List of characters in the Firefly universe
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This article is about characters in the television series Firefly.
[edit] Malcolm Reynolds
Captain of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity. Volunteer in the war between the Alliance and the Independents. He got the name for his spaceship from a famous battle he fought and commanded in, the Battle of Serenity Valley. When asked why he named his ship after a lost battle, Zoe comments "Once you're in Serenity, you never leave. You just learn how to live there." He is fiercely loyal to those he calls his crew.
[edit] Zoe Washburne
| Zoe Washburne | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Gina Torres |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 15 February 2484 |
| Occupation | First mate of Serenity |
| Spouse(s) | Hoban Washburne |
| Homeworld | None (born aboard a spaceship) |
| IMDb profile | |
Zoe Washburne (née Alleyne) was played by Gina Torres.
Born February 15, 2484, "Vesselside" (given her statements to Wash during an argument in the episode "Heart of Gold," this is clearly an expression meaning "aboard a spaceship"), Zoe served in the Unification War under Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds and continues under his command on his spaceship, Serenity. A loyal second-in-command and a tough, deadly fighter, Zoe is the only member of Mal's crew to regularly call him "sir" and take orders as if receiving them from a superior officer.
Zoe married Serenity's pilot Wash sometime after he joined the crew, though initially she claimed that something about him "bothered" her—possibly his disturbing moustache (seen in flashback in the episode "Out of Gas"). In the DVD commentary for the episode "Shindig," costume designer Shawna Trpcic mentions that the leather necklace Zoe always wears is a symbol of her marriage bond. However, she is seen wearing the necklace in the flashback sequences of "Out of Gas," well before she has married Wash. In the book Firefly: The Official Companion - Vol. 1, Torres speculates that the necklace is actually a shoelace from the boots that Zoe wore during the Unification War.
Although Zoe and Wash worked a very dangerous sort of lifestyle, they managed to retain a rather happy marriage with one another. Wash at times grew jealous of Zoe's close relationship with Mal, but later managed to get past it. Zoe and Wash considered having children, but unfortunately, during the events of Serenity Wash was killed. Heartbroken, Zoe and the rest of the crew built a memorial for her husband on Mr. Universe's moon.
According to the book Serenity: The Official Visual Companion, Firefly series creator Joss Whedon writes that Zoe's last name was Alleyne (at least at the time of the Unification War), and she took the name Washburne after her marriage to Hoban Washburne. This is confirmed in a deleted scene from Serenity where a display lists her military name as Corporal Zoe Alleyne. In the documentary Re-Lighting the Firefly, her name is given as Zoe Warren, apparently a version of her name which was considered at one time, but changed by the time the film Serenity was released.
At the time of the Battle of Serenity Valley, Zoe had attained the rank of Corporal. Along with Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds, she was the only other survivor of their platoon in that battle.
Unlike Mal, she was career military, and is often more calm in dangerous situations. Mal often thinks with his heart while Zoe usually thinks with her head. Regardless, Zoe follows all orders from Mal, although often with a degree of advice or concern.
Her weapon of choice appears to be identical to the Mare's Leg, a custom Winchester Model 1892 rifle used by Steve McQueen's character Josh Randall in the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive. Joss Whedon calls the Mare's Leg his "favorite gun of all times"[citation needed]. The actual gun she uses in the series was originally used in the series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr..[1]
[edit] Hoban Washburne
| Hoban Washburne | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Alan Tudyk |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | "Wash" |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | Late 25th century |
| Date of death | circa 2519 |
| Occupation | Pilot of Serenity |
| Spouse(s) | Zoe Washburne |
| Homeworld | Unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
Hoban "Wash" Washburne originated in the science fiction television series Firefly. He later appeared in the comic book series Serenity: Those Left Behind, a sequel to the television series, and the film Serenity, itself a sequel to the comic. Played by Alan Tudyk, Wash serves as the pilot of Serenity, a transport ship captained by Malcolm Reynolds. He is married to the ship's first mate, Zoe. It is unknown as to why he prefers to be called Wash, rather than by his given name Hoban Washburne, even by his wife Zoe. The Serenity film novelization has Mal confront this point in his narrative. His reasoning is simply, "Why would anyone call themselves Hoban?"
[edit] Early life
Raised on an unnamed planet with pollution so thick the stars were not visible, Wash became a pilot in part to see the sky beyond his home. According to the Serenity novelization (which is not considered canon), Wash was second in his class. Mr. Universe, Wash's friend in flight school, was top of the class, since he hacked the records. In order to buy Wash's silence (and save himself from a threat of bodily injury at the hands of Wash), Mr. Universe offered Wash his services whenever they were needed.
[edit] Unification War
On the commentary on War Stories, Tudyk says that he believed Wash served in the Unification War. According to him, Wash served as a pilot during the war, although he did not specify which side. However, Tudyk believes his ship was shot down after a single flight and he was put in a POW camp, where he spent the remainder of the war entertaining the other prisoners with shadow puppets. Wash himself makes a reference to shadow puppets in the Firefly episode, The Message.
[edit] After the war
Wash then travelled widely, visiting odd worlds where, for example, juggling goslings was the principal form of recreation. His skills as a pilot grew, and by the time Wash met Malcolm Reynolds, his reputation had grown to the point where he was actively courted by multiple captains in search of a good pilot (Mal tells Zoe that Wash has a list of recommendations "as long as [his] leg" when Zoe expresses her dislike of Wash). Wash accepted Mal's offer, and in the course of time, fell in love with and eventually married Reynolds' second-in-command, Zoe. This pairing is especially ironic, given that Zoe's first impression of Wash was one of immediate dislike and distrust (though it is hinted in Out of Gas this dislike may be due to his disturbing mustache, which he does not have later). The two have a passionate and strong relationship, despite Wash's occasional concern over Zoe's fierce loyalty and devotion to Mal.
A laid-back guy with a dry and occasionally laconic sense of humor, Wash tends to represent the pragmatic, cut-and-run opinion in any shipboard debate, and often serves as the calming influence in heated arguments. His actions sometimes appear cowardly (or at least less than heroic), but Wash has proven his resolve and willingness to both put himself in harm's way and do violence on behalf of his friends on many occasions. His loyalty to his fellow crew is unshakable, as is shown when he insists on rescuing Mal from the clutches of the crime lord Adelei Niska in "War Stories", despite clashing with Mal over Zoe earlier and having been severely tortured by Niska to the point of barely being able to stand.
As a pilot, Wash's flying style oscillates between near panic and a Zen-like calm. The attitude he conveys seems to be in inverse proportion to the degree of danger he believes he and the ship are in at any particular moment, acting the most calm when facing the greatest danger. A mantra, which he quietly recited in the movie Serenity during a highly stressful situation is "I am a leaf on the wind; watch how I soar". On the DVD commentary for the episode The Message, Alan Tudyk described his piloting during the chase sequence as being similar to Jerry Lewis.
