Ariel (110)

[GateWorld]

<DIV ALIGN=CENTER><TABLE WIDTH=450 BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=7><TR><TD STYLE="border:0;"><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"><A HREF="http://www.scifistream.com/firefly/s1/ariel/"><IMG SRC="http://www.scifistream.com/wp-content/uploads/11012.jpg" STYLE="border:1px solid black;" WIDTH=160 HEIGHT=120 ALIGN=RIGHT HSPACE=10 VSPACE=2 BORDER=0 ALT="Visit the Episode Guide"></A><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#888888">FIREFLY SEASON ONE</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=4><A HREF="http://www.scifistream.com/firefly/s1/ariel/" STYLE="text-decoration: none">ARIEL</A></FONT>
<FONT SIZE=1>EPISODE NUMBER - 110</FONT>
<IMG SRC="/images/clear.gif" WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=10 ALT="">
The crew plans to lay low during a trip to a planet in the Alliance Core, until Simon proposes a lucrative job to break into a hospital to help his sister.

<FONT SIZE=1><B><A HREF="http://www.scifistream.com/firefly/s1/ariel/">VISIT THE EPISODE GUIDE >></A></B></FONT></FONT></DIV></TD></TR></TABLE></DIV>

[Easter Lily]

Ah... this is probably my favourite FF episode as much as it is possible to have just one...:D
A good heist story and an opportunity for Simon to spread his wings a little. It is probably the episode that gives insight into how much Simon gave up for River's sake. I like the pacing of the episode and that continual sense of urgency.

But the highlight of the episode is probably that little exchange at the end... Mal's fierce protectiveness of his crew, how it's all very personal and how aware he is of what goes on among his crew members. He really doesn't miss much. And why people underestimate him over and over again baffles the mind. One is also reminded that Mal really does have this darkside that emerges once every so often and he is capable of doing things that others may baulk at.

[Madeleine]

It's a great one. It's got a really different feel to it - possibly cos it's set on a core planet, with not a patch of semi-desert scrubland to be seen :). It's the most SF episode too, what with the hands of blue fellas and the creepy way they kill. It felt funny to see Simon as the one in charge, like in the scenes where Zoe, Mal and Jayne are all studiously attending to the lines Simon's telling them.

[Elite Anubis Guard]

This one was definetly interesting. A very interesting story and revelations and some nice development for the characters.

[Easter Lily]

It felt funny to see Simon as the one in charge, like in the scenes where Zoe, Mal and Jayne are all studiously attending to the lines Simon's telling them.

Funny in a good way, I thought...;)
"Patients were cynical..."
"Pupils were fixed and dilapidated..." :D

Wonder what the benefits of swimming in a bioluminescent lake are?

[Hatcheter]

I remember reading that this episode impressed the network execs enough that they placed a production order for two more. Episodes that were then never aired. Idiots.

[White Knight]

I really like this episode. It started out as a kinda light-hearted 'caper' episode, like Trash and The Train Job, but picks up momentum and intensity as events unfold (Jayne's betrayal, the Blue Hands). A great, great episode.

[Carbito]

Was this the only episode in which we had a good look at the "blue men"?
I am so dissapointed that we never got to find out what thier role in the Alliance is and why they are so...weird. There was something distinctly non-human about them.

[Immy]

Was this the only episode in which we had a good look at the "blue men"?
I am so dissapointed that we never got to find out what thier role in the Alliance is and why they are so...weird. There was something distinctly non-human about them.
Yep it were we got the best look at the Blue Hand men, I would have loved to have seen more of them.

I've got a theory that they work for the Blue Sun Corporation, and that Blue Sun is the real power behind the Aliance. Although this could just be me getting all conspiracy minded :P
But one thing to back up that there is something going on that connects Blue Sun in with River's story at least, is that at the start of the episode she wasn't attacking Jayne with the knife, she was attacking the Blue Sun logo on his t-shirt. And in another episode (Shindig) River has a fit and rips off all the Blue Sun lables that are on the food cans.

But if you want to see a little bit more of the blue men, get your hands on the Serenity comic books.

[Easter Lily]

Yep it were we got the best look at the Blue Hand men, I would have loved to have seen more of them.

I've got a theory that they work for the Blue Sun Corporation, and that Blue Sun is the real power behind the Aliance. Although this could just be me getting all conspiracy minded :P
But one thing to back up that there is something going on that connects Blue Sun in with River's story at least, is that at the start of the episode she wasn't attacking Jayne with the knife, she was attacking the Blue Sun logo on his t-shirt. And in another episode (Shindig) River has a fit and rips off all the Blue Sun lables that are on the food cans.

But if you want to see a little bit more of the blue men, get your hands on the Serenity comic books.

The Blue Sun men were also seen in The Train Job too, weren't they?

I tend to see the Blue Sun Corporation as a covert arm of the Alliance rather than the power behind it. My theory is that not everyone in parliament is privvy to the activities of the BSC... only a select group of people are in the know. It's probably similar to something like Area 51 or that dodgy group earth-based group on B5 that was experimenting with Shadow technology. Or the Stargate programme with the malevolence... :D
I am interested in what you said about River slashing Jane's tee and ripping the can labels and I think another thing that may back up what you say about River and the Corporation is the bluish hue of the first few minutes of the film . :D

[White Knight]

Joss has, several times, talked about the fact that one of the things he wanted to do in Firefly was have mega-corporations becoming the government in the future, and implied that Blue Sun would be the big-wigs in that.

[stargate barbie]

Joss has, several times, talked about the fact that one of the things he wanted to do in Firefly was have mega-corporations becoming the government in the future, and implied that Blue Sun would be the big-wigs in that.
hhmmm, its become slightly more clear now why fox cancelled it then. :mad:

[White Knight]

hhmmm, its become slightly more clear now why fox cancelled it then. :mad:
LOL!

