What’s your favourite Firefly character moment? by Embassy

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

What’s your favourite Firefly character moment?

POSTED BY: EMBASSY
UPDATED: Monday, April 21, 2003 20:44
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Sunday, March 30, 2003 7:18 PM

Last Friday, my wife and I were sitting in a restaurant in Santa Barbara having supper and we noticed that it was eight o’clock. We pouted over the fact that we were not at home watching Firefly at that moment, which, in a Fox-butthead-free alternate universe, we would be. We talked about many shiny things as the garlic rolls and shiraz and salad and pasta were served, and eventually began compiling a list of favourite (character) moments.

For me, I’m drawn to the moments when the character suddenly becomes much more complex that you initially imagined. I keep recalling the scene in a really bad Australian gladiator movie I saw as a kid where one of the spear carriers said, as the hero was about to cut him down, “Hell with this. I’ve got a family. You want a shot at the emperor, mate? Be my guest” and stepped aside. The caricature became in that instant a character. In the ‘verse, we’re already fortunate enough to be introduced to people who are already well-drawn characters, but they still surprise you repeatedly. Here is my list of favourite moments, by character, but feel free to offer your own.

Zoe: In “War Stories,” it’s the moment of instantaneous decision when she cuts Niska off and points to Wash. “Him.” Zoe’s all about loyalty, we all get that, but this was the first moment we got to see that her loyalty to her husband was absolute.

Wash: Also in “War Stories,” it’s the moment when he says, “What this marriage needs is one less husband.” Wash is usually Mr. Lighthearted Comic Relief Guy, but he’s not above asserting himself when he feels he must.

Simon: In “Ariel,” it’s the scene where he sets up the hospital heist. Simon came off, for me, at least, as a scared and somewhat weak character up until this scene. Afterwards, I began to understand that his problem is that he’s just not in his own world. There, he’s competent, even masterful. It was wonderful to see him return, however briefly, to the world he knew, where he was on top of his game. The scene where he saves a life and trains another physician almost casually as he and Jayne are trying to escape, because that’s what doctors do, is likewise priceless.

Jayne: The man they call Jayne. In “Jaynestown,” there’s a scene where Jayne is called upon to make a speech to the Mudders. He’s not that good at it, really, “And you took it! And that’s, well, that’s something”. But in that scene he reached a bit beyond thuggishness, and managed to set up the airlock scene in “Ariel” pretty nicely.

Kaylee: Well, being an aircraft designer by trade I have an obvious fondness for the gal with the wrench. For me, though, the Kaylee moments I seem to find myself drawn to are the ones where she gets to be a girl, too. In “Safe,” there’s the line in the little shop, “If that’s what you think of this life, you can’t think much of them that choose it.” when she’s hurting, but brave too. I’m also fond of the scene at the end of “Shindig” when she’s in her quarters smiling up at her pretty pretty dress, still a girl.

Inara: Inara’s a harder character for me to be surprised by, because she’s so smooth and elegant all the time. The tricking of the Magistrate’s son in “Jaynestown” or the indignance in “Our Mrs. Reynolds” when she insists to a trauma surgeon that she doesn’t need to be examined for a head injury that caused loss of consciousness were probably the scenes that caused me to realize that Inara had more to her than a studied elegance, and still retained vulnerabilities and loyalties outside her persona.

Book: Since Ron Glass almost always makes something better just by showing up for it, just about all his scenes were masterfully done, I thought. But if I wanted to pick one to single out, I think it might be either the “You don’t fix faith, River, it fixes you,” scene from Jaynestown, or the blustery “I gave him a hell of a fight” aside at the end of “Objects in Space.” The former scene says something to me, I’m still not sure what, about the role of faith in Book’s life, as more than just a suit of clothes that he wears. The latter scene says to me that he’s still got at least a bit of that macho swaggering stuff that most men (but not me, nope, not never!) have.

Mal: Also hard to identify a singular moment, but if you put a gun to my head, I’d say the moment in “Our Mrs. Reynolds” where Mal has a gun to Saffron’s head and says, “That’s cause I got people with me. People who trust each other. People who do for each other and ain’t always looking for the advantage.” Possibly the “You’re on my crew” line in “Safe.” delivered in the most matter of fact way imaginable. Airlock scene, maybe, when he decides not to kill Jayne.

River: River’s terribly complex, and it makes it hard to pick a breakout moment for me. But I’ll suggest two. The beautifully layered delivery in “Objects in Space” of the line, “I can win this,” and the moment of palpable happiness when she was dancing, in “Safe,” both stand out as revelations of her capacity for resolve and for joy, respectively.

But that’s just me. Your mileage may vary.

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Sunday, March 30, 2003 7:48 PM

PHILOMEL

Oh, I'll play:

I liked all those moments too! Fun game. Hmmm, ok, I'll add a few:

Inara: When, in OMR, she kisses Mal, thinking him dead. Self-revelatory or what?

Jayne: In Ariel, when he asks Mal not to tell the others.

Book: WS, advising Zoe that the good Book is fuzzier on kneecaps, and then perfectly answering Zoe when she asks the second team to hold this ground.