Wash keeps a collection of toy dinosaurs in the ship's cockpit and plays with them during lulls in the action. Tudyk has described Wash as "the Space Xander", referring to the character's similarities with Xander Harris from Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[2]
Wash can often be seen wearing either a hawaiian shirt or a utility vest. This vest seems to be based upon US Army flight crew safety vests.
In the 2005 film Serenity, Wash dies near the end of the film when a harpoon launched by a Reaver ship impales him, killing him instantly. His shipmates erect a memorial to him (it is unclear if this is a tomb, as well) on Mr. Universe's moon. River Tam then takes up his duties as pilot of Serenity (under the supervision of Mal Reynolds); as a tribute to Wash the collection of toy dinosaurs remain on the pilot's station of the bridge.
[edit] Inara Serra
| Inara Serra | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Morena Baccarin |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | "The Ambassador" |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | Late 25th century |
| Occupation | Companion |
| Relatives | Unknown |
| Religion | Buddhist |
| Homeworld | Sihnon |
| IMDb profile | |
Inara Serra was played by Morena Baccarin. Actress Rebecca Gayheart was initially hired to play the part of Inara but was fired after only one day of filming. Joss Whedon said that there was a lack of chemistry between her and the rest of the cast. Morena Baccarin filmed her first scene the very day she was accepted for the role.
[edit] Character history
Inara, born in the late 25th century on Sihnon, is a Companion, a high-society courtesan licensed by the Union of Allied Planets (the "Alliance"). In Alliance society, Companions are part of the social elite, often accompanying the wealthy and powerful. They have considerable ritual and ceremony surrounding their services, which appear to extend beyond sex to nurturing psychological and emotional well-being.
As of the end of the original Firefly series,[3] most of what is known about Companions is derived from Inara herself and incidental discussions with and about other Companions and Companion-trained individuals. These sources suggest that Companion training includes social and physical grace, at least some performing arts, and psychology. Companions choose their own customers, and can have ungracious customers banned from any Companionship.
Inara was a rising member of Companion House Madrassa, possibly in contention for house priestess, when she suddenly and inexplicably left to travel the outer rim. She has suggested that she "wanted to see the universe", although it is strongly hinted that she has other reasons.
Less than a year before the events of "Serenity" (the pilot episode of Firefly), she contracted with Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, captain of spaceship Serenity, to lease one of its shuttles for transportation, living space, and workspace. This provides Inara with some mobility independent of Serenity, and Malcolm with some respectability that helps him open doors in the marketplace that he might not otherwise achieve as an ordinary smuggler. Though earning his disfavor initially by stating that she supported unification of the Alliance and the Independants (in flashback in the episode "Out of Gas"), she and Mal have developed an unacknowledged attraction to each other which they resist, ostensibly for business reasons, and practically by jesting and sometimes hurtful bickering.
Inara has a number of frequent clients throughout the Allied worlds, and takes both male and female clients, although most of her clients are male.
Inara appears to be at least somewhat adept at swordplay ("Shindig"). In the movie Serenity, it is shown that she also may have been trained somewhat in the martial arts, and is skilled with a bow and arrow, apparently preferring them over firearms. In a proposed extended version of a scene from Serenity, in Inara's Companion montage, she was to be seen teaching the girls how to use the bow, but this idea was dropped, claiming that she appeared too much like "Wonder Woman". This is mentioned in the DVD commentary.
Inara is one of only three main characters in the Firefly / Serenity universe who express any religious/philosophical beliefs; she is Buddhist. The two other characters whose beliefs we know about are Book, a Christian Shepherd (pastor), and Malcolm Reynolds whose faith in God was broken in the Battle of Serenity Valley.
In the audio commentaries for the series DVD collection, it is mentioned that there is a subplot for Inara which was not developed in the series or the film. The producers mention two foreshadowing events that hinted at this plot. The first is the syringe-like object that Inara looks at during the Reaver encounter in the pilot episode, and the second is hidden in the dialogue of the conversation she has with Simon when the ship is disabled in the episode "Out of Gas". The line most likely associated with this hidden subplot is her response to Simon's "I don't want to die [on this ship]," "I don't want to die at all," as the rest of their conversation is straightforward exposition.
[edit] Relationships
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Mal: Her trade as a Companion is a source of constant tension between the two, with Mal often making derogatory references to her profession during their arguments. However, Mal does treat her with a reasonable amount of courtesy and takes great offense when she is insulted (despite often insulting her himself, as she points out), leading to a duel with her client Atherton Wing, which almost resulted in Mal's death. The sexual tension between the two is clear, however it is left unresolved by the end of the series. It's hinted that she has deeper feelings for him than she likes to admit, demonstrated by her weeping after Mal's liaison with the house madam, her friend, in Heart of Gold. She also fantasizes about him while with a client in Better Days.
Kaylee: She is often a mothering figure to Kaylee. She braids Kaylee's hair and interprets her feelings for Simon, as well as going shopping together when Serenity is docked and she doesn't have a client scheduled.
Simon: Simon seeks her out on occasion when he needs help looking after River. She and Simon will often band together to enforce the idea of caution onto Mal's plans, though their advice often goes unheeded.
River: Inara often looks after River when Simon is working in the infirmary or helping the rest of the crew on a job.
Shepherd Book: Despite his initial hesitation about her occupation, Shepherd quickly warms to her, bringing some of his cooking to her shuttle for her dinner and seeking her advice when his faith is tested due to his involvement with criminals.
[edit] Jayne Cobb
| Jayne Cobb | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Adam Baldwin |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | late 25th century |
| Occupation | Mercenary |
| Relatives | Radiant Cobb (mother, alive) |
| Homeworld | Unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
Jayne Cobb, played by Adam Baldwin, is a tall (6'4"), physically imposing mercenary previously uninvolved with the Unification War. Despite his unsophisticated manner, and contempt for more intellectual characters, Jayne regularly displays cunning and common sense. Adam Baldwin calls Jayne a "practical guy," explaining his character's use of gallows humor by explaining that when in peril, the choice is to "panic and cry and crap your pants, or you make a joke and you try to survive."[4] Baldwin won the SyFy Genre Awards in 2006 for Best Supporting Actor/Television.[5]
Originally a member of a gang that ambushes Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe, Jayne switches alliances and joins Mal and Zoe after Mal offers him a larger share of heists and his own bunk. Though he engages in a few one-night stands, Jayne has no long-term love interest, beyond a lingering crush on Kaylee that Joss Whedon pointed out in the Serenity commentary. His feelings for her can be seen in his concern during the pilot episode, when he watched her surgery, as well as in his hostility towards Simon (Kaylee's obvious love-interest). Jayne is openly contemptuous of Simon and River, and sees them as a danger to his safety as they may bring the Alliance down on them. Nevertheless, he shows a measure of concern for River when he and Simon discover that Alliance researchers cut into River's (otherwise healthy) brain to conduct experiments, an act that would be considered mutilation by any ethical physician.