They also didn't like the whole 'Western' element (probably the reason why they didn't air Heart of Gold).

[stargate barbie]

did deadwood come about before firefly? and how hard do you think fox kicked themselves when they discovered the sucess of that show?

[SG1Happy]

Loved the ending to this episode. We used to have teeshirts that said mess with one, mess with all. That seems to be Mal's philosophy. I like the way he handles Jayne.

[Ascended Times.2]

This is such a well done episode, I like the change of pace from the usual desert planet/western, this was based on the core planets, and I love when they were studying about the medical things and Jayne just blurts out what he had forced himself to learn :)

[Easter Lily]

Loved the ending to this episode. We used to have teeshirts that said mess with one, mess with all. That seems to be Mal's philosophy. I like the way he handles Jayne.

It always amuses me that Jayne, as large as he is, is quite terrified of Mal...
Mal can be quite terrifying... Sometimes we forget that when he wears that mask of jocularity... But this episode is a reminder that Mal can be a monster and show his teeth when he wants to.

[girlgater]

It always amuses me that Jayne, as large as he is, is quite terrified of Mal...
Mal can be quite terrifying... Sometimes we forget that when he wears that mask of jocularity... But this episode is a reminder that Mal can be a monster and show his teeth when he wants to.

I think Mal is always on the edge of going bad...really bad. I think Jayne knows that, but sometimes forgets to respect that fact.

[aaobuttons]

I was always humored by them writing down the names of the medicine on their arms. It just reminded me of them cheating or something, like why wouldn't they just write it on paper? :D

[Easter Lily]

I was always humored by them writing down the names of the medicine on their arms. It just reminded me of them cheating or something, like why wouldn't they just write it on paper? :D
Aren't they cheating... :p

Papers float and fly... ;)

[dosed150]

what i dont understand is mal knows that jayne can be bought and doesnt like river and simon yet he leaves him with them wouldnt it have been smarter if mal or zoe stayed with them

[mckaychick]

It would have been smarter is one of them was with jayne.

[Pharaoh Atem]

great teaser the while series this one caught me by surprise that Simon would have a job for them

like the ending with Jayne and Mal

[scifi_girl]

i really liked this one. it was great to see simon coming up with a plan and stuff. so far ive enjoyed all the episodes of firefly ive watched

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

just watched this episode again last night. really want to know more about the hands of blue! theres definately something non-human about them in the way they move and the fact that they don't blink!

[girlinabox]

The Blue Sun Group is just creepy! River seems pretty important to them.
Really enjoyed this episode!

[Easter Lily]

just watched this episode again last night. really want to know more about the hands of blue! theres definately something non-human about them in the way they move and the fact that they don't blink!

Have you read the Firefly comic books? The Hands of Blue feature quite prominently in those. They're by Dark Horse.

[poundpuppy29]

I liked this ep but I did not like Jayne at all. They showed him at his worst but I did like what Mal did and I did like that Jayne felt guilty and ashamed he should for what he did. Simon and River were awesome.

[starshineRoxie]

First off, I have to mention I really liked how the writers had a good balance of comedy and drama in this episode. That always seems to make things more interesting when the pace 'mixes it up', so to speak. :)

Secondly, I'm not surprised by what Jayne did, though I was disappointed. In character, Jayne is a thug and he would go to the highest bidder to make any profit. I guess I just kinda hoped that being around Mal would have rubbed some morals onto him. Maybe after this ep, they did. :sam34:

And finally, some comments on Mal's character. I was surprised by what he did at the end to Jayne, but very happy, weirdly enough. I always felt like Mal was a victim of circumstance in life and he was making the best of things after the war was over. He's not really a mercenary at heart, but he has to do what he must to survive in an unjust society. But he will be cruel if he is pushed to it, and what he did to show Jayne this, is an example. Very in character and a good turning point in the established chain of command relationship between Jayne and Captain Malcolm Reynolds. :sam59:

[Alder]

A favourite episode of mine, I think. Watched it today.

The scene at the end with Mal and Jayne...First, I found it unintentionally hilarious that Mal clouted him with a spanner - guess he really wanted to be sure he'd knock Jayne out!
And the very last moments, when Jayne asks what Mal will tell the crew about why he's dead, and says "Make something up, don't tell them what I did". And it's that moment that tells Mal that Jayne is actually ashamed of himself. Very well done...

[Teyla-Joy]

I think this was my 3rd best Episode and bealived Mel was testing Jayne and want to see if he could trust him with Simon and River thats what I think :)

[mrscopterdoc]

First off, I have to mention I really liked how the writers had a good balance of comedy and drama in this episode. That always seems to make things more interesting when the pace 'mixes it up', so to speak. :)

Secondly, I'm not surprised by what Jayne did, though I was disappointed. In character, Jayne is a thug and he would go to the highest bidder to make any profit. I guess I just kinda hoped that being around Mal would have rubbed some morals onto him. Maybe after this ep, they did. :sam34:

And finally, some comments on Mal's character. I was surprised by what he did at the end to Jayne, but very happy, weirdly enough. I always felt like Mal was a victim of circumstance in life and he was making the best of things after the war was over. He's not really a mercenary at heart, but he has to do what he must to survive in an unjust society. But he will be cruel if he is pushed to it, and what he did to show Jayne this, is an example. Very in character and a good turning point in the established chain of command relationship between Jayne and Captain Malcolm Reynolds. :sam59:
very well said

[maneth]

Loved Simon in this one. My favorite Simon ep yet, by quite a long shot. And I'm glad we found out what happened to River, it's been bugging me since the start.