Serenity (Firefly episode)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Serenity


Caption = Captain Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe confront Patience on Whitefall
Series = Firefly
Season = 1
Episode = 1
Airdate = December 20 2002 (Fox)
Production = 1AGE79
Writer = Joss Whedon
Director = Joss Whedon
Guests = Carlos Jacott Mark Sheppard Andy Umberger Philip Sternberg Eddie Adams Colin Patrick Lynch Bonnie Bartlett
Prev =
Next = The Train Job
Episode list = List of Firefly episodes"Serenity" is the original two-hour series pilot for the "Firefly" science-fiction television series created by Joss Whedon. However, FOX executives were not satisfied with this as a pilot, and so instead, "The Train Job" was created to be the pilot. "Serenity" was not aired until the end of the series' run. This episode shares its name with the feature film "Serenity", which continues the series after the final episode.

In 2003, the episode won the award for "Best visual effects in a television series" from Visual Effects Society, and was nominated for a Hugo Award in 2003 for "Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form".

Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and Zoe Washburne (Gina Torres) are survivors of their rebel unit in the Battle of Serenity Valley during the Unification War, in which their side lost. They are now eking out an existence on the edges of space in their "Firefly"-class spaceship "Serenity", taking odd jobs even if they involve petty crime. They take on passengers to supplement their income, but one has a secret that makes their lives more difficult.

Plot

The series opens with Sgt. Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds and Corporal Zoe Alleyne fighting in the Battle of Serenity Valley during the Unification War. Without air support, the Browncoats are defeated (and massacred) by the Alliance, leaving Zoe and a disheartened Mal as survivors of their unit. Six years later, Mal is the captain of his own transport ship, the "Firefly"-class vessel "Serenity", and Zoe is his second-in-command. While he, Zoe, and their gun-for-hire cohort Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin) are attempting to steal goods from an abandoned wreck in space, they are discovered by an Alliance cruiser. To escape capture, they deploy a decoy distress beacon. The Alliance cruiser falls for the diversion, but posts a bulletin that a "Firefly"-class ship is carrying stolen Alliance goods.

Several other crew members are introduced at this point: Wash (Alan Tudyk) the pilot, Kaylee (Jewel Staite) the engineer, and Inara (Morena Baccarin), a "Companion" who docks with "Serenity" at Persephone, where the crew intends to deliver the goods before moving on to Boros.

On Persephone, the crew attempts to close their deal with the employer for the heist, Badger (Mark Sheppard), but word of their encounter with the Alliance, and the fact that the goods are government-stamped, makes Badger unwilling to close the deal. Meanwhile, to supplement their income, they take on passengers, which adds to the tension, since now their passengers will be sitting on top of a quantity of government-stamped, illegal salvage goods.

Their new passengers are a preacher named Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), Dobson (Carlos Jacott), and a wealthy doctor named Simon Tam (Sean Maher). Having decided to try their luck with an old adversary, Patience, to sell their goods, they change their flight plan and head for Whitefall, telling the passengers they need to detour to the moon to drop off Alliance medical supplies. En route, however, Wash discovers that someone on board sent a message to an Alliance cruiser, which he managed to scramble in transmission. Suspecting the wealthy doctor Simon is the mole, Mal confronts him only to discover that Dobson is the "Fed" and that the object of his pursuit is Simon, not Mal and the stolen cargo. In Dobson's attempt to arrest Simon, he shoots Kaylee in the stomach before being overpowered by Book. An Alliance cruiser then hails them and Simon threatens not to treat Kaylee if Mal does not flee. Torn between the threat of capture and Kaylee's safety, Mal reluctantly agrees.

Curious as to why the Alliance wants Simon, Mal goes to the cargo bay, opens Simon's crate, and finds a young nude woman inside in a cryonic sleep. It is revealed to be River Tam (Summer Glau), Simon's sister. Simon explains that she was born with a gifted intellect in diverse fields and that at the age of fourteen she was sent to an Alliance-funded academy where she was subjected to some unspecified experiments on her brain. Simon rescued her from the Alliance and is on the run trying to protect her from them. Mal decides to leave them at Whitefall. Inara threatens that if he expels Simon and River from the ship, she'll leave too. Mal decides to proceed to Whitefall as planned, dropping off both the goods and the Tam siblings.

