History Film / Serenity

** The trigger phrase that Simon uses [[spoiler: to put River to sleep after she clears out the bar]] appears to be Russian, "Это курам насмех", meaning literally "This is hilarious to chickens", an old Russian saying used to denote something ridiculous. Or it might be another attempt at mangled Chinese that sounds close enough to an old Russian saying.

* TearJerker: It took this troper three viewings (although one was with the commentary track. Does that count?) to notice a moment during Mal's [[CrowningMomentOfAwesom Crowning Speech Of Awesome]]. He says "They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better." At that pause, he looks directly at River. For some reason, this troper choked up briefly.

* MoralEventHorizon: In the film, The Operative's destruction/massacre of anywhere/anyone ''Serenity'' might go to for help (The Operative was more of a {{Magnificent Bastard}} until that point.)

* MeaningfulName: Combined with a BilingualBonus, The Pax [[hottip:Lat: Pax is Latin for Peace.]]

* GoodOldFisticuffs: Subverted when Mal goes up against [[spoiler:the Operative]], who is an expert martial artist. Except [[spoiler:the second fight]], but he wasn't using fisticuffs, he was using [[CombatPragmatist whatever he could]].
** It's been argued by some, that despite being an expert martial artist, [[spoiler:the Operative]] was at a disadvantage at not being used to taking a punch. His style and efficiency were such that he rarely got hit.

* [[{{Ptitler1p1wcu4}} You Don't Want To Die A Virgin, Do You?]]: Turned into a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.
--> [[spoiler: '''Simon]]:''' In all this, if there's one thing I regret, it's never having the chance... to be with you.
--> [[spoiler: '''Kaylee]]:''' You mean to say, as in... sex?
--> [[spoiler: '''Simon]]:''' (smiles) I mean to say.
--> [[spoiler: '''Kaylee]]:''' (cocks gun) Hell with this, I'm gonna live!

* VulcanNervePinch: Used by the Operative.
** [[spoiler:And brutally subverted by Mal in his final fight with The Operative when he pretends to fall victim to this technique. In truth that particular pressure point was moved and he just played along so he could catch The Operative off-guard.]]

* [[Ptitler1p1wcu4 You Don't Want To Die A Virgin, Do You?]]: Turned into a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

* PressurePoints: Used by the Operative.
** [[spoiler:And brutally subverted by Mal in his final fight with The Operative when he pretends to fall victim to this technique. In truth that particular pressure point was moved and he just played along so he could catch The Operative off-guard.]]

--->"Shiny. Let's be bad guys."
** Yeah, there's a good many.

-->[[CallBack What was that?]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The normally unflappable Operative panicking as [[spoiler:Serenity comes flying out of a cloud followed by a fleet of Reaver ships]]: "Target the Reavers. Target the Reavers! Target everyone! SOMEBODY FIRE!"