Malcolm Reynolds

Mal often finds that refusal to wear clothing adds to his "captain-y authority".

Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is a shy and peace-loving man who is best known for his heroic efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between the Independent Army and the Alliance. When his efforts appeared doomed to failure, he gave up.

Occupation

Mal is the captain of the spaceship Serenity. He frequently comments that he "hates the gorram piece of go se" and hopes that the Alliance will approve his application for employment as a tariff commissioner shortly. He has considered slave trading as a "fallback" career alternative, but due to the shady nature of the business he has concerns that such a venture might land him in trouble with the law.

Hobbies

• Making dangerous enemies
• Being tortured
• Being shot
• Insulting the woman he loves
• Oppressing freedom
• Being tortured
• Being shot
• Stealing from the rich and keeping for himself

The crew

Mal hates his crew with an undying passion, which might account for the way he tries to kill them and/or get them killed at every opportunity.

Mal (left) enjoys a light bondage and S&M scene at the hands of a former employer.

Notable events

• In the pilot episode, "Serenity", Mal has his mechanic shot in the stomach. However, he decides to let her live so he can play a sadistic prank on the doctor.
• In the episode "Ariel", Mal smashes his faithful second-in-command over the head with a wrench after framing the hapless man for treachery.
• In the episode "Objects in Space", Mal strives to force River, the most mentally stable member of his crew, to commit suicide because everyone aboard hates her. When this fails he vents his anger by punching a completely innocent bystander and sending him spiraling off into the depths of space without any air.
• In the episode "Safe", Mal tries to have his doctor, Simon, and his sister River burned at the stake.
• Also in "Safe", Mal has the on-board preacher, Book, shot. The bullet fails to kill, so Mal turns the now‑crippled man over to the authorities, hoping to get rid of him that way.
• In the episode "Out of Gas", Mal attempts to kill everyone by lighting the engine room on fire and turning off life support. However, he nearly gets himself killed when everyone escapes and he is then forced to try and fix the damage himself.
• In "Our Mrs. Reynolds" Mal tries to electrocute everyone on board and blame it on his new wife.

Notable quotes

• (To an Alliance officer): "Hey, I got no grudge ... Y'all won the war fair and square. Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
• Mal: "Cut her down." Patron: "The girl is a witch." Mal: "Yeah, but she's our witch." (cocks gun) "So give her back. I want to burn 'er myself."
• "Okay, um ... I'm lost. Uh ... I'm angry! And I'm going to concede your point. You're right."
• "I aim to buy me a nice little summer cottage and relax for a bit."
• "Don't you ever stand for that sort of thing. Someone ever tries to kill you, you run! You got the right same as anyone to give up and beg for mercy. Folks respect that."
• "You want to run this ship?" "Yes." "Well ... okay!"
• "I aim to improve my standing in society."

Random facts

• Malcolm Reynolds often imagines himself to be a fictional character on a TV series TV.
• Mal has suffered serious ego problems from an early age, and as an adult continues to question himself constantly. He feels that most people are better than himself, and he lacks confidence in his own decisions.
• Mal works best under constant supervision, and due to his discomfort with leadership roles he tends to relegate day-to-day operation of the ship to his trusted second-in-command, Jayne Cobb.
• Mal is a master swordsman, renowned for his skill at dueling.