What about the ships?

POSTED BY: browncoat90
UPDATED: Monday, January 2, 2006 20:53
VIEWED: 3214
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BROWNCOAT90

Monday, January 2, 2006 8:19 PM

In the first episode after the 57th receives the order to lay down arms in serenity valley, mal stands up, they show these spaceships (very big ones in the distance) trying to land but taking rocket fire. Who's ships were these? what purpose did they serve?

any info would be appreciated, thank.

"You can't run, you walk, you can't walk you crawl, you can't crawl... well you know the rest."

BOUNDBYLAW

Monday, January 2, 2006 8:34 PM

I always assumed they were Alliance dropships illustrating to Mal that they were indeed screwed and all hope was gone.

STAKETHELURK

Monday, January 2, 2006 8:53 PM

Just watched the scene again to make sure. Yeah, those are definitely Alliance ships, and they might just be Dortmunder-class city-ships, landing with thrusters facing the ground (at least, that’s what they look like to me). And they’re not taking rocket fire, they’re firing rockets at the Independents’ positions as Alliance fighters fill the skies. It’s an Alliance air assault, unopposed.

The point being, both sides needed air support and the Alliance got theirs in overwhelming numbers. The Alliance rules the skies over Serenity Valley and is calling down a tremendous barrage on the Browncoats. The appearance of Alliance ships in such numbers, with no Independent ships to defend the troops, meant that the battle was decided: the Browncoats would lose. That’s why Mal looks so crushed as the Alliance rockets fly towards his position.