Big Damn theory about the BDM - **major goram spoilers** by wombatgrrl

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Big Damn theory about the BDM - **major goram spoilers**

POSTED BY: WOMBATGRRL
UPDATED: Monday, October 10, 2005 04:39
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VIEWED: 2662
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Sunday, October 9, 2005 3:02 PM

What Wash and Books deaths means

Each member of Serenity represents different aspects of Mal that he has lost touch with. I think these are as follows, but hey let me know what you think…

Inara – desire
Zoe – trust
Wash – love/compassion
Simon – loyalty
Jayne – belief in self
Book – belief in something beyond self
Kaylee – happiness
River - I think actually manifests all that Mal keeps inside. They have both been damaged, and while Mal is all about containing this (anger, confusion, mistrust, questioning what things mean), River has it spilling out everywhere.

After Book dies, we see Mal taking on his trait – belief in something beyond self. And after Wash’s death, we see Mal able to speak of love and connection as he hasn’t before.

I was away the day we did Cinema Studies at College - but I have studied under the great Whedon (thanks for the dvd commentaries Joss)

'..you live on a spaceship dear'

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 3:27 PM

CHRISTHECYNIC

I definitely see what you're saying, and I can not honestly say I disagree, but I’d never really look at it that way. I always felt that if a symbol was well done it didn’t need to be stated, in fact it was better if it were unstated. If you analyze meaning behind/beyond the movie I think you lose things.

-

"You know what happens if I overanalyze this statue? I get to see that it’s made of earth molecules, water molecules, dyes, but then I don’t get to see that it’s something really quite beautiful in itself. Something to be appreciated for more than the sum of it’s parts." - Nathan Bridger, Seaquest

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 3:41 PM

RAT

Going by that, Wash may also represent mercy, but I think you're reading too much into it.

____________________

Acquisitions Officer - SereniTREE & Destiny.

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 5:50 PM

THEPYRO

I agree with Rat, thats awesome, and it does make alot of sense, but your not just going to get that, unless you look way into it. SO, i say just love it for what you can see in it, and if you feel the need to watch it again and again, like eveyone that saw it once :), you'll see more for yourself, and it'll be more satisfying.

the pyro

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 8:32 PM

OBIWAN

If you listen to the DVD commentary for Serenity - The Pilot, you'll find that Nathan viewed the other characters in this very way, as pieces of Mal that had been lost;

"I always had it in my head that crewmembers on Serenity represented, for Mal, bits of himself that he has lost, or that he needs, that he can't have."

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 8:48 PM

SNEAKER98

Hmm...

Lets not toss this one aside. It's got some merit to it.

When Book dies, Mal starts believing in something. When Wash dies, Mal has a talk about loving the ship.

I hadn't thought of that. Well, looks like we need another character to die before we know for sure!

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

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Sunday, October 9, 2005 9:11 PM

THRAWN

Quote:
Originally posted by Obiwan:
If you listen to the DVD commentary for Serenity - The Pilot, you'll find that Nathan viewed the other characters in this very way, as pieces of Mal that had been lost;

"I always had it in my head that crewmembers on Serenity represented, for Mal, bits of himself that he has lost, or that he needs, that he can't have."

I always thought that was incredibly perceptive of him. It showed, to me, that in Nathan Joss found a lead that truly understood what the show was about, something that I don't think the actors for Angel or Buffy ever did.

One of my first conversations with my friends after seeing the BDM was about Book dying fitting with this theory; we couldn't figure out Wash. I always thought Wash was something more along the lines of "carefree spirit", which Mal certainly doesn't reattain.

But, whether you read the rest of the crew that way or not, Book thematically DEFINITELY represented Mal's lost faith, and his death was DEFINITELY the catalyst for him recovering it. I think Book's death was absolutely necessary for that. Wash's death was for different reasons, I feel, but equally compelling. That, however, is a discussion for another thread.

Nice theory :)

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Monday, October 10, 2005 4:28 AM

DONCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by sneaker98:
Well, looks like we need another character to die before we know for sure!

Um, no... no we don't.

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Monday, October 10, 2005 4:30 AM

SNEAKER98

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
Quote:
Originally posted by sneaker98:
Well, looks like we need another character to die before we know for sure!
Um, no... no we don't.

I tease, I tease!

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

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Monday, October 10, 2005 4:39 AM

STATIC

Honestly. . .as much as I love him and mourn his passing, I think Wash's only real purpose was to give us a glimpse of ZOE's 'human side'. . .not anything within Mal.

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