Firefly: The Message

November 18th, 2008

Episode 11

Synopsis

The Serenity crew play tourist in a futuristic city. Simon and Kaylee visit a circus that has proof of alien life. They decide it’s just a mutated cow fetus. They flirt, but Kaylee doesn’t respond well to being his only option. Mal and Inara find two packages waiting at the post office. Jayne’s package contains a hat from his mother, while the large one, addressed to Mal, is a metal coffin containing a young man’s body.

Flashback to the battle of Du Khang several years before. It turns out the boy was Tracy, a soldier that fought side by side with Mal and Zoe against the Alliance.

In present day, the crew bring the coffin aboard Serenity. A recorded message says to bury the body on his parents’ home planet.

Upon questioning, a post office employee tells some Alliance soldiers about the coffin. Kaylee listens to the message alone in her quarters. Simon overhears but doesn’t interrupt her.

Over drinks, Zoe and Mal tell Inara funny war stories about Tracy. There’s an explosion. The three soldiers want to claim the body, calling it stolen goods. Mal wonders if the corpse has something hidden within. As Simon initiates an autopsy, Tracy screams and comes to life. He took a drug to simulate death.

It turns out Tracy is transporting contraband human organs, and tried to steal the goods for a better offer. He faked his death in hopes the buyers would stop looking for him.

Serenity lands on a planet to meet with the Alliance ship. Tracy is attracted to Kaylee. Kaylee says Zoe married Wash. Shepherd notes the pursuing ship hasn’t made any transmissions to authorities. Wash out-maneuvers them through canyons and missile fire, eventually landing the ship in a cave.

As the other ship tries to bomb them out, Shepherd advocates surrender. Mal agrees. Tracy grabs a gun, and Zoe shoots him. Tracy takes Kaylee hostage and runs below deck. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne surround him. Tracy says after all the glory and honor of battle, they are now pitiful fugitives. Jayne causes a distraction and Tracy is fatally wounded.

The three soldiers board Serenity. Shepherd asks them why they didn’t call the authorities, thinking they are outside their jurisdiction. Jayne and Zoe keep guns pointed at them.

The Serenity crew return Tracy’s body to his family along with the message. They don’t tell them about the organ smuggling. They will only have good memories of their fallen son.

Thoughts

The decor of this particular planet reminded me of Blade Runner. Interesting tidbit: Aliens have yet to be discovered in the Serenity–verse. In that respect, it’s similar to Battlestar Galactica.

We’ve had flashbacks to Mal and Zoe’s battle days in the pilot episode, and this one sheds a little more light on that time period and the effect on Mal and Zoe.

The show’s sense of humor continues to not be my cup of tea, but there’s a very serious moment at the end of this particular episode. The balance between levity and heavy subject matter also occurred in the episode Jaynestown.

Next Episode: Heart Of Gold
Previous Episode: Trash