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The soft-spoken, mild-mannered Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is established as a tough guy early on in Firefly's movie outing when he whips out his ceremonial katana, swiftly skewers two flunkies and then helps errant scientist Dr Mathias (Michael Hitchcock) commit the seppuku the Operative feels appropriate - no matter what Mathias thinks. The Operative drills his fingers into the doctor’s back, twisting just so to paralyse him. Then it’s a simple matter of positioning his sword point-upwards to catch the doctor’s falling body. It’s a disciplinary action that neatly sums up the Operative’s sense of honour but also his ruthlessness, so full marks to Joss Whedon for writing it so well, and to Ejiofor for the slight smile he maintains throughout.
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