The cult-classic TV show Firefly lasted only fourteen episodes, but the adoration that fans have for the series has lasted almost twenty years. With a large cast of interesting characters, witty dialogue, and surprising plots, there are plenty of moments that stand out for Browncoats.
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As a sci-fi/Western classic ahead of its time, it even got a shout-out on another sci-fi series. On Reddit, dedicated fans of the show can share their enthusiasm and discuss their favorite moments from the series and the sequel movie, Serenity (2005). It's always interesting to see which of the many great scenes and exchanges from the Firefly universe are beloved as someone's favorite.
"Make Somethin' Up. Don't Tell 'Em What I Did."
In Episode 9, "Ariel", Captain Malcolm Reynolds has Jayne Cobb trapped and as user ESJ put it, "nonchalantly" threatens to kill him after sussing out that Jayne betrayed the crew as they attempted a heist on an Alliance hospital.
Like many fans, ESJ "totally" believed that Mal was really going to kill Jayne, and opines that, "...both the tension of that moment and the emotional recovery when Mal brings us back from the brink and spares Jayne's life are intense. A real testament to the writing, directing and acting, and the defining moment of the series, IMO."
"I'll Be Your Bounty, Jubal Early"
In Episode 14, "Objects In Space", a bounty hunter named Jubal Early breaks into the Serenity to capture River Tam. River ends up sneaking onto Jubal's spacecraft before announcing via Serenity's speakers that she'll surrender.
The comment left by exegesis says that "...The whole buildup to river's 'And I'll just fade away.' always gives me chills." After getting a glimpse into River's perspective earlier in the episode and witnessing her insecurities about her place among the crew, it's undoubtedly a chilling moment for viewers.
"Target The Reavers. Target Everyone. Somebody Fire!"
In the film Serenity, Mal and the crew attract a fleet of Reaver ships and lure them towards a fleet of Alliance ships in order to cause an epic space battle. According to dreamslaughter, "This scene knocked the tinfoil hat off my head". Their hat may be knocked even further if they knew some of Serenity (the movie's) hidden details.
With the significantly bigger budget that accompanies a feature film, fans were given an epic clash between the two main antagonistic forces in the Firefly canon. This battle was a great demonstration of silver screen sci-fi space warfare, as well as a cathartic and poetic bit of justice after fans learned a few scenes earlier that the Alliance created the Reavers.
Less Talk, More Rock
In Episode 1, "Serenity", an undercover Alliance agent boards the ship to track and arrest River and Simon Tam. He ends up holding a gun to River's head and is negotiating with Simon to surrender before Mal enters and shoots the agent without a word or a moment's hesitation.
For user bright_ephemera, it was the moment that hooked them on the show. It was also the moment that Mal became jackjlewis's favorite fictional character of all time. It was a moment that was tense, funny, surprising, and insightful, all at once, so it's no surprise that fans share their appreciation of it.
This Guy Gets It!
In Episode 2, "Train Job", the crew finds out they've been hired to steal medicine, and Mal attempts to return money to the crime boss Adelai Niska, who hired them. Mal tries to reason with one of Niska's henchmen, but the thug refuses to take the money back to Niska and threatens Mal. Mal responds by kicking the henchman into an engine turbine.
Mal then tries to reason with another one of Niska's goons, who eagerly interrupts and declares he'll do as Mal told the first one. Rodec has over 70 upvotes in agreement, with many fans echoing their adoration for that moment in the comments. Not only was it funny to see the juxtaposing demeanor among the two henchmen, but it was also interesting to see Mal's situational mercy being applied.
"Y'all Got On This Boat For Different Reasons..."
In Episode 8, "Out Of Gas", the Serenity crew is in crisis as the ship is quickly losing power and oxygen, and we see flashbacks throughout the episode of how the different characters first arrived on the ship.
In an astute observation by Dead_Starks, they felt that "Getting to see how everyone came to find a home on Serenity was really neat and made it more authentic." Not only did it help flesh out the characters and the world around them, but the flashback scenes themselves were also entertaining vignettes in their own right.
There And Back Again
In the opening to Episode 1, "Serenity", viewers see a flashback of Mal and Zoe in the moments of their defeat at the Battle of Serenity Valley, as well as the crew narrowly escaping capture by the Alliance after an illegal salvage operation.
For one fan, they expressed that "The first ten minutes of the show has some of the tightest storytelling I've seen on tv. In those ten minutes you find out who the main characters are, what kind of world they live in, and where they fit into that world as well as you can in just a handful of scenes." It definitely was the introduction the characters deserved, despite the episode originally airing after Episode 2, "The Train Job".
"And I Know You Don't Have The Time"
In Episode 1, "Serenity", Kaylee is shot and wounded by an Alliance agent before being seen to by Simon, the doctor who the agent is persuing. Later, Mal tells Simon that Kaylee has died from her wounds. The doctor rushes to see Kaylee, who's awake, happy, and healthy. Mal and his crew are then shown keeling over with laughter at the ruse.
For dogbolter4, they felt that "...It was so unexpected and just wrong but so funny... that’s when I knew this show was going to be something special." It's a unique viewing experience where the audience is not only in on the joke, but also a victim of the joke. Fans should note Mal's sly smile as he walks away from Simon, barely capable of containing himself.
Vera
In Episode 6, "Our Mrs. Reynolds", Mal accidentally marries a stranger named Saffron who then stows away aboard the Serenity. Later, Jayne tries to trade his favorite gun, "Vera", to Mal in exchange for the bride.
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After Jayne tells Mal, "There are days I don't think you take me seriously," Mal replies, "Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle," upon learning he's being offered a trade. All_Your_Base considers it their favorite moment of the series, while another simply comments the word "Vera" for their favorite.
He's Alright, I Guess
In Episode 4, "Shindig", Mal unwittingly agrees to swordfight a young nobleman named Atherton Wing. Mal defeats his opponent, and tells him, "Mercy is the mark of a great man" before wounding him. He then says, "Guess I'm just a good man," before wounding him again and finally saying, "Well I'm alright."
Reddit user Chuckgofer chose this moment as their favorite, and the upvotes don't lie. There aren't many fans who can forget this moment, as it's another prime example of Mal's unorthodox heroics. While he pettily cuts Atherton, he does so rather than executing him as he's been told he must. Not entirely merciful, and not entirely vengeful, he's a complex character that endures in the hearts and minds of Browncoats, along with many others from the Firefly 'Verse.