GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

The Anti-hero

POSTED BY: CAPTKAR
UPDATED: Friday, February 3, 2006 14:16
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Friday, February 3, 2006 1:29 PM

CAPTKAR


This is probably an old post, and knowing my memory i might have already posted this idea once already. But I think that it bears reapeting. What I like most about Mal, my absolute favorite thing about him is that he is the captain without having the true traits of a Captain most of the time. I mean this in a sense of old sea captains, and Captain Biccard, and so on and so forth. We are raised seeing the captain as an absolute brave, noble, honorable person.

This is why I love Mal. Compared to these he is the anti-hero. For example in Serenity when he is going to the companion training school he turns to Zoe and says, "If anything happens, you take this ship, and you come and resue me." rather than the whole B.S. version of if anything happens to me you get yourself out.

Also in Serenity when Mal and the operative are talking in the training school, as soon as the operative mentions that he is unarmed Mal doesn't even hesitate to shoot him as fast as humanly possible. Whereas the story book her would never attack an unarmed man.

These characteristics give Mal more humanity and reality thatn any other hero I have ever seen. It makes him easier to connect with, easier to love.

-Bravery is not the absence of fear, this is a foolish notion. Bravery is the mental capability to work through ones fear to achieve thier goal. To finish the job.-

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Friday, February 3, 2006 1:59 PM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.


Yeah, these are some of my favourite Mal moments.

His actions are not; "I'm so noble and heroic I will defeat you against the odds without having to fight dirty", nor are they; "Look at me, I'm an anti-hero! I'm a bad man but I do it with style and that makes me cool!".

He's all about; "I'll do whatever I need to just to get by in this 'verse with my ship and my crew intact. I won't love myself for acting this way but I can't stand the consequences for me and mine if I fail to."

Flawed, real and beautiful if you ask me.

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Friday, February 3, 2006 2:12 PM

CAPTKAR


AMEN!

You typed what I was trying to say in 3 lines. hehe. That is exactly what i was thinking I just had a hard time finding the right words.

-When you can't run you crawl, and when you can't crawl you find someone to carry you-

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Friday, February 3, 2006 2:16 PM

CAPELLA


Yes, you are definitely right. It is what makes Mal human. He reminds me a lot of some characters played by Humphrey Bogart in the 40s : Richard Blaine from Casablanca, or the guy in Key Largo or the skipper from African Queen. They were less self-ironic than Mal, though.

Keep flying,
Capella


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