# Valla Dia — The Master Mind of Mars character guide > Valla Dia in The Master Mind of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Valla, Dia **First appearance:** 0004-iii-valla-dia ## Snapshot A young woman of Duhor whose brain was ripped from her body by Ras Thavas and sold to the Jeddara Xaxa, and who now waits in a stranger's flesh. ## Who they are Valla Dia is the victim whose suffering gives Paxton's mission its moral weight: her fair body now belongs to Xaxa, while her mind endures inside an old and hideous corpse. She kneels before the idol of Tur and speaks Xaxa's lines with a composure that shames the woman who stole her face. Her restoration is the promise the whole conspiracy is built to keep. ## Relationships ### [Ras Thavas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/ras_thavas) _psychological_ Ras Thavas is obsessed with Valla Dia, using her as a subject for his brain-transplant experiments. ### [Dar Tarus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/dar_tarus) _romantic_ Dar Tarus is deeply in love with Valla Dia and risks everything to rescue her. ### [Hovan Du](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/hovan_du) _friendship_ Hovan Du is a protective friend and ally to Valla Dia during her captivity. ### [Xaxa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/xaxa) _rivalry_ Valla Dia is a victim of Xaxa's cruelty, as Xaxa stole her body and imprisoned her. ### [Xaxa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/xaxa) _rivalry_ Valla Dia is a victim of Xaxa's cruelty, as Xaxa stole her body and imprisoned her. ### [Dar Tarus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/dar_tarus) _romantic_ Dar Tarus is deeply in love with Valla Dia and risks everything to rescue her. ### [Hovan Du](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/hovan_du) _friendship_ Hovan Du is a protective friend and ally to Valla Dia during her captivity. ### [Ras Thavas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/ras_thavas) _psychological_ Ras Thavas is obsessed with Valla Dia, using her as a subject for his brain-transplant experiments. ### [Hovan Du](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/hovan_du) _friendship_ Hovan Du is a protective friend and ally to Valla Dia during her captivity. ### [Ras Thavas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/ras_thavas) _psychological_ Ras Thavas is obsessed with Valla Dia, using her as a subject for his brain-transplant experiments. ## In the story ### [The House of the Dead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/i-the-house-of-the-dead) The beautiful young corpse whose body is used for the brain transplant; her identity is not yet revealed. ### [Preferment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/ii-preferment) The young woman whose body was given to Xaxa; mentioned as a beautiful subject preserved by Ras Thavas for ten years before being sold. ### [Valla Dia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/iii-valla-dia) The young woman whose brain has been placed into the body of an old, disfigured woman. She is revived by Ras Thavas and shows remarkable grace and resilience, though she refuses to hope for recovery. ### [The Compact](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/iv-the-compact) Confides in the narrator about her longing for her original body and her home Duhor; she is the princess of Duhor. ### [Danger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/v-danger) Hidden by Vad Varo in vault L-42-X to escape Thavas's planned destruction; expresses gratitude for his friendship. ### [Suspicions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/vi-suspicions) Her disappearance is the central mystery; Vad Varo confronts Ras Thavas about it, but Thavas claims ignorance. ### [Escape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/vii-escape) Her anesthetized body is concealed in the vault; the mission is to restore her original body from Xaxa. ### [Xaxa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/xi-xaxa) Her face and figure appear in repainted portraits of Xaxa; the protagonist's love for her drives his mission. ### [Back to Thavas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/xiii-back-to-thavas) Restored to her own body after the brain transfer; expresses gratitude and affection to Vad Varo. ### [XIV: John Carter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/chapters/xiv-john-carter) Plays the role of Xaxa during the temple ceremony, later prepares to return to Duhor. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters/valla_dia - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_mind_of_mars_se/characters