Mal is a man’s man. He can shoot, he can fight, and he can hunt. Women swoon.
Of course he’s a Nine. Physically, he dominates, even against grisha power. Conflict finds him, not the other way around. He wants a quiet life and ends up at the center of a maelstrom, valiantly heroic.
It also explains his relationship with Alina. He is her Enneagram strength number, she is his weakness number. This is why she’s drawn to him and he shies away from her.
In the first season of the show we don’t see how complicated their relationship is. They’re portrayed as hesitant romantics. In the book, though, they’re much more co-dependent. Because Alina has stuffed her sun summoning power, she’s psychologically and physically harmed. And Mal carries the weight of the trilogy (spoilers, darling), which shapes his character in ways the show has not yet addressed. Like Alina, the book version of him is not as likable. His Nine-ness, his reluctance to engage and shape his destiny, turns to nihilism, and the heroism a Nine carries is more of a burden for him. I like the actor and how he plays Mal; I hope the show can sidestep some of the darker aspects of his arc.