Is this how Earth-that-was became just that? by TenthCrewMember

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Is this how Earth-that-was became just that?

POSTED BY: TENTHCREWMEMBER
UPDATED: Thursday, January 6, 2005 21:48
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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 6:04 PM

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?

So, I am looking to do screencaps for a wallpaper, and I am jumping around "Heart of Gold" when I find myself watching (as I often do!) the scene where Mal meets Rance Burgess at the theatre for the first time.

If you watch closely, there is a man speaking in chinese (wish I knew what he was saying!) and there is a shadowpuppet show going on, behind Rance as Mal talks with him.

Initially it is a white background with a shadow of Earth, *our* Earth as we know it, and there are shadows of ships flying away from it. Then there are some handkercheif shadows used as what appears to be flames coming off the surface of the Earth and the background turns red.

So, was it a man-made or natural disaster, I wonder? A war? Did the Earth break apart? Did the Sun expand and burn the Earth? Bad science destroy the atmosphere? And WHEN was this? Or is it simply speculation by the current generation of Earth-that-was' decendants for entertainment purposes?

Also, if you watch closely, one of the ships is a shadow of a Firefly...how old are those ships anyhow? LOL

Just one of those subtle things of Joss' I'd like to figure out. :) Please add your 2 cents!!!

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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 6:11 PM

SHINY

Here's what it says at the end of the shooting script:

END OF SHOW
Addendum (Theater Show)

A CIRCULAR SHADOW representing Earth-That-Was fills the frame.

NARRATOR
(Chinese)
the Earth up. Barren, she had
little left to offer them.>
Silhouetted shapes appear. SPACESHIPS. They radiate out from the shadow sphere, scatter in all directions. Leave it behind.

NARRATOR
(continuing)
< Swollen of her, they left. And
for the first time since the Great
Burn that birthed her, she was
alone. >
The ships are gone now. A wisp of SMOKE wafts off the sphere, creates a snake of shadow.

NARRATOR
(continuing)
< The Earth cried, and terrible
were her tears. Acid and caustic,
the spawn of the tribes' rape.
They flowed a century. >
The smoke INTENSIFIES, becomes shadowy FLAME.

NARRATOR
(continuing)
< The fire that finally came did so
as a blessing. >
The sphere SMOLDERS now, bits of it breaking up and disintegrating under the intense heat.

Jayne, your mouth is talkin. Might want to look into that.

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Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:23 PM

CREVANREAVER

Below is a hypothetical backstory to the Firefly Universe Hans and myself came up with. It has a possible explanation as to what happened to the Earth-That-Was.

By the year 2060, global warming had caused severe environmental damage across the earth. Scientists, worried about continued environmental degradation, began to look for solutions to the problem.

A prototype Ion drive managed to accelerate a probe to one tenth the speed of light in the year 2069. Then in 2085, the first prototype Orion drive accelerated a probe to one quarter the speed of light. Finally, in 2099, the Galaxy Explorer Program launched eight unmanned deep space probes, equipped with updated Orion drives, towards nearby stars. A permanent colony was established on Mars ten years later. Research on terra-forming led to the first attempt to transform Mars' atmosphere.

In 2140 Galaxy Explorer Seven arrived in the Gliese 876 Solar System, 15 light years away, and began to transmit information back to earth. Fifteen years later, images from Gliese 876 reached Earth, showing a multiple star system with three G-Class stars with four Earth-like planets around each and a total of 58 Mars-like planets along with several gas giants around each star, each with at least two dozen moons that could be terra-formed and given an earth-like gravity field using Orbital Gravity Control satellites. The Destiny Program sent a manned mission towards Gliese in 2181. Destiny arrived at the Gliese system in 2215 then and set up a colony on one of the Earth-like planets.

Terra-forming was completed on Mars in 2216. Images of humans on the planet Sihnon in the Gliese system reached the Sol System in 2230. With the earth continuing to decay, enthusiasm for travel to the new system exploded. Three years later, the United Worlds, the successor to the United Nations, was formed.

Earth's moon was finally terra-formed in 2245. Then from 2250 to 2270 "The First Leap Outward" took place, during which several huge colony ships were launched towards Gliese.

