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Date Posted: 19:54:06 10/18/02 Fri
Author: Scroll
Subject: Who wrote Ep 1.4? Also, my review (spoilers 1.4, BtVS 7.4, AtS 4.1)

Okay, I'm gonna try reviewing this ep even though I missed a bit of the beginning. While I didn't like "Jayne's Town" as much as "Bushwacked" and "Our Mrs. Reynolds", I did feel it touched on some very interesting points.

1) What does it means to be a hero? What does it mean to have faith? Why does faith seldom make any sense?

River can't understand the Bible. It doesn't make any sense to her, and she tries to "fix it" so that it's more logical. She wants to get rid of the contradictions, to resolve the "impossible miracles" that don't jive with scientific evidence. Shepherd tries explaining that the Bible isn't about "making sense" but about faith. About allowing a belief in something to transform the believer.

Jayne has been lauded a hero. Four years ago he and his partner (can't remember his name!) stole money from the dictator/magistrate of a mud town (place that produces mud for ceramics). But to escape, Jayne was forced to dump both partner and money -- and the money landed in the middle of "Jayne's Town", prompting the poor mud workers to band together, defy the magistrate, and build a mud statue in honour of their space-faring Robin Hood.

I'm not sure if I like the implications of what Joss is telling us in this episode -- but that's because I'm a Christian. If you're atheist, Joss' deliberate paralleling of the mudders' faith in Jayne and Shepherd's faith in the Bible won't bother you as much, I think. However, for the story's purposes, it makes sense and the two scenarios reveal something about Jayne. He didn't start out four years ago to be a hero, but the mudders' faith in him planted in him a glimmer of what it means to be a hero. (This is especially interesting in light of Buffy's failed attempt to save Cassie in "Help" and Angel's words to Connor about being a champion in "Deep Down".)

2) What does it mean to be a man on the frontier? How will sex be treated?

Inara's session with the magistrate's son (Kess?) was quite dignified and not at all gratuitous. I suppose some people have been worried about how "Firefly" would portray Inara's profession. I like how she said that having sex wouldn't make him a man, that it was something he had to do for himself. To stand up and make a difference. Okay, and I just really love Simon. He's so cute! Clueless, but cute! It really is a clash of cultures between him and Kaylee, an understandable difference. (And perhaps I'm looking for connections where there are none, but Simon gives us a lesson on beer and Egyptian history? The mudders make ceramic? Dawn is taking Ceramics class and Cassie's friend Mike has an Egyptian History test? Either Joss is recycling material or he's making a point. Or I could just be insane :P )

Final points on things I loved. Shepherd's hair was so Albert Einstein! Interesting that he says it's a requirement of his order. I had a friend in high school who had that rule as well (I don't think most Christians have it, anyone know?) Maybe there was a deeper meaning behind his 'fro but I didn't see it. Very funny, though.

Also, the "Jayne" folk song was hilarious! And they sounded pretty good! Loved the looks on the crew's faces when that guitarist belted out the first stanza :)

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