Gordon Malloy

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### Relatives

Greg Malloy (father); unnamed mother; unknown brother; Laura Huggins (wife); Edward Malloy (son); unborn child

## Biographical information

### Age

At least 23 (*Launch Day, Pt. 1*)At least 43-44 (Season 1)
At least 44 (Season 1.5)
At least 44-45 (Season 2)
At least 45 (Season 2.5)
 96 (2068, when temporal disturbance had occurred and he was trapped on Earth)

### Marital status

Single; Married to Laura Huggins (Temporal disturbance)

## Physical description

### Gender

Male

> *We all know Gordon is the best pilot in the fleet.*— Admiral Ozawa
>
>

**Gordon Malloy** was a human Helmsman and Lieutenant aboard the USS *Orville*. Gordon was renowned in the early 25th century throughout the Planetary Union as possibly its most skillful pilot, and personally logged over 56,000 light years by October 2420.

Gordon was born and raised on Earth until he enrolled at Union Point as a cadet. Even then, Gordon was known for his brash, if reckless, flying style and juvenile sense of humor. Gordon served in the Planetary Union as a helmsman for years until he accidentally destroyed cargo performing a manual override while docking, a stunt that sent him to office work at Planetary Union Central.

In September 2419, Gordon's old friend, Ed Mercer, became captain of the Orville and chose Gordon for its helm. His expert piloting skills played important, even salvific, roles in the Battle of Epsilon 2, the Rescue of the USS *Druyan*, and the Battle of Kastra 4. Gordon even piloted a Krill marauder in the vicious Battle of Earth against the Kaylon.

In perhaps his most daring mission, Gordon and Ed successfully captured the Krill destroyer *Yakar*, recovering a wealth of information on the secretive and highly aggressive Krill species.

In early 2422, Gordon was assigned to fly the *Pterodon*, an elite new fighter.

## History

### Early life

    Gordon was born to Greg Malloy, a space station "builder", and an unnamed woman in the late 2370s. He later stated that his family (and in particular his mother) were "trash" and recalled his father had often been drunk and abandoned him for long periods of time.

Little is known of Gordon's mother, although decades later in 2414, he said that his mother was not single (though did not specify if she was still married to Greg Malloy). Gordon's mother believed that in romance, "there are always plenty of fish in the sea." In 2420, he compared her appearance to a clown: a large red afro, lots of makeup, large "floppy" shoes, and "scary as balls."

Gordon grew up in New Jersey on Earth, noting: "People tell it like it is, right to the point, no BS. Good bagels, too." Gordon also stated that in New Jersey, "people think I'm the guy that never knows when to shut up."

While attending grade school, Gordon met Orrin Channing. The two would remain best friends for most of their early lives until Orrin disappeared around the year 2401. In his teens, Gordon worked at a children's summer camp as a camp counselor.

Gordon and Orrin enrolled at the academy Union Point for flight school. There, Gordon met Ed, at the time a promising student, and the two became drinking buddies. The sat together in every class they shared, such as astroarchaeology under Professor Lamarche. Lamarche nearly failed Gordon for cheating on the final exam. (It is unclear whether Gordon actually cheated.) Gordon loathed Lamarche after the incident.

Even in his early days as a cadet, Gordon was known a gifted up-and-coming young pilot, respected for his dexterity and brashness, and he was able to "hug the donkey," an extremely difficult and dangerous fighting tactic.

While at Union Point at age 23, Gordon and an unidentified roommate turned a shuttle into a party bus. To hide themselves, they used a tractor beam to neutralize the shuttle's ion trail, rendering them completely invisible - only to be caught after the shuttle plowed into a tree when they had attempted to land.

### Early career

Gordon established himself as the best helmsman in the Planetary Union. Years later, Navigator John LaMarr said that Gordon's piloting skills were "legendary" throughout the Union.

One of Gordon's earliest postings was to the USS *Bohr* in 2400, where he served as an ensign alongside Ed and Ycil.

#### Outpost 73

After serving on the Bohr, Gordon was stationed to Outpost 73 with his old friend, Orrin Channing, both of whom in their early 20s at the time. In 2401, Krill attacked the outpost and Gordon and others were trapped beneath fallen debris. While precise details are unclear, Gordon later recalled that Orrin had stopped to pull them out of the wreckage, saving their lives but getting himself captured as a prisoner by the Krill in the process. Orrin's wife Sophie and their newborn daughter Leyna were killed in the attack.

After the attack, Gordon recovered at a Union hospital until returning to active duty.

#### Suspension

Gordon's relaxed attitude and puerile behavior often got him into trouble. He was disciplined for drawing "a penis on the main viewing screen of Outpost T85" and on other things as well. A final straw came some time between "a few years after" age 23 and before March 2419. Wanting to impress a girl, Gordon manually overrode shuttle docking. Although no one was hurt, a cargo bay door was sheared off and 300 crates of authentic autumn squash were sucked into space. Gordon was suspended indefinitely and placed on desk duty.

Gordon worked at Planetary Union Central in New York City, New York on Earth. He lived in a house at this time.

### Helmsman of the USS *Orville*

When Ed was offered command of the USS *Orville* in September 2419, he immediately asked Admiral Tom Halsey that Gordon be made its helmsman. Although Halsey was concerned about Gordon's record of churlish behavior, he deferred to Ed's judgment if Ed believed he can "keep Gordon focused". Later that same month, Gordon flew to the Orville by shuttle while drinking a beer and by afternoon piloted the ship out of the Union Dockyard on its maiden voyage.

