GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

At the end of the BDM ...

POSTED BY: LITTLEALBATROSS29
UPDATED: Saturday, November 18, 2006 06:31
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 8025
PAGE 1 of 1

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 3:13 PM

LITTLEALBATROSS29


When River is done killing the Reavers,and the Alliance comes,do you thnk she could have taken on and beaten those Alliance soldiers ?
I say yes & my husband says no way.
So Browncoats, what do you say ?

Bryce
*******************************

I swallowed a bug.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 3:24 PM

PENGUIN


I think it would have been a battle, but the rifles aren't meant for close combat, so she has an advantage!



King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 3:28 PM

EMBERS


I think she would have taken them and have gotten mowed down in a hail of bullets...

she had the advantage w/Reavers who want to fight close enough to take a bite (they don't want their meal killed)
but the Alliance soldiers would want her dead asap

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 3:52 PM

DERANGEDMILK


I'm with your husband, she would have gotten hosed.
-e

"Storms getting worse."
"We'll pass through it soon enough."

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 3:58 PM

CHRISMOORHEAD


It depends. If they opened fire at the range they were at to begin with, River would have been dead. Having her come out on top in that situation would take the "fiction" in science fiction to a whole new level for the FireFly product. Like, to a "Matrix" level.

Also, think about it in terms of the drama of that final scene. If River stood a chance of beating the Alliance, there'd be no point in the mounting seconds of tension before they were given to order to stand down. Why? Because if River killed some more Alliance soldiers, who cares? But if they kill her, then it's a huge tragedy. The only tension... "device" was the possability of her dying.

I was quite pleased with how things turned out. The only way it could have been better for me personally, is if I had a go at her with the fisticuffs.

[IMG]
Place my body on a ship and burn it on the sea,
Let my spirit rise, Valkiries carry me.
Take me to Valhalla where my brothers wait for me.
Fires burn into the sky, my spirit will never die.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 5:39 PM

GED


I think we are all forgetting one small thing.

"She can kill with her BRAIN!"

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 6:42 PM

WHIMSICALNBRAINPAN


I think she could but would get hurt in the process.

"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." http://whimsicalnbrainpan.blogspot.com/

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 6:59 PM

GED


Hi Whimsical! *HUGS* to you!

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:02 PM

WHIMSICALNBRAINPAN


Hi GED! Hope all is well.

"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." http://whimsicalnbrainpan.blogspot.com/

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:08 PM

YINYANG

You were busy trying to get yourself lit on fire. It happens.


I'm with Whim. She would have been able to take them, but she would have sustained some not-so-nice injuries, and... with Simon being temporarily incapacitated, she would have most likely died.

That is why I am very glad it turned out the way it did...

---
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love - it's the only thing that there's just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No, not just for some, but for everyone."

http://richlabonte.net/tvvote

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 2:49 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.


Had River tried to take on all those Alliance troopers she would have been killed. Fighting Reavers armed only with melee weapons in a crowded dimly lit room is one thing. Fighting highly trained Alliance troopers in combat armor who are armed with high tech weaponry is another. Keep in mind the troopers were also in a firing lane and could have concentrated their fire at River without fear of hitting one of their own. I do not doubt she would have killed some of them, but not all of them.



__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

[img] [/img]

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org


NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 2:58 AM

AGENTROUKA


She would have been dead, deader, deadest if she had tried.

They were standing close together, guns ready and aimed at nothing but their enemy, just waiting for a kill order. If she had so much as twitched, they would have mowed her down.

Maybe she could have thrown one axe, but that would have been a minimum of damage compared to a pretty instant death. And not just hers but also of those huddled behind her: the crew.

Reavers want their prey alive, which was River's advantage in that battle, along with their crowded position in the room which didn't allow them to fire without creating a bloodbath among their own.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 3:51 AM

MAVOURNEEN


To me, the question isn't whether River could have taken the soldiers...

Who opened the door revealing River "triumphant"?

(Kaylee rigged the door so it couldn't be opened by the Reavers from the outside...and our BDH were laying on the floor all kinds of hurt.)



NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 4:01 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by Mavourneen:
To me, the question isn't whether River could have taken the soldiers...

Who opened the door revealing River "triumphant"?

