Consider also that Serenity takes place after two people have left his crew. Inara, who he, despite her threats, considered would always be there because of the benefit of their relationship and Book, who almost never made any noise about leaving until he did.
He's supposed to be able to leave them behind now that they're not on his crew, but notice how he goes right to Inara despite it being a trap, and how disturbed Book's death makes him--it's after the slaughter on Haven that he does the Reaver-makeover and have the major sorrow shot. He's realized that he still cares about his crew even when he has a choice not to (also evidenced by him picking up River and taking her with, thus starting the whole movie's problems with the Operative).
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branchandroot
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Date: 2005-10-01 04:23 pm (UTC)He's supposed to be able to leave them behind now that they're not on his crew, but notice how he goes right to Inara despite it being a trap, and how disturbed Book's death makes him--it's after the slaughter on Haven that he does the Reaver-makeover and have the major sorrow shot. He's realized that he still cares about his crew even when he has a choice not to (also evidenced by him picking up River and taking her with, thus starting the whole movie's problems with the Operative).