The Firefly Cast Have Thought A Lot About Their Characters' Futures
It's difficult sometimes to know when something is over. Much like relationships, TV shows can wear out their welcome, taking too long to realize that it's time to say goodbye. Other series are cut down in their prime, stopped before they could even truly get started, with their potential never fully realized. "Firefly" is an example of the latter, just another casualty of Fox's itchy trigger finger, canceled after only 11 of its 14 episodes had aired back in 2002. Centering on a motley crew of smugglers traveling the 'Verse in the spaceship Serenity, no one could've predicted the space Western would gain any traction through DVD sales, let alone enough to warrant a feature film continuation. Even after the 2005 release of "Serenity," viewers still hoped for more and "Firefly" has enjoyed a rich life beyond television in both comics and novels.
As it turns out, fans aren't the only ones who've had trouble letting go of Serenity's crew, nor are they alone in speculating about what their respective futures would've looked like. The actors have given it quite a bit of thought as well. What do they imagine would've happened to their characters if "Firefly" had gotten another season, or even been allowed to finish its first?
Everybody has secrets
The cast of "Firefly" reunited for the Science Channel 10-year reunion special "Firefly: Browncoats Unite" and one major point of discussion was what became of Serenity's crew. According to Morena Baccarin, who played Inara Serra, a Companion living on the ship, her character had a checkered past and was harboring a "deep, dark secret." Writer/director/executive producer Tim Minear revealed that Inara's secret was that she was terminally ill. This isn't the only dark plan that was in the works for Inara, though it does make sense, considering what she says to the ship's resident doctor, Simon Tam (Sean Maher), in "Out of Gas." After he tells her that he doesn't want to die on Serenity, Inara responds, "I don't wanna die at all." Baccarin also said Inara wasn't the only one with a secret and that the writers had a roadmap for where the entire crew was headed.
When asked what would become of his mercenary Jayne Cobb, Adam Baldwin said, "I floated the idea that perhaps he was able to get his own ship and compete with Mal a bit, and fail at it miserably and have to return, humbled." Well, that certainly sounds like Jayne. As for Nathan Fillion's Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, the actor didn't mention specific ideas, but felt the character would've grown "more bitter and more crotchety." Let's hope not. I'd like to think that Mal eventually found his way to some happiness. Sure, being bitter was kind of his thing, but Fillion made Mal so likable that you couldn't help but root for him.
Becoming parents
Summer Glau was also asked where she thought the enigmatic River Tam would wind up and the actress pointed out that the younger Tam sibling had been "gunning for Wash's job." That may be true, but Alan Tudyk feels that his pilot Hoban "Wash" Washburne would've been cool with that on account of the fact that he and Mal's right hand woman Zoe Alleyne Washburne (Gina Torres) would be having a baby anyway. Tudyk claims Wash would've put a stop to Zoe going on more dangerous missions after giving birth, but any fan of the show could tell you how well that conversation would've gone.
When Maher interjected that he thought his character Simon and ship mechanic Kaywinnet Lee "Kaylee" Frye (Jewel Staite) were going to have a baby, Tudyk responded, "Well you guys can have one too, we're gonna have to have some kids playing with kids." Torres had further thoughts about the child Zoe and Wash would have together. She said, "I like to believe there's a wiry-haired redhead boy with freckles. And that Jayne babysits. And that he and I have arguments about who's gonna teach him about guns."
There are so many stories that could've been told and while plenty have unfolded on the page, most fans still wish we'd all had more episodes with Serenity and her crew. Between all the time that's passed, the cast's busy schedule, and show creator Joss Whedon's fall from grace, a revival seems impossible. At least "Serenity" provided some closure and there's also plenty of supplemental material out there for fans to seek out. Plus, the show continues to remain lodged in the hearts of loyal Browncoats everywhere.