Zoe: the confused look on her face when Wash is berating her about the one less husband in WS, and in Train Job, when she tells Mal that the Alliance soldiers are indeed of concern to her. I also liked the humour in her voice when she told Book his hair was indeed frightening.

River: I think my favorite River moment is in Safe, when she tells Simon that she understands that he found her broken--it's so tragic that she has those moments of insight into her own situation. That, or when she tells Mal not to make faces in OIS--when she's coherent, she's awesome.

Wash: I think my favorite is in OMR, when he rebuffs Saffron, saying "I never did meet anyone quite like Zoe". He is completely in love, and as loyal as Zoe is. Or, in WS, right after Zoe rescues him, they sit for a moment, but he's entirely focussed on getting Mal back, leaving even Zoe reeling.

Simon: Crossing his arms casually in front of a madman ready to kill him, and saying he couldn't keep track of River even when she wasn't incorporeally possessing a spaceship. Or when he's hanging out with Kaylee in Jaynestown, discussing appropriate expletives. So cute!

And Kaylee ... Kaylee's moment is possibly the most difficult, but I think it was the look on her face in Shindig, when Mal insults her while she's admiring the dress and dreaming. That and the "have good sex!" line. She seems simple, but she's really not.

That's it for me ... next!

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Sunday, March 30, 2003 8:13 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

Very hard to pick one favorite moment with this characters, particulary because they are missed like absent friends.

Zoe, I would have to say my favorite Zoe moment is during the pilot, where she is explaining the meaning of Serenity, and what she felt Mal was going to do with Simon.

Zoe: " If Kaylee pulls through I think he will do right by you "
Simon: " And if he tells you to kill me "
Zoe: " then I kill you "

Always the soldier, honest but brutal if nessesary.

Wash: That torture scene in War Stories and afterward where he tell Zoe, " He's crazy "
I think Wash matured very rapidly, and began to understand both Mal and his wife a bit better.

Simon: At the end of War Stories where the good doctor tells the crew " I have never killed anyone before " and Book steps in and says " I was there, and you still haven't " Simon's character was under development more than anyone else, a lot to do with him being out of his element. I would enjoy seeing him " Grow a bushy mustache and become nefarious "

Jayne: The entire episode of Jaynestown not withstanding, either the bit where he was looting Simons room during "safe" you know the " I was pompous and my sister was crazy "
Besides that I liked how he joined the crew in Mal's flashback ( Out of gas ) The mercenary.

Kaylee: During objects in space when she related Rivers shooting skills during warstories. Very Human.

Inara: Her concern for Mal during Out of gas, when she trys to get him to leave Serenity, I was tearing up.

Book: WarStories either the " extra set of eyes " scene, or the " kneecapping " line

Mal: The beginning of the Pilot, as a former soldier I can put myself into what Mal had to been feeling. That alone hooked me into the show.

River: The end of objects in space, she was beginning to show the woman she was by outwitting Early, and showing an apt use of her abilitys to do things without alot of direct violence. " Your not right " said Mal, and the smile on her face. Real nice momment, particularly considering the pain and guilt she was facing through the rest of the episode. I wonder if she uses her abilitys again in the missing three episode.

Sigh,

" May have been the losing side, still not convienced it was the wrong one "

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Monday, March 31, 2003 3:01 AM

KIRTIL

From the top of my head:

1- Mal in train job: whole "now listen. Take this money back to nishka. We are not thieves.. i mean we are thieves but" scene. If Mal didnt kicked that big brute into engines after his reply and havent passed to 2nd person like nothing was wrong i dont think i would be this enchanted with that character and kept on watching.
Also when he confronted Inara at the end of our mrs. reynolds. That scene made Mal more human imo.

2- Jayne in objects in space: When he woke up and teared up the cloth that hides guns i thought "wow! earlys in thouble hehee" then he used that cloth to cover himself up and kept on sleepeing. one of the most favorite scene of firefly for me.

3- Simon in objects in space: his conversation with kaylee after the crew meeting. awesome. Whole objects in space was kinda Simon episode for me. His self control and ability to hide his fear astounded me.

4- River in safe: She watched the dancers for seconds and then she danced with them in perfect unity. she even "improved" (dont know anything better describes the feeling i had) the dance. also later after they were kidnapped River tells the lil girls story to Simon. Mother teresa impersonator woman gets surprised "She never talked since the incidednt bla bla."
River; " she doesnt talk?" her confusion, innocence was great.

5- River in shindig: River and Badger talk. it was another best of Firefly moment for me.

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Monday, March 31, 2003 3:40 AM

RIVERSIDE

Okay, I'll play, cuz' I keep watching my episodes over and over.

River - Explaining to Book why his bible is broken, then later saying that she took the pages out of his "symbol" and they turned to paper, but now she'd like to put them back...I thought a great glimpse of the famous River intelligence, then showing some insight and compassion before the damn funny Big Hair scene.

