So I finally saw Serenity. Liked it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised about Wash and Book---'twas, after all, Joss Whedon's creation, and I honestly don't believe the man can function without killing off a character or seven---but I was a little surprised by how it was handled. Wash and Book had some pretty significant roles in the series, even if only for comic relief, but they were almost nonexistent in the film. Wash was a leaf on the wind. Book dispensed faith. But I didn't miss their characters when they died so much as I missed the characters I knew from the series. Maybe that's the only way to handle it in a film, but I still felt rather cheated. I loved those two characters; I wanted to mourn them, dammit!!

Even so, I loved the way the rest of the story unfolded. Liked that they jumped ahead in time, showed how carrying River and Simon around the 'Verse affected everything from business to the crew's relationships. I loved that they brought in the Reivers (sp?), who are quite possibly some of the most chilling villains I've ever seen. ::shiver:: And what a nifty resolution of that particular conundrum.

I find, in fact, that the movie has made me long *more* for a return of the series than before, despite the death of key characters. I rather think that fact makes the series more intriguing, truth to tell. There are so many questions to be answered now: how will Mal handle being without Book's guidance? will Zoe fall apart now that Wash is gone? will she blame Mal? is River really cured? will the government leave them alone? how will Mal and Inara's relationship be affected by this particular turn of events? will the crew run into the Operative again? what's next?!?

I suppose it's too much to hope that the series might be adopted by SciFi or something. In which case I shall tuck my questions to the back of my mind and be glad that I can at least feel that the Firefly universe is continuing...somewhere...even if I've lost my window into it.

Sigh. Lovely stuff.

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