Choose a Character and a Moment

POSTED BY: snoopygubs
UPDATED: Sunday, July 30, 2006 21:21
VIEWED: 5704
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SNOOPYGUBS

Friday, July 28, 2006 10:25 PM

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the warm welcomes to the community. I figured I'd jump right in and start a thread, if you all don't mind :D

I was thinking the other day about the specific moments I fell in love with each character. Not just liked them, and thought they were interesting...the actual moment where I was like, wow, I can't imagine Firefly without them. I thought it would be interesting to find out from everyone what those moments were for them as well. This is a daunting task because there were nine characters with whom to fall in love, and countless moments in each of their lives.

I'll start with one of my favs.

Simon - As much as Jaynestown was supposed to be about Jayne...I thought this was Simon's episode. You see how uncomfortable he is growing in his old skin, his old life, and how funny he could actually be. From the look on his face when he sees Jayne's statue to the open smile and stilted "You're pretty...pretty," to Kaylee he is changing. He's not concerned with his sister for the first time in the series, and the comfortable way he's holding Kaylee as they sleep in a rundown, dirty pub shows the beginning of his growth. He starts the episode in full suit, grabbing the ladder as he talks to Kaylee about swearing, almost as if he needs the support, and by the end, he's sprawled out in his bunk in a loose sweater with cuts and bruises on his face...and Kaylee sharing the bed with him. In the span of one episode he began to embrace his new life.

Well, that was that in a nutshell.

Any thoughts, anyone?

"Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

MSG

Friday, July 28, 2006 10:35 PM

Welcome welcome :)
The one I'd pick is Jayne
Jayne-I'd have to say for me the moment would be in Our Mrs. Reynolds and it's two fold. First when Mal is yelling and freaking out and Saffron is crying and Jayne reaches out and gently rubs/pats her consolingly...and then when he ever so seriously says to Mal " I'd take good care of her" while offering to trade for Saffron and Mal ( who is usually reasonably disparaging of Jayne) says without hesitation" I know you would, but that ain't the point" It really shows that although he does stupid, thoughtless, and sometimes selfish things he's really not a bad person, just woefully out of step with what right and appropriate are.

I choose to rise instead of fall- U2

TEACHDAIRE

Friday, July 28, 2006 10:41 PM

I have to say that my favourite character is Wash. He got me with the whole toy dinosaur scene a couple of minutes after the opening credits in the pilot (I live in the UK, so we actually got to see that first). It's probably something of a kindred spirit thing. I tend to be irreverent while still managing to do a serious task, as well as having the ability to "zone out" and perform well above my usual level of ability when in a desperate situation.

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For every battle honour, a thousand heroes die along, unremembered and unsung...

DAYVE

Friday, July 28, 2006 11:11 PM

So many moments to choose from.... i'll start with the pilot... just before Mal makes his run down to the Big Gun to try and bring down the Alliance skif, he "volunteers" Zoe for support....
Mal asks Zoe, "you ready?"
Zoe replies, "Always..."
That "always", to me, epitomizes the character of Zoe. She is a warrior woman, first and foremost. Even when she lets her guard down a bit while with Wash, she still has a firece determation about her that lets you know that she is all business.

"endeavor to persevere..." Chief Dan George as Lone Waite, Indian chief

JAYNESBOWIE

Friday, July 28, 2006 11:25 PM

I would have to say River, in Safe.

Simons talking about how they broke into someones garden and picked their Berries, but didn't realize they were breaking and entering. He says, "We thought they'd grown wild......."

And then River, who moments before was full of laughter and smiles looks up and her face is sad and serious and she quietly says, "I took you away from there." Simons tries to say no, but she interupts him before he even starts, "I know I did. I understand. I know you don't think I do but, I get confused. I remember everything. I remember too much, and... some of it's made up, and... some of it can't be quantified, and... there's secrets. But I understand! You gave up everything you had to find me, and you found me broken. Its hard for you. Here, need to eat. Keep up your strength. Daddy will come and take us home, and I'll get better."

