Where would YOU have taken FIREFLY if it had lasted seven or so years? by reginaroadie

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Where would YOU have taken FIREFLY if it had lasted seven or so years?

POSTED BY: REGINAROADIE
UPDATED: Saturday, October 11, 2008 11:41
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Saturday, August 30, 2008 5:44 PM

Hey Everyone

I was writing in another thread about what I would like to have seen, and it gave me the idea for a new "what if/fantasy" thread.

Here's the scenario. You are Joss. FIREFLY has huge rating and is a smash hit. FOX gives you the greenlight for not only a second series, but a third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh season. Assuming SERENITY was the 1st season finale and the comics were the episodes that took place after OBJECTS IN SPACE, where would you have taken the show?

For me, I'm more interested in season 7 than the middle ones. Usually season 7 is the flameout season, like BUFFY. But I would have made the effort to make it the best last season possible. And it would basically be a variation of my story YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN. The final moment of season 6 would have been one of the crew looking at the Cortex shocked and then relaying the news that the Alliance is no more. And the 7th season premiere wouldn't even have the cast in it. It would be called "A Day in the Life" and it would have focused on like an accountant working in the Alliance and witnessing first hand on the Core the entire government collapsing Enron style. And then the rest of the season would be the crew dealing with what their lives will be like with no Alliance. I think Simon and River would have gone home to deal with their parents and have something of a reconciliation. I think River would be the first person to leave the ship and go on her walkabout to find out for herself who she is, and not what others want her to be. I think Simon would have actually stayed on the ship for a while, and then get off with Kaylee to lead their own lives. And I think like so many gunslingers before, I think Mal would find himself in a world that he doesn't fit into. That outlawing is no longer an option for him. He can't stick it to the Alliance, since there is no more Alliance to stick it to. But I don't think Inara would settle down with him on a ranch.

Also, one thing that has to happen in one of the middle seasons is that Simon would actually kill someone and it would really screw him up. I think as a character, he is so tightly wound that at one point during the show he would have just snapped.

So if you were Joss, where would you have taken the series?

**************************************************
"And it starts with a sentence that might last a lifetime, or it all might just go down in flames. If I let you know me, then why would you want me? Each day I don't is a shame. Each day I don't is a great shame."

Loudon Wainwright III - "Strange Weirdos" off the "Knocked Up" soundtrack

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Saturday, August 30, 2008 11:07 PM

CORNCOBB

This is such a good idea for a thread. And a really good question. I don't have answers for a right now, but let me ponder on it a while.
I'll be back here soon, Shiny?

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Sunday, August 31, 2008 12:54 AM

AGENTROUKA

Oooh!

I think I would not have gone the "Serenity" movie route. Or at least, not in the way the movie did it. I prefer things more slow and subtle.

So... going from Inara's leaving the ship, I would have broadened the scope of the show to include a new regular character or three on the Alliance side of the verse, who we meet through Inara, who would act as the show's Core World perspective for a certain amount of time. It'd all be tied up on the grand scheme of the Alliance higher up conspiracy, of course. One new character might be a spy, the other an innocent professional like Simon was, another a rich crook out for himself in the world of finery. Who knows?

Inara would be in some regular contact with the crew for whatever reasons but have her own subplot getting closer to the secrets of the Alliance via clients and subsequent research. While being the Grand Epic Love of Mal, in an on again/off again way until the end of the series.

Meanwhile the crew would go forward and very slowly progress toward the darker mood of the movie.

Mal and River would slowly form a very paternally flavored friendship based on the theme of disconnection, guilt, anger, redemption and rebirth, which is painfully tested by River being brainwashed via the triggers. River serves, basically, as Mal's mirror image.

Zoe and Wash would go through the Really Big Marital Crisis we have seen foreshadowed on the show. Heartbreak and awesome moments of adult acceptance and reuniting. (Until someone dies!!! Or something.)

Book would deteriorate back to his dark, powerful past and struggle with thoughts of betraying Mal "for his own good" when Mal gets progressively more angry and bitter over the scarcity of jobs and Simon's rebellous ways and River's problems, leading to a rift and then later some healing and forgiveness.