Jayne is regarded as something of a Robin Hood-like folk hero by the people of Canton on Higgins' Moon ("Jaynestown"), who have erected a statue of him in the center of the town and sing a song dedicated to "the hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne" ("The Ballad of Jayne Cobb") in which they tell how "he robbed from the rich and he gave to the poor." The true story is that Jayne was forced to give up the money in order to escape.
Jayne has shown fear at upsetting Malcolm Reynolds and anything to do with Reavers, a subpopulation of feral humans. Jayne has also demonstrated fear of dying in what he considers an unmanly fashion, notably being "spaced". In "Out of Gas" Jayne is seen on-screen curiously poking at Simon's birthday cake. In the commentaries for episodes "Out of Gas" and "War Stories", it is mentioned that Adam Baldwin added a "tactile" compulsion to the character. Jayne tends to touch, smell and taste things habitually, being constantly in touch with his surroundings. Occasionally hinting at a more complex character, Jayne demonstrates sentimentality in "The Message", sending money earned by his mercenary activities home to his mother. In the same episode, he proudly sports a ridiculous orange knit cap with earflaps (a tuque), simply because his mother made it for him (Wash: "A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything."). The same "cunning hat" has become a favorite among fans. There are several knitting patterns of it online, and several folk songs have been written about it, such as "Jayne's Hat" by Stan Peale.
Jayne keeps a large arsenal of weapons in his bunk on Serenity, the largest and most powerful being a firearm (specifically, a "Callahan full-bore auto lock with customized trigger double cartridge thorough gauge") nicknamed Vera. Jayne frequently carries a handgun based on a LeMat Percussion Revolver, and in the movie Serenity, carries a machine gun named Lux, which is a reference to the internet handle of one of the show's dedicated fans, LuxLucre.
[edit] Kaylee Frye
| Kaylee Frye | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Jewel Staite |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | late 25th century |
| Occupation | Mechanic of Serenity |
| Relatives | Parents living |
| Homeworld | Unknown |
| IMDb profile | |
Kaywinnit Lee "Kaylee" Frye was portrayed by Jewel Staite. Kaylee has exceptional mechanical aptitude, despite her lack of formal training, and serves as ship's mechanic to Serenity.[6][7][8] Kaylee is considered by the crew to be exceptionally sweet and chipper, the type who maintains a bright attitude even when others are feeling low.[9][10][11][12] Jewel Staite explains Kaylee's character as being wholesome, sweet, and "completely genuine in that sweetness", adding "She loves being on that ship. She loves all of those people. And she's the only one who loves all of them incredibly genuinely."[13] Staite told Interview magazine, "She's kind of a floozy who wears her heart on her sleeve."[8] Kaylee has shown an affinity for strawberries.[14] Despite her mechanical aptitude which allows Kaylee to fix just about anything,[6] she has a desire for girlish things and is annoyed when Mal does not see that she is a woman as well as a mechanic.[15] Although most notable in the episode "Shindig"—when he criticized her desire to purchase an elaborate dress on the grounds that she would have no opportunity to wear it in her job—this recurs throughout the series.
The background of the character is revealed in the episode "Out of Gas", showing her joining the crew of Serenity. The ship's captain, Malcolm Reynolds, interrupted her and Bester, the ship's mechanic at the time, having sex in Serenity's engine room.[16] However, when Bester incorrectly informed Mal that the ship could not be fixed, Kaylee quickly proved him wrong by diagnosing the problem and repairing the grounded Serenity. Impressed with her mechanical ability, Mal immediately offered her Bester's job. Kaylee happily accepted, and left her family (and Bester) behind to join the crew.[17]
When Kaylee is shot in the stomach in the pilot episode, Simon Tam uses her injury as a bargaining chip to be allowed to remain on Serenity with his sister, River.[18] Jayne Cobb would embarrass her in this and later episodes by making fun of her attraction to Simon, usually right in front of Simon.[14] The romantic attraction to Simon Tam remains unconsummated during the run of the series, even though it is clear that Simon's feelings are mutual.[19] (In the novelization of "Serenity", River reveals that the attraction between Simon and Kaylee is not a simple crush of infatuation, but that the two are in fact, in love.) It is often his 'proper' attitude that prevents the two of them from ever engaging in a more meaningful relationship, or his dedication to protecting his sister.[citation needed] The problem is compounded by the fact that he sometimes makes comments that hurt Kaylee's feelings, insulting the lifestyle of the crew, Serenity, and even herself, though he never intentionally means to insult her; a prominent example of his ineptitude at making conversation is in " The Message" when he described her as 'the only girl in the world', on the grounds that all the other women he knew were either married (Zoe), too professional (Inara) or related to him (River). Simon himself almost never gets mad at Kaylee, the only time being "Objects in Space" where Kaylee revealed River's disturbing expert use of a handgun, which placed a dark cloud over River in the eyes of the others, which in turn angered Simon, although he was able to control it.[citation needed] In the movie Serenity, Simon Tam confesses his feelings for her, which she reciprocates. The ending depicts the two finally consummating their relationship; a scantily-clad Kaylee and a shirtless Simon kiss each other passionately, then sink to the engine room floor (falling out of frame in the process), with River peeking in wide-eyed from an overhead hatch.
[edit] Simon Tam
| Simon Tam | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | late 25th century |
| Occupation | Doctor[20] |
| Relatives | Gabriel Tam (father) Regan Tam (mother) River Tam (sister) |
| Homeworld | Osiris |
| IMDb profile | |
Doctor Simon Tam, played by Sean Maher, appears in all episodes of Firefly, and more recently has appeared in the comics Serenity: Those Left Behind and the feature film Serenity.
Simon was born in late November, c. 2490 to Gabriel and Regan Tam, and was born and raised on Osiris, a Core World planet with major Alliance ties. In the original script for the episode "Bushwhacked" it is revealed that Simon supported Unification, the issue that sparked the eponymous War of Unification.
