Firefly (TV series)/Recap/E14 Objects in Space

The episode opens with River wandering in a daze through the ship. She perceives the crew in their various activities. Zoe and Wash making out, Book and Jayne talking. Simon telling amusing frat party anecdotes to Kaylee. She also perceives for a moment Simon wishing he was back home as well as Book and Jayne talking about clerical rules; and Wash and Zoe exchanging affections. Then she imagines herself strolling through some leaves. She stoops to pick up what she thinks is a twig. It turns out to be a gun. Mal disarms her and finds out the gun is loaded. Then River runs away in tears.

After this the crew holds a council. Kaylee reveals that it is not the first time, but that River had handled a gun at the assault on Niska's stronghold - with disturbing effectiveness. It is speculated also that she had mind-reading powers. The combination of all that power in someone unable to control herself disturbs the crew even though Simon tries to defend her, doting big brother that he is. No conclusion is reached and the council breaks up. Simon and Kaylee walk off by themselves, Kaylee pleading with Simon not to be angry. Simon also starts to feel homesick. Simon catches a glimpse of River and struggles to remind himself that it was not River's fault he was in exile, but the fault of her tormentors.

In the meantime the bounty hunter Jubal Early, who had apparently been following them, slips aboard. He knocks out Mal and Book separately. He also goes to Kaylee and threatens to rape her if she does not reveal where River's room is. When he heads toward it River is not there but Simon is, having heard a noise. When they meet, Jubal threatens to rape Kaylee, so Simon agrees to temporarily cooperate or pretend to do so.

During the search Simon and Jubal verbally spar with each other, Jubal spouting off impressive sounding but irrelevant bits of personal philosophy, and Simon returning with ironic witticisms. They search Inara's shuttle but Inara is the only one there. When she tries to plead with Jubal he strikes her. Then they go off to search elsewhere. They arrive on the bridge whereupon Jubal threatens to kill Simon if River does not show herself. River talks back over the intercom and tells Jubal in an eerie fashion that as she was no longer wanted she had simply melted into the ship.

While Simon still continues his witticisms, River starts to manipulate Jubal's emotions with an extensive knowledge of his past. At the same time she calls to the other crew members asking Kaylee to unlock the other rooms, telling Zoe to hold off resisting and telling Mal of her own plan. River continues to manipulate Jubal until Jubal realizes that she is acting. Then River compares her loneliness with his, and offers to save the crew trouble by going with him. This of course hits Simon's Berserk Button as he is unaware of River's plan and he tries to tackle Jubal(who is twice his size and wearing body armor) actually knocking him down but getting shot in the process. He tries again even with a bullet in his leg. Despite Simon's Heroic Spirit Jubal manages to subdue Simon. Then he walks out to the ship thinking to secure River. Mal however is waiting in ambush and grabs Jubal and hurls him into space. Then the crew settles down to pleasant displays of normalcy while Jubal floats off to die and saying, "Well, here I am."

This episode is River's episode and it shows just how powerful she really is.

Tropes include:


 * Badass Adorable: River.
 * Badass Bookworm: Simon.
 * Batman Gambit: luring Jubal into Mal's ambush.
 * Beware the Nice Ones: Both Tams. But especially River.
 * Bounty Hunter: Jubal.
 * Brother-Sister Team: Simon and River; this time River is taking the lead.
 * Break the Cutie: what Early threatens to do to Kaylee and is trying to do to River; as it happens Kaylee escaped and Early was broken by the other cutie.
 * Catch Phrase: "Does that seem right to you?"
 * Complete Monster: It is the general consensus that threatening to rape Kaylee is Crossing the Moral Event Horizon.
 * Creepy Child: River. A good Creepy Child but certainly creepy.
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Kind of; they knew River was this, they just didn't realize how much of one she was.
 * Determinator: A 140 pound doctor knocking down Early twice out of sheer Heroic Spirit certainly qualifies even if it is unsuccessful, and unnecessary as it turns out.
 * Simon might even have got up a third time and tried again if River hadn't reassured him.
 * Simon is certainly a Determinator, but this incident is more Heroic Resolve.
 * Damsel in Distress : Kaylee
 * Failed a Spot Check: Audio version. Early manages to misunderstand several clearly-stated sentences in bizarre and non-sequitury ways.
 * Fate Worse Than Death: Jubal threatens to rape Kaylee.
 * Foot Focus: River is barefoot the entire episode. This episode features more focus on her feet, than any other episode.
 * Also of note: Kaylee's bare feet resting in Simon's lap.
 * Gentleman Snarker: Simon. "Come on out River, the nice man wants to kidnap you."
 * Hannibal Lecture: Jubal tries to give this.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Subverted; River is only pretending. However the communications breakdown pushes Simon's Berserk Button.
 * Honor Before Reason: Only partially: "I'd rather die standing" "The intention is not for you to die Doctor."
 * Let's Get Dangerous: Simon's attack on Jubal.
 * Mama Bear: River.
 * Papa Wolf: Simon and Mal.
 * Psycho for Hire: Early is bugfuck crazy.
 * Scary Black Man: Jubal.
 * Shirtless Scene: Simon is ripped.
 * Shout-Out: Jubal Early is named after a Confederate general who may just be related to NathanFillion.
 * Spaceship Girl: Subverted; River is just pretending to be this.
 * The Spartan Way: Early's "suggestion" to Simon about possible "innovative improvements" in medical training. He actually manages to make it almost sound like a good idea in a weird sort of way!
 * Stiff Upper Lip: Simon exchanging banter with Jubal.
 * The Strategist: River.
 * Tear Jerker: River's insistence towards the end that she go with Early because she doesn't belong on Serenity, and is not wanted by the others. That her absence will make their lives (particular her brother's) better and easier. Of course, it was all a ploy, but a lot of what River said was true, and was genuinely how she felt about herself.
 * Telepathy: Implied
 * Took a Level in Badass: River.
 * Waif Fu: River.
 * Warrior Poet: Jubal.
 * Worthy Opponent: A little; Early seems to respect Simon a bit. Simon only regards Early as a threat to Kaylee and River. River states clearly she DOESN'T respect Early.