Simon would adapt to life on Serenity (violence, etc.) but grow more and more depressed, leading to cracks in his relationships with River and Kaylee but to a weirdly amazing friendship with Jayne. While his self-confidence grows, his amazing strategic super-brain becomes its own subplot. He definitely pulls off some kind of job or secret mission right under Mal's nose, possibly with Kaylee's help. When they get close to uncovering the Conspiracy, he and Mal clash more and more harshly over what to do and how.

Kaylee would have a series of stressing incidents that show her gradually growing more and more self-reliant and self-confident until she is the one to affect and orchestrate a big and dramatic decision against Mal's wishes at some point, possibly blocking one of his crazy plans (a la flying through Reaver territory) because she chooses the crew over The Truth and stands by her decision, putting Mal in an isolated place for a while. She becomes a sort of Zoe for the crew, with the real Zoe standing by Mal against her own better judgment.

Jayne's relationship with Book would slowly influence him to become a Shepherd down the line. But a really badass, take-charge Shepherd who leads the masses to get off their butts and practice as he preaches.

Eventually, the grand conspiracy would lead to some grand war/chaos/showdown period during each relationship constellation of the crew (and the new characters, perhaps) plays a key role in some way. Lots of drama, etc. Viewers would cry and glee.

Mal reconcilces with Kaylee, Simon, and Book. He and Inara team up at some point and get together in a grand swirl of "I accept you the way you are and we might die soon, anyways, so let there be tea-making and heartbreakingly sweet moments that feel like we have been happily married for years and passionate whatevers". Maybe there will be a tragic end, but maybe not.

Book and Jayne might die. Zoe or Wash might die. Simon or River might die.

Kaylee would definitely NOT die.

Either way, we end with the crew fundamentally changed and more whole than broken, going their separate ways and starting the rest of their lives away from Serenity. Because Serenity is only an object. It's the meaning you imbue her with that makes her a home and home is where the heart is, etc.

Or something.

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Monday, October 6, 2008 11:35 PM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Well in a similar thread I wrote that the crew would lose SERENITY.

So I guess if we're talking about seven seasons then this would be my premise for the final season.

The one thing that united the crew through all there ups and downs was SERENITY so it makes sense that when lost they all want to get SERENITY back. And there in lies the adventure and much of the ethos of season seven. All prejudices aside the now disbanded crew (for whatever reasons of personal differences) decide that they must fight for SERENITY.... and so the hunt is on.

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Tuesday, October 7, 2008 11:34 AM

DIGIFICWRITER

In answering this question, let me direct you to the following link: http://www.stillflying.net

The above-mentioned link sends you to Virtual Firefly, a project started by a group of fans (including myself) with the original intention of answering the question 'How might the plotline of the movie Serenity have played itself out over the course of a full 22-episode season had Joss had the opportunity to tell it that way?', but eventually became expanded to include 7 episodes designed to complete Firefly's first season. We also have plans to continue into a third season and beyond.

Check out the continuing adventures of the Big Damn Heroes of Joss Whedon's Firefly in [url= http://www.stillflying.net]Virtual Firefly: Here's How It Might Have Been[/url]

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Tuesday, October 7, 2008 7:48 PM

FREEBROWNCOAT

All in all an excellent proposition for seven seasons. Well thought out and lends itself to all the twists The Joss has in his productions.

I'ld love to see it. Write a screenpl;ay of whatever. We'll read it.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008 5:05 AM

GWEK

Quote:
Originally posted by Freebrowncoat:
I'ld love to see it. Write a screenpl;ay of whatever. We'll read it.

Check out our aforementioned www.stillflying.net. Although Season Two explores the story of the movie expanded into 22 episodes, there's a LOT of new material and character development (because, y'know, 22 episodes is a lot longer than a 2 hour movie). For example, we spend some time working on why the Mal we see at the beginning of SERENITY has a harder edge than he does at the end of OBJECTS IN SPACE, and also develop the crew's relationship with Haven (including a 2-parter where Zoe and Wash leave Serenity and try to "settle down").

All in all, we've got almost 30 episode-length scripts (that's nearly 1500 pages of Firefly) for y'all.

*****

On the original question, I won't get into detail, because as David previously mentioned, we're planning to continue into a third season (and have already discussed the eventual direction of the show).

My PERSONAL opinion would be that neither Simon-Kaylee nor Mal-Inara are built for happily ever after. These are relationships that literally exist "between worlds", so they only work on Serenity, not so much in reality. Of course, there would be much angst and drama on the road to that discovery.