In 2253, Jupiter's moon Europa was terra-formed. Finally, in 2275 scientists determined that without a massive effort, Earth would be uninhabitable in less than 150 years. A huge debate erupted between Expansionists who wanted to focus all of Earth's resources on the new system, and Homesteaders who wanted to focus on making Earth viable in the long run.

The first wave of millions of colonists arrived in the Gliese system from 2280 to 2300. These new colonies were set up on three of the Earth-like worlds (Sihnon, Londinium, and Ariel). More than a billion people left the Sol system for Gliese from 2310 to 2320 during "The Second Leap Outward". They settled the other nine Earth-like planets. From 2340 to 2350 "The Third Leap Outward" took place. By this time Earth's population had dropped to less than two billion, with the rest of the population either now living on Mars or on their way to the Gliese system.

An asteroid struck Mars in 2341, killing several million people. Conspiracy theorists said that the expansionists let the asteroid strike the world, to encourage people to abandon the Sol system for Gliese. Whatever the truth, after the asteroid strike the population of the Sol system for the first time dropped below that of the Gliese system.

By the year 2370, with the population of the Gliese system exploding, the colonists who had been on the planets for decades began to resent the newcomers. The Blue Sun mega-corporation won the contract to begin terra-forming the scores of smaller planets and moons in the system. Blue Sun would employ a special greenhouse gas that traps the heat in a planet or moon's atmosphere making the place warm enough to sustain life even at far distances from the sun. That would be combined with the gravity-control satellites, nanomachines released into the atmosphere, soil, and water, plus some industrial sized atmospheric processors along with gigantic orbital mirrors for extra heat and light. The orbital mirrors would be used to focus light on each moon or planet, thus little problem with sunlight and distance.

Many colonists were upset when they arrived in the system, expecting to live on one of the lush central planets, only to be forced to colonize one of the marginal worlds out on the rim. This was mostly because they knew that while terra-forming would make those planets and moons very similar to Earth, they would never be as lush or comfortable as the twelve Core Worlds on account of being so far away from the suns.

In 2374, China and the United States, two leading powers in the Expansionist movement, withdrew from the United Worlds. The new Anglo-Sino Alliance, which controlled many of the worlds and corporations in Gliese, became the de facto main governing body of the system. With the two biggest superpowers out of the United Worlds, attempts to restore the Earth's environment collapsed in 2380 and the planet was officially declared uninhabitable.

The United Worlds was officially dissolved in 2391. While there were still viable colonies on Mars, Europa and Luna, the Sol system suffered under a boycott from the Alliance. Many of the few who remain in the Sol system gave up and headed for Gliese. The last colony ship arrived in the Gliese System from Earth in the year 2429. Radio contact with the handful of people left in the Sol system soon broke off. It is unknown if there are still colonies there.

Terra-forming continued to push the human colonies further out into the system by 2440. Almost all the worlds other than the Core Worlds were officially declared colonies (whatever their populations), which meant they had no voting rights in the Alliance. All those planets and moons terra-formed towards the end of colonization were much more primitive than those that were settled early (the Core Planets) because they hadn't had ample opportunity to establish new levels of high technology the central worlds have.

In 2485, the border moon Calembel experienced extreme weather patters due to poor terra-forming. More than a million people died in floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Official Alliance response was slow, and it was more than three weeks before relief ships arrived. Many border planets were angered by the slow response, and the phrase "Remember Calembel!" became a rallying cry among the anti-Alliance forces. "The Freedom Petition" was issued in 2493. In it 49 border worlds signed the petition demanding increased representation in the Alliance. The Alliance responded by arresting the leaders of the movement and instituting martial law.

From 2493 to 2506, terrorist activity against Alliance targets grew on the border worlds. The Alliance responded, often brutally. In 2506, the Alliance tax offices on Shadow were burned to the ground by an angry mob, and all Alliance officials were kicked off the moon. The Cruiser Munch was dispatched to the colony in order to restore order. When the captain of the Munch refused an order to bombard the moon, another Alliance Cruiser, the Kelp, was sent to Shadow. The Kelp was destroyed by the Munch, in what is considered the first act of the Civil War that would come to be known as the War to Unite the Planets.

