Firefly - A Question about Reavers - Page 2

Admiral Buzzkill · February 22 2010, 05:35 PM

I didn't say he wasn't a good pilot. I said he was a dimwit.

In any event, zombie rednecks could probably drive trucks - why not? And the Reavers aren't supposed to be stupid, just insane. Hell, a lot of folks are saying that the guy who flew a plane into the side of a building in Austin the other day was insane.

Scout101 · February 22 2010, 05:56 PM

That's kinda the problem, though. The TV reavers were insane (but could be probably extrapolated to be fine as a group). The MOVIE reavers had their aggression response pushed past the maximum (the opposite of the people that died, that got so passive that they just laid down and died) and weren't insane, or stupid, but in beserker rage. Can't maintain a system like that for very long, and I'd imagine it would burn itself out pretty quickly by either killing the host or having the hosts kill each other.

the TV system was workable (although granted there weren't many details on them, but from episodes like where the kidnap victim emulated them, you can guess at it), the movie system doesn't hold up.

RoJoHen · February 22 2010, 06:04 PM

Well, truth be told, we still don't know a whole lot about them. Maybe their rage subsides enough to form a semi-cohesive group (recognizing their own kind and sticking together). When they encounter another group of people, however, they get all bloodlusty and attack!

Ayelbourne · February 22 2010, 06:07 PM

Besides, Han had Chewie. We all know that the Wookie was the one with the brains.

Hermiod · February 22 2010, 06:23 PM

Ayelbourne wrote:

Besides, Han had Chewie. We all know that the Wookie was the one with the brains.

Not that he knew which cable went where.

Gaith · February 22 2010, 06:24 PM

Dennis wrote:

In any event, zombie rednecks could probably drive trucks - why not?

I'm hardly a zombie expert, or even a zombie fan, but to my knowledge they've never been portrayed as capably operating machinery.

Lindley · February 22 2010, 06:28 PM

See sig.....

http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/090209

Admiral Buzzkill · February 22 2010, 07:15 PM

Gaith wrote:

Dennis wrote:

In any event, zombie rednecks could probably drive trucks - why not?

I'm hardly a zombie expert, or even a zombie fan, but to my knowledge they've never been portrayed as capably operating machinery.

Hah!

Ayelbourne · February 22 2010, 08:21 PM

Hermiod wrote:

Ayelbourne wrote:

Besides, Han had Chewie. We all know that the Wookie was the one with the brains.

Not that he knew which cable went where.

Ah, but that was just a trick to conceal his real capabilities. After all he was Han's friend and didn't wanna hurt his feelings.

IcecreamLtDan · February 23 2010, 02:40 AM

This may be the reason the Alliance never bothered with them. Since they'll burn themselves out anyway, why bother wasting resources or getting more people involved who may say something to the civilian populace since they went out of their way to deny their existence. Then, once they're all gone, start the project over again, just like Mal mentioned in the movie. I don't have too much problem justifying the differences in them from the movie and the series. I always took what the rescue team member said about them as more of a description of them than an actual medical explanation. Sort of like saying "That person is crazy". While it's a specific description, it doesn't mean it's completely accurate. Just like the descriptions going around of the pilot in Texas.

Scout101 wrote:

That's kinda the problem, though. The TV reavers were insane (but could be probably extrapolated to be fine as a group). The MOVIE reavers had their aggression response pushed past the maximum (the opposite of the people that died, that got so passive that they just laid down and died) and weren't insane, or stupid, but in beserker rage. Can't maintain a system like that for very long, and I'd imagine it would burn itself out pretty quickly by either killing the host or having the hosts kill each other.

the TV system was workable (although granted there weren't many details on them, but from episodes like where the kidnap victim emulated them, you can guess at it), the movie system doesn't hold up.