Gordon's dismissiveness of command and authority, which got him into trouble in the past, soon re-surfaced. In October, Ed and Commander Kelly Grayson were kidnapped by Calivon zookeepers. When acting captain Alara Kitan followed Union orders to abandon the two as lost in the line of duty, Gordon was outraged. He angrily criticized Alara's decision and was briefly removed from duty. He was reinstated only after speaking bluntly with Alara, convincing her to disobey orders and rescue Ed and Kelly:

*You know what the really heinous thing is? If the Captain were in your shoes, he would've gone after you. He would've risked his career to save your life. You suck... sir.*
Gordon and Navigator John LaMarr received a letter of reprimand around March 2420 for planting a gelatinous piece of Lieutenant Yaphit's body in Prawgus cake, which Second Officer Bortus ate.

#### Early missions

    Gordon's renowned piloting skills were tested only a week after joining the Orville. Forced into a battle with a Krill destroyer, the Orville was outclassed and outgunned. Recognizing their ship could never win tit-for-tat against a destroyer, Gordon "hugged the donkey" to distract the Krill from capturing a shuttle holding the ground team, Doctor Aronov, and a quantum accelerator.

The destroyer's torpedoes heavily damaged the Orville, and the shuttle was clipped by wreckage broken off the Orville. The shuttle lost helm control and was unable to dock itself in the Shuttle Bay. Faced with nearly impossible odds, Gordon managed to orient the Orville so the shuttle could enter the Bay. Gordon's ingenuity and unparalleled piloting skills saved the Orville and rescued the crew.

* Gordon's skills would be required again in November. The Orville received a Priority One distress call from the USS *Druyan*, a colony transport under attack from the Krill. Again outgunned and heavily damaged as they were at the battle over Epsilon 2, Gordon and John worked together to attack the enemy's engines. The idea to attack the engines was a gambit; the traditional theory would have been to attack the weapons, but John argued that the enemy's engines were near collapse. John's idea worked, and the Orville lived to fight another battle.
* Several weeks later, Gordon piloted the Orville through a fight with the battle cruiser *Kakov*. The Orville was called to rescue the new colony planet Kastra 4. Under Ed's orders, Gordon eluded the enemy by flying through the planet's atmosphere, then dropped the entire payload at once, destroying the Kakov utterly.
* In early June 2420, Ed and Gordon took a shuttle from AXP 1E 1048-59 to Outpost 23 to speak at a tactical conference to brief officers on their mission on the *Yakar**. En route*, they intercepted a distress beacon from the BCV *Burton*, which had crashed onto a nearby planet after a devastating battle with the Tzel, but they were shot down by the Burton's still-active Plasma Cannon. They crashed onto the planet's surface, discovering a population of Chogs surviving off of the Burton's Food Synthesizers. Ed and Gordon investigated the wreck of the Burton. A 100-year-old message left by its acting captain explained that after the Burton crashed, the planet's ecosystems, once verdant, were destroyed by a leaking quantum reactor. The Burton's surviving crew set the Burton up to protect the remaining Chogs. When the Orville arrived, Ed arranged for the Planetary Union to terraform the planet so that the Chogs may thrive once again.

#### Shipmaster Qualification Program

In September or October 2420, Gordon submitted a formal request to be considered for the Shipmaster Qualification Program and qualify for a command position, telling Kelly: "I love flying but it's all I've ever done." He averred that he wanted a promotion not only to feel more successful and respected, but perhaps also to meet women. However, after Kelly confronted him, Gordon confessed his true underlying motivation:

*I guess lately I've been feeling bored with myself. Like, is this all I am a guy who drives ships from one place to another? And if I'm not enough for myself, what if that means I'm not enough for other people?*
While never explicitly stated, Gordon seems to had dropped his plans to take the test after Kelly reaffirmed that he is a valuable member of the crew as he is.

### Infiltration of the Yakar

Main article: Krill (episode)

> *Why are you here? What is your mission?
> Look, dude, we just came here cause we were trying to find a way to make peace with you guys.*— Gordon to Captain Haros
>
>

Perhaps the highlight of Gordon's career came in December 2419. In the aftermath of the destruction of the Kakov, a rare Krill shuttle was recovered from the wreckage. Admiral Ozawa joined the USS *Orville* to give Ed and Gordon a new mission: pose as Krill survivors from the Kakov, infiltrate a Krill destroyer, and escape with a copy of the Anhkana. The Anhkana was a Krill holy text that preached the destruction of all other species believed inferior, which the Union understood motivated the Krill. Although an Anhkana sat in every destroyer, the Union had not yet procured a copy.

Advanced holographic projection technology recovered from the Calivon was adapted to fashion holographic disguises for Ed and Gordon. Posing as Krill soldiers "Chris" and "Devon," Ed and Gordon were picked up by the *Yakar*.

Ed and Gordon managed to make a partial copy of the book, and, later, discovered a massive bomb several decks below. The bomb was a prototype to be dropped on the Union colony planet of Rana 3. Ed noticed that Krill were extremely susceptible to UV radiation, and they devised a plan for Gordon to hack into the ship's engineering and cause the ship to emit large amounts of light, enough to kill a Krill but not enough to kill a Human.

Gordon successfully hacked into the ship's computers and set a timer for the UV blast but he is caught by High Priest Sazeron, who found his holographic generator and took Gordon to the bridge to Captain Haros. The ship arrived at Rana 3, so Haros decides that Gordon should watch its destruction before killing him. Fortunately, the Krill never realized that Gordon had hacked their lighting system. A blast UV radiation is emitted, killing most Krill life on board.

