"Don't tell them what I did" That line saved his life. It showed Mal that Jayne was ashamed of what he did. And that he cared what the rest of the crew thinks of him.
Didn't see it with quick skim below: the way Simon prepares the crew for questions shows what kind of doctor HE is (conscientious, careful, detail-focused), and how he doesn't necessarily recognize that most people are just half-assing it.
If he hadn't asked Mal not to tell the rest of the crew what he did, Mal would have spaced him. It was caring what the crew thought of him that did it.
@@Educated2Extinction Same thing, I'd argue. Jayne had always been a shameless guy, and when he worried about what the others would think of his actions, that showed he was legitimately ashamed of himself.
A couple of things to note: 1. While it certainly looked to everyone (especially Jayne) that River just attacked Jayne with a knife out of nowhere for no reason, the truth is a little different, and River's line afterwards "He looks better in red" is a clue. River had a reason, and she wasn't attacking Jayne. Jayne just happened to be wearing the thing that she was attacking with a knife. 2. Jayne's primary motivation is to make as much money as he can, but that's not just out of pure greed. There's a blink-and-you-miss-it line in a later episode that explains why Jayne is so focused on making money.
There is a school of thought, that I agree with, that Mal was going to kill Jayne... until Jayne asked him to lie. Jayne wanting to be remembered "better" than the traitor... that made Mal realize he had some... idea what he'd done and that it was wrong. He didn't beg Mal to spare him, he just ask "don't tell them what I done" and that saved him. He knew he deserved... punishment, and he accepted that but wanted the others to remember him as "better than he was" meaning he (might) want to be better. We're all flawed, all make mistakes... all we can really hope for is a chance to do better and make up for our mistakes.
The hate for Jayne makes me sad. He's not "Mr Personality," but seriously, he was minding his own business when River walked up to him and slashed him with a knife. He never liked Simon and River and didn't really consider them to be "part of the crew." He felt pushed and he pushed back. After Mal gave him a rather forceful attitude adjustment, Jayne truthfully admitted that he'd acted out of stupidity and greed, and he regretted his actions. Jayne respects Mal (most of the time), and he values the family he has on Serenity... even though most of the crew uses him as the butt of their jokes.
you can't deny that mal also has some degree of respect for jayne; he wouldn't have him on board otherwise. but jayne almost lost that respect this episode.
Jayne is money first and crew second. Mal, Zoe, Wash, and Kaylee considered Simon and River part of the crew. Jayne doesn't get to make that decision, not if he considers himself part of the crew.
This is where we watched 2 Federal agents slaughter a platoon of troops. Because they talked to River. Here, we start to realize that they are after her because of what they think she knows, and might say to others.
"He truly does only care about money." So I've brought this up before in other reactions. I consider Jayne to be one of the most nuanced characters on the show and someone who cares about more than just money. We definitely see a few instances that suggest money is more important than loyalty, Jaynestown being the biggest one, but we also see hints that he isn't completely disloyal when it comes to money. For instance, in the pilot when the Fed tries to get him to turn and offers him a lot of money the first question Jayne asks is, "Does it involve turning on the Captain," suggesting that that's something he wouldn't do, or at least wouldn't do lightly. Another instance is from Out of Gas, where Mal is trying to convince Jayne to join their side. He brings up money, but Jayne doesn't turn on his former crew until Mal gives him the assurance that he will not only be paid fairly but treated like family rather than just an employee. This suggests to me that Jayne's motivations are deeper than most of us give him credit for. The purpose of this is not to justify Jayne's betrayal, but to suggest that it's more than just money driven. He was attacked by a mentally unstable girl. If things had gone differently, she could have killed him. Now it was because of the shirt he was wearing, but he had no way of knowing that, and that still doesn't make the attack his fault. He already dislikes the Tams, partly because they put the crew and ship in danger, and that's a reasonable cause for dislike. He's also reasonably angry that he was attacked. When he complains to the Captain he is promptly chewed out and his protest is summarily dismissed. He never witnesses the Captain getting stern with Simon, so as far as he can tell Mal is siding with his attacker over him. This would reasonably bring up resentment, and perhaps make him feel like he isn't the family member he had been. While money plays a big part of it, I don't think it was his primary motivation. I'm guessing that Jayne might have even thought he was doing the captain a favor. We hear him say in the brilliant end exchange between him and Mal that he didn't look at it as betraying the Captain, so I would guess in his mind he was doing what Mal wasn't willing to do and rid them of trouble. I think Jayne thought he would be able to play the capture off as a surprise that he barely escaped from, and I doubt he would let anyone know about his payday. I suspect that he expected to be able to join a Tam-free crew without suspicion falling on him. It was stupid and poorly thought out, but I think if you truly look at it from his eyes you can understand a motivation that goes beyond simple greed. I also know that Jayne himself states in a couple of episodes, including this one, that his betrayal would be because the money was "too good," but I don't actually believe him. I see in him a certain amount of loyalty to the Captain that he wouldn't discard just because he had a good paycheck.
To add an extra factor, we also see in a later episode one reason why the money is so important to him. It's not just a case of wanting money for the sake of having money.
Always watch Jayne's actions, not his words. There is plenty of visual evidence that he cares about the rest of the crew. He is just too blunt for his own good.
I like the fact the throw little clues for future events, such as in episode 2 talks about how some part is failing and they need a new one, and the part finally fails in episode 8 and starts off the whole mess in out of gas.
and i don't think mal granted jayne a stay of execution for moral reasons, but rather for practical ones. mal decided a repentant jayne was still more useful to mal alive than dead. if that ever stops being the case, mal will definitely turn on jayne.
