RE:

POSTED BY: gypsylife
UPDATED: Friday, February 10, 2006 16:28
VIEWED: 27181
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GYPSYLIFE

Friday, December 2, 2005 9:29 PM

So I just looked at all the fav romantic moments and got inspired to post this one. What are some of your favorite awww moments that just tug at your heart strings.
Mine:

At the end of OoG when Mal says "Yall gonna be here when I wake up." awwww

In Safe when River gives her "you found me broken" speech. ah I felt that one!

Simon's face when River comes out of the box and he's kneeling in front of her. Need I say more.

Those are just my top three. What about you guys.

STEWIE45

Friday, December 2, 2005 10:22 PM

At the end of The Message Mal gives a great Soliloquy,for some reason people don't really talk about it that much

KHYRON

Friday, December 2, 2005 10:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Stewie45:
At the end of War Stories Mal gives a great Soliloquy,for some reason people don't really talk about it that much

You mean that "Your husband thinks we should sleep together" speech? Yeah, that was really, uh, Shakespearean, I guess.

STEWIE45

Saturday, December 3, 2005 12:48 AM

Yeah I meant "The Message" instead of "war Stories" - it kinda takes away from that tearing at the heart strings thing I was aiming at.

SERGEANTX

Saturday, December 3, 2005 12:52 AM

Well, when the series originally aired the last episode they aired was the pilot "Serenity".

Anyway, the fact that it was the last of the series we were likely to see gave the final dialogue a bit more weight.

Mal: "We're still flying."

Simon: "That's not much."

Mal: "It's enough."

That quote just seemed to set scene for the long wait ahead. All those months of hoping the series would come back...

Gorramn fox

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

SERGEANTX

Saturday, December 3, 2005 12:55 AM

Also, in the epilogue to Ariel. Simon has a syringe with medicine he hopes will help River.

Simon: "Do you know what this is?"

River: "Time to go to sleep?"

Simon: "No, mei-mei. Time to wake up."

That one chokes me up everytime.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

EARLYSUMMER

Sunday, December 4, 2005 5:52 AM

The end of Jaynestown when Jayne and Mal are talking on the catwalk and Jayne's trying to figure out why the kid sacrificed himself even after Jayne was revealed as a fraud. Good scene to show that Jayne wasn't just a pure brute, but had a conscience too. Awesome acting job by Adam Baldwin.

"Just don't make no sense." - Jayne

CHINDI

Sunday, December 4, 2005 6:01 AM

when River is tied to the stake in Safe about to be burned as a witch.. and Simon climbs up next to her.. putting his protective arms around her and defiantly telling the cretons to light it up...

chindi

EARLYSUMMER

Sunday, December 4, 2005 6:22 AM

That's a good one too. Almost forgot about that.

"Time to go" - River

MALSGIRL

Monday, December 5, 2005 1:19 AM

Toward the end of The Message just after Tracy dies, just the look on Mal's face; always gets me. It like you can almost see another piece of Mal breaking away.

And Out of Gas, just in general, pulls at my heart strings. Especially the "Yall gonna be here when I wake up."

GYPSYLIFE

Monday, December 5, 2005 1:48 AM

I forgot to mention Jayne in the airlock at the end of "Ariel".
"Don't tell 'em what I did. Make somethin' up."

Uh. That just makes me forgive him.

FOREVERSHINY

Monday, December 5, 2005 2:04 AM

Yeah, that's a good one.

At the end of "The Message," during the funeral. The music--especially--and Tracy's speech replaying and Mal's close-up as that last chord finishes up the ep. I starting crying every time. Oh, and the crying scene in "HoG" with Inara. Gets me every time.

