# Firefly - "Ariel" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998 "2002-11-16T06:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/81 "2002-11-19T21:14:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gallows fodder \* > \*\*I hope I’m not out of line with this request… > > I was out on Friday and my videotape ran out about 45 minutes into the episode, so I didn’t get to see Jayne’s humiliating return to the fold. (“AAARRRRGGHH!!!” resounded throughout my apartment.) > > If any of you taped the episode, would it be possible for you to send me a copy? Or upload the last 15 minutes? Or take screen shots? Or photographs of your TV screen? > > I would promptly return whatever was sent, or compensate you in some way, and I would be very, very grateful and appreciative. My email address is in my profile if you want to contact me. > > I remain your most humble servant… \*\* * * * Done deal. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/82 "2002-11-19T21:15:56Z")
If I had to pick someone to go first, I’d go for Wash. He’s the least interesting character to me. And then maybe we’d get some cool valkyrie vengeance action from Zoe. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/83 "2002-11-19T21:16:24Z")
And who will drive, Mr. Know-It-All? ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/84 "2002-11-19T21:19:49Z")
Anybody. It ain’t rocket science. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/85 "2002-11-19T21:32:02Z")
Simon should be offed first so that River is stuck of Serenity for a long time. The only problem is that I’m really starting to like Simon. If I had to rate interesting characters (and I will), it would be Kaylee first, Jayne, Simon, River, Mal, Book, Inara, Zoe, and then Walsh last. ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/86 "2002-11-20T13:35:47Z")
Oh, poor Wash! I like him. He hasn’t gotten too developed yet, so I’d expect to see more out of him. Plus there’s his qualification as the best pilot west of the Mississippi, or whatever. I think Serenity would miss him. I’d look for Book to get offed first. Maybe by some enemy of the secret police, or whatever it was he did that was so important to the Alliance. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/87 "2002-11-20T15:01:03Z")
And besides, the black guy always gets whacked first… I don’t want any of them whacked, but if one _had_ to go I’d vote Wash, just because at this point he’s not well developed and is probably the most easily replaced (for everyone but Zoe). ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/88 "2002-11-20T15:04:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*Space: Above and Beyond whcked or sent MIA everyone in the last episode. > All at once. > > Back to the question: > First, Jayne will whack River, maybe Simon. \*\* I thought that was because it was the season ending cliffhanger. We even saw previews for the next episode, which we of course never saw. Damn I hate Fox. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/89 "2002-11-20T15:06:03Z")
Zoe obviously likes his development, Mr. Smarty Pants. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/90 "2002-11-20T20:33:30Z")
Upon further reflection, it doesn’t make any sense for the BHGs to have killed the Feds. 1. If it was so important for the Feds not to speak to Simon and River, they would have been instructed not to speak to them. 2. Why would it matter if the Feds spoke to Simon and River? My only guess is that the BHGs feared River might use her mental powers to control the Feds. But they wouldn’t have to talk to her, or her to them, for that to happen. Or if so, River could also have forced them to tell the BHGs they hadn’t spoken to her. 3. Or maybe the BHGs are killing everyone who has contact with Simon and River, because River and her abilities are so hush-hush. But no, that’s not right either; the BHGs clearly made their decision to kill the Feds only when they learned the Feds had spoken to Simon and River. In short, the only conceivable reason for the BHGs to kill the Feds is to illustrate how _eeeeevil_ they are. In other words, it’s a contrived, pointless reason. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/91 "2002-11-20T20:40:29Z")
Perhaps they planned to kill them all along and determined that the Feds were no longer any use to them. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/92 "2002-11-20T20:48:00Z")
I think it’s a little early to make that judgement, **Fiver**. There’s too much we don’t know. How does the academy/BHGs fit into the Alliance hierarchy? How secret are their activities? What is the exact nature of River’s abilities? Let’s give them a chance to explain things a bit more before we decide it doesn’t make any sense. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/93 "2002-11-20T21:54:35Z")
I’m tapping my foot impatiently, **Ferrous** , and checking my watch. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/94 "2002-11-20T22:00:53Z")
🙂 Me too. Is it a week from Friday yet? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/95 "2002-11-20T22:08:18Z")
Uh, guys, I think we miss it for two weeks. “War Stories” 6 Dec is supposed to be about Zoe and the war. I dunno about “Heart of Gold”. Then the pilot. [http://www.fox.com/firefly/episodes.htm](http://www.fox.com/firefly/episodes.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/96 "2002-11-20T22:21:30Z")
Er, yeah…I knew that, actually. I should have said “two weeks from Friday…” ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/97 "2002-11-20T23:20:15Z")
One other point no one has brought up for discussion: At the end, Simon gave River an injection, telling her, “It’s time to wake up.” Does that mean that River will start being able to control herself and her abilities? Will she lose her telepathy and precognition? If she’s no longer a mental invalid, what role will she take on the boat? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/98 "2002-11-20T23:49:06Z")
It’s time for character development. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/99 "2002-11-21T00:25:23Z")
I guess we’ll find out, **Saltire** , assuming Fox has the _cojones_ to ride out a longer-than-expected viewer orientation period. I’m guessing that’s just the very first step in what will be a lengthy period of treatment, at the end of which River will be _reborn as the Star Child!_ Uh, I mean, what she’ll be like is at this point entirely unpredictable. I can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998/100 "2002-11-21T04:11:53Z")
Peraps I missed something…what is “Haramel”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-ariel/136998.md?page=4)