Inara attends a formal society dance, only to find Malcolm there as well, attempting to set up a smuggling job. Mal comes to blows with Inara's conceited date and finds himself facing a duel with a renowned swordsman, and only one night to learn how to fence. (wikipedia.com)
Mercy is the mark of a great man. This Episode seems to deal with what makes on great. Jayne wears a t-shirt that is seen in "The Train Job", "Ariel", and "War Stories" that contains the Chinese word yong which means "soldier" or more commonly "brave".
We see all examples of what is thought to bring greatness: money, fancy clothes, ownership, fighting. Yet, in the end it is Mal in his down-home humor who sums it up best - Mercy.
In Christian Theology we talk about Grace. The difference between Mercy and Grace is:
Mercy--not getting what you do deserve / withheld punishment
Grace--getting what you don't deserve / unmerited favor
The sign of a great person is an ability to give mercy. But there is a God who gives grace. Sometimes I can't even get my mind around that. I don't deserve it and I didn't do anything to earn it and I didn't ask for it, yet I got it. I am given grace - no questions asked. Guess that's the difference between God and (hu)man, huh?
A dead guy on the windshield interrupts a little game of calvinball. The crew boards a derelict ship from whence the dead guy came, looking for salvage first and survivors second, only to discover that the crew of the derelict was killed by Reavers. Just when they think a ship full of crazed cannibals intent on chewing their innards out is the worst thing that could happen, up pulls an Alliance Cruiser.
No problem, right? There's just that small matter of a couple of Alliance fugitives on-board, not to mention the cargo they just lifted off the derelict without a salvage license, and the sole survivor of the attack they've got sedated in the Med Bay...
SCENE: Discussion after recovering the "survivor" of a reaver attack Jayne: Reavers ain't men. Book: Of course they are. Too long removed from civilization, of course, but men. And, I believe there is a power greater than men, a power that heals. Mal: Reavers might take issue with that philosophy. If they had a philosophy. If they weren't too busy gnawing on your insides. Jayne's right, Reavers ain't men. Or they forgot how to be. Now they're just nothing. They got out to the edge of the galaxy, to the edge of the galaxy, to that place of nothing, and that's what they became.
1. One who reaves. Archaic term for one who despoils, plunders, bereaves, takes with violence. 2. Terrifying, cannibalistic, self-mutalating savages living in the outskirts of the settled universe in Joss Whedon's Firefly and Serenity.
Do monsters have souls? Think of individuals who have done horrid acts of crime, genocide, and violence. It is difficult to find the goodness and mercy in such stories. Like Mal and Jayne, I think we are more likely to say they are simply "not human." Yet Shepherd believes in a power greater than these horrors, greater than the blackness of such lost beings. He believes in a power that heals; a light that fills the darkness. I've referred to that sharing of light in other Sci-fi references as well. Consider I Am Legend and the "Bob Marley scene" in which he tells the story of Marley's belief one could end racism and bring peace by injecting music and love - "Light up the Darkness". In this case it is heal the mutilated spirit. God is such a mystery. How shall he empower you and me to be such healers in this world? All we can do is, like Shepherd, have faith and be open to receive the direction we are given. There is more to come in the story of Reavers...by the way, they are human. But that's to be learned in time.
RECAP: This episode begins with Mal, Zoe and Jayne relaxing over a few drinks at a bar. A man stands and makes a toast to the Alliance to celebrate Unification Day. This causes a bar brawl that apparently, Mal does this every year on Unification Day.
River is having nightmares about medical experiments and she won't tell Simon about them so that he can figure out how to treat her or what to do.
The crew get a job from a man named Niska, who is a ruthless, Russian mafia type. They steal unnamed Alliance cargo from a train. Mal and Zoe are trapped and so they are trying to keep from being discovered with all the passengers who are being detained for investigation. They find out the cargo was needed medical supplies. The crew finds a way to rescue Mal and Zoe, who back out of their deal with Niska and return the supplies because it's the right thing to do.
After Serenity is back on the move, Simon patches up Mal's injuries in the infirmary. Mal inquires as to how River is doing. Simon confirms that she's the same and he still doesn't know what was done to her.
Somewhere on an Alliance ship, a pair of ominous men in suits and blue gloves have arrived, inquiring about a theft. They have a picture of River.
In the beginning of this episode, Mal and Shepherd engage in conversation.
