The Significance of "Am I a lion?"

[Kelsey]

I'm referring to this conversation between Jubal and Simon in Objects in Space:

Simon: Are you Alliance?
Jubal Early: Am I a lion?
Simon: What?
Jubal Early: I don't think of myself as a lion. You might as well though, I have a mighty roar.
Simon: I said "Alliance."
Jubal Early: Oh, I thought...
Simon: No, I was...
Jubal Early: That's weird.

So... what's it mean? I know it can't be as random and unimportant as it seems, but I'm having trouble finding the significance. Thoughts?

 

[Mumrik]

Random info: I just had this pop up as my random quote. Eerie.

I actually never gave this a second thought but you're probably right about having some deeper meaning.

 

[Kelsey]

Haha, that's actually what gave me the idea for this thread, Mumrik.

riceballalien agrees: Do you know what episode this is from?

Object in Space. 🙂

I know it has to have some deeper meaning, because when do Joss and Co. put anything in that doesn't? But I'm really not sure what it could be. Unless it's comparing the Alliance to a lion--vicious and predatory.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Perhaps it's a reference to The Wizard of Oz? As in, the lion was cowardly, remember? Perhaps Jubal thinks Simon was insinuating that he was without courage.

Or perhaps Jubal literally didn't hear that Simon said "Alliance" and really thought he said "Lion." Those two words sorta rhyme. Maybe it's Joss' idea of a ill-conceived joke.

 

[Bluebird]

Joss talks about it in the commentary for Objects in Space. I can't for the life of me remember what he said about it though. 😛