Summer Glau goes around barefoot some more?

[lunabee34]

executrix asked me: What do you think would have happened in Firefly S3?

I think that season 3 and subsequent seasons of Firefly would have explored the Hands of Blue guys in more and creepier detail. We definitively learn what was done to River and why in Serenity, but the HoB are not explained in the movie nor is the exact role the Blue Sun Corp plays in experimenting on River. It's been awhile since I saw the movie so y'all correct me, but the gov takes River, right? I've always thought a whole mess of people with competing agendas were involved in that project. I think we'd have probably eventually met other people who'd been experimented on. I also think we'd have seen a whole lot more of the Reavers and explored various lore about them leading up to the final season about Miranda.

I think that Zoe and Wash would have decided to have a baby but I think Joss probably would have chickened out and made one or the other of them unable to have kids (prob Zoe due to a war wound).

I think we would have learned something about Book's past even if it just led to more questions. IDK what I think his back story is. I think it would be interesting if he was some sort of former military but that seems too easy. I don't know what he could be beyond the obvious. I keep trying to think of possibilities but they ultimately don't make much logical sense. I like the idea of him a political figure, for example, but he can't have been anyone too high profile or he'd be recognized. I also like to think that he went into the ministry as a young adult, possibly for his own protection--the son of someone important? IDK

I know they revealed that Inara is supposed to be dying so I guess we would have learned more about that. I know that there has to be something more than meets the eye to her, a reason for a Companion to be gadding about the raggedy edge, but I don't know if I like terminal illness being the big secret. If she is sick I want her to stay sick with no magical cures although it's difficult for me to imagine what kind of illness can thumb its nose at Cortex medicine.

I think we would have seen more of the same from our remaining crew. I think the Simon/Kaylee UST would have dragged on for quite awhile without resolution. I think Mal would have changed very little; he's the most static character on the show. And I think Jayne would continue to provide comic relief and moments of surprising pathos.

What do y'all think?

Comments

Reculer Pour Mieux Sauter

[executrix]

I think that although it did kinda turn into the River Show and especially the River Movie, it was supposed to be the Mal Show, so he is not a static character but one who was given not only ample room for growth but, lord knows, a crying need for it.

Personally I think Inara ended up on the wrong end of a Sihnonese political hassle, either as the Monica Lewinski of Sihnon or someone involved in a losing coup attempt, so she had to get out of the way.

[likeadeuce]

There's a graphic novel about Book, which reveals his backstory -- I think it was written by one of the Whedon brothers so I assume it reflects where Joss would eventually have gone in the canon. (I don't want to spoil it for you, but it's called 'Serenity: the Shepherd's Tale'

I have many unpopular Firefly opinions, I think.

[havocthecat]

I'm probably the only person in the world who would have loved Mal dying to get out the signal in Serenity as his last "fuck you" from the Browncoats. I desperately, desperately wanted Zoe taking over as captain.

Don't get me wrong. I love Mal. But having the specter of Mal hanging over their heads and needing to live up to that kind of heroic sacrifice while finding their own way in the 'verse after the news broke? With Zoe as captain? That, to me, opened up the storytelling possibilities immeasurably, and also would flip the trope of the dead wife/girlfriend fridging to be the dead able-bodied white dude who was the action hero being the motivation.

Can you imagine Jayne slowly developing a conscience because Mal would've expected him to? Because I can, and Adam Baldwin would've been amazing with that arc. Wash alive or dead, preferably alive, but either way, I think Zoe should've been captain and pregnant. We could even have Mal flashbacks so that he could stay in some fashion.

I pretend that Inara isn't dying, because, seriously, giving the Companion the plot of La Boheme is just ridiculously trope-laden and we'd had no indication it would be inverted at all.

That said, I loved Firefly, though I loved Serenity a little bit less, and I loved all the characters.

[princessofgeeks]

Thank you; this is fascinating.