Soon after, they discover that a Reaver ship is approaching. It is explained that if boarded, everyone on "Serenity" will be raped to death, eaten, and have their skin sewn into the Reavers' clothing (in that order, hopefully). Luckily, the Reaver ship passes by.

Mal tells Jayne to interrogate Dobson and find out what he told the Alliance about them. Once Jayne finds out that the Alliance knows nothing, Dobson attempts to bribe him.

"Serenity" lands on Whitefall and Mal, Zoe, and Jayne walk out into a valley to meet Patience and her henchmen. Mal gives Patience a sample of the cargo, which turns out to be nutritional/immunization bars, each one of which can feed an entire family for a month. Patience attempts to renege on the deal, but Mal and Zoe, with the help of Jayne taking a sniper position, dispatch Patience and her gang, taking the money they were promised. Jayne then joins the others, having been contacted by Wash with bad news: the Reavers followed them to Whitefall.

Meanwhile back on the ship Dobson escapes, knocking out Book and grabbing River. Simon attacks Dobson and tries to stop him leaving with River, when Mal arrives and shoots Dobson. Mal and Jayne dump him off the ship as they prepare to leave, the Reavers on their tail. Mal orders the passengers to Inara's shuttle as Jayne carries the still-convalescing Kaylee to the engine room. With Jayne carrying out Kaylee's instructions and Wash's flying, "Serenity" escapes.

Book goes to Inara and, in essence, confesses that he's terribly lost and might be on the wrong ship. Inara thinks he just might be exactly where he ought to be.

On the bridge, Jayne tells Mal that River's in danger and that Dobson had told him the Alliance will keep after her. Mal asks if Dobson tried to bribe him, to which Jayne lets him know it wasn't enough of a bribe, and that it'll be an interesting day if the bribe is ever big enough. Jayne leaves as Simon enters. Mal suggests to Simon that he and River might be safer on the move than hiding in one place, and points out that "Serenity" is always moving, and in need of a medic. Simon accepts his offer.

Deleted Scenes

This episode has two deleted scenes.
* An alternate opening scene showing the aftermath of the Battle of Serenity Valley. Most of the Independent soldiers are dead. Mal and the survivors witness the long-awaited arrival of the medships; when one soldier says 'thank god' for the ships' arrival, Mal bitterly asks whose side God is on. This scene was deleted because the studio wanted a more action-packed opening scene.
* A scene where Simon is taking care of the wounded Kaylee. Book asks why Simon chose to come aboard Serenity and he replies that it seemed disreputable. Book suggests that Simon lacks a knowledge of history. Simon researches the Battle of Serenity Valley on his encyclopedia and Zoe tells him about how many soldiers died during the battle and its aftermath. She tells Simon that Mal won't kill him unless he's got no other option. When Simon asks why Mal named the ship after such a horrible battle, Zoe replies that "once you've been in Serenity, you never leave".

Arc significance

This episode introduces a major story arc of the short-lived series: that of River and Simon. It reveals Simon's deep, selfless love for his sister and that his life is now defined by her.cite visual|date=2003-12-09|title=The Complete Series: Commentary for "Serenity"|director=Joss Whedon|producer=|medium=DVD|distributor=20th Century Fox]

Despite the script stating that Dobson is killed by Mal, Joss Whedon had planned to bring the character back."Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One", pg 13] Although the series was cancelled, Dobson coming back for revenge was a key part of the plot in "", a three-issue comic book miniseries intended to bridge the television series and the movie "Serenity".

