"...I got people with me, people who trust each other, who do for each other and ain't always looking for the advantage. There's good people in the 'Verse. Not many, lord knows, but you only need a few." -- Mal, "Our Mrs. Reynolds"
Character Type: Protective Captain
Character Description: It takes a special kind of man to stake his life on a cause, and that man is Malcolm Reynolds. Sure, he could’ve stayed on Shadow and become a prosperous rancher like his folks. But he didn’t. Alliance came throwin’ their weight around and Mal just didn’t like what they were up to. So, he signed up for the big War, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Only thing is: Mal came out on the losin’ side of the conflict.
The War destroyed a lot of Mal’s illusions, left him bitter and cynical. He was a man of God, but now Mal puts his faith in his crew. He bought his ship, named her Serenity after the battle that changed his life, and headed out into the black to make his fortune. His luck ain’t all that great, but he has managed to stay alive, and that’s not nothin’.
Likes and Dislikes: The list of what Mal likes and dislikes is pretty damn short. Mal cares about getting paid, the safety of his crew, and his boat. Mess with any one of those three, and he’ll get a mite testy. When he does, you can be sure a snappy comeback and a gun ain’t far behind.
Flashbacks and Echoes: They say that War can break any man’s faith and Mal give truth to that saying. A Browncoat volunteer who fought for the Independents in the War, he eventually earned the rank of sergeant and led the final charge against the Alliance during the Battle of Serenity along with his second-in-command, Zoe. To this day, Mal’s convinced he fought on the right side—though not the winning side.