Simon - there are a lot for me, because he reminds me of the close relationship I have w/ my brothers, I like in the flashback scene where his father comes to bail him out, and asks him if he's trying to destroy the family...and amazed, angry, and defensive, he says "I didn't realize it would be so easy"

Zoe - after they leave Simon & River to the hill people, and after she patches up book...Kaylee arrives and talks to her....Kaylee says we left em' there...and Zoe, not arguing, not really taking sides says says "Yeah." the open, honest, complicated on her face when she says that says so much.

Wash - I love his humor...I know he's complex but his humor hits me, I liked him when he was explaining to Zoe that Jayne was a folk hero.

Jayne - I liked in Jaynestown, how delighted he was that they had a riot on his behalf, and how later he was talking w/ Mal about how they were probably propping that statue up again, he seemed so moved/touched/changed by the whole thing, like even then the events were percolating in him.

Mal - I like him in OiS, when River gives him instructions and he says to watch out for the guy on the ship who is very blurry, and then later when he says, Ya ain't right to River, then welcomes her back on the ship.

Book - I like him telling funny abbey stories, and I like him wondering w/ Inara if he's on the right ship.

Kaylee - I loved her little crowd of men at Inara's fancy party, new environment, but in control of this topic. Also, the look of sudden embaressment and hurt on her face when the rich girl was mean to her was so very human.

Inara - Sitting w/ Simon while the ship was dead in the water, first saying she loved Serenity, then when Simon said he didn't want to die on it, she said, she didn't want to die at all. Her voice was very young sounding, but she was open w/ her fear.

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Monday, March 31, 2003 6:34 AM

SARAHETC

I was thinking about this too, lately, but more in a "what one line sums up the character." And, of course, those lines get to be classics--one's that make you instantly think of that character. So, here's my meld of the two.

Mal: "I did a job. Got nothin' but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.

Zoe: Still working on it... very difficult. My probably my favorite Zoe scene is "You could lock the door and keep the power hungry maniac at bay."

Wash: (tie) "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal" (which, when you think about it, kind of resonates!) and "I didn't know. You told the damn stories, saved you in the war. I didn't know, Zoe."

Kaylee: "Sometimes a thing gets broke can't be fixed."

Jayne: "I got stupid. The money was too good."

Inara: "I don't need to be examined. I'm comfy."

Book: "I believe in a power greater than man. A power that heals."

Simon: (tie) "Sadistic crap legitimized by florid prose." and "Agent McGinnis, I'm certain you're working under a superior who is keeping close tabs on this case. I'm certain of that because important people don't do fieldwork. I'm also quite certain your superior wants me and my sister alive. Now I'm not going to move from this spot until one of two things happen. You answer my very simple question; or you shoot me."

River: "Can't be controlled. Can't be trusted. Everyone could just go on without me and not have to worry. People could be what they wanted to be. Could be with the people they wanted. Live simple. No secrets."

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Monday, March 31, 2003 7:36 AM

RADEGUND

I'll give you my favorite "Alliance" moment: In "Ariel" when the nurse actually doesn't care how the people died and just sends them on to the morgue. After all the build-up of Simon teaching the others what to say, it was a great twist!

And Jayne just having to say his lines anyway was fun.

Radegund

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Monday, March 31, 2003 10:56 AM

KAYTHRYN

Okay, I think I've got it. I’m just going to give quotes, because I’m sure everyone here will be able to remember the rest.

Simon- (Objects in Space) Naked. Yes. And, uh, on top of the statue of Hippocrates. Can you just picture me?
Or He's really very... gentle... and fuzzy. We're becoming fast friends.
(Bushwhacked) Yes, he’s a real best. It’s a wonder you survived.

Mal- (Our Mrs. Reynolds) How can you say that? How can you shame
me in front of new people?
Jayne! Go play with your rain stick.
Is it Christmas?

Inara- (Shindig) I don't suppose you'd find it up to standards of your outings. More conversation and somewhat less petty theft and getting hit with pool cues. I understand if you need to go prepare for that "It's 10 in the morning" issue.

Book- (Our Mrs. Reynolds) If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.

River- (Out of gas) You're afraid we're going to run out of air. That we'll die gasping. But we won't. That's not going to happen…. We'll freeze to death first.

Kaylee- (Ariel) Figures. First time on a Core and what do I get to do? Look through trash. Couldn't he send me shopping at the Triplex, or Oooh! Synchronizers!
(Objects in space) Don't let the space bugs bite! Space bugs?

Wash- (Shindig) That's just cause, I'm going down too quick. Likely crash and kill us all.
(Objects in space) Only if it's someplace with candlelight.
What about his face? Is his face wearing armor?

Zoë- (Bushwhacked) Jayne, you’ll scare the women.
(Train Job) Then can I have your share? If you die can I have your share?
(Our Mrs. Reynolds) Captain shouldn't be babysitting a damned groupie, and he knows it.

Jayne- (Our Mrs. Reynolds) If I could make you purtier, I would.
That's why I never kiss 'em on the mouth.
(Objects in space) What? She killed 'em with mathematics. What else could it have been?

