# Firefly/Serenity Question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994 "2009-09-29T16:16:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/81 "2009-10-01T21:58:31Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Or see “Ariel” where Jayne strangles a purple-belly to death while handcuffed. And the second Simon picks up a gun, he hands it to Jayne. Simon doesn’t think he’s wiling to kill, even to save his own life. Also, I think Simon supporting River, he could not do both. Jayne is willing to kill, and has demonstrated that fact to Simon several times. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/82 "2009-10-01T22:00:25Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > “Capable” doesn’t tell you anything. That’s like, “is he skilled?” “Is he talented?” Capable at what? He seems very capable at certain things. He’s a good tracker. He’s great with weapons. He’s pretty good in unarmed combat. He’s great at keeping Jayne alive. There’s a reason Mal hired him and keeps him around. Simon: What do you pay him for? Mal: What? Simon: I was just wondering what his job was on the ship. Mal: Public relations. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/83 "2009-10-01T22:05:35Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > He is and he isn’t. Compared to say Keamy from Lost who was scary as fuck, Jayne is just sort of a buffoon who is handy in a fight. No one on the Serenity seems particulary worried about him. That all depends. In “Our Mrs. Reynolds”, when he comes at Mal with Vera locked and loaded in his hands, the captain seems to be very worried about what Jayne might do in the next few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/84 "2009-10-01T22:15:32Z")
I had not seen one frame of Whedon’s work until I saw the movie, although his reputation was hard not to notice especially here. I loved the movie even though, as has been said, certain events did not have the impact they do now.Hell, besides the Bad Thing, I start tearing up at “My turn,” get it back under control then lose it again at “Love is what keeps her in the air.” Yeah, I’m a wuss.The series had been working up its way up my Netflix queue. When I got back from the movie I bumped them to the top, then before the first one arrived, borrowed disc 1 from a friend watched it and ordered the set from Amazon. I now have two series sets and three copies of the movie – the extras are lenders. And for the quote fest, re: River’s psychic ability Wash: But that’s science fiction!" Zoe: We live on a spaceship, dear. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/85 "2009-10-01T22:25:46Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Wash: But that’s science fiction!" > > Zoe: We live on a spaceship, dear. “So?” ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/86 "2009-10-01T22:46:07Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I never believed that whole “River’s a psychic” nonsense. It’s _all_ crazy, sometimes she’s lucky, that’s all 😃 In the series, I got the impression she just had her perceptual filters turned off, but in the movie They explicitly make her psychic. And it’s clear her powers (and stability) have developed quite a bit since the last episode. I wonder if this is the direction the series would have taken as well. Actually I’d love to hear what things from the movie were plans for the series and what things were most changed for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/87 "2009-10-02T02:37:54Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > In the series, I got the impression she just had her perceptual filters turned off, but in the movie > > They explicitly make her psychic. And it’s clear her powers (and stability) have developed quite a bit since the last episode. I wonder if this is the direction the series would have taken as well. Actually I’d love to hear what things from the movie were plans for the series and what things were most changed for the movie. I hate spoilering this, but … I didn’t really take her as being psychic at all in the movie. As stated above, she’s ‘super’ perseptive, and in the opening job, that’s about all it would take to figure out which person there wasn’t the civilian. All the info she had about Miranda was implanted memories surfacing in different ways, and the scenes on Miranda can be neatly described as those memories coming out as ‘feelings’ since she had no other way to process them. Clearly someone had scene the original transmission from Miranda, and had those images/thougts in mind that River was exposed to. No pyshic skills needed. River: _I think I swallowed a bug_. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/88 "2009-10-02T03:00:55Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I hate spoilering this, but … [snip] I beg to differ. Quoth the Operative (more or less, can’t find the exact quote, can’t be arsed to fire up the DVD) : “Top Alliance officials. The people responsible for every secret operation in the galaxy… and you put them in a room with a _mind reader_ ?” ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/89 "2009-10-02T03:21:41Z")
He actually uses the word “psychic”. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/90 "2009-10-02T10:35:09Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I had not seen one frame of Whedon’s work until I saw the movie Not even “Toy Story”? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/91 "2009-10-02T13:46:24Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I beg to differ. Quoth the Operative (more or less, can’t find the exact quote, can’t be arsed to fire up the DVD) : > > “Top Alliance officials. The people responsible for every secret operation in the galaxy… and you put them in a room with a _mind reader_ ?” :smack: NM – ---
**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:** [October 2, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/92 "2009-10-02T14:14:35Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I beg to differ. Quoth the Operative (more or less, can’t find the exact quote, can’t be arsed to fire up the DVD) : > > “Top Alliance officials. The people responsible for every secret operation in the galaxy… and you put them in a room with a _mind reader_ ?” Close! “Key members of Parliament. Key. The minds behind every military, diplomatic and covert operation in the galaxy, and you put them in a room with a psychic.” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/93 "2009-10-02T15:38:37Z")
> [@simster](#): > > :smack: > > NM – Not to mention coming up with the actual word “Miranda”. You can “perceive” secret obliteration of an entire planet’s population and hiding it from civilization, but the name of the program? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/94 "2009-10-03T02:01:17Z")
I’m still waiting for the opportunity to use ‘But she was naked, and articulate’ in real life. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/95 "2009-10-03T02:18:30Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > I’m still waiting for the opportunity to use > > ‘But she was naked, and articulate’ > > in real life. Well, Hell, I use it almost every… Okay. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/96 "2009-10-03T06:02:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Not even “Toy Story”? Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. But you got to admit there’s little “Whedonesque” in that story. Being part of team, I suppose. **jackdavinci** , re: Your spoiler. Whedon commented that had _Firefly_ survived, the move’s storyline would have been about midway through season 2. I’m thinking not the Operative per se – his pursuit would have been hard to squish into 40 minutes – but perhaps more Blue Hands sniffing around, the crew’s growing awareness of River’s abilities, and hints of the Reavers’ origin. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/97 "2009-10-03T06:06:41Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I’m thinking not the Operative per se – his pursuit would have been hard to squish into 40 minutes – Recurring villain. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/98 "2009-10-03T06:23:12Z")
> [@Reverse](#): > > Recurring villain. I thought of that, but they had Niska, Badger, and Saffron already. They would have had Crow, too but, well . . . Friends come and friends go, but enemies accumulate. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/99 "2009-10-03T06:45:02Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I thought of that, but they had Niska, Badger, and Saffron already. They would have had Crow, too but, well . . . > > Friends come and friends go, but enemies accumulate. Badger not really a villain though. He’s just a petty crook with delusions of grandeur. Sad little king of a sad little hill. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/100 "2009-10-03T14:03:10Z")
Yeah, he’s still more on the ally side of things. Horrible, horrible ally, but ally. Remember, they’re pretty tolerant of being screwed over on Serenity. “She shot you once!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994.md?page=6)