Why I am in Love with River Tam by asarian

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Why I am in Love with River Tam

POSTED BY: ASARIAN
UPDATED: Sunday, January 29, 2006 11:41
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VIEWED: 3551
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Saturday, January 28, 2006 5:08 PM

Dear fans of FireFly,

First I saw Serenity -- more or less by accident, even. It then took me about a day or so to become wise to there being an entire series preceding this great movie (duh! on me). And so I came to be a FireFly addict, overnight, through Serenity.

Now, when I first saw River Tam, in Serenity, I fell in Love with her, almost instantly. But why? Is she beautiful? Sure; drop-dead gorgeous, at that. But many people are. And I soon realized that this wasn't the reason. So, here I am, asking myself: why, like a love-sick puppy, am I experiencing severe FireFly withdrawal pains?

Late today, I figured it out. Or, at least, I now think I know why I am so in Love with FireFly, and River Tam in particular. I would like to share my wee revelation with you. As they say: take from it what you deem worth keeping, and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.

FireFly is probably the greatest Love story ever told! Hamlet, you say? What nut goes off and kills herself over a loved one? No; then take Simon Tam; the man spends his entire fortune infiltrating a secret military compound to free his younger sister, throwing away everything he has in the process. That, my dears, is Love; the kind no power in the Verse can stop. He gives up his entire life, just so he can liberate his beloved "mei-mei" (a Chinese term of endearment Simon uses at times; it means "little sister"). Now, I ask you, whose 'suicide' was the more noble, that of Ophelia or that of Simon?

"Have you looked at this scan carefully, Doctor? At his face. It's Love, in point of fact."

That's awesome.

It gets better, though. Ever since I found this site, today, I have seen several people quote this line by River (or portions of it): "You gave up everything to find me, and you found me broken. It's hard for you. You gave up everything you had." Beautiful, for sure. Perplexed, and still in awe over the selflessness of such an act, I found that Love itself, in its true force, outdid my poor understanding of it, as I heard Simon say:

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

Tell me that you didn't cry. So beautiful is this, that I made it my tagline, even. I tell you, only Simon has glanced at Love Bare. This is why I am in Love with FireFly (and most notably with River Tam): because of the story arc between Simon and River (and all the expanse in-between, so effortlessly covered by their Love).

That is what FireFly does to me. It electrifies my humanity. It makes me want to give Love; it makes me want to be Simon, and reach out, all across the universe, to my beloved River -- and all she stands for. FireFly's whole premise touches me deep within, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, as Scripture would say.

In identifying with Simon, to paraphrase a well-known book, I can pile upon River the sum of all the general Love and hope felt by my whole race from Adam down. That, in a nutshell, is why I am in Love with River Tam.

Ah, getting this off my chest felt good.

Thank you for reading.

- Mark

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

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 5:32 PM

RIVER6213

That was so beautiful! Thank you for sharing that with us.

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 6:23 PM

NOVASTARCLOUD

I thought it was really bold of Whedon to explore and relate a "love without sex" relationship throughout this entire story. The selfless act of a brother for his sister, and then her acknowledgement. You're right, it is very beautiful.

Thanks for sharing.

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 6:23 PM

VOSHEXETER

I have a little sister myself. So maybe I feel a sense of identification with Simon. I was terrible at sciences though.

It was one of River's lines in "jaynestown" that took the t.v. show to new level for me. Her take on the bible certainly raised the eyebrows of Book. When River said, "I tore these out of your symbol and they turned into paper."; I didn't know what to make of that other than JW is one efficient writer of dialogue. River says the darnedest things.

voshExeter

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."
Yoda

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 7:44 PM

KIZYR

Oh River is an unending source of great quotations.

One of the only responses in the "A Christians Perspective" thread I could figure as appropriate was one of River's lines. KF

~KF

Lord, I'm walking your way. Let me in, for my feet are sore, my clothes are ragged.
Look in my eyes, Lord, and my sins will play out on them as on a screen. Read them all.
Forgive what you can and send me on my path. I will walk on until you bid me rest.
~Haven Prayer

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 8:01 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Tell me that you didn't cry

I can't. Or, I could, but then I'd be lying. As I just read your post, and those words... Mei-mei, everything I have is right here, I got teary eyed. Just then! Amazing. That's all it takes, don't ask me why. But you know, as well do most who frequent this shiny little site. There's love.