-------------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

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Monday, March 31, 2003 6:38 PM

JAKE

I completely agree with you on Jayne, Philomel. I absolutely loved Firefly, and I've probably watched the scene where Jayne asks Mal not to tell the others what he did in Ariel at least 50 times. Here's a guy that would just as soon stab you in the back for a buck more that knows he's going to die, and the last thing he asks for is to not let the others find out about his treachery, just to protect them from the person he was. That is probably my single favorite character moment from Firefly. Damn powerful in my opinion. (=

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Monday, March 31, 2003 7:07 PM

MOONDOGGY

The one Wash moment that always pops in to my head is the one from the piolet ep. when he's on the bridge playing with his dinos. Every time I see that part I laught. ( Pretty much any moment with Wash in it is good because well...Wash is my favorite guy

)
The part when Mal shut Jayne in the air lock, well I like that moment.

~Don't get mad, get Firefly~

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Tuesday, April 1, 2003 5:03 AM

ANND

I like this thread, here are my picks:

Mal: The scene with Jayne in the airlock. You realize that Mal is *not* a startrek captain, that's if you still had any doubts.

Zoe: The fight with Wash in OMR. I think she reveals some insecurities of her own, as she watches everyone fuss over a woman who's just about the complete opposite of her.

Wash: Pretty much everything in WS. Although I like the dialogue where he says "You never slept with my wife". Although he's jealous of Mal's relationship with Zoe, he knows it's not as trivial as sex.

Kaylee: The scene with Bester in OoG. She's not quite as innocent as you might believe.

Jayne: The pilot, where he's watching them fix up Kayleee in the infirmary. He has a loyalty to the crew, it's just well hidden.

Ann

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Tuesday, April 1, 2003 12:10 PM

LOSTANGEL

Obe-Kaybe, lesse here:
I'm taking this as the moment that defined the character, the moment that made them more than just characters on a TV show, the moment that made them alive in our minds and hearts:

Mal: The look on his face during the battle of Serenity where he watches the ships leave without him and his crew. You saw so much in those eyes, you could hear his faith die in that moment. The other one was in the pilot (the real one) where he shot the alliance guy without breaking stride. That was REAL heroics.

Zoe: when she chooses Wash over Mal in War Stories and then looks at Niska and says,"You wanted me to choose, right?" Loyalty is the one thing that defines Zoe, and she has her priorities straight. If no one else knows her batting order, it doesn't matter, 'cause she does, and that's all that counts.

Jayne: When he watches over Kaylee in the pilot. He doesn't want anyone to see his weakness, but he has one, and that shows that he is more than a 2 dimensional thug for comic relief. Also, the moment in OMR, where he tries to trade Vera for Saffron, it shows that he has a code of honor. It might not be everyone else's code, but he was going to abide by it. If it was played with even a hair more comedy, it wouldn't have had any depth.

Kaylee: in OiS when River is reading everyone's minds, and you don't hear anything from Kaylee, that shows that she is exactly what she is perceived as, she has no hidden depth, which ironically, is what gives her so much life. Also, when she's injured and she helps Wash with the Crazy Ivan. When they've out-manuevered whoever was chasing them, she pats the engines, and says, "That's my girl" so lovingly that you realize she's not a bubbly little airhead.

Inara: This is hard, because her character is not supposed to show anything other than a facade, so in essence, a well portrayed companion is going to come across as flat. The scene in the pilot (hm, I'm sensing a trend here) where her client complains that they probably speed up the clocks to "cheat them from their fun" does it for me. The fleeting look on her face, like a mask that slipped for a fraction of a second, then was quickly replaced did it. She knows that her job is glamorous and socially acceptable, but she also knows that she is often looked at as a toy, and that bothers her, no matter what she says.

River: When she's talking to Simon and says,"you found me broken" is just heartbreaking. It's bad enough to not be mentally sound, but when you have flashes of reality that let you KNOW you're not mentally sound, that's even worse.

Simon: He could have stayed as 2 dimensional as a poster for all I cared. That is one purty boy! But anyway, when Simon goes on his rant in "Safe" in the general store and hurts Kaylee's feelings, it showed that he was not happy about throwing away his past life, and sometimes it got the better of him. He wasn't a saint for the sake of his sister, he made a hard choice, and was feeling the consequences. When he got up on the fire pile next to River, it showed that he would do it all over again. That was beauty for me.

Wash: the cute little scene where he says, "Psychic, that's science fiction though." and Zoe says, "we live on a space ship dear." and he says, "so?" so deadpan that you know he's not cracking a joke. To me it said that he doesn't try to be funny, it just happens. He's not the wise cracking funny guy in the show. The scene with the dinos was also a set up that he's a little left of center.

Wash: I couldn't say because there wasn't enough of him to let me see his true self. I would have to say that the time when he visited with Inara and offered one of his sermons 'with brimstone if you like' showed that he wasnt' someone with no real life experience. Also the scene where he confesses his doubts to Inara of all people shows his humanness. Then again, so does his willing fuzziness on the interpretation of kneecaps.

Just my babbling.

