# Firefly Film Festival #10: "War Stories". SPOILERS! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918 "2005-07-11T01:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/121 "2005-07-14T17:19:37Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > it’s supposed to be spooky and freakazoid that she could do that, but it doesn’t take wizards or fairies to make it so. eh. Whatever. 🙂 I’ll be ok until _Serenity: The Musical._ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/122 "2005-07-14T17:43:43Z")
**"Once more, With Some Gorram Feeling"** ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/123 "2005-07-14T17:45:58Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > It’s also possible that River has psychic powers. And Joss is on the record, paraphrased: “That’s as much fiction as I can tolerate in my science fiction.” There’s a nod to this in “Objects in Space,” which I’m sure will be one of the fave quotes when we get to that episode. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/124 "2005-07-14T17:47:46Z")
FWIW: I bought all three of the first issue covers, and protectors to put them in. I don’t know if they’ll ever be “collectibles,” and don’t particularly care. My only complaint is that I think they overdid the whole “sepia tone” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/125 "2005-07-14T18:12:58Z")
Oh, I forgot another favorite quote. Mal is telling Inara about how he has to meet the counselor and says (not exact, but close enough) “I promise not to get in a swordfight. I’m over that phase, I swear.” Ha! ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/126 "2005-07-14T18:14:46Z")
Well, I’ve sadly been too busy to keep up with my Firefly viewing for the film festival (buying a house, moving, cleaning up old place, unpacking, adding to the steadily growing todo list for the new place), but I wanted to get in on this one. This is probably my most favorite episode (although “Out of Gas” edges up to a very close second). Wash is just great in his goofy “I’m feeling left out, so let’s stage a semi-mutiny” logic. The crew gels just right during the rescue attempt, River gets creepier, funny lines abound, and we get the return of “Evil Geppetto” Niska. And the commentary between Fillion and Tudyk is hilarious. Just a couple of good friends hanging out on a couch somewhere talking about the good times they had together, riffing off of each other, and generally having fun. And (it’s been a bit since I listened to it), isn’t this episode the one where at the end Tudyk gets told to leave so Fillion can watch his porn? > [@silenus](#): > > **"Once more, With Some Gorram Feeling"** Sheesh, cut me some slack, I’m at work here. I almost shot my sinuses onto my monitor holding in that laugh. 😃 And I was unaware of the comic coming out. Well, now that I’ve seen the links, I think a friend of mine (also a big Firefly fan and he works for Mile High Comics) had told me about it when we caught the preview showing of the film, but it had slipped my mind. And now it’s out, so I’ll have to pop over and pick it up. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/127 "2005-07-14T18:26:39Z")
A note: It does not have to be a six month trip from Earth to Mars. It’s all a matter of acceleration. I believe the six month number is from an initial thrust of… no idea. Shuttle engines, say. And then cruising the rest of the way. It can be considerably faster, if you have a constant acceleration spaceship. A constant acceleration of 1 gravity gets you to Mars in something like three days. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/128 "2005-07-14T18:43:56Z")
> [@sciguy](#): > > And (it’s been a bit since I listened to it), isn’t this episode the one where at the end Tudyk gets told to leave so Fillion can watch his porn? Close, but I think it goes something more like: AT: I’m gonna leave now, so you can watch your porn. NF: Thanks, dude. Oh hey, you wanna order in some Chinese? It’s pretty funny. Their singing along with the theme song is adorable, too. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/129 "2005-07-14T18:58:00Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > It can be considerably faster, if you have a constant acceleration spaceship. A constant acceleration of 1 gravity gets you to Mars in something like three days. I covered that. If you have that kind of affordable energy source, you won’t have covered horses and wagons. The settlers would live in tents each with it’s own Mr. Fusion. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/130 "2005-07-14T19:09:46Z")
