Kaspal Kaspalov is a character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
About Kaspalov[]
Kaspal Kaspalov is an old-line Joranumite and a minor conspirator in the revived movement under Gambol Deen Namarti. An elderly man with a gentle demeanor and almost white hair, Kaspalov was one of the original followers of Laskin "Jo-Jo" Joranum, claiming to have been with the movement even before Namarti joined. A decade after Joranum's exile, he was part of Namarti's reconstituted underground conspiracy based in the Wye Sector.
Kaspalov's primary role was managing the sabotage of the ventilation systems in the Anemoria Sector of Trantor. However, he grew disillusioned with Namarti's new tactics of deliberately damaging Trantor's infrastructure to foment public discontent. During a meeting with Namarti and other conspirators, Kaspalov voiced his strong objections, arguing that the constant, widespread sabotage was dangerous and could accidentally cause a catastrophic failure of the planet's complex systems. He expressed moral unease at causing suffering to the weak and infirm and demanded to know Namarti's ultimate plan for seizing power, a question that sealed his fate.
Interpreting Kaspalov's doubts and questions as a sign of impending betrayal, Namarti ordered his assassination. Kaspalov was later found stabbed to death in the Wye sector. With his dying breath, he gasped the word "Chief," a clue that eventually helped Imperial agents identify him. His murder, an anomaly in Trantor's vast crime statistics, was discovered by an attentive security officer who also identified him as a former Joranumite. This discovery was reported to First Minister Hari Seldon, who recognized it as a potential sign that the Joranumites were still active and a threat. Kaspalov's death directly prompted Seldon to send his son, Raych, on an undercover mission to infiltrate the Wye sector and investigate the conspiracy, setting in motion the events that would lead to the plot against the Imperial Palace.
Appearances[]