Quote:

---

Originally posted by wytchcroft:
SpaceAnjl somewhat presciently drew attention to Rivers utterance in Safe about hating being dressed like a gorram doll. It’s in the Tam family threads somewhere. Seems natural, given the context, that River is talking of Gabriel or Regan – but what if she aint? What, if she had – prior to rescue – already been used as an active infiltrating agent??? Nikita style…. And in line with the upcoming DOLLhouse show. The phrase does sound like foreshadowing now…

Any thoughts???

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by AgentRouka:

I never thought it was directed at her parents actually. From all we know, they supported River's own desire to learn more, let her dance, let her and Simon live in a silly in-joke-world... They may suck at saving their kids, but nothing suggests that they "dressed her up as a doll" or forced her to be something she wasn't.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

A darker shade here, so move on if you wish...

Part of what Joss said about Dollhouse was that she can be programmed to be a sex slave or romantic partner, etc.
River at the academy is under control of some pretty sadistic mind freaks, and she is a young nubile girl, after all.
River's experience in the academy may have been either she has to do tests(sticking needles in her) all day, or on non-test days somebody has selected her from "the Dollhouse" as a plaything, and she will be dressed up as a gorram doll and subjected to sexual predatory perversions. Although she is a weapon, the triggers/controls they've embedded in her will keep her in the correct mode, and under control. Perhaps it could have been those same members of Parialment who chose to avail themselves of her nubile qualities.
To her, with all these subliminal code words and controls, she must feel like she has no self-will, because she is suddenly a weapon, or a submissive plaything, or submissively enduring the needles and tests. She can't object effectively, so these things just "happen to her" because of the subliminal controls, and after years of this, it must seem to be just normal to her, other than what she can remember of her life with Simon - the parent Tams being hardly substantial.

---