Foreshadowing

* Kaylee fruitlessly asks Mal for a new compression coil for the engine, warning that they'll be adrift in space if it breaks. This foreshadows the failure of the "catalyzer on the port compression coil" that cripples the ship in "Out of Gas". In the original rough-cut of the episode (known in Browncoat circles as "The Tube") Mal actually orders Wash to attempt to locate a compression coil.
* Mal and Jayne talk about Dobson's attempt to bribe Jayne into betraying his employer. In "Out of Gas", we see that this is exactly how Jayne first joined the "Serenity" crew. It also foreshadows "Ariel" when Jayne betrays Mal by turning in the Tams to the feds for the large reward.
* Book's feelings that his experiences on "Serenity" have corrupted him foreshadows his later decision to leave the ship for this very reason in the comic book series "".
*The same Reaver ship that chases Serenity in this episode later appears in the film "Serenity" as part of the Reaver fleet which emerges from an ion storm in pursuit of Mal and his crew.

Themes

As Joss Whedon points out in the commentary for this episode, every show he does is "about creating family". To achieve the sense of family, he centers some action around a dinner scene at a table, and directs warm light into the faces of the characters. Strengthening this theme is the interaction between Simon and his sister River. Simon has done a selfless act in rescuing his sister, and his life is now defined by it. Whedon wanted to show a relationship like that that was not a parent-child relationship.

Another theme is the fusion of Asian and frontier culture. As Brett Matthews said, you couldn't ask for a better mission statement for the show than the shot of Mal with a Western tin cup and chopsticks. He then contrasts this to the tall, vertical Alliance cruiser that detects them, as he wanted to show how inefficient the Alliance government was.

He also wanted to show a lifestyle that was very tactile and physical, and contrast it to the lifestyle of the contemporary audience where things "fall in your lap".

Production details

This episode was originally intended as the pilot, but since the original version didn't suit Fox, it did not air. The beginning sequence was reshot before it did air, to give more of the "action" that Fox wanted. Instead, "The Train Job" aired as the pilot - "Serenity" was the last episode to air.

Also, at the time they were shooting this, Rebecca Gayheart was playing the role of Inara Serra, but Whedon knew that it was not going to work out and so shot scenes with her interacting with the crew in singles, so that the only part that would have to be reshot would be the shots of Inara.

After the Reavers are introduced, the screen goes to near black before cutting to commercials. Whedon wanted to give the audience time to "breathe" before being hit with commercials, but a true black would automatically cue the ads. Instead, he went with a color that was as close to black as he could go without causing this.

Guest actors

* Carlos Jacott as Lawrence Dobson, an Alliance "Fed". This is also one of Whedon's "hat tricks" for the episode: an actor that has appeared on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel".
* Mark Sheppard as Badger, the crime boss located on Persephone
* Andy Umberger as the captain of the Alliance cruiser "Dortmunder". He is also a "hat trick". In "Buffy", though, he wore the heavy makeup of an important recurring character, the demon D'Hoffryn, Anyanka's boss, so he's barely recognizable, as Fillion notes in the DVD commentary.
* Philip Sternberg as Inara's client.
* Eddie Adams as Bendis, one of the members of Mal and Zoe's unit in the Battle of Serenity Valley
* Bonnie Bartlett as Patience

Cultural and literary allusions

There were several references to popular culture in this episode. The character Bendis, the soldier that fought in Serenity Valley, was named after comic book writer and artist, Brian Michael Bendis. Also, when deploying the decoy called the "Cry Baby", Malcolm Reynolds says "Cry baby cry" and Wash responds with: "Make your mother sigh", which is a quote from The Beatles' song "Cry Baby Cry".

The logo of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the "Alien" series can be seen at the top of the interface screen on the anti-aircraft gun during the battle sequence at the beginning of the episode. (Joss Whedon wrote the script for the fourth movie in the Alien series.)

As part of the effort to have props serve as meaning, the Chinese character for "Short Interval" is visible on an hourglass in Inara's shuttle when she is with her client during the character's introduction.

When Inara docks her shuttle with Serenity, a Lambda-class Imperial Shuttle can be seen taking off in the background.

Notes

External links

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* [http://www.fireflywiki.org/100.html Firefly Wiki - "Serenity" script]