"Am I a Lion?"..."No that aint it at all..."

POSTED BY: Soule
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 05:43
VIEWED: 16888
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SOULE

Sunday, January 12, 2003 1:50 AM

Now that I've seen "Objects in Space", I know for sure that Firefly is the best show on television. On to the smaller point.

In "Objects in Space" during Early and Simon's first conversation:

Simon: "Are you Alliance?"
Early: "Am I a lion? I don't think of myself as a lion. You might as well though. I have a mighty roar."

(later...)

Simon: "So you're a bounty hunter."
Early: "No, that ain't it at all. I'm a Bounty Hunter."

In an episode filled with some of the most quietly creepy dialogue I've ever heard, it seems I've missed something in these two passages.

I suppose the first could be a peek into the Early's mind so we get an idea about the size of his ego. I don't know, it's a guess.

As for the second, I'm really lost. The only thing I can of is that Jubal is hard of hearing.

SENSOU

Sunday, January 12, 2003 2:19 AM

I think what Early said was "I'm a body hunter."

Sensou
Anything that can go wrong will, and at the worst possible time

SERGEANTX

Sunday, January 12, 2003 3:15 AM

...or he said "bounty" and its an indication of how much he likes the sound of his own voice... to the point of not even listening to Simon.
Kind of hard to hear for sure on the recording I have.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

ESME

Sunday, January 12, 2003 3:24 PM

I agree that there was something odd about the alliance/lion exchange...Jubal seemed to really not understand Simon, but maybe he was faking ignorance. He's GOT to know who the Alliance are, for heaven's sake.
I really loved this ep. too. Really! Especially when River settled his hash at the end and it showed him writhing in distress. Powerful.
(*sign of wistful sadness*)

KAYTHRYN

Sunday, January 12, 2003 4:05 PM

Here's my take. I think that Jubel was just plain crazy. Not crazy like foaming at the mouth and running around with a gun in hand, but more intelligently crazy. I think that's even scarier. The whole bounty hunter thing to me was just showing another subtle aspect of how is 'isn’t all there'. Maybe in his mind when Simon angrily said bounty hunter that wasn't what he was. Then when Jubel said it, with more respect or prestige, or just because he was the one to say it, it was who he was. (I know that sounds confusing, but it made sense in my head)All together my number one favorite episode.

HKCAVALIER

Sunday, January 12, 2003 7:08 PM

Yes, I think that Early is mentally ill. It's rare when a character on TV is realistically depicted with mental illness. And if they are, then the whole show's about the mental illness and their behavior is thoroughly explained. But Early is crazy the way someone that you meet is crazy--you assume they're sane, then you start to wonder about them and suddenly they're licking the furnature. You have no idea what's actually wrong with the guy but you know it's something.

I don't think he's hard of hearing so much as he's dissociative, he spaces out (vary scary thing for an assassin to do in front of you, I'd imagine).

My first guess about the alliance/lion confusion is that Early has trouble hearing the word "alliance." There's a block there. Like if he was tortured or brainwashed by the Alliance or something. He doesn't want to or his brain can't quite acknowledge that there's an Alliance. But then when Simon clarifies what he was saying Early says, "That's weird," and I get the feeling of something else entirely, something much more personal. Mainly, its just scary.

Ack, the show is brilliant! Somebody within the power structure of TV must recognize that this show is doing things no one is doing and pick it up!

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.

ADVERB

Monday, January 13, 2003 6:23 AM

Hmm. My take on it was different. I assume that River had somehow caused the confusion with her mental abilities, though perhaps not purposefully.

STRAYCAT

Monday, January 13, 2003 11:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by HKCavalier:
I don't think he's hard of hearing so much as he's dissociative, he spaces out (vary scary thing for an assassin to do in front of you, I'd imagine).

Agreed, and I think it's partly a defence mechanism. Note when they go into the infirmary, and Simon siezes the chance to try and gain sympathy for River's plight.... and Early interrupts him to say: 'You ever been shot?' (or however he phrased it) - Simon quickly realises that Early wasn't even listening to him. Can't be swayed by a tale of woe if you don't hear it...

I get the impession that the only things he's sure to hear are the things he *needs* to hear to get the job done.

KAYLEEHOLIC

Monday, January 13, 2003 12:20 PM

I think that, listening to most of Early's dialogue, he had pretty much the same problem that River had.

Let's think about it logically:

How was Early able to locate the Serenity when nobody else had been able to ?

Why does Early sound like a complete maniac ?

I think he was subjected to much the same stuff as River, 'cept River's much more powerfull and could 'phase' Early out.

In her words, no 'power' in the verse can stop her, not even Earlys.

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, January 13, 2003 1:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HKCavalier:
I don't think he's hard of hearing so much as he's dissociative, he spaces out (vary scary thing for an assassin to do in front of you, I'd imagine).

I agree. Early seemed unbalanced, though not insane. Perhaps it is due to the things he has done, or early trauma, or a combination, but for whatever reason he seems to live in his own reality and ours only crosses into his when he is hunting someone.

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