The Borgified Corpse · February 23 2010, 04:21 AM

Perhaps there are degrees of Reavers. The most savage, most visible ones that provided the greatest threat to the scientists on Miranda eventually burned out or killed each other. However, perhaps there was a slightly less savage variety that was able to form a coherent society, even if they still feared normal humans and wanted to eat them. SEE the Infected in I Am Legend.

darkwing_duck1 · February 23 2010, 06:30 AM

If it helps, think of Reavers as less "zombie" and more "Hannibal Lectre on steroids". The Pax obviously was an endorphin stimulator; the behavior described in the film is exactly like that from the classic lab rat experiments in endorphin response.

Reavers came from that 1% of the population whose endorphin response is triggered by ABNORMAL stimuli: the sociopath/psychopaths. Think Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, et al.

February 22 2010, 05:35 PM	#16
Admiral Buzzkill The Man Location: Defying Gravity	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers I didn't say he wasn't a good pilot. I said he was a dimwit. In any event, zombie rednecks could probably drive trucks - why not? And the Reavers aren't supposed to be stupid, just insane. Hell, a lot of folks are saying that the guy who flew a plane into the side of a building in Austin the other day was insane. __________________ "I think [J.J. Abrams has] done a great thing for Star Trek. I’m very grateful to him. We all owe him a lot. When someone comes along like he has done and picks it up and elevates it, we should be grateful." - Leonard Nimoy

February 22 2010, 05:56 PM	#17
Scout101 Admiral Location: Rhode Island, USA	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers That's kinda the problem, though. The TV reavers were insane (but could be probably extrapolated to be fine as a group). The MOVIE reavers had their aggression response pushed past the maximum (the opposite of the people that died, that got so passive that they just laid down and died) and weren't insane, or stupid, but in beserker rage. Can't maintain a system like that for very long, and I'd imagine it would burn itself out pretty quickly by either killing the host or having the hosts kill each other. the TV system was workable (although granted there weren't many details on them, but from episodes like where the kidnap victim emulated them, you can guess at it), the movie system doesn't hold up. __________________ Perhaps, if I am very lucky, the feeble efforts of my lifetime will someday be noticed and maybe, in some small way, they will be acknowledged as the greatest works of genius ever created by man. ~Jack Handey STO: @JScout33

February 22 2010, 06:04 PM	#18
RoJoHen Awesome Location: Wherever life takes me	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers Well, truth be told, we still don't know a whole lot about them. Maybe their rage subsides enough to form a semi-cohesive group (recognizing their own kind and sticking together). When they encounter another group of people, however, they get all bloodlusty and attack! __________________ I am the Quintessential Admiral. Get ready to grow your EQUINOX BEARD!

February 22 2010, 06:07 PM	#19
Ayelbourne Fleet Captain	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers Besides, Han had Chewie. We all know that the Wookie was the one with the brains.

February 22 2010, 06:28 PM	#22
Lindley Moderator with a Soul Location: Fairfax, VA	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers See sig..... http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/090209 __________________ Lead Organizer for EVN: Firefly. "So apparently the really smart zombies have automatic weapons!" -Torg, Sluggy Freelance

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February 23 2010, 04:21 AM	#26
The Borgified Corpse Admiral Location: Making closing arguments with Jack McCoy & Michael Cutter	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers Perhaps there are degrees of Reavers. The most savage, most visible ones that provided the greatest threat to the scientists on Miranda eventually burned out or killed each other. However, perhaps there was a slightly less savage variety that was able to form a coherent society, even if they still feared normal humans and wanted to eat them. SEE the Infected in I Am Legend. __________________ Kegg: "You're a Trekkie. The capacity to quibble over the minutiae of space opera films is your birthright."

February 23 2010, 06:30 AM	#27
darkwing_duck1 Vice Admiral Location: the Unreconstructed South	Re: Firefly - A Question about Reavers If it helps, think of Reavers as less "zombie" and more "Hannibal Lectre on steroids". The Pax obviously was an endorphin stimulator; the behavior described in the film is exactly like that from the classic lab rat experiments in endorphin response. Reavers came from that 1% of the population whose endorphin response is triggered by ABNORMAL stimuli: the sociopath/psychopaths. Think Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, et al.