I think it would be interesting to see the crew divided into two crews at some point. I'd like to see Simon grow into his own, possibly get his own ship, and see the crew have to decide who's staying and who's going. The juxtaposition of Simon's and Mal's styles drives a lot of the conflict in the show, and I think that would be a logical latter step (around season 4 or 5).

*****

I do want to state, though, that I'm pretty sure if Joss had continued, the first season finale would have been some variation of THOSE LEFT BEHIND. I mean, c'mon, he brings back the bad guys introduced in the first few episodes, bringing it nice and full circle.

Chronologically, that would have placed BETTER DAYS in Season One as well, because it happens before Inara and Book leave the ship. THE OTHER HALF appears to occur prior to the movie, giving us the following chronology:

1) Firefly series
2) Better Days
3) Those Left Behind
4) The Other Half
5) Serenity: The Movie

Whedon has stated that the story of the Reavers/Miranda would have been told in Season Two, albeit in a different manner than in the movie. He's also said that Wash was marked for death (although remains silent on Book).

I'd suggest that, based on best evidence, the second season would have ended roughly where the movie ends, so seasons through through seven are, currently, completely uncharted territory.

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008 6:44 PM

OUT2THEBLACK

Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:
Oooh!

I think I would not have gone the "Serenity" movie route. Or at least, not in the way the movie did it. I prefer things more slow and subtle...

...Book and Jayne might die. Zoe or Wash might die. Simon or River might die.

Kaylee would definitely NOT die.

Either way, we end with the crew fundamentally changed and more whole than broken, going their separate ways and starting the rest of their lives away from Serenity. Because Serenity is only an object. It's the meaning you imbue her with that makes her a home and home is where the heart is, etc.

Or something.

Wow...What you said !

We don't always agree on stuff , but I like your vision of Firefly...

Makes my hair stand on end...In a good way...

When we relight Firefly , I hope Joss hires you to help plot story arcs...

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008 9:26 PM

RALLEM

I honestly don't think Serenity was designed to last seven seasons and would be surprised if Joss had in mind any more than three or four seasons originally. I am not saying that if Joss had been allowed to take this story line to four seasons and were allowed to go to five that he wouldn't have some ideas to where he could take the show where it would still be interesting, but I am saying that I think Joss’ original story ideas probably would have ended somewhere after seasons three or four.

http://www.stillflying.net/

http://swyzzlestyx.com/index.html

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Wednesday, October 8, 2008 11:51 PM

PEULSAR5

We sniff the air, we don't kiss the dirt.

I may take some flack for this but I had the same opinion about Drive. I thought it was a great premise, very well put together and intense, but I didn't see how they would be able to keep it going after more than a couple of seasons. Once the race was over, presumably in the season finale, where do you go from there?

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Friday, October 10, 2008 7:24 PM

JRC

Got this off of whedonesque.com. Someone did a "review" of the 7th season premiere:

http://www.redrighthand.net/2008/10/thoughts-on-firefly-7th-season-pre
miere.html

Everyone dies alone.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008 4:45 AM

GWEK

Quote:
Originally posted by rallem:
I honestly don't think Serenity was designed to last seven seasons and would be surprised if Joss had in mind any more than three or four seasons originally.

Joss has been quoted as saying that he planned to go seven seasons... or at least something to the effect of "One of the lessons I learned from FIREFLY is never tell your cast and crew that it's going to run for seven seasons until you're sure the network wants it."

In some of the Serenity-related inverviews, he admits that he didn't necessarily have a clear plan of what he wanted to do season-by-season, but had a feel for the overall direction of the story.

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

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Saturday, October 11, 2008 11:41 AM

NCBROWNCOAT

In a perfect world Mal and Inara would be happily married and have had a child by the end of the 7th season. Simon and Kaylee would be the parents of a large brood, equally divided between talent for mechanics and medicine.

Zoe would have found peace and her old zest for life back and Jayne...not too sure about him but hope he would have learned some lessons and not mouth off so much and always carry grenades no matter what Mal says. River would have gotten her head straight and become a fantastic pilot and maybe even have her own ship.

That's in a perfect TV world but knowing Joss none of this would have happend.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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