Mal: Well, what about you, Shepherd? How come you're flyin' with us brigands? I mean, shouldn't you be off bringing religiosity to the fuzzy-wuzzies or some such?
Book: Oh, I got heathens aplenty right here.
Mal: If I'm your mission, Shepherd, best give it up. You're welcome on my boat - God ain't.
Later Shepherd and Inara talk about prayer and praying for Mal. Shepherd says he doesn't think Mal would appreciate that. Inara says "Don't tell him. I never do."
Do you pray for people who won't appreciate it? I have plenty of friends who say "I like you and respect you're "churchy" and all, but don't go bringing God to me. It's fine that you need religion. It's what helps you. Some people need things like that. I just don't."
I wonder. Whenever someone says that I feel like I just got stabbed or put down -i.e. weak people need God and I'm not weak like you. Is that it? Is God just a crutch for the weak?
Well truth is: We're all weak. We may have the greatest intelligence, money, power, fame, beauty, humor, etc. yet everyone has a weakness, an insecurity, a dark side.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
Mal may not want his friends praying for him, he lost his faith on the fields of Serenity Valley. But his friends know there is a power greater than his weakness and faith is bigger than his disbelief. But they're not going to tell him.
www.fanpop.com has Firefly episodes available if you want to follow along.
Serenity
Se*ren"i*ty\, n. [L. serenuas: cf. F. s['e]r['e]nit['e].] 1. The quality or state of being serene; clearness and calmness; quietness; stillness; peace. A general peace and serenity newly succeeded a general trouble. --Sir W. Temple.
2. Calmness of mind; eveness of temper; undisturbed state; coolness; composure. I can not see how any men should ever transgress those moral rules with confidence and serenity. --Locke.
serenity - the pilot episode of Firefly is anything but.
The opening is set in the Battle of Serenity Valley, where a bloody battle against the Alliance is fought in the Unification War, and after losing most of his soilders and witnessing the destruction of the Valley, Mal and Zoe are forced to surrender. Then we jumped to six years later where they are eking out an existence on the edges of space in a Firefly-class spaceship, taking odd jobs that often involve petty crime. The crew is scavenging an Alliance cargo from a destroyed satellite base and have been spotted by an Alliance ship. They take one passengers in Persephone to supplement their income and seek a buyer for their hot goods. The passenger, Simon, has a secret that will make their lives very complicated.
A deleted scene explains the Serenity story: A scene where Simon is taking care of the wounded Kaylee. Book asks why Simon chose to come aboard Serenity and he replies that it seemed disreputable. Book suggests that Simon lacks a knowledge of history. Simon researches the Battle of Serenity Valley on his encyclopedia and Zoe tells him about how many soldiers died during the battle and its aftermath. She tells Simon that Mal won't kill him unless he's got no other option. When Simon asks why Mal named the ship after such a horrible battle, Zoe replies that "once you've been in Serenity, you never leave".
For Joss Whedon, every episode is about creating family. Serenity, the spaceship, is their home. It is the safeplace. He uses meals around the supper table to incorporate the family feeling. Serenity is home, it is family, it is a place to be after or in the midst of chaos. Serenity is the holy space.
Recently I attended worship during Holy Week. During a moment of liturgy and prayer I felt a holiness of that moment. A moment that was sanctuary. A moment that God was not ordinary but holy, life was sacred, and being was of an essence. I wish I could say I had moments like that every time I went to church, but I don't. When I do, I am blessed. Serenity - that place to belong, be still, and be one in God? Yes I think so...in God.
When Joss Whedon developed Firefly he was influenced by the book, The Killer Angels, a novel by Michael Sharra about the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War.
Whedon wanted to follow the people who fought on the losing side and their experience afterward as pioneers and immigrants on the outskirts of civilization like the post-Civil War era of Reconstruction and the American Old West. He uses music from the campfire days of fiddle playing and slide guitar and often mixes images of the old west with space battles.
The Alliance is a culture formed of the mixing of the two greatest world power - United States and China - in the year 2517. This has caused a fusion of culture that is visually apparent. Humans have arrived at a new star system and it is a time of pioneer culture with fringe living in distant star systems. The crew of Serenity are pirates, making a living the best they can. According to Whedon's vision "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems of today.
