Malcolm Reynolds Part 21: Serenity: Those Left Behind #2 (August, 2005)

Mal and company revisit the past as another job comes their way.

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

The crew are at a station somewhere for fuel and supplies when Badger arrives and tells Mal and the others about the Battle of Sturges, a browncoats defeat during the war. He tells them that the battle took place over money…money that’s never been recovered.  He offers Mal the job of retrieving the money and even provides the exact coordinates of its location. Mal takes the job, and Inara sees it as yet another excuse for keeping her on board. Book speaks up and calls Mal on the value of his promise to her, and Mal fires back about his recent un-preacher-like actions. Book responds by punching Mal in the face.

They reach the Battle of Sturges and find the location of the money - a derelict vessel floating amongst hundreds of abandoned spacewrecks. Mal, Zoe and Jayne suit up and board it.

Notes of Interest:

1) Mal clearly doesn’t trust Badger by this point, which makes sense given their relationship throughout the series.

2) We learn that both Mal and Zoe fought at the Battle of Sturges.

3) Despite the battle’s reputation of being the bloodiest of the war, Mal calls it a distant second.

4) Mal is one tough hombre to take a shot like that from Book without missing a beat…even after he got up off the floor.

5) He also doesn’t seem the least surprised Book hit him.

6) Wash makes it clear that he knows Mal’s doing everything he can to keep Inara around.

WTF? Moment: What’s the deal with Mal and Book? Why are they on each other’s nerves?

WTF? Moment #2: Mal never says what the Battle of Sturges is second in bloodiness to, but my money’s on Serenity Valley.