Reaver Reading Parties

'If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our skins into their clothing. And if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in that order.'


Has there ever been a more chilling introduction to a villain?  I can't think of one.  In no other context would I ever assume that getting raped to death would be a mercy--except here.  I think that's part of why it's so scary.  As a female in this modern society I am almost hyper-aware that at any time in public I could be assaulted and raped.  This is seen as one of the very worst things that could happen to someone--and rightly so.  

So if you introduce a villain who'll do this scary worst-of-the-worst thing to you, and then have it be more merciful than anything else they'd do to you, it's mindbogglingly terrifying.  

But even though I find this statement horrifying and even though the thought of Reavers is enough to make me tremble, I would like to raise a small quibble.

Not a very large quibble.  But it occurred to me that I have difficulty imagining part of the above statement.  I don't have trouble imagining the raping, or the death, or the eating of the flesh (is it sad or scary that I have little trouble imagining these things?)

What I have trouble imagining is the sewing our skins into their clothing.  It's not that I have trouble with the concept of people using human skin as clothing--it's an icky thought but perfectly acceptable for your big evil baddie.  

However let us recap.

Reavers are scary.  We've established this.  

Reavers are in a state of perpetual rage and bloodthirsty impulses.  We've seen this in both Firefly and Serenity.

I would like to know what part of scary perpetual rage and bloodthirsty impulses lends itself to sewing projects.

I mean, I have trouble enough finishing ordinary sewing projects when I'm not emotionally compromised by frustration or impatience.  Let alone scary perpetual rage and bloodthirsty impulses.  How do you sew like that?  How would an angry scary Reaver sew?  It's like trying to imagine Orcs doing sewing projects.  It just doesn't seem right.

Would they carefully flay/cut all the skin off first to get the most out of it?  Or are they into the cut pieces off and make it work style of sewing?  Do they actually technically sew with needles or do they use things like staple guns to make it stay together?  I can imagine Reavers angrily stapling things together.

We don't expect Reavers to show any other form of domesticity--why sewing?  When they eat our flesh off our bodies I don't think we expect them to cook it first in a nice wine sauce.  I highly doubt they're much for cleaning house and it boggles the mind to try to think of them knitting a scarf.  Unless it were with human intestines.  And even then I doubt they'd have the patience for it (angry knitting!)

So yeah.  As much as it shames me to say it, even my vivid imagination has trouble imagining Reavers doing sewing projects.