Cheers,

~ForeverShiny~
~~~~~~~~~~~
Can't stop the signal!
"No, Cap'n, I think it's shiny!"--Kaylee, o'course.
"Yeah, but she's our witch, so cut her the hell down." --Mal in "Safe."
"Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughtta fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home." --Mal in "Serenity" My all-time fav quote. Love it!

EARLYSUMMER

Monday, December 5, 2005 8:27 AM

I forgot about Inara's crying scene in HoG. That scene blindsided me. Great scene for Morena, she pulled it off flawlessly.

Jayne: "I say Zoe gets naked"
Wash: "No!"
Jayne: "I could get naked"

DC4BS

Monday, December 5, 2005 9:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by gypsylife:
I forgot to mention Jayne in the airlock at the end of "Ariel".
"Don't tell 'em what I did. Make somethin' up."

Uh. That just makes me forgive him.

EXACTLY! I think it's why Mal gives him another chance. If I didn't know he was in later episodes, I was sure he was going out the door...

Hm... I have 2 sisters...

The ending of Serenity (pilot) -
River: I didn't think you'd come for me.
Simon: Well, you're a dummy.

The ending of Safe -
Simon: Captain, why did you come back for us?
Mal: You're on my crew.
Simon: Yah but you don't even like me. Why'd you come back?
Mal: You're on my crew. Why we still talkin 'bout this?

Watch Simons face as he finaly gets it... He's ON Mals crew.

------------------------------------------
dc4bs

FOX Execs...

ONLYFOOTPRINTS

Monday, December 5, 2005 4:21 PM

In Our Mrs. Reynolds where Jayne says:

Quote:
Six men came to kill me one time, and
the best of them carried this. It's
a Callahan fullbore autolock,
customized trigger and double
cartridge thourough-gage. It's my very favorite gun.

It kinda makes me feel all, well...why we still talkin 'bout this?

Quote:
No power in the 'verse can stop me.

So many worlds. So little time.

BLACKOUTNIGHTS

Monday, December 5, 2005 6:16 PM

In the movie when Simon gets shot and River tells him, "My turn."

THESOMNAMBULIST

Monday, December 5, 2005 6:38 PM

earlysummer wrote:

Quote:
I forgot about Inara's crying scene in HoG. That scene blindsided me. Great scene for Morena, she pulled it off flawlessly.

Same here.

www.cirqus.com

NIKNAK

Monday, December 5, 2005 7:25 PM

Right, I've spent far too long writing this post. Anyhow here's my top ten in descending order:

10. Jayne: "You think there's someone just gonna drop money on you? Money they can use? Well, there ain't people like that! There's just people like me." (Jaynestown)
9. River: "Put a bullet to me. Bullet in the brain pan, squish." (Serenity the Movie)
8. Inara crying (Heart of Gold)
7. Simon gets shot (Serenity the Movie)
6. Mal walks through Serenity alone and the shuttles leave (Out of Gas)
5. Kaylee is dead (Serenity the Pilot) (I saw the series in order so it really hit me first time).
4. The Funeral (The Message)
3. River: "You gave up everything to find me, and you found me broken." (Safe)
2. Wash: "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch ho-" (Serenity the Movie)
1. River: "I'll be your bounty, Jubal Early. And I'll just fade away." (Object's in Space)

CHARLIETHEBLOODY

Tuesday, December 6, 2005 1:42 PM

can't believe no one's mentioned objects in space when river's off ship and says:

"they didn't want her here,
but she couldn't make herself leave,
so she melted. melted away..."

it chokes me up every time...

"I'm an artist, with an e and a beret."

JERRYT

Sunday, December 11, 2005 2:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by charliethebloody:

can't believe no one's mentioned objects in space when river's off ship and says:

"they didn't want her here,
but she couldn't make herself leave,
so she melted. melted away..."

it chokes me up every time...

Yeah, that and the other part where she talks about not belonging and being dangerous. Then the cut to the crews reactions to her sadness gets me.

JerryT
"I'll be in my bunk"

GRAYFURY

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 5:10 PM

Ok....heres my 10 in descending order.... Although I feel I must give an honorable mention to Kaylee staring at her dress hanging up at the end of Shindig.

10: Its a toss up between "Bastard doesnt have days!" in WS and Inara crying in HoG

9: Simon saying "Light it!" in Safe

8: "Everyones so Mad!" in Pilot

7: "I have no problem with the idea of you not shooting anyone!" in OiS

6: "You found me broken!" in Safe

5: "Ya think anyones just gonna drop money on ya?" in Jaynestown

4: "I am a leaf on the wind watch ho....URK" in BDM

3: "Dont tell em what I done... Make something up!" in Ariel

2: "Would I still be allowed to dance?" In the River Tam Sessions (Just heartwrenching)

1: I think we can all agree on this one... "Ya'll gonna be here when I wake up?" In OoG....(It ruins me everytime.)

"Dear God In Heaven!" - Plastic Dinosaur

J6NGO1977

Friday, December 16, 2005 11:02 PM

Yeh I love that at the end of Out of Gas when Mal asks 'Y'all gonna be here when I wake up?'. Really brings a lump to my throat. Mal comes across as this tough, self centered rogue but you realise when he asks that, the crew of Serenity are very important to him as a family and he could not survive without them. At the end of the day he's an honourable and good man who would lay down his life to save any 1 crew member of Serenity. That's why that scene tugs on the heart strings

LOUGOJIRA

Saturday, December 17, 2005 12:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by niknak:
6. Mal walks through Serenity alone and the shuttles leave (Out of Gas)

I agree completely. I watched this episode earlier today, and I felt a lump start forming in my throat at this scene...

Even though I've seen the episode plenty of times already, I think the reason this scene nailed me now is because I'm so emotionally attached to Firefly/Serenity, and the love and appreciation for it all just keeps growing everyday.

To see those sets, all dark and vacant, I couldn't help but think that that's how they look now going unused...the fact that this show should still be going and isn't hurts...then you see Mal wrap the blanket around himself and sit at the helm...kind of symbolic of all of us. He wraps himself in what he has, kind of a security blanket of sorts, determined to not leave the ship...whereas we watch, re-watch, read, talk about, do what we can; our way of wrapping ourselves in what we have of this show, determined to not leave the Serenity behind either.

SALSASHARK

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 4:39 AM

Hmmm... this is very difficult.

From the movie:

River's "My Turn" at the end

Mal's moment of breakdown as they're heading into reaver space

Zoe's "He's not comin'" makes me cry every time

Show:

Simon: "Light it"

River: "You found me broken"

Mal: "Ya'll gonna be here when I wake up?"

Inara/Mal scene during heart of gold yanno the one? "I wish I hadn't met her, then I wouldn't have failed her", you know what I'm talking about.

Jayne watching from outside the infirmary as Kaylee's getting patched up, I dunno, that made me a Jayne/Kaylee shipper XD

Any and all of the dinner scenes

I AM THE GIRL ANACHRONISM!

KANESKI

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 2:34 PM

"Everybody dies alone." in OoG. A bit of an overly dramatic phrase, but damn if it's not done well.

Inara crying in HoG.

"Everybody's so mad..." Kaylee in the Pilot.

"Make something up. Don't tell them what I did." - regret from Jayne is special. In a special way.

Hearing the end of "the old saying".

"I'll be your bounty Jubel Early." - OiS

PIZMOBEACH

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 2:47 PM

I got a bit misty and choked up when Mal kicked Crow through the running engine - I went "aaawwwww.... *gasp* *choke* *wheeze* Hell Yeah!!"

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.net

AFTERGLOW

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 9:22 PM