Since he was young, Simon's family had hopes for him to have a future in medicine. Simon was accepted to the best Medical Academy, or "MedAcad," on Osiris. Simon graduated in the top 3% of his class, and promptly moved onto a medical internship, which he completed in a mere eight months (as opposed to a year), and is licensed to practice medicine. From there, he became a resident trauma surgeon on one of the major hospitals in Capital City, Osiris.[episode needed]
Around this time, Simon's sister River attended an elite Alliance-sponsored school called The Academy. Eventually, Simon realized that River was writing to the family in code, and began a quest to find and rescue her from the Academy. After learning about River's abuse at the Academy, he is unable to help her for two more years. However, Simon is eventually contacted by a group of men from an underground movement, and they help him with the rescue. While Simon and River head for Persephone, the Alliance freeze all of Simon's monetary accounts and label Simon and River as fugitives.[21][22]
After landing on Persephone Simon looks for a ship to take him and a cryogenically stabilized River off-planet. He chooses Serenity. The ship's mechanic, Kaylee Frye, is immediately infatuated with Simon. Later, the Serenity crew learn of the siblings' backstory. Because of the need of Simon and River to stay on the move, Mal Reynolds offers Simon a post as medic on Serenity, and Simon accepts. Simon soon settles into life on the ship, spending time with River, in attempts to figure out what happened to her at the Academy. The Tams remain below Alliance radar, despite some close calls.[23][24] There is also some tension with Jayne Cobb. After River attacks him with a knife during one of her psychotic outbursts, Jayne attempts to turn them in and collect the reward, although the plan backfires when he is double crossed by his Alliance contact.[25] After an incident in "Safe" involving the absence of River, Simon is clearly more a part of the crew. In "Jaynestown," Simon and Kaylee have their first moment where it's realized that Simon may have more feelings for Kaylee than originally thought. By "Objects in Space," the final episode, Simon has begun to loosen up much more, especially around Kaylee.
In the film Serenity, Simon has finally become well-adjusted to the crew—to the point where he even stands up to Mal and punches him when Mal puts River in danger during a heist. Mal had sucker punched Simon twice in the pilot Serenity, so this is a step towards evening things out. Near the end of the film, Simon admits to Kaylee that he would have liked to have had a romantic relationship with her just as they prepare for an apparently hopeless battle with Reavers. The two consummate their relationship in the end.
[edit] River Tam
| River Tam | |
|---|---|
| Firefly character | |
 Summer Glau as River Tam in Serenity. |
|
| Created by | Joss Whedon |
| Portrayed by | Summer Glau Skylar Roberge ("Safe") Hunter Ansley Wryn (Serenity) |
| Episode count | 14, 1 movie |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | circa 2500 |
| Occupation | Fugitive, occasional accomplice to illegal acts |
| Relatives | Gabriel Tam (father) Regan Tam (mother) Simon Tam (brother) |
| Homeworld | Osiris |
| IMDb profile | |
River Tam is a fictional character played by Summer Glau. She originally appeared in Joss Whedon's short-lived cult-hit television series Firefly, and went on to appear in the R. Tam sessions, the comic Serenity: Those Left Behind, and the feature film Serenity.
River is the teenage sister of Dr. Simon Tam, both of whom take refuge aboard Malcolm Reynolds' Firefly-class transport ship known as Serenity. She is considered a child prodigy, intelligent beyond her years and athletically gifted.
Summer Glau won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as River in Serenity in May 2006.[26] Glau was also runner up for Best Actress/Movie in the SyFy Genre Awards for 2006.[27]
[edit] Character backstory
[edit] Early life
During River's early childhood, she grew up alongside her brother, Simon, part of the wealthy Tam family on the "core" (Alliance-dominated) planet of Osiris. It is remarked throughout the TV series that she was extremely gifted intellectually from a very young age (she is noted as having “corrected Simon's spelling since she was three”), and also very graceful. She has been portrayed and described consistently as having always had both a strong thirst for knowledge and a love for and intuitive grasp of dance. By the time she was 14 years old, she had grown “bored” with her studies and was already in some form of college.
As revealed in portions throughout the series (beginning with the second half of the episode “Serenity” and ending — thus far — with the feature film), it was at this point that she was sent to a government learning facility known only as “The Academy”. While her parents and Simon believed the Academy was a private school meant to nurture the gifts of the most academically talented children in the Alliance, it was in fact a cover for a government experiment in creating the perfect assassin. While in the hands of the Alliance doctors and scientists, River was secretly and extensively experimented on, including (as revealed in the episode “Ariel”) surgery that removed most of her amygdala.
In the R. Tam sessions, a webcast series of short films produced as tie-ins to the movie Serenity, the progression of her youthful descent into insanity is shown, as are hints of her psychic abilities. She references the “Pax”, which would later be a plot point in the film, and mentions the Academy's first subject “dying on the table”, something she apparently could not have learnt through conventional means. The R. Tam sessions' portrayal of her initial interview with a member of the Academy indicates she had previously had strong “intuitive” abilities in addition to her high intellect and ready grasp of complex subjects. How and when this translated into her apparently full-fledged mind-reading abilities is unknown, but the R. Tam Sessions imply that she may have already had some form of latent psychic abilities prior to being recruited.
According to Simon's monologue in the episode “Serenity”, the Alliance attempted to isolate River from her family, though she managed to send a call for help by putting a coded message in a letter to her brother. Simon decoded the message and set out to rescue his then 16-year-old sister, despite his parents' insistence that he was simply being paranoid. Simon exhausted his own personal fortune and sacrificed a promising career in medicine, but eventually located River with the help of anti-governmental groups. In the television series it was initially suggested that it was members of this group that had rescued River from the Academy and delivered her to Simon, who had in turn financed their operation; in the feature film, however, it is revealed that Simon himself had a key role in her escape, aside from monetarily supporting the extraction.
An addition to her story is made in the novelization of Serenity. Even after months of surgery and psychological abuse, she has been able to remain remarkably sane — sane enough to hide coded messages in her letters to Simon that escape the attention of Academy censors. However, when she is forced by her handler to demonstrate her abilities directly to key members of Alliance leadership, she almost immediately descends into extreme psychosis, her messages losing all coherence.
[edit] Rescue
After learning about River's abuse at the Academy, Simon is unable to help her for two years. However, Simon is eventually contacted by a group of men from an underground movement. They explain to him that the Alliance has been "playing with her brain". If funded, the men agreed to sneak River out in cryo. River would then be taken to Persephone, a planet slightly outside the Core, where Simon could take her wherever he wished.
Simon spends a large amount of money funding the men. As part of the plan, he infiltrates the Academy disguised as a uniformed official of the Alliance government and asks questions of Dr. Mathias about River's treatment. Simon activates a hidden stun grenade and releases River. They then run to the window of an elevator shaft, break through, and the men's ship overhead releases a raft that they use to ride up to safety. This was all caught on the security cameras of the Academy (as seen in Serenity). From there, they head for Persephone.
When the Alliance learns of River's rescue, they promptly freeze all of Simon's monetary accounts, leaving him with nothing but his medkit, and put out a warrant for the arrest of both Simon and River, labelling them as fugitives (as mentioned in "Safe" and "Ariel").
[edit] Character description
In addition to being disowned by their parents, Simon and River are pursued by both Alliance forces and bounty hunters. Simon, a talented doctor, treats her regularly, attempting to find medicines that help the now mostly-psychotic River. Through an advanced form of medical imaging, he discovers that part of her brain, the amygdala (which acts as a filter for emotions) has been stripped. Rather than producing Kluver-Bucy syndrome, this prevents River from being able to control her emotions, even if she wants to. As Simon describes it, "She feels everything; she can't not." ("Ariel").
