Han shot. Period. Mmmkay?

That's true I suppose.

And yes, Han does seem to move faster than he thinks sometimes and he's a pretty fast thinker on top of that.

So Han tripped your trigger? Religously speaking.

Yup, it actually is called Dodge and lets you avoid all damage for three seconds.

So yes...the Smugglers can both Shoot First and Dodge.

Not sure how that led her to worshiping Jed Clampet.

It was bubbling crude.

This brought the end of Mel Brooks' History of the World to my mind with startling suddenness, and then I realized it would make a fine addition to Spaceballs II: The Search for More Money.

Feel the Schwartz.

In all honesty, I like Han Solo just as much as Mal.

But curiously, I heard this position from a friend recently and I know he doesn't play City of Heroes.

I think it went:

"Personally, I like Captain Reynolds who shot several unarmed people throughout the course of the show."

"And pushed them into spacecraft exhaust fans."

Didn't Mal say something to Simon to the effect that he would only kill/shoot him if Simon was armed and facing him?

I can recall a mercy kill or two from Mal, notably that villager in the movie when they escape from the Reavers, but the rest were people that were fittin' to do harm to him or his.

Simon: I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can... How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?
Mal: You don't know me, son, so let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.
Simon: Are you always this sentimental?
Mal: I had a good day.

Gods damn it, now I want to go and watch the whole gorram series again...

I have the whole thing on my computer via ITunes.

[A tied-up Crow is made to kneel outside Serenity as it prepares to lift off]

Mal: Now this is all the money Niska gave us in advance. You give it back to him, tell him the job didn't work out. We're not thieves... well, we are thieves, but the point is we're not taking what's his. We'll stay out of his way as best we can from here on in. You'll explain that's best for everyone, okay?
Crow: [stands up] Keep the money. Use it to buy a funeral. It doesn't matter where you go, or how far you fly, I will hunt you down, and the last thing you see will be my blade.
Mal: Darn. [kicks Crow into Serenity's engine intake]

[Cut to another henchman being placed before Mal]

Mal: Now this is all the money Niska gave us in advance—
Henchman: Oh, I get it! I'm good. Best thing for everybody. [desperate grin] I'm right there with you.

____

[Mal refuses to kill the prone, humiliated Atherton.]

Sir Warrick: You have to finish it, lad. [Mal doesn't move] You have to finish it. For a man to lay beaten, yet breathing? It makes him a coward.
Inara: It's humiliation.
Mal: It would be humiliating, having to lie there while the better man refuses to spill your blood. Mercy is the mark of a great man.

[He lightly stabs Atherton.]

Mal: Guess I'm just a good man.

[He repeats the poking.]

Mal: Well, I'm all right.

Here ya go ( ' :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPRlHwwVIug

Also on Netflix Instant Queue.... ( ' :

For reference, here's the "Mal shot first" scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP9eiXMPLcQ

Don't forget the scene in Serenity where Mal shoots and kills the unarmed (and surrendering if appearences are correct) Alliance crewman climbing out of the crashed ship after Shepard Book died in his arms.

Don't forget this one.

Totally justified. That guy just helped slaughter an entire village of Mal's friends. What does he expect is going to happen? Mal to drop him off at the nearest Alliance base?

Yes, Mal did say that to Simon at the end of the pilot episode, the same episode that had Mal sucker punch Simon earlier, but again that can be justified as Mal thought Simon was alliance. Still, it was nice in Serenity when Simon's rage finally built up early in the movie and Simon sucker punched Mal. Honestly, I didn't think Simon had it in him.

In Serenity, Mal did kill the unarmed man that he pushed off their transport and the guy was then scooped up by the Reavers and Mal put a mercy bullet into him. Still Mal was justified in that the mule transport won't run with five people. Yes, leaving that guy to be eaten and putting a bullet in the guy was not all that heroic, but Mal was also looking out for his crew, the money and himself. Self-preservation.

The Alliance fighter that mortally wounded the Shepard was shot down by the Shepard and Mal was enraged at what had been done and that someone he thought of as crew and friend had just died in his arms. Total justification on Mal's part for blasting the pilot that was trying to surrender. Basically it came down to "Shepard Book was my friend....AND YOU JUST KILLED HIM!!!!" BANG!

The only other "unarmed" person that Mal shot was the Operative when they met in Inara's home. The Operative stated he was being reasonable, that he was unarmed and then Mal blasted him. Of course the Op was wearing full body armor, but Mal was again justified in blasting the guy. He was hunting the Tams and he was basically holding Inara hostage, something that I suspect would be guaranteed to arouse Mal's wrath.

Everyone else that I can recall Mal shooting in the series had a weapon pointed either at Mal or one of his crew, like the Alliance operative in the pilot ep that had his gun to River's head. Mal just draws and fires, bang! The sword duel, Mal faced the guy with equal weapons and turned him into a pin cushion at the end as part of humiliating the guy. The mobster that he kicked into the engine intake had just refused Mal's generous offer and vowed to hunt him down.

Malcolm Reynolds is basically a darker version of Han Solo that also is perhaps the biggest walking case of post traumatic stress in history.

Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.

Never said anything about whether or not it was justified. Just posting that it was another example of Mal shooting first.