Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of Firefly discussion and catchup with episode nine, Ariel. This time around we were flung into what was essentially a heist movie and I have to say that I very much loved each and every part of it.

Having the crew stuck hanging about while Inara has to have some Companion check up (well, OK then) set an atmosphere almost immediately broken by River deciding to slash Jayne across the chest with a knife. Jayne of course retaliates by punching her in the face which was one of the only moments which I found slightly odd and out of place. I think it would have worked better for the character if he went to do it rather than actually doing it.

My feelings towards Jayne actually went up, down and around throughout the episode with him making me feel a whole range of emotions towards him. He had me laughing and adoring him as he tried so hard to learn his lines for the ruse (and him still saying it when he turned out he didn’t have to was absolutely brilliant), he had me so mad with him as his selling out of Simon and River was revealed, and I even ended up feeling bad for him at the end in the scene with Mal. And what a scene that was: Mal’s seriousness and unwavering anger until the last moment towards Jayne was superb and it does make you wonder how the two are going to move on from this and interact. I am still undecided on how bad Jayne feels about what he did, but Simon now liking and complimenting him has to sting at least a little.

As great and as detailed a plan as this was, how long was Simon planning this for? He knew every detail off by heart. Was he planning to recruit a team to do this before he even stepped foot on Serenity. He played his part well though and even found time to casually save a guy’s life and belittle one of the doctors as he made his way through the ward. Speaking of the hospital’s doctors, how rude was that one that Zoe and Mal met. I had no sympathy for him getting zapped whatsoever.

Jayne getting arrested too reminded me of that moment in Doctor Who where the whole Jones family is taken by the Master only for the mum to get mad and shout “I was helping you!” as she is dragged away. Luckily Jayne kept quiet or Simon and River would have found out what he had done. The last thing I want to mention is what on earth were the weapons used by those suited guys. Making people bleed out of their eyes, nose and mouth profusely until they die is a horrible way to go! Just shoot them and have it over with. There was a lot of mystery shrouding them too so it suggests that the tampering of River’s brain was ordered by someone with a lot of power and influence. I’ll just have to keep watching to find out more.

DD Rating: 9.75/10