Professor Macalester
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Real Identity: Professor Adam Macalester
Affiliations: Detroit University
Appearances: Episode 2, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 7, Episode 9, Episode 11, Episode 12, and The Movie
Powers/Skills: Above Average Intelligence
Voiced By: Sean Patrick Thomas
Professor Macalester holds three doctorate degrees and is based at a university in Detroit. In search of answers about her Spirit Totem, Mari McCabe called Macalester for his expertise. She arrived at his office in Room 108 and he immediately recognized the totem. He told her about the Anansi myth associated with the totem and its so-called powers. McCabe already knew most of it but thanked Macalester for his time. Macalester called up Kuasa and reported McCabe's visit. In exchange for helping get Kuasa the totem, Macalester would have his next expedition fully funded by her. After McCabe was chased by Arrow and Flash, she went to see Macalester again. She admitted two men were after her then asked him to help find out where the totem came from, how she got it and who gave it to her. Macalester was at a loss for words and didn't know how he could help. McCabe demonstrated camouflage to Macalester. Macalester apologized to McCabe and Kuasa entered the room with two armed men. He realized the totem was bonded to McCabe. He watched as she tried to flee out the office window but was shot and captured.
Macalester got his "research grant" and went to Africa on his expedition soon after. During the expedition, he spent a total of six months in Zambesi. One of the Lost Totems of Zambesi was discovered along the Mchanga River. He returned to Detroit after being gone for one year and unveiled the Fire Totem then announced it would be on display at the Detroit Museum's Hall of Gemstones indefinitely. He was shocked to see McCabe alive and well. Macalester then admitted Kuasa's money blinded him to her lies assuring McCabe's safety. He tried to save himself and speculated everything might have happened for a reason and proposed they study both totems together. She declined but Macalester insisted she was connected to these events whether she wanted to be or not. After Fire Totem was stolen from the museum, Macalester went to speak with a police sergeant and told him everything he knew. He insisted the totem had more historic than monetary value then pointed out it was made of tourmaline, indigenous to Zambesi.
McCabe later returned to the university to question Macalester for something useful to stop Eshu. Macalester admitted his limited knowledge but suggested they seek out Kuasa in Zambesi. They found her in a hospital, weakened from exposure to the spider poison, and asked her about Eshu from the previous week. Kuasa revealed Eshu was the general in charge of the raid on her village. Kuasa revealed that the weaknesses of a totem were passed on through spoken word and song but were lost over time. Macalester recalled there was a collection of stories and poems from the region back at the University archives. Kuasa suggested they use the Water Totem. Macalester exclaimed he couldn't find it during his expedition and Zambesi but she claimed to know its location. Back at the university, Macalester later found a song about the totems' auri. He called Vixen, around the time Eshu issued his ultimatum, and told her crushing a totem's auri would cause it to lose its power. He reiterated the totem were balanced with equal forces but different elements.
Macalester took the book he found with him to the scene of the battle between Vixen and Eshu. At the pier, Vixen surfaced and gave him the Fire Totem but Eshu pulled her under. Vixen surfaced again and inquired how to sever the totem's bond with Eshu. Macalester informed her she had to smash it. Vixen was not impressed. Macalester reiterated each totem had a soul and the soul would return to the gods when broken by someone of akbara or "great strength." Despite it would lead to losing his exhibit, Macalester implored her to smash it. It was undamaged. He suggested she get more help. Vixen summoned many animal spirits and successfully crushed the totem to pieces. During a party at the museum, Macalester agreed with Chuck McCabe's assessment of his daughter's self-made dress. She introduced Macalester to him. Macalester hinted at helping Vixen and admitted his life was never the same since he met her. Chuck agreed and was felt comfort that she wasn't protecting the city on her own. She and Macalester looked at the shattered Fire Totem on display. She remarked it lost its sparkle and was dim and dark. Macalester noted the beauty would always remain in most things that seem rough and dark.