Browncoats by arcbeatle

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Browncoats

POSTED BY: ARCBEATLE
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 09:23
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 5582
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Thursday, September 23, 2004 4:21 PM

I was origionally going to write a thread about making an alliance fan.com, but as I was thinking about getting people interested something struck me.

Why do we call ourselves BrownCoats?

I mean I know thats what the Independants were called in Firefly, its obvious, but starwars fans dont go around telling people that their "Jedi", though people would probably get what they meant.
Instead, we seem to affiliate ourselves closer to our heros then most T.V shows/movies.

Think about it.

Almost every science fiction is about uber-extraordinary people doing imposible uber-extraordinary things you and I could never do. they deal with climactic epic wars and dodge bullets, use the force and have super human strength fighting demons. Mal has a gun... and he has his mind. Neo can mess with computor code and play God. Luke kills stuff with a light saber and then waves his hand and convinces them hes just a pedestian. Buffy is.. Buffy.
Not only are all the crew just regular people, but most of their problems they solve with intelect, but recuires some violence to accieve. Other heros just say "give me something to kill"-Buffy.

Our heros may sometimes do extraordianry things, but their things a person really could do if they had training.

Maybe thats why we connect to them the way we do, feel our heros are enough like us to call ourselves Borwncoats.
Then again, they really arnt heros. Their flawed, they get stupid when the moneys to good, have secrets. In the end, their kinda like us.

Guess that makes me proud to say that I am, a Browncoat.

If people only beleive wahts in a movie, their damn well sure beleiving Serenity.

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Thursday, September 23, 2004 4:26 PM

STARPILOTGRAINGER

The Browncoats were the losers. They had the best of intentions, they tried, and life just stepped on them anyway. And then, they kept on going. Kept flying, even though it wasn't much. It was enough. I'm sure most people can relate to that at one point in time or another.

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6
http://www.unreachablestar.net - Comics & SF News/Reviews/Opinions

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Thursday, September 23, 2004 4:30 PM

ARCBEATLE

That kinda sumed up what I said A lot quicker...

Still suprises me every time I see Serenity that they LOOSE, Its just so much like the real world you dont want to beleive it.

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Thursday, September 23, 2004 10:26 PM

WREN

As I understand it, when the tv series was in production they had a blog to tell fans what was occurring on set, it was known as Kellys blog. The cast would leave messages on the blog. The blog would refer to the fans as Brown Coats. The fans decided to adopt the name, but make it one word, and thus a legend was born

.

The blog is worth a read. It can be found here:

http://www.fox-tv.com/firefly/weblog.htm

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Thursday, September 23, 2004 10:36 PM

PURPLEBELLY

Not all enthusiasts for Firefly call themselves Browncoats.

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Thursday, September 23, 2004 10:58 PM

KERNELM

I'm pretty sure the idea of calling the fandom "Brown Coats" was around before the first mention in the blog. It's probably a synergistic thing though. OB -> blog -> everybody.

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Friday, September 24, 2004 3:50 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I can not speak for everyone, but I would like to share why I call myself a Browncoat, and why I wear that moniker w/ pride.

Joss has said that the underlying theme of the show is freedom. To me freedom is the most valuable thing in life. All beings crave it, strive for it, fight for it, and die for it. On some base level we all strive to be free.

Watching Mal and his crew strive every episode to be free of the Alliance's grasp, to get out there into the black and live their lives they way they want to live them is very appealing. The struggle to be free and keep flying holds the underlying message that even if you are beaten, you get up, dust yourself off and drive on. Never give up, never give in.

To me the name Browncoat says more than I am just a fan of the show, Joss and the BDHs. To me it represents my desire to be free and to do whatever it takes to keep flying.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Friday, September 24, 2004 9:48 AM

NEEDLESEYE

Quote:
BrownCoat1:
Joss has said that the underlying theme of the show is freedom. To me freedom is the most valuable thing in life. All beings crave it, strive for it, fight for it, and die for it. On some base level we all strive to be free.

Joss can speak for me.

I also think of it this way. I have no problem associating myself with the name "Browncoat".
It is not pretentious and the color connotation is humble. While you couldn't pay me to run around saying, "I'm a Jedi, I like Star Wars".
I will however say freely "I'm a Browncoat..." and though at the moment most people would say, huh?
Later they will say "SHINY!"

