Original artwork, not a still
Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.
— Firefly · 2002
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A put-down made of a mangled idiom: the expected phrase is that his days of not taking Jayne seriously are coming to an end, and Mal swaps in "middle" without blinking. That deadpan scrambling of Western plain speech is peak Firefly voice, and it lets Mal win the argument while sounding as if he has barely noticed. Fans quote it for any dawning moment of respect or alarm.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for FireflyShow the scene
In "Our Mrs. Reynolds" (Firefly, 2002) Mal has accidentally married the sweet, servile Saffron after accepting a wreath, a bowl of wine and a dance at a village party. Mal has told her he does not want a wife, but she cooks and fusses anyway, and Jayne, ever practical, offers to swap his favourite gun for her. Mal answers with outrage that she has a name, and Jayne replies that the gun does too: Vera. Mal's retort about not taking Jayne seriously follows, then he sends him off to play with the rainstick the village gave him. Saffron's devotion hides a heist.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Firefly (TV series), Our Mrs. Reynoldssection Our Mrs. ReynoldsReference checked
- Wikipedia: Our Mrs. ReynoldsPlotReference checked
Context reviewed
