Who knows what? by SpikeSpiegel

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Who knows what?

POSTED BY: SPIKESPIEGEL
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 7, 2004 14:03
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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 12:54 PM

As I was reading the recent thread about Book's secret identity, I noticed references to how Book related to River, suggesting there's a clue in Ron Glass' ongoing portrayal of Book. But that would require someone to tell Glass, if not everything, then, "Hey, your character's backstory will tie in very closely to River. She's the whole reason you're here."

Not that I subscribe to that theory ... but it made me wonder: Has it ever been officially stated that even Joss has all the answers in his head at present? Remember, he didn't start Buffy with the plan to eventually reveal Willow as gay. So does Joss know all? Does Tim Minear? Have any of the cast ever said whether they've been given "secret info" to work into their portrayals?

I wonder whether Morena knows what the needle was, or was she just told how to play the scene? Does Summer know what River will become, or is she just playing spacey? Et cetera.

Anyone ever heard/read anything relevant to this?

Because the more people who know, the more likely we can make someone talk ...

"Bang."

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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 1:02 PM

GAIJIN

I think only Joss and co. know for sure.

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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 1:03 PM

MANIACNUMBERONE

Can't recall where at the moment, but I believe I remember hearing that most of the cast and crew (sadly) didn't have inside info into their character's background.

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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 1:13 PM

SPIKESPIEGEL

Damn.

... he says, putting away the fingernail needles and the rubber hoses ....

"Bang."

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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 2:46 PM

LADYJAYNE

Joss may know but the company rarely does. For exammple, in the interviews with Charlie Weber on the S5 Buffy dvd's he says that even he didn't know that Ben and Glory were the same person till they got the script for the ep it was revealed. I sincerely doubt that the way Glass portrays his concern for River has anything to do with the Joss-meister's diabolical character background twists!

This is why I only speculate in generalities. I don't see much point in trying to put in details that could go in any direction. Please also remember that Joss & writing crew do have one essential flaw: their mis-directs are rather formulaic. If something looks really obvious in terms of what's going to be revealed about a character, then there is a 99% chance it's not true. (i.e. Dawn must be evil; Giles must be dead, etc...) Sorry to have to use all the Buffster references, but that's what I know the most examples from.

--Kala

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 7:09 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I would imagine that Joss has an outline and perhaps notes on each character and their background, but I doubt there was anything definite before the plug was pulled.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 7:24 AM

HKCAVALIER

In the DVD commentary Joss often refers to the actors playing things in ways he did not intend but which proved to be exactly right, closer to the truth of the character than he had written. I believe Joss is a real artist in that his stories come to him to be told rather than him simply making them up (sorry if that sounds a little woo-woo-from-beyond to y'all). In reviewing the ep's I saw and heard a quality in the way Ron Glass played Book that gave me a feeling about him and River and then I thought about him looking over the ships and beating up the cop and it "all made sense." Perhaps Joss doesn't have any of that planned, but it sure doesn't stop him from rewatching the ep's just as I did and saying to himself, "It was right there in front of my face the whole time, of course Book...etc," and writing it in later. If you trust your creation, you know it's gonna come up with stuff that you didn't plan. Art is a strange and wonderful thing.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 7:32 AM

HERO

I know. Last May I went to a yard sale at Joss's house. I bought a futon and some size 38 jeans and a blender.

Anyway in the futon's cushions was a little pocket sized notebook with "Firefly Secrets" written on the cover. I opened it and sure enough the whole multiseason plot for every character was right there. And in the back "notes for the movie".

I wont go into detail, but...

Inara and Mal get together, with tragic consequences.
Kaylee and Simon get together, with tragic consequences.
Book's history is revealed, with tragic consequences.
Zoe and Wash have a baby, with tragic consequences.
River gets her head together and has a showdown with the Blue Hands, with tragic consequences.
Jayne betrays the group, with tragic consequences.
Saffron returns several more times, with tragic consequences.

Hope I didn't spoil anything.

H

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 8:36 AM

SAINT JAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by Hero:
Anyway in the futon's cushions was a little pocket sized notebook with "Firefly Secrets" written on the cover.

<spits coffee all over monitor>

Are you SERIOUS!? I have to go to more yard sales...

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 10:39 AM

KESSIE

Quote:
Originally posted by Hero:
I know. Last May I went to a yard sale at Joss's house. I bought a futon and some size 38 jeans and a blender.

Anyway in the futon's cushions was a little pocket sized notebook with "Firefly Secrets" written on the cover. I opened it and sure enough the whole multiseason plot for every character was right there. And in the back "notes for the movie".

I wont go into detail, but...

Inara and Mal get together, with tragic consequences.
Kaylee and Simon get together, with tragic consequences.
Book's history is revealed, with tragic consequences.
Zoe and Wash have a baby, with tragic consequences.
River gets her head together and has a showdown with the Blue Hands, with tragic consequences.
Jayne betrays the group, with tragic consequences.
Saffron returns several more times, with tragic consequences.

Hope I didn't spoil anything.

H

Hm sounds plausible but you forgot that Joss often likes Characters to die ... but i also hope that he forgets that part this time *g* Joss I warn you let our 9 live!!

Or i´ll....

But seriously , he must have an general outline of the characters , otherwise you cant write consistently. But i also think the more you write the more detailed the character gets ... its actually developing by doing i think!

So features of the actors can also be added to the Character.

They say it’s the last song
They don’t know us, you see
Its only the last song
If we let it be

http://www.darknessenemyinc.de.vu/

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 11:30 AM

BEBE

Whoo...Good Yardsale.

I've been sane a while now, and change is good. -Wash

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 11:40 AM

LADYJAYNE

ROTFLMAO!!!

That's just hilarious. That sounds EXACTLY like the way Joss would plan things. Everything has "tragic consequences".

Too funny.

--Kala

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Wednesday, January 7, 2004 2:03 PM

RIV

I think that when a writer or creater makes a story, show, characters, they plan out the main plot that will follow the whole story, i.e. Buffy slays vampires in Sunnydale, a hellmouth. She is aided by her Watcher, and two friends, plus a man called Angel. Also, a girl named Cordelia is mean to her, but later joins the fight. That follows the main show plot and even the first season, so they can change it later and add people, extra.

So, I think that when Joss started Firefly, he knew the basic first season plot and the overall show theme. He must have also planned out stuff about the characters, like Book's past and River and the needle. He might have also decided if Simon and Kaylee ever got together.

However, we should all remember things change, fans might not like certain things, fans may love other things,characters may leave or come, etc. In the end, I doubt even Joss was 100% sure of what would happen.

_______________________________________________
Two by two. Hands of blue.-River Tam

I support River and Jayne!
I support Zoe and Wash!
I support Simon and Kaylee!
I support Mal and Inara!

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