14:32 After the cop said that the guys were tight lipped and River was speaking gibberish, the blue hand guy said "You *spoke* to the prisoners?" and then asked if his men had too. He replied that they'd only talked to them as much as they had to. The blue hands apparently don't want anyone talking to River, which means that she probably knows things that they don't want anyone to know about. To the point that they think anyone there who might have heard *anything* that she said, had to die
Here's some lore that never was able to get properly explored in the series, but did start to get seeded a bit in a couple episodes, of which this is the last one. There are no spoilers in this comment- just things that aren't shown in the series at all and are known because of interviews and other sources. In the Firefly Verse, there's a corporation known as the Blue Sun Corporation. Joss Whedon once described it as a combination of Microsoft and Coca-Cola. I would estimate that by modern standards Amazon would be a pretty apt comparison. They're a very large, very well-known, and very popular company. In fact, in the beginning of this episode, Jayne is wearing a Blue Sun shirt... And that is exactly why River attacked Jayne. Or to be more precise, she wasn't attacking Jayne- she was trying to destroy his shirt. See, the plan was that Blue Sun was supposed to have very strong ties with the Alliance, as they often used government officials to help cover their tracks in the corporate espionage they engaged in and, more importantly, had some sort of ties to The Academy where River was being tortured. What exactly those ties are, we don't know. But we do know that River knows about it, because she has an instinctual hatred of Blue Sun. As mentioned, she slashes Jayne shirt in this episode. But if you recall in Shindig, she starts tearing labels off of some of the cans of food they have? Those cans were Blue Sun products
In fairness to Jayne, he didn’t consider turning in Simon and River until she slashed him across the chest with a razor sharp knife. To his mind, she’s dangerous and liable to get the entire crew killed. Plus, he’s never run with a crew that had a medic. So, he sees having one on board more a luxury that a must-have.
He’s talked about turning them in, almost since he found out who they were. Remember “Bushwhacked.” As for the value of a medic, he ain’t that dumb. He was treated by the “medic” several times before the betrayal. He already knew the value.
One episode, one adventure. I think that, had the show been able to run longer, there would start to be more stories connecting to each other. Possibly the only thing connecting them at present is the ongoing storyline of River and Simon.
Don't you worry Emme, Jayne will grow on you. Yes, youtoo. No matter how hard you fight it. Perhaps one day, you might even accept a teensy bit of the "can't live w/o them" part. Now that will be an interesting day ;) Cheers from Amsterdam!
I think Jayne experiencing Simon in the hospital, and also learning what they actually did to river starts changing his mind. But at that time it is too late. Also, notice the t-shirt he is wearing in the beginning and you may have some explanation as to why river slashed him. She was slashing the shirt. Noone gets that though, and being attacked with a knife is a pretty good reason to want to get rid of someone. How Simon shines in the hospital is one example of why i love the writing in this show. Everyone is capable in their own way, but they need the proper environment to shine, which makes them real characters. Noone is great at everything everywhere.
Its funny how people see Jayne as a villain here. He's just sitting there and River just slashes him. You actually laugh. If Jayne did that to someone, everyone would be up in arms. He's actually protecting himself. The Feds are just a way of doing it that Mal won't get suspicious, and the money is just a bonus. And while yes he is a little greedy about money, you find out in a later episode he has good reason to need the money. I don't hate Jayne here, the way many people do. He's not the most likable character, but I still appreciate him.
My second favourite episode after Out of Gas. So much character development, our first really big look at the world of the alliance and just that glimpse you see how much is wrong with them. I’m a sucker for heists. Nathan’s performance, as usual, is outstanding. Love it all!
When River slashed Jayne, it was his shirt she was slashing, not him. This is a call back to when River removed the labels off all the food cans a couple of episodes prior. The 2 incidents are connected because the shirt Jayne wears and the labels on the food cans both have the same corporate logo on them.
I love Jaynes character, your not supposed to like him he is rude, selfish and greedy but he still mostly on our side, you don't always get perfect allies, and I like the fact while there are moments of growth for Jayne he is still an asshole but he's our asshole. A lot of the characters are imperfect which to me makes them feel more real
Hot take: Jayne isn't actually greedy. After seeing the entire available content it's hard to argue that Jayne is only in it for himself. He's just blunt, and that throws a lot of people off in our current culture. What he says is rarely incorrect from a technical standpoint.
Thanks for a great reaction. Firefly is a show much like the original Star Trek...each episode is "mostly" a self contained story...but. There is an underlying story arch running throughout..."what happed to River...what IS River". It's such a great ensemble cast. Have a great rest of your week and weekend.
A crewmember turning against the Captain of a ship is considered mutiny. Mutiny has pretty much been a capital crime throughout history punishable by death.
There is a valid reason for Jayne's greed. But you have to pay really close attention. Also, ep1, when Kaylee is being operated on, one worried person is inconspicuously watching through the window. Thank you for your videos!
true... if i was jayne, i don´t think river would have survived that knive episode.... if someone comes at you with a knive, it´s legit to shoot that person down...
If you look close in the junkyard Wash finds a perfectly good catalyzer (the part Mal was almost killed for last episode) on the ground and then throws it away.😂
There were long term arcs planned. Joss has said he sold it to the actors as "going to run for 7 years." Time for a lot of development. But there are continuous little hints, and a lot of mysteries to spend time dealing with.
I'm not sure if anyone commented this yet but some of the crew of Serenity show up as voice actors in Bungie games. I'm fact some of them were the main charaters in Halo 3 ODST. They also show up in the opening sequence of Halo 3 and are an easter eggs in Halo Reach. Then Mal and Zoey are the voice actors for Cadye-6 and Ikora Ray in the Destiny Franchise. Plus Inara plays a ghost in one of the expansions for Destiny 2. The are more examples but it would make this comment too long.
I honestly think the reward money was a secondary motivation for Jayne. I think the real reason he turned in Simon and River is because he never accepted them as part of the crew and he genuinely sees River as a safety liability for him and the rest of HIS crew. He could’ve turned them in sooner, but it wasn’t until River slashed him that he made up his mind to do it. He fears and respects Mal, but also gets pissed off easily when Mal makes a decision he disagrees with. I think Jayne low-key wants to be in charge.
No, it was the money. As noted, he had other opportunities. But more than that, Jayne is all about the money. (I could see more on that, but it would be a spoiler.)
@richardedgerton1852 good point. I think Jayne would hate Simon regardless because of their personalities. But being jealous of Kaylee’s affection adds fuel to the fire. But I still think the thing that pushed him over the edge was River’s attack. He even brings it up again in a later episode.
@@nicks.5552 I wonder if he was already planning to turn them in, was just waiting for the right opportunity, and River sensed that, precipitating the attack.