One by one, the various moons and planets on the rim declared themselves pro-Independence. Some Alliance military forces joined the rebels, but the majority remained loyal. The war was long and bloody, with the Independents also known as Browncoats generally worse off as the Alliance forces slowly pushed their way out in the system.

In late May of 2511, Alliance and Independent forces met in battle in a place called Serenity Valley. Located on Hera, the valley was considered a key position by both sides, and was bitterly fought over. The Independent Faction, with sixteen brigades and twenty air-tank squads, held the valley against Alliance forces for almost two months, until superior numbers and a brilliant deep-flank strategy by General Richard Wilkins led to an Alliance victory in what would become the most devastating and decisive battle of the war. Nearly half a million people lay dead on that field at day's end, about a third of them Alliance troops. With the strategically important planet of Hera fallen into Alliance hands, the Independents began to accept terms of surrender.

Those who had fought for independence and so bloodily lost had no choice but to live by Alliance law. Some never would, and those few found themselves drifting--flying to the furthest reaches of the system, to the border planets, worlds less civilized, some barely settled, where the Alliance might not control their lives. These are hard worlds, and work is where you find it. Those who get buy lived by a simple creed: Any job, anywhere. The motto of the few remaining disorganized Independents is "We Shall Rise Again".

The culture of 2517 is heavily influenced by the relationship between the West and East embodied in The Alliance. There are many Eastern influences including speech (Cantonese/Mandarin), dress (Chinese styles often worn by women), newspapers, etc. The other culture influencing the Gliese 876 system is the Western Frontiersman. As well as the dialect this is shown again in terms of dress, the lower end of the technology spectrum (coach and horses), etc.

The Central Planets are the home of modern civilization with every imaginable technological achievement on display. Life on the borders of colonized space is very different. Without easy assess to modern conveniences, the sparse populations make due with more antiquated tools. These worlds have come to resemble the old American frontier, in look and attitude. Self-sufficiency and hard work are the rule. However, even on those worlds, the "Earth That Was" is not a place people talk about going to.

Anyone else want to come up with some great theories for the status of Earth. Please post them!

http://www.badnarik.org/

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Wednesday, August 18, 2004 3:09 AM

TENTHCREWMEMBER

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?

Thank you Shiny!

Again you come through for me!

TCM

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BROWNCOATS! Rise again and promote Firefly/Serenity!
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Wednesday, August 18, 2004 3:15 AM

TENTHCREWMEMBER

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?

Thanks CrevanReaver (and Hans!) very clever!

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Thursday, August 19, 2004 12:50 PM

SHAYZ

Truly enlightening. Great (his)tory!

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Friday, October 8, 2004 11:49 PM

CHARKI127

[QUOTE

Anyone else want to come up with some great theories for the status of Earth. Please post them!

Don't expect too many takers to that offer. That would be a tough act to follow! Very shiney piece of work. charki

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Monday, October 11, 2004 12:15 PM

UNCHARTEDOUTLAW

No kidding! That's awesomely done, Crevan (and Hans)! I'm just curious what kinds of sources (other than the show) you two used to create such a seemingly rich future history.

-Taylor

Uncharted Outlaw!

Haulin' goods from one end of creation to th' other. Keepin' my nose clean 'round the Alliance. Rockin' the "Riviera" (67-K62) hardcore!

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Monday, November 1, 2004 1:35 AM

CREVANREAVER

Quote:
Originally posted by UnchartedOutlaw:
No kidding! That's awesomely done, Crevan (and Hans)! I'm just curious what kinds of sources (other than the show) you two used to create such a seemingly rich future history.

As far as I know Hans made up the backstory for his "100% hypothetical Firefly Timeline".

http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=3267

The parts that I added were taken from various posts on Fireflyfans.

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Monday, November 1, 2004 3:18 AM

OPTIMUS1998

love this backstory.
but did anyone else catch the name used for the alliance general who came up with the winning strategy at serenity valley?
Richard Wilkins.
whom us buffy-holics know as the mayor.
became a big snakey demon and got blowed up.
dunno if it was intentional or not, just found it interesting.

