Malcolm Reynolds Part 20: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1 (July, 2005)

Mal loses a job and his patience, but keeps his gun.

I have this issue in the Serenity: Those Left Behind Trade Paperback.

Mal, Zoe and Jayne find themselves in a bank vault standoff against another gang of thieves. Outgunned, Mal lets the other group take the money. But when their leader also asks for Mal’s gun, he kicks it in the man’s face, causing all kinds of disruption.

The other group gets away clean, and Mal’s crew are left behind to take the blame by the locals. Not wanting to get shot, killed or captured, they make a run for it in a vehicle Book – who was leading a sermon/causing a diversion at the time – provides. Mal calls Wash to bring Serenity in for a much needed rescue, and after some dampening heroics, everyone gets aboard safely.

Mal retires to the mess hall for a beverage and to lick his wounds when he finds River hiding under the table. Inara comes in and tells him she’s been keeping an eye on the girl. She also mentions…again…that she’s trying to schedule her leaving and Mal walks off in a huff.

Notes of Interest:

1) The other group is led by Ott, a man Mal shares some history with.

2) Mal acknowledges that there are only two things that got him through the war and stuck with him afterwards…his gun, and Zoe.

3) He’s obviously taking his time in getting Inara to where she wants to go.

WTF? Moment: I’ll mention it again – when will we learn how he met Zoe and what made her stay with him after the war?

WTF? Moment #2: He seems to like pushing Book’s buttons and I have no idea why.