@TommygunNG, I wish you could go into more details without spoilers. I have a guess about what you mean based on an upcoming episode. He’s definitely motivated by money, always. But I also want to point out that Jayne fights for the crew in an upcoming episode without the motivation of money. I also want to point out something he does in the movie concerning River, but I feel like I’m getting into spoiler territory. He doesn’t just care about money, but also fighting off threats to himself (and the crew?).
I think you don't give Jayne enough credit. He never considered the Tams as part of the crew, and that knife attack didn't help. His final request to Mal showed he felt shame for his actions. Not just that he got caught, but he didn't want to be seen as a traitor. He also finally understood that Mal considered the Tams as part of the crew.
Every crew needs a Jayne. Someone who can be aggressive, can be cruel, can be hard, so that the captain doesn't have to. The iron fist, so the captain can be the velvet glove.
I was at a q&a session with Summer Glau (River) at San Diego Comic Con 2021....and she walked right by me, maybe two feet away. I looked down in embarrassment! lol 🙂 She is just as beautiful in real life and hasn't aged a day. 🙂
So, if Jane had extra money where would he spend it? I love this episode also because we now see the incredible danger of the, "Two by two, hands of blue!!" Y'all be safe.
Enjoyed the reaction. I love this episode. I always believed that Jayne would eventually betray Mal (ie: pilot and Out of Gas). I was expecting it to happen in season 2. My favorite scene was the final scene between Mal and Jayne. I always felt that the show started episodic, but it slowly started to get more serialize as the show continued. Simon is more confident in this episode, because this is his world.
Part of the story arc that Jayne was supposed to have was, after a huge score, he leaves the crew and becomes captain of his own ship. After a short time he realizes what an insanely hard job 'captain' is, and he comes back to the crew to just be muscle again, with a greater appreciation for Mal.
Mal was going to kill Jayne. Then Jayne showed genuine shame & remorse. He accepted his death penalty. He was more concerned with not wanting the crew to know what he did. I like to think the character growth Jayne went through in 'Jaynestown' allowed him to feel that level of shame, which just saved his life. *River's statements:* 'A copper for a kiss' - Directed at Jayne. This alludes to when Judas betrayed Jesus. The difference being Judas got 30 coins of silver. Jayne didn't even get copper (which taints green when oxidized). 'They stole Christmas' - River is telling Jayne he wasn't getting his reward money. 'He looks better in Red' - Jayne's blue shirt logo is now red with Jayne's blood. More Described in the Easter egg below *Easter Eggs:* 1) The food Simon was eating that 'smelled like crotch' is one of the mystery meals from when River was ripping labels off cans (in Shindig). River then slashes Jaynes shirt with a knife. She was really attacking the blue logo on Jayne's shirt. Those canned food labels also had the same blue logo on them. The logo was 'The Blue Sun Corporation'. 2) In the junkyard, Wash threw a catalyzer when he found the Ambulance Body. That catalyzer was of the same model that needed replacement in 'Out of Gas'.
Firefly follows the Star Trek:The Next Generation connection between shows model. Mostly episcotic but with some character growth, call backs, and a few physical changes.
Episode 1 Federal marshall Lawrence Dobson: She's worth a lot of money. I mean a lot. If you kill me there's nothing, but if you work with me you could have enough money to buy your own ship. One better than this one. Mal: Why didn't you turn on me Jayne? Jayne: Money wasn't good enough. Episode 9 Jayne: Are you going to take me in for questioning? How do you want to play it? Jayne: Money was too good. I got stupid. I don't think Jayne had any intention of returning to Serenity. He thought he'd be taken in, maybe asked a few questions, then get paid & be on his way. I think he wanted enough money to retire on. Money for his own ship wasn't enough, but whatever the bounty is at this point obviously is. As far as Mal letting Jayne live, I think that the fact that Jayne was no longer trying to save his own skin, that he had accepted Mal's judgement, played a part in it. Jayne finally understood what it means to be a member of Mal's crew & in realizing exactly how big of a mistake he made chose not to try to weasel out of the situation. What he said may not have been the best thing, but "I deserve to die, but as my last request please don't let my greatest regret define how the crew will remember me." is good enough, for now. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
"Ariel": River changes Jayne's T-shirt, Simon becomes a criminal mastermind, the crew trolls for medical IDs and tech, scripts and medical terminology for the "Mighty Serenity Action Players," Inara goes in for a required inspection, the crew walks in the fron door with corpses, Mal, Zoe and an arrogant doctor "go shopping," Simon shows a bumbling intern How It's Done, Simon and River go high tech, Jayne tries to cash in his chips but is swept up, the Blue Gloved Duo show up and start killing people, Mal and Zoe open the door, Mal cold cocks Jayne and nearly Spaces him, Jayne asks Mal to make up a story, which saves him.
jayne never saw simon and river, as real part of the crew..... but mal hammered that into him in the end... and in a way, jayne is more complicated, than all of the other charackters, but that is only seen throughout all episodes, and often in blink and you miss it scenes.... and he hides that well....
2 by 2 hands of blue.... Those were cleaners for the government. They are not assassins, per se, but it is their job that no information about certain projects ever gets beyond those folks who are authroized. Anyone else is a liability and that is where the "cleaners "come in to play.
The thing about Jayne and money is we don't really see where his cut goes. There are books that basically act as a season 2 or in between stories for episodes in this season that go further into the characters. With Jayne we find out most of his money gets sent back home to pay for the medical expenses of his sick younger brother who is potentially dying from a lung disease. He cares about his brother as much as Simon cares about River. Knowing that, which they should have included in the show before this episode, changes the whole dynamic. River tried to kill him. In Jayne's mind IF she killed him she would also be killing his brother. So getting rid of them and getting money to save his brother seemed like a no brainer to him. It's not greed, but family loyalty that made him reckless. Also can't blame you for not liking hospitals/medical buildings. I've worked as a janitor for such places for a decade cleaning everything from exam rooms, emergency rooms to surgery rooms and the stories I could tell you would freeze your soul.
It's cool to hate Jayne because I get it(he's a asshole) but lets not act like Jayne isn't a important part of the crew & wouldn't be missed. Guy has saved the crews life multiple time already(Ex.I was aiming for his head), also lets not act like Jayne just called the police for no reason, I'd also be pissed if someone randomly slashed my chest open like that & that would make me think of turning on that person since they're still strangers(only been with the crew for a few months). Jayne obviously hasn't accepted River/Simon as his family like the others so him turning them in makes sense. I don't think he would've turned Mal over to the police because he views Mal as family. In Jayne's mind he gets paid & gets the people that's been putting the crew(his family)in more danger off the ship.