After I saw that, I loved River. River and Simon. Just, for some reason that part mae me love the charecters more then I ever loved any other charecters before. Maybe its because as the youngest child of 4 thats how I always wanted my older brother to be. Maybe because thats how I knew as a younger sister I should be. Somehting about it just reached in, and I was hooked, never to go back.

Jayne: "Testing, testing. Captain, can you hear me?"
Mal: "I'm standing right here."
Jayne: "You're coming through good and loud."
Mal: " 'Cause I'm standing right here."

TRAVELER

Friday, July 28, 2006 11:53 PM

MSG beat me to it.

Because I am going with Jayne too. He is hard to like at first but then he will say something so unselfish. When Book is standing over the supposed dead compatriot of Mal and Zoe, Jayne gets up from weight lifting and actually apologizes for interupting Book. When Book tells him he was just saying a few words over the body Jayne praises Book and says that it is a good thing he is doing. Actually the conversation continues as Jayne reveals some of himself to Book. This scene made me reassess my attitude toward Jayne. It also shows how easy everyone one on the ship feels at ease around Book. But I will leave that for another thread.

PHOENIXROSE

Saturday, July 29, 2006 8:28 AM

Well, I saw the movie first and really liked it, but I really fell in love with the characters while watching the series.
River; "No power in the verse can stop me." that's where it started. Then seeing hte movie again I completely flipped.
Mal I would have to say it was actually the second time through the movie, during the "I aim to misbehave" speech.
Wash; "The legs!"
Simon; "I just have to keep her safe"
Zoe was the character I was initially drawn to the most, starting right from "Do you know what the deininition of a hero is?"
Kaylee... I really couldn't say. I liked her most in Out of Gas when she blithely fixed the ship; that's my favorite Kaylee moment. I couldn't say I'm totally loving her whole character, though, even now. I like her, but she's low on my list of favorites.
Likewise with Jayne. Whatever may be argued, I think his redeeming qualities are few and far between. I did completely crack up during the scene in Out of Gas where he was recruited, though. That's when I started to like the character a lot, even if I still don't quite trust him. That doesn't mean he's not a good character who brings some important things to the table.
Inara... Meh. Honestly the character of Inara gets on my nerves. I like what she symbolizes, I like the place she holds, but I don't like the character that much and honestly think a better acress could ahve been found. The actress who played Nandi, for example. Or even Saffron. They both brought a lot of depth to their characters that seemed lacking in a lot of Inara's scenes. They also both seemed to have a lot more chemistry with Nathan. That's just my opinion, though.
Book I never liked that much. I don't understand why he stayed on the ship after booking one passage, and that niggly secret past starts to get on my nerves. The only reason I like Book at all is because I think he's incredibly well-acted. But there was never really a time when I thought "Wow, this show just could not exist without this character."

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ONEMANSHORT

Saturday, July 29, 2006 1:20 PM

Well I really fell in love with the show, not with the movie. Despite Joss' best efforts it was simply impossibly to add the depth in each character that he had in the series, of course I still liked it, but there wasn't any scene that popped out. The first episode I saw was Bushwacked, and I started going, "Huh, this show is really good, isn't it?" But at that point I hated Jayne for pulling one on Simon. I quickly followed that episode with the rest...

My favorite character and moment can be found (predictably) in Jaynestown. Mal says something like "Jayne, you care to explain?"-the look on Jayne's face is priceless! (I think this was the precise moment I fell in love with the show) And then he says somethign like "Look, I got no ruttin' idea." I also fell in love with Wash from just that look on his face when the Hero of Canton starts playing in the bar and when he says "We have to go to the crappy town where I'm a hero." Also with Kaylee when she says "Hamsters is nice"-that was so adorable. I also love the whole River/bible scene. Jaynestown is my favorite television episode of any show ever. And I like alot of shows...

AGENTROUKA

Saturday, July 29, 2006 1:56 PM

Ooh, sweet topic! :D

I fell in love with it all justwatching the pilot episode, so... let me pick my moments from there.

