Thread:Godzillafan93/@comment-6052796-20141004121045/@comment-397235-20150105030946

I don't know if you've ever seen the show, but Jayne Cobb in Firefly is this in spades.

He joined Serenity's crew when Mal Reynolds, the main protagonist, made him a better offer than the crew he was currently with...which was holding Mal and his first mate, Zoe, at gunpoint. Jayne broke his contract by shooting his old boss in the leg.

He and Mal don't always see eye to eye, and he takes an immediate dislike toward Simon Tamm, a fugitive doctor the ship takes on in the first episode. Simon doesn't make things better by drugging Jayne when he attempts to take command of the ship in Mal and Zoe's absence.

Things come to a head in "Ariel." Simon plans a heist for the ship's crew involving a government hospital, in exchange for them sneaking he and his mentally deranged sister inside so he can try to diagnose the cause of her psychosis. Jayne, however, makes plans to turn Simon and River over to the government, only to be double crossed by the police. Jayne helps the Tamms escape and they rendezvous with Mal, Zoe, and the rest of the crew.

Jayne thinks everything is fine...until Mal knocks him out with a wrench after everyone else has left and sticks him on the outside of Serenity's cargo ramp...as the ship is leaving atmosphere. Having put two and two together, Mal is furious at Jayne's betrayal, especially given Jayne's genuine confusion, as he doesn't see how this has wronged Mal or the rest of the crew.

Having finally gotten Jayne to admit what he did, Mal walks away, ready to let Jayne be sucked through the partially open ramp and into space. Realizing he's about to die, Jayne asks Mal what he plans to tell the others.

"Hadn't really given it much thought" Mal replies casually over his shoulder. Jayne's response is what changes most people's perception of the character.

"Don't tell them what I done" he says. "Make somethin' up...why I died."

Later on, River (who is, among a great many things, psychic) walks in on Jayne and Shepherd Book (another passenger and a missionary) having a conversation, and accidentally reads their minds, which is shown as if the characters are speaking directly to her.

Jayne looks her in the eye and seems genuine when he says "I got stupid. The money was too good." He understands he almost did a terrible thing but he's genuinely remorseful for it.