Did the alliance plan to turn River into an assasin ?

POSTED BY: dbell46
UPDATED: Saturday, April 3, 2004 03:44
VIEWED: 7662
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DBELL46

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 6:59 AM

River, as described by Simon, has what is sometimes called hyperintelligence syndrome. This includes not just her intellectual abilities, but also her physical abilities such as dance. One of those physical abilities could be absolute position. This is an ability similar to perfect pitch. A person with a.p. always has an instinctive sense of their position in the universe as well as an intuitive knowledge of their immeadiate surroundings. (some pilots have it.)
In War Stories, when she glanced out at the
three men, then shot them with her eyes closed, she was using this ability. If her eyes had been opened it would have spoiled her concentration.
The point is, this was a gift she was born with. Any damage the alliance did to her brain has
ruined her ability to apply judgement in its use,
thus turning her into a loose canon as dangerous
to the alliance as to anyone else around her.
I don't think that's what the alliance had in
mind. What do you think?

If history is remarkably clear on one point, its
that people don't learn from history

NEROLI

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 7:57 AM

My thought is they probably were trying to turn her into some kind of weapon, an assassin being the most likely.

I believe they experamented with less "gifted" individuals first and found the results lacking so started the school to get access to better test subjects. However, they got more then they bargained for there...miscalculated what it would take to control their new subjects. It seems to me like they had some idea what they were doing, but then ran into things they were not expecting.

And it seems very likely that the process they were working on was never completed in River, leaving her half finished. Who's to say they would not have been able to place controls in place if they had had more time. It would explane why they want her back so bad, because as she is now she is a loose cannon.

NOOCYTE

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:02 AM

Maybe they would have put a chip in her brain to control her aggressive tendencies...oh...wait...

Department of Redundancy Department

NEROLI

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:06 AM

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of brainwashing but...ya never know.

TALONPEST

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:47 AM

I think the assassin angle is too pedestrian and predictable for Joss. He'd have come up with something to surprise us.

WREN

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:54 AM

A question just popped into my head - if the Alliance are totally in control who would they need to assassinate and why would they need a 'special' assassin to do it?

KALIMEERI

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:39 AM

I disagree with the assassin angle, because in the first episode she was flatly terrified of guns and would not let Simon anywhere near her with one in his hand. She has got more familiar with them over time on Serenity, and she did what he had to do in War Stories. (She listens to the crew's preparations and is left out, but recognizes that she can make a contribution here).

I think there are a couple of pointers, but not enough to indicate Blue Sun's purpose. First, her babbling about 'needles ... and ask me what I see', and second Mal's statement 'she's a reader'. The hint technique is similar to Inara's "Everybody's running from something."

Jen dao mei.

HOTPOINT

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by kalimeeri:
I disagree with the assassin angle, because in the first episode she was flatly terrified of guns and would not let Simon anywhere near her with one in his hand. She has got more familiar with them over time on Serenity, and she did what he had to do in War Stories.

Could it not be that part of the Academy Training was to force her to be proficient in firearms through negative reinforcment. If you don't hit the target here's a bit of pain

This would mean she might end up scared of guns (she subconciously associated them with punishment) but is extremely proficient in their use

River never finished the Academy program. The rest of the training could have been to make her comfortable with weaponry now she was good with them

...................................
Hurrah, hurrah, when things are at their worst
With cries of “Death or Glory” comes the mighty Twenty-First

HOTPOINT

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Wren:
A question just popped into my head - if the Alliance are totally in control who would they need to assassinate and why would they need a 'special' assassin to do it?

Why assume the people at the top have anything to do with it. Why not the Military-Industrial Complex? Alliance Intelligence and Blue-Sun R&D people working together

In the late 1970's MI5 (British Intelligence) were spying on the British Prime Minister (it's in the book Spycatcher). The State is not as monolithic as people think

Wheels within wheels

...................................
Hurrah, hurrah, when things are at their worst
With cries of “Death or Glory” comes the mighty Twenty-First

CORWYN

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 4:59 PM

I don't think she planned to contribute. They were going to shoot Kaylee, (who was wigging out) no one gets to shoot Kaylee. EVERYONE who evens threatens her DIES.

I think she closed her eyes so that she wouldn't see herself murder people, not so that she could concentrate. 1) She needs to concentrate TO close her eyes "don't look, don't look". 2) I have not seen her need to concentrate to do anything external. Remember she can not forget things.

As to what the blue hands wanted with her, I also don't think it was as an assassin. Of course, I have never understood the need for a super soldier, when regular soldiers are so cheap and plentiful.

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