Has everyone just… forgotten… the “Chain of Command” speech from Train Job?! The speeech where he tries to assume control of the ship to leave Mal and Zoe behind?
@@davidmcleod5133 Jayne was scared of Niska finding them. He also believed "Captain would do the same if it was 1 of us" with leaving them. Again Jayne is a asshole/not bright but he thought he was doing the right thing for the crew to save everyone's lives from Niska. He thought Zoe & Mal were screwed & Niska was on his way to kill them after being shot. There's a reason Jayne isn't a leader he's not a decision maker. He then saved Mal's life while drugged up.
It absolutely amazes me how every reactor I've seen react to this episode has hated on Jayne so much. I mean... the man almost got murdered by River and nobody even bats an eye. Jayne probably wouldn't even had tried to turn them in had that not happened. The man was fearful of his life with River around. And everyone else on the ship should be too. Nobody knows what triggered River to even slash Jayne so getting slashed by River could happen to anyone on the ship... But oh no, let's blame the victim in all this. SMH...
I think Jayne did really regret what he did. The reason he asks Mal to not tell the crew what he did is because he knows what he did was wrong and he is sincerely ashamed of himself. Remember also that Jayne could have turned Simon and River in at any time if all he wanted was the reward. He didn't because, as rough as he is, Jayne does like being part of a crew and has a crude loyalty. From Jayne's perspective, he wasn't betraying his crew -- River cut him, and that's not copacetic with Jayne's understanding of crew loyalty. It was only in retrospect that he realized what he did was stupid and petty. Because, you know, Jayne is a moron. I just think of Jayne as a junkyard dog that Mal picked up. He's a big dumb lug who is loyal as long as he's well fed and given work to do, but if he gets hungry or bored, well, he's dumb, mean, and untrained, which means trouble. But he's damn good to have next to you in a fight.
Ok, Jayne isn't a "hero". He's not a good guy. If he were a real person, It wouldn't be easy to like. But does anyone else feel like she's kind of not understanding him? Despite his crude nature, there's an honesty to him that makes it clear to Mal at the end that Jayne has something good in his core.
Everyone always gives Jayne crap in this episode, and while he did cross a line, he was just slashed by an apparently crazy girl across his chest. A slash that could have been fatal. Everyone forgets that he was ASSAULTED for no apparent reason. But sure let's just forget about that and the fact he already did not like having fugitives who make their life more difficult on board and he just got attacked by one of them. - It's not his betrayal of Simon and River at fault. It is his betrayal of Mal and possibly compromising the rest of the crew. But Mal was in the wrong here, one member of their crew attacked another for no reason and it was Jayne who got told he had to live with it. Jayne, who has been a member of their crew longer. As disgusting and insensitive as Jayne is, he did not deserve to get slashed across his chest. But let us all forget that and hate on Jayne, because he is the crude one, while Simon and River are the innocent victims on the run. - Jayne had PLENTY of opportunities to turn Simon and River in earlier. No one stops to think that his getting slashed across the chest would not push him over the edge to get rid of two people who he feels are a danger to the crew. Others, including Zoey, have pointed out that Jayne is not wrong and that having two fugitives aboard only puts the crew in more danger. Also, the crew had been around a long time without a doctor before Simon and River showed up. So that is not exactly a convincing argument when their very presence puts the crew in more danger and one of them may murder them with a kitchen knife at any moment. - Now it is easy for us as the audience to just look past River's actions because we believe there is more to her. But I wonder if any of the people reacting here would feel the same about River after she slashes them across the chest for no apparent reason. Go on, say you will shrug it off and forgive her because she is a fugitive whose only story is her brother's story about some secret government experiments on her. Yeah, when you are not the audience who knows River actually went through that, it is not so easy an answer. - Jayne's wrong in his is going against Mal, and Mal dealt with that in a way Jayne will understand. But even so, you cannot judge Jayne too harshly when he is the one who will have a scar across his chest for apparently being rude to River's brother at the dinner table.
great reaction. I think Jayne gets a bit of a bad rep, in many ways he's the most honest of the crew. everyone else has a bit of pretention , like they're above "common criminals" and are committing crimes because of lack of options or societal pressures/disagreements. Jayne likes crime and money without pretext. while he is crass it's genuine not something forced. I just wish the show presented him as being more valuable as the warrior of the crew since Zoe basically fills the same niche making keeping him around more questionable.
"Don't tell them what I did"
That line saved his life. It showed Mal that Jayne was ashamed of what he did. And that he cared what the rest of the crew thinks of him.
Didn't see it with quick skim below: the way Simon prepares the crew for questions shows what kind of doctor HE is (conscientious, careful, detail-focused), and how he doesn't necessarily recognize that most people are just half-assing it.
The only thing that saved Jayne's life, was his sincere expression of regret. If he'd kept denying his actions, Mal absolutely would have spaced him.
If he hadn't asked Mal not to tell the rest of the crew what he did, Mal would have spaced him. It was caring what the crew thought of him that did it.
I expect it was both. Either on its own may well have not been enough.
@@Mediocre_Chairman Fair to say.
@@Educated2Extinction Same thing, I'd argue. Jayne had always been a shameless guy, and when he worried about what the others would think of his actions, that showed he was legitimately ashamed of himself.
A couple of things to note:
1. While it certainly looked to everyone (especially Jayne) that River just attacked Jayne with a knife out of nowhere for no reason, the truth is a little different, and River's line afterwards "He looks better in red" is a clue. River had a reason, and she wasn't attacking Jayne. Jayne just happened to be wearing the thing that she was attacking with a knife.
2. Jayne's primary motivation is to make as much money as he can, but that's not just out of pure greed. There's a blink-and-you-miss-it line in a later episode that explains why Jayne is so focused on making money.
Yeah, Matty has the damp lung.😢
There is a school of thought, that I agree with, that Mal was going to kill Jayne... until Jayne asked him to lie. Jayne wanting to be remembered "better" than the traitor... that made Mal realize he had some... idea what he'd done and that it was wrong. He didn't beg Mal to spare him, he just ask "don't tell them what I done" and that saved him. He knew he deserved... punishment, and he accepted that but wanted the others to remember him as "better than he was" meaning he (might) want to be better.
