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.
And remember, if you hurt her, I will beat you to death with a shovel.
Willow ,'Conversations with Dead People'
Firefly 4: Also, we can kill you with our brains
Discussion of the Mutant Enemy series, Firefly, the ensuing movie Serenity, and other projects in that universe. Like the other show threads, anything broadcast in the US is fine; spoilers are verboten and will be deleted if found.
Jesse - Oct 10, 2005 11:07:18 am PDT #6227 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Matt the Bruins fan - Oct 10, 2005 11:08:21 am PDT #6228 of 10001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
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.
brenda m - Oct 10, 2005 11:11:10 am PDT #6229 of 10001
If you're going through hell/keep on going/don't slow down/keep your fear from showing/you might be gone/'fore the devil even knows you're there
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.
§ ita § - Oct 10, 2005 11:11:13 am PDT #6230 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
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.
Mr. Broom - Oct 10, 2005 11:14:43 am PDT #6231 of 10001
"When I look at people that I would like to feel have been a mentor or an inspiring kind of archetype of what I'd love to see my career eventually be mentioned as a footnote for in the same paragraph, it would be, like, Bowie." ~Trent Reznor
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.
bon bon - Oct 10, 2005 11:17:26 am PDT #6232 of 10001
It's five thousand for kissing, ten thousand for snuggling... End of list.
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.
§ ita § - Oct 10, 2005 11:18:34 am PDT #6233 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
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.
Betsy HP - Oct 10, 2005 11:19:08 am PDT #6234 of 10001
If I only had a brain...
I wanted to take a tape recording of Sigourney Weaver yelling "Whoever wrote this episode should be shot!" and play it a second after Mal looked down at the generator.
Yes, THIS.
tommyrot - Oct 10, 2005 11:19:44 am PDT #6235 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
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.
And the Alliance was still insisting there was no such thing as Reavers, or that there was no proof of Reavers. There are several cases in the series and the flick of people not believing in Reavers.
So I can see folks in captured ships thinking, "Maybe they're Reavers; maybe they're just pirates."
Matt the Bruins fan - Oct 10, 2005 11:20:17 am PDT #6236 of 10001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
That does bring up the darkly funny image of intercepting Reaver comm calls were they're glaring at the viewscreens and screaming at each other in some way that actually works as communication.