| Episode No. | Firefly Season 1, Episode 14 |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joss Whedon |
| Written by | Joss Whedon |
0:03 : The opening narration doesn’t feature in this episode and we head straight into the recap – which seems to cover everything!
2:00 : We begin in space, zoom on Serenity and enter through a CGI maze of inner workings until we arrive at River, lying under the grate. She can hear something…
2:05 : We begin to see River move through the ship, bit by bit, seeing things from her perspective, outside of other’s view of reality. This seems to be her reading on their conversations with her hyper sensitivity. She hears Simon tell her that he would still be at home if not for her, which he does say to Kaylee later in the episode. Therefore, these could also be premonitions.
3:17 : She sees Jayne, scared and apologetic, as he was in Trash. She sees Book rage in temper, a look at his inner struggles…
4:05 : River can feel the passion and touch between Zoe and Wash, possibly foreshadowing her pregnancy.
4:41 : Inara hasn’t told the others what she told Mal at the end of Heart of Gold, namely that she’s leaving the ship. Mal appears to be stalling somewhat. Or at least, taking his time by taking the scenic route.
4:54 : River sees straight through their words: Inara wants Mal to ask her to stay, but he doesn’t think it means anything to her, putting himself last.
4:54: In the original filmed version of the scene between Mal and Inara, they talk about her recent decision to leave the ship. But when FOX reordered the episodes and dropped Heart of Gold – which ends with Inara deciding to leave Serenity – an alternate scene was shot.
In this version, Inara threatens to leave because she’s struggling to find clients, though the unspoken tension between her and Mal is the same in both cuts.
The alternate scene aired initially, but the original was brought back for home media releases, where the episodes were shown in their intended order.
5:20 : Actress Summer Glau‘s ballet training, as seen in Angel‘s Waiting in the Wings, is seen here in this sequence.
5:31 : From River’s perspective, she sees a twig. She then, suddenly and jarringly, is holding a gun. It’s quite an effect. Kudos to the director.
7:46 : We’re introduced to Bounty Hunter Jubal Early. He’s quite similar to the Operative from Serenity in some ways, including outfit and speech patterns. He’s played by Richard Brooks who hasn’t stopped appearing on television. He’s had roles in procedurals like NCIS and Person of Interest, lengthy runs in soap operas, played characters in The Flash and The Blacklist and has had a recurring run on 9-1-1 since 2024 as Chief Simpson.
7:46 : The character’s name may have come from real-life Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early… who amazingly was also one of Nathan Fillion‘s ancestors!
8:10 : The photo of River that Early has is the same as the warrant photo used by the Blue-Handed Men in The Train Job.
8:58 : Mal quickly reminds Jayne about his betrayal of the Tams – and his warning – from Ariel.
9:12 : Jayne points out the time River attacked him with a knife, again from Ariel. She was actually attacking his shirt.
9:22 : Zoe’s line is pure sass: When Zoe says River hasn’t hurt anyone, and Jayne brings up the knife attack, Zoe casually says “Anyone we can’t spare.”
9:30 : Kaylee tells the Captain and Zoe that River has held a gun before…
10:45 : …and recalls the Serenity crew’s siege of Niska’s Skyplex to rescue Mal and Wash in War Stories, which is when River shot the security guards. Mal quite rightly tells her that she should have spoken up earlier…
10:45 : …although this could also be down to episode order reshuffling: this episode was not intended as the finale, but was chosen as the most appropriate.
Jubal Early
11:43 : Jayne doubts River’s shooting skills, calling Kaylee’s story a load of ‘a baboon’s backside’.
13:23 : This is the first time that Mal brings up his suspicions about River to the rest of the crew. He’s had them since she found the bodies in Bushwhacked.
13:36 : When Jayne and Wash begin squabbling, Inara’s shout translates as “Shut up, you inconsiderate schoolboys!”
14:13 : Wash finds it impossible that psychics could exist – claiming that sort of thing is in the realm of science-fiction – a brilliant joke in itself…
14:14 : …until Zoe tops it by looking at him and deadpanning “We live in a spaceship, dear.”
14:30 : Another great line; when Jayne complains that he doesn’t like the idea of people hearing what he’s thinking, Inara quips: “No one likes the idea of hearing what you’re thinking.”
16:43 : Shepherd Book has rotten timing. For the first time since the attraction between them way back in the pilot, Kaylee and Simon’s almost first-kiss is interrupted as the Preacher retires.
17:56 : Greg Edmondson‘s musical theme for Early is sharp and particularly menacing in the sequence where he breaches Serenity and comes aboard.
20:19 : Early puts people at ease with his charm and choosing of words. He also delivers malicious threats in the same neutral manner.
23:23 : Early tells Simon that the arrest warrant for the Tams, or at least Simon, doesn’t specify whether he is taken dead or alive. That answers the question about Simon’s abilities and whether they were useful to the Alliance, as we pondered in Ariel.
24:38 : When Early tells Simon he’s known by some, he gestures back towards Book. Did he know Book from his past?
24:43 : Early claims to have been tracking the Tams since they were flagged on Ariel.
26:20 : A great line from Early, delivered well and it’s thought-provoking: “That’s between me and my mind.” It gives you an instant sense of his lack of morality. The job is what matters.
26:39 : Without hesitation, Early tells Simon that Book is no Shepherd, picking up on all those hints this season has presented just by looking at him. This suggests a personal history between the two – or is there something else that gives Book away?
27:58 : Jubal compliments Serenity, calling the Firefly-class of ship a good design. Looking at this episode and you see what he means. The entire episode is set completely on the ship or in the close confines of Jubal’s small one-man craft. The complete set is showcased brilliantly by the director, who clearly – and quite rightly – is proud of it. It is the only episode to take place onboard Serenity for the majority of the episode: Out of Gas had scenes outside.
29:18 : Inara tells Early that it’s been a year since she joined Serenity. That means it’s been approximately six months since the pilot episode.
29:52 : Inara uses her Companion training to read Early.
32:40 : Another great line. When Jubal asks Simon where River has gone, the doctor replies with: “I can’t keep track of her when she’s not incorporeally possessing a spaceship. Don’t look at me.”
34:10 : And another: “We had a complicated childhood,” which we saw in Safe.
34:42 : River contacts Mal and wakes him from his slumber. His description of Early is a particular highlight: “There was a guy. He’s very blurry.” Also: River’s “Don’t make faces.”
37:56 : Surprise! River has gotten onboard Early’s craft, and has presumably been there since he vacated. She presumably heard his presence outside and planned accordingly – hence her looking around the ship reading everyone in the beginning of the episode – she was trying to pinpoint what she could sense.
39:54 : River screams, not only hearing, but seemingly sensing and feeling Simon being shot.
40:24 : Jayne’s bunk, and his large collection of weapons, is seen again for the last time. We last saw it in Bushwhacked.
41:17 : Mal pushes Early off the hull of Serenity and sends him spinning off into the black…
41:50 : Mal’s face as he greets River implies that he’s come to think of her as part of the crew. Indeed, the next time we see the pair together, he’s taken her on her first mission, as seen in the feature film.
42:29 : Inara asks Mal in Mandarin if there’s any chance the “violent lunatic” could have survived.
43:55 : And we end the same way the episode began. From River and the ball, through the workings of Serenity and back out into space. The story of the crew will continue in the comics and the feature film.
44:00 : Early is seen, still floating in space… He would be back…
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