Keeper of Jayne's goggles. 8)

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Friday, September 24, 2004 10:35 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by needleseye:
While you couldn't pay me to run around saying, "I'm a Jedi, I like Star Wars".

I will however say freely "I'm a Browncoat..." and though at the moment most people would say, huh?
Later they will say "SHINY!"

I totally agree!
Of course claiming to be a Jedi is like saying I inherited this light saber and legacy from my Father...
which is clearly a pretty silly thing to say.

While taking the designation of 'Browncoat' simply says, I'm independent and I believe in individual freedom...something we can all be proud to claim!

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Friday, September 24, 2004 5:38 PM

SARDONICA

Quote:

Almost every science fiction is about uber-extraordinary people doing imposible uber-extraordinary things you and I could never do. they deal with climactic epic wars and dodge bullets, use the force and have super human strength fighting demons. Mal has a gun... and he has his mind. Neo can mess with computor code and play God. Luke kills stuff with a light saber and then waves his hand and convinces them hes just a pedestian.

I don't think Luke ever actually killed anything, with his lightsaber, or otherwise.

Also, when you say "Almost every science fiction" you're actually talking only about the "popular" scifi of recent times... there's a whole world(s) of wonderfully eclectic and non-commercial scifi out there... spanning from the fifties to the present!

Chief Editor, AFM
www.apocalypsefiction.com
Writer/Producer, The NUKE Brothers
www.nukebrothers.com

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Friday, September 24, 2004 8:29 PM

SGTGUMP

Quote:
Originally posted by PurpleBelly:
Not all enthusiasts for Firefly call themselves Browncoats.

I challenge you to the field of honor, at dawn.

"Have at you!" - Stewie

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Saturday, September 25, 2004 2:17 AM

WILDHEAVENFARM

1) Comraderie [sic], because we so identify with the characters. Everyone feels like the underdog at some point.

2) To avoid being labelled with or espousing a more awful word derived from the name of the show. *cough*trekkie*cough*

Mary
Always a beast, never a burden.

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Saturday, September 25, 2004 7:00 AM

MALI

* post removed and re-entered since I wasn't paying attention to who was logged in - SoupCatcher *

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Saturday, September 25, 2004 7:04 AM

SOUPCATCHER

Quote:
Originally posted by WildHeavenFarm:
2) To avoid being labelled with or espousing a more awful word derived from the name of the show. *cough*trekkie*cough*

I am soooooo glad that the nickname was never shortened to "Brownies".

Now I must go watch two episdoes as penance for this evil thought

.

There are three kinds of people: fighters, lovers, and screamers.

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Saturday, September 25, 2004 7:13 AM

EBONEZER

Quote:
Originally posted by sgtgump:
Quote:
Originally posted by PurpleBelly:
Not all enthusiasts for Firefly call themselves Browncoats.

I challenge you to the field of honor, at dawn.

"Have at you!" - Stewie

SOMEBODY'S read the 213 things skippy isn't allowed to do in the military...

Quote:
I am soooooo glad that the nickname was never shortened to "Brownies".

"Whern't you a boy scout?"
"No, but i had a brownie once."

Sorry, couldn't help it. That movie (Without A Paddle) just made me really really happy, i had to share the love.

-----------------------------------

Four out of five dentists reccomend calling Ebo a girl.

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Tuesday, September 28, 2004 8:52 AM

BROWNCOATFAN1

its kind of simple, browncoats are what mal and zoe are the good guys. it makes perfect sence to me.

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Tuesday, September 28, 2004 7:53 PM

THECRAZYIVAN

AMEN to that fellow Browncoats...even though none of the people i know have no clue what the hell a Browncoat is (i tried explaining Firefly and i keep tellin them ill bring the season so they can watch but noooooooooo) i will force them ALL on April 22nd to sit through what may be the best 2 hours of their lives....SHINY!

~~~~~~~~~~
Take me out to the black.....
Tell em I aint comin back

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Wednesday, September 29, 2004 4:49 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by arcbeatle:
Mal has a gun... and he has his mind.

Well. . . Mal has his gun.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Wednesday, September 29, 2004 9:23 AM

AMNESIACK

I'm proud to call myself a Browncoat; they're the people that stood up for themselves against overwhelming odds and fought for what they believed in. They may have lost, but even so, the ones we know of haven't lost their ideals. That said, it should be pointed out that Mal and Zoe are the only actual Browncoats among the Serenity crew.

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