Characterising Kaylee
POSTED BY: nbz
UPDATED: Saturday, October 27, 2007 00:51
VIEWED: 25909
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ok, Kaylee is a tough nut to crack.
We know she is the sunshine in the crew, always happy, (unless Mr Tam says something) and loves the crew so much she will never ever leave. Or do we?
I propose she has a dark side. One so dark that even the sith lord in a totally different galaxy is aware of, but one that I have not seen in any fic I have read (and I do [actually "did" is a better word] read a lot of fic).
Ok, you may be asking "Is she EVIL?" or "IS that a DUDE?" or even "is that KILLER WOMAN is disguise?" Well I say no. The truth is much much worse.
What would I characterise Kaylee in one single word? Ambition. If I had to use two, the second would be insecurity.
What? you all say. This is surely madnes! I respond This is SPARTA!
(Sorry, I had to get that one in.)
So my proof? Well, for one Kaylee has a big heart. You cannot for one moment suggest that she did not love her folks (and she probably did to a much greater degree than she does Serenity and the crew). Yet, before a pin could drop she was off around the worlds at a very young age.
Secondly? Dr Tam. he is another rung on the social ladder. So, she is in the path. Something she will sue to get higher.
Thirdly? Well look at the insults which hurt Kaylee. Do they have anything in common? Almost every single one (including the one by Mal in Shindig) are about social standing.
"On this luh suh of a boat" "luh suh? If you don't think much of it, you can;t think much of those who choose this life"
"What would you (an engineer) do with such a dress, a sheep on her hind legs?"
"Serenity ain't fei hua. Tell that purpelebelly..."
"What do you mean you would not sleep with me?"
"little Kaylee, at the bottom of the barrel is all you got?"
(yes, they are paraphrased) They all link to ambition or insecurity over her social standing. Even her clash with Jubal Early had a hint of this.
Once she has "conquered" Simon, will he just be forgotten rags at the bottom of the ladder? And Serenity? will she even remember the name if she is given a "more respectable" offer?
Any takers? Or have I sullied her name too much for this to merit a rational discussion?
yes, a lot of this post is written in jest - because I was bored - but I do think the overall thought is worth a lot of merit.)
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(EDIT OF PRIOR THREAD POST)
i set out to try and make sure she had flesh to her - did more than giggle etc but turned out she's INCREDIBLY hard to write well.
here are my current thoughts (which can change the minute i watch an episode again!)
i see complexities or atleast unresolved traits/issues aplenty -
stronger than she looks but genuinely seems to enjoy playing the role of trailer-girly at times.
i think she's quite determined, very curious about people and the verse.
"did you ever have a client who was, y'know..." i love that scene between her and Inara.
then again, i love her in Trash where she gets to show some action - she enjoys it too.
i think she is quite quick to judge people and sticks by that judgement. i think she fails to see how she may project her own issues onto others.
i think she is genuinely afraid/spooked by River.
i'm intrigued by the fact that she has 'parents' - but does she?? we don't ever see them -
did she even tell them?? she could be the ambitious woman you suggest - or did the parents simply not care / have no issue...
does she fancy simon - simply because of his social status - and is that the real reason she likes inara?
the scene with the mean girls in Shindig shows she lacks bitchy power experience - but she also seems genuinely shocked at their nastiness.
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ooh, I had forgotten about her curiosity about being a companion!
Her ambition is not IMO a conscious decision. It is a subconscious trait that is very well embedded.
Her first convo with Simon "A doctor so young". A relationship between the two might go well, but there is cetainly ambition from where I stand.It does knock a sheen off her.
I do think she has parents, otherwise she would not have rushed off as she did to "get permission" when the possibility they would leave without her had already crossed her mind...
With the mean girls, she is at a high class party - another step, but she did not expect ridicule when getting to such a "level".
Ofcourse, I am massaging everything to support my argument, but it does stand to logic (IMO).
She also genuinely is a "nice" person. I will not deny that. but I would suggest that is not where most of her character comes from.
And she is not "feeble", but insecure. Look at how she rounded on the alliance in Bushwacked - it may have been funny, but someone was also talking down to her. HER. The one who is keeping the ship healthy. It was personal.
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a more delicate issue - (and one that only Jetflair, as far i can recall, has brought up in fic)
what are the ramifications of Early's threats to her in OiS??
I see more toughness, more sadness in kaylee in BDM and, to me,
although it's only subtle, it rings true that something is lost after her encounter with the bounty hunter.
'have you ever been raped?' will do that to you.
ah, god - that scene turns me cold.
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I don't think the darkness was due to that (well not alone anyway).
There is also the aspect that she did not have much of a role in the BDM. And the actress was older.
The main thing in the BDM characterisation was that she had to some extent lost faith in Mal. he was an obstacle now rather than a confidante, friend, protector.
Or, to fit in with my proposal, he was keeping her from her ambitions and goals. She had already lost one avenue in Inara. She was now gonna lose the second in Simon. She would be stuck a mechanic in a breaking Firefly ship forever and ever and ever.
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Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
There is also the aspect that she did not have much of a role in the BDM. And the actress was older.
agreed.
Quote:
The main thing in the BDM characterisation was that she had to some extent lost faith in Mal. he was an obstacle now rather than a... protector.
but WHY? - except that he didn't prevent Early from attacking her...
and go answer my simon post while you're about shipmate!
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Quote:
Originally posted by wytchcroft:Quote:
The main thing in the BDM characterisation was that she had to some extent lost faith in Mal. he was an obstacle now rather than a... protector.
but WHY? - except that he didn't prevent Early from attacking her...
It's not about Early IMO. "He will push us all off one by one" It is about HER and where she stands and who stands where around her. (Does that sound selfish?)
Remember that at the end of the same episode Kaylee and River were talking about her past romantic encounters.
Quote:
and go answer my simon post while you're about shipmate!
Done.
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Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:Quote:
Originally posted by wytchcroft:Quote:
The main thing in the BDM characterisation was that she had to some extent lost faith in Mal. he was an obstacle now rather than a... protector.
but WHY? - except that he didn't prevent Early from attacking her...
It's not about Early IMO. "He will push us all off one by one" It is about HER and where she stands and who stands where around her. (Does that sound selfish?)
no i agree - i just see both as factors perhaps.
stay shiny
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Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
Remember that at the end of the same episode Kaylee and River were talking about her past romantic encounters.
i'm gonna go re-watch that bit in a, um, bit..!
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Can't agree with anything you said, NBZ, but that she is insecure. She's a rim world girl who, just like so many, wants to be prettier, wants to be accepted, wants to be able to fit in.
Anything fancy (words, clothing, locations) she is like a fish out of water. She tries to fit in, but because of how she was raised, she's just a little different and can't hide that fact.
So, she's insecure and embarrassed in those situations.
"A government is a body of people usually notably ungoverned."
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