Despite (or perhaps because of) the fact thatit only lasted one season,Fireflyhas one of the strongest cult followings in science fiction. After all, what’s not to love about a sci-fi western featuring a crew of lovable outlaws? The show’s world building and character development are skillfully done, and the show’s unique humor still stands up 20 years later. One of the reasons the show is so beloved lies in its characters, and the classic tropes that they bring to life without becoming boring.
Using archetypes is not necessarily a sign of poor writing. Archetypes exist because they are recognizable to the audience, and help viewers quickly develop an understanding of that character’s role in the story; in that sense, they can be quite useful. Of course, it is possible for them to become stale if used with the same tropes over and over again. This is whereFireflysucceeds in keeping things interesting. It subverts certain aspects of each character’s archetype, while keeping their key characteristics intact. It puts each character in scenarios not usually associated with their archetype, and the resulting interactions and escapades never cease to entertain.
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The Archetypes
One of the things that makesthe show’s pilot episode, “Serenity,” so effectiveis the way it introduces its characters. Right away, we see that Captain Malcolm Reynolds is a classic “heroic outlaw,” a thief of honor. His right-hand woman, Zoe, is a stoic and elegant battle maiden; her husband Wash is quintessential comic relief. Jayne is a mercenary, a violent character who uses his muscles to make money. Kaylee is a Pollyanna, a ray of sunshine who keeps everyone’s spirits high.
The ship’s passengers, too, make their archetypes clear early on. Inara, a high-class escort, exemplifies the age-old “prostitute with a heart of gold.” Shepherd Book, of course, fits the role of a religious guide or leader. Anxious doctor Simon is a gentleman scholar, a young man of academic brilliance and high social class — he also fulfills the “fish out of water” trope aboard the rust bucket that is Serenity. Finally,his younger sister River, tormented by inner demons and hunted by the Alliance, acts as a damsel in distress.
Subversions
Certain archetypes in the show, while their most important traits are kept intact, are presented in a way that is different from their usual portrayals. Shepherd Book is perhaps the most obvious. He’s a gentle, quiet, mild-mannered man of God, a classic example of a priestly character. And yet, his uncanny knowledge of weapons and criminal activity point toa background that doesn’t add up.
Inara is another interesting example. The “prostitute with a heart of gold” archetype is an ancient one, referring to a female sex worker who is kind, generous, and selfless. However, due to the shame that surrounds sex work in many societies, characters of this archetype tend to be downtrodden or work on the wrong side of the law. Inara, though, is the most respectable person onboard Serenity. While courtesans and high-class sex workers do also have a long history in media, these characters are often haughty, and don’t rub elbows with petty thieves and scavengers.
Plenty of others subvert their archetypes as well. Despite Wash’s goofy nature, his pilot skills are no joke — he steers the ship through some impossible situations. Kaylee, like all Pollyannas, is cheerful and optimistic. She’s also a bit of a tomboy, and doesn’t mind getting covered in engine grease — yet, her most treasured possession is the fluffy pink dress she wears in “Shindig.” River spends a lot of time being saved from kidnappers or protected from bounty hunters. Yet, unlike most who fill this role, her smarts and skills often aid her in her own rescue, as in the series finale “Objects in Space.”
These types of subversions keep the archetypes feeling fresh. Characters who adhere to the strictest definition of an archetype often become predictable and boring to watch. But everyone onboard Serenity offers a fresh twist to their archetype, and that often comes from the situations that the smuggling crew finds themselves in.
Unlikely Scenarios
Life aboard a ship like Serenity is unpredictable. Threats are everywhere, from the Alliance to reavers to other, less scrupulous crooks. Mal takes whatever work comes his way — as Inara puts it, “They take the jobs they can get, even legitimate ones.” Such a lifestyle often leads to certain characters landing in situations where their archetype might not usually be found — and this leads to some of the show’s best moments and most interesting stories. This happens most often to Simon, who, as mentioned above, often plays into the “fish out of water” trope. On most of the worlds that the crew frequent, he and his pristine clothes tend to stand out. This occasionally gets the crew into trouble, as in “Safe” and “Jaynestown.” However, he’s not the only one.
In “Shindig,” Mal finds himself at a party full of high-society folk, and the episode’s core conflict emerges whenhe punches a man who insulted Inara. His actions are exactly what viewers would expect from a heroic outlaw like Mal — both chivalrous and boorish at once. But because he’s outside his usual setting, he faces consequences he didn’t expect. This is where the drama emerges, as Mal finds himself in a fencing duel that he has little hope of winning. At this same party, working-class Kaylee is snubbed by society girls, but soon entrances the men at the party with her mechanical know-how.
In “War Stories,” comic relief Wash is thrown into a horrific situation where he is brutally tortured. In “Ariel,” well-heeled Simon plans a massive heist, showing how far he’s come to fit in with this band of criminals. And most entertainingly, in “Jaynestown,” ruthless mercenary Jayne finds himself venerated as a folk hero. All these scenarios and more allow viewers to see different sides of each character, exploring each archetype outside their usual narrative niche.
Clashes, Tension, & Unlikely Relationships
Even more interesting is what happens when certain archetypes clash. For example, putting a classic mercenary like Jayne under the command of a heroic outlaw like Mal is bound to lead to some interesting conflict. Throughout the show, Jayne grumbles every so often about Mal choosing honor over money. Their differences come to a head in the episode “Ariel,” after Mal finds out that Jayne intended to sell out Simon and River to the Alliance. As Mal seems ready to throw Jayne off the ascending ship, the differences between these two archetypes' values lends the scene its intensity.
On the other hand, though, putting all these characters together can also lead to bonds forming where one might not expect them to. Book and Jayne, for example, have a certain rapport and mutual respect, a friendship that one might not expect. Stoic battle maidenZoe and her goofball husband Washmake an unlikely but charming pair. Simon and Kaylee’s backgrounds give them vastly different ways of approaching their mutual crush, but the way they stumble towards their eventual romance is fun to watch. River hasan unusual way of communicatingher thoughts and feelings, but over the course of the show, those who once called her crazy have begun to understand her and develop friendships with her.
Ultimately, though the ‘verse itself is an engaging place to explore, it’s the characters inFireflythat make the show delightful. Each one’s role in the story is recognizable from the start, but none of them ever become boring or stale. Every new adventure leads to consistent, interesting character development, and that’s why audiences still love to watch these episodes years later.
