They're disguised both ways. Mal decides on Haven to go to Miranda, and disguises the ship there.

Oh, that's right. My mistake.

Because they eat their prey live, and they scavenge ship parts.

It's not unlikely, but why do it there rather than at the moment of capture? Everyone on the ship should put a bullet to their brain before then.

I don't have that impression, actually. My impression is that they are mindless killing machines. Like zombies. They'll kill whatever they notice, but they aren't so bright or strategic. Which is why standing still was sufficient to allow them to drift through the first time -- Serenity looked like a non-working ship with no one on it. Reavers don't look that hard.

I buy this, kinda, although these are the same Reavers that go after the Alliance ships at the Mr. Universe planet. But yeah, I guess I can see how their nature would lead to a sort of stasis, although it wouldn't explain the Reaver raiding parties as, say, the beginning sequence.

I'm taking this point well past its usefulness. Just that if the Reavers have the one goal of KILL THE HUMANS the Reaver belt seemed rather inefficient for the task, given what we've seen of their chasing capability. It is only helpful to create a sort of mindless obstacle course for Serenity, and of course as the cover for the dive into the Universe planet.

I think I must have gotten the impression somewhere that they were there to capture any boat that passed their way. Did Zoe not say that?

if the Reavers have the one goal of KILL THE HUMANS

Yeah, I never thought that -- like Jesse, I figured they ate/raped/killed what they saw, and sometimes sent out raiding parties when the entertainment didn't come to them. Exterminating humanity would have looked different, probably from as far back as the series.

If you buy they're not nomadic, bringing toys home for more fun doesn't violate anything I can think of.

I do think it's hard to underestimate Works For The Plot as an explanation for the actions of any fictional character, especially bad guys.

If you buy they're not nomadic, bringing toys home for more fun doesn't violate anything I can think of.

Except the logic that most of those victims screaming on their radios probably should have known to space themselves rather than be captured alive by the Reavers.

Except the logic that most of those victims screaming on their radios probably should have known to space themselves rather than be captured alive by the Reavers.

Well, there's knowing and there's knowing. And being able to do it at the end. Will to live is pretty strong stuff - doesn't always listen to logic.

Except the logic that most of those victims screaming on their radios probably should have known to space themselves rather than be captured alive by the Reavers.

Maybe most of them had. Maybe they couldn't. Maybe they were really stupid. Although we've had the fear drilled into us (and seen it in the crew), it took a bit of talking for Mal to drill the practical response into the people on planet.

How do we know those were just victims screaming? Reavers seem like a screaming people to me. Also, I don't get the mindless vibe from them; ruthless and perverse beyond belief, sure. But they're not stupid. The Pax didn't make them less intelligent, just uninhibited. They understand space travel, after all. They have to have a society, twisted though it may be. That's what separates Reavers from zombies; if the zombies show up, you prepare to fight your way out. You've got a chance, if slim. If Reavers show up, you run like hell because there's no hope in fighting back.

How do we know those were just victims screaming?

We don't, but I presumed it from 1, seeing a ship torn apart; 2, the fact that Serenity was in a dangerous situation, so it could be them and 3, the expressions on the faces of the crew. I don't know what they could have seen, but like I said above, it probably wasn't Reaver leisure time.

I don't know what they could have seen, but like I said above, it probably wasn't Reaver leisure time.

Heh. I'm thinking Reaver leisure time is going to involve screaming. However I lean on the side of it not being the Reavers doing it.