion begins|Doom 3}}
Dr. '''Malcolm Betruger''' is the main antagonist of ''[[Doom 3]]'' and ''[[Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil]]''.

Being the head scientist at UAC's research division on [[Mars]], Betruger became corrupted by [[Hell]] and plotted the demonic subjugation of humanity. In ''Resurrection of Evil'', he leads the forces of Hell as the [[Maledict]].

==Background==
Dr. Betruger is the head research director at the [[Union Aerospace Corporation|UAC]] research division on [[Mars]]. He is an elderly, overworked doctor, whose right eye is blind.

An unquestionably brilliant and diligent individual, Dr. Betruger has been known for many of UAC's scientific endeavors, one of them being the development of teleportation devices. Driven by and dedicated to his work, he puts a lot of passion towards his scientific goals, as he dismisses his own scientists' ideas and criticizes the UAC board for prioritizing their monetary gains instead of the scientific value at hand. He takes great pride in his work, demanding perfection from his subordinates as he does from himself, without having any patience for the layers of bureaucracy.

While respected for his contributions, those who know Dr. Betruger well, hint that there is a darker side to him. They say that his overzealous attempts to perfect his experiments blinds him with a complete lack of empathy for human life and disregard for moral standards.

At one point Dr. Betruger teleports himself to Hell and comes back a changed man. Those close to Dr. Betruger noticed his sudden behavioral changes ever since. Some eventually realized what his actual plans were, but were not able to do something in time.

==''Doom 3''==
{{spoiler}}Dr. Betruger is first seen inside the Mars Facility Control Tower, bitterly expecting the arrival of Counselor [[Elliot Swann]]. Shortly after arriving, Swann and his bodyguard, [[Jack Campbell]], meet up with Betruger in a conference room, discussing the recent accidents and transfer requests off mars by employees. Unsatisfied with Betruger's attitude, Swann then proceeds to leave the conference room with Campbell to make his way to the Delta Labs while Betruger stays and keeps working with a laptop on something that has to do with the Soul Cube.

A short while after the demonic invasion, Swann contacts Dr. Betruger through a telecam. Betruger appears to be unbothered by the events happening around him, and smugly tells Swann that he will handle the situation and that "he and his Flunky won't do nothing".

Some time later, the [[Doom's protagonists|Marine]] arrives at the [[Recycling - Sector 2: Waste Recycling Center|Recycling Sector 2]]. Dr. Betruger then establishes a video connection with the Marine directly and reveals himself as the one who started the invasion. Depending on how the Marine decided at the Satlite Control Room (either sent or canceled the distress call to Earth), Betruger either mocks him for playing into his hands or announces that he alerted the Fleet by himself. Betruger reveals his plans to have the demons take control over the Fleet once they arrive and take their ships in order to bring the invasion to Earth. Ensuring the Marine's death before having the chance to stop him, Betruger then fills the Recycling Sector with toxic gas in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the Marine.

During the Marine's journey to the main teleporter to hell, Betruger constantly mocks the Marine, telling him he will not survive for long, while summoning demons to hinder his progress. Eventually, the Marine meets Betruger in the main teleporter room in the Delta Labs. He activates the portal and brings two Hell Knights into this world to confront the Marine. After defeating the Hell Knights the Marine is sucked into the portal and arrives in hell.

With the Marine in Hell, Betruger further mocks him that he will forever be stuck here, enduring eternal pain and suffering. Ultimately, the Marine succeeds in finding the Soul Cube and takes it back to Mars, sealing the main portal as a result. Betruger, however, already has opened up another gateway to hell in the Caverns, and with the Fleet soon approaching, he is confident his plans to invade Earth will succeed. The Marine eventually makes his way to the Caverns where he finds an old temple build by the ancient martian civilization through which he must go in order to reach hell again. Once in hell again, the Marine defeats the [[Cyberdemon/Doom 3|Cyberdemon]] and has the Soul Cube seal Betruger's last portal before the Fleet arrives. Five days later, the [[Recon Zulu|Recon Zulu Marine Squad]] arrives at the Mars Facility. They find the unconscious Marine and rescue him, but are unable to locate Betruger. In the final cutscene of the game Betruger is then revealed to be locked up in Hell, demonically transformed as [[Maledict|a large skeletal dragon-like demon]].

