Abandoned by Heaven

POSTED BY: zzetta13
UPDATED: Friday, April 14, 2006 10:27
VIEWED: 8751
PAGE 1 of 4

1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE

ZZETTA13

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:08 PM

Question to fellow Browncaots,

I was just wondering about Mals faith. In the Firefly pilot eps in the battle scene for Serenity Valley we see Malcolm Reynolds kiss a religous metal he's wearing around his neck. Later he tells a fellow soldier " God won't let us die because we're to pretty."
This tells me that MR has a belief in a Divine Presents.Heck theres even talk of "Angels" coming to save the day.

What was Joss doing here? Is Mal the Character that once belived in the Almighty but since his prayers weren't answered has lost all faith?

With the introduction of Shepherd Book we see Mal making comments through the rest of the sreies and movie about Himself being all out of faith. Abandoned. Left to carry his own cross with some guilt and hatred.

I was just wondering if Malcolm Reynolds is a gonner when it comes to seeing that gorgeous Kingdom of Blue after the black?

PHOENIXROSE

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:15 PM

That's exactly it. There are a few things that confirm that too. One is his comment in the movie about a "long wait for a train that don't come". My favorite is a deleted scene for the pilot, the original opening. Mal and Zoe are lying on the field surrounded by the dying and they hear med-ships coming. Zoe asks "Whose colors are they flying?" and Mal says "Don't matter none." They try to get everyone up and Mal goes up on a rise to set up a flare. Zoe says "Are those really med-ships? Are we really getting out?" and Mal replies to the affirmative. Zoe says "Thank God." Mal sneers, lights the flare and says "God? Whose colors is he flying?"
He lost everything in that valley. Now all he has is the ship. And those on it.

*************************************************
Bible's broken. Doesn't make sense.

Zhu fu ni, mei-mei

JADEHAND

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:25 PM

This is a sensitive subject.
Yes, Mal was a man with a great deal of faith. He believed with all he was. The loss at Serenity Valley ,It seems to me, was viewed by him as God turning his back on him. He's just returning the favour. Been there, done that, wear the t-shirt.
As for your final question: No. Might wanna re-read that book. Once accepted, always accepted. Even if you turn away. That seem fair? No, that's why it's called grace.

Visit WWW.Marillion.Com for a better way to live
"Finding the answer It's a human obsession
But you might as well talk to the stones and the trees and the sea
'Cause nobody knows And so few can see
There's only beauty and caring and truth beyond darkness." -Estonia(This Strange Engine) -Marillion

ZZETTA13

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:25 PM

PHOENIXROSE,

I think he wants to believe and with all the gunshot holes,stabings and near death experiences the crew have had on Serenity. I would think that some of his faith would have returned.

JADEHAND, I know its a touchy subject but it comes out so clearly in the shows. And I agree with you.
Z

EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:30 PM

That's right, he also told Book that he's welcome on his boat, but God ain't.

I have to say that out of all of the characters in the 'verse, Book was my favorite. Not because of his shadowy past (although that is very cool as well), but also because he was Mal's opposite in that respect.

My all time favorite scene in the show, or the BDM, is when Book is talking to Inara and says, "I think I'm on the wrong ship." To which Inara replies, "Maybe. But maybe you are exactly where you should be".

Maybe Book was meant to rescue Mal's faith, or rescue all of them for that matter.

--------------------------------------------------
Child One: "Republicans aren't real."
Child Two: "Full well they are!"

PURPLEBELLY

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:30 PM

Is it time to recall that Whedon isn't merely an atheist, but an angry atheist?

ZZETTA13

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:52 PM

Guess we'll have to get ahold of Mr.Univeres for the answers. He is on the other side you know.Make the link-up through his love-bot.

"The signal goes somewhere and I go everywhere." Mr.U

Joss an atheist? A hungry angry atheist?

ISAACSHEPHERD

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 3:06 PM

This might be kind of a dumb question but does Mal still wear his cross (the one he kissed in the pilot)? Mal has lost his faith but with all the religious references in the first few minutes I would assume he was quite religous before the conclusion of Serenity Valley.

Anyways back to the question about the cross. I hadn't noticed it being around his neck after the war, but I'd wonder if he still had it stowed away somewhere. This also makes me wonder if his family was religous and what they were like.

IS

The Bible's a bit fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.

ZZETTA13

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 3:11 PM

One thing is for sure. Mal has loads of respect for Shepherd Book.

ISAACSHEPHERD, good question and one that may be addressed in a forthcoming series eps.

Z

RACH

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 3:13 PM

Surely that's the whole underlying theme of the BDM though (or one of the big ones anyway)? That he finds something (anything) to believe in again?

Even if it's just the fundamental right of people to be idiots? Free, uninhibited idiots?

x

1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE