Serenity repair work post BDM

POSTED BY: Charlotte
UPDATED: Saturday, October 20, 2007 10:18
VIEWED: 6493
PAGE 1 of 2

1 2 NEXT PAGE

CHARLOTTE

Sunday, September 2, 2007 2:38 AM

Hi all,

I need some advice/opinions on the nature of the Alliance's involvement in the repair of Serenity. The "Serenity Official Visual Companion" describes the location simply as "Repair Yard." I don't think this would be on Mr. Universe's Moon but I do think they would have to do preliminary work there to "tow" Serenity to the "Repair Yard."

Do you think the Repair Yard is an Alliance facility? I can't see Mal & the crew having the funds necessary to fix the ship but I also see Mal having a problem with the Alliance having anything to do with his ship.

Perhaps the Operative funded the repairs himself?

I can't figure it out and would appreciate any input.

Thanks!

MOBBEX

Sunday, September 2, 2007 4:13 AM

You are better at dying
Well, it's obviously located on another planet since they don't go trough the ion cloud again when they leave (how come so many writers missed that?). Given that Serenity was in no shape to fly anywhere by itself after the battle, I'd say your theory about the Operative towing it and patching it up makes some sense.

Still, I tend to think that they used the payoff from the Lylac heist to fund the repairs. Granted, that's a little far fetched considering the condition the ship was in at this point, but I just don't see Mal accepting any gift from the Alliance, even (especially?) from the Operative, who is, in all likelyhood, considered a rogue agent, at best, by the end of the movie.

The Operative must have lended a hand one way or another, though, otherwise he wouldn't still be around by the time the ship was ready for take off. We know he provided medical support for the crew. Could be he was feeling so guilty for what he did (or whatever, he seemed pretty hollowed out by then ...maybe he was just being his "beaten" self?) that he also made a shipyard available to them, but I think it's unlikely since he says himself that his influence within the Alliance has already faded.

So, help from the Operative/Alliance? Yes, but to an extent.

TAM: Nickname for Scottish/Gaelic Tomas, meaning, "twin"

PEULSAR5

Sunday, September 2, 2007 4:32 AM

At the end of the BDM when Mal and the Operative were talking, Mal mentioned the Operative "patching up our hurt"; he could have meant both medical and mechanical.

WYTCHCROFT

Sunday, September 2, 2007 7:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Peulsar5:
At the end of the BDM when Mal and the Operative were talking, Mal mentioned the Operative "patching up our hurt"; he could have meant both medical and mechanical.

i agree.
i also imagine more than a few people helped out, over time - and differing locations. Serenity is under pretty much constant repair anyhow so you have some breathing space as a writer there.

AURAPTOR

Sunday, September 2, 2007 12:52 PM

I'm not the most scientific or technically literate type, but how does one 'tow' a ship off a planet ? Gettin' Serenity space worthy and off the ground are the 2 biggest problems. That starts w/ getting her structurally sound, replacing the engine, the landing gear, the cockpit windows....In the repair sequence, we see the crew taking the cannon off the top of Serenity,which would be one of the first things they did, and a new engine being hoisted into position, some major work going on. If that stuff DIDN'T take place on Mr. Universe's planet, ( which itself is a whole other discussion ) then how / why would they transport a wreck like Serenity to another facility and basically rebuild her ? And who paid for it ?

The only explanation I can come up with is that the Alliance paid for it all, as a P.R. move to show that THIS current Gov't certainly had nothing to do w/ Miranda, and as a show of graditude to the crew of Serenity for revealing the truth...... ok. It's far fetched, but it's the best I got.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

NBZ

Sunday, September 2, 2007 3:29 PM

She would not have to be spaceworthy - by which I mean there would not be a need to have anyone onboard. It could be carried in a larger vessel.

The novelisation does suggest the repair was carried out on Persephone. (even though that is not strictly canon, the author did have access to Joss and other drafts of the movie script.)

CYBERSNARK

Sunday, September 2, 2007 5:34 PM

Also, it could easily have just been hauled into the cargo bay of a larger ship (say, the rescue ship that no doubt came to pick up the Operative and his remaining troops) and carried to wherever it was they were going (say Persephone, Osiris, Sihnon, or Londinium).

I can't imagine the Operative necessarily going out of his way for them (whatever his personal feelings, it likely wouldn't have been proper, given that there is technically still a warrant out for Simon & River), but I can easily see him saying "as long as we're here, gather up that wrecked ship and bring it along. What, these guys? Don't worry, they're with me."

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

SCHOONER

Sunday, September 2, 2007 10:54 PM

I have a problem with the idea of Serenity being towed to another world for repairs. I just can't see how Mal and the others would allow it.

After all the events that occurred, and the crew avoiding execution solely because the Operative stated "Stand down", I don't think Mal would be so quick to trust the Alliance. Especially not to the point of loading Serenity up in a cargo bay, surrounded by Alliance troops and scanners, where a single push of a button could dump their whole ship into space with no evidence other than an accident report.

Yes, by the end tha Alliance could pretty much take them down at anytime, but to give Serenity a lift before she's at all spaceworthy would require a tremendous amount of trust which I can't see the BDH's giving.

NBZ

Sunday, September 2, 2007 11:09 PM

The stand down was for the kill command.

The question is whether they were also immediately released or were in a position to walk away. Mal for one would have had massive amounts of organ damage. Simon was gutshot. Kaylee had lost feeling. Zoe nearly has her spine sliced. The only ones that could have walked away IMO were Jayne, River and Inara (possibly Zoe too).

SCHOONER

Monday, September 3, 2007 12:01 AM

I agree, nobody on the crew was in any shape to walk away (even Inara would reasonably have needed massive antibiotics to counteract whatever bacteria live in a Reaver's mouth). At that point, they needed the Operative's help to do anything besides bleed.

I would guess that the Operative provided medical help to the crew, as well as all the wounded Alliance personnel. I can also see him providing tools, maybe even parts or the use of a couple of technicians. What I can't see is Mal putting his ship and crew in such a vulnerable state as having Serenity towed, knowing that the Operative's authority could be countermanded at any time.

1 2 NEXT PAGE