Mal kissin' the cross...

There was the kissin' of the cross and there was comment Mal made about the Ind ships coming down.. ' like angels ' or some such. Lots of things were lost there at the battle of Serinity Vally.... including Mals faith in...pretty much anything but himself.

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Mal has lost more than his faith in God, he has lost his faith in humanity.

He has seen, for the worse, the truth that mankind is far more creative and capable in it's evil than any divine or infernal threat offered in holy texts. What kind of values can you ascribe to anyone who would let their own injured soldiers bleed out and die in the feces released by their own dead companions?

Many of the soldiers fighting in the trenches of WW I France experienced much the same thing and as a result, the British army was changed. The faith in honor among ones officers was lost in the meat grinder of automatic weapon fire. England lost virtually an entire generation because of class prejudice.

Mal, buddy I wish there was something I could do.

Oh, wait. This type of thing happens every day right here on Earth That Was.

Do you think that, maybe, Joss and Tim are anti-war?

I'm eerily reminded, by Zoe's deleted tale of Serenity Valey, of Quint's account of survival in "Jaws".

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I think there's another level to this as well. Not only does it show his faith before the battle, it also shows how good a leader he is. Part of leadership is to convey confidance in the face of adversity. When Mal turns away to kiss the cross, he is showing that he understands just how bad the situation it, and that he knows what he is about to do is very dangerous. He's not a 'cowboy' who thinks he is invincible. He fully understands his mortality and the risks he is taking for his cause. This makes his actions all the more heroic.

As to his outlook after the battle, I think there is a lot to the argument that he still believes, but that he is now angry at God. For example, when he tells Book, that "You're welcome on my boat, God ain't" he hints that he still has some belief in the existance of God, but that he just doesn't want God on his boat.

Traveller, if you go to Sparta, tell them you have seen us lying here as the Law commands.

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I heard a quote. . .I wish I could identify it. . .but I think it sum's up the duality within Malcom Reynolds . . .who appears in the beginning of "Serenity" to be a devoutly religious, or at least FAITHFUL man, and later a man who seems to want NO part of religion or what we can fairly well assume is the Christian faith on his boat. (I am myself a Christian, but I do appreciate that Book does not represent a religion that is OVERTLY 'Christianity'. . .I would find that obnoxious and imposing)

Anyhow.. .the quote. . .

"Oh no. . .I still believe in God. . .I'm just pretty mad at him right now, and I don't feel like talking to him."

I think that's Mal. I know he didn't say it, but I can certainly HEAR him saying it.

I really should talk to my doctor about these voices.

==================================================
"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

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I believe that he kissed the cross out of a simple fear of dying first and foremost (also from Joss' point of view as a director the iconography of the act is very fitting with the battle situation.)

It works as part of Mal's character arc as Serenity valley was Mals last stand - everything that drives him after that involves him trying to keep flying - "We're still flying", he's running to keep his freedom. - We see him as being slighly apprehensive towards Book - but being stubborn that he not say grace out loud (Mal continues to eat while various others, including Jane I think, lower there heads.) - Mal has turned his back on God after Serenity valley and Mal kissin' the cross at the start shows us this.

But I still think that that cross looks like Buffy's and I don't see any reason why Joss wouldn't do that - but if you guys don't think it looks like it maybe I'm just being an over sentimental fanboy.

No - I know I'm an over sentimental fanboy - these DVD's are getting buried with me and that's the truth.

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I agree with most all of what has been said on this already, but I just want to speak up for the opinion that Mal has not lost his faith, rather, that he is just feling alienated from God.

There are some other places where he seems to demonstrate a mral ethic, such as resisting Saffron and taking back the medicine which seem to be driven from an inner moral center.

Then again, he has little trouble killing when necessary so maybe not...


"Why we still discussin' this?"

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Think of the omitted scene, the original first scene, where the med ships are coming at last to rescue the abandoned troops. Zoe has been asking, "Whose colors are they flying?" and then says, "Oh, thank God, thank God." To which Mal responds, "God? Whose colors is He flying?"

That scene is the (missing) pair to the kissed cross. It is the sign of Mal's lost faith--not in the existence of God, but in His righteousness, His goodness, His justice and mercy. And yes to all of you who have said this; this is Mal's journey, as he comes to terms with his loss of faith while clearly yet keeping some other sort of faith--in honor and goodness and loyalty and freedom from tyrannous authority. . . .

"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle. . . ."

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As great as I think this discussion is and as much as I think it's very relevant to Mal's character I think we're forgetting the reason that we're all here -

I've just re-watched Serenity and you know something - IT IS BUFFY'S CROSS!

Don't believe me? - Look at the it!

It's Buffy's classic silver cross from season 1 that Angle gave her. Still don't believe me? - look at it.

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Quote:

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Originally posted by CaptainMal:
There are some other places where he seems to demonstrate a mral ethic, such as resisting Saffron and taking back the medicine which seem to be driven from an inner moral center.

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Mal clearly has a moral background, that may or may not be based on a religious upbringing (though it seems the society is much more Victorian, and oddly buttoned up in terms of some aspects). Its a skewed morality (kicking the bad guys into the engine, his joke to Simon about Kaylee, his entire career), but its a morality nonetheless.

"I threw up on your bed"

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