Only if it works in atmosphere and doesn’t create huge amounts of, you know, flame and ejecta. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/131 "2005-07-14T19:18:44Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Only if it works in atmosphere and doesn’t create huge amounts of, you know, flame and ejecta. _Serenity_ works in the atmosphere without much of the above. Besides, if it produce flame and eject you could run your car factory off of that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/132 "2005-07-14T19:25:21Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > _Serenity_ works in the atmosphere without much of the above. > Besides, if it produce flame and eject you could run your car factory off of that. 🙂 In the pilot when they kicked in the main drive in atmo it produced a huge fireball. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/133 "2005-07-14T19:46:17Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > In the pilot when they kicked in the main drive in atmo it produced a huge fireball. Help me out here. On the aired version, I thought you saw bad-guy pate’ exit the engine, but not on the DVD. Perhaps Mrs. Plant distracted me when she went “ewwwwwww”. Anyone see both? ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/134 "2005-07-14T19:52:26Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > In the pilot when they kicked in the main drive in atmo it produced a huge fireball. I remember that scene, but I’m not sure I follow your reasoning. Are you suggesting that they don’t usually use the main drive in the atmosphere? ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/135 "2005-07-14T20:02:25Z")
I don’t think they use the main drive in atmo. They use the turbine engines mounted on the sides of Serenity for travelling in atmo (the engines pivot like a Harrier so you can do Vertical Take Off and Landing). When travelling in space they use the “main engine.” _goes off to find some screenshots_ ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/136 "2005-07-14T20:05:44Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > _Serenity_ works in the atmosphere without much of the above. > Besides, if it produce flame and eject you could run your car factory off of that. 🙂 They weren’t too sure it was going to work, but anything would have been better than reaper lunch. Maybe there was a high chance of just destroying the ship and everything in a 20mile radius. Like how we could today make space ships that use fusion bombs as a source to excellerate a spaceship, but can’t yet harness fusion energy safe enough for a power station. Maybe serrenity is powered in a way analagous to gropping h-bombs out the rear and riding on the shock waves? ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/137 "2005-07-14T20:08:29Z")
Here we go. [Shot of Serenity from behind in _Train Job_](http://still-flying.net/images/thetrainjob/index.php?p=trainjob221.jpg&pg=4). The main drive is shut off, and the turbines on the side are propelling the ship through atmo. This is the engine that Crow encountered at high velocity. [Shot of Serenity in the pilot episode](http://still-flying.net/images/serenity/index.php?p=serenity093.jpg&pg=1) - “Let’s moon 'em”. It’s when Serenity makes it’s characteristic “firefly” effect when the main drive is engaged. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/138 "2005-07-14T20:34:12Z")
[QUOTE=Waenara When travelling in space they use the “main engine.” [/QUOTE] But to get to orbit using the Harrier config you’d need that inexpensive super duper power source. Check out the fuel the shuttle has to carry and it can’t even leave orbit, or the X-15 and the Virgin “spaceship” being carried to altitude by a mother ship. ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/139 "2005-07-14T22:05:50Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > But to get to orbit using the Harrier config you’d need that inexpensive super duper power source. Check out the fuel the shuttle has to carry and it can’t even leave orbit, or the X-15 and the Virgin “spaceship” being carried to altitude by a mother ship. ``` Inexpensive to run but perhaps not to obtain. If you look at it this way, it explains a fair amount. If you can afford to buy a ship like Serenity, great, you have a cheap to run, nearly inexhaustible power source, and you can use it to run both the main drive, and the turbines. If you can't (and in the Firefly 'verse, private spaceships don't appear to be all that common), you have to make do. One gets the impression that "Mr. Fission" or such might exist, but would be beyond the financial means of people on the rim worlds. ``` ---
**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:** [July 14, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918/140 "2005-07-14T22:28:36Z")
Were I the Alliance, I’d give my settlers that cheap power source (remember, it’s cheap) so they could smelt more ore for me, grow more food to feed more workers and generally make me more money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-film-festival-10-war-stories-spoilers/311918.md?page=8)