What do you think Serenity smells like?

POSTED BY: gojiro
UPDATED: Sunday, October 17, 2004 18:30
VIEWED: 11512
PAGE 1 of 3

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE

GOJIRO

Thursday, October 14, 2004 3:57 AM

Okay, this is just how my weird brain works, but I walked into my friend's house today and noticed how it smelled differently than mine. I won't bore you with the hows and whys, but it made me think that each home I've ever been to has its own unique smell.

So what do you think Serenity smells like? She's a pretty small boat, full of sweaty men, Inara's incense, burnt stuff (from the engineering fire), the leavings of whatever lived in her before Mal bought her, etc.

I've heard the INS and Mir smell/smelled pretty bad after a while. Serenity has the benefit of fresh atmo every once in a while, though.

Thoughts?

gojiro

CCT

Thursday, October 14, 2004 4:38 AM

HA! Good question, and one that made me laugh!

I KNOW EXACTLY what it smells like- and strangly it's one of my favorite smells, something that's hooked way down into the lizard part of my brain...

There is a particular smell that shops have- machine shops, auto garages, aircraft hangers. It's a combination of various oils, solvents, rubber, vinyls.. a little sweat too. The family business when I was little was auto/truck repair, so it's wired into my brain, when I smell it I think "home" and even though it's not a particulary comfortable environment, I'm instantly at ease.

Serenity is a big machine, with so many moving parts, miles of wiring, etc. Think more "living inside a machine" and less "posh RV" :)

I visited the Air and Space museum in DC a few years ago, and went out to their "Paul Garber" facility, which is a cluster of big metal buildings a ways out of town. All sorts of interesting aircraft stacked/stashed there, and thats where they restore stuff. (In many ways I found this much cooler than the neat and tidy displays on the mall.) Anyway, the second I walked in the door that smell hit me and I was stunned by how I suddenly felt "at home" :)

I'd really like to believe I'd feel the same way walking into Serenity! :)

cct

NEEDLESEYE

Thursday, October 14, 2004 5:11 AM

Oh, I have to agree that many places have their own scent/aroma/odor. :p I also agree with the idea that Serenity probably smells like a machine shop, maybe a metallic iron ridden scent, and possibly like a stinky airplane I was on once. All that recirculated air on a 12 hour flight causes some olfactory distress after a while. eww!
I think though that the dining/lounge probably smells like whatever all the protien laden food they eat.
Anyway, I can only imagine Inara's shuttle smells of scented oils, incense and some residual smells from that hookah she has there.
Jayne did say it smelled funny! :D

Keeper of Jayne's goggles. 8)

PURPLEBELLY

Thursday, October 14, 2004 7:54 AM

Not only is this a wonderful thread, it's inviolable by the movie. This could become the last bastion of the true Firefly fan. I can see it now: a huge convention of Universal glitz but, behind a display booth, a knot of Fireheads exchanging their plastic bags of customised odours

JAYNEZTOWN

Thursday, October 14, 2004 8:47 AM

As long as they got rid of the smell of that cattle poop

FIREFLOOZYSUZIE

Thursday, October 14, 2004 11:31 AM

My guess: cattle/people sweat, incense, coffee, metal shop, old leather...and rosemary

Hamsters is nice. If you have enough rosemary.

UNCHARTEDOUTLAW

Thursday, October 14, 2004 12:47 PM

I'd probably have to say that the nearest Earth smell we have would be a machine shop. I've definitely worked in a couple before going into teaching. And it is a very distinct smell, too. Not bad...just metallic and kinda tangy.

-Taylor

Uncharted Outlaw!

Haulin' goods from one end of creation to th' other. Keepin' my nose clean 'round the Alliance. Rockin' the "Riviera" (67-K62) hardcore!

BROWNCOAT1

Thursday, October 14, 2004 12:57 PM

CCT wrote:

Quote:
There is a particular smell that shops have- machine shops, auto garages, aircraft hangers. It's a combination of various oils, solvents, rubber, vinyls.. a little sweat too. The family business when I was little was auto/truck repair, so it's wired into my brain, when I smell it I think "home" and even though it's not a particulary comfortable environment, I'm instantly at ease.

This is how I have imagined most of the ship smelling, especially the engine room. The smell of solvents, metal, perhaps a faint odor of sweat.

Of course other areas of the ship will smell differently. The cargo bay for one I can see smelling of fuel and oil from the Mule, perhaps a faint trace of the cows and their droppings. There might also be that slightly metallic smell where they scrub down the deck after hauling cargo.

The upper catwalks would smell vaguely of incense which escapes Inara's shuttle when she exits it to move around the ship.

The infirmary would smell very much like a hospital. Simon strikes me as very thorough in his chosen profession, so I imagine he keeps the place sterilized, smelling very much like a hospital.

The galley I would imagine smells of protien and perhaps slightly of wood w/ the large table they have that dominates the center of the room.

The bridge I see smelling of sweat and perhaps slightly of whatever cologne I imagine Wash wearing.

Jayne's quarters would smell of sweat and gun oil, perhaps a bit of propellant as well.

Kaylee's room would smell slightly of strawberries and grease.

Wash & Zoe's room would smell of candles and sweat.

Books room I could see smelling somewhat like a library, perhaps w/ a bit of incense.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

HAWK

Thursday, October 14, 2004 3:07 PM

I can't believe nobody's said "like crotch".

SHINYSEVEN

Thursday, October 14, 2004 3:13 PM

I wrote a story where Inara mentions the negative effect of "Eau de Cattel" on her clients.

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE