Dollhouse relationship with Firefly

POSTED BY: KingDavid
UPDATED: Monday, April 18, 2011 23:36
VIEWED: 15638
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KINGDAVID

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 8:41 PM

Perhaps its just my tired brain, but upon watching Epitaph One an hour ago, I can't stop thinking about this. The Rossum Corporation reminds me a lot of the Blue Sun/Alliance. They take people, change their personalities and can change them into whatever they want - most obviously, weapons. They can even make them work with "sleeper" activate codes, as has happened to both River and November. The moral shift of the heads of the Rossum Corporation shown in Epitaph One aren't that different from what the people at the academy. Taking above-average people and doing whatever the highest bidder wants to do to them. Also, both the Rossum Corporation and Blue Sun seem to be above the law - they have officials in every level of government. Perhaps Blue Sun is a future version of Rossum? I'm not necessarily saying Joss intended Dollhouse and Firefly to be in the same universe, but it seems to make sense that a similar sort of technology could affect River in the same way it does the dolls. Doesn't she sort of act like a wiped doll at times? Sort of like she's glitching?

As a final note, the apocalyptic nightmare that the Dollhouse technology brought about seems like a mighty fine reason to set up shop in a different solar system. Intergalactic space travel to an as-of-yet unknown solar system has to at least take 100s of years, and Firefly is only 500 years in the future...

I'm probably overthinking this.

RAHLMACLAREN

Thursday, August 27, 2009 5:17 PM

“Belly up, comrades, and let Korgan flail the bladder for a spell.”

KingDavid, you’re not the only one.

[sings]
"I have a theory. It must be witches...."
[stops singing]

(If it looks like a jarbled mess, I apologize in advance. I’m not an English major.)

Seriously now. I think the Alliance/Blue Sun continued the experiments of the Rossum Corp.
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Timeline:
-Dollhouse Time- 2009-2019: Imprinting a personality on top of an existing one = brain implosion. The Tech has to wipe before it can print. In later years, all at the same time.

-Between Dollhouse and Firefly: The Tech is either very slowly improved, or destroyed from the Tech Wars on Earth That Was; perpetrators “banished” from the planet(or the other way around(“escaped” for the Actuals)) and then rediscovered, or smuggled onto the colonizing ships.

-Firefly Time- 2517ish: the Tech is still in the experimental stages of safely printing on top of an existing personality.
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To collect prime candidates for their experiments, BS kept a look out for families with special genes or histories; smarts, strength, or whatever. In the near and far future, records of government institutions (schools, hospitals) would be electronic and networked, so it wouldn't too be hard to search for grade-skipping kids, star athletes, etc.

Simon Tam was a boy genius. BS found this out. According to medical records, Regan Tam was pregnant again. The Tams were wealthy (OR maybe the family became rich AFTER the deal), and could keep secrets (BS might have some kind of dirt on the family to blackmail with). A candidate with a wealthy family (possibly with connections in high places), would provide the subject with security and comfortableness; BS could let them grow up and not have to worry. Just sit back, relax, and wait for any abilities to manifest.

(From “Echoes”)
Leo- “What do they need babies for?”

I think (NOW) that River was Imprinted at birth. BS quietly brought her to a room close by, with the Tech, set up perhaps just moments before (by fast and disguised secret ops guys), and Imprinted her with multiple aspects(such as math, science, physics, brain sponge, etc) or certain curiosities subconsciously (something very small so as not to risk damage to her very delicate brain), that would cause her to achieve little-girl-genius status.

And of course, later at the “Academy”, BS Imprinted the "living weapon" and trigger aspects. Plus the added bonus of stripping her amygdala (feeling filter in her brain) to make her a psychic.

It’s even possible (in the ‘verse) that Simon was a test subject also, but Imprinted with just one aspect (aptitude for med science?). However, I doubt this part, because Simon seems too normal. Then again, River didn’t become crazy until after the experiments at the “Academy”.

