Mal enchanted the public from the moment he stepped into the limelight. While he was shy at first, he was never awkward, finding a way to be charming and funny. His teasing of his co-workers made him stand out in interviews, and his sarcasm made him popular. He mightn't have been naturally charismatic, but he was liked. He never wanted to be famous, but he took to it somewhat naturally. He knows how to charm the press, to keep them from digging too deep into his secrets. He knows how to keep a secret, because he's been keeping them for years. He makes friends easily. He's the type of person to smile to let you know somebody's listening, to ask questions, to laugh at your jokes and to give you a hug when you need it. He's a loyal and trustworthy friend, and he never intends to hurt anyone.

That said, he's so terrified of his secrets getting out that he'll do what it takes to keep them, even if it means hurting someone else. He hates it, but he's afraid of what would happen. He's a coward at heart, afraid of standing up to what frightens him, always choosing to run away and avoid the problem if he all can. He buries his head so deep in the sand that he loses sight of everything and everyone around him. He wants to love and protect and be honest with everyone, but his sense of self-preservation is even stronger. He hasn't thought far enough ahead to see a way out of this, and refuses to acknowledge the fact that he can't keep this up forever. He's stubborn with regards to this and this alone. He's far too afraid of seeing his life fall apart on his hands, of possibly getting hurt and as a result of seeing everyone else get hurt as a result. He just wants to be loved and to be allowed to love.