In Serenity movie, when they're headed towards Reaver space and Mal walks to Inara's shuttle. It is the closest we ever get to seeing Mal cry. His decisions and actions have gotten people he cares about killed, and may get more of his crew killed and he has to face that. It does go back to River, though. Mal didn't have to take the Tam sibblings back on board, but he does. I think it demonstrates Mal's conscience, though I think that sometimes he wishes he didn't have one becauses it causes him so much pain. If you don't care about someone, you can't lose them, and Mal's lost plenty. It breaks my heart and Nathan does such a wonderful job portraying that pain and vulnerability.

SHUTTLE2

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 12:13 AM

Yeah.

The Message Episode is quite sad and always makes me cry.

Also in OiS WHen River is saying how she isn't wanted and offers to do with Juble.

BUt also there is one poingant moment that I can remember clearly from the movie Serenity. It's when River says to Simon "You took care of me, now it's my turn". How Sweet is that?

PIZMOBEACH

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 12:27 AM

Ok... I give: Mal's relationship with River in Serenity. In the opening when he's on the mule and she comes down the stairs and he says, "Hey little one." If you'd seen the series and all the trouble she'd been to "me and my boat," that was very telling as far as what he really thought of her.
And then at the end of the movie, their exchange of, "...but you probably already know what I'm going to say." "Yeah, but I like to hear you say it."
That is vintage JW writing; unexpected, simple and powerful.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.net

HAZELRAH

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 1:21 AM

Ahh You fine Firefly folk have touched on many a magical moment.....so many, so gorram many.
One of my favorites is within the movie...and its right after Simon gets shot....Here he is wounded, and he as a Doctor should have a good idea of the trouble he is in,but what are his first thoughts on...Kaylee....I just love that, hes shot and all he can think about is what needs to be done to make Kaylee better.Than of course to add to that he turns to River and apologizes for leaving.
"Everyone dies alone" damn I would love to have an Mp3 of that moment. Yeah its overly dramatic, but you know Mal means it with conviction. Hes seen his future.And it doesnt help matters much that hes standing right there in front of his secret love Inara(the woman hes too gorram chicken to tell his feelings too,not counting his "good choice"smile at the end of the BDM,or that "you spin me about" moment)
Oooh another...that out of focus into close up as Zoe says "You wanna leave this room " to Jayne after he makes the comment about the dead soldiers.Can only imagine what Mal did for Zoe,how he helped her go on at the end of the war,after she saw so many die.Zoe, in her dress, at the funeral,just seeing her in it chokes me up. Ive let my mind wander and created a whole backstory for that dress and what it meant to Wash.*sniff sniff*.
Inara " Why would I ever want to leave Serenity?" and Mals choked up response."Cant think of a reason" (close your eyes and listen to it sometime)
In War Stories, that moment when Wash tells Zoe how Mal kept him alive-"Hes crazy..." . ooh and Mal later when he says " You want to meet the real me now?" Jaynes quiet moment at the end of his big episode ...Why wasnt the quiet acoustic version of his song on the soundtrack... I mean c'mon??seriously folks, GRRRRrrrrr "Ill just fade away" Dont you just want to hug her till she squeaks?

25MYTURN25

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 3:42 AM

I too love the scene when River comes out of the box, and his hugging Simon. There is just something so artisticly beautiful about that scene. Also almost all of River's lines in Objects in space, More specificly, when she says "I'll be your bounty Juble Early, and I'll just fade away", But in the Movie Just before River Goes out to fight all the Reavers, she talks to Simon. I don't remember exactly what she says but I love it. Well I guess who you can see is one of my favourite characters lol. Another touching thing, is Kaylee as a whole. When ever she has those really hurt looks, like in shindig when the girls say her dress is ugly, I fell so bad. Now there is alot more but I don't want to go on forever

DONCOAT

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 12:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shuttle2:
Yeah.

The Message Episode is quite sad and always makes me cry.

Also in OiS WHen River is saying how she isn't wanted and offers to do with Juble.

BUt also there is one poingant moment that I can remember clearly from the movie Serenity. It's when River says to Simon "You took care of me, now it's my turn". How Sweet is that?

Yes, it's the turning point of the movie for me. To be a bit more exact...

Simon: River, I'm sorry. I hate to leave...
River: No. No. You won't. You take care of me, Simon. You've always taken care of me.
...My turn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't about you, Jayne. It's about what they need.

AFTERGLOW

Thursday, January 5, 2006 2:33 AM

The really "dramatic" stuff is very good (and don't ya know I fall for it and that's OK...anyone got a problem, see Jayne), but at the end of "Safe" when Simon is escorting River to the dining room. Dishes of food are being passed around...Simon pulls out Kaylee's chair for her...River stealing a roll off Jayne's plate...everyone's Home...they all know they belong here and it's that rare peace that they know they all care about each other and hold a sort of truce over a simple meal....
Reminds me of meals with my own friends (thought we're not armed or as antagonistic)...feels like a family.
What do you folks think?

25MYTURN25

Thursday, January 5, 2006 2:39 AM

I agree I like that scene, Yeah I like when River takes Jaynes roll, and then he tries to get another from Zoe, Yeah that really does make it feel like a family, which is possibly one of the main attractions about this show

BLUEISHBROWNCOAT

Thursday, January 5, 2006 7:16 AM

Still new to the series so I'm I will come up with more however you guys have touched on many of the ones I could think of. :)

"War Stories:" As Zoe and Wash are walking away from the tourture room and and Mal screams as Niska's guys close the door...*chills* you feel for Mal cause he left behind and then for Zoe for haveing to choose and leave him there. I loved in the commentary too how Alan said that that scene was really hard to do for that reason.

Also, his "real me" line from that ep. ...woooo Oh and his look in Serenity: The Pilot when the Alliance ships are landing, but I think thats been said already :)

-----------------------------------------
Hoplessly addicted but in a good sort of way. :)

SCAD/Savannah Browncoat

CREEPIFYING

Thursday, January 5, 2006 10:03 PM

ZAMIAM

Thursday, January 5, 2006 11:52 PM

All of these... and the bit in Heart of Gold when Inara is saying something along the lines of 'this something I should of done a long time ago,' and you think it will be some romantic gesture to Mal, and she says, "I'm leaving." The look on Mal's face...

And maybe its because I'm new to the series (seen all episodes once except Objecst in Space - I'm watching it tonight), but the theme song really chokes me up right now. At first my country music phobia didn't allow me to pay attention to it, but after a while... I love it.

--------------------------------------------------
I am a leaf on the wind.

FREDIKAYLLOW

Friday, January 6, 2006 4:53 PM

oh boy, this thread is just making me so sad. anyway, these have all been mentioned already but...
-Practically anything River says as Serenity in OiS: "I'll just fade away" and "So she melted...melted away"
-"Make something up. Don't tell 'em what I did"
-"Everybody's so mad"
-Rivers monologue in War Stories: "I work... i function like I'm a girl... I hate it because i know it'll go away"
-The scene in BDM whn they have to lock up River: "I don't know what I'm saying... I never know what I'm saying."