River displays some ill-defined telepathic perception; she "sees" and foretells the future (though she often conveys her visions in a twisted, nursery-rhyme manner), she can "feel" people's emotions and sense their thoughts. At the end of "Trash", she threatens Jayne by very casually remarking "I can kill you with my brain", but it is unknown whether this was an empty threat or not. She claims (at the end of the movie Serenity) to know what Mal is about to say and apparently reads the mind of Jubal Early (in the Firefly episode 'Objects In Space'). She exhibits a heightened ability to detect her surroundings, locating the bodies of the slaughtered crew in "Bushwhacked", finding her way around an otherwise unknown hospital without guidance in "Ariel", and detecting injuries or other physical problems, such as Shepard Book being shot in "Safe" and a dying patient in "Ariel." The full extent of her psychic/intellectual powers are unknown, as are the intentions of the shadowy organization who experimented on her, or even the true relationship that organization has to the Alliance.
She is deeply intuitive and relies on feelings rather than knowledge, and her way of communication is almost lyrical, always deeper than it appears, consisting mostly of cryptic metaphors and never simple (save for a few occasions, e.g. telling Simon "You're such a boob").
River possesses an exceptional mental ability. In a scene edited from the final cut of the film Serenity, River calculates the most efficient escape vector and launch window for the ship to leave the planet Miranda entirely in her head. At the end of the film, she takes over the co-pilot's station and capably flies the ship.
As evidenced in Serenity, River's skill at hand-to-hand combat is virtually unstoppable. On two separate occasions she ventures into large melees (20-30 opponents against her at the same time), and on both occasions she emerges not only victorious but (apparently) completely uninjured. The fighting style used by River in Serenity was a Kung-fu/Kickboxing hybrid, modified to be more "balletic." [28] Her skill with firearms is also shown to be near super-human: during a battle in the Firefly episode "War Stories" she memorizes the battlefield in one quick glance, then proceeds to take out three advancing soldiers with one shot each with her eyes closed.
[edit] Character relationships
Despite her initial insanity, River nevertheless developed some interesting relationships with the rest of Serenity's crew over the course of the series
- Simon Tam: Although River made him feel like an 'idiot child' when they were growing up, the two are nevertheless very close. Simon frequently refers to her as 妹妹 "mei mei", which means "little sister". When he received her coded messages from the Academy, he gave up his career in order to save her, and subsequently protected her closely while trying to diagnose what had been done to her. The key phrase that Dr. Simon Tam uttered to put River to sleep, "это курам на смех" ("eto kuram na smekh") in Russian means literally "this is for hens to laugh at," meaning "this is very ridiculous." [29] A deleted scene from one episode (included on the DVD release) has River misunderstanding the technicalities of marriage by suggesting that since she loves her brother and he loves her, that they should be wed.
- Kaylee Frye: River and Kaylee enjoy playing together and relate somewhat similar to teenage friends talking about boyfriends and past experiences. A scene in "War Stories", where River jokingly steals Kaylee's apple, results in a chase through Serenity and Kaylee claiming back the apple then stating "no power in the 'verse can stop me". Later on in the episode River repeats the statement after killing three men and saving Kaylee. Kaylee is understandably somewhat distressed by the incident, and avoids River for some time, though later decides to put it aside.
- Jayne Cobb: The most vocal opponent to River's presence aboard Serenity, Jayne once attempted to collect the bounty that had been offered for Simon and River by betraying them to the Alliance, although he later helped them to escape after he was betrayed. River seems to almost enjoy annoying him in her more lucid moments, once casually commenting "Jayne is a girl's name".
- Malcolm Reynolds: During the events of Serenity, River demonstrates a certain attachment to Mal; when a subliminal message triggered a dormant behavioural conditioning program that made her attack an entire bar, Mal was the only person she actually hesitated to attack, and when she becomes Serenity's second pilot, she tells Mal that she would like to hear him tell her the secret to flying a ship properly, although telepathically she already knows what he will say.
[edit] Derrial Book
A "shepherd", or preacher, who provides frequent spiritual advice and perspectives for the crew of Serenity. He has a mysterious past, and on numerous occasions has demonstrated a depth of knowledge in a number of fields one would not expect a clergyman to be familiar with, including space travel, firearms, hand-to-hand combat, and criminal activity.
[edit] Minor characters
Minor characters are defined as any character who is not a part of the crew of the fictional ship Serenity including any who appear in the R. Tam sessions, the television show itself, the comic book series Serenity: Those Left Behind, or the film Serenity.
[edit] Badger
One of the crew's contacts on the moon-planet Persephone, Badger, portrayed by Mark Sheppard, first appears in the pilot episode of the series, "Serenity". Badger, an "honest businessman" refuses to pay for cargo that he has commissioned the crew to retrieve after finding out it had the stamp of the Alliance forces. At the time, Badger threatened to provide information to the Alliance about Malcolm Reynolds and his salvage operation. Although Badger can't be trusted, he apparently is consistent enough that Reynolds is willing to do business with him. Badger is clearly a criminal, but views himself as a business man and "better than" Mal and other smugglers who don't have a base of operations.
Badger reappears in the episode "Shindig", and hires the crew again to collect some cargo (in truth a herd of cattle) from a "fancy reception" where he is unwelcome. In the comic book series Serenity: Those Left Behind, Badger sets events in motion by providing Reynolds with his initial contract. Badger speaks with a cockney accent, identified and imitated by River Tam. Joss Whedon mentions in the commentary on "Serenity" that he originally wrote the character with the intention of playing the role himself.
[edit] Bester
Bester was Serenity's original engine mechanic, portrayed by Dax Griffin. At some point before the events of Firefly (as shown in a flashback in "Out of Gas"), Malcolm Reynolds caught him having sex with a local girl, soon identified as Kaylee Frye, in the engine room. Mal demands to know what's taking Bester so long to fix the engine, and Kaylee then demonstrates that she has more knowledge of ship engine workings than Bester, whom Mal immediately fires in favor of Kaylee.
[edit] Sheriff Bourne
Sheriff Bourne is the sheriff of Paradiso, a mining town on Regina featured in "The Train Job". When Mal, Zoe, and Jayne rob the train between Hancock and Paradiso, Sheriff Bourne questions Mal and Zoe, who are pretending to be newlyweds, coming to Paradiso to find work in the mines. Bourne realizes there is something questionable about their story, but when Inara arrives claiming Mal as her escaped indentured servant, he thinks that is the problem. Later, as Mal was preparing to return the stolen medicine to Paradiso, Bourne and a posse tracked him down. However, he accepts that Mal has done the right thing by bringing the medicine back, and lets the crew go free. Sheriff Bourne is played by Gregg Henry.
