Malcolm Reynolds & King Arthur... Similarities by Poetic4U

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Malcolm Reynolds & King Arthur... Similarities

POSTED BY: POETIC4U
UPDATED: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 09:28
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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:39 AM

I have always been fascinated by the Arthurian legend, and the most recent adaptation of the legend, "King Arthur" has me bring up this topic because Arthur reminds me of our captain, Malcolm Reynolds. The similarities between the two is uncanny.

In the film, the Arthur is described as a Roman General with both a British and Roman lineage named Artorius Castus. Throughout the film, Arthur was a man whose faith in both Rome and the Catholic Church were greatly tested. In Firefly, Malcolm's faith for the Independent cause as well as his faith in God carried him through a war he, in the end, lost. Arthur's lineage makes me question Malcolm's lineage as well. Is it possible that Malcolm's father could've been a great man who fought for the Alliance's cause whereas his mother raised him to be an independent mind? This fan likes to wonder.

One line that was in "King Arthur's" earlier drafts was when Lancelot was describing Arthur to Guenevere...
Guenevere: (To Lancelot in regards to Arthur) It seems the Roman has a heart
Lancelot: From his father he got his head, but as for his heart you are mistaken. It beats with the British blood of his mother.

Arthur sacrificed himself to be a leader and earned the right to be called King. Heavily influenced in Catholism and the idea that all men/women were born free. In retrospect, much could be said the same for Malcolm Reynolds, and it wasn't just the fact that he fought for the Independents.

I often wondered why he was never an officer for the Independents, but then I realized, he IS an officer in the shoes of a Sargeant. He is both a follower and a leader... he is never one or the other. He fought alongside his soldiers and he made choices when a choice was needed to be made.

I wouldn't be surprised if he turned down an officer's position.

We've all seen what the war did to officer's on the field. They either go catatonic or they die. Neither Arthur nor Malcolm fall prey to that. They are leaders who don't always follow protocol and they stand by the choices they make.

They were never born to fit in, they were born to stand out.

"My faith is what protects me," Arthur said to Lancelot. They were an army of 7 Knights, but with Arthur's guidance and leadership they always beat the odds. When Patience has the advantage, Malcolm's "everyone always does, that's what makes us special" to Zoe in "Serenity Pt.2" says much of the same thing.

Then there's there respective groups...

There's King Arthur and his Knight's of the Round Table... and then there's Captain Reynolds and the Crew of Serenity. How much more can you say about that?

Arthur Malcolm
Lancelot Zoe
Guenevere Inara
Merlin Shepard Book
Bors Jayne
Tristan Wash
Galahad River
Gawain Simon
Dagonet Kaylee

Ok, the last 2 or 3 is highly questionable, but you get my drift...

Anyway... I thought I'd give my 2 cents in. I've been wanting to express this for quite a while now. lol!

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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:52 AM

KERNELM

Zoe/Inara having an illicit affair? Hmm... :)

Seriously though, I think the story of Serenity and her crew is much more personal and small-scale than Arthurian legend. Mal is just trying to survive, keep flying. He's not a king (or president, etc), and he never would be, IMO, even if the Independents had won.

Note also that the recent King Arthur film has very little basis in real history (despite what the filmmakers would like you to believe) and doesn't follow Arthurian legend either.

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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 9:12 AM

PURPLEBELLY

One can only hope that there are no similaries between the movies King Arthur and Serenity, apart from me viewing the telesync versions ahead of theatre release of course

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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 9:28 AM

POETIC4U

Quote:
Zoe/Inara having an illicit affair? Hmm... :)

Well, umm... hmm...

Quote:
Seriously though, I think the story of Serenity and her crew is much more personal and small-scale than Arthurian legend. Mal is just trying to survive, keep flying. He's not a king (or president, etc), and he never would be, IMO, even if the Independents had won.

I was thinking more characterwise, that Arthur and Malcolm represented themselves in their own right as opposed to any huge conquests. That there was something about them that made them different that wasn't always so easy to see.

Quote:
Note also that the recent King Arthur film has very little basis in real history (despite what the filmmakers would like you to believe) and doesn't follow Arthurian legend either.

Yeah, I'm aware of that, I just enjoyed their take on it.

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One can only hope that there are no similaries between the movies King Arthur and Serenity, apart from me viewing the telesync versions ahead of theatre release of course

LOL! I am by no means comparing King Arthur to Serenity, not even King Arthur to Firefly. It may have come across like that, but I was more interested in the story behind the character. (I'm probably still not making sense) ;)

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