(Kaylee rigged the door so it couldn't be opened by the Reavers from the outside...and our BDH were laying on the floor all kinds of hurt.)




I think that question can be safely put into the category "Suspension of Disbelief".

There is no rational reason for this door to have opened. It was a handwaved "miracle" for the sake of the hero shot that Joss wrote the entire sequence for.

*sigh* I'm not a great fan of it but... whatever. My "real" hero moment for River isn't in the movie, it's in the series. "Objects in Space", there she was a real hero. :)

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 4:19 AM

BROWNCOAT555



she would have been deader than a doornail...hence, the cinematic tension, as someone has already posted.



NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:30 AM

MRBEN


OK - few thoughts based on the above comments:

1. Reavers only with melee weapons? What about the gun they should Kaylee with? And Jayne commenting about them having guns. Just not true.

2. Opening the door - maybe it was an Alliance override of the systems? Or maybe it was linked to the returning lift?

Do I think she could've taken them? I guess it depends on the speed of the guns, and the willingness of the alliance soldiers to catch their colleagues in the crossfire. I'm thinking a definite maybe ;)

mrben

"Carpe Aptenodytes"
http://www.jedimoose.org

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:47 AM

CODEMONKEY


Okay, I'd like to point out that they had completely surrounded her, thus all shots fired would either hit her or hit a comrade (just pointing out the poor tactical planning shown by the Alliance). Taking just that into account, River would have been mowed down and quickly (as would probably half of the purple bellies to boot).

However, had she made the right move and fast enough she could have gained more of an advantage (e.g. getting in between one alliance soldier and the rest, using him as a shield and perhaps disarming him). From there it would be possible for River to survive (though unlikely) and the Alliance troopers would have taken more casualities for certain.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:54 AM

REDLAVA


A lot of soldiers with automatic weapons and itchy trigger fingers
VS
90 pound pissed off girl with an ax and a sword looking to kill some folk.

Close one but me thinks that at least one alliance soldier would get a good shot off before she sliced him. I think everybody would die.


Everybody always has the advantage over us, but that's what makes us special...and Browncoats.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:35 AM

DEVONNITE


Quote:

Originally posted by LittleAlbatross29:
When River is done killing the Reavers,and the Alliance comes,do you thnk she could have taken on and beaten those Alliance soldiers ?
I say yes & my husband says no way.
So Browncoats, what do you say ?

Bryce
*******************************

I swallowed a bug.





To all of you who think that River didn't stand a chance and would have been mowed down, you might be right, but then again, after watching the River Tam Sessions, you might realize that she had a better than average chance of not even having to move to take them all out.

River is still a danger to them all, the more she gets used to and learns how to control her powers.

http://www.destinything.com/id149.html

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:43 AM

ZEEK


I think the only way she wins is if she really can kill with her brain. Other than that I just see her trying some sort of backflip to get inbetween their ranks and start some close quarters combat. Probably not the best situation for the soldiers but still they'd spread out almost immediately and the more she kills the easier it will be for them to get a shot.

The only way she lives if they engage in combat is her getting behind them and running for it IMO.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:44 AM

LITTLEALBATROSS29


I've heard mention of the River Tam sessions, but don't know what or where it is.CAn you provide assistance please ?

EDIT :
ok I followed your link - thanks and I should have done it before posting .Silly me.
Bryce
*************************************8

I swallowed a bug.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:51 AM

MUTT999


Would have been very interesting!

- - - - - - - - - - - -
"That's the buffet table."
- - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:19 AM

EVILBUNGLE


The way I see it, They had just watched half their collegues wiped out in a space battle with reavers, then they saw a girl had just taken out a load of said reavers. the fact the didn't shoot at first sight proves they were very discaplined. you can't beat a formed line of well trained soldiers when they already have their guns aimed.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 8:21 AM

IMNOTHERE


Quote:

Originally posted by embers:
I think she would have taken them and have gotten mowed down in a hail of bullets...


Unless J.W. had invited Terry Pratchett onto the scriptwriting team. In that case, on receiving the "kill" order, the soldiers would have looked nervously at one another, one would have mumbled "remember rule one!" and they would have ran away very fast.

