Comments on: Operative Conditioning http://www.juliansanchez.com/2005/12/05/operative-conditioning/ Just another geek in the geek kingdom Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:38:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Steven http://www.juliansanchez.com/2005/12/05/operative-conditioning/comment-page-1/#comment-860 Steven Fri, 09 Dec 2005 04:25:03 +0000 http://juliansanchez.com/?p=1172#comment-860 Ha, your response is funny mostly because after writing my post I went to enlist Sybil's support and she thought you were totally right and I'm wrong. I, however, still think that I'm right (inasmuch as one can be about stories). I assumed the final conversation indicated that the the Operative was supposed to be eliminated or that he was on his way to killing himself after the conversation. Also, I saw the story sort of along the lines of Mal as a Jeffersonian figure and The Operative as a Robespierre. Transcendence vs. Isonomy, Rousseau v. Montesquieu, something like that. Ha, your response is funny mostly because after writing my post I went to enlist Sybil’s support and she thought you were totally right and I’m wrong. I, however, still think that I’m right (inasmuch as one can be about stories). I assumed the final conversation indicated that the the Operative was supposed to be eliminated or that he was on his way to killing himself after the conversation.
Also, I saw the story sort of along the lines of Mal as a Jeffersonian figure and The Operative as a Robespierre. Transcendence vs. Isonomy, Rousseau v. Montesquieu, something like that.

]]> By: Julian Sanchez http://www.juliansanchez.com/2005/12/05/operative-conditioning/comment-page-1/#comment-859 Julian Sanchez Fri, 09 Dec 2005 03:37:26 +0000 http://juliansanchez.com/?p=1172#comment-859 I think it's very hard to square the idea of "no conversion" with the final dialogue between Mal and the Operative. Recall he says that he's tried to convince the Parliament it's no longer worth bothering with Serenity and its crew, but that he's not sure how much good it will do because "I think they know I'm not their man anymore." That makes little sense if all that's going on is that he's abandoned a failed mission. I think it’s very hard to square the idea of “no conversion” with the final dialogue between Mal and the Operative. Recall he says that he’s tried to convince the Parliament it’s no longer worth bothering with Serenity and its crew, but that he’s not sure how much good it will do because “I think they know I’m not their man anymore.” That makes little sense if all that’s going on is that he’s abandoned a failed mission.

]]> By: Steven http://www.juliansanchez.com/2005/12/05/operative-conditioning/comment-page-1/#comment-858 Steven Fri, 09 Dec 2005 01:24:38 +0000 http://juliansanchez.com/?p=1172#comment-858 Julian, I'm afriad I must come in at all times to defend against all comers on comments about my beloved Firefly/Serenity. On the Operative and why he doesn't kill Mal, I believe that you have mistakenly ascribed to hm the status of "converted." The Operative does not kill Mal because of an ideological change, he does not kill Mal because his mission was to stop the information from getting out. The information is out, killing Mal doesn't fulfill his mission. He says to his first victim in the film, "this is a good death." Killing Mal, River, and the gang serves no purpose once the film hist the airwaves. He says to his troops at the end, "it's finished. we're finished." The mission is over. Despite being enemies, the Operative has a respect for everyone he encounters on Serenity. What sets him apart from his employers and cronies is that he can look into Simon's face and see the nobility where others see failure, crime, and treason. I think at the end he believes in his cause still, but he has had his own setback, his own Serenity Valley at the hands of those opposed to him. Julian,

I’m afriad I must come in at all times to defend against all comers on comments about my beloved Firefly/Serenity. On the Operative and why he doesn’t kill Mal, I believe that you have mistakenly ascribed to hm the status of “converted.” The Operative does not kill Mal because of an ideological change, he does not kill Mal because his mission was to stop the information from getting out. The information is out, killing Mal doesn’t fulfill his mission. He says to his first victim in the film, “this is a good death.” Killing Mal, River, and the gang serves no purpose once the film hist the airwaves. He says to his troops at the end, “it’s finished. we’re finished.” The mission is over.

Despite being enemies, the Operative has a respect for everyone he encounters on Serenity. What sets him apart from his employers and cronies is that he can look into Simon’s face and see the nobility where others see failure, crime, and treason. I think at the end he believes in his cause still, but he has had his own setback, his own Serenity Valley at the hands of those opposed to him.

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