______________________
Lost Angel

WASH: Psychic, though? That sounds like something out of science fiction.
ZOE: We live in a space ship, dear.
WASH: So?

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Tuesday, April 1, 2003 3:04 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

Quote:
Originally posted by lostangel:

Mal: The look on his face during the battle of Serenity where he watches the ships leave without him and his crew. You saw so much in those eyes, you could hear his faith die in that moment. The other one was in the pilot (the real one) where he shot the alliance guy without breaking stride. That was REAL heroics.

The way that scene was film, during that pause when the guy next to him was killed, and Mal just stared out of the bunker in complete disbelief. It looked like an oil painting and not video. Very well done from a film making POV

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Thursday, April 3, 2003 6:30 PM

LERXST

Like many of you, the first episode I saw was The Train Job. As I was watching, I was thinking this was an "okay" show. The special effects were good, and they had some funny lines. But, two scenes made me sit up and start taking this show seriously -- The part near the end when Mal tells the sheriff that he didn't have any choice in returning the medicine, and of course, the part where he kicked that guy into the engine. From then on I was hooked!

_________________________________________________
Cap'n, can I have money for a slinky dress?

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Sunday, April 6, 2003 12:06 AM

SLEEPCOUNTRY

From Serenity:

Mal to a misbehaving Jayne: "Walk away from this table right now."

Mal promptly shooting the horse when Patience takes cover behind it.

Mal capping the fed in the head without skipping a beat after his rendezvous with Patience.

Mal seems like a nice fuzzy fellow a lot of the time, but he's got steel in him and will do what he has to in a heartbeat, and even a man like Jayne understands and respects that.

sleepcountry

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Sunday, April 6, 2003 7:30 AM

GTHING

This is a fun thread. Here are my favorite character moments.

Mal: at the end of "Ariel" when he grills Jayne and says, "Next time you stab me in the back, do it to my face."

Zoe: in "War Stories" when she negotiates for the release of Wash. She knows her dirty crooks.

Wash: in "Shindig" when he comes up with the eulogy he would give at Zoe's funeral.

Inara: her introduction in "Serenity". "At least someone around here is making an honest living."

Jayne: his introduction to the crew of Serenity in "Out of Gas". It could never have been funnier.

Kaylee: in "Shindig" when she finds a group of engine-loving men. They stand up to the aristocratic ladies who make fun of Kaylee's dress. Most enjoyable!!!

Simon: in "Ariel" when he saves a patient at an Alliance hospital and is shocked by the physicians' negligence.

River: the opening teaser of "Objects in Space", where we see the ship and crew from River's point of view.

Book: in "War Stories" when he gears up and valiantly fights Niska's goons. He's never been cooler.

Excerpt from My Genre Geek Resume:
~huge Odyssey 5 fan (despite its cancellation)
~dangerously obsessed with BtVS and Angel
~former Andromeda fan

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Saturday, April 12, 2003 11:25 AM

LERXST

This thread wouldn't be complete without some of Serenity's moments:

Train Job: The scene when most of us first saw Serenity, when she rose up from below the cliff.

Serenity: When she detaches from the derelict and "flashes her ass at the gorram law". The "Crazy Ivan" scene was pretty cool too.

_________________________________________________
Cap'n, can I have money for a slinky dress?

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Saturday, April 12, 2003 12:04 PM

MARK

Hmmm... With some of these moments it's difficult to know whether to go with our favourite moment for a character or our favourite "Find out something about the character" moment.
Lessee...

Mal: I'm gonna have to go with a funny moment here... Where, in 'Our Mrs. Reynolds', he turns to Jayne - Having discovered he's married - and asks "How drunk was I last night?"
It's a hoary old chestnut, but beautifully delivered.

Kaylee: The scene in OiS where Early asks if she's ever been raped... She's just so absolutely terrified. It shows she's just a little girl who likes fixing ships, no matter who she hangs with. It's refreshing. Most shows would have had her be all strong and silent. Shows she's only human like the rest of us.

Book: Again in OiS where River is reading his mind and she hears "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not!". It's so aggressive and hateful... It's totally unlike the Book we know and it really fuels the speculation about what he was *before* being a Shepherd.

Wash: Funny moment... At the beginning of Bushwhacked where he asks "Oh my god! What can it be? We're all doomed! WHO'S FLYING THIS THING?!?!?! Oh, right that would be me."
It's just 100% Whedon.

River: I love any moment when she's semi-coherant and showing that she's a wonderful young woman under all the madness... I especially like the scene between her and Mal outside the Airlock in OiS as she's coming back aboard.

Jayne: Funny moment... Serenity, where they've just left Badgers place and Jayne's doing the math, totting up how much money he just made. "Nothin' and Nothin'... Carry the Nothin'".

Zoe: Probably the scene in Serenity where she's describing the actions of Reavers. "If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our skins into their clothing. And if we're very, very lucky... They'll do it in that order." It's earily reminiscent of the scene from Angel. "If you're lucky you'll last ten seconds... Really lucky and you'll be unconsious the last five."