and i know there's more, but i just can't quite

No Power In The 'Verse Can Stop Me

BLUEISHBROWNCOAT

Saturday, January 7, 2006 4:41 AM

How about in the BDM when we pull back from Serenity's name on the ship and swing around as its entering atmo?...and with that music. :)

Even though I'm new to the 'verse that is such a triumphant sequence to me. They are still flyin, you know. It pulls at the heart strings in a good sort of way. I sort of see it as pheonix imagery...I could be digging way to deep on that one though.

-----------------------------------------
Hoplessly addicted but in that good sort of way. :)

"When the stars shine bright through the engine's trail and the dust of another world drops behind,
when my ship is free of the open sky its a damn good day to my way of mind." - Michelle Dockrey

SCAD/Savannah,GA Browncoat

WHITTA54

Sunday, January 8, 2006 2:53 AM

The part that always tugs at me is in the pilot. When Mal looks over the rock and sees the Alliance ships coming in. You know at that moment that his whole world just fell apart and he will never be the same. We see glimpses sometimes, but it makes you wonder what he was like before that moment.

XENOPROBE

Wednesday, January 11, 2006 5:41 PM

Man... all of these moments are so compelling! I am actually sitting here (at my desk job!) all teary and whistful.

I have to mention a fave moment... if you blink, you'll miss it... In the pilot, Mal and Inara are arguing outside Kaylee's room about Inara getting people off the ship if the Reavers attack. There's a moment where Mal practically breaks with one look. His lids flutter a bit and he places his hand, gently, to Inara's shoulder and utters her name as a plea.

It's a thing of beauty, boss.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng. Shiny.

KPO

Friday, January 13, 2006 6:38 PM

"Jaynes quiet moment at the end of his big episode ...Why wasnt the quiet acoustic version of his song on the soundtrack... I mean c'mon??"

Mmm yes, like this scene (agreed, the music is ace). Not just because the actions of the dead young mudder got to him, but also I liked the fact that he persistently failed to understand why:

'Don't make no sense.'

Nice character realism.

Also let me add one i haven't seen so far on this list:

Wash to his wife in War Stories [groggily]-
'No! No! Run! Run!'

THECOLLECTOR

Saturday, January 14, 2006 12:41 AM

The part that gets to me is in the Movie...

It's when they're on Miranda.... all three scenes are just magnificent... everything from finding everybody just lying there... to seeing that one chick killed... all the way up to when they're in Serenity and Mal is standing in the blindingly bright light and in fact even is overwhelmed with the light... it's like a moment of Revelation...

LITTLEMISSFOO

Saturday, January 14, 2006 1:10 AM

I love reading all of these. Getting me choked up (sniff).

Some of mine:
- Very last scene in OoG when Mal sees Serenity for the first time totally ignoring the used spaceship salesman.

- When Zoe chooses Wash over Mal in War Stories.

- Simon "Light it." in Safe.

- When poor Kaylee is left behind and can't bring herself to shoot the bad guys in War Stories.

- First time we see the ship Serenity with the theme music in the BDM.

OIAMSLAIN

Saturday, January 14, 2006 11:44 AM

Just about everything in Out of Gas.

After they pull the Crazy Ivan in the pilot, when Kaylee puts her hand on the hull and says, "That's my girl. That's my good girl." Sweetest moment in the series.

Mal & Inara's inner thoughts in Objects in Space. Really saddening.

In the movie when Simon gets shot and everyone watching it for the first time just *knows* he's gonna die. Oh dear.

And as was said, the title sequence to the movie. I don't know if it affected nonfans that much, but I imagine seeing it was like experiencing rapture for most Browncoats.

I am a flaming sap.

HUMBUG

Saturday, January 14, 2006 12:00 PM

I love Safe.......

after being seemingly abandoned by the crew (remember when they have been captured, and Simon tries to buoy River up by reminding her that the crew are going to find them, and they see Serenity leaving atmo.........)

River is accused of being a witch, so Simon climbs onto the bonfire next to River and tells the community that they will have to burn him to.....

And then comes Serenity, with Jayne hanging froma rope, his Big Damn Gun aimed on the crowd, and Zoe and Mal come in as BDH!!!

Gets me every time..... it seems that the Serenity have abandoned them, but they come back to save them, just in time ...

River and Simon ARE part of the crew!! Bless!!

Humbug

"You know what the first rule of flying is?... Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home." Mal, BDM

VONBRUMBACH

Saturday, January 14, 2006 12:59 PM

Tons of good quotes here -

I think one of my best is just to loook in Mal's face at the funeral scene (War Stories). The music, the soft snow, I think we see Kaylee and Simon hold hands - that scene was so well done.

One that folks have not put up for thought, far as I can see :

From the BDM -

After the attack on Haven :

Book: "Can't order me around boy, I'm not part of your crew."
Mal : "Yes, you are"

(((Thanks Doncoat - you are correct ! The episode was The Message :) )))

DONCOAT

Saturday, January 14, 2006 2:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by VonBrumbach:
I think one of my best is just to loook in Mal's face at the funeral scene (War Stories). The music, the soft snow, I think we see Kaylee and Simon hold hands - that scene was so well done.

Great scene... but I do believe it's in 'The Message'. Although we came pretty close to needing a funeral in 'War Stories' too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

MPHILLIPS

Saturday, January 14, 2006 3:11 PM

What a great thread..And so many scenes..
1) The message Mal's carried the bullet speech
2) Every scene in Out Of Gas esp Mal's methodical shuting every door behind him as he heads to the bridge..and the hunkering down in the army blanket.
3) Simon watching River dance in Safe
4) Simon talking to the others about River in the Pilot
Ahhh I coukd go on and on

mphillips

WHITTA54

Sunday, January 15, 2006 6:56 PM

You guys are GREAT about this.

Another one that gets me. In "War Stories" when Simon finds River in her room after she's been sick on the apple.

Her response to him "I hate the bits, the bits that stay down".

While much of what she says in disjointed. Anyone who has ever suffered from a mental or physical illness for a long period (or lifetime) understands how much the "good" periods are hated because they are temporary and you know it will go away.

I think Josh really nailed that feeling. I cry everytime.

BLUEISHBROWNCOAT

Monday, January 16, 2006 6:50 PM

The end of Heart of Gold...(well actully the whole ep. just for all the Inara and Mal not getting it! and the whole Zoe/Wash talk about a baby....but the end, between Mal and Inara when she says shes leaveing...Mal's face. I love the subtle shift in his expression...after you pick your jaw off the floor, you yell at the TV and want them to just make out right there on the catwalk...C'mon, I know I'm not the only one...

-----------------------------------------
twas a perrty sight as jello was a slingen and the ladies were all in a heap of fun.
Twas a right shiny event for the eyes to feast on. I was fun!!
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=16371

Hoplessly addicted but in that good sort of way. :)

SCAD/Savannah,GA Browncoat

STILLTHEREWAITING

Monday, January 16, 2006 7:31 PM

I'm not the type that get teary-eyed at the sad moments. I'm most vulnerable to the moments where everything is finally right, and all of the trials and tension are gone. Like when George Bailey's friends and neighbours rally to give hime the money he needs in "It's a Wonderful Life".
I have one of those momentes towards the end of OiS with the exchange as River returns to Serenity.

MAL
You know, you ain't quite right.

RIVER