We're all flawed, all make mistakes... all we can really hope for is a chance to do better and make up for our mistakes.
I suspect it was a revelation to Jayne, too.
The hate for Jayne makes me sad. He's not "Mr Personality," but seriously, he was minding his own business when River walked up to him and slashed him with a knife. He never liked Simon and River and didn't really consider them to be "part of the crew." He felt pushed and he pushed back. After Mal gave him a rather forceful attitude adjustment, Jayne truthfully admitted that he'd acted out of stupidity and greed, and he regretted his actions. Jayne respects Mal (most of the time), and he values the family he has on Serenity... even though most of the crew uses him as the butt of their jokes.
you can't deny that mal also has some degree of respect for jayne; he wouldn't have him on board otherwise. but jayne almost lost that respect this episode.
Jayne is money first and crew second. Mal, Zoe, Wash, and Kaylee considered Simon and River part of the crew. Jayne doesn't get to make that decision, not if he considers himself part of the crew.
This is where we watched 2 Federal agents slaughter a platoon of troops. Because they talked to River. Here, we start to realize that they are after her because of what they think she knows, and might say to others.
"He truly does only care about money."
So I've brought this up before in other reactions. I consider Jayne to be one of the most nuanced characters on the show and someone who cares about more than just money. We definitely see a few instances that suggest money is more important than loyalty, Jaynestown being the biggest one, but we also see hints that he isn't completely disloyal when it comes to money. For instance, in the pilot when the Fed tries to get him to turn and offers him a lot of money the first question Jayne asks is, "Does it involve turning on the Captain," suggesting that that's something he wouldn't do, or at least wouldn't do lightly. Another instance is from Out of Gas, where Mal is trying to convince Jayne to join their side. He brings up money, but Jayne doesn't turn on his former crew until Mal gives him the assurance that he will not only be paid fairly but treated like family rather than just an employee. This suggests to me that Jayne's motivations are deeper than most of us give him credit for.
The purpose of this is not to justify Jayne's betrayal, but to suggest that it's more than just money driven. He was attacked by a mentally unstable girl. If things had gone differently, she could have killed him. Now it was because of the shirt he was wearing, but he had no way of knowing that, and that still doesn't make the attack his fault. He already dislikes the Tams, partly because they put the crew and ship in danger, and that's a reasonable cause for dislike. He's also reasonably angry that he was attacked. When he complains to the Captain he is promptly chewed out and his protest is summarily dismissed. He never witnesses the Captain getting stern with Simon, so as far as he can tell Mal is siding with his attacker over him. This would reasonably bring up resentment, and perhaps make him feel like he isn't the family member he had been. While money plays a big part of it, I don't think it was his primary motivation. I'm guessing that Jayne might have even thought he was doing the captain a favor. We hear him say in the brilliant end exchange between him and Mal that he didn't look at it as betraying the Captain, so I would guess in his mind he was doing what Mal wasn't willing to do and rid them of trouble. I think Jayne thought he would be able to play the capture off as a surprise that he barely escaped from, and I doubt he would let anyone know about his payday. I suspect that he expected to be able to join a Tam-free crew without suspicion falling on him. It was stupid and poorly thought out, but I think if you truly look at it from his eyes you can understand a motivation that goes beyond simple greed. I also know that Jayne himself states in a couple of episodes, including this one, that his betrayal would be because the money was "too good," but I don't actually believe him. I see in him a certain amount of loyalty to the Captain that he wouldn't discard just because he had a good paycheck.
I agree with this, 100%
To add an extra factor, we also see in a later episode one reason why the money is so important to him. It's not just a case of wanting money for the sake of having money.
@@KempPlays Indeed, although I wanted to avoid potential spoilers in my assessment.
I think part of it was that Jayne didn't consider the Tams as truly part of the crew, so he wasn't beholden to them.
Always watch Jayne's actions, not his words. There is plenty of visual evidence that he cares about the rest of the crew. He is just too blunt for his own good.
I like the fact the throw little clues for future events, such as in episode 2 talks about how some part is failing and they need a new one, and the part finally fails in episode 8 and starts off the whole mess in out of gas.
If Jayne hadn't shown real regret by asking Mal to make something up, Mal would have let him die.
and i don't think mal granted jayne a stay of execution for moral reasons, but rather for practical ones. mal decided a repentant jayne was still more useful to mal alive than dead. if that ever stops being the case, mal will definitely turn on jayne.
The part Wash threw to find their “official vehicle” was the catalyzer they needed in “Out of Gas”. I guess Kaylee has a few spares, now.
Amazing how that thing makes a cameo in almost every episode. rofl
@@zurnie It even appeared in a different TV show (which happened to star Nathan Fillion...)!
14:32 After the cop said that the guys were tight lipped and River was speaking gibberish, the blue hand guy said "You *spoke* to the prisoners?" and then asked if his men had too. He replied that they'd only talked to them as much as they had to. The blue hands apparently don't want anyone talking to River, which means that she probably knows things that they don't want anyone to know about. To the point that they think anyone there who might have heard *anything* that she said, had to die
asking mal to not tell the others was most likely what saved jayne's life, because it showed he was ashamed for what he did
Here's some lore that never was able to get properly explored in the series, but did start to get seeded a bit in a couple episodes, of which this is the last one. There are no spoilers in this comment- just things that aren't shown in the series at all and are known because of interviews and other sources.
In the Firefly Verse, there's a corporation known as the Blue Sun Corporation. Joss Whedon once described it as a combination of Microsoft and Coca-Cola. I would estimate that by modern standards Amazon would be a pretty apt comparison. They're a very large, very well-known, and very popular company. In fact, in the beginning of this episode, Jayne is wearing a Blue Sun shirt... And that is exactly why River attacked Jayne. Or to be more precise, she wasn't attacking Jayne- she was trying to destroy his shirt.
See, the plan was that Blue Sun was supposed to have very strong ties with the Alliance, as they often used government officials to help cover their tracks in the corporate espionage they engaged in and, more importantly, had some sort of ties to The Academy where River was being tortured. What exactly those ties are, we don't know. But we do know that River knows about it, because she has an instinctual hatred of Blue Sun. As mentioned, she slashes Jayne shirt in this episode. But if you recall in Shindig, she starts tearing labels off of some of the cans of food they have? Those cans were Blue Sun products
I have a beyond-reasonable hope that one day they'll make an animated Firefly that will fully address this.