Anybody with a grasp of narrative causality knows that if a heavily armed, presumably well trained group of soldiers take on a single individual who is apparently defenceless (or carrying an archaic weapon) they will inevitably get their asses handed to them. Especially if said individual is either (a) a wizened, oriental-looking old man or (ever since Alien) (b) an attractive but pissed-off looking woman holding a big phallic axe.


NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 9:36 AM

MILFORD


Are you kidding? She totally destroyed a gaggle of Reavers (gaggle is the right term?), so you know she could have shredded a passel of those soft purplebellies. No problem.

No power in the verse can stop her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Customizeable handmade baby gifts personalized by my wife! Check them out at www.baby-bobo.com. All proceeds go towards international adoption.

Leaning into the wind that used to carry me-Stavesacre

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 10:07 AM

MYCROFTXXX


Couple thoughts here:

1) River is a reader. As proven earlier in the movie, walls or other physical impediments don't faze her (she "felt" the reavers in the heist scene). This means she already read every purplebelly's intentions and what their reaction to a kill order would be.

2) The fact that they were asking for a Kill order in the first place may have been an order implanted by River into the platoon sargeant's mind. It was obvious that the rules of engagement in the preceding battle scenes were very clear. "Somebody shoot something!"

3) Killing the purple bellies may not have been her plan had they received the order to shoot. A quick sideways flip and she's out the "reaver door" to the left of the troops.

4) The comment about her so much as twitching would have resulted in a hail of bullets, well she did twitch when she tightened her hand on the axe. As much as we want to hate the purplebellies they are still well trained infantry and would have held fire unless River made a move towards them.

Of course, all of this is moot as the point of the purplebellies pulling the wall out was to frame River with bright light for the hero shot, not end the movie with an anti-climactic "yet another fight". The scene ended perfectly.

--

Given a choice between the earth-that-is and the 'verse-that-will-be I'll take the latter.

宁静

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 9:02 PM

MRBEN


For the record, I don't think that River can kill anyone with her brain. I think she just used it on a scare tactic with Jayne, because he was stupid/superstitious enough to believe her.

mrben

"Carpe Aptenodytes"
http://www.jedimoose.org

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 2, 2006 11:26 PM

EVILBUNGLE


got to agree here, The "i Can kill you with my brain" was clearly a line she used mischevously to keep Jayne in line, also she seems to only read people when concentraiting or who have overpowering thoughts (Such as reavers) I think if she was to read everyones mind all the time she would be unable to work out what people are saying, like listening for one voice in a football stadium, iut is only possible if you really focus on them or they are very loud.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 12:02 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by mycroftxxx:
Couple thoughts here:

1) River is a reader. As proven earlier in the movie, walls or other physical impediments don't faze her (she "felt" the reavers in the heist scene). This means she already read every purplebelly's intentions and what their reaction to a kill order would be.



Which wouldn't have exactly helped her become bullet proof, now would it? It's one thing to know how they would react, and another to have viable options to actually deal with that.


Quote:


2) The fact that they were asking for a Kill order in the first place may have been an order implanted by River into the platoon sargeant's mind. It was obvious that the rules of engagement in the preceding battle scenes were very clear. "Somebody shoot something!"



River can't transmit thoughts. She can read them. Hence "reader". Her power isn't an active one and nothing has ever suggested that it is.

Quote:


3) Killing the purple bellies may not have been her plan had they received the order to shoot. A quick sideways flip and she's out the "reaver door" to the left of the troops.



True enough, but the question was whether River could have beaten them in a fight.

Quote:


4) The comment about her so much as twitching would have resulted in a hail of bullets, well she did twitch when she tightened her hand on the axe. As much as we want to hate the purplebellies they are still well trained infantry and would have held fire unless River made a move towards them.




If you'll notice, though, the soldiers' fingers did tighten on the triggers of their weapons at that very twitch. Kill order or not, a move on her part, as you say, would have resulted in a hail of fire, and while River is "conditioned for combat", she is not superhumanly fast. She would have been dead.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 12:07 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by codemonkey:
Okay, I'd like to point out that they had completely surrounded her, thus all shots fired would either hit her or hit a comrade (just pointing out the poor tactical planning shown by the Alliance). Taking just that into account, River would have been mowed down and quickly (as would probably half of the purple bellies to boot).