Welcome and thanks for sharing your post. It was great.

" Light it. "

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 9:34 PM

SNAP

Yup. That's my thought exactly. If JW ever kills off River I'll get up and leave the theater and leave my brown coat on the foor. Firefly would truely be dead then.

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 11:11 PM

RODWY

I'm in love with River too. But is it bad that I understand everything she says.

---
Mal: Define Interesting
Wash: Oh god, Oh god, We're all gonna die?

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Saturday, January 28, 2006 11:39 PM

CAPTKAR

I became interested in River from the first time she got out of the Cryo-Container (i saw Firefly through a friend first.) It was the initial shock of "what the heck is she doing in there."

I would have to say the moment I fell in love with River though was in Serenity, her scene with Simon when shees chained and hes fixing her scratches. Im not an emotional person when it comes to sadness, After my grandfathers funeral I became pretty good at burying any bad feelings away, but when River begins to tear up while saying "I don't know what I'm saying, I never know what I'm saying" On top of the "Put a bullet in me, Bullet in the brainpan, Squish." I got choked up. The misery in her eyes and voice got to me, from then on I was hooked.

After watching Serenity I watched all of the Firefly episodes again just to see what of River I had missed. Needless to say I had missed alot, but with every episode I grew to love River more and more.

Now I'm in the same boat as the previous post, when they make another movie, if they kill River then thats it and I'm done.

-Love is the emotion that governs man, through love one can do anything-

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 12:06 AM

RODWY

hat part where she says she doesnt undersatnd what she's saying well I almost always do. Alot of the Times she's stating the obvious or telling you whats going to happen before it does. Thats what I love about her, the way she talks.

---
Mal: Define Interesting
Wash: Oh god, Oh god, We're all gonna die?

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 2:53 AM

TEETHGRINDER

With every single viewing of any Firefly episode/ Serenity... I get more and more convinced that what Simon feels for River... What he's willing to do for her... That...is how LOVE should be.
Even my ex girlfriend( also a fan!) agrees with me and that doesn't happen a lot (smile!). No power in the verse can stop this kind of LOVE.

Great thread... If I can... I would love to be able to show Summer, Sean, and Josh this perfect post that you wrote. Then again.... They could be reading it as I'm writing this.

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 3:27 AM

CHARLENE

Very well put! What you wrote is so true, so beautiful! I love the Simon/River relationship, this is indeed how love should be.

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

I am 94% Like River Tam

The Fugitive. You are clever and dangerous, which is a nasty combination.
The fact you are crazy too just adds to your charm.
They did bad things to you, but you know their secrets.
They will regret how they made you.

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

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 7:05 AM

SNAP

It sings to the soul. [awww... mushy innit?]

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 7:37 AM

GRIMJACK21502

You hit the nail on the head Asarian.

No more needs to be said...your summation is beautifully written and does the Tam relationahip justice.

I dare say that if Mr. Whedon were to lose interest in the 'verse (just an if), he would need only read your emotional observation to renew his love for Serenity...thank you.

We will hold...we hold till Mal gets back.

"And once you're gone, you can never come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black"
-Neil Young

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 10:52 AM

AGENTROUKA

I completely agree. Simon and River are one of the most compelling aspects of the show, for me, and I actually find their relationship more fascinating than her symbolic value to Mal or Simon's tentative romance with Kaylee.

There's depth there, and an examination of love that is truly selfless. It's not about the pleasure you get back through the physical, but rather it's all about the heart. One step further removed from animal instinct than even romantic love, if you will.

However, what in the nine hells made you cite Hamlet as an example for a great love story? *g*

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Sunday, January 29, 2006 11:41 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
However, what in the nine hells made you cite Hamlet as an example for a great love story? *g*

Hamlet is really not a great love story; although, at times, it pretends to be. The story came to mind, specifically, because of Hamlet's feigned love for Ophelia at her funeral: "I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum." Which, occured to me, is rather ironic, as it could be argued that Hamlet maybe never even truly loved Ophelia. And because Simon, of course, truly possesses what Hamlet only says in words.

P.S. I am still in Love with River. :)

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

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