RECAP: Objects in Space
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Kaylee: So the feds came?
Simon: There were no feds. Until I started singing.
Kaylee: Oh no! What'd you sing?
Simon: This is not funny. This a morality tale about the evils of sake.
Simon: I would be there right now.
Jayne: I got stupid. The money was too good.
Book: I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not! So where does that put you?
Jayne: It ain't impossible! Saint Jayne, it's got a ring to it.
Book: I'm just trying to remember how many miracles you've performed.
Inara: I'm a big girl. Just tell me.
Mal: None of it means a damn thing.
River: Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...
River: She understands. She doesn't comprehend.
Mal: Well, I'm glad we've made that distinction. No touching guns, okay?
River: No touching.
Simon: River --
River: It's getting very very crowded!
Mal: Thought she was on the mend.
Simon: The medications are erratic, there's not one that her system can't eventually break down, and you have to recalibrate --
Mal: I want a lot of medical jargon thrown at me, I'll talk to a doctor.
Simon: You are talking to a doctor.
Mal: Yeah, okay -- point is, coulda been you she mighta shot just then. The doctor, as you just made note of. And who exactly could fix you? Not nobody. We're still in deep space, Doctor, corner of No and Where. You take extra care with her. 'Cause we're very much alone out here.
Wash: Little River just gets more colorful by the moment. What will she do next?
Zoe: Either blow us all up or rub soup in her hair, it's a toss up.
Wash: I hope she does the soup thing. It's always a hoot and we don't all die from it.
Kaylee: Well, no, she was. I got pinned down, there was three guys and I couldn't... and then River comes up and she looks out, sees 'em all. They was spread out, you know, had some cover, but she just looked for a second and... She took my gun. Closed her eyes. Killed 'em.
Simon: She shot them?
Kaylee: All three dead in an instant. With her eyes still closed.
Jayne: Well that's (a babboon's ass-crack) [FAY-FAY duh PEE-yen]. You saw it wrong.
Kaylee: Not a jot. And it weren't autofire, or luck... she just... she just did the math.
Zoe: You understand how that sounds...
Jayne: What? She killed them with mathematics, what else could it have been.
Kaylee: Please don't be mad...
Simon: I just want to understand what you're saying here. I thought River was your friend.
Kaylee: She is. But Simon... the way she... right after, she looked at me and smiled, like nothing was wrong. Like we were playing. Scared me.
Mal: What we got here to deal with is the larger issue. And the larger issue is we got someone on board this ship might be a danger to us.
Kaylee: Simon --
Simon: I gotta go check on my assassin.
Kaylee: Simon please don't be mad at me. I had to say something.
Simon: I'm not mad at you. I just... she loves this ship. I think it's more home to her than any place she's been.
Kaylee: What about you?
Simon: I'm... I thought the hospital was home. I was really making a difference there... and embarrassingly large stacks of money, and I could've... I would be there right now if she hadn't... if they had just left her alone.
Kaylee: Is it so bad here?
Simon: I don't even know if the captain'll let us --
Kaylee: No, but, isn't there anything about this place you're glad of?
Simon: Uh, I --
Kaylee: No, yeah --
Simon: Good night.
Kaylee: Don't let the space bugs... bite...
Kaylee: Space bugs...?
Early: I like this ship. Serenity. She's good-looking. I mean she looks good.
Kaylee: How did you get on...?
Early: It strains the mind a bit, don't it? You think you're all alone... Maybe I come down the chimney, Kaylee, bring presents to the good girls and boys. Maybe not, though.
Maybe I've always been here.
Early: Where's your sister?
Simon: Are you Alliance?
Early: Am I a lion?
Simon: What?
Early: I don't think of myself as a lion. You may as well, though: I have a mighty roar.
Simon: I said "Alliance".
Early: Oh. I thought --
Simon: No, I was...
Early: That's weird... Where's your sister?
Early: I'm not wrong, dumpling. I will shoot your brother dead if you don't --
River: Wrong about River. River's not on the ship. They didn't want her here, but she couldn't make herself leave, so she melted. Melted away.
River: They didn't know she could do that... but she did.
Early: Not sure I take your meaning there...
River: I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship.
Simon: River...
River: River's gone.
Early: Then who exactly are we talking to?
River: You're talking to Serenity. And Early... Serenity is very unhappy.
River: He's not gonna hurt you, Kaylee; he's only visiting.
Kaylee: I told him where you were, I'm sorry, I didn't know what --
River: Sshhhh... I'm fine. Only I need you to do something for me. Gotta be brave.
Kaylee: I'm tied up, I can't --
River: Got tools. something sharp. Don't be scared. I'm right here.
Early: I only hurt people 'cause they keep getting in the way of finding you! Tell her!
Simon: What am I, your advocate?
Early: You are starting now.
Simon: He's really very gentle and fuzzy, we're becoming fast friends.
River: *giggles*
Early: You folk are all insane!
Simon: Well, my sister's a ship, we had a complicated childhood.
Mal: There was a guy, he was very blurry. You gotta be careful.... how come there's a guy on board and how come you're all of a sudden the ship?
River: I know you have questions...
Mal: Yeah, that would be why I just asked them --
River: But there isn't a lot of time. Captain, I need you to trust me.
Mal: Am I dreaming?
River: We all are.
River: Put the gun away.
Early: Okay, I'm putting it away...
Simon: No he's not.
River: It's okay, Early. I'm going with you.
Simon: River, what are you --
River: Don't belong. Dangerous. Like you. Can't be controlled. Can't be trusted. Everybody could just go on without me, not have to worry. People could be who they wanted to be, could be with the people they wanted... could live simple. No secrets.
Simon: No...
River: And I'll be fine. I'll be your bounty, Jubel Early. And then I'll just fade away.
River: Permission to come aboard?
Mal: You know, you ain't quite right.
River: It's the popular theory.
Mal: Get on in there. Give your brother a thrashing for messing up your plan.
River: He takes so much looking after...
Simon: To the left -- your left. Now, very gently, pull that aside.
Zoe: This is really not my area of expertise, Doctor. I tend to be putting these into people more than the other thing.
Wash: Can I mop your brow? I'm at the ready with the fearsome brow mopping.
Simon: You got the bullet. Okay, I'm gonna pass out for a minute, but you're doing great.
Kaylee: Dyah! I'm at fours. Let's see you match that.
River: --I can win this.
Kaylee: I'm hearing a lot of talk, genius. Come on. Show me what you got.
Discuss:
1. Does it surprise you that Mal and Zoe immediately follow River's directions with very little questioning?
2. What does Jubal mean when he says "that's not a Shepherd?"
3. I find this episode very disturbing on a number of levels. What moment really gets to you?
4. In an episode with a lot of heavy themes and moments, it's also quite hilarious. What are your favorite humourous moments?
5. Given the episodes that we were given in the series, was this the one to end it on? Or would you have rather seen a different episode be the final one? (Like perhaps "The Message") And does it lead into the movie in a way that makes sense to you?
GUYS. THIS IS A RIDICULOUSLY LONG POST. AND I SWEAR THAT DESPITE APPEARANCES TO THE CONTRARY, SIMON TAM IS NOT MY FAVORITE.
... although. he is quite lovely.
VERY IMAGE HEAVY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED