True. Which is another reason why I think resolute is dead on with seeing AXM following Firefly rather than BTVS - the correlation between sex and catastrophe just isn't there anymore. These characters are all older, sex is part of their lives, and it's neither the root or the solution of their problems.

Looking back, making Scott/Jean explicitly sensual in the flashback also relates to your statement that Scott is able to open up to Emma not in spite of but because of his previous relationship with Jean - he doesn't separate emotionally and physically intense relationships.