Unfortunately, deployment of the bomb was auto-scheduled by the ship's computer, and the Yakar fires on Rana 3 anyway. With the entire bridge crew decimated, Gordon is able to gain control of the ship's weapons array and fire torpedoes at the bomb, destroying it in space. Ed and Gordon guide a nearly empty Yakar back into Union space where they reunite with the Orville. The mission is a rousing success. Not only did the two successfully acquire a copy of the Anhkana, but steal an entire Krill destroyer to boot.

### Battle of Earth

Main article: Battle of EarthWhen the Kaylon seized the Orville around January or February 2421 and launched an attack on Earth, Gordon and Kelly escaped by shuttle and traveled into Krill space to convince them to join the Union in the Battle of Earth. Pursued by a faster Sphere, Gordon successfully employed a dangerous, theoretical approach to increase the speed of the shuttle's quantum drive: re-routing all power to the engines to give their vessel a temporary boost that will kill all systems but "leave the Kaylon in the dust."

The two entered Krill territory in moments and are quickly captured by a trio of destroyers led by Captain Dalak. Dalak was convinced after they are attacked by a sphere. In the ensuing battle, Gordon piloted a *Marauder*-class fighter and even destroys an Interceptor.

### Return of Orrin Channing

Main article: Blood of PatriotsAround March or April 2421, the Orville was stationed by Tarazed 3 to sign a lak'vai pact with the Krill. Orrin Channing and his daughter, Leyna, suddenly returned, claiming to have escaped from a Krill prison camp six weeks prior in a stolen shuttle.

Gordon was initially elated to see his old friend alive, but the Krill accused Orrin of destroying four vessels in violation of a recent ceasefire. When the Planetary Union considered a provisional extradition agreement, Orrin asked Gordon to help him steal a Union shuttle and undermine the peace process. The woman known as Leyna was in fact an Envall using her blood to attack the Krill and Orrin planned to dive a shuttle with the blood into the *Davoro'kos*, which had arrived for the lak'vai.

Gordon helped Orrin steal the shuttle but attempted to dissuade his old friend. After a brief fight, Orrin activated a quantum storage cell containing Leyna's blood but Gordon destroyed the shuttle's control panel. Gordon fled in an environmental suit to the Orville and Orrin died in the subsequent explosion. The shockwave from the blast sent Gordon flying uncontrollably through space, but the Orville saved him with the use of its tractor beam. Following the signing of the lak'vai, Gordon later stated "Orrin died a long time ago in that prison" and reaffirmed his friendship with Ed.

## Later career

In July 2421, Gordon investigated whether a large construct in orbit around planet Alibar was a weapon. The weapon was in fact an enormous Quantum Shifter, a device to shift the entire planet to an alternate universe.

Around July, Ed and Gordon bumped into their old professor, Lamarche, while the Orville was docked at Outpost 47. Lamarche enthralled Ed with evidence that part of the fleet of the Zankon empire, which existed 3.4 million years ago, was hidden inside the Cruxis system - a powerful quaternary star system. Gordon, on the other hand, felt Lamarche was rude and irritating. Later, Gordon was incised to find out out Lamarche had an assistant, Chalmi, whom he received in exchange for a Food Synthesizer. Gordon argued the professor should be jailed for slavery. The group indeed found the lost Zankon fleet, but it was destroyed by Chalmi to prevent another species from using Zankon technology to hurt others.

### *Pterodon*

In early 2422, the Orville was refitted at the Union Dockyard to prepare for the Kaylon threat. Gordon was assigned to fly a new Fighter-class vessel, the *Pterodon*. He quickly fell in love with its handling and weapons performance during a test-run.

### Planet of fear

Gordon joined a landing party to Narran 1 consisting of himself, Captain Ed Mercer, Commander Kelly Grayson, Second Officer Bortus and Lieutenant Commander Talla Keyali. The planet had previously been registered by Union scans as a barren, lifeless rock, but was now unexpectedly showing signs of thriving life. Upon arrival, however, the party discovered something highly unusual: a forest setting and within it a 21st century American high school.

The group entered the high school and began investigating. Soon after, Gordon was accosted by a group of bullies who roughed him up and told him that Randall wanted his money. He asked them just who Randall was, but they refused to provide any answers, acting as if he should know just who Randall was. As they continued to attack, Gordon finally gave in, telling them that he would get Randall his money. They let him go, telling him that he had until 3:15 to pay up.

Gordon was finally able to reunite with the rest of the group, revealing what had happened. His wounds were assessed as being real, meaning that even if whatever was happening was a simulation, it was possible for them to be hurt. Looking to get more information, they visited the school's cafeteria where they found themselves talking with some of the students. They asked about Randall and the students revealed that Randall was a bully who made people pay him money in order to keep him from beating them up.

The away team discussed this matter, deciding that it would be best to just find this Randall and talk to him, as he was the only lead that they had. Having learned that he hung out behind the bleachers, they went to confront him only to discover that he was, in fact, a hulking troll-like alien with a massive axe. Randall seized Gordon and began throttling him within an inch of his life. As he did, Gordon experienced a strange flash of observing his situation out-of-body.

Almost immediately following this, the party found themselves within a 21st-century aircraft that was experiencing turbulence. Gordon immediately recognized that something was wrong, as from what he knew of history old planes such as this were at the mercy of the atmosphere. It seemed, however, as though this plane was climbing or dipping every time they hit a smooth patch of altitude, almost as if whoever was in control was *trying* to hit the turbulence. He and the others forcibly took control of the plane, only to discover that there was nobody piloting it. As they nearly crashed, Ed Mercer this time experienced the strange sensation of feeling out of body. After the party underwent a couple of other such scenarios, it was revealed that the entire experience was a simulation created by a woman named Dinal. A member of the Kandarian species, she had secretly replaced Talla Keyali. Her species, who had once encountered the crew of the *Orville* before, had evolved into immortal beings and thus she created the simulation in order to experience the nature of mortality.

