River Tam I swallowed a bug.
Played by Summer Glau 
Serenity (2005) · 82 quotes
Serenity (2005) · 82 quotes
3rd most-quoted character in Serenity (2005): in 12 of its 82 quotes
Most scenes with: Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (3), Simon (2)
People don't like to be meddled with. We tell them what to do, what to think. Don't run, don't walk. We're in their homes and in their heads and we haven't the right. We're meddlesome.
More lines from River Tam
6 quotes River Tam River Tam Her calm comment after a dramatic chase over rough terrain, in which a Reaver ship nearly captured them.
River Tam The Reavers! They're all made up of rage. I can't shut them up!
River Tam On her inability to exclude the insanity of the Reavers from affecting her own mind.
River Tam It's not safe … for them.
River Tam After Simon asks if she wants to stay with the crew.
Scenes with River Tam
5 scenes
Mal
[Preparing to leave the ship]
Hey little one. Understand your part in all this?
River ...Do you?
Mal
This is what I do, darlin'. This is what I do.
Mal
[As the Reavers are chasing them]
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
How come they ain't blowing us out the air?
Mal
They wanna run us down. The up-close kill.
River They want us alive when they eat us.
Boy, sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?!
River, do you want to stay with them?
River It isn't safe.
No. I fear it isn't safe anymore. [Walks off]
River For them.
River No. No.
I hate to leave.
River You won’t. You take care of me, Simon. You've always taken care of me. My turn. [Runs out and fights the Reavers, closing the door behind her.]
Mal
It ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flying is? Well, I suppose you do, since you already know what I'm about to say.
River I do. But I like to hear you say it.
Mal
Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turnin' o' worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down. Tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
River Storm's getting worse.
Mal
We'll pass through soon enough.