==''Resurrection of Evil''==
Sixteen months after the events of ''Doom 3'', a different Marine, a combat engineer, assigned to the UAC's newly established research expedition to Mars, finds the [[Artifact]] at the [[Site 1]] dig site. He takes hold of the Artifact and inadvertently triggers another demonic invasion on Mars. Betruger, now in his Maledict form, sends the [[Hell Hunter]]s to retrieve the Artifact from the Marine. After the Hunters are defeated and their powers are absorbed into the Artifact, the Marine takes the Artifact to Hell, the only place where it can be destroyed.

After fighting his way through Hell's demonic forces, the Marine confronts the Maledict. Deriding the Marine as a "mortal," Betruger proceeds to challenge him. After a long battle, the demonic leader attempts to land a killing blow on the Marine, rendering him unconscious. After the Marine wakes up, the Maledict ,and more so Betruger's head, are now standing right over the marine's body demanding to hand over the Artifact. The Marine proceeds to forcefully shove the Artifact into Betruger's mouth, causing the demonic monster to completely disintegrate from the inside until only Betruger's skull remains, thus destroying him for good.
{{Endspoiler}}

==''Doom: Annihilation''==
[[File:BetrugerDoomAnnihilation.png|thumb|Malcolm Betruger in ''Doom: Annihilation'']]
In the movie ''[[Doom: Annihilation]]'', there is also a head scientist called Betruger portrayed by Dominic Mafham. It is important to mention however, that this is just an alternative iteration of Malcolm Betruger; it is A Malcolm Betruger not THE Malcoln Betruger from the [[Doom 3]] game. The movie depiction of Betruger bears little to no resemblance to his game counterpart. For starters his whole visual appearance is completely different. He is not blind on one eye, is not bald, is way skinnier and also younger than the well matured "Game Betruger". While still being a somewhat corrupted and twisted individual his personality in the movie is being depicted as way more cowardly and weak. Also he is way more indirect and sneaky, in that he initially portrays himself as an ally to the protagonists, before eventually revealing his true nature.
[[File:Demon Betruger Movie.jpg|thumb|The resurrected Betruger in ''Doom: Annihilation'']]
In the movie, Betruger is transformed into a Demon immediately after being shot dead by Joan, claiming that she "can not kill what is already dead". His appearance is nearly identical to his human form, apart from a gaping hole in his chest and grey skin. He also seems to have gained telekinetic abilities, which he uses to push Joan into the Gate leading to Hell. Unlike in the game, Dr. Betruger not only survives the events of the film, but seemingly succeeds in bringing the demons to Earth.

==Trivia==
*Malcolm's surname comes from the German word "Betrüger" which means "deceiver", "cheater", or "swindler". It also sounds like the English word "betrayer". Both descriptions fit his characterization as a treacherous and deceitful antagonist.
*If, on the first level, the player uses the noclip cheat code to enter the room where Betruger is, he will be identified as "Joe" (the name given to all NPCs who are not supposed to interact with the player) and he will not speak at all. Betruger, upon closer inspection, is looking at a screen of a Soul Cube. While the player can kill him at this point, this action will not affect the game's storyline.
*According to the ''Making of Doom III'' book, many of Betruger's lines and actions were to be performed by General Hayden, the commander of the military on Mars. Hayden was meant to be the assumed villain, and only later on in the game would it be revealed that Betruger was the true mastermind behind the invasion. Later, the developers decided to remove Hayden's character entirely, and establish Betruger as the villain early on in the game.
*In ''Resurrection of Evil'', Betruger's blind eye appears to have changed from his right eye to his left eye.
*Betruger is the first human antagonist in the ''Doom'' series.
*Betruger is referenced during ''[[Doom Eternal|Doom Eternal:]] [[The Ancient Gods - Part One|The Ancient Gods, Part One]]'', as in the Blood Swamps, there is a castle found in the level named Betruger Castle.

==See also==
*[[Malcolm Betruger/Quotes]]

==References==
<references/>
== Doom: Mercury Rising ==
'''Malcolm Betruger''' appears in the ''[[Mercury Rising|Doom: Mercury Rising]]'' SnapMap campaign (2141, Mercury). Additional details regarding Malcolm Betruger's Mercury career — and any DATAPAD text — are documented within the campaign's Development mirror and will be expanded here when ready.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Betruger, Malcolm}}
[[Category:Doom 3 characters]]
[[Category:Doom 3 Roe characters]]
[[Category:Antagonists]]

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