### Family Man

Later that year, Gordon hosted a party for the crew of the Orville in his guitars, singing Jimmy Webb's "That's All I've Got to Say" and playing the guitar. Following the performance, Charly Burke discovered the replicated cell-phone of Laura Huggins and asked him about it. He explained about her being a woman from the 21st century and how he had replicated it as a memento of her. After the party, a new breakthrough was made aboard the Orville on the quantum accelerator, a device that was capable of manipulating time. Its field was greatly expanded, and it now had the ability to send objects to either the past or future. Fearing the effects that it could have if it feel into the hands of the Union's enemies, particularly the Kaylon, Admiral Perry ordered the Orville to a convoy for the device to be transferred to a maximum security research facility on Sabik 3.

Perry's fears proved justified, as the Kaylon launched an attack as the Orville was en route. The Orville was knocked out of quantum and placed in a tractor beam by the Kaylon. The Kaylon then ordered the crew of the Orville to hand over the device, but Ed ordered that Talla Keyali destroy it. However, just then, she was injured, and Gordon volunteered to take on the task instead. He rushed to the Astrophysics Lab where the device was being held. As he was reaching there, Ed ordered John to overload the quantum core and channel the energy into the Orville's deflector's in the hope of breaking the tractor beam. The overload ended up causing a power surge into the accelerator, causing Gordon to be thrown back and seemingly disappear.

After losing the Kaylons, the crew discovered that Gordon was missing. They then received an incoming transmission from Gordon, coming from over 400 years in the past. It turned out that Gordon has been knocked back in time, over 400 years into the past. Gordon's message stated that he had been on Earth for six months, in the year 2015, but they searched the database and discovered an obituary for Gordon dated 2068, describing him as an ace pilot for a private charter airline. They realized that Gordon's subconscious, and his thoughts of Laura Huggins, had directed the time he ended up in. Confused as to why Gordon had violated temporal law and made himself visible, they nevertheless decided to use the device to travel back in time and try to rescue him.

The Orville, however, arrived ten years too late, finding themselves in the year 2025 instead of 2015. Ed and Kelly then personally traveled down to Earth in order to find Gordon and bring him back. While they found him quickly enough, he did not seem pleased to see them. He told them they were ten years too late and asked them to take a ride in his car. They quickly realized that he had become acclimated the time period and he agreed, saying that it was “like watching your little brother make a bunch of stupid mistakes,”that you could see him growing and learning. He told them that he had grown used to the time period and as they arrived at his home, he told them that he wasn't going back. He told them to come inside, showing them that he now had a family. He had married Laura Huggins and together they had a child, Edward, and another unborn child.

Ed and Kelly were flabbergasted that Gordon had committed such a serious violation of temporal law. For his part, however, Gordon justified his decision, stating that upon first finding himself in 2015, he had *tried* to follow the temporal law. He survived on his own, eventually eating animals, itself a serious violation of Union law and considered murder. Eventually, he found that he could no longer remain sane without human contact and integrated himself into the society. He suggested that maybe this was all how it was meant to be. Ed and Kelly, however, told him that he was deluding himself, that according to Isaac it was all still in flux. At this, Gordon revealed something of his hostility towards Isaac, stating sarcastically that he had always been trustworthy. He told them that they needed to go and then revealed the truth to Laura, but she told him that a part of her had always known.

Gordon told Ed and Kelly point-blank to leave, telling them that if they wanted to rescue him, they should have gotten their dates right. Later, Ed and Kelly return with Talla. When they threatened to remove him by force, he told them that they would have to take his family as well. He revealed that he had a weapon and threatened to stun Ed, Kelly and Talla, then take his family and disappear so deeply that they wouldn't have a chance of ever finding him again. Just then, however, Isaac commed Ed and informed him that he and Charly Burke had secured the dysonium necessary for the Orville's trip back. Ed then told Gordon that they would bring him home... from 2015. He told Gordon that this reality was never supposed to exist, saying that he was playing god with history. Gordon replied that *Ed* was the one playing god, saying that what he was doing was murder. He begged Ed to stop and as Ed and Kelly left, he told his wife and son that their family was stronger than time and nothing could take that away from them.

The crew of the Orville then traveled to 2015, where, from Gordon's perspective, it had only been a month since he'd arrived. They found Gordon and collected him. Gordon, knowing nothing of other events, was extremely grateful. After the crew returned to the home time period, Ed and Kelly revealed to Gordon the truth of what they had done. He told them that he didn't know what to say, that it must have been the hardest thing they ever did. He expressed shock at his own selfishness, but Ed told him that he had been tested in a way nobody had been and that family did powerful things to a person. Gordon told him and Kelly they had done the right thing, but they still regretted the fact that there were two children who would never be born. They then sat and drank together. Gordon was one month older, having experienced a month outside of normal time.

### Best Man

In late 2422, Gordon was approached by Isaac, who asked him to be his best man for his wedding to Claire Finn. Given his antagonism towards Isaac, Gordon was surprised by the request and asked why he wanted him. Isaac explained that much of the crew regarded Gordon as funny and in his research he had learned that the best man was required to give a public address of a humorous nature. Bortus then unexpectedly spoke up, stating that he also possessed the quality of humor. He stated that he would handle the task, noting that he had previously participated in a bonding ceremony. He told Isaac that he would be his best man and would speak and, to Gordon's shock and horror, Isaac agreed.

