Postby justTripn » Sun May 06, 2007 12:50 am
I was never all that fancinated with Malcolm during the show, but I grew to like him when I wrote a fic with him. As for his backstory, there was something sinister going on in that Reed family, which I notice that most people totally ignore. I believe the father was abusive, but not to the point where Malcolm would have recognized it as such. I think that despite his dysfunctional family, Malcolm grew up to be a very functional adult with a lot of good qualities, especially a single-minded commitment to duty, being a friend to Trip. He is also charming enouph to be quite a ladies man, but with all those girlfreinds never got very close to anyone of them. (Also never married in the E-squared universe.) I believe his inability to committ comes from a fear of rejection, which makes sense considering that his family seems to have rejected him (not returning his letter, not bothering to know his assignment on Enterprise). I not sure he understands this. He probably thinks he's doing fine and the right woman will come along one day.
At the beginning, I felt he was a little jelous of Trip about something, maybe his higher rank, but after Shuttlepod One, they have a two-way friendship.
I didn't see him as at all suicidal. In the Expanse, there was a moment when Trip was complaining that he realizes this is going to be a "one-way trip." Malcolm has something upbeat and positive to say (after being pegged as the gloomy one in Shuttlepod One). He was more hopeful and positive than Trip in the Expanse.
But for being brave, there is alot of canon evidence. He did volunteer for an assignment where he was tortured (I forget the assignment, but it was part of a plan to win back the ship after everyone got locked in their quarters.) He did ask Archer to let him die rather than put the whole ship in danger when he became pinned to the outer hull. At the same time he was very reluctant to die, even while he tried to be brave.
I have to admit, I never noticed anything happening between him and Hoshi. In fact, I'm not sure where that idea comes from. Maybe someone can enlighten me.
As for Malcolm's early interest in T'Pol, I thought it was funny and only natural. I don't blame him at all for noticing that she's a woman. He seems to have noticed before Trip.
I'm donating my body to science fiction.