Simon: Actually, it's a scene I haven't seen yet... His last one in 'Trash'.

Select to view spoiler:

Where he tells Jayne that he knew he sold them out to the feds, but he's Jayne's doctor and so he won't be taking revenge... That scene, along with his life saving in Ariel, really showed why he was such a good physician... The Hippocratic Oath wasn't just something he rattled off so he could get down to making the big money.

Inara: Now Inara's more tricky... It's either the scene from Serenity where the Reavers are near-by and she opens up that little case to show us she's got a suicide syringe... She won't fight, but she's not going to allow those monsters to take her alive. The other option is, again, one I haven't seen from 'Trash'.

Select to view spoiler:

The end scene where she's laying in wait for Saffron and ends up trapping her in the Garbage pod... She's almost a Pirate Princess herself... Maybe she is and that's why she had to find a new occupation. She's the reincarnation of Anne Bonney!

Twelve spheres of unendurable brightness spalled the velvety blackness of space.
The silence on Lester Tourville's flag bridge was absolute
And then the spell was broken as Shannon Foraker looked up from her console from where she had just sent a seemingly innocent command to the main computers of State Security's finest Superdreadnoughts.
"Oops." She said.

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Saturday, April 12, 2003 2:05 PM

HONORBOUND

Just had to register and respond to this...

BEST book quote EVER!!!!!!!!

No power in the 'verse can stop me.

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Saturday, April 12, 2003 2:47 PM

GTHING

Quote:
Originally posted by Lerxst:
This thread wouldn't be complete without some of Serenity's moments:

Train Job: The scene when most of us first saw Serenity, when she rose up from below the cliff.

Serenity: When she detaches from the derelict and "flashes her ass at the gorram law". The "Crazy Ivan" scene was pretty cool too.

Everything in "Out of Gas" is my favorite Serenity moment. Throughout that episode we visit individual parts of the ship at different time periods. Notice that Serenity finds its way into almost every topic of conversation in "Out of Gas".

Excerpt from My Genre Geek Resume:
~huge Odyssey 5 fan (despite its cancellation)
~dangerously obsessed with BtVS and Angel
~former Andromeda fan

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Saturday, April 12, 2003 4:27 PM

HLGEM

I want to try.

Book: The scene with Inara in Serenity where he wonders if he's on the right ship.

Inara: the scene in Jaynestown where the client is telling her about Jayne being in town and she thinks he's talking about Mal.

Wash:T he scene in War stories when he says the Bastard ain't gonna get days.

Zoe: The scene where she chooses Wash without a blink or a second thought in WAr Stories.

Kaylee: The scene in Serenity when she is lying there and Mal comes in to talk to her. She's the one hurt and she's basically reassurring him.

Simon: His whole interaction with Jubal in OIS.

River: The scene in OIS where she is listening to the crew discuss whether she is too dangerous to keep. And the scene with Mal at the end when she asks permission to come aboard.

Jayne: the scene at the end of Jaynestown where he talks with Mal because he just doesn't understand the boy sacrificing himself.

Mal: The scene in OMR where he goes to his quarters and finds the naked Saffron. And tries really hard not to take advantage of her. Also the scene where he won't trade her for Vera because she's a real person and not a piece of property.

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Sunday, April 13, 2003 5:53 AM

SERENITYVALLEY

Let's see...I'm not too good w/ remembering which episodes...

Mal: I think it was in WS when he's talking to Inara and Kaylee and River are running around b/c River stole her apple and Mal says "ah, the pidder padder of tiny feet in huge combat boots. SHUT UP!"

Book: I kinda thought the part where River was crossing out all the stuff in the Bible was funny. Book just gives her this "you can't DO that!" look.

Wash: Everything! Um, the dinosaurs cracked me up, but I think my favorite was when him and Mal are talking in WS blindfolded. the whole "there's obeying going on right under my nose." and Mal says she doesn't ALWAYS obey him. Sometimes she goes against what Mal says and Wash says "name one" and Mal says "she married YOU!" and Wash just kind of drops his jaw.

River: I like the whole thing with her pretending she is Serenity and hiding in Jubal's ship. That's great.

Jayne: Well, I liked Jaynetown but I also liked in WS (can you tell thats my favorite episode?) when Wash and Zoe are suiting up and Jayne is telling them it's suiside and Kaylee walks in and says "can they do that?" and Jayne just gives the funniest "No."
The thing in my sig is pretty funny too.

Zoe: Anytime she kicks butt b/c she's awesome. I like it when her and Wash are all faithful to each other.

Simon: I liked the flashback when Simon and River were little. That was cute.

Kaylee: When Kaylee was in the store, trying to find something to give to Simon. I thought that was sweet, but Simon didn't like it. That was sad.

Inara: I guess the thing (I think it was in OMR) with the poison and all.