Whoa... brain flash. What if Wash was Imprinted with superb eye-hand coordination (perhaps during a "physical" in flight school). That might make him a valuable investment for the Alliance. Valuable enough to possibly put him in a freezer, replace his damaged internal organs (heart, lungs, spine), and jump start him back to life. (‘Cause who wouldn’t want that) And then send him straight to Niska for questioning. (Well, he can't get back too easy, now can he)

I even think(again, NOW) that John Doe (from the tv show; watch it on Hulu) was a victim/test dummy of the Tech. I mean, a man who doesn’t know who he is (except for that small sliver of memory buried deep in the subconscience, that even the tech can’t seem to wipe), but has everything else knowledge wise (pretty much, for the most part) from Govt, business, history, languages, science, etc (just pick a category) “dumped into his coconut”. I know - it's a different show; different ‘verse, but it’s a better theory than the JD creators had.

Edited Stuff

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Find here the Serenity you seek. -T

ANOTHERSKY

Monday, October 5, 2009 5:35 AM

Interesting theory and timeline. I've not seen much of Dollhouse but I am sure that Joss was not about to give up on such an idea and have had musings along the same lines. But I think they don't develop in the same timeline, more like alternate timelines, in separate 'verses. Definitely a similar theme, though. I'm curious about Rossum Corp and the details of their imprinting process...gonna write me my representative some.

I like the theoretical firefly backstory--the Tam parents(I have long suspected things like blackmail and high-up mucky mucks), even Wash sounds interesting. Someone with such abilities might just attract more notice than rim-world merchants looking for a crack pilot.
Another possibility for River is that she was just an omnibus prodigy (they do exist), before the Academy got to her. After...
Speaking of imprinting, someone mentioned scars on her upper arms--scientists are now figuring out how to "imprint" temporary strength and muscle memory via electrodes, so 500 years might not be a stretch.

Wonder if our Earth-That-Was just got a bit too uncertain?

Going for a ride.

1EYEDCAT

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 12:13 AM

I see deep connections between Firefly and Dollhouse, with Whedon reworking many of the same themes. So, in addition to the mind manipulation theme, in Firefly, Serenity is a haven, on the outskirts of society and the law, for people who have reason to escape, presided over by a strong, paternalistic figure. Much the same can be said about the Dollhouse, but with much greater moral ambiguity.

PIRATENEWS

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 12:46 AM

Good conspiracy theory.

Manlove, er, evil smirk

BYTEMITE

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 1:02 AM

Definitely exploring similar themes, but same timeline? Nah. That's like saying that Buffy and Angel have the same timeline as Firefly and Dollhouse. Maybe, but it's really unlikely.

Besides, we know roughly why they left Earth in Firefly. "Got used up," which is confirmed three times in the series, the two introductions and once in the shadow puppet show: "swollen of her, they left". Also, in the shadow puppet show, it mentions something about raining fire. Which says to me either war or really bad pollution. And at the very end of the shadow puppet show, it's indicated that whatever people did, it pretty much destroyed the Earth itself, or at least any capacity it has to support life.

GWEK

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 1:31 AM

I definitely see similarities between the two series, although I think they're thematic rather than literal. Check out my thread where I posit that Joss may have been using DOLLHOUSE as a "clearinghouse" for FIREFLY ideas:

http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=2&t=41213

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

BYTEMITE

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 2:06 AM

That I do agree with. There's a lot being explored here about mind control, and even scenes that I could imagine being used variously for Firefly.

GWEK

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 2:27 AM

To be honest (as I think I may say in my thread), when I got to the end of the episode before HOLLOW MEN, I wondered if one possible finale Joss had considered for FIREFLY went something like this:

By season seven, the crew has decided to go on the offensive against Blue Sun. Turns out the only way to take it down is by taking out the directors who control it--but River is the only one who knows who they are (thanks to her psychic abilities). Unfortunately, those memories are buried (yet another secret burning up River Tam's mind). When the finally unearth the secret, the Big Bad pulling all the strings is none other than Derrial Book... who happens to have been watching over River because she's special and he needs her for his endgame.

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 2:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
To be honest (as I think I may say in my thread), when I got to the end of the episode before HOLLOW MEN, I wondered if one possible finale Joss had considered for FIREFLY went something like this:

By season seven, the crew has decided to go on the offensive against Blue Sun. Turns out the only way to take it down is by taking out the directors who control it--but River is the only one who knows who they are (thanks to her psychic abilities). Unfortunately, those memories are buried (yet another secret burning up River Tam's mind). When the finally unearth the secret, the Big Bad pulling all the strings is none other than Derrial Book... who happens to have been watching over River because she's special and he needs her for his endgame.

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

except didn't Book board the ship before Simon arrived?

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