It's the popular theory.

MAL
Go on. Get in there. Give your brother
a thrashing for messing up your plan.

RIVER
He takes so much looking after.

Humour as a relief gets me everytime. Plus it's with that exchange that I think the relationship between Mal and River is solidified for good.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy.

If I were you, I'd run!
If you were me, you'd be good-looking

SEPHRIM

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 6:52 AM

hello folks, this will be my first post here so be gentle haha.
all of these moments are just great but one moment that got me and i haven't seen on here is in "trash" when Saffron breaks down in the shuttle with Mal.
even though i knew she was bad i always hoped that maybe Mal would get through to her and maybe she would change but then she reverts back into the old Saffron.

HAPPYBRAIN

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 8:12 PM

I love that Jayne keeps vigil while Kaylee is being operated on in the pilot. That big lug actually cares about someone other than himself.

GISKARD

Friday, January 20, 2006 3:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Stewie45:
At the end of The Message Mal gives a great Soliloquy,for some reason people don't really talk about it that much

I'm not sure what exactly you are referring to. When does Mal talk at the end of the show? IIRC, the ending consists of the recording playing again.

CAT1620RD

Thursday, January 26, 2006 2:25 AM

I just love the "light it" scene between Simon and River.

It's a real burden being right so often.

ELOISA

Saturday, January 28, 2006 2:30 AM

Bearing in mind that I saw the BDM before the series so wasn't nearly as emotionally involved with the characters then as I am now (and as I'm British I've not got the DVD yet; one month today, guys!), here goes:

Inara crying in Heart of Gold - I actually cried with her at that point - and the scene between her and Mal at the end, on Serenity, when she's so afraid of or unwilling to hear what he's trying to tell her.

River's speech in Objects in Space about how much easier everyone's lives would be if she wasn't around. Again, I got weepy at that one, but only on the second viewing. It's everyone else's reactions at that point that are so crucial.

Inara frantically kissing Mal in Our Mrs Reynolds (though I knew it would have taken a large twist of logic to kill him at that point).

Simon trying to sacrifice himself alongside River in Safe, and Mal and Zoe walking out of the smoke. The rescue gets me as much as the sibling devotion.

Five successive moments in War Stories - Wash trying to tell Zoe to run from Niska, Zoe instantly picking him to rescue over Mal, Mal making faces at the pair of them to let them know he thinks she's made the right choice and should just get out, Wash hiding away in tears when Mal's ear gets cut off, and Zoe comforting him in the shuttle just before his Big Damn Hero moment.

Mal throughout Out of Gas. Everything from not needing Jayne's proffered space suit to resolutely not kissing Inara. In an episode that was based on flashbacks and, the direction suggests, hallucinations produced by blood loss, I think that in the last scene Mal wasn't even sure if he was dreaming again - that he'd conjured up the memory of these people who meant as much to him as Serenity. Very touching...

GRIMJACK21502

Saturday, January 28, 2006 3:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eloisa:
Bearing in mind that I saw the BDM before the series so wasn't nearly as emotionally involved with the characters then as I am now (and as I'm British I've not got the DVD yet; one month today, guys!), here goes:

Inara crying in Heart of Gold - I actually cried with her at that point - and the scene between her and Mal at the end, on Serenity, when she's so afraid of or unwilling to hear what he's trying to tell her.

River's speech in Objects in Space about how much easier everyone's lives would be if she wasn't around. Again, I got weepy at that one, but only on the second viewing. It's everyone else's reactions at that point that are so crucial.

Inara frantically kissing Mal in Our Mrs Reynolds (though I knew it would have taken a large twist of logic to kill him at that point).

Simon trying to sacrifice himself alongside River in Safe, and Mal and Zoe walking out of the smoke. The rescue gets me as much as the sibling devotion.

Five successive moments in War Stories - Wash trying to tell Zoe to run from Niska, Zoe instantly picking him to rescue over Mal, Mal making faces at the pair of them to let them know he thinks she's made the right choice and should just get out, Wash hiding away in tears when Mal's ear gets cut off, and Zoe comforting him in the shuttle just before his Big Damn Hero moment.

Mal throughout Out of Gas. Everything from not needing Jayne's proffered space suit to resolutely not kissing Inara. In an episode that was based on flashbacks and, the direction suggests, hallucinations produced by blood loss, I think that in the last scene Mal wasn't even sure if he was dreaming again - that he'd conjured up the memory of these people who meant as much to him as Serenity. Very touching...

You just named everyone of my heart string moments...especially Inara crying in HoG.

Keep the fire alive on your side of the pond...and we'll do the same. We WILL see more heartfelt moments with the BDHs.

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

ERISTOFF

Saturday, January 28, 2006 11:03 PM

Well, all of you have quite hit the top spots, so I won't be really adding anything new.

Anyway, one scene that gives me goosebumps, which I'm not sure anyone has pointed out specifically, is Jubal Early threatening Kaylee (The whole episode was fertile in pulling my heart strings, but that particular scene touched me more than the others). Geez, I just get this feeling to go and beat the s**t out of that bounty hunter. The desperate look on Kaylee's face just gives me chills, especially when the tears come down on her face.

"Sir, I think you have a problem with your brain being missing."

GUTTERBALL

Saturday, January 28, 2006 11:43 PM

Yeah, I know I'll probably be outed as the Ice Queen I am for this, but one of the parts that really gets me is in "Ariel" when Jayne tells Mal to make something up about why he was dead.

I mean, here's this guy who showed -- through several little facial tics and awkward body language -- how guilty he felt about the whole mess throughout the episode. But up until that moment, he hadn't shown that he actually cared what the rest of the crew thought about him. Their OPINION of him.

He'd shown guilt because he knew he wasn't quite righteous, sure...but I think he hadn't really realized the consequences until then. He hadn't realized that maybe getting pinched by the Feds wasn't the worst thing that could happen as a result. Even DYING wasn't the worst case scenario.

The idea of the others thinking of him as a traitor, though...that he just couldn't live with. Or die with, if you prefer.

And that crucial forethought is the only thing that saved him, I have no doubt. Mal's face clears that right up.

THAT gets my heartstrings. That and they exchange between Mal and Jayne in the BDM when Mal goes, "Tell me you brought 'em this time" and Jayne just grins and pulls out a grenade.

*chokes, gasps* It just GETS me, man. *wipes a tear*

________________________________________

Please remember that the 9:30 show is completely different from the 7:30 show. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

MICO

Monday, January 30, 2006 1:25 AM

You all have touched on most of the scenes I would include. The only one I would add is where Mal pats the bloody catalyzer after he finally gets it in place in OoG. That gets me every time.

MALNOURISHED

Monday, January 30, 2006 1:42 AM

I'm right there with HappyBrain. When Jayne crouches next to the infirmary window during Kaylee's operation it just crushes me. It's not something that affected me on the first or even second viewing. I only understood how significant it was after really getting an idea of who Jayne is.