"Did he just go crazy and fall asleep?" -Wash
"I told him to sit down," -Simon

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Sunday, April 13, 2003 12:09 PM

PIPER

I LOVE this thread!! Okay, here's my two cents:

Mal - I love the scene in Serenity where he is checking on Kaylee after her surgery. She tells him he is nice and he tells her he is a "mean old man." I like scene for a number of reasons. First, you can see what a soft spot Kaylee is for Mal. Secondly, I think it is telling that he calls himself "old." I think it shows that the war aged him until he feels much, much older than he really is. Of all the interactions, I think the Mal/Kaylee ones are my favorites.

Zoe - I loved it when they are talking about the Reavers and Jayne was getting all worked up and Zoe tells him to stop because "you'll scare the women" (Bushwacked?). Her delivery is perfect! Somehow, she is funnier the more serious her tone.

Book - In Serenity when he is standing in front of Jayne and preventing him from getting to Dobson. Jayne tells him to move and he responds "Not gonna happen." There is such steel in his voice! I actually practiced that line until I got some of his tone and now use it on the preschoolers I teach. And they say TV can't improve your life!

Wash - Love him, love him, love him. I like him in the scene in Serenity (can you tell I just watched Serenity again last night?) where Mal, Zoe, and Jayne are going to meet Badger and Wash is going on the ATV to get supplies. He speaks to her in Chinese and I don't even remember the translation but his whole face shows his love and concern for her. I also like the way she listens to him, reassures him, and then they both part ways to get their work done. It would have been great to see a "real" marriage protrayed on television-curse Fox and their "reality" TV!

Jayne - His scene from (can you guess?) Serenity where he is kneeling outside of the infirmary watching Kaylee's surgery. I actually didn't like his character until this scene, then I had to go back and rewatch the other shows and re-evaluate the character. That's impressive acting.

River - Where she tell's Simon that she didn't think he would come for her. Her vulernability is so overwhelming here, it makes me want to track down every Alliance officer and do the same experiments on them that they did to her.

Simon - Jaynestown (at last, another episode) where Jayne is saying he isn't very welcome on the planet and Simon replies "No, you???" in such a sarcastic way. I like that even though Jayne could plummel Simon quite easily, he still has the courage to insult him.

Kaylee - Two scenes, one from OOG and one from Serenity, where she is trying to explain the engines in Serenity to the men with her. In OOG, her remark of "I'm pointing right at it" when Bester and Mal don't see what she is trying to show them. Also in Serenity when she asks Jayne to help her get ready for full burn and he's searching all around the room until she finally tells him "Look, look, look where I'm pointing." She is definitly queen of her element, even if she is still a young kid.

Finally Inara - She's tough for me but I think I like her best in OMR when she is blocking Saffron from the shuttle and she asks "Who are you?" Then dodges Saffron's kick and heads to Mal. Her ability to play along, her honest appreciation for Saffron's talents, and her readiness to defend herself against attack makes her much more than just a "pretty face."

Again, I LOVE this thread. Hope more people post!

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference-Robert Frost

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Sunday, April 13, 2003 12:09 PM

PIPER

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Sunday, April 13, 2003 5:53 PM

LORA

Best lines about Serenity, Our Mrs. Reynolds: "You don't see the whole. The parts are crap. ... But you put it together you got a Firefly. Thing'll run forever if they got a mechanic that's even half awake. ... Some people ain't lookin' for flash."

Mal, Out of Gas: "Four people per shuttle. That's the arrangement. Evens the odds. I'm staying with Serenity." That scene shows the best leadership and decision making -- Captaining -- Mal ever had to do. Or "We can already see I haven't. Now get the hell off my ship." Or "You all gonna be here when I wake up?". Or "Try to see past what she is, and on to what she can be." Nope, can't choose, I have to pick the whole episode.

Zoe, War Stories: "I'm sorry. You were gonna ask me to choose, right? You wanna finish?" (I want to be Zoe when I grow up.)

Wash, Out of Gas: The look on his face when he says, "When your miracle gets here, you just pound this button once." It is so open.

Jayne, Ariel: "Make somethin' up. Don't tell 'em what I did." He grew a conscience right about then, I think.

Kaylee, Serenity: "That's my girl. My good girl." She loves Serenity as much as Mal, but with more understanding and less need.

Inara, Jaynestown: "I know this man. He just has this idiotic sense of nobility, you know? He can never just let things go. He thinks he's this hard-hearted criminal..." in that soft voice that suddenly turns sharp when she says "Jayne? Jayne Cobb? You're talking about Jayne Cobb?"

Book, War Stories: "This is precision work: sharpshooters. From the look of these wounds, I'd say a 54-R sniper rifle, laser sights," and tries to pass it off as hunting at the Abbey. Suddenly in his element, not worried he's on the wrong ship.

Simon, Safe: "Light it." He never doubts his priorities.

River, Objects in Space: "But there isn't time, Captain. I need you to trust me. ... Don't make faces." Completely in control.

Yes, I cheated because I have the transcripts and edit them to reflect what I think I heard.

"Is there any way I'm gonna get out of this with honor and dignity?" Zoe, War Stories

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Sunday, April 13, 2003 6:58 PM

HAPPYENDINGS

I registered just so I could come play in this thread. I wanted to share what I came up with but realized that no one else outside from other Firefly fans would care, so...I'm here.

