Jayne's Soul

POSTED BY: JuniperJayne
UPDATED: Friday, July 14, 2006 17:27
VIEWED: 6887
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JUNIPERJAYNE

Thursday, July 6, 2006 6:40 PM

So I was re-watching a couple episodes last night, and coupled with my friends' comments on how Jayne is totally a bad guy, I'd just like to say that I really have come to believe that he has a soul. A dumb soul, perhaps, he's certainly not the brightest bulb in the box. But a soul nonetheless. And I'm not trying to be preachy, really not my style. But my friends don't seem to understand his depth. Example: tears in his eyes at the end of Jaynestown thinking about the kid that died in his place. Helping resuce Mal from Niska. Fighting in the movie even though it could have easily been his death trap.

Of course, my friends didn't believe me when I tried to argue that the Phantom of the Opera had a soul, too, a tortured one, and that he redeemed himself by letting Christine go. Well, he mostly redeemed himself - Not a guy I'd hang out with, but still.

What do you guys think? Everyone's always so open and responsive on this forum, I love it!

DRACONUS

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:00 PM

I definately agree. Jayne's has a soul, one that does plague him at certain times. If not, then why are Jayne and Book such good friends?

---------------------------

May you have enough.

SPACEANJL

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:02 PM

I'm working on a little something to explain Jayne at the moment. But there was definitely an arc going on with the character development. My take on the 'betrayal' was that anyone not on the crew was not going to be protected. Once you're Jayne's crew, you're protected. Big time.
Unless he has to throw you out to make room for the money...

Phantom of the Opera - I completely got the deal with him. Brought up as a killer and freakshow, not going to have the best interpersonal skills. The whole Yellow Room deal was very creepy. Read a version of the story that suggested that Raoul and Chrisitne's son was really Erik's, and they actually made it make sense. Fanfic someone got paid for!

FUTUREMRSFILLION

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:10 PM

I think Jayne is a lot smarter and a lot more competant than he appears.

And I think he has a good soul. Its just a little smuged around the edges.

DAVESHAYNE

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:14 PM

I'm a little confused here. Are you asking if Jayne has a soul in the religious sense? If so then as I understand the concept everybody has one. It's like standard issue or something.

But it sounds like your question is more regarding his conscience. Which he does have even if he doesn't use it much. Jayne's moral code is based on the selfish principles. If it's good for Jayne it's good. If it's bad for Jayne it's bad. Otherwise it's not worth worrying about. Jayne is only slowly learning that sometimes things that are good for others while not providing and obvious imediate benefit for him turn out to be good for him as well.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

NVGHOSTRIDER

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:43 PM

Honestly, for as much that the Jayne charecter has done to be a bad guy, he has a fairly pure soul. He is true in his feelings and he is not afraid to show it. He shows fear upon the mention of reavers, he states his feelings no matter how idiotic or vulgar, he responds to females in a way I had more of, and he fights his hardest to ensure the ability to do more of what he does. Like all of us he needs that bash to the head from time to time. We are all human and forget that life is not always hard or easy, it just is and we need to do all with it we can.

Taking the short end of the stick.

MAL: "What happen about me?"

MSG

Thursday, July 6, 2006 7:57 PM

I think Jayne just doesn'tknow better. You see him get more of a conscience as the show goes on. From his mothers letter I'd guess he's th oldest and had to raise himself and help mom with the others so he's just not had anyone to show him what's right. As he goes on in Firefly and Serenity you see him learn...and having just watched Our Mrs. Reynolds about 10 min ago I noticed something I missed. When Mal is yelling about Saffron not being his wife and she's crying. Kaylee's hugging her, but out of frame and all you see is Jayne's hand gently patting and rubbing Saffron's arm...that doesn't scream bad guy. And remember when he offers Vera in trade... He thinks he's doing the right thing and is confused by the captain's response...then he says " I wouldn't hurt her I'd treat her right and Mal's totally automatic not thought through response is "I know you would"

I choose to rise instead of fall- U2

RUGBUG

Thursday, July 6, 2006 8:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:
Jayne is only slowly learning that sometimes things that are good for others while not providing and obvious imediate benefit for him turn out to be good for him as well.

He's also learning that sometimes things that are good for others aren't good for him but should stil be done anyway. Otherwise there is no way he would've been behind Mal's plan in the BDM. There was no good to be had for him alone. He was completely selfless

Interestingly enough, before I saw the BDM on the big screen (at one of the charity screenings) I didn't really like Jayne much. I find him much more compelling now. Was just watching Ariel last night and he broke my heart in the end when he asks Mal to tell make something up about why he's dead. He's struggling to be a good guy and to figure out what that means(and probably only because he's with Mal and respects him) and that makes me like him.

JUNIPERJAYNE

Thursday, July 6, 2006 8:00 PM

Hmmm, I don't think I meant soul in the religious sense...I can certainly understand what you are saying. Let's say that I mean soul in terms of soul/conscience/spirit/humanity/general terms.

JUNIPERJAYNE

Thursday, July 6, 2006 8:03 PM

See, you guys can understand what I'm saying, that there's something in him, whether you want to call it a growing conscience, a soul, whatever. My friends scoff at me and say that he's just a bad guy, no good in him at all.

And it amuses me that they're the ones who introduced me to the series in the first place lol.

Thanks guys, always thoughtful and intriguing convos on this site.

Now if I could just convince my friends that my liking Jayne and the Phantom is NOT crazy...

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