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Originally posted by BrucePluto:

My question, was it wise for Joss to have exited two main characters from Serenity just as it was being introduced to the masses of the globe? I’m not questioning his talent as a writer, only inquiring as to why he didn’t wait to do such a thing until the BDM2, or maybe even later.

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I don't want either Book or Wash to be reinstated into the story except for flashbacks or dream sequences. Anything else would be a disservice to the heroic way they died.

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Originally posted by ecgordon:
I don't think I was too coherent for the last ten minutes or so, and was fearful that none of them would survive.

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Originally posted by Bytemite:
Or, the Alliance ships were using laser fire rather than customary ordnance, which might cause cleaner entry and exit wounds.

And maybe Alliance ships are so used to strafe-running innocent settler villages that they have deliberately smaller anti-personnel guns they use.

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Originally posted by two:
It is not laser fire and not small caliber. The comic is canon and shows muzzle flash from two gatling cannons. Bullets may be 30mm, slightly radioactive, depleted uranium slugs like on the A-10 Warthog and that is not science fiction.

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Originally posted by twoWhich brings to my mind another sad problem with Joss's movie version of Book's death. Zach's comic version has Book heroically defending the people of Haven. Joss's Book is the last man standing in Haven and then he takes his revenge by shooting down the Alliance and then talks himself to death. Zach's Book is good. Joss' is a bad.

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Originally posted by m52nickerson:
I did not get that last from the movie at all.

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Originally posted by two:
Think of Kaylee when she was shot. She didn't make small talk. But on the other hand, Book, after bleeding for who knows how long, gives Mal a homily. It would have been more shocking to Mal if Book spoke nothing and died.

Not killing Book can be more intense than killing him.

If Joss had wanted to increase the hopelessness of Serenity's situation, he could have Book on a heart pump. Book dies if he is moved from the infirmary after Serenity crashes. Simon pleads with Mal, “Give me 15 minutes, I can prepare Book for transfer!” Mal growls, “Reavers are here, Doc. You're going with us.” Simon keeps doctoring; Mal points gun at Simon and cruelly forces Simon to abandon Book.

Saintly Jayne leaves Shepherd Book with a gun. Book is alone, awake and fearful that he is lunch for Reavers. Book hesitantly puts the gun-barrel to his head. We see him slowly squeeze the trigger. In closeup, we see the hammer moving to the cocked position. We cut away to the fleeing crew then back to the gun. It has been fired and is now on the floor of the infirmary. Is that a pool of blood?

Much later, Book in a wheelchair is shown aiming the same gun at Jayne and pulling the trigger. The gun is not loaded. Jayne, who is eating noodles with chopsticks, says, “You were too moldy for the Reaver to eat.” Book laughs and clutches his chest in pain. Browncoats are angry because they were tricked into thinking Book was dead. They vow never to see Serenity 2, which was the major hit of the Summer of 2009.

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Originally posted by m52nickerson:
Book however did make small talk the first time he was shot.

Yes Joss could have made it more intense in that way, but overall it would not have been so poignant.

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Originally posted by two:
Poignancy is a perfume distilled from crushed flowers and friends. The fragrance is too refined for me. Joss's killing everybody at Haven was very simple and tidy storytelling, but realistically somebody probably survived the massacre unless the town was nuked. Book is my choice.

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Originally posted by BrucePluto:
Alan and Nathan themselves seem all depressed about it.

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Originally posted by two:

It's pleasant to daydream that Joss Whedon always had a master plan to resurrect Wash in Serenity 2. Joss is a loving god with power over life and death. I don't want to believe that Joss has no idea where the story for Serenity 2 would be going when he killed Wash and Book. That would be so aimless.

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Originally posted by Zeek:
No one seems to care about Book dying as much as they do Wash. It's odd. I guess because Book had some last words it's ok for him to die.

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My question, was it wise for Joss to have exited two main characters from Serenity just as it was being introduced to the masses of the globe? I’m not questioning his talent as a writer, only inquiring as to why he didn’t wait to do such a thing until the BDM2, or maybe even later.

Having first tasted the sheer shininess of the crew of the transport then having two of it’s top folk eliminated before renting the series on Net-Flix, I already knew what was coming. Shouldn’t Joss have known that so many folk wouldn’t know about Wash & the Shepherd before Serenity? I mean, in hindsight, pretty much all that was gained was that he pissed off some browncoats ( both present & future). Not that it would help or hurt the film, but it certainly coulda waited!

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actually find myself in agreement with so many browncoats who voice their total shock and distain as to why Mr. Whedon would do this? Alan and Nathan themselves seem all depressed about it. Had there been a sequel immediately following, I’m sure Joss had a story that would have picked up at the tail end of where it left off. But as we know that didn’t happen.

Wash and Book had their own fans bases while the show was being aired. I’m sure there were a multitude unhappy with the choice of extinguishing these two player at the get-go when Serenity hit the big screen.

Just some thoughts wondering through the old noggin after watching DTI. I was wondering what other browncoats think about this or anything else.

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