In fairness to Jayne, he didn’t consider turning in Simon and River until she slashed him across the chest with a razor sharp knife. To his mind, she’s dangerous and liable to get the entire crew killed. Plus, he’s never run with a crew that had a medic. So, he sees having one on board more a luxury that a must-have.
He’s talked about turning them in, almost since he found out who they were. Remember “Bushwhacked.”
As for the value of a medic, he ain’t that dumb. He was treated by the “medic” several times before the betrayal. He already knew the value.
One episode, one adventure. I think that, had the show been able to run longer, there would start to be more stories connecting to each other. Possibly the only thing connecting them at present is the ongoing storyline of River and Simon.
Don't you worry Emme, Jayne will grow on you. Yes, youtoo. No matter how hard you fight it. Perhaps one day, you might even accept a teensy bit of the "can't live w/o them" part. Now that will be an interesting day ;) Cheers from Amsterdam!
Episodic tv used to be the common standard. That's why they were called episodes. Today, shows are often just like long movies broken up into parts.
If Firefly had lasted more than half a season, there absolutely would have been season-long story arcs.
I think Jayne experiencing Simon in the hospital, and also learning what they actually did to river starts changing his mind. But at that time it is too late. Also, notice the t-shirt he is wearing in the beginning and you may have some explanation as to why river slashed him. She was slashing the shirt. Noone gets that though, and being attacked with a knife is a pretty good reason to want to get rid of someone.
How Simon shines in the hospital is one example of why i love the writing in this show. Everyone is capable in their own way, but they need the proper environment to shine, which makes them real characters. Noone is great at everything everywhere.
Its funny how people see Jayne as a villain here. He's just sitting there and River just slashes him. You actually laugh. If Jayne did that to someone, everyone would be up in arms. He's actually protecting himself. The Feds are just a way of doing it that Mal won't get suspicious, and the money is just a bonus. And while yes he is a little greedy about money, you find out in a later episode he has good reason to need the money. I don't hate Jayne here, the way many people do. He's not the most likable character, but I still appreciate him.
also, the I think him experiencing Simon in the hospital, and learning what they actually are doing to River started changing his mind.
I don't think what Jayne did was 100% unjustified, I mean River could have killed him and his captain takes her side over an unprovoked attack.
My second favourite episode after Out of Gas. So much character development, our first really big look at the world of the alliance and just that glimpse you see how much is wrong with them. I’m a sucker for heists. Nathan’s performance, as usual, is outstanding. Love it all!
8:54 *River* (upon waking): _"A copper for a kiss."_
Jayne is my favorite character. Yes I said it.
nothing wrong about it, cause i can easily see why....
"Let's be bad guys."
When River slashed Jayne, it was his shirt she was slashing, not him. This is a call back to when River removed the labels off all the food cans a couple of episodes prior. The 2 incidents are connected because the shirt Jayne wears and the labels on the food cans both have the same corporate logo on them.
"You spoke to the prisoners?"
was their death sentence.....
Another great reaction @Emme. I don't think I have ever heard anyone say "Jayne" more in a reaction that you did in this one haha.
I love Jaynes character, your not supposed to like him he is rude, selfish and greedy but he still mostly on our side, you don't always get perfect allies, and I like the fact while there are moments of growth for Jayne he is still an asshole but he's our asshole. A lot of the characters are imperfect which to me makes them feel more real
Well said. I think it’s funny that the word most often used by reactors is - Jayne!!
Hot take: Jayne isn't actually greedy. After seeing the entire available content it's hard to argue that Jayne is only in it for himself. He's just blunt, and that throws a lot of people off in our current culture. What he says is rarely incorrect from a technical standpoint.
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 Including his definition of the chain of command.
Thanks for a great reaction. Firefly is a show much like the original Star Trek...each episode is "mostly" a self contained story...but. There is an underlying story arch running throughout..."what happed to River...what IS River". It's such a great ensemble cast. Have a great rest of your week and weekend.
We don't hate Jayne actually. kerk
Firefly reactors always hate Jayne but tbh he's always been my favorite character lmao
A crewmember turning against the Captain of a ship is considered mutiny. Mutiny has pretty much been a capital crime throughout history punishable by death.
There is a valid reason for Jayne's greed. But you have to pay really close attention. Also, ep1, when Kaylee is being operated on, one worried person is inconspicuously watching through the window. Thank you for your videos!
To be fair to Jayne, remember what River did to him!
true... if i was jayne, i don´t think river would have survived that knive episode.... if someone comes at you with a knive, it´s legit to shoot that person down...
I feel for Jane - I myself, as a student, was never able to memorize an entire poem from start to finish. 😊
If you look close in the junkyard Wash finds a perfectly good catalyzer (the part Mal was almost killed for last episode) on the ground and then throws it away.😂
There were long term arcs planned. Joss has said he sold it to the actors as "going to run for 7 years." Time for a lot of development. But there are continuous little hints, and a lot of mysteries to spend time dealing with.
I'm not sure if anyone commented this yet but some of the crew of Serenity show up as voice actors in Bungie games. I'm fact some of them were the main charaters in Halo 3 ODST. They also show up in the opening sequence of Halo 3 and are an easter eggs in Halo Reach. Then Mal and Zoey are the voice actors for Cadye-6 and Ikora Ray in the Destiny Franchise. Plus Inara plays a ghost in one of the expansions for Destiny 2. The are more examples but it would make this comment too long.
The goal of killing the people in the hospital was , sort of, explained. They talked to River or Simon.. at all.. so they had to die.
I honestly think the reward money was a secondary motivation for Jayne. I think the real reason he turned in Simon and River is because he never accepted them as part of the crew and he genuinely sees River as a safety liability for him and the rest of HIS crew. He could’ve turned them in sooner, but it wasn’t until River slashed him that he made up his mind to do it. He fears and respects Mal, but also gets pissed off easily when Mal makes a decision he disagrees with. I think Jayne low-key wants to be in charge.