Another moment in Serenity that gets me is when Dobson takes River hostage, and she stares at the gun and then at Kaylee with an expression of pure fear and despair.

Of course I love when Mal wakes up in OoG, and finds himself surrounded by his crew. He is just so vulnerable (for once). It makes me want to hug him and never let go.

ASARIAN

Monday, January 30, 2006 7:47 AM

FireFly/Serenity has got me waxing lyrical, the last few days. So, I read this fantastic thread, on what pulls our heart strings. Unfortunately, towards the end, I realized I no longer have anything substantial to contribute, as great men and great women have already made great posts, and said even greater things. And more importantly, have pretty much said everything I had been dying to say myself.

I wanted to say that I think pretty much all scenes with River Tam are gut-wrenching. Especially those were she's really vulnerable. Because vulnerability, I say, is the one aspect of humanity which makes us realize, above all, that our Love is needed, and where we find in ourselves -- sometimes to our own surprise, even -- that we are capable of giving it, too.

The moments that tug at my heart strings are not necessarily lines, per se. Very often, especially with River, what just breaks my heart are the things she cannot say, or says with those beautiful wide eyes. When she's playing with Kaylee, that chokes me up just as much as, say, when she connects to Simon, as she stumbles out of the cryo box. Although the latter, I must confess, is probably of a higher order.

In Serenity, in the military installation, where Simon says:

"Yes. She always did love to dance."

Pay particular attention to his face, please. Controlled anguish, and not-so-controlled Love, coming together in one single expression. In that brief moment, the whole 'verse, despite itself, suddenly makes sense. Because you realize that Love is not just the driving force behind Simon, but is also, as we learn in the end, that which keeps Mal's boat afloat. And I submit to you even further: the strings that truly tug at our heart are all just invisible threads of Love, spun across the sky, which they cannot take away from us, along which we mutually reel ourselves in, towards one another, towards mutual healing.

Vulnerability calls to vulnerability. Perhaps that is why I hear the call of the FireFly so loudly; or rather, why I find that call so hard to resist.

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

RHYIANAN

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 3:55 AM

After watching the movie, the scene where Wash and Zoe are arguing about having a child is especially heart-wrenching.

Other than that, I'll have to agree with what everyone else said.

Wash: Yeah, but psychic? That sounds like science fiction.
Zoe: You live on a spaceship, dear.

LUTHIEN1121

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 4:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:

In Serenity, in the military installation, where Simon says:

"Yes. She always did love to dance."

Pay particular attention to his face, please. Controlled anguish, and not-so-controlled Love, coming together in one single expression. In that brief moment, the whole 'verse, despite itself, suddenly makes sense. Because you realize that Love is not just the driving force behind Simon, but is also, as we learn in the end, that which keeps Mal's boat afloat. And I submit to you even further: the strings that truly tug at our heart are all just invisible threads of Love, spun across the sky, which they cannot take away from us, along which we mutually reel ourselves in, towards one another, towards mutual healing.

Vulnerability calls to vulnerability. Perhaps that is why I hear the call of the FireFly so loudly; or rather, why I find that call so hard to resist.

Thank you for that beautiful thought. You're absolutely right!

The moments I love have already been said for the most part. I also love Out of Gas--the whole episode is really one big heart-string tug. Simon's face when he sees the 'cake', and Mal dragging himself off the floor determined to fix his ship no matter what. The scene with Inara crying in HoG, Mal's bitter guilt at the end of the ep, Wash's death and the funeral scene at the end of the BDM, and so many more I just can't think of them all right now.

We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode!

CAPTAINSGAL

Wednesday, February 1, 2006 1:37 AM

These are all great, but also one of my favorites was at the very end of Out of Gas. The way Mal looked at Serenity. True love, oh to be looked at liked that...Now that's acting!

"I'm lost, I'm angry...and I'm armed." - Mal

WANTSTOBEJAYNE

Thursday, February 2, 2006 3:56 AM

I have to agree with everyone who siad Jayne crouching outside the infirmary.

Also

I didn't think you'd come.

Well, you're a dummy.

And

She's tore up plenty, but she'll fly true.

CAPERCAILLIE

Thursday, February 2, 2006 11:46 AM

Another OOG fan - I could just watch Nathan Fillion close doors all day.

NUCLEARDAY

Thursday, February 2, 2006 1:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mphillips:
What a great thread..And so many scenes..
1) The message Mal's carried the bullet speech

I hadn't caught that line until about my third time watching that episode, but it really got me choked up once I understood it.

There ain't much I can add off-hand that hasn't been said here already. However I just got around to watching the deleted scenes from the Firefly Boxed Set, and while I understand why they cut them, there are some really good quotes in there.

From the alternate opening to the pilot, with Mal saying "God? Who's color's he flying?" Loved that, shows his whole rejection of faith from that moment on, and you can see how the war has changed him.

Also, I just LOVED this quote from Zoe, from another scene deleted out of the pilot: "Once you've been in Serenity, you never leave. You just learn to live there."

LEIASKY

Friday, February 3, 2006 5:21 PM

Well, there are a LOT of good tug at the heart moments.

In no particular order, here are mine:

The end of The Message with the music and the monologue and them cutting to each character.

Simon willing to die with his sister and the look on his face as he tells them to light the fire.

Mal being a very bad man telling Kaylee has died.

Gabriel Tam saying "I will NOT come for you" and then seeing the parallel when Simon asks Mal "Why did you come back for us?"

River talking about the crew being afraid of her in objects in space and seeing the crew (especially Simon's) reaction to her words.

Tammy

"A government is a body of people usually notably ungoverned."

CAPELLA

Friday, February 3, 2006 5:57 PM

Ok, I will try to do a top ten list:

10)Jayne looking through the infirmary window after Kaylee has been shot
9) Mal picking River up in the BDM after Simon sent her to sleep
8)Tracey's death in The Message, when he says "Searge" and Mal answers "I am right here"
7) Inara telling Mal that she did not trip and knock her head in OMR and Mal misunderstanding.
6) The "We're still flying" scene from the pilot
5) Inara telling Mal that she is leaving in HoG
4) Mal covering himself with a blanket after the others have left in OoG
3) Kaylee asking about Wash in the BDM and Zoe's answer "He is not coming"
2) Inara crying in HoG
1) The "Will you all still be here?" scene from OoG

There are many other great emotional moments in both the series and the movie, though. I think, that is one of the reasons it is so good. You just care for the people so much after a while. I really tend to forget that they are just fictional characters. Thay go right under my skin.

Keep flying,
Capella

FOLLOWMAL

Friday, February 3, 2006 6:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GrimJack21502:
Keep the fire alive on your side of the pond...and we'll do the same. We WILL see more heartfelt moments with the BDHs.

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

