What's up with Wash? by MerryK

BLUE SUN ROOM

What's up with Wash?

POSTED BY: MERRYK
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 06:26
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Monday, November 26, 2007 4:33 PM

Okay, so I've been trying to focus on the voices of the different characters, and Wash was a hard one. He's not just flippant, not just serious, but somewhere in between, with a unique sense of humor. And then I noticed that, aside from a couple idioms, Wash's speech is almost as proper as that of Simon or Inara. In fact, were it not for his association with Serenity's crew and his thing for Hawaiian shirts and dinosaurs, he wouldn't be out of place on a Core planet. (Unless, of course, you subscribe to the opinion that all Core folks are remnants of Victorian Britain, which I do not.) So what's with Wash?

Another interesting aspect is his relations to the rest of the crew. He almost takes on a father role with Kaylee and Simon (Zoe does too, incidentally), and a younger brother role with Mal and Jayne. He's a very feeling man, but then has very little to do with anyone but his wife. There's a few moments of camaraderie, but most of his interaction is as that of an observer and commentator. If it wasn't for Zoe, I'd say he was as out of place as Shepherd Book or the Tams.

Any thoughts?

--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown

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Monday, November 26, 2007 4:39 PM

RALLEM

Well Wash did grow up on a core planet.

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Monday, November 26, 2007 4:44 PM

MERRYK

I'm confused, I thought that all we knew about Wash's background was that he grew up on a polluted planet.

--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown

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Monday, November 26, 2007 4:48 PM

THEHEROOFWILLIAMTOWN

I see Wash as the voice of the audience in a way for example Mal wants to kill a guy. Wash will say "When did we become about the killing" reflecting the question of the audience in a way.

Also he if useful for dramatic tension. In that if Wash is serious it must be a very serious matter. Or if Wash is sad it's really sad. He amplifies the mood of a scene or moment.

I hope that made sense.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 3:11 PM

RIVERFLAN

You're right MerryK, he does say he grew up on an extremely polluted planet, and Core planets wouldn't be that polluted, but his speech is just about a proper as Simon's and Inara's, so my best guess is that his planet is outer-Core or inner-Rim type place. Or he could have learned to talk all proper. I don't know where you're getting your info, Rallem.

I think he's like Simon, in the way that he is an absolute genius in one thing, namely piloting, but doesn't really have self-confidence or any confidence in his ability look out for himself. He's also a bit geeky and clumsy when it comes to socialities. He has people to look out for him, so he does all right, but if he were alone he wouldn't survive.

He is a feeling guy, that's true, but I think the reason why he only hangs around with Zoe is that he doesn't have very good social skills. It's sort of like Simon always hanging around with River.

In fact, the more I'm thinking about this, the more I'm thinking tha Simon and Wash are very similar.

@)~*~*~*$)~*~*~*)~(*~*~*~($*~*~*~(@

Gots to get away from the green, nasty dragon
\~~~*~~^~~*~~~/

I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!
#~%~~*~~~&~~~*~~%~#
My favorite quotes:

98% of teens have smoked pot, if you are one of the 2% that haven't, copy this into your signature.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 3:18 PM

MERRYK

Ooh, nice theory! It especially makes sense because I know guys like that...sensitive and loving once you get to know them, but getting there is the hard part. That would explain his behavior to Simon, too, sort of protective because he knows what it's like.

--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 3:25 PM

PHYRELIGHT

I always thought that Wash was from one of the no-so-nice core planets, thus the pollution. He's not the kind of person to become the gung-ho political type, so he may have been drafted. Lucky him, he spent most of the war in a prisoner camp.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 5:09 PM

SHINYSEVEN2

I don't think Wash feels comfortable with either crime or violence--but he's not going to leave Serenity because Zoe won't.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 5:14 PM

CBSTEVE

Wash was in a prison camp during the war? Where does this tidbit of info come from: the show, movie, comics or book or some comment someone made?

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 7:17 PM

SHINYSEVEN2

CBSteve: It's something that AT came up with when he was working on character motivation.

I don't think the Unification War was the equivalent of World War I or II (a conflict involving a wide spectrum of nations)--I think that only a few planets were involved, and I don't think Wash's home world was one of them, which would explain why he didn't fight in the war.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 7:44 PM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by shinyseven2:

CBSteve: It's something that AT came up with when he was working on character motivation.

Possibly you're not recalling some of Alan's previous statements (most notably about Serenity II not being an impossibility). I think he just made the prison camp thingy up on the spot. He was in rare form, that day.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Sunday, December 9, 2007 11:42 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Jayne, Mal, Zoe are the business team, the landing party, the crew that get the work done that they need to make money.
KayLee stays on board with Wash while the work is getting done, they are the getaway crew.
Book, Inara, Simon, River don't normally go out for crime and criminality. They are not the profit makers that the Serenity crew gets $$ from. Inara pays rent, but that is not dependant upon whether the crew gets work, or JOBS.

Also notice how Wash is the 3rd credit in the Title sequence, behind Mal and Zoe.

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Monday, December 10, 2007 3:28 AM

PHYRELIGHT

Quote:
Originally posted by cbsteve:
Wash was in a prison camp during the war? Where does this tidbit of info come from: the show, movie, comics or book or some comment someone made?

Alan mentions it during the commentary of "War Stories".

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007 6:26 AM

JEANDASK

I hadn't noticed but Wash and Simon are very similar! But he dosn't have much of a conection with any of the other members, but they all love him, mal looks after him in war stories and he looks after Kalee in heart of gold.

I think he is us, the veiwer a more nuteral perspective than any of the other charactors, but he understands them all, and cares for them.

How come things never go smooth
'My feet are warm, two pairs of socks warm.' Claire Bennet

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