Firefly: War Stories

November 4th, 2008

Episode 9

Synopsis

Simon analyzes River’s medical records to learn what the Alliance did to her. Wondering if the intent was essentially malicious, Shepherd quotes Xiang Yu, a warrior who advocated torture. Cut to a space station where Niska (the criminal from the Train Job) is torturing someone while quoting Xiang Yu. An aide tells Niska that the Serenity is near.

River and Kaylee playfully fight over an apple. Zoe always recounts a war story where some soldiers were killed by apples with grenades in them. Mal comes in and says they will sell the recently stolen medical supplies the expected way, bypassing Wash’s idea to bypass the middlemen.

Wash tells Zoe he’s disappointed by her allegiance to Mal and says their marriage needs one less husband.

Simon comforts River after a disturbing dream. Inara’s next client arrives — a beautiful woman, much to the crew’s surprise. Jayne retreats to his bunk.

Mal and Zoe prepare to deliver some drugs only to find Wash has sabotaged the controls. He wants take Zoe’s place on this mission. Zoe and Mal reluctantly agree.

Mal and Wash deliver the supplies to several men who hand over money. Just then, they’re ambushed by several soldiers who take Mal and Wash hostage.

Inara says goodbye to her client as Jayne watches from afar. Zoe tells him to get his weapons as Wash and Mal are late. At the rendezvous point, they find dead men and the medical supplies left behind. They determine Mal and Wash were captured and are aboard a space station.

Mal and Wash are blindfolded and taken to meet Niska. Wash nervously guesses what Zoe would do in this situation. He then gets angry at Mal that Zoe would be placed in this dangerous situation. Mal says Zoe doesn’t always obey his orders, and reveals he didn’t want her and Wash to get married.

Zoe gathers money to pay a ransom to Niska and get Mal and Wash released. Meanwhile, Niska electrocutes Mal and Wash, who are now tied up. They continue to hash out Wash’s jealousy. Wash even wonders if Mal has slept with Zoe. Mal vows that’s the first thing he’ll do if they get out of this alive.

Zoe docks the shuttle with Niska’s space station. Armed guards take her to Niska and the room where Mal and Wash are being tortured. The amount of money Zoe has is five times the amount Niska lost in the train job. Niska cruelly offers only one man for that amount of money. Zoe chooses Wash. Niska cuts off and returns part of Mal’s ear as part of the deal. Zoe and Wash walk out of the room to the sound of Mal’s screams as the torture resumes. Wash says he admires Mal for helping him survive the ordeal.

Zoe and Wash return to Serenity and immediately prepare a rescue mission. Zoe gives Mal’s ear to Simon.

Niska continues torturing Mal with increasingly sadistic tools while quoting Xiang Yu. At one point, Mal actually dies — but Niska revives him, just to continue the torture which he hopes continues for three days.

Shepherd, Simon, Kaylee, and a reluctant Jayne join in the heavily-armed rescue mission. The Serenity crew bursts onto the space station and opens fire on the guards. Zoe calls out orders to hold the ground as Zoe, Jayne, and Wash push forward to rescue Mal.

Niska is distracted by the alarms long enough for Mal to get up and disable one of the henchmen with a torture device, and then punches out Niska.

Simon and Shepard move down a hall, leaving River and Kaylee to guard the ship. River picks up a hand gun and shoots several men down with her eyes closed.

Jayne and Zoe save Mal from a fight with a henchman. Upon return to Serenity, Simon reattaches Mal’s ear.

Zoe makes soup for Wash. Mal walks in, recounting his promise to sleep with Zoe. Wash disagrees, saying it’s no longer necessary. Wash grabs Zoe and says they’ll be in their bunk. Jayne walks in, saying this situation is highly unsettling.

Thoughts

This episode explores the relationship between Zoe and Mal, who bonded during the war, and Wash’s uncomfortable feelings about it.

There’s an exciting ending battle, where Shepherd wields a gun, again hinting at some previous military training. The biggest surprise was River’s sudden sharpshooting, giving hints of unlocked potential. Only Kaylee was witness to this.

I did chuckle at the moment where Zoe says “the captain needs to take care of this himself,” to which Mal cries — no it’s not — leading the three saviors to open fire on Niska’s henchman.

There’s also an odd running joke of “being in my bunk” as a sexual euphemism. Zoe, Wash, and Mal put a stop to that nonsense.

Next Episode: Trash
Previous Episode: Ariel