What was Mal's "sin"? by Hera

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What was Mal's "sin"?

POSTED BY: HERA
UPDATED: Sunday, February 12, 2006 13:44
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Friday, February 3, 2006 9:20 AM

I often find myself debating what sin the Operative would have pinned on Mal during their final confrontation, if he'd had the chance before Mal gave him the smack down:

The Operative: "Do you know what your sin is, Mal?"
Mal: "Aw, hell. I'm a fan of all seven."

Ultimately, Mal chooses Wrath. On the surface of things, that seems to be just a funny bit of screenwriting, running with the moment, but viewing the definition below, and in light of Mal and Inara's non-relationship, there appears to be more to it than just a funny line in a tense cinematic situation. I do love that Joss Whedon.

Do you think the Operative would have agreed with Mal's choice? Several of the sins are easy to eliminate, but I thought it would be interesting to view the whole laundry list:

Pride
Excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Envy
The desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony
An inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust
An inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Anger
Manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Greed
The desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Sloth
The avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

What do ya'll think?

"Wanna?" – Mal to Kaylee, Out of Gas

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Friday, February 3, 2006 10:02 AM

JAYRO

Gluttony, perhaps?

The Operative regards Alliance society as a system perfectly tailored to the needs of its populace. By his rationale, Mal is greedy because it is not enough for him - he wants more, his own private piece of the 'verse.

Just a thought. The Operative refers to sin in the biblical sense during the movie. And Book is also a man of the Word. Hint?

--------------------

"Kind of man they're likely to send believes hard. Kills, and never asks why."

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Thursday, February 9, 2006 8:33 AM

HERA

Quote:
Originally posted by Jayro:
Gluttony, perhaps?

The Operative regards Alliance society as a system perfectly tailored to the needs of its populace. By his rationale, Mal is greedy because it is not enough for him - he wants more, his own private piece of the 'verse.

Just a thought. The Operative refers to sin in the biblical sense during the movie. And Book is also a man of the Word. Hint?

I like your reasoning. I was leaning towards the one Mal chose (wrath), but your suggestion offers insight into the Operative and Mal's differing world view. This invites further examination. Thanks!

I wish Book and the Operative had met face to face. That would have been interesting to watch play out.

"Wanna?" – Mal to Kaylee, Out of Gas

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Thursday, February 9, 2006 9:05 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

I'd go with Pride. Mal's just got so damn much of it.

Lines like "We're not going to die; we are just too pretty" show his vanity (even if it's in a joking light).

And "I'm a fan of all seven" sins is also a bit of a prideful remark, innit?

Mal generally refuses to ask for help, no matter how dire his situation. He *needs* to do things for himself, alone. And he feels he's the only one who CAN do those things. And he's not really interested in hearing anyone else's opinions of his plans, because he sincerely thinks he knows better than they do. Pride, I tells ya...

Mal's pride leads him to believe that he knows better than the Alliance what's best for HIM. And it leads to remarks like "might have been the losing side; not convinced it was the wrong side." He is PROUD to have fought on the losing side of the war, because he knows it was also the RIGHT side. History is written by the victors, but Mal knows what's right, and he's proud to have been on the right side of things.

I love these prideful attributes in Mal. They're some of the things I aspire to when I dream of A Better Me™. ;) Some call it pride or vanity; others would call it self-reliance. In most instances, he simply sees what needs to be done, and does it.

Mike

"Kaylee, find that kid that's taking a dirt nap with baby Jesus; we need a hood ornament."

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Thursday, February 9, 2006 10:11 AM

AMITON

I don't know that a lot of what you're attributing to pride really goes there, Kwicko. I'm not saying that you're wrong, merely disagreeing =p

For example, I don't think that Mal believes that he knows what is best better than anyone else (although he does have a way of getting there that's better than most). I think that Mal realizes that he's in a leadership position, and that if there is too much discussion it will lead to 1) dissention and undermining his decisions, and 2) hesitation and delay when time is so very often critical to their survival. One leader, eight followers.

For what it's worth, I don't think Mal has a big ego at all, and he tells Inara as much in the BDM. He's doing what he feels he has to. He doesn't always know it's the right way, but he has to keep life as simple as possible and his way is what gets things done. When he's really in a bind *and* has the luxury of a little time, he deeply seems to value the counsel of his crew. At the same time, he has a hell of a knack for seeing when one of them has lost focus and he'll do what he has to in order to keep them on the path (a la dealing with Wash with a firm hand when Zoe is hurt and Kaylee with confidence and support when Serenity is hurt in Out of Gas).

The man's a hell of a leader with some incredible people skills and instincts (or at least the scripts are very exquisitely crafted to make him appear that way =p).

Amiton.

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Thursday, February 9, 2006 10:12 AM

STEGASAURUS

Quote:
Originally posted by Hera:

I wish Book and the Operative had met face to face. That would have been interesting to watch play out.

The operative woulda just jumped out of seemingly nowhere and kicked Book in the head and knocked him out. I sense that would have been a trend we discover with Book. heh heh.

I'd have to say Pride also. Although Mal cycles through all seven given the moment, he always is and always will be prideful. Prideful of himself and his crew. That's what makes Mal Mal.

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Friday, February 10, 2006 5:18 PM

BARNABY36

Quote:
Originally posted by Jayro:
Gluttony, perhaps?

What, is there blubber? Gotta love that line...

I have to agree that Mal favors the "sin" of pride over all the others. But remember what Joss said: there is no such thing as sin, only people.

Of course, we're not talking about Joss; we're discussing the Operative. I think that he'd have said pride, particularly at that time, because of the cockiness of Mal, and his stubborn, unrelenting determination to work against the forger of "better worlds."

Ben

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 8:25 AM

SAVEWASH

Now I am learning about scary.

I have to go with pride. As was said above, we're talking about the Operative's opinion, whether it's correct or not. The Operative thinks Mal has enough pride to believe he knows better than the Alliance and he can undermine it all by himself. Of course, the Operative doesn't think the Alliance could have done anything bad (he does it for them), so he assumes that Mal is just delusional to think he has any dirt on the Alliance.

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 8:47 AM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

I'd have to say wrath, as none of the others fit.

The word pride can have different meanings, positive and negative. Mal has a strong sense of honour etc but I don't think this makes him proud in the orthodox christian sense.

However, if we're talking about what the operative was about to say, i agree - pride is a good bet.

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Sunday, February 12, 2006 11:07 AM

ARCADIA

I'm also going with pride. Consider the context: Mal is attempting to defy the entire alliance and everything it stands for almost single-handedly. You have to fiercely believe in yourself if you are trying to do that -- or, so the operative would think. We know Mal better, so we know that it isn't so much about him doing what he *wants* to do, but doing what he knows in his heart is right. The operative, on the other hand, probably just sees Mal as another bitter browncoat who seeks to defy the alliance to inflate his battered ego. So, Pride.

"Objects in Space"
River: It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...

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Sunday, February 12, 2006 1:44 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Mal's sin? Not buying a Fruity Oatey Bar.

David

You wanna go, Little Man?
Only if it's someplace with candle light.

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