My top three in descending order:

3.Simon's speech ( with the loveliest music!) after River is out of cryo

2. The dining table scene at the end of "Safe"

1.Mal asking if everyone will still be there when he wakes up in OoG.

And.... off topic a little, GrimJack, but I'm having one of those days where I'm wishin' so hard for more of our crew, that I'm a little blue, and your kind words above made me cry a little. So it qualifies as heart tuggin'. Thanks.

" You hold. Hold til I get back." Mal

GRIMJACK21502

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by FollowMal:
Quote:
Originally posted by GrimJack21502:
Keep the fire alive on your side of the pond...and we'll do the same. We WILL see more heartfelt moments with the BDHs.

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

My top three in descending order:

3.Simon's speech ( with the loveliest music!) after River is out of cryo

2. The dining table scene at the end of "Safe"

1.Mal asking if everyone will still be there when he wakes up in OoG.

And.... off topic a little, GrimJack, but I'm having one of those days where I'm wishin' so hard for more of our crew, that I'm a little blue, and your kind words above made me cry a little. So it qualifies as heart tuggin'. Thanks.

" You hold. Hold til I get back." Mal

Whenever I feel the cold hand of despair reaching out from the black, I warm myself with the company of my fellow Browncoats.

FollowMal, you are one of the most active contributors to this board, and you help keep the signal alive everyday. I'm with you my friend...on the line...until Mal comes back.

And FM...he will come back. Our friends will return to us, and we will be here when they wake up.

We are all crew...and sometimes we need to carry each other.

Your comrade in arms,

GrimJack

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

CHRISTHECYNIC

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:40 PM

Two scenes without words in Serenity are great, one is when Simon is patching up Kaylee and Jayne is watching through the window.

The other is used in the opening credits, Simon holding River's hand.

Kind of odd listing these here but they fit in my mind, the moment Inara looks at Mal after Nandi dies, and when Jayne says, "Make something up," at the end of Ariel.

Beyond that there are so many, with Simon and River especially, "Found me broken," "I didn't think you'd come/Well you're a dummy,"

Inara and Mal sitting above cattle got me for some reason.

When Kaylee was standing over Book, "He did this for me once."

Between Mal and Simon: "But you don't even like me./You're part of my crew, why are we still talking about this." Tone of voice wouldn't make you think it's an "aww" moment but it really is.

The moment Mal saw Serenity.

Kaylee's, "It's nobody's fault," in Serenity is so great but it isn't really between anyone, Mal isn't a part of it, he's an observer, it's just a momment where you go, "Kaylee is just so ... Kaylee."

Jayne with the kid, when he's over his body, "Didn't you hear a word?" Even before he had time to think about it you just see right there, he probably wouldn't care about it if he killed him, but there he is and you can tell that he'd rather be the one to die. This is Jayne we're talking about.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Chindi:
when River is tied to the stake in Safe about to be burned as a witch.. and Simon climbs up next to her.. putting his protective arms around her and defiantly telling the cretons to light it up...

chindi

God that was great.

The guy in charge thought he was trying to stop it by saying, "You lose your doctor," but it was so much more. He'd be there for River no matter what, die for her even if it wouldn't save her.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by niknak:
6. Mal walks through Serenity alone and the shuttles leave (Out of Gas)

1. River: "I'll be your bounty, Jubal Early. And I'll just fade away." (Object's in Space)

Ok so what I'm learning here is that there are too many for me to think of at once but if I just read other people's posts I'll be reminded.

Those two were so powerful. And in Objects in Space when Kaylee confesses to River and River just shushes her.

CAPTAINSHINY

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:53 PM

Rex's betrayal. That bastard.

Rest in peace, Steggy. Rest in peace.

"The people who made the show, and the people who saw the show, which is roughly the same number of people, fell in love with it, a little bit too much to let it go, too much to lay down arms when when the battle looked pretty much lost. In Hollywood, people like that are called unrealistic, quixotic, obsessive... In my world, they're called Browncoats."
-Joss Whedon

CHRISTHECYNIC

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by charliethebloody:

can't believe no one's mentioned objects in space when river's off ship and says:

"they didn't want her here,
but she couldn't make herself leave,
so she melted. melted away..."

it chokes me up every time...

I know I shouldn't respond to so many posts, I'll probably double the length of the thread, but I just keep on seeing things where I want to say, "Same here, I almost cry reading it.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:03 AM

I can't believe I didn't say this, I can't believe no one in the part of the thread I've read so far said this:

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

I got a short span here.

They destroyed my equipment... but I have a backup unit. Bottom of the complex,
right over the generator. Hard to get to. I know they missed it.

They can't stop the signal, Mal. They can never stop the signal.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:10 AM

My mother just said:
I don't know if it pulls at your heartstrings, but when she says they weren't cows inside.

I think that's a good one, because it just rings as so true and it's a moment when River, Mal, and the cows are all linked together in an understanding of freedom and such.

-

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaneski:
"Everybody dies alone." in OoG. A bit of an overly dramatic phrase, but damn if it's not done well.

The writer and director both said they didn't think it would work, too overly dramatic, but that's part of what's so great about the cast, on paper it looks like cheap melodrama, but when he says it ... it's just real.

GUTTERBALL

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:10 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaptainShiny:
Rex's betrayal. That bastard.

Rest in peace, Steggy. Rest in peace.

*chokes, gasps*

I'm right there with ya, man. That part SO got me! OCEANS of tears! OCEANS!

And on a less facetious note, I gotta say that when Mal tells Jayne that as far as he knew, every man who ever had a statue built in his honor was "one kinda sumbitch or another", I actually got a little quiet at the look on Jayne's face.

I have no heart -- I admit that freely -- but that lost, bewildered, aching expression on Jayne's usually hard or snarky face made the vacuumous hole where my heart should be kinda hurt a little.

________________________________________

Please remember that the 9:30 show is completely different from the 7:30 show. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Fredikayllow:
Rivers monologue in War Stories: "I work... i function like I'm a girl... I hate it because i know it'll go away"

I know that feeling, "I hate it becasuse I know it'll go away." I hate that feeling, that makes me want to cry for her, usually it does bring tears.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Blueishbrowncoat:
How about in the BDM when we pull back from Serenity's name on the ship and swing around as its entering atmo?...and with that music. :)

God yes.

Quote:
Even though I'm new to the 'verse that is such a triumphant sequence to me. They are still flyin, you know. It pulls at the heart strings in a good sort of way. I sort of see it as pheonix imagery...I could be digging way to deep on that one though.

