Did Jayne help Dobson escape?

POSTED BY: IndigoStarblaster
UPDATED: Saturday, November 25, 2006 23:04
VIEWED: 9695
PAGE 2 of 2

PREV PAGE 1 2

INDIGOSTARBLASTER

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 6:38 PM

Ooh. Somehow I totally forgot that Jayne had been ready to kill Dobson for shooting Kaylee. And I agree, he didn't seem to feel bad about Dobson's demise at all.

Ok, I can see that Jayne would have no real interest in helping Dobson in any way. So the way he responded to Mal's implicit accusation (that made me think Jayne might be lying) -- that was just 'cause he was concealing the fact that Dobson had made him an offer and that he had, for at least a fleeting moment, considered taking it.

Thanks, all. There's nuthin' like fanwanking with my e-peeps :)

Indigo S.

USMCHELLRAISER

Sunday, October 22, 2006 9:00 AM

I don't understand the "Sniper Rifle" comments, but if they are about how Jayne was looking at Mal through his scope, well that is just what you do when your long-distance sighting device is attached to a weapon. Even as much as Marines try to avoid pointing weapons at each other ("flagging"), we use our scopes (called ACOGs or RCOs) to look at anything far away, including our own people. You would have to let go of your weapon to use binos, and if your setting up a shot with friendlies near enemies, you sight off of your friendlies to use them as a TRP (target reference point) and gain a frame of reference as to which bad guys to shoot (ie- closest to your guys, best line of sight on your troops. etc...)

"...let's not ruin an otherwise pleasant day with unnecessary bloodshed..."

DONCOAT

Sunday, October 22, 2006 3:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by USMCHellraiser:
I don't understand the "Sniper Rifle" comments, but if they are about how Jayne was looking at Mal through his scope, well that is just what you do when your long-distance sighting device is attached to a weapon. Even as much as Marines try to avoid pointing weapons at each other ("flagging"), we use our scopes (called ACOGs or RCOs) to look at anything far away, including our own people. You would have to let go of your weapon to use binos, and if your setting up a shot with friendlies near enemies, you sight off of your friendlies to use them as a TRP (target reference point) and gain a frame of reference as to which bad guys to shoot (ie- closest to your guys, best line of sight on your troops. etc...)

While I have no doubt that's all true, I question whether the typical TV viewer (or scriptwriter) would be aware of that. To most of us, that scene says, "Hey, Jayne has Mal in his sights! Maybe he's going to shoot him!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

CAVALIER

Monday, October 23, 2006 7:30 PM

In films, that shot is often used to show a man genuinely uncertain who to shoot. Common sense should give people USMCHellraiser's alternative explanation, afterwards.

FWIW I think Jayne was telling the truth when he said he refused Dobsons offer. He does not seem to be a very confident liar, later in the series.

USMCHELLRAISER

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 5:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
Quote:
Originally posted by USMCHellraiser:
I don't understand the "Sniper Rifle" comments, but if they are about how Jayne was looking at Mal through his scope, well that is just what you do when your long-distance sighting device is attached to a weapon. Even as much as Marines try to avoid pointing weapons at each other ("flagging"), we use our scopes (called ACOGs or RCOs) to look at anything far away, including our own people. You would have to let go of your weapon to use binos, and if your setting up a shot with friendlies near enemies, you sight off of your friendlies to use them as a TRP (target reference point) and gain a frame of reference as to which bad guys to shoot (ie- closest to your guys, best line of sight on your troops. etc...)
While I have no doubt that's all true, I question whether the typical TV viewer (or scriptwriter) would be aware of that. To most of us, that scene says, "Hey, Jayne has Mal in his sights! Maybe he's going to shoot him!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

I believe it.

Y'know the funny thing? I don't even own a
personal firearm...

"...let's not ruin an otherwise pleasant day with unnecessary bloodshed..."

NEVERMORE

Wednesday, November 8, 2006 8:56 AM

I dont think Jayne helped Dobs.

The sniper thing is incredibly obvious, he did it because Joss wanted us to think that he had accepted the deal.

I have no formal or informal combat training, I havent read any military or covert ops novels. I have no reference for knowing anything about combat or sniping, and I figured he was just hovering over Mal to both get a reference and see what was happening.

ASARIAN

Monday, November 20, 2006 4:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyLetsBeBadGuys:

Haha the sniper moment was one of my favorite ones in that episode. I think that it was just Jayne being Jayne

I dont think he was going to shoot him at all just entertaining the idea in his head. One of those 'all i gotta do is pull the trigger' moments. Sort of like how they say when people are on top of something REALLY high they wonder what it would be like to jump off.

Agreed. The sniper thingy was just Jayne's funny way of showing to himself that he COULD take Mal, if he wanted to. But he had no real aspirations in that area. Jayne ain't no leader; and he knows it. He's a merc, and overall quite content with having Mal be his boss. Long as he gets paid.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

CLEMENTINE

Tuesday, November 21, 2006 4:52 PM

Did Jayne help Dobson escape?

No. What Jayne wants more than anything else is a place to belong. He's been a hired dog since he got bigger than all the other kids (and that was early). He knows he's not the sharpest pencil and now he's found a brighter guy who is a straight arrow. He's Mal's dog now.

Jayne says, "Would helping you mean turning on the Captain? "
Dobson: "Yes."
and that's as far as the conversation went.

Even in Ariel, Jayne turns the Tams in because it was off ship and he rationalized it as not being turning on the Captain. Mal points out the error of that line of thinking.

Jayne's found a home and he won't jeopardize it.
__________________________________________

Holding.

THEREALHEROOFCANTON

Saturday, November 25, 2006 11:04 PM

There's nothing to indicate that Jayne is lying when he tells Mal that he had nothing to do with Hobson escaping

In fact Jayne almost seems offended when Mal suggests that Jayne didn't securely restrain Hobson. I think the scene was just designed to show that both characters can be honest with each other about Jayne's negotiable loyalties (and so that we get more of an idea about how Jayne thinks, setting up the later episode where he tries to sell River and Simon to the feds)

The whole thing was just a way for making us think Jayne had betrayed Mal, when in fact he's just showing his quasi-sadistic side by sighting at Mal with the sniper rifle.

The moment he shot the guy in the hat instead of Mal, all doubt is gone, I reckon.

PREV PAGE 1 2