Malcolm Reynolds

Malcolm Reynolds
Firefly character
Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds
First appearance	"Serenity" (Firefly episode)
Created by	Joss Whedon
Portrayed by	Nathan Fillion
Information
Nickname(s)	Mal, Captain, Captain Tight Pants (Kaylee)
Gender	Male
Occupation	Captain of Serenity
Spouse(s)	"Saffron"
Relatives	Unnamed mother
Homeworld	Shadow

Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Firefly franchise. Mal is played by actor Nathan Fillion in the 2002 TV series Firefly and the 2005 film Serenity. In the series, Mal is a former Browncoat sergeant and the captain of the "Firefly-class" spaceship Serenity. The character was named #18 in TV Guide's Greatest Sci-Fi Legends list in 2004.

Conceived by Joss Whedon, the character Malcolm Reynolds was the only definite character he had in mind when formulating the ensemble cast. He wanted a hero, but not a hero in the classic sense; someone that is "everything that a hero is not."

In the proposed pilot, Mal was much darker and considerably more closed-off. Fox network executives objected, and asked that Mal be "lightened up". For the second episode ("The Train Job"), Whedon created a more "jolly" Mal Reynolds.

Fillion shares his view on the motivations of the character he portrayed. Mal has lost so much that each character in the crew he has gathered on Serenity represents an aspect of himself he no longer has. "In Wash, he has a lust for life and a sense of humor he's lost. In Jayne, he has selfishness. In Book, he has spirituality. In Kaylee, he has innocence. Everybody represents a facet of himself that he has lost and that's why he keeps them close and safe, and yet at arm's length."

The role was originally written for Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Nicholas Brendon (who played Xander Harris); however, the shooting schedule conflicted with his commitment to Buffy.