Serenity Spoilers

[dlgood]

In discussion of the movie, particularly Wash's death - one of the more frequent comments I see comes along these lines - that Whedon kills a character showing that no one is safe, and that anyone could die at any time. It heightens the drama/urgency.

And I would say that, in context of TV shows this is somewhat true. Particularly early in the BtVS run when Jesse dies in the pilot though he looks like a long running character...

However, actually, over time I think the reverse is more true. Particularly with Wash's death in "Serenity".

In War Movies, in Horror Movies, in Action/Adventure movies... one death from a "credits" character is by no means beyond the pale. In Serenity we have stabbings, shootings, and so on... and only Wash dies. And actually, by then end, nobody else even seems to have been injured. Mal takes a stab wound to the gut (which should be crippling) and isn't even slowed.

Looking back, Whedon's genre shows have a level of violence that approaches Tom & Jerry levels. And for the most part, the violence really doesn't leave that big a trace. No post-concussion syndrome for example...

It would seem his character deaths actually are the reverse of the standard... The only reason Joss needs to kill characters to remind us that death can happen to main characters, is because death happens to his main characters far less frequently in his shows than it actually should. The character deaths aren't about making points about death - it's innoculation for the fantastical unrealistic infrequency of lasting injury relative to the volume of violence.

Comments

[smithereen.livejournal.com]

and so on... and only Wash dies.

Book dies too. And that's actually why Wash shocked me so much. Because I did think Joss might kill one character since that's his way, but once that one death occured, I didn't expect another one.

Point taken about lasting injuries though. This is clearly true. I think that's fairly common in fiction though, not just a Joss thing. Rarely do I see injuries heal realisitically slowly on tv or in movies (espcially action movies). Usually injuries seem to heal just as fast as the plot needs them to.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

I should note that I'd only seen one episode of the series. So that might put my next comment in context for you....

Book dies too.

He's the black, older, mystic mentor figure. That guy always dies first. Killing him doesn't even count.

[(Anonymous)]

and in a movie context, Wash is the wisecracking sidekick married to the female in power -- someone commented "he may as well have 'Goose' on his helmet"