Dr. Whale sounded like Irish or something at one point. Is that relevant to the character? There was just some accent going on at one point. It may be nothing. It isn’t as if accents have been consistent.
That, and his last name possibly being a derivative of Wales is why I tied him into the druids or the Sword and the Stone. I would really love a first name to also work from.
If his SB personality is the opposite of his true personality and character from FTL, then I believe he is Robin Hood. If his personality and character are the same in both SB and FTL, then I believe he is Captain James Hook
I too have been wondering about Captain Hook. Robin Hood also popped up in my mind. Yet, I thought I read somewhere that Dr. Whale is an evil character. Robin Hood was good, but the sheriff of nottingham could be a choice.
There has to be some connection with the accent and Irish / English hertiage possibly found in his last name. I did a search on line, and found a connect with his last name to a ruin circle, hence why I was thinking druids. Druids can shapeshift (might be why he seems drawn to Ruby) and are also healers. But I am having a hard time coming up with evil druid characters.