[edit] Rance Burgess
Rance Burgess, played by Fredric Lehne in "Heart of Gold", is a rancher who runs afoul of the crew of Serenity when he decides to wage war against a brothel run by Nandi, a former Companion and friend of Inara Serra. According to Nandi, Burgess was the richest man on the planet, and kept everyone else poor so he could play at being a "cowboy in his own gorram theme park". Malcolm Reynolds and his crew help lay out the defense of the brothel when Burgess and his cronies attack to try to take the son he begat on one of the whores, Petaline. Eventually he loses the battle and is killed by Petaline herself.
[edit] Dr. Caron
Dr. Caron, played by Sarah Paulson in the film Serenity, was a member of the rescue team that investigated the strange happenings on Miranda. Her recording of the event, noting the Alliance's inadvertent creation of what would become the Reavers, is pivotal in the film's climax.
[edit] Lawrence Dobson
Lawrence Dobson, played by Carlos Jacott, is an undercover Alliance agent in pursuit of Simon and River Tam. When he suspects to have found Simon on the planet Persephone, he joins him and the Shepherd Derrial Book as a passenger on board Serenity.
Soon after leaving the planet he attempts to contact the Alliance to report his discovery. When the crew discovers the transmission, they find Dobson in the cargo bay with his gun aimed at Simon. After a moment of panic, he shoots Kaylee and is knocked out by Book. He is locked up for a while, and when interrogated by Jayne, he attempts to bribe him for his freedom.
By the time the ship arrives at the moon Whitefall, Dobson escapes his quarters, beats up Shepherd Book and attempts again, unsuccessfully, to contact the Alliance. He reveals a more sadistic side of himself as he beats Book unnecessarily in a fit of anger. Up to this point Book had been protecting him from harm, mainly by Jayne. He then finds River and tries to leave the ship while holding her at gunpoint. Malcolm Reynolds, returning from his mission, sizes up the situation and without hesitation shoots Dobson in the head. Mal and Jayne then toss him from the ship, leaving him for dead.
Lawrence Dobson returns in the three-issue comic book miniseries Serenity: Those Left Behind, which takes place between the TV series and the film. Still alive, Dobson sports an ocular implant where Mal had shot him in the eye. Obsessed with seeking revenge on Reynolds, Dobson joins the "Hands of Blue" in finding Serenity, its captain and the Tam siblings. When the two finally meet again, Mal shoots the former agent first (in his good eye), and kills him for good.
In the "Serenity" episode, Lawrence Dobson's initial clumsiness and common appearance contrasts him to the viewer (and the other characters) with the more suspicious-looking Simon Tam, to conceal Dobson's role as villain on the ship. This is an effect shared by other Joss Whedon characters portrayed by actor Carlos Jacott, where he also switches from seeming innocent, clumsy and unimportant to being someone with more malicious intentions.
Joss Whedon intended for Dobson to survive the shooting and return for revenge on Mal for shooting him in the eye.[30] The series was cancelled before this could occur, but the idea continued as a key part of the plot in Serenity: Those Left Behind, a three-issue comic book miniseries intended to bridge the television series and the movie Serenity.[30]
[edit] Jubal Early
Jubal Early is a bounty hunter who appears in the finale episode "Objects in Space". Early, played by Richard Brooks, boards Serenity with the intention to kidnap River Tam in return for a bounty. Joss Whedon's DVD commentary for this episode reveals that Early was partly inspired by the Star Wars character Boba Fett. He shares his name with the Confederate Civil War General, Jubal Anderson Early.
Early is very athletic and is clearly adept at unarmed combat. He is also intelligent and incredibly eccentric, given to rambling on philosophic matters in the middle of tense situations, frequently asking "Does that seem right to you?" He may be hard of hearing or easily distracted, as he repeatedly mishears what others are saying to him, but that could also be a method to not answer the questions. When River reads his mind, she reveals that he is/was a sadist, who tortured his neighbors' pets, cleaning up afterward, "shined and polished", as River says. But his mother's dog could smell it on him and "never liked you", again River. She continues that his mother was relieved to see him go because she felt a darkness in him. He also threatened to rape Kaylee if she did not do as he told her, and used the same threat of raping Kaylee when he dealt with Simon. At the end of "Objects in Space", Mal leaves him floating through space. His fate is unknown. Early has the distinction of uttering the last lines in the Firefly television series as he floats through space: "Well... here I am."
[edit] Fanty and Mingo
Fanty and Mingo are twin brothers who appear in the Serenity comic as well as the film. They are seen as fences for goods acquired by Mal Reynolds and the crew of Serenity. Although identical twins, Mal is able to tell the two of them apart (he claims "Fanty's prettier"). Their full names are Mingojerry and Fantastic Rample. The novelization states that they were named at birth by their mother – Mingojerry as a mis-remembered Mungojerrie from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, and Fantastic for what she said when she realized that she was carrying twins, meaning she had to give birth again. They are portrayed in the film by twin brothers Yan and Rafael Feldman. The characters are named after the characters played by Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman in the film The Big Combo (1955).
[edit] Hands of Blue
The "Hands of Blue" are a pair of mysterious men, portrayed by Dennis Cockrum and Jeff Ricketts, who wear suits and blue gloves. They work for the Blue Sun Corporation, a contractor to the Alliance, and are in pursuit of River and Simon Tam. They will not hesitate to kill off anyone who has had contact with River, even Alliance personnel, using a handheld device that induces fatal bleeding to anyone near it (except themselves), apparently via the use of ultrasonic frequencies generated from the device.
The pair are never officially named in either Firefly or Serenity. In "The Train Job" DVD commentary, Joss Whedon refers to them as "the men with blue hands" and "the blue-hands men". IMDb's cast listings name each of them as a "Blue Glove", perhaps the most accurate moniker. However, "Hands of Blue" seems to have become a fanon name for the otherwise unnamed pair, and comes from River's "two by two... hands of blue..." litany.
In the Serenity comics, the blue "gloves" are shown to extend to and cover the upper body as well. They are eventually killed when Serenity's thrust incinerates their ship, and the Alliance passes the assignment to retrieve the Tams to the Operative. In the comic, they are posthumously referred to as "Independent Contractors".
[edit] Sir Warwick Harrow
Sir Warwick Harrow, played by Larry Drake in "Shindig", is a nobleman on Persephone who owns some "property" that he needs moved off-planet. Although he refuses to deal with Badger, Badger sends Malcolm Reynolds to talk to him. Harrow then served as Reynolds' second when Reynolds inadvertently challenges Atherton Wing to a duel after Atherton insulted Inara. The manner in which Reynolds handles himself, in the time leading up to and during the duel, convinces Harrow of Mal's character and decides to trust him with his "property", finally revealed to be cattle.
