I'm sure that the fact that Book and Jayne work out together is symbolic of something, but I'm not sure what yet. Remember that scene (forgive me, can't remember which ep it was in), where Jayne is supposed to be spotting Book but his attention is diverted, and poor Book is just struggling with those weights. Finally Jayne notices and just grabs the weights with one hand and plonks them back up on the support. Funny scene.

I'll need to watch the whole series from the beginning again to try to come up with any coherent speculation on the significance of that relationship, and how the two relate to Mal's motivations. Or maybe I won't be able to, because perhaps Joss didn't get a chance to fully flesh it out. Well, whatever, I'll watch anyway. :)

my take is based off of what jadehand said... but still rather different.

i think perhaps mal keeps jayne around because he follows a higher power (being money). the fact that this makes jayne do stupid things may remind mal of his earlier beliefs. also the fact that jayne finally repents (at least a little), may strike at mal's heart strings.

but this interaction with jayne's motivations doesn't do it for me. it's that coupled with the presence of book that made me think of it at all. book has the faith mal once lost, and it parallels jayne's faith in money, but leads book in the right direction. the presence of a beneficial and not-so-much passion could help mal keep things in perspective.

and also, there's the ever-so-odd comradery between book and jayne that we see in many episodes. i wonder what is bringing them together?

I like your speculation, Jadehand -- you make some very valid points. I'd love to hear further discussion on this.

I'm new to the 'verse, so I hadn't heard that Nathan/Joss commentary on Mal's character before. Thanks!

It's been said by Nathan and/or Joss that Mal keeps people around him that possess traits that he [Mal] feels he has lost, or at least lost contact with. Or something tothat effect. I think you may have touched on something when you said Mal thinks that Jayne is redeemable, Maybe that's the quality that he feels he's lost himself? Maybe redeeming Jayne will open to Mal the possibility that he himself can be redeemed. From what? I don't know. I think maybe he lost someone, or many, dear to him to the Reavers, and still blames himself. That just me speculating though.

D'ya think Mal keeps Jayne around 'cos he thinks he's redeemable, or because as long as he can keep Jayne under control he (Jayne) is extremely useful, or a combination of both?

And do we often keep hanging out with people that we may not agree with all the time and can annoy the heck out of us (though admittedly not always in a "betraying us to the feds" manner)? I feel not so hypocritical about some of the friendships that I cling to when I see that Mal keeps Jayne with the crew.

Well, anyway, you made me think this morning. Now I need another cuppa.