3.7 family meeting #2: debriefing on the Operative

[wposflv src=http://www.wiredcrow.com/serenity_analysis/videos/03-07-02.flv]
  • This meeting occurs in the living room
  • Inara’s opening speech further emphasizes everything the Operative is that Mal is not, firmly establishing him as Mal’s foil
    • The Operative is sustained by belief and absolutely devote to the point of not questioning anything
  • In the part of the conversation where Jayne pushes Mal too far, everything the movie has been alluding to comes full revelation
    • This is Mal’s behavior as a volunteer Browncoat coming to service, it’s also who he really is, and it’s the part of him that he is trying to deny.
    • Interestingly, it is also the first time Mal really stands his ground and it’s Zoe that asks Jayne to leave
  • The first serious argument between Mal and Inara also happens here where the dialogue has Mal literally pushing Inara away
    • Again, he walks away from her

At this point, there are a few other incidents and interactions that starts pushing Mal towards the turning point as well as binding the theme that Mal carries with the one that River carries a lot closer, and as a result, linking the characters more and more. I won’t go into the, but will jump straight to the next significant part.