From TES issue 40 (July 2006)

Series 4. Level 1/3.
MALICE

Although Samantha Perkins is often remembered with a distinct lack of fondness for playing the 'goofy' Gundrada in series 4, consider for a moment her other role in the series and you may come out with a different opinion of her as an actress. Malice was the ultimate evil Knightmare sorceress, more frequently seen than Morghanna, more hands-on than Aesandre, and more hauntingly scary than either of them.
Malice was clearly brought into series 4 as a direct replacement for Morghanna, as the fact that the two characters wore exactly the same costume will attest. Both of them also appeared to wrest from Mogdred the coveted position of ruler of level three, as, after early appearances on this level in both series 3 and 4, Mogdred retreated into the background later on in the series, seemingly to be replaced with each of these black-clad female counterparts in turn.

However, there was more to Malice's role in Knightmare than merely filling Morghanna's shoes. Malice's first appearance in the series was in level one, where she struck up a deal with Alistair [Team 2 of Series 4]. Despite her extremely sinister manner and obvious disdain for the team, Malice kept her word and rewarded Alistair with magic when he retrieved a green gem for her, as she had promised to do. It became clear that Malice was prepared to help dungeoneers if she herself had something to gain from the arrangement, but once she had got what she wanted, she was no longer an ally: "With our pact redeemed I have no further interest in your progress." - Malice.
Some viewers (myself included) may have been slightly surprised by the nature of Malice's subsequent prolonged appearance with Dickon in level three, where she both showed and proved herself to be an enemy through-and-through, and one that had to be defeated for the quest to succeed. In this quest, Malice was certainly filling the shoes of Morghanna, and she was doing so with ruthless determination. Slightly acrimoniously, it was in the very same episode that Malice encountered Jeremy in level one, and spoke to him in softer, almost friendly, tones, promising him help if he retrieved a silver chalice for her. This switch in sides backs up the idea that Malice was only out for what she could get. If she thought that dungeoneers could help her, she would let them live, and help them in return. However, she was just as likely to live up to her name and try to bring an abrupt end to the quest, if there was no little errand she wanted the dungeoneer to run for her.

However you look at it, Malice was certainly well named. Even when she was helping dungeoneers, she was very threatening in her manner, not only to the team but also to Treguard in the antechamber, much like Morghanna had been the year before: "Silence! I may not have the power to stop you watching, but I can certainly stop your muttering!" - Malice. Even though her allegiance was to herself rather than specifically to the Dark Side, Malice was always a threat to the continuation of the quest, and she made it clear that she could and would bring it to an end if she felt like it: "If you had said, for instance, the quest for the Sword, then I would have been constrained to destroy you." - Malice.

As you can perhaps tell, I like Malice as a character, and I found her to be genuinely frightening when I was younger. Although she made only a few appearances in one series, I've found her to be a memorable character, and I certainly think Samantha Perkins's best appearances were as Malice, rather than as Gundrada.

Fear Factor: 10 Very haughty, very threatening and very scary!
Killer Instinct: 3 Given more opportunities, she could have been prolific.
Humour Rating: 5 She laughed at others, but never with them.
Oscar Standard: 9 Sinisterly played to perfection.

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Member of the Knightmare Discussion Forum from April 2003 to 2009, when Malice's 0 post count led to the account being deleted by Mystara.

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