However, had she made the right move and fast enough she could have gained more of an advantage (e.g. getting in between one alliance soldier and the rest, using him as a shield and perhaps disarming him). From there it would be possible for River to survive (though unlikely) and the Alliance troopers would have taken more casualities for certain.



Are you certain that they had her surrounded in a circle?

Because the way i remember the scene, it was the soldier in one line close to the hole in the wall, River in the middle and the crew in the elevator corridor on the other side. No soldiers in each other's line of fire. If anything, they would have mowed down the crew along with River.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 1:55 AM

JOHNBOY


Personally, I think it all depended on wether she could get in among them before they could get off a clean shot. You SAW the length of those gun barrels, right? In a melee those guns would have been useless, because they could not have swung those long barrels around quickly enough to draw a bead before head parted company from shoulder.

River gets my vote. She fancied her chances too, if you care to notice - she looked towards Mal, she was clearly asking wether he wanted her to take 'em out.

She KNEW. Deep down, you all really know the answer too, don't you...

Cheers,
Johnboy

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 1:58 AM

JOHNBOY


Quote:

Originally posted by Mavourneen:
To me, the question isn't whether River could have taken the soldiers...

Who opened the door revealing River "triumphant"?

The Alliance soldiers. They had rigged the grapples to pull down the wall earlier in the River-Reaver fight, and were waiting for the sapper to tell them that the door overrides were in place before pulling the wall down.

After all, not much point pulling down the wall if you're then faced with a closed blast door.

Cheers,
Johnboy

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 2:10 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by Johnboy:
Personally, I think it all depended on wether she could get in among them before they could get off a clean shot. You SAW the length of those gun barrels, right? In a melee those guns would have been useless, because they could not have swung those long barrels around quickly enough to draw a bead before head parted company from shoulder.



And the chances of her getting in there fast enough are... how high? Unlike the Reavers or the people in the bar, these are highly trained soldiers who know exactly what River is capable of, more likely than they don't, considering they worked for the Operative, who is also fully aware of it.

I don't know why everyone is so determined to consider all Alliance soldiers incompetent fools. Highly trained soldiers. Why would they fail at shooting her?

Quote:

River gets my vote. She fancied her chances too, if you care to notice - she looked towards Mal, she was clearly asking wether he wanted her to take 'em out.



Or maybe she was simply asking for some kind of reassurance because she just hacked up dozens of what used to be human beings and is facing a passel of well-armed, well-trained soldiers on top of it right now, and now she finally has some contact with the people she fought for in the first place? Or asking whether she should TRY attacking them, thus dooming them all to death in a hail of bullets? Everything is up to interpretation. There is nothing that's "clearly xyz", in that scene.

Quote:


She KNEW. Deep down, you all really know the answer too, don't you...




Could you sound any more arrogant if you tried? Geez.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 3, 2006 2:48 AM

BROWNCOAT555



of course, anything can be done in a work of fiction....however, I don't think Joss intended River to be Wonder Woman, that is for a different movie franchise.

River is not a superhero, she is an empath and a highly trained martial artist who can, essentially, "go berzerk" when triggered. I suspect a berzerk individual could continue fighting even after being mortally-wounded (such as has been reported about people under the influence of PCP, for instance).

She is NOT, however, going to stop bullets Matrix-style, nor hop out of their way Matrix-style.


NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 8:12 AM

CODEMONKEY


I'm pretty sure that they fanned out after enter the wall breach, at least making the semblance of a crescent.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 8:26 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by codemonkey:
I'm pretty sure that they fanned out after enter the wall breach, at least making the semblance of a crescent.



That is true. I just rewatched the scene and it's a crescent that's smaller than a half-circle. They're not placed in a way that they would shoot each other if they tried shooting her.

Even I River could move fast enough to get close to them so that the soldier toward the edge of the crescent were blocked from shooting - and she would have to be pretty darn super-fast to do so before getting shot already - this would not prevent the ones still near the hole in the wall to just keep shooting at her.

Not to mention the armor they're wearing. Who's to say that's not bullet proof for situations just like these?

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 7:03 PM

MARTIANWAY


If River had chosen to attack the soldiers while they were fanned out around her, I think she would have died. The soldiers seem pretty sharp to begin with (notice how most of them get a tighter grip on their triggers as soon as River shifts her hold on the axe? A group of cretians wouldn't have caught that subtle a movement). Presumably, they know about her superassasin capabilities--they don't underestimate her. And River, while a kick-ass fighter, can't dodge bullets.

