General Discussions

Mal Reynolds compared to Han Solo

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Monday, August 30, 2010 19:38
VIEWED: 6737
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Monday, August 30, 2010 5:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bytemite:

Does anyone really think at that point Mal's going to die to the Operative? Does Wash dying really add to the sense that any of them could die? I'm just not buying.

I was scared outta my mind after Wash died. Not since Luke got his hand cut off have I experienced such cinematic terror.


The laughing Chrisisall

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Monday, August 30, 2010 6:05 PM

Really?

I mean, outside the movie, Joss had gone to all this trouble to reassemble his cast. In the story, they actually reassemble the missing parts of the crew (if only in spirit, for Book's case). And Joss was hoping for a sequel.

Maybe it's just a problem with me, where I'm now too jaded and critical feel any extra fear or worry in an "everyone might die!" fictional scenario.

In that case, knowing it's just me does not decrease my irritation over how common the trope is, or my irritation over how needless and ineffective it seems to be.

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Monday, August 30, 2010 6:27 PM

Let me try a different tract, then.

Let's call Wash's death the best case scenario use of this trope, because it seems as though some of you WERE genuinely affected in the intended way.

After it's all over and the threat is gone, and you're walking out of the theater thinking about how a likeable character was killed off just to increase dramatic tension. What is your reaction?

Mine generally is "was that really necessary?"

I imagine that's not the take-away a writer generally wants to leave with their audience.

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Monday, August 30, 2010 6:36 PM

I've gotta agree, when Wash died I thought our Big Damn Heroes were going to just barely get that signal out before they all died. I think Wash's death served a purpose, but I think that purpose could have been fulfilled another way if there were more time.

So much of the BDM just didn't feel right to me. I guess I was spoiled by all the individual attention the characters got in Firefly. I hesitate to calling Wash's end a cheap trick, (Wash's piloting right before he died was absolutely epic!) but I think if the movie was longer it could have been better and Wash could have survived. Of course, there was no time when you have to cram a season into a movie so it was a quick and brutally effective.

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Monday, August 30, 2010 7:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bytemite:

After it's all over and the threat is gone, and you're walking out of the theater thinking about how a likeable character was killed off just to increase dramatic tension. What is your reaction?


I felt like a wet dish rag. Just like after "Empire."


The laughing Chrisisall

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Monday, August 30, 2010 7:16 PM

Quote:

I've gotta agree, when Wash died I thought our Big Damn Heroes were going to just barely get that signal out before they all died. I think Wash's death served a purpose, but I think that purpose could have been fulfilled another way if there were more time.


Interesting. Season two, if only, eh?

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Monday, August 30, 2010 7:17 PM

Quote:

I felt like a wet dish rag. Just like after "Empire."


Guess it did ring you then. Sorry about that.

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Monday, August 30, 2010 7:38 PM

Here's a line from my Serenity review:

"There has been quite a bit of talk comparing Mal to Han Solo, but I don't agree. Mal is a much more complex character, braver and with a better defined code of ethics, and I would argue that Nathan Fillion is also the better actor."


As for Wash's death, it devastated me the first time I saw it, which was at one of the advanced screenings on May 5, '05. I don't think I was thinking too clearly about the rest of the film after that...and then Zoe gets sliced...and Kaylee and Simon shot...I nearly freaked!

I applaud Joss' decisions for the BDM now, realizing I was originally mourning more over what I perceived to be the death of Firefly rather than the deaths of fictional characters. I disagree strongly that it was lazy writing on Joss' part.




wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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