Out of Gas or out of mind?

POSTED BY: ManiacNumberOne
UPDATED: Monday, April 14, 2003 14:23
VIEWED: 6864
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VETERAN

Thursday, March 20, 2003 2:13 AM

"You're not recalling some of the Captain's plans."
Mal is tough and smart but sometimes he chooses to wear a pretty floral bonnet and a cotton dress for no apparent reason besides airflow.

In this case I think he made the right choice. It depends how much air was left, how far the shuttles got from the ship and what the shuttle's maximum speed is. There's a lot of stairs from the hold to the bridge and back with a gut wound. He might not have made it to the engine room if he had skipped the first aid and adrenalin and gone for the recall button. The crew may have returned to an airless ship. Did they have suits on the shuttle.?

MANIACNUMBERONE

Thursday, March 20, 2003 8:50 AM

I believe there were suits on the shuttles as well as on serenity. Why Mal didn't get in one is beyond me. Maybe, like you say Archer, he was a bit confused, he isn't omniscient. But he did have enough presence of mind to use the adrenalin and fix the ship.
I am wondering the obvious though...why did Mal not call the crew back immediately when he first saw the new ship? Even if the other ship didn't have the part, they were the only ship in the area. They might have offered help to the other crew members. (Mal was easy prey alone.)

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Who's winning?
I don't know, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
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SABI

Thursday, March 20, 2003 1:22 PM

I'll bet Mal knew right from the start that they were pirates. Especially when he realized that the other Captain wanted him to beg. That scene was so well written - Mal desparately needing help and that %&*@! wanting him to beg and he wouldn't do it! And I loved that last line, "And I do expect to see that engine part before I open the door (a$$hole)."

And I believe that Mal left that gun within easy reach in the cargo bay.

ARCHER

Thursday, March 20, 2003 2:41 PM

Oh damn I miss this show. OOG was my favorite episode.

MANIACNUMBERONE

Thursday, March 20, 2003 7:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sabi:
I'll bet Mal knew right from the start that they were pirates. Especially when he realized that the other Captain wanted him to beg. That scene was so well written - Mal desparately needing help and that %&*@! wanting him to beg and he wouldn't do it! And I loved that last line, "And I do expect to see that engine part before I open the door (a$$hole)."

And I believe that Mal left that gun within easy reach in the cargo bay.

I do believe you are right. I love this show too.

----------------------------------
Who's winning?
I don't know, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
----------------------------------

VETERAN

Friday, March 21, 2003 1:30 AM

"And I believe that Mal left that gun within easy reach in the cargo bay."

Yep.

SARAHETC

Friday, March 21, 2003 3:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Veteran:
"And I believe that Mal left that gun within easy reach in the cargo bay."

Yep.

Amazing. That never occured to me. My mind spackled in: that's the gun they keep on the mule. Like, doesn't everybody keep a gun on their mule? The mule needs a gun too.

Where else have I spackled in something completely doofy, I wonder.

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

MANIACNUMBERONE

Friday, March 21, 2003 6:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sarahetc:
Quote:
Originally posted by Veteran:
"And I believe that Mal left that gun within easy reach in the cargo bay."

Yep.

Amazing. That never occured to me. My mind spackled in: that's the gun they keep on the mule. Like, doesn't everybody keep a gun on their mule? The mule needs a gun too.

Where else have I spackled in something completely doofy, I wonder.

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

I'd really like to believe Mal left that gun there on purpose, but the look on his face when he initially sees it isn't satisfaction, it's surprise... don't you think?

----------------------------------
Who's winning?
I don't know, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
----------------------------------

NOOCYTE

Friday, March 21, 2003 7:01 AM

Hey now, SARAHETC! Can you give a ref. for that gun being part of the mule's equipment? Is there some point in an ep which I failed to notice, like someone futzing with or checking or stowing the piece?

Reason I ask, is that this could put to bed the question of where River got the ordnance in OiS...though I suppose that wouldn't wash (har-har), since everyone ELSE was so puzzled about where she got it.

Still, strains the mind, don't it.

And, for my $.02, I think Mal did plant the gun there in case the pirates turned out to be the dishonorable variety. He seemed to know just where to look/reach, even though recently gut-shot. Plus, it's a very Mal thing to do. The look of surprise might refer to the aforementioned gut shot.

Department of Redundancy Department

ARCHER

Friday, March 21, 2003 1:26 PM

That he planted the gun there would be my read. This is a fairly paranoid frontier society we're talking about here.

"I do believe that woman is planning to shoot me again."

On a side note, what I loved about OoG was that it stood in direct contrast to the Star Trek mindset. Space is a lethal environment, and there isn't time for debate in a disaster.

Contrast Mal's handling of the situation with, say, Picard's.

Instead of roughing Wash up and getting him to do his job, he would have felt his pain and sent the nearest convenient teenager in to take over the helm.

Then he would have held at least three extended conferences before Kaylee could come up with the proper technobabble solution.

On the other hand, Mal displayed his flexible leadership style. He gave Wash a focus to get mad at (him), then turned around and coaxed Kaylee through her shock.

And that's my diversionary ramble for the day. Carry on.

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