The Show: that first silent space shot where they steal from the derelict. I was hypnotized. That quiet elegance, the attention to detail. Love.

Mal: His look during the war scene, when the guy at the radio is dead. Any typical, boring, everyday tv hero would have closed his eyes or done something Honorable. Mal just fades a little "Zoe." he let's her do the work. That was a nice twist.

Zoe: no one moment. Her grime-covered eyeroll in the war scene, maybe, or longing for a bath with her husband... it was the whole package.

Kaylee: "You just gotta have faith in people." That whole dopey scene of her trying to comfort Mal, being so forgiving toward Simon, seeing River for a girl, not a victim. So lovely.

Wash: Instant! *G* "And we will call it.. this land..."

Inara: Her scene with the client. That quiet, maternal control she had over him. Kind but distant. "I wanted to see the universe." Also, the "Hey, you." she shares with Kaylee because she positively glows in that scene.

River: Instantly, because she looked so messy and weak and scared. That was realistic. She wasn't super-pretty, she looked just like a terrified, confused young girl.

Simon: "How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?" The awkward snark, even when he's so uncertain.

Book: "I thought the outfit gave it away?" Because, duh! He was funny, I liked him. Love didn't happen until the movie, though.

Whoa, sorry for the rambling!

MAGDALENA

Saturday, July 29, 2006 2:07 PM

OK - let me really think about this - I too saw the series as it was intended on DVD for the first time and I think it started with the pilot - right away...

I fell in love with Mal when Kaylee kissed him on the cheek and said "I love my captain" His expression speaks volumes - he can't help adoring being adored! He already had me there but later when Kaylee was telling him he's a good man and he was disagreeing is when I fell in love with him even more and really loved Kaylee too!

We see the best of Mal through Kaylee - Kaylee has an air of positive faith in the 'verse and I love Mal protecting throughout the series - comments like "I ain't got no problem with the notion of you not shootin' anyone" Completely confirms his 'big brother' relationship with her. Also the way he speaks to her when she is so distressed in 'Out of Gas' - it speaks volumes of him and his relationships with his crew that he knows to approach Kaylee one way and Wash totally another under the circumstances... Kaylee really won me when she said "my ships the nicest" and really meant it! Also the look she gives as they close the doors on Persephone speaks of her love of the journey and that she's not waiting to arrive at the 'destination'.

It's the little things Jayne does that he thinks are smart but aren't - only he doesn't realise it! I loved him testing the walkie talkie right next to Mal and not takin' offence when Mal is stating the obvious (I'm standin' right next to you!)I loved that he was so scared of River telling on him after 'Arial'. I like that he notices Kaylees attraction to Simon - as if he's noticed Kaylee but knows there will never be anything between them. Again a bit of a little sister relationship - only he's the annoying big brother! Without him some of the others might not maintain a standard, but with him they are determined not to see themselves behave the same way...

I loved the way the imperious queen, Inara - whom we take to be an 'ambassador' - stepped down the stairs as if in a palace and looking at Kaylee, says, "hey you"! It took me a while to love Inara but I liked her in that moment! (sorry Gorgeous PR - don't entirely agree with you on the casting - the others were wonderful partly because their characters had the scope to be something other than companions... 'Inara' doesn't have that luxury!) I think I loved her when she looked at Mal at the controls of her shuttle in 'Out of Gas' and he looked at her but they went on with the pressing issues - not aknowleging their feelings.

Simon- took a while - holding Rivers hand, Telling her story so tenderly, feeling shock and devastation when he thought Kaylee died, though he barely knew her, all endeared him to me, but I agree that I really loved him when he was with Kaylee in that bar in Janestown. I like his fear of the things (flirting/taking a chance on the girl 'liking him') that come naturally to most good looking men - despite his bravery and strength when it comes to rescuing and caring for his sister.

I'll think some more on it and let you know the rest...

Sorry for the long post...and I'm not even done!! Mwaaah - Magdalena x x x

"I love my Captain!"

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