Bio:

“I can't keep track of her when she's NOT incorporeally possessing a space ship. Don't look at me.” - “Objects in Space”

If there’s anyone onboard Serenity more at odds with its crew than Inara or Shepherd Book, it’s Simon Tam. The scion of a wealthy family on Osiris, Simon never dreamed he would be shipping out with a bunch of brigands and former Browncoats. His parents, Gabriel and Regan Tam, were staunch Alliance supporters. They sent their children to the best schools in Capital City, and pressured Simon into attending medical school. Simon excelled, and was on the fast track to becoming one of the youngest trauma surgeons ever - until his sister River contacted him with a plea for help.

She had been sent to a prestigious academy at the age of fourteen, and eventually, Simon found out the truth. The doctors had been picking apart River’s brain, wanting to exploit her genius, and were causing irreparable damage. Simon risked - and lost - everything he had to get her out. He spent all of his money finding ways into the place they were holding her, has been disowned by his parents for casting a bad light on them, and sacrificed his career to go on the run with her.

He chose Serenity as his escape vessel because “it looked sufficiently disreputable”, never dreaming he and his sister would forge such a connection to its crew. When Kaylee is shot by the Alliance mole onboard, Dobson, Mal and Simon strike a bargain: Simon saves Kaylee if Mal agrees to harbor them from the Alliance. As time passes, Simon becomes the default medic onboard, patching up the crew from their various jobs.

So far, the crew and Simon have honored their bargain, and the brother and sister have become more than just the fugitives. Simon goes along on the “rescue Mal” mission, firing a gun for the first time in his life - though we’re not sure he’s actually shot anyone yet. He masterminds the hospital heist on Ariel, though it’s not until later that he finds out about Jayne’s betrayal of them. And unlike many people, Simon doesn’t hold it against Jayne when he does find out; he calmly tells Jayne that, as his doctor, he will never have anything to fear from Simon. Simon’s professionalism overrides his desire for any sort of revenge, because that is how he was trained.

And even out in the black, Simon Tam cannot escape his upbringing.

Portrayed By: Sean Maher