I saw things that indicate Jayne had a crush on Kaylee and wanted his competition eliminated.
No, it was the money. As noted, he had other opportunities. But more than that, Jayne is all about the money. (I could see more on that, but it would be a spoiler.)
@richardedgerton1852 good point. I think Jayne would hate Simon regardless because of their personalities. But being jealous of Kaylee’s affection adds fuel to the fire.
But I still think the thing that pushed him over the edge was River’s attack. He even brings it up again in a later episode.
@@nicks.5552 I wonder if he was already planning to turn them in, was just waiting for the right opportunity, and River sensed that, precipitating the attack.
@TommygunNG, I wish you could go into more details without spoilers. I have a guess about what you mean based on an upcoming episode.
He’s definitely motivated by money, always. But I also want to point out that Jayne fights for the crew in an upcoming episode without the motivation of money. I also want to point out something he does in the movie concerning River, but I feel like I’m getting into spoiler territory. He doesn’t just care about money, but also fighting off threats to himself (and the crew?).
I think you don't give Jayne enough credit. He never considered the Tams as part of the crew, and that knife attack didn't help.
His final request to Mal showed he felt shame for his actions. Not just that he got caught, but he didn't want to be seen as a traitor. He also finally understood that Mal considered the Tams as part of the crew.
River is suffering similar problem as the HAL computer.
Love the overlook patterned shirt
Every crew needs a Jayne. Someone who can be aggressive, can be cruel, can be hard, so that the captain doesn't have to.
The iron fist, so the captain can be the velvet glove.
Jayne was mostly trying to protect the crew from people he considered dangerous. Money was a bonus which isn't just because he's greedy.
I was at a q&a session with Summer Glau (River) at San Diego Comic Con 2021....and she walked right by me, maybe two feet away. I looked down in embarrassment! lol 🙂 She is just as beautiful in real life and hasn't aged a day. 🙂
So, if Jane had extra money where would he spend it? I love this episode also because we now see the incredible danger of the, "Two by two, hands of blue!!"
Y'all be safe.
Later... patience...
@@Metzwerg74 Yep
Enjoyed the reaction. I love this episode.
I always believed that Jayne would eventually betray Mal (ie: pilot and Out of Gas). I was expecting it to happen in season 2. My favorite scene was the final scene between Mal and Jayne.
I always felt that the show started episodic, but it slowly started to get more serialize as the show continued.
Simon is more confident in this episode, because this is his world.
Part of the story arc that Jayne was supposed to have was, after a huge score, he leaves the crew and becomes captain of his own ship. After a short time he realizes what an insanely hard job 'captain' is, and he comes back to the crew to just be muscle again, with a greater appreciation for Mal.
@@Crazyivan777 i would have loved to see that....
Mal was going to kill Jayne. Then Jayne showed genuine shame & remorse. He accepted his death penalty. He was more concerned with not wanting the crew to know what he did.
I like to think the character growth Jayne went through in 'Jaynestown' allowed him to feel that level of shame, which just saved his life.
*River's statements:*
'A copper for a kiss' - Directed at Jayne. This alludes to when Judas betrayed Jesus. The difference being Judas got 30 coins of silver. Jayne didn't even get copper (which taints green when oxidized).
'They stole Christmas' - River is telling Jayne he wasn't getting his reward money.
'He looks better in Red' - Jayne's blue shirt logo is now red with Jayne's blood. More Described in the Easter egg below
*Easter Eggs:*
1) The food Simon was eating that 'smelled like crotch' is one of the mystery meals from when River was ripping labels off cans (in Shindig). River then slashes Jaynes shirt with a knife. She was really attacking the blue logo on Jayne's shirt. Those canned food labels also had the same blue logo on them. The logo was 'The Blue Sun Corporation'.
2) In the junkyard, Wash threw a catalyzer when he found the Ambulance Body. That catalyzer was of the same model that needed replacement in 'Out of Gas'.
Firefly follows the Star Trek:The Next Generation connection between shows model. Mostly episcotic but with some character growth, call backs, and a few physical changes.
just in a more believable surrounding....
Episode 1
Federal marshall Lawrence Dobson: She's worth a lot of money. I mean a lot. If you kill me there's nothing, but if you work with me you could have enough money to buy your own ship. One better than this one.
Mal: Why didn't you turn on me Jayne?
Jayne: Money wasn't good enough.
Episode 9
Jayne: Are you going to take me in for questioning? How do you want to play it?
Jayne: Money was too good. I got stupid.
I don't think Jayne had any intention of returning to Serenity. He thought he'd be taken in, maybe asked a few questions, then get paid & be on his way. I think he wanted enough money to retire on. Money for his own ship wasn't enough, but whatever the bounty is at this point obviously is.
As far as Mal letting Jayne live, I think that the fact that Jayne was no longer trying to save his own skin, that he had accepted Mal's judgement, played a part in it. Jayne finally understood what it means to be a member of Mal's crew & in realizing exactly how big of a mistake he made chose not to try to weasel out of the situation. What he said may not have been the best thing, but "I deserve to die, but as my last request please don't let my greatest regret define how the crew will remember me." is good enough, for now. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
Exelente.😎👍
"Ariel": River changes Jayne's T-shirt, Simon becomes a criminal mastermind, the crew trolls for medical IDs and tech, scripts and medical terminology for the "Mighty Serenity Action Players," Inara goes in for a required inspection, the crew walks in the fron door with corpses, Mal, Zoe and an arrogant doctor "go shopping," Simon shows a bumbling intern How It's Done, Simon and River go high tech, Jayne tries to cash in his chips but is swept up, the Blue Gloved Duo show up and start killing people, Mal and Zoe open the door, Mal cold cocks Jayne and nearly Spaces him, Jayne asks Mal to make up a story, which saves him.
jayne never saw simon and river, as real part of the crew..... but mal hammered that into him in the end...
and in a way, jayne is more complicated, than all of the other charackters, but that is only seen throughout all episodes, and often in blink and you miss it scenes....
and he hides that well....
Here is my question. If river is a precog, and sliced him because she saw that he betrays them... but he betrays them because she sliced him...
Stem cells, which can develop into any type of cell in the body,most likely.
2 by 2 hands of blue.... Those were cleaners for the government. They are not assassins, per se, but it is their job that no information about certain projects ever gets beyond those folks who are authroized. Anyone else is a liability and that is where the "cleaners "come in to play.
