Malcolm

**Siblings**

* Clover (maternal step-sister)

**Malcolm** is the deuteragonist of the 2019 short horror film *Taste*. A nerdy but kindhearted teenage boy, Malcolm joins forces with his step-sister when their neighborhood is consumed by a strange virus carried by Monsino Farms' meat. He is the step-brother of Clover.

He is portrayed by Ryan Alessi.

## Physical Appearance

Malcolm is a Caucasian boy in his mid-teens with brown hair, blue eyes, and glasses.

## Characteristics

Malcolm is a typical nerdy teenage boy. He loves video games and talks a lot about them, much to the annoyance of his step-sister. He is a compassionate and sensitive young man, apparently even making acquaintances with Hermit Jim, the neighborhood kook, over their respective interests in conspiracy theories.

## Background

Some time ago, Malcolm's father left the picture. His mother met and married Clover's father, and Malcolm gained not only a new father but a new step-sister from the union.

## Crypt Monster Universe

### Taste

At the dinner table, Malcolm reads the box the meat came in and becomes anxious when he finds that the meat contains GMO's. He starts to ramble about them much to the exasperation of his step-sister, but both are similarly disgusted by their respective parents going to town on the meat. Malcolm comes back downstairs with his cosplay sword after hearing some loud noises from the garage, but Clover tells him to stay behind. After finding that their father has turned into a Freak, Malcolm once again starts his rant about the GMO's. Clover tells him that they have to leave, but he refuses to leave without his mother. Clover tells him that she's sick and they can't take her with them, when in actuality she watched his mother be eaten by her father. Clover tells him they have to go to the Henderson's house, as they're family friends and will be able to help them, but before they leave, Malcolm grabs his plastic katana to take as a weapon. The siblings go to the Henderson's house to find that Mrs. Henderson has become a Freak and has eaten her husband. Clover was forced to fight her to defend Malcolm but is knocked down by the mutant, who goes after Malcolm. Malcolm tries to stab her with his katana, only for the sword to break in half. Clover gets back up and joins Malcolm in fighting their neighbor, and bashes Mrs. Henderson's head in.

With no other options left, Malcolm brings Clover to Hermit Jim's house, but Clover refuses to go inside. Hermit Jim then appears and brings the teens into his house, but Clover's father follows them in and kills him. Clover and Malcolm hide in the back room and Clover orders him to stay put before going out to fight her father. She manages to put up a good fight, but her father overpowers her and begins to eat her leg. Malcolm then comes out of the back room with Hermit Jim's katana and attacks him, giving Clover the window she needs to get up and fight. Clover knocks her father out by smashing his head against the mantle, and she and Malcolm exit the house to a neighborhood in chaos.

## Powers and Abilities

### Equipment

* **Hermit Jim's katana:** After Hermit Jim is killed by Clover's Father, Malcolm takes his katana to fight the Freaks with.
* **The Devil's Sword (formerly):** Malcolm previously owned The Devil's Sword, a plastic cosplay sword from one of his favorite video games. When the sword broke, he took a katana from Hermit Jim's home to fight off the Freaks with.

## Relationships

### Clover

Clover initially doesn't get along with Malcolm, not wanting to associate with him because he's weak and nerdy. After their parents become infected by the tainted meat, Clover takes charge of the situation and doesn't leave room for Malcolm to argue with her decisions. After they fight her infected father together, Clover begins to warm up to her step-brother, as he is not the wimp she previously thought he was.

### Malcom's Mother

Malcolm cared about his mother and was fearful when he couldn't find her after Clover's Father turned into a Freak.

### Hermit Jim

It can be assumed that Malcolm may have been friendly with Hermit Jim, or at least wasn't afraid of him. He tried to go to Hermit Jim's house when the Freaks first started popping up because he believed Hermit Jim would know what to do, since the man had a reputation for preparing for an unforeseen apocalypse.

### The Hendersons

It can be assumed that Malcolm was friendly with The Henderson like the rest of his family.

## References

1. ↑ *Taste* (dir. Alex Grybauskas; April 19th. 2019)