"Mal. 'Bad', in the Latin."
This comment from River, the gifted and tortured young girl stowing away aboard the Serenity, brought my focus during this episode to Captain Mal Reynolds and his moral character. Soon after River comments upon the meaning of his name, Mal tells the Pastor taking passage on the Serenity (Shepherd Book) that he has room for a pastor on his ship, but not for God. Although this statement does not signify the way Mal lives his life, it says a lot about his beliefs. Following this scene, Mal challenges the moral behavior of the ship's visiting prostitute--or "companion"--although he himself is a professional thief and outlaw. Does this mean that he has a moral compass, or that he's hypocritical? Time will tell. Early in the episode, Mal told Shepherd Book that he was allowing River and Simon Tam to stay aboard because it's "the right thing to do." Jayne, however, threatens this comment by telling Kaylee that Mal "has a move he ain't made yet" and that Mal is considering trading the Tams in for a profit. Again, this suggests that Mal is conniving and self-centered. But is he?
The newest character introduced in this episode was a man named Adelai Niska, a kingpin whose evil deeds make Mal look like a fairy godmother or some other benevolent creature. Was Niska's purpose to foil the viewer's increasing confusion about Mal's character? If so, Whedon certainly succeeded with this devilish man.
As it turns out, the evil Niska hired Mal and his crew to steal medicine that was on a train, bound for sick people who desperately needed it. Mal's response to learning this? "Son of a bitch." The man has a heart, folks! And that same heart chose to return the medicine to the needy people of Paradiso. I still can't speak for his ethics, but I like him and I hope this compassionate side continues.
A note: in terms of a "space western", jumping from a spaceship to a moving train is one heroic--and fitting--feat.
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