Zhisi meimei

From Realmofthemuse

River Tam is a principal character in Joss Whedon's television series Firefly (2002) and its motion picture conclusion Serenity (2005). She is a prompt-only muse, with the exception of meta-interactions in comments to posts.

Contents 1 Canon Background 1.1 Early Life 1.1.1 Osiris School for the Gifted 1.1.2 Project Oracle 1.2 Firefly 1.3 Serenity 2 Writing

Canon Background

Early Life

River was born on Osiris, second child of the affluent Tam family. Her older brother Simon was already designated as "gifted" in intelligence, and very early on, it was clear that River's intellect was also prodigious - at the age of three, she began correcting Simon's spelling.

River's childhood was focused on three things: school, dance, and family. She and Simon were inseparable, although she was not above being an annoying little sister from time to time. In school, she was very often bored; everything was too easy for her, a fact that constantly proved to be frustrating. Her desire to learn was insatiable, and the fact that the school system couldn't support her was disappointing. To channel her energy, her parents started her in dance lessons, and she took to it like a fish to water.

Osiris School for the Gifted

At the age of fourteen, River enrolled in the government sponsored Osiris School for the Gifted, usually referred to only as "The Academy". As her brother later explained, "We could have sent her anywhere, we had the money, but she wanted to go. She wanted to learn." The school seemed tailored to her needs; finally, she was in a school that could accomodate her higher learning needs. Shortly after starting at the Academy, she was already enrolled in several graduate-level programs.

Project Oracle

While at the Academy, River was continuously interviewed as part of the top secret Project Oracle. Her natural skill for physical agility and latent telepathy were deemed ideal for the project, and she was designated as Test Subject 443/95/4521. The experiments peformed on her involved direct manipulation of her brain; as a result, River developed acute schizophrenia.

While at the Academy, River managed to write several letters to her brother, Simon, whom she had been barred from contacting directly. At first reading, the letters seemed harmless - memories of parties and events, which only Simon recognized as never having happened. He realized that it was a code, her only way of letting him know that things weren't right and that she needed to get out. With the help of underground contacts, he was able to free her from Area 54 of the Academy.

Firefly

River first arrived on Serenity in cryogenic stasis. She was woken ahead of schedule by Malcolm Reynolds after complications arose involving Simon's position as a passenger on the ship. With their past and status as fugitives revealed to the crew, they were allowed to stay, although their place on board was always tenuous. Because of the mental damage she suffered, River tended to disrupt the normal lives of the crew, although over time, she became close with several members - particularly Kaylee Frye. She also grew fond of toying with Jayne Cobb.

Serenity

During the course of the experimentation, several members of the Alliance Parliament visited the Academy as part of an official observation. Unintentionally, River pulled memories of several classified topics - the most important being the discovery of Miranda, a failed experiment in population behavior control. After her escape, the Alliance assigned an Operative to hunt River down to eliminate the threat of the secret being leaked.

River's combat abilities were demonstrated in two instances: first, in an Alliance-triggered altercation in The Maidenhead bar, and later against a group of Reavers.

After the secret of Miranda is broadwaved, River's mental state seems to stabilize - not completely, but moreso than she had previously been. She also assumes the position of pilot, demonstrating a natural aptitude for flying.

Writing

River is written post-Serenity, but does not adhere to a strict timeline. She often speaks in the third-person, since she often sees herself as removed from the "normal" world, although this is not exclusive. Her statements are very often cryptic or metaphoric in nature, subject to multiple interpretations.