Mal - Okay, I have two. The last "real time" scene from OOG, where he wakes up, groggy and confused. He asks Wash if Wash is all right and that just breaks my heart, there were a million other questions he could have asked straight off but, eek, he wants to make sure Wash is all right first. My love is further compounded when he asks, "Are you all going to be here when I wake up?" Breaks my heart into even tinier pieces. He loves his crew.

And my second favorite Mal is the end of Ariel, with Jayne. It just further cemented the whole "this is my crew, don't mess with them or you're messing with me" mentality.

Zoe - At Niska's in WS, pointing to Wash: "Him." Wow. What a woman.

Wash - I love Wash. Any scene with Wash is my favorite Wash scene.

Inara - When she teaches Mal how to sword fight in Shinding, especially how she just gracefully catches the sword he tosses to her. It made me sit up and really start thinking about her, realizing that she probably could kick some ass if need be.

Jayne - His parley with Dobson from Serenity. He's so smart and witty!
Dobson: "Well, I can see you're not an idiot."
Jayne: "Wish I could say the same, Laurence, but, this is disappointing as hell."

Kaylee - Her interrogation scene from Bushwhacked. I was so proud of the geek girl!

Simon - Hate to admit it, but I was never too big of a Simon fan until OiS. When he was all calm and snarky dealing with Jubal, I just realized that, wow, yep, that's perfect for Simon. He was just so in control, so scheming. But yet no match for the skills and mind of his little sis.

River - Once again, OiS, in the opening sequence. It gave me sympathy for her, especially with the leaves-branch-gun scene, and it let us into her poor, confused mind for a little bit.

Book - In WS, where he willingly and even happily arms and fights. It was the first time I thought about him actually as a part of the crew.

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Monday, April 14, 2003 5:36 AM

RADEGUND

Just a Mal moment: At the end of "Serenity", when Simon says "How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?" Mal's response says a lot about his character: "If I decide to kill you, you will be awake, and facing me, and armed." He won't promise that he'd never attempt to kill Simon, just that he'd do so honorably.

Radegund

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Monday, April 14, 2003 8:07 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave

not so much favorite moments as favorite quotes.

River: I didn't think you'd come for me.
Simon: Well you're a dummy.
classic brother/sister interaction--always get the last word if you can.

Jayne: Ten percent of nothin' is...well, lemme do the math here...nothin...nothin...carry the nothin.
i love Jayne. what is it about the uncouth that's so dang endearing?

Book: If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.
unfortunately one of those people talking in the theater would be my sister. note that's theater, not theatre. wish y'all could have seen her face.

the scene in Serenity where Book is kneeling before Inara who reaches out a hand to touch his head in comfort.

last but not not least, a few difinitive moments.
Mal: Sure, it's humiliating. Having to lie there while the better man refuses to spill your blood. Mercy is the mark of a great man. (pokes Atherton in the belly with the sword) Guess I'm just a good man. (pokes him again for good measure) Well, I'm all right.

KAYLEE: Figures. First time on a Core and what do I get to do? Look through trash. Couldn't he send me shopping at the Triplex, or--Oooh! Synchronizers!

MAL: Get in there. Give your brother a thrashing for messing up your plan.
RIVER: He takes so much looking after.

ZOE Don't see that it's any of your business, is all. We're very private people.
WASH Have you seen what she wears? Forget about it. Have you ever been with a warrior woman?

there's lots and lots and lots more...but this thread is getting long enough as it is.

"I'm still flyin'...that's enough." ~ Mal

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Monday, April 14, 2003 1:25 PM

SHAMBLEAU

River laughing at the stars. That's the moment I fell in love with the show.

Jayne's reaction to the mudder's having rioted for him, especially the tearing up. He did that when the religious leader gave him the rainstick, too. Drunk both times, but it shows more than a maudlin streak, I think. It gives a clue to why he's more loyal to Mal and the crew than he realizes.

Zoe's noncommital reaction to Wash's "We don't kill people, yeah?" in Serenity. They were debating Mal's threat to toss Simon into space if Kaylee died. I don't think they aired Zoe's "Then I'd kill you" response to Simon's question from the original version of Serenity, but you see her loyalty anyway right there. And it's a little disturbing.

Kaylee's comment that Mal would do it for any of them as she gets a gun in WS. So matter of fact, so loyal and still with a touch of innocence about it.

The look that we see and Inara's customer doesn't when he asks about why she left her world. Inara's secret sadness, which we haven't seen explored any where else in the series.

Simon's contempt for the Chinese plate and for the life he's living in Safe. It isn't just shyness that keeps him and Kaylee apart, but class issues and the committment it would imply about staying on the ship if he and Kaylee got together. He's not ready to give up the life he used to lead.

shambleau

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Monday, April 21, 2003 8:41 PM

KAYTHRYN

When Simon was all nake... and...what?... Whoops! Wrong thread!

-------------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

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Monday, April 21, 2003 8:44 PM

TALRIUS

Any scene Kaylee's in. A cop out I know.

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