Who cares? The image fits.

Quote:
Hoplessly addicted but in that good sort of way. :)

Ditto.

SHINYFLY

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:30 AM

So many moments to choose from...I'm a big Mal/Inara hopeless romantic, so here's one that stands out in my mind: In Serenity Part I when Inara first joins the crew, and Kaylee asks her how many men fell in love with her. "Just the one," she says. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the way Mal looks up after her when she says that. It speaks volumes about the way he kind of pines for her in secret. Also I love Train Job when he teases her about "respectable clients". She says "Don't start" when she moves up next to him. You can just see him breathe her in, and she doesn't notice. It always gets to me. I did say I was a hopeless romantic!!

"You ready to get off this heap and back to a civilized life?" "I, uh, I don't know." "Good answer."

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, February 4, 2006 3:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Capella:
There are many other great emotional moments in both the series and the movie, though. I think, that is one of the reasons it is so good. You just care for the people so much after a while. I really tend to forget that they are just fictional characters. Thay go right under my skin.

When I was severely depressed and slightly existential I realized something, even after I got out of that state it still rang true.

The line between real and fiction isn't important, or rather it doesn't exist in the way most people think. While believing that Mal, Zoe, River and the rest are physical people walking around would make you more than somewhat insane they are in a very real sense real. I feel like I've used the word real too much.

If people believe in something strongly enough it is real. Belief is a thing all its own, if you give someone a placebo it can cure some of the worst ills if they just believe in it. That makes it real medicine.

Similarly if you believe in a person so strongly that their hopes and dreams, their pain and joy, their very being matters to you on a deep level then they are real in the only way that matters.

It's like the old thing, "If a tree falls in a forest and there is no one to hear it does it make a noise?" And the answer is that no one gives a damn, but those same people who don't care could devote their hearts and souls to something that never happened. So which one is more real?

I think the question is answered by a question, "Which one has more of an effect on the real world?"

If the characters matter enough to move you they are real.

CAPELLA

Saturday, February 4, 2006 9:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
The line between real and fiction isn't important, or rather it doesn't exist in the way most people think.
[...]
Similarly if you believe in a person so strongly that their hopes and dreams, their pain and joy, their very being matters to you on a deep level then they are real in the only way that matters.
[...]
If the characters matter enough to move you they are real.

Hi Chris (you don't sound very cynic to me here, BTW

),
thank you so much for those statements. Yes, I think that is true. It is just that most people (well, not Browncoats but "ordinary people") don't understand and consider you a bit on the crazy side when you sit in front of your TV set and mumble things like: "Oh no, don't leave" or "Can't you see that she is in love with you, too, you stupid bastard"

But who cares for ordinary people anyway...

I write a lot of fiction myself and I truely hope that I will someday manage to create characters which become real in that sense.

ASARIAN

Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:15 PM

Let's talk about the Tams.

(uh-oh, there he goes again!)

Is River real? Or, to put it in another way, am I insane? No, I'm serious. Please, bear with me for a moment.

Clinically speaking, a psychiatrist would probably define "insanity" in terms of no longer being able to distinguish fantasy from reality. Am I, by that definition, insane? No. Because I do not actually believe River Tam is a real-life character (I can't believe I just said that; shudder). And yet I say: "Full well she's real!"

Wait a tick! What was that?

Now, the point I'm driving at, is not that River provides for me a reality which is so strong and fulfilling that, to me, she could be said to be "real". Rather, I mean to say, she's better than real! And that, in point of fact, she's even supposed to be better than real! And that I am very much aware of this; and that I'm very much supposed to be aware of this. :)

River Tam is a mirror; but a very special one: the kind that shows you a better you! It's a favorite theme of mine. Looking into those beautiful wide eyes, I then see what I could be, and what I so very much want to become in the moment. As Nicholson expressed this so well to Helen Hunt, in As Good As It Gets, "You make me want to be a better person!"

Spiritually speaking, is that not the greatest reality of all, the awareness of one's own potential, and ensuing drive towards betterment of the soul? Does not the clinical definition of reality fall so short of this? How barren it is, I say!

When my River's sitting there in her small bedroom aboard Serenity, on the floor, pressed against the wall, like the little mouse that she is, mumbling: "2x2, hands of blue," then there's nothing, I assure you, that's real for me at time; for I find myself elevated to levels of humanity that are, quite frankly, off the scale. At that one moment, for a moment, I become like my own soul, hundreds of years in the future, shiny to the Nth Degree, beaming with a Tenderness, Love and Care that -- if you want to talk reality -- are truly uncharacteristically human in the now.

From such heights, looking down on Earth-That-Was, I say, what gives with reality? I'll take the blue pill! I want to see how deep the rabbit hole really goes! I want RealityPlus; I want the expanse we call the 'verse!

FireFly, and River Tam in particular, of course, makes me want to be a better person. In that sense, I've relinquished my commitment to the reality of my current self. So, maybe I'm insane, after all. :)

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

CAPTAINSHINY

Saturday, February 4, 2006 3:03 PM

Quote:

It is just that most people (well, not Browncoats but "ordinary people") don't understand and consider you a bit on the crazy side when you sit in front of your TV set and mumble things like: "Oh no, don't leave" or "Can't you see that she is in love with you, too, you stupid bastard" But who cares for ordinary people anyway...
.

I'm one of those people who goes to a horror movie and screams "NO B!TCH DON'T GO IN THERE! DON'T GO IN THERE! HE GON' GIT YOU!"

"The people who made the show, and the people who saw the show, which is roughly the same number of people, fell in love with it, a little bit too much to let it go, too much to lay down arms when when the battle looked pretty much lost. In Hollywood, people like that are called unrealistic, quixotic, obsessive... In my world, they're called Browncoats."
-Joss Whedon

LUTHIEN1121

Friday, February 10, 2006 4:28 PM

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Originally posted by shinyfly:
So many moments to choose from...I'm a big Mal/Inara hopeless romantic,

Me too!

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Also I love Train Job when he teases her about "respectable clients". She says "Don't start" when she moves up next to him. You can just see him breathe her in, and she doesn't notice. It always gets to me. I did say I was a hopeless romantic!!

Another one that gets me is the end of HoG where Mal is about to confess his love for her (I think, anyway) and she interrupts to tell him she's leaving. OMG that is so heartbreakingly sad! It really gets me every time. The poor guy has his heart broken twice in one ep.

We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode!