jedibuttercup

XD Hi! Dropping by here to make a comment. Watching Firefly and Serenity, I suppose in a way, I noticed something inexplicably fascinating with the way you addressed the Mal/River pairing and that I've noticed it too.

Incidentally, Inara's line in the capture-photo--"That man doesn't know what he wants"--is probably actually quite true. His subconscious may know already, but he's not consciously admitting anything to himself. Thus, it makes sense that he's busily being visibly obsessed with Inara, and yet focusing most of his energy on River, without being contradictory about it.

What a funny thing that you mentioned this because it nagged me everywhere for some bizzare reason. Mind you, I've read this essay a couple of times and lol, I'm a fan of any River/anyone really, it's just a matter of which I like the best. Those perceptions you saw I certainly agree with and here's another tricky little thing that Objects in Space suggested that Mal/River gets another point in possibility.

In Objects in Space, Jubal gets a little irrated and needing to do something to relieve off the stress XD and then River starts talking..."I'm not on the ship, I'm in the ship...I am Serenity." -- "I am Serenity", River spouts of saying she melted with the ship and became Serenity. Must admit, I had to agree with Jubal at the time with River becoming one with Serenity as nonsensical crap but it just so happens that you said this:

I will, however, say this: any woman in Mal's life is going to have to compete with Serenity for his attention.

Add that to what River said in Objects in Space, River is Serenity and it becomes even more clear in the movie (if you get my drift - Mal's world suddenly revolves around making River better, making Serenity better, -- as Serenity is the world he continues to stay in: his hell world in a sense -- and by making Serenity better, his world gets better). Maybe it doesn't do much but it is something to work with.

Serenity = River.

And what does Mal love ♥♥♥ the most?

Serenity. XD

Love your essay. I have to say that after this Mal/River is my favourite OTP in Firefly/Serenity.