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Originally posted by IndigoStarblaster:

One interesting fan-theory I read elsewhere on this site is that the BDM version is River's dream/fantasy about how she was rescued -- that she dreamed/fantasized that her beloved older brother had come swooping in and that she had been able to participate in her own rescue, rather than what really happened -- being frozen and shipped off by an anonymous resistance group.

Indigo S.

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Originally posted by Lissa37:
They can't share River's fantasy. Unless... do they mean all of that was her fantasy? I don't know.

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Originally posted by micjwelch:

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Originally posted by Lissa37:
They can't share River's fantasy. Unless... do they mean all of that was her fantasy? I don't know.

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I have heard that theory a lot actually. It seems to be more of a way of finding a way for Book and Wash to come back. People just want to believe they never died.



"We may experience some slight turbulence, and then... explode."

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He certainly had no problem figuring out how to get into an Alliance hospital and lying his way through it in "Ariel." He's really only a boob when he's trying to interact with people who aren't from his world.

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Another theory on River's freezing: Simon was worried that River's condition might become worse if it was left untreated. So, he stuck her in a cryo pod until he could get her to proper treatment facilities (he may or may not have had a coherent plan for doing this, before he decided they were better off on Serenity). Also, while two fugitives might be able to hide from the Alliance, it becomes rather more difficult if one of them is prone to random psychotic episodes...

As for River being made into a weapon: This might not mean being trained with guns and knives. If I were an Evil Alliance Mastermind, I certainly would not send a billion-dollar superwoman into the trenches with the infantry, where a stray bullet or explosion would kill her just as quickly as anyone else. On the other hand, those perfect reflexes and spatial awareness would be rather useful for a fighter pilot.

I see the Alliance as not necessarily knowing what River would be capable of, or intending to use her as a soldier, spy or assassin. It could simply have been an experiment to see what their biotechnology would do, gathering data which might allow them to make reliable super-warriors in 5 or 10 or 20 years' time. "Aha, she performs with extraordinary grace in the tests. A pity she's too unstable for field service, but we should be able to improve on that in the next model..."

Another thought: Might the Operative have been subject to a similar but less severe form of physical/mental alteration and reconditioning? He's not quite sane either, and also has a thing about swords...


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He killed me, Mal. He killed me with a sword. How weird is that?

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Originally posted by zoid:
Cliomuse wrote:

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He certainly had no problem figuring out how to get into an Alliance hospital and lying his way through it in "Ariel." He's really only a boob when he's trying to interact with people who aren't from his world.

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I'm not saying he's not a doctor. I'm saying he's not anything else. Certainly not a master of intrigue, able to sneak into a top-secret government research facility, posing as an Alliance muckedy-muck. (NB: Ariel's was a civilian hospital, without the "Fine Young Cannibals" Blue Hands guys, let's not forget.)

'Series Simon' would have wet himself...



v/r,
-zed

P.S.
I know a lot of folks are pulling for the Simon character, and I am too. But in the series he was endearingly clueless; in the movie, he was a "double-nought spy" (Beverly Hillbillies reference, y'all, as in 'James Bond, double-nought seven'). That's an inconsistancy in the development of his character, no matter how you try to spin it. I think Joss didn't have time or space in the movie for 'clueless', so he changed him to 'cool' for the sake of expediency...
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"I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDBOF'

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Talisker wrote:
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 12:56

.....Another thought: Might the Operative have been subject to a similar but less severe form of physical/mental alteration and reconditioning? He's not quite sane either, and also has a thing about swords...

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You're right, his development probably was rushed a bit. He did seem to lose the less-competent side and become the braver side pretty quickly. But, maybe it isn't so much that it didn't happen as much as we didn't see it... if that makes any sense. Maybe the theory that could really please everyone -- those who love "old Simon" and those who love "new Simon" -- would be that some of his growing up and developing occurred between the series and the movie. I mean, I still believe that his changes also have to do with what situation he's in... so, perhaps that extra time (that we don't get to see) out in the border planets helped him to get used to his new life, helped him adapt and learn to live in his new environment. Maybe? I don't know.

At any rate, I like him either way... "old" or "new", "clueless" or "suave"/smart and brave, rushed or not. He's, overall, a good guy no matter what state he's in.

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