Consider the alternative - it was either Amanda or the chick played by Scoggins. No men considered.

I didn't even like Amanda on the main show. I just watched for the beefcake.

I know we'er all black font all the time now, but still just to be kind to those who won't be seeing it until later today or whatever.....

This movie easily had the HSest HSQ I think I've ever seen.

I was struck hard, but I'd just used up all my energy freaking out at the battering Serenity was taking. I was all "You can't do that! You can't hurt the ship!"

Yeah.

Hmmph.

That whole sequence, I was just covering my mouth with my hands and quietly whimpering.

Sadly, the non-fans going in aren't going to feel the hurt about the ship the way the fans do. I think newcomers are going to find that whole sequence of events thrilling, while the fans (though I'm mostly speaking for myself here) are going to feel like they've been punched in the gut repeatedly. That's not to say the occaisional gut punch isn't allowed, but by the end I was metaphorically (white font for squicky imagery) puking blood. It was just too much and I couldn't process it on an emotional level anymore.

Second viewing went over much better, though it still hurt.

This movie easily had the HSest HSQ I think I've ever seen.

Really? More than Fight Club? Or I See Dead People? Or the Crying Game?

Okay, those all rely on twists, and this didn't, but still.

Killing Wash (there, I said it) snapped things into perspective. I felt quite (well, even more) silly about worrying about the ship (and Kaylee's reaction) when presented with death and the potential of Zoe's reaction. So I'd thought it had been a gut punch, but I realised it'd been just a love tap, and wouldn't even leave a bruise.

However, the cheer I felt when the doors opened to reveal River untouched in the room full of Reaver corpses was directly proportional to the loss that had gone before.

And that I appreciated. I just had to remind myself to remember that scene as well as the sad ones.

How about Book's death? Was it expected? Was it a gut punch?

the potential of Zoe's reaction

I *loved* how GT played it, with the snap into soldier mode -- and yet you could see she was shattered, but there was never any doubt that she'd be less than 100% in the battle.

when the doors opened to reveal River untouched in the room full of Reaver corpses

One of those iconic Whedon girl-power shots. I loved it on an emotional level, but I'm still not sure the film earned it.

Book's death had foreshadowing. They're looking for him, and there's death and destruction all around. They've been finding corpses. In fact, Book's the only one alive (although not for long).

You're in a really safe space (relatively speaking) when Wash buys it.