So here we are still fighting, still prejudice, still facing spiritual and ethical dilemmas in the face of opposition and challenge. Each character has their way of dealing with things. Shepherd often quotes the Bible and looks to prayer, yet he struggles to define his place as a Shepherd with such a motley crew. I could relate to that character in my own life. Often I'm the only "churchy" one among my friends and social groups. Sometimes people turn to me with questions of spirituality. Sometimes I am surprised to find the depth of thought those I'd least expect had given spiritual matters. Sometimes I am shunned and shut up before I even enter a room because it is assumed that I will be judgmental and discouraging. Each character has a secret, dark side and each has unexpected brilliance to share. It is a human story.
[opening narration for episodes: Safe, Ariel, War Stories, Heart of Gold] Mal: Here's how it is: The Earth got used up, so we moved out and terraformed a whole new galaxy of Earths. Some rich and flush with the new technologies, some not so much. The Central Planets, thems formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule; a few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship; Firefly class. Got a good crew: fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher for some reason, and a bona fide companion. There's a doctor, too, took his genius sister outta some Alliance camp, so they're keepin' a low profile. You understand. You got a job, we can do it, don't much care what it is. opening song: Take my love, take my land / Take me where I cannot stand / I don't care, I'm still free / You can't take the sky from me / Take me out to the black / Tell 'em I ain't comin' back / Burn the land and boil the sea / You can't take the sky from me / There's no place I can be / Since I found serenity / But you can't take the sky from me
This is the beginning of an American science fiction TV series created by writer/director Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel). It's modeled as a traditional Western set in a science fiction backdrop. The series was debuted on FOX in 2002. It was canceled after only eleven of the fourteen episodes were aired. Although it had a short life, it had a "cult" following that won it an Emmy in 2003 for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series" and the production of a film title Serenity, which brought some closure for fans. I'm one of those fans and I just bought the DVD collection of the 14 episodes. This will be my series for theological reflection, you may recall I haven't been so great at reflecting on twice a week. So you're in for a whole lotta Firefly folks!
Basically this is the story, as Joss Whedon put it, "of nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things." The cast of characters include:
Malcom "Mal" Reynolds - Captain the firefly style ship called Serenity and veteran of the civil war against the Alliance.
Zoe Alleyne Washburne - Second-in-command, loyal wartime friend of the captain, and wife of Wash - a "warrior woman".
Hoban "Wash" Washburne - Pilot and Zoe's husband. He is jealous of her loyalty to Mal and tends to be the comic relief for many episodes.
Inara Serra - is a Companion, which in the 26th century is the equivalent of a courtesan. She rents a shuttle from the ship, is nicknamed "the Ambassador" and gives the ship some legitimacy and social acceptance.
Jayne Cobb - is hired muscle. He acts dumber than he is and asks the questions no one else will and is often more than what you see on the surface.
Kaywinnit Lee "Kaylee" Frye - is the ship's mechanic. She is the soul of the ship, a sweet, genuine loving character who has no formal training in mechanics but intuitively keeps the ship going.
Dr. Simon Tam - is a medical researcher and trauma surgeon, the best of the best who is wanted by the Alliance for breaking out his sister from a government research facility.
River Tam - is a child prodigy who was experimented upon, leaving her in a sort of schizophrenic phase in which she sees and hears things others don't.
Derrial Book - is a Shepherd (equivalent to a priest, minister, or pastor). He has knowledge of things you won't expect a Shepherd who has been living in the monastery for some time to know, like hand-to-hand combat, weapons, criminal activites, and electromagnetic field. He is torn as to whether he is called to be with this worldly crew or if their influence is destroying him.
Last night I happened to catch the 12:30am edition of Oprah. Her guests were the families behind the mistaken identity case in Indiana. A van of college students and faculty were hit by a semi that had loss control. Five people were killed. One survivor was mistaken for another girl who had died and the two families lived accordingly with this mistake for five weeks. The families have written a book about their experience called Mistaken Identity.
When Oprah asked how these two families could be so forgiving in light of the fact that they had each thought their child had lived or died only to find the opposite was true, the fathers spoke for their families. They said it was their faith that got them through. They believed in Jesus Christ and that death was not the end of the story, that a resurrected Christ gave them hope and strength to endure the trials that come their way. These families have an odd and special connection and a common faith helped them to work through this together.
I am thankful through all the trials I've known that I've had a practice and discipline of prayer and faith to keep me going and hold me up. I knew what these families were talking about. Sadly not everyone does and it all probably sounded unbelievable. But faith is real and prayer is powerful.