[edit] Stitch Hessian
Stitch Hessian was a one-time comrade of Jayne Cobb. The two of them carried off a raid on Higgins' Moon, but when their craft was tagged by anti-aircraft fire, Jayne pushed Stitch off. Stitch claims that he would never have done that to Jayne. Stitch was captured by Boss Higgins's men and put into solitary confinement until released when the crew of Serenity return to Higgins' Moon in "Jaynestown". He then confronts and tries to kill Jayne in revenge, revealing the truth about the heist to the people of Higgins' Moon, who thought that Jayne dropped the money deliberately. He ultimately tries to shoot and kill Jayne, but an unidentifed man of Higgins' Moon leaps in front of the bullet, giving Jayne the opening to throw a knife into Stitch's chest. The two fight, and Jayne smashes his head into the plinth of his statue, killing him. He is portrayed by Kevin Gage.
[edit] Fess Higgins
Fess Higgins is the former virgin son of the magistrate of Higgins' Moon. His father, known only as Magistrate Higgins or Boss Higgins, contracts with Inara Serra for her to usher Fess into manhood. Inara talks Fess through some of his insecurities with his father and makes him look upon himself as his own man. As a result, Fess is able to stand up to his father when Boss Higgins tries to stop Serenity from leaving Higgins Moon with Jayne Cobb on board at the end of "Jaynestown". Fess Higgins is portrayed by Zachary Kranzler.
[edit] Magistrate Higgins
Magistrate Higgins is the final word of law on Higgins' Moon, a small moon that has a primary export of mud. Higgins is a man who looks out only for himself. He treats his workers, known as mudders, harshly, almost as slaves, and metes out strict punishment to any who cross him, as evidenced by the confinement cage in which he imprisons Stitch Hessian after he and Jayne Cobb robbed him. Concern over his son Fess's virginity causes him to hire Inara Serra to turn Fess into a 'man', but the attempt is more successful than he'd expected; Fess openly defies his father and allows Serenity to lift off. Boss Higgins is portrayed by Gregory Itzin.
[edit] "The Interviewer"
"The Interviewer" is a man at the Academy who interviews River Tam in the R. Tam sessions. He is killed when River stabs him in the neck with his pen. He is portrayed by Joss Whedon. His face is never shown.
[edit] Dr. Mathias
Dr. Mathias is the doctor who headed the research project which resulted in River Tam's psychosis and increased abilities. He is very proud of his achievements and the importance it brought to him. Mathias is present when Simon Tam manages to free River from the medical center. Following questioning by the Operative about River's escape, the Operative kills Mathias for his failure. Dr. Mathias is portrayed by Michael Hitchcock.
Mathias is mentioned in the R. Tam sessions, and is seen, but not named, in the film Serenity, although he is named in the shooting script and novelization.
[edit] Mr. Universe
Mr. Universe, a reclusive techno-geek, appears only in the movie Serenity, portrayed by David Krumholtz. He lives (apparently) alone on a moon with his love-bot "wife", Lenore (portrayed by Nectar Rose). He has a great affinity for data, and is capable of intercepting nearly any transmission or signal in the system. He boasts, "There's the truth of the signal. Everything goes somewhere and I go everywhere."
He is seen stepping on a cloth-wrapped glass while wearing a yarmulka in a video clip of his wedding, implying that he is Jewish (or a member of a Judaism-influenced religion), and making him the second Jew seen within the Firefly universe. In the novelization for the movie Serenity, he is alleged to have been a student at the same flight school as Wash, achieving the highest possible grades by manipulating the school's software, and providing Wash with information in exchange for Wash keeping quiet about what he did.
He is killed by the Operative, but set plans in motion for Malcolm Reynolds to broadcast a report from Dr. Caron that reveals the origins of the Reavers, leaving the message with his LoveBot bride before he dies.
[edit] Monty
Monty is a long-time colleague of Mal Reynolds who also fought on the side of the Independents in the Unification War. An extremely large, (Zoe refers to him as a "sasquatch") and mostly genial and good-natured man, he is known among his friends for wearing a thick beard and mustache, however he shaved the beard off for his wife, Bridget, who turns out to be the con woman Saffron. Monty is portrayed by Franc Ross in the episode "Trash". Monty apparently has a formidable reputations as a brawler; when Kaylee asks if Mal got into a fight with him (due to wounds from his scuffle with "Yo-Saff-Bridge"), Zoe notes that if he had, the crew would be down in the dirt picking up Mal's teeth.
[edit] Nandi
Nandi, played by Melinda Clarke in "Heart of Gold", is a former Companion who knew Inara on Sihnon before they both left the planet. Nandi gave up her life as a Companion- having concluded that it was too restrictive- to become a brothel madam, overseeing common whores on one of the outer planets. When Petaline, one of her girls, becomes pregnant with the son of a local landowner, the richest, most powerful man on the small planet, she calls Inara to see if the crew of Serenity can help against the baby's father, Rance Burgess. Nandi and Mal have a brief affair, which upset Inara deeply, before Nandi is killed during a gunfight with Burgess and his men, and Petaline takes over the brothel.
[edit] Adelei Niska
Adelei Niska is a major crime lord of the Firefly universe, played by Michael Fairman and first seen in "The Train Job". Thoroughly ruthless in his business practices, he is dedicated to maintaining his reputation for exacting terrible reprisals on those who cross him — a reputation well-deserved, as Malcolm Reynolds and Wash discover in "War Stories". In that episode, he espouses admiration for the brutal philosophy of (fictional) dictator Shan Yu. In his first appearance, he hired Serenity to steal medicines being sent to a town where they were badly needed, but when Mal and Zoe learned what they'd done, Mal sent the medicine back to the town and returned Niska's money to his henchmen. Refusing to allow this slur on his reputation to pass, Niska returned to capture and torture Mal and Wash in revenge, only releasing Wash after Zoe paid him ransom money (However, he claimed that she'd given him slightly too much, and so cut off Mal's left ear to make it 'even'). As a result, the entire crew of Serenity invaded his satellite headquarters, allowing Mal to break free and forcing Niska to flee.
Throughout both episodes in which he appears ("The Train Job" and "War Stories"), the instrument associated with him in the soundtrack (i.e. providing his leitmotif) is the duduk.
[edit] The Operative
Appearing briefly in the comic book miniseries Serenity: Those Left Behind and then Serenity, the nameless and rankless Operative is the principal antagonist of the film. He is portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
In the Firefly universe, an operative is an agent of the Alliance government. Similar to a black ops agent, an operative does work that is not specifically acknowledged by the government. Operatives figuratively don't exist; they give up their names upon attaining the position, and they have no official rank. However, their status as an operative can get them access to most Alliance facilities as well as deference from those who know what an operative is. Operatives are highly trained in close combat, both armed and unarmed. They are extremely devoted to their cause; they carry out even the most distasteful and morally repugnant tasks without asking questions.
