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Date Posted: 17:15:02 11/19/02 Tue
Author: fresne
Subject: What Mal knew, Simon and the ethics of murder (spoilers for Ariel)
In reply to: Vickie 's message, "What Mal knew, Simon and the ethics of murder (spoilers for Ariel)" on 10:18:29 11/17/02 Sun

People keep seeing an incest vibe between Simon and River for the same reason people read Slash vibes between pick any two characters and go. In a western post millennial culture kind of way, we don’t so much have a way to characterize really close bonds (or adversarial relationships it seems) without the sexual.

What did Cordelia call it, “Homoerotic Buddy Cop Thing.” or some like that.

Where there is emotion, we see sexual tension. The classic Kirk/Spock pairing. Batman/Robin. Smallville Clark/Lex. Okay that last one may actually be deliberate.

I’m somewhat reminded of Fred Astaire’s early dance career. He and his sister, Adel, never danced a romantic dance number together. They always did comedic dances, because even if the emotion of the dance would have been acting, eww, they’re brother and sister. However, in the movie Royal Wedding, when Fred and his co-star Jane Powell, were playing a brother and sister stage act, their stage numbers were romantic duets.

Anyway, I think it is the intense quality of Simon and River’s relationship, the lack of spatial boundaries, which in our sex obsessed culture strikes some as sexually charged.

Now I don’t see Simon and River’s relationship as one of incest. Quite frankly I think that they are closer than mere Slash. To call them twins almost gets there. Although, my cousins who are twins aren’t that close. Most brothers and sisters aren’t that close.

Really it’s the bond that comes of living through a trauma that has required an absolute abnegation of self for the other. A bond where sexuality could only get in the way. Generally, in any relationship, lover, friend, sibling, parent/child, there has to be boundaries. Space. Here it isn’t about relationship and compromise and give and take. It’s about devoting your life to someone who may get better, but may never be well again. It’s having absolute trust that someone will catch you if you fall. River trusts Simon enough to let him kill her with a needle. Trusts that he’ll know how to start that man’s heart again. Simon may never understand River’s babbling, but will love her anyway.

That’s why the scene from their childhood was vital. To show that River and Simon have always been close. It’s just that that their relationship is now read through the distorting magnifying lens of traumatic events.

I wish I had the hours to parallel Angel and Buffy and Firefly. Compare Simon and River with Buffy and Dawn. Buffy gave her life for Dawn, yet Dawn still doubts. It’s part of their relationship. Their issues. I consider River’s repetition in both Safe and Ariel that Simon has given up everything for her. That this where he should be, saving lives in one of the biggest of the best hospitals in the known worlds. Not sneaking in to steal drugs. Stealing for a chance to heal her. Her smile when Simon swings into his element. When he is in the place where he is confident and happy and powerful. Like his smile when she danced. It’s all about the other person being happy.

However, just because it’s sex isn’t an issue, doesn’t mean that people are catching an uneasiness within the text. Okay, I have no idea how to say this without stepping on toes.

I’m not saying that their relationship is unhealthy. At this point, River absolutely needs this level of attention and support. However, I’m curious to see, if River does improve, how they are to untwine the fabric of their pysches to the point that they are two and not one.

Or taken another way, I really want to see more of Wash and Zoe’s marriage. The potential conflict arising from the way Wash couldn’t quite believe that Mal and Zoe were just going to walk back into the hospital on a hunch. That Zoe doesn’t even question Mal. Just straps a gun to her leg. Coming moments after Zoe and Wash were enjoying the moment. I’ve heard talk, but not seen yet the tension line that must come from Zoe’s absolute loyalty to Mal. The cats cradle of tensions that develops when you have people in that kind of close proximity for long periods of time.

These kinds of tension are no small thing, as I recall the tensions involved when my father with increased escalation cared for my grandmother in the final six years of her life. The daily wear. The difficulty in finding the bandwidth to connect with other people because you’re just too tired. It’s a situation that I don’t believe that I’ve ever really seen on t.v. Oh, the odd character introduced for one off episodes, but the effect of years. Not so much.

So, if Simon ever did become involved with Kaylee, how would River deal with not being the center of his world? If River ever improved to the point that she could reach out for other relationships, where would that leave Simon? How would (fill in the romantic blank) deal with coming into a relationship with someone that closely connected to someone not them. Keeping in mind that in their status as fugitives, Simon and River are bound together not just by love and family, but by necessity. This is quite likely the primary bond that either one of them will have for the rest of their lives. Well, except this ME, so who knows?

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