Later, in Engineering, Gordon raged at Bortus having stolen his role. He likened him to a bully, calling it the most self-serving and shameless thing he had seen in his life. He stated that Bortus had a weird, sneaky craving for the spotlight and that he fancied himself a charismatic presence who deserved to command an audience. He and Ed discussed him having served as the best man at Ed's wedding, Ed agreeing that he had done a good job. He asked Gordon whether he was more or less upset about this than the Kaylon invasion of Earth and he admitted he was madder about this. Just then, a sandwich that Gordon had sent forward three months in time using the quantum accelerator unexpectedly appeared. Stunned, Gordon stated that he knew he was going to be happy to see it and, taking a bite, commented that he felt better already.

Bortus hosted the bachelor party for the wedding. Despite it being a simulation of twentieth-century Las Vegas, which was theoretically exciting, Bortus's performance of "Love Me Tender" as Elvis Presley largely fell flat, with Gordon actually falling asleep. During the wedding itself, Bortus's attempt at a best man speech consisted of a series of extremely offensive statements such as stating to Claire that he did not believe an artificial lifeform was capable of raising her children, followed by stating "All kidding aside." Finally, Claire nudged Isaac and following her advice, Isaac stated that he wanted to her from Gordon.

Gordon then finally took his place as the best man. He delivered a series of light-hearted humorous remarks combined with self-deprecating humor that landed well with the audience. Among these were that the fact that Claire was his doctor and seen him naked and yet had still chosen Isaac and that the Kaylon in attendance at the wedding had a thousand light year drive home and that most of them had been drinking. During the reception, by request, he sang and performed on the guitar James Taylor's "Secret O' Life."

## Alternate timeline

    In the original timeline, Gordon died in late 2419 when the USS *Orville* was destroyed in a dark matter storm. The timeline was permanently altered when Pria Lavesque saved the Orville in an attempt to steal the ship.

In an alternate timeline where Kelly Grayson declined a second date with Ed in 2414, Gordon took Ed to a bar on Earth where Olix bartended. Gordon and Olix tried to console Ed, but Ed decided to take this first position possible to get away from Kelly. Ed never became Captain of the Orville and Gordon never served as its helmsman.

Gordon continued to be immature and reckless just as he was in the main timeline. For example, he drew a penis on the main viewing screen of Outpost T85. After he sheared off a cargo bay door and lost 300 crates of autumn squash trying to impress a girl, he was indefinitely suspended and placed on desk duty at Planetary Union Central.

Ed slowly rose in rank to First Officer of the USS *Watson*. Sometime between September 2420 and January 2421, Helmsman Jacobs left the Watson and Ed recommended Gordon to fill the vacancy, but was swiftly turned down based on Gordon's past antics. By January 2421, Ed became Commanding Officer of the Epsilon Eridani Station, and he hired Gordon as his Chief of Staff.

The Kaylon attacked the Planetary Union in February 2421 in the Battle of Earth. While most of the Kaylon conflict occurred in the Solar system, at least five Spheres attacked the Epsilon Eridani Station. Ed, Gordon, and the Chief Engineer remained until all personnel evacuated. Kaylon troops entered the station, but Ed and Gordon managed to abscond in shuttlecraft ECV-342-1, which had been parked in the station's docking bay, and fled into space.

Gordon and Ed spent the next few months after the battle scavenging for materials from lost Planetary Union outposts. Kaylon weapons fire had destroyed their Food Synthesizer, and the two eventually located one on Sarin 4. After, they flew towards Calivon territory to hide, but they were picked up by Kelly and her scavenger ship to reset the timeline.

## Personal life

For most of his life, Gordon Malloy was a bachelor who loathed the idea of settling down with a wife. When Navigator John LaMarr asked if he had ever been married, Gordon said, "Hell, no. In fact, when I imagine the person I'd fall in love with, the person who could bring me so much happiness that I'd want us to spend the rest of our lives together, God, it just makes me want to kill myself." By his own estimation, women usually rejected Gordon when he made the first move, and he only dated women who were first interested in him.

Gordon's interest in women was immature. He manually overrode shuttle docking to impress a girl, which caused an accident that led to a suspension and desk duty on Earth. During that period, he was stalked by another woman whom he started dating after she broke into his home. She eventually broke up with him after five months for being too clingy.

### Interest in a romantic relationship

While aboard the Orville, Gordon increasingly desired companionship and, by August 2420, was romantically interested in the ship's new dark matter cartographer Janel Tyler. He asked Chief of Security Alara Kitan for information about Janel with the intention to ask her to Bortus' ja'loja, though Alara refused. Gordon even synthesized a new outfit and practiced approaching Janel with John in the Environmental Simulator by flirting with simulated women.

Gordon ultimately never spoke to Janel. He later told Lieutenant Dann that he was "grappling with insecurity and self-doubt" at the time. In late September or early October, Gordon learned that Ed had begun a relationship with her shortly after.

Gordon soon developed a crush on Lieutenant Dorsett. He flirted with her, discussing plans for a command position after passing the Shipmaster Qualification Program and inviting her out for a beer (which she accepted).

In a simulation, Gordon developed a romantic interest in Laura Huggins, a woman from 21st century Earth. When he was unexpectedly thrown back in time to 2015, he survived in the wilderness for three years before seeking out and marrying Laura, ultimately having a child with her. This timeline was negated when the crew of the Orville traveled back to 2015 and rescued Gordon before these events could come to pass.

