jedibuttercup

An excellent, in-depth evaluation of the Mal/River dynamic. Wonderfully written with clear and concise language, you backed up everything I'd ever thought about the pairing.

It might be interesting to note I went in to the series already a River/Mal shipper. I hadn't seen the series or the film but from the promotional work and a few comments by a friend about "how cool is Summer?" I started watching it fully expecting there would be romance (or at the very least, romantic tension) between the two. I was understandably surprised by Inara and her role in everything, but even up to "Objects in Space" I was waiting for River and Mal to create more of a dynamic.

Slightly disappointed in the lack of realisation between them, I watched Serenity and became very, very happy. The shipper within me just gobbled up all those beautiful moments and I have to say I've always enjoyed the journey to a (fictional) relationship more than the relationship itself. The beautiful things about Mal and River are the possibilities, the what-may-comes. I choose to believe that things will happen, and I prefer to dream over being slapped in the face with canon. The Inara thing was never sorted and that leaves the window of opportunity open for something else.

Well done on this excellent dissertion. I'll be memming it for future reference and I'm glad to see there are other people who share my mindset, that Mal and River belong together because no one else can understand.