But I think she might have gotton the better of the squadron if she had done something unexpected. Say she had dropped her weapons, put her hands up, and said "I surrender". The soldiers still keep most of their guns trained on her, but a couple of them radio the Operative.

The Operative now has a dilemma; kill the superassasin and make sure her secret doesn't get out (ooops), or capture her and return the Academy's prize pupil.

In the HOB/Jubal Early days, River was wanted alive. Now it beats me if River is wanted "Dead or Alive" or just "Dead".

And then there are a million other variables to consider, like how the Op. and the soldiers react to the fact that River's sane (whether they ever knew exactly how insane she was or not), and how the soldiers respond to a possible kill order ("We're supposed to kill somebody who's surrendering?") and whether any of the crew gets into the fray and does something distracting

If the soldiers tried to capture her, I think she would get out easily. First off, as soon as a soldier tries to handcuff her, he's a human shield. A bunch of soldiers try and handcuff her, they're close range and River eats them. Even in handcuffs, she's not exactly helpless (in fact, now that she's a genius psycic superassasin able to go beserk at will, I'd say even straitjacketed and locked up in a tomb she'd have a chance).

If the Operative gives the kill order, River still has a few options. First off, the radio conversation between the commander and the Operative would probably distract a couple of soldiers (at the very least, they wouldn't be 100% focused on River 'cause they're trying to hear what the Op is saying). The fact that she's surrendering might distract a few more, the fact that she's sane might distract a few more, and the fact that she looks about thirteen years old, is pretty, and is in a nice dress might distract a couple more of them. The small distractions might be all River needs to get in close range.

Furthermore, the soldiers might have a bit of hesitation about killing a surrendering, weaponless 90-pound girl. Again, the collective indecision might provide River with a window.

And then there's the crew to think about--they could start shooting something, or playing shadow puppets, or all sorts of stuff that's a mite distracting. I think River's best chance of getting out is having a couple of the crew start shooting at the soldiers. Crew shooting= enormous distraction + dead soldiers + River triumphant.

But all of those things would look really lame in the movie.

"And you can't stop me by gettin' all...bendy..."

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 7:38 PM

SIRI


I say Joss and his crew could have made it happen and look easy! I'm thinking she would have "read" it before it started happening - she could have leaped over and into them confounding their fire or walked up the wall and used all kinds of things as weapons. Their might have been more Firefly crew casualties if they had to engage with the Alliance.

Then there's that "I can kill you with my brain" thing. She may have more psychic abilities than we've seen so far.

And they didn't want her dead - they wanted her alive - not really sure they really wanted Simon alive - but River, yes, they would have avoided killing her if at all possible. Maybe used "the words" or shot her up with a stun gun or something to try to knock her out.

I liked the way it ended, though.



"I can kill you with my brain."

Siri

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 9:43 PM

THEONETRUEBIX


Of course she would have won. Wtch her eyes when she turns around to look at them. She's doing the math.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 9:50 PM

ASARIAN


Quote:

Originally posted by AgentRouka:



And the chances of her getting in there fast enough are... how high? Unlike the Reavers or the people in the bar, these are highly trained soldiers who know exactly what River is capable of, more likely than they don't, considering they worked for the Operative, who is also fully aware of it.

I don't know why everyone is so determined to consider all Alliance soldiers incompetent fools. Highly trained soldiers. Why would they fail at shooting her?




She would have died, instantly. Slicing up a bunch of crazed, animal like Reavers with no training, and no expectation of what to face (nor with any regard, hence caution, for the numbers they might lose, btw) is not the same as dodging bullets by highly trained Alliance folk with kill-orders "at first twitch".

What was it that I so recently read on an avatar? "I can kill you with my cuteness." She probably could, lol. But swinging an axe that's not even lifted, it would take a sea of time to overcome the inertia alone to try and swing it again.


--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 10:19 PM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by theonetruebix:
Of course she would have won. Wtch her eyes when she turns around to look at them. She's doing the math.




Maybe the math in her head also told her that she wouldn't have stood a chance and attacking them was akin to going out in a blaze of glory?