### Relationship with the crew

Gordon had been friends with Ed since their days as students at Union Point. The two were drinking companions and remained close friends through Ed's marriage and divorce.

The Helmsman got along well with his bridgemate, John. The two quickly bonded the morning of their first day aboard the Orville. They were laid-back, often disregard decorum, and enjoyed pranking other members of the crew. In one notable prank, Gordon and John placed a piece of gelatinous Lieutenant Yaphit in buffet food, which Bortus unwittingly ate. Kelly formally reprimanded them for the jape.

Gordon had known Kelly for quite some time prior to the Orville thanks to his friendship with the Ed. Gordon initially despised Kelly for cheating on Ed. He told the crew she was a "bitch," then lied to her, saying he told them she was "actually a pretty good person." Their relationship steadily improved while working together on the ship.

Gordon quietly disagreed with Ed's decision to reinstate Isaac to the Orville after the Battle of Earth. He confided in Charly Burke that whether Isaac had been reactivated or not, he did not belong on the Orville's bridge. He added that whenever he was on duty, he had to force himself to ignore it.

Gordon seems somewhat distant from Charly. When Charly advised Gordon to stay angry about Isaac's presence on the ship like her, Gordon said her attitude was masochistic.

In 2422, Topa, the daughter of Bortus and Klyden, developed a crush on Gordon and asked him to dinner. She found many prominent feminine traits in Gordon she found appealing. He agreed to dinner, not realizing she had feelings for him. He slowly realized that her invitation was more than platonic and explained he thought of her as family. Topa left the room in embarrassment. Later, Topa was kidnapped by Moclans at the Sanctuary. Gordon joined Heveena and Ed on a trip to the Planetary Union Council, stating Topa was like a little sister to him. At the Council, Gordon argued passionately for the Sanctuary and Topa's wellbeing.

### Practical jokes

On one occasion, Gordon was the victim of a prank gone awry. In late November, Gordon stuck large Mr. Potato Head pieces on Isaac's face and encouraged the Science Officer to prank him back. As a Kaylon, Isaac struggled to understand humor. He responded disproportionately by surgically removing Gordon's leg, which required Doctor Claire Finn to regenerate his leg over the course of several days in the Mass Tissue Regenerator. Gordon was initially horrified by Isaac's macabre sense of humor, but in time forgave him, later confessing: "I was just angry 'cause you took my leg. But, when I really stopped to think about it, that was honest to God the best damn practical joke I've ever seen in my life."

Isaac's prank was woefully ill-timed. The time-travelling thief Pria Lavesque commandeered the Orville and took it into the 29th century. Ed ordered Gordon to the Bridge, as only he was talented enough to pilot an escape. Though Gordon was successful, Ed forced Gordon to fly against Claire's medical recommendation, interrupting the regeneration process. Fortunately, Gordon's leg was fully restored.

## Personality

> *How'd you get suspended?"
> I let my cousin shoot a porno in the back of a shuttle in exchange for some pills.
> Wait, no. Really?
> Man, look at your face.*— Gordon Malloy to John LaMarr
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Gordon is an outgoing, fun-loving officer who loves classic movies and television of the 20th and 21st centuries, drinking, strip clubs, and playing practical jokes on his fellow crewmembers. Compared against other members of the crew, he is considered a bit of a dullard. On one occasion, Kelly quizzes Gordon about information considered basic on Earth. He is unable to identify the capital of the former United States, the four chambers of the Human heart, and the scientist responsible for eradicating cancer.

Gordon loves passing time in the Environmental Simulator. He programs a charismatic battle ogre named Justin and tweaks a pre-existing program of a shoot-out with Vásquez to make the desperado a dancer.

Occasionally Gordon's strong personality clashes with his job. He finds star-mapping and magnetars to be extremely boring and persistently requests to wear shorts at the helm. More seriously, he drinks alcohol while piloting several times. First, when flying a shuttle from Earth to the Union Dockyard. Second, he admits to being drunk while at the helm in orbit of Kandar 1.

At some point prior to December 2420, Ed even tells Gordon to be more selective with what he says to Bortus. Gordon forgets and convinces Bortus to grow a mustache.

Gordon once attempted the Shipmaster Qualification Program, also known as the Command Test, in the hope of qualifying for a command position. He repeatedly did not pass and admitted to Kelly Grayson that he was taking the test because he had become bored with himself, wondering if being a pilot was simply all he was. Kelly, however, told him to make sure that he was doing it for the right reasons. She told him that he did not have any point to prove and helped him to see that he was valuable to the Orville and its crew with the skills he already had.

## Production

Creator Seth MacFarlane developed the character of Gordon with actor Scott Grimes specifically in mind, and Scott accepted the role after a single phone call, having never read the script. Grimes later said Seth writes Gordon's dialogue "how he thinks I'd speak", although he also acknowledged that he and actor J. Lee (John LaMarr) improvise constantly when at the helm.

Gordon is mostly unchanged from the early drafts of the pilot script, although his original stated age of late 30s was changed in the episode *Blood of Patriots* to the 40s. His name in the original script was "Gordon Stevens"; Gordon Stevens was a smoker and a beer drinker who loves the song "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam, and described by Ed as "checked out half the time".

