Sometimes we like something but we don't quite know why. It may take a while, maybe even years before we can fully grasp what made this or that TV series memorable.
10 years ago, Firefly debuted (and ended after 14 episodes) and it was something audiences hadn't seen before. It depicted a universe that was gritty and lived in but wasn't about universe changing events. The main characters we saw weren't all that important either and the ship they lived on was, well, less than spectacular.
A few weeks ago, I watched somebody else's video review of this series. One of the first things people like to talk about is how the crew of Serenity are in a sense aspects of Mal. Innocence, faith and so on. For me, one of the most striking things about Firefly was the idea of a ragtag group traveling through the frontier of known space, eeking out an existence. There's nothing glorious about what they're doing, they do it because they have to.
To me, the story of Firefly is, among other things, one of uncertainty. Mal was a veteran on the losing side of a war and for him his ship, Serenity, represents a chance to get as far away from the stifling control of the Alliance. What would he do with this ship? Whatever the hell he wants. Throughout the series we see him and his crew doing one odd job after the other in order to survive. It's not exactly a stable way of making a living and it's made worse by the dangers of frontier space.
The episode that really cemented this line of thought for me was "Out of Gas" and although it was episode 8 of 14, it was so well done that it could easily have been a rewarding last episode. It tells its story in alternate time frames: the past, near present and present. Anyone who has seen it will know how bleak the present timeframe is while the near present timeframe shows the events that led to it. For me, it exemplifies the uncertain nature of traveling in the frontier.
The past timeframe shows Mal and Zoe trawling through a yard full of used and broken ships. We don't know how long this has been since their combat days, but the impression is that since the war they've been a bit aimless. Owning their own ship is a chance at living life as they see fit, away from Alliance control.
By no means am I an advocate of freedom of choice, nor am I a proponent of authoritarian rule. These exist in the world and we'll leave it at that. Mal is certainly no paragon of virtue. He may despise the Alliance but he's a bully himself, taking time to sharply remind others who's boss. No, what Mal sees in the broken and discarded transport ship is freedom to go somewhere. It doesn't really matter where. An uncertain future perhaps, but one he can face on his terms. Even if those terms involve shooting and punching people.
"You buy this ship, treat her proper, she'll be with you the rest of your life." The episode ends with this line. Firefly is not just a story of facing an uncertain future with determination, but of hope.
The past timeframe shows Mal and Zoe trawling through a yard full of used and broken ships. We don't know how long this has been since their combat days, but the impression is that since the war they've been a bit aimless. Owning their own ship is a chance at living life as they see fit, away from Alliance control.
By no means am I an advocate of freedom of choice, nor am I a proponent of authoritarian rule. These exist in the world and we'll leave it at that. Mal is certainly no paragon of virtue. He may despise the Alliance but he's a bully himself, taking time to sharply remind others who's boss. No, what Mal sees in the broken and discarded transport ship is freedom to go somewhere. It doesn't really matter where. An uncertain future perhaps, but one he can face on his terms. Even if those terms involve shooting and punching people.
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