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, November 16, 2006 10:22 PM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by Siri:

And they didn't want her dead - they wanted her alive - not really sure they really wanted Simon alive - but River, yes, they would have avoided killing her if at all possible. Maybe used "the words" or shot her up with a stun gun or something to try to knock her out.




Actually, Inara says that the Operative believes that "killing River is the right thing to do". Why would she assume he wants to kill her unless the Operative gave some such indication? After all, she was always classified as "fugitive" with a bounty on her head, which implies capturing her alive.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 17, 2006 2:51 AM

DARKFLY


Since I'm a massive River/Summer fan I would have to say yes but if I wasn't I'd say yes but if I was a retard I'd say yes,Mo'kay.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Things are about to get interesting...Define interesting...Oh GOD oh GOD we're all going to die.

Go to

to see my cool trailer.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 17, 2006 8:32 AM

DONCOAT


It's quite possible -- I would say almost certain -- that the particular group of soldiers in that scene was not in the Operative's squadron, and hence would not necessarily have known about River's capabilities.

I say this because most of the Alliance force was not with him until he called in "every ship in the quadrant". Those who were with him all along (and might have known something about River) were aboard his flagship, which was destroyed in the Reaver battle. The Op was the only survivor of that ship's company, as far as we know. The only other escape pod we saw was engulfed in the fireball.

So this team was from another ship. They knew that the Op was in command but may not have known much about the mission and its objectives. They were quite unlikely to know that River was a trained psychic assassin, since even that knowledge would be highly classified and limited to a "need to know" basis.

So they were confronted by a strange and confusing situation. That's not easy to handle even for a trained soldier, and is something River might have been able to take advantage of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 17, 2006 8:53 PM

PIRATECAT


Big Damn Yes, Why cause, But she has spidy senses remember her jumping up to the ceiling at the VA clinic. Then she would loop around axe in hand wack kill 2 use another purple belly as a shield assault rifle in hand now blam one row dead blam another row dead easy as lyen. Also she knows Mal got through and she would be a jump ahead on the troopers cause she reads minds and most important its in the script.

He looks better in red. (warning do not wear blue sun shirts around this little crazy person)

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Friday, November 17, 2006 9:43 PM

ARCADIA


I have to say no. If it was hand-to-hand combat, the soldiers would have no chance. But, they had guns. Lots of guns. Even if she managed to take out two or three, she'd have been gunned down before she could get to them all.

Arcadia (aka Greyfable and/or Katie)
www.stillflying.net -- picking up Firefly were Joss left off. We will hold 'til he gets back.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Saturday, November 18, 2006 5:43 AM

CYBERSNARK


Quote:

Originally posted by AgentRouka:
Quote:

Originally posted by theonetruebix:
Of course she would have won. Wtch her eyes when she turns around to look at them. She's doing the math.


Maybe the math in her head also told her that she wouldn't have stood a chance and attacking them was akin to going out in a blaze of glory?


And note how she turned to look at Mal, getting his order. She knew it was hopeless, but she was preparing to attack them anyway if that was what Mal wanted her to do.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

NOTIFY: N   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Saturday, November 18, 2006 5:59 AM

AGENTROUKA


Quote:

Originally posted by Cybersnark:
Quote:

Originally posted by AgentRouka:
Quote:

Originally posted by theonetruebix:
Of course she would have won. Wtch her eyes when she turns around to look at them. She's doing the math.


Maybe the math in her head also told her that she wouldn't have stood a chance and attacking them was akin to going out in a blaze of glory?


And note how she turned to look at Mal, getting his order. She knew it was hopeless, but she was preparing to attack them anyway if that was what Mal wanted her to do.




I absolutely agree.

All I'm saying is that she had no chance of beating them, not that she might not have tried. *g*

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Saturday, November 18, 2006 6:31 AM

NBZ


She would have been gunned down.Heavily armed soldiers standing in a firing squad formation are not easily beaten. All it would take is one bullet.

But the interesting thing about that scene is she is ready to fight, Mal also has his gun unholstered also ready to fight.

But Jayne? he just seems to be telling her to put the weapons down.

In the movie, the target of the operative is to eliminate River Tam, not capture her. He also IMO 'closed' the Academy. at point of death.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

YOUR OPTIONS

NEW POSTS TODAY

USERPOST DATE

FFF.NET SOCIAL