### Season 1

In Season 1, Helmsman Malloy was the only member of the main cast not to have a dedicated episode where the plot revolves around him. During development, Grimes told MacFarlane not to worry about giving Gordon a feature episode, and later criticized his own character as transparent:

*Everybody in this first thirteen kind of has their own episode and Gordon just kind of flashes into everybody’s episode because he’s... I don’t think we need to delve into who Gordon is or where he came from. I think he’s pretty shallow and obvious.*
### Season 2

A year later, in contemplation of the upcoming second season, Grimes' view of Gordon changed. "My character has been... the funny one. You're going to see a side that is a bit dramatic, and there's love involved. Obviously I can't say anything more." He continued to say that Gordon would receive a dedicated episode involving the Environmental Simulator.

As a character, writers transitioned Gordon away from being a happy, one-dimensional bachelor. He began to feel lonely, especially around other men like Ed and John who found companionship in other women, and regretted living as a bachelor all his life.

### Season 3

In the third season, writers further developed Gordon as someone growing older and longing for love. The character of Charly Burke was added, who worked beside Gordon on the Bridge and developed an immediate rapport.

In the episode Midnight Blue Gordon confirms that he has a brother that he doesn't hold in high regard, calling him a "Drunken Screwup"

### Gordon as a plot device

Grimes refers to Gordon as a "utility character", meaning that the helmsman "could be thrown anywhere. He could go on shuttle, he could go down to a planet, he could stay up there and drive the ship or whatever."

More so than other characters, Gordon functions as a writing tool to root the futuristic concepts of the *The Orville* in terms 21st century audiences will understand. His love of period television allows him to allude to events, shows, and ideas that are famous now but would be obscure after four centuries. For example, when John is told that his potential Social Correction would be voted on by Sarguns, Gordon calls it "government by *American Idol*". In *Command Performance*, his extensive knowledge of classic television became a crucial plot point, as he suggested to Alara to trade the Union's archives of reality television shows with the Calivon Zoo Administrator in exchange for Ed and Kelly.

## Trivia

* *Digressions, Pt. 1* established that Gordon was still a cadet at Union Point at age 23, and *Launch Day, Pt. 1* established that he was an Ensign in the year 2400. That means he was at least 43 years old when he joined the Orville in *Old Wounds*.
* Gordon tells John that he was disciplined for doing a manual shuttle docking onto a ship which heavily damaged the ship. A week later, Bortus has Gordon manually position the Orville to dock the oncoming shuttle, essentially the same tactic that Gordon screwed up but in reverse.
* Gordon loves 21st century reality television, and had the idea to trade archives of the shows with Calivon Zoo administrators in exchange for Ed and Kelly.
* After Moclan weapons testing nearly destroys Gordon's shuttle, Gordon discloses that he defecated in his pants.
* He is terrified of surgery (*tomophobia*), even having a panic attack during the removal of a skin tag.
	+ Coincidentally, Isaac surgically removed Gordon's leg only four months earlier.
* Gordon's fascination with specific facets of centuries-old American culture has been compared to *Star Trek: Voyager*'s Tom Paris, who was enamored of 1950s television and automobiles.
* Gordon taught Bortus the song "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion.
* The button sequences that Gordon and John press while at the helm are not arbitrary. Both Grimes and Lee had to learn actual button sequences.
	+ "I was like, 'I have got to work this out,'" Grimes later said. "Because there are people out there that will watch the show and say 'every time he goes to quantum drive you do the same thing' and I say 'you're damn right I do because there are people saying I won't.'"
* He is from New Jersey.
* He plays the guitar.
* He had a mohawk in his early 20s while assigned to Outpost 73.
* Scott Grimes later said of the final version of his character: "I might have a cocktail at the wrong time or make the wrong decision, but it’s always from the heart. And I can drive the ship like nobody’s business so that’s why I’m there."
* According to artist David Cabeza, who inked the official Season 1.5 comic books, says Gordon is the most difficult character to draw.
* He openly admits to masturbating in the Environmental Simulator.
* His physical appearance and personality resembles that of Joker from the Mass Effect series.
* He finds Xelaya to be the "best-looking planet in the Union."
* Despite being calm under pressure while piloting in battle, Gordon has extreme anxiety during tests and evaluations - as seen during the Shipmaster Qualification Program.
* In the alternate timeline where Kelly turned Ed down for a second date, Gordon did not met Kelly in person until picked up in her scavenger ship seven years later.
* Gordon makes no appearance in the comic-book issue *Heroes, Pt. 2,* despite being incorrectly credited.
* He hated Professor Lamarche ever since he [Lamarche] nearly failed Gordon for cheating on his final astroarchaeology exam.

## Notes

1. ↑ Mentioned in passing in *Firestorm* and *Digressions, Pt. 1*.
2. ↑ When Bortus leaves, John says: "He just left his baby alone with two drunk dudes." Gordon replies, "Reminds me of my dad. I miss him." Episode 1x03: About a Girl
3. ↑ John LaMarr: Big red 'fro. Lots of makeup. Big ol' floppy shoes. Scary as balls.

Gordon Malloy: Wow, you're describing my mom. Episode 1x10: Firestorm
4. ↑ Gordon states that he dated a woman during this time for five months. This means the relationship must have started at least five months before September 2419, when he joins the Orville. *See* Episode 2x01: Ja'loja.
5. ↑ Gordon Malloy: "It was just a crush." Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes
6. ↑ Gordon asks if Epsilon 2 has bars or strip clubs. Episode 1x01: Old Wounds
7. ↑ In another instance, Gordon tells Kelly, "I'm going to look up what 'magnanimous' means." Episode 1x01: Old Wounds
8. ↑ "Can you translate that for dumb guys who might also be a little drunk?" Episode 12: Mad Idolatry
9. ↑ Also Scott Grimes to reporters: "We don't need to see what makes Gordon deep, dark Gordon." "NYCC 2017: Adrianne Palicki & Scott Grimes - The Orville". *WithAnAccentTV*. Oct. 13, 2017.