Working directly for the Parliament of the Alliance, the Operative single-mindedly hunts down River Tam because he believes that his actions "make the world a better place". He is shown to have little problem with killing as part of his job, murdering several people using his sword and also ordering the attacks that are responsible for the death of, among others, Derrial Book. While the Operative may find the killing of an innocent girl wrong, he believes that he is serving a greater good by killing her. Despite the brutal nature of his work, the Operative is courteous in all his dealings, even with his intended victims. He dreams of "a world without sin", and the only way to attain that world is by doing whatever the Alliance asks him to do.
The Operative's weapon of choice is a sword. He sees it as being more of a civilized and classic method of killing, and prefers to use it as opposed to guns. He often tries to paralyze his targets by taking out a nerve cluster near their waist, and then stabs them; on some occasions, he has his enemies fall forward on to his sword, much like disgraced Roman generals used to do. He will use firearms when he has to, but they tend to be a last resort. In addition to his weapon and hand-to-hand training, the Operative is dangerous due to his resolve. He truly believes that what he is doing is right, and yet he has no delusions about the evils of it. He admits to Malcolm Reynolds that he is a monster and he can never live in the world he is helping to create.
Eventually, the Operative discovers that the secret River Tam possesses, which he is trying to protect, has been passed to Mal. In an attempt to end the problem, the Operative fights Mal atop a large suspended computer terminal. Mal emerges victorious from the fight thanks to an old war-wound that caused the nerve cluster the Operative normally attacks to have been moved, rendering the Operative's traditional attack useless. He then manages to give the Operative doubts about his mission by forcing him to watch a report by another Alliance officer, revealing that the Alliance itself was responsible for accidentally creating the Reavers during their attempt to calm the population of the planet Miranda. When Mal broadcasts this secret to the universe, the Operative admits defeat and decides to leave the Alliance, helping the crew piece Serenity back together after the damage sustained in the crash. In a deleted scene, he asks Mal how he went on after the Battle of Serenity Valley, where he lost everything, but Mal simply tells him that the Operative would need to learn that for himself, muttering to himself loudly, "What a whiner".
[edit] Patience
Patience, an elderly woman, is the matriarchal leader of the backwater moon Whitefall and notorious in the backstory of the crew of Serenity for having previously shot Mal due to a "legitimate conflict of interests". Despite this, Mal takes the crew to her in order to shift some troubling cargo in the pilot episode, "Serenity", and despite her treachery successfully sells the cargo. She is portrayed by Bonnie Bartlett.
[edit] Saffron
"Saffron" is one of several known aliases of a character played by Christina Hendricks. She is a very crafty and apparently amoral con artist who assumes convenient identities to commit grand thefts. She is also known to use her feminine wiles on — and occasionally marry — her marks.
Malcolm Reynolds and the crew of Serenity have encountered her twice as of the close of the original Firefly series.
In "Our Mrs. Reynolds", Mal finds himself married to her in an obscure native ceremony, as she pretends to be a demure, compliant girl trained to be a subservient wife. Saffron overtakes the crew with stealth and guile, and sends the ship off to be scrapped by pirates, but they manage to escape.
In "Trash", she convinces Mal to steal a priceless antiquity owned by a man who turns out to be another former husband of hers; she apparently manages to steal the artifact from them, but the crew were secretly playing her from the beginning and take the artifact back for themselves.
When last seen, Saffron is trapped in a trash bin, awaiting release by the authorities who are en route to her location.
Saffron's real name is unknown to the Serenity crew: she poses as "Bridget" for Mal's smuggler friend Monty, and as "Yolanda" to Durran, the wealthy owner of the priceless antiquity, both of whom had also married her. Mal quips on this name confusion in "Trash" by calling her "Yo-Saff-Bridge". Mal refers to Durran as her "real" husband, in that Durran is the only one of her husbands she seems to have genuine feelings for and regrets having lied to.
Durran: How long have you been with him?
Mal: Oh— pfft! We are not together.
Saffron: He's my husband.
Mal: Well, who in the damn galaxy ain't?!
– "Trash"
According to Serenity crew member and Companion Inara Serra, Saffron has had some Companion training. This organization of legal, high-society courtesans appears to provide its members with psychological education to enable them to establish more than a merely sexual relationship with their clients. Saffron uses these skills to help her seduce her marks, even attempting to seduce Inara herself.
Both Mal and Durran suspect Saffron is mentally unbalanced, because she reverts to feminine wiles when caught or trapped. This usually follows events of aggression and/or utter contempt for her victims. Her continued survival suggests that this is actually a successful strategy. She seems unable to trust anyone, telling Mal that everyone plays everybody else.
[edit] Tracey Smith
Tracey Smith was a war buddy of Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Alleyne from the war against the Alliance. Mal helped get Tracey through the war, but after the war Tracey became something of a drifter, eventually falling in with organ smugglers. When he runs afoul of them, he arranges to have his apparently dead body shipped to Reynolds for transportation back home. In reality, Tracey is drugged into a deep coma to simulate this post-mortem state, trying to doublecross the organ smugglers. Cornered by Tracey's enemies, the crew of Serenity plan their escape, but Tracey misunderstands their intentions and takes Kaylee hostage, thinking that they intend to hand him over to the soldiers. He informs Mal that he sought out Mal and Zoe because they were saps. In the ensuing conflict, Tracey is shot by Zoe, then again by Malcolm, and dies shortly after learning that the soldiers hunting them were there illegally and would not be missed if they were killed. He is portrayed in "The Message" by Jonathan M. Woodward.
[edit] Gabriel and Regan Tam
Gabriel and Regan Tam are River and Simon's parents. Well-to-do, they take great pride in their social position and Simon's achievement. They support the Alliance and don't believe it could or would do anything to harm their daughter, River, who was in their care in a special school. In the episode "Safe", Simon expresses both his concern that River is in danger and his belief that River's nonsensical letters are a code to his parents, who scoff at the idea, saying that the letters are one of River and Simon's "games" and that Simon is just "lost" without his sister. Later on in the same episode Simon is apparently jailed for his actions involving trying to gain access to River. His father is seen getting him out of jail through legal means, but warns Simon that if he gets into trouble a second time he will no longer be part of the family. It is clear after this exchange that Simon has no relationship or connection with his parents past that flashback's point in time. In "Safe", Gabriel Tam is played by William Converse-Roberts and Regan Tam is played by Isabella Hofmann.
[edit] Atherton Wing
Atherton Wing is a young nobleman on Persephone who has hired Inara Serra on multiple occasions. On some of these occasions, he has proposed a more permanent arrangement with her. In "Shindig", at a fancy ball to which he has taken Inara as his partner, he refers to Inara in terms which reflect his regard for her as a valuable slave or piece of property, causing Mal (also in attendance) to strike him. In Atherton's social circle (and unbeknownst to Mal), such an attack is regarded as an invitation to a duel, which he accepts. Wing is known on Persephone as a master swordsman and duelist (which Mal is definitely not), but he is defeated due to Inara's intervention