Dal

Dal was one of the original members of the Mall Rats.

He was neighbours with his close friend Amber before the virus. Once the adults died, Dal had planned to flee the city to the country-side with Amber where they could harvest their own food. But they instead found their way to the Mall and formed a tribe amongst their new friends. Being an engineer, Dal's practical skills have aided fellow member and best friend, Jack, into producing water for the Mall Rats.

When the virus started to effect children, Dal left with the Mall Rats to Eagle Mountain in search of the antidote. An explosion occured on the mountain which resulted in Amber's death. Initially heartbroken, he carried on helping the Mall Rats to distribute the Antidote for afflicted children. Later on, newcomer Alice allowed Dal to run her farm, fulfilling his dream of working in the countryside. He started producing food to trade for the tribe.

When The Chosen took over the city, Dal was briefly captured but escaped to aid the resistance movement. He was reunited with his best friend Amber, who was believed to have died on Eagle Mountain perviously. Tragically, Dal died after he fell off a carpark balcony when attempting to flee from Chosen guards. Dal is buried on a mountaintop overlooking the city.

Personality

Dal is an engineer - a builder who has great practical skills and can create something out of nothing. These practical skills make him a perfect foil to the intellect and theory crafting of Jack.

In fact, making things is Dal's passion and he will work tirelessly and never give up to reach whatever goal he has to meet. He is persistent and has a never say die attitude. Dal's preference is to leave the ravaged cityscape and move to what he believes is the more peaceful and safe countryside.

He has a deep and close relationship as friends with Amber - were in season 3 after Dal's Funeral, Amber admits that they were neighbors. There is never a hint of romance between Amber and Dal, they are just friends and neither wants more than that. In fact, Dal looks at Amber as a sort of "big sister." He had hoped to share his idyllic countryside dream with Amber but follows her lead in staying in the city and fighting to make a difference.

There is often a fun relationship between Dal and Jack. The two need each other's skills to make the best plans come to fruition but there is often disagreement and nagging of each other on the way.

Dal loves ketchup.

Dal is not a man of action, he isn't a leader but he isn't a follower either. He is his own person and comfortable being that - a practical person who knows how to get a job done, and if he doesn't know, he'll work hard to achieve what needs to be achieved.

History

Series 1

Dal, a close friend of Amber’s, was the son of Doctors but longed to be a farmer. Never comfortable living in the confines of the Mall he wished to leave to the country but his loyalties to Amber and growing friendship with the other Mallrats held him back from leaving. His limited doctoring skills also came in handy throughout Season one, particularly when he helped nurse Trudy to health after she gave birth to Brady. Dal was also capable with his hands and often helped Jack in his new constructions such as a water filtration system and windmill to create wind power.

It was while caring for Trudy that he developed a small crush on her, and took her up on her offer to leave the Mall, Dal could finally realise his dream. The two left for the countryside but Trudy grew guilty of abandoning her child and returned to the city as Dal went on alone. Captured by nomads, a slaver Tribe, Dal met Sasha and was rescued by the Mallrats when he and Sasha were being traded to Ebony, the Locos Leader.

Series 2

Though the loss of Amber hits Dal hard, this young man however remains focused on the trials facing the Mall Rats. Though you would expect his practical thinking and expertise to be used in the analysis, creation, and distribution of the antidote to the virus, Dal however turns his sights to the farm which we are introduced to via Alice and Ellie.

With his dream of living in the countryside and growing food off of the land, Dal is an easy fit for farm-work, and he revels in life there as he helps out on the farm alongside Ellie. Farming is all Dal has ever wanted to do since the new world, and he finally gets his chance. He is overjoyed with being in the country, growing his own food and really flourishes in this environment. He also finds a lot of his time devoted to Ellie. He spends time working on the news sheet with her and making her gifts, but all this achieves is a wedge between both himself and Jack.

They often bicker and argue which culminates in a fight. Despite being best friends, Dal cannot get past his feelings for Ellie, and the rift with Jack widens even further. Dal was captured along with the other Mall Rats by The Chosen when they take over the city.

Series 3

Dal and the captured Mall Rats were put to slave work by The Chosen. He was selected to witness the execution of Bray, but both of them managed to escape thanks to Pride, Lex and Ebony's help. When it's discovered that Amber might still be alive, Dal goes to Eagle Mountain to dig Amber's grave only to find it empty. Pride brings them to the Ecos, and it's revealed their leader is Amber, now named Eagle.

Although Amber initially refused to help them, she changes her mind and forms a resistance movement with Dal apart of it. But tragically, Dal is cornered and falls from a balcony during a mission gone wrong. Amber finds him alone and dying in the street and he dies in her arms, his final words to her ‘Little acorns’ imploring her to continue the fight.

A funeral was held on the highest hilltop over-viewing the city and the countryside. Jack visits his grave to seek guidance about Ellie (who at the time was in a relationship with Luke) and to say his goodbyes.

The Tribe: A New World

A reality space version of Dal briefly reappears in the novel's prologue, sitting among deceased characters at Amber and Bray's wedding. Bray quickly realises the reality of the supposed wedding and is soon awaken by Judd who, along with Eloise, were both conducting Virtual Reality experiments on him.

Gallery

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Trivia

• 

  Dal is one of the four characters where both his parents were seen via flashback/photo. The others are Salene, Trudy and Ram. Although Bray and Danni's fathers were seen, their mothers weren't.
• In Series 1 Episode 6, Dal's father's surname can be seen on his surgery's desk, where he is called Majeeb. This means Dal's full name is Dal Majeeb.
• Dal's parents, who are seen in his family photo at the hospital, are also Ashwath's real parents in real life. ^[1]
• Dal was written out of the show in Series 3 because Ashwath Sundaresan's family were moving to the United Kingdom and he could no longer be in the show. Therefore, the character was killed off. ^[2]
• Although Dal doesn't appear anymore after Series 3, he can still be spotted in the opening and end credits of the show until its cancellation.
• Dal was voted by fans as 4th Best Hero in a 2015 poll. ^[3]
• Dal is seen as one of the characters in Paul's reality space in The Tribe: Reunion manga.

References