## Appearances

* *Episode 1x01: Old Wounds*
* *Episode 1x02: Command Performance*
* *Episode 1x03: About a Girl*
* *Episode 1x04: If The Stars Should Appear*
* *Episode 1x05: Pria*
* *Episode 1x06: Krill*
* *Episode 1x07: Majority Rule*
* *Episode 1x08: Into the Fold*
* *Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger*
* *Episode 1x10: Firestorm*
* *Episode 1x11: New Dimensions*
* *Episode 1x12: Mad Idolatry*
* *Episode 1.5x01: New Beginnings, Pt. 1*
* *Episode 1.5x02: New Beginnings, Pt. 2*
* *Episode 1.5x03: The Word of Avis, Pt. 1*
* *Episode 1.5x04: The Word of Avis, Pt. 2*
* *Episode 2x01: Ja'loja*
* *Episode 2x02: Primal Urges*
* *Episode 2x03: Home*
* *Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes*
* *Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake*
* *Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain*
* *Episode 2x07: Deflectors*
* *Episode 2x08: Identity*
* *Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2*
* *Episode 2x10: Blood of Patriots*
* *Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions*
* *Episode 2x12: Sanctuary*
* *Episode 2x13: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow*
* *Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken*
* *Episode 2.5x01: Launch Day, Pt. 1*
* *Episode 2.5x02: Launch Day, Pt. 2*
* *Digressions, Pt. 1*
* *Artifacts, Pt. 1*
* *Episode 3x01: Electric Sheep*
* *Episode 3x02: Shadow Realms*
* *Episode 3x03: Mortality Paradox*
* *Episode 3x04: Gently Falling Rain*
* *Episode 3x05: A Tale of Two Topas*
* *Episode 3x06: Twice in a Lifetime*
* *Episode 3x07: From Unknown Graves*
* *Episode 3x08: Midnight Blue*
* *Sympathy for the Devil*
* *Episode 3x09: Domino*
* *Episode 3x10: Future Unknown*

## References

1. ↑ Episode 1x06: Krill
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Episode 2x10: Blood of Patriots
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 *Digressions, Pt. 1*
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Episode 2x03: Home
7. ↑ Gordon Malloy. Digressions, Pt. 1
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Episode 1x11: New Dimensions
10. ↑ Scott Grimes in *The World of the Orville* by Jeff Bond. Titan Books. 2018. Pg. 72.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Artifacts, Pt. 1
12. ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 12.14 12.15 12.16 Episode 1x01: Old Wounds
13. ↑ Episode 2x12: Sanctuary
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Episode 2.5x01: Launch Day, Pt. 1
15. ↑ Captain of the USS Watson. Digressions, Pt. 1
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Episode 2x01: Ja'loja
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Episode 1x02: Command Performance
18. ↑ Episode 1x06: Krill
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Episode 1.5x01: New Beginnings, Pt. 1
20. ↑ Episode 1.5x02: New Beginnings, Pt. 2
21. ↑ Episode 1x06: Krill
22. ↑ Gordon Malloy. Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2
23. ↑ Episode 2.5x02: Launch Day, Pt. 2
24. ↑ Episode 2.5x07: Artifacts, Pt. 1
25. ↑ Episode 2.5x08: Artifacts, Pt. 2
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Episode 3x01: Electric Sheep
27. ↑ Episode 3x03: Mortality Paradox
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Episode 3x06: Twice in a Lifetime
29. ↑ *Episode 3x10: Future Unknown*
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Episode 1x05: Pria
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Digressions, Pt. 2
32. ↑ Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Episode 1x04: If the Stars Should Appear
34. ↑ *Episode 3x08: Midnight Blue*
35. ↑ Episode 1x01: Old Wounds
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Episode 1x03: About a Girl
37. ↑ Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 "THE ORVILLE PODCAST EP 14 - THE SCOTT GRIMES INTERVIEW". The Orville Podcast. Dec. 8, 2017.
39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Stuart, Alistar. "Scott Grimes Interview: The Orville actor on boldly going the MacFarlane way". *MYMBuzz*. Dec. 7, 2017.
40. ↑ MacFarlane, Seth. Orville 1x01 - Pilot. *Fox Broadcasting Co.*
41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Seat42F. "Scott Grimes J. Lee THE ORVILLE Comic Con 2018 Interview". YouTube. July 23, 2018.
42. ↑ Pascale, Anthony. "Interview: ‘The Orville’ Cast On What’s New For The Orville Crew In ‘New Horizons’". TrekMovie.com. June 1, 2022.
43. ↑ Snowden, Scott. "The Orville, cast interview – Scott Grimes (Lt Gordon Malloy)". *MYMBuzz*. Jan. 15, 2019.
44. ↑ Episode 1x07: Majority Rule
45. ↑ Episode 1x10: Firestorm
46. ↑ Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger
47. ↑ Bernstein, Abby. "THE ORVILLE: Scott Grimes beams up for Season 1 of new space trek – Exclusive Interview". *AssignmentX*. Dec. 1, 2017.
48. ↑ Snowden, Scott. "'The Orville' Season 2 Launches Tonight! Here's What to Expect Straight from the Cast.". *Space.com*. Dec. 30, 2018.
49. ↑ "The Redenbacher Ep 12- David Cabeza Interview". The Redenbacher. June 26, 2019.
50. ↑ Episode 2x02: Primal Urges