Great reaction. Please add Travelers to your watchlist. Thanks.
The thing about Jayne and money is we don't really see where his cut goes. There are books that basically act as a season 2 or in between stories for episodes in this season that go further into the characters. With Jayne we find out most of his money gets sent back home to pay for the medical expenses of his sick younger brother who is potentially dying from a lung disease. He cares about his brother as much as Simon cares about River.
Knowing that, which they should have included in the show before this episode, changes the whole dynamic. River tried to kill him. In Jayne's mind IF she killed him she would also be killing his brother. So getting rid of them and getting money to save his brother seemed like a no brainer to him. It's not greed, but family loyalty that made him reckless.
Also can't blame you for not liking hospitals/medical buildings. I've worked as a janitor for such places for a decade cleaning everything from exam rooms, emergency rooms to surgery rooms and the stories I could tell you would freeze your soul.
Emme, I so wish that this show had been picked up! And, you're still beautiful 😍
“Please don’t get arrested” eh?…..Does that sentiment apply to Jayne too?!🤔
It's cool to hate Jayne because I get it(he's a asshole) but lets not act like Jayne isn't a important part of the crew & wouldn't be missed. Guy has saved the crews life multiple time already(Ex.I was aiming for his head), also lets not act like Jayne just called the police for no reason, I'd also be pissed if someone randomly slashed my chest open like that & that would make me think of turning on that person since they're still strangers(only been with the crew for a few months). Jayne obviously hasn't accepted River/Simon as his family like the others so him turning them in makes sense. I don't think he would've turned Mal over to the police because he views Mal as family. In Jayne's mind he gets paid & gets the people that's been putting the crew(his family)in more danger off the ship.
Has everyone just… forgotten… the “Chain of Command” speech from Train Job?! The speeech where he tries to assume control of the ship to leave Mal and Zoe behind?
@@davidmcleod5133 Jayne was scared of Niska finding them. He also believed "Captain would do the same if it was 1 of us" with leaving them. Again Jayne is a asshole/not bright but he thought he was doing the right thing for the crew to save everyone's lives from Niska. He thought Zoe & Mal were screwed & Niska was on his way to kill them after being shot. There's a reason Jayne isn't a leader he's not a decision maker. He then saved Mal's life while drugged up.
It absolutely amazes me how every reactor I've seen react to this episode has hated on Jayne so much. I mean... the man almost got murdered by River and nobody even bats an eye. Jayne probably wouldn't even had tried to turn them in had that not happened. The man was fearful of his life with River around. And everyone else on the ship should be too. Nobody knows what triggered River to even slash Jayne so getting slashed by River could happen to anyone on the ship... But oh no, let's blame the victim in all this. SMH...
I think Jayne did really regret what he did. The reason he asks Mal to not tell the crew what he did is because he knows what he did was wrong and he is sincerely ashamed of himself.
Remember also that Jayne could have turned Simon and River in at any time if all he wanted was the reward. He didn't because, as rough as he is, Jayne does like being part of a crew and has a crude loyalty. From Jayne's perspective, he wasn't betraying his crew -- River cut him, and that's not copacetic with Jayne's understanding of crew loyalty. It was only in retrospect that he realized what he did was stupid and petty. Because, you know, Jayne is a moron.
I just think of Jayne as a junkyard dog that Mal picked up. He's a big dumb lug who is loyal as long as he's well fed and given work to do, but if he gets hungry or bored, well, he's dumb, mean, and untrained, which means trouble. But he's damn good to have next to you in a fight.
Ok, Jayne isn't a "hero". He's not a good guy. If he were a real person, It wouldn't be easy to like. But does anyone else feel like she's kind of not understanding him? Despite his crude nature, there's an honesty to him that makes it clear to Mal at the end that Jayne has something good in his core.
No spoiler here, but when you get done with the series and get to the movie, a lot of the what and why becomes clear.
what do you mean they're not connected? We must be watching different Firefly's
Everyone always gives Jayne crap in this episode, and while he did cross a line, he was just slashed by an apparently crazy girl across his chest. A slash that could have been fatal. Everyone forgets that he was ASSAULTED for no apparent reason. But sure let's just forget about that and the fact he already did not like having fugitives who make their life more difficult on board and he just got attacked by one of them.
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It's not his betrayal of Simon and River at fault. It is his betrayal of Mal and possibly compromising the rest of the crew. But Mal was in the wrong here, one member of their crew attacked another for no reason and it was Jayne who got told he had to live with it. Jayne, who has been a member of their crew longer. As disgusting and insensitive as Jayne is, he did not deserve to get slashed across his chest. But let us all forget that and hate on Jayne, because he is the crude one, while Simon and River are the innocent victims on the run.
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Jayne had PLENTY of opportunities to turn Simon and River in earlier. No one stops to think that his getting slashed across the chest would not push him over the edge to get rid of two people who he feels are a danger to the crew. Others, including Zoey, have pointed out that Jayne is not wrong and that having two fugitives aboard only puts the crew in more danger. Also, the crew had been around a long time without a doctor before Simon and River showed up. So that is not exactly a convincing argument when their very presence puts the crew in more danger and one of them may murder them with a kitchen knife at any moment.
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Now it is easy for us as the audience to just look past River's actions because we believe there is more to her. But I wonder if any of the people reacting here would feel the same about River after she slashes them across the chest for no apparent reason. Go on, say you will shrug it off and forgive her because she is a fugitive whose only story is her brother's story about some secret government experiments on her. Yeah, when you are not the audience who knows River actually went through that, it is not so easy an answer.
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Jayne's wrong in his is going against Mal, and Mal dealt with that in a way Jayne will understand. But even so, you cannot judge Jayne too harshly when he is the one who will have a scar across his chest for apparently being rude to River's brother at the dinner table.
great reaction. I think Jayne gets a bit of a bad rep, in many ways he's the most honest of the crew. everyone else has a bit of pretention , like they're above "common criminals" and are committing crimes because of lack of options or societal pressures/disagreements. Jayne likes crime and money without pretext. while he is crass it's genuine not something forced. I just wish the show presented him as being more valuable as the warrior of the crew since Zoe basically fills the same niche making keeping him around more questionable.