-optimus1998

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Monday, November 1, 2004 3:25 AM

UNCHARTEDOUTLAW

No way!! Now that is funny! :)

-Taylor

The Uncharted Outlaw!
"I brought you some supper, but if you'd prefer a lecture, I've a few very catchy ones prepped...sin and hellfire... one has lepers."
See my Firefly Store: http://www.cafepress.com/NorCalRiviera

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Thursday, November 4, 2004 12:21 AM

JAYNEZTOWN

great thread

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Thursday, November 4, 2004 1:32 AM

GROUNDED

If they had the technology for terraforming, what exactly was stopping them from fixing Earth?

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Thursday, November 4, 2004 2:32 AM

EMBERS

you're right...if it was 'just' global warming they should be able to fix Earth...
I'm guessing it was the destruction of the nuclear power plants (aging plants in need of repairs were further damaged by wide spread earth quakes and high wind storms), causing 100 years of high radiation, that made everything for hundreds of miles too 'hot' to terraform....
or maybe the early attempts at terraforming, attempts that made things worse, that had been performed in the large desert areas on Earth...
they were afraid that the new working terraforming technology would be corrupted with the old failed attempts causing massive failure of the environment....

yeah, that's the ticket!
they DID try to terraform Earth, but it has already had all these failed attempts which caused the new attempts to go bad, so that things just got worse and worse on Earth

that was (may she rest in peace)

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Monday, November 8, 2004 4:26 AM

JASMOM

I caught the Richard Wilkins/Mayor reference as well. Very clever! Great histories!

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Wednesday, December 22, 2004 4:06 AM

JAYNEZTOWN

Quote:
Originally posted by embers:
you're right...if it was 'just' global warming they should be able to fix Earth...
I'm guessing it was the destruction of the nuclear power plants (aging plants in need of repairs were further damaged by wide spread earth quakes and high wind storms), causing 100 years of high radiation, that made everything for hundreds of miles too 'hot' to terraform....
or maybe the early attempts at terraforming, attempts that made things worse, that had been performed in the large desert areas on Earth...
they were afraid that the new working terraforming technology would be corrupted with the old failed attempts causing massive failure of the environment....

yeah, that's the ticket!
they DID try to terraform Earth, but it has already had all these failed attempts which caused the new attempts to go bad, so that things just got worse and worse on Earth

that was (may she rest in peace)

Yep, it looks like Earth got messed up real bad
It could be that even terraforming can no longer help planet Earth
Anyways as for Terraforming I've talked a little on this before, and I reckon its Not as if they can wave a magic wand and convert a planet. First perhaps a world must be of reasonable composition, gravity and size. Then they have to spend huge efforts, using great terraforming equipment and ginat terraforming machines to change the chemical composition of a planet and create a poper soil and bring hue ships and equipment that will make a livable atmosphere. Even after all these efforts sometimes they only get dusty, dry, barron and sandy planets...
..terraforming can be a lot like try to stop flooding with our current technology, or trying to make a barron desert landscape into a rich and fertile landscape using our current science..sometimes it works ok and sometimes it doesn't work at all

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Thursday, January 6, 2005 9:48 PM

KURUKAMI

This is a snippet of something I put together for a fanfic I'm working on. It's a slightly different explanation that the long one above, but to me it makes more sense as to why no-one seems to have ever gone back to Earth system -- not even Jupiter's moons.

----------
She learned of the expansion of mankind to encompass much of Sol’s planetary system. Of the plague whose origins remained shrouded in mystery – some believed it natural, others thought it was an anonymous corporation's biowarfare weapon, and a few remained certain that it was a nanotechnological agent gone terribly awry – but whose effects and consequences were far too well known. Of the limited, sterilizing nuclear strikes that some nations had surreptitiously attempted to halt the spread of the plague, and how rapidly they had become not-so-limited. Of the panicked flights of refugees that had spread the plague’s effects to many of the system’s outlying colonies, and the Exodus as the people of the nations of Earth-that-Was and Sol’s colonies fled in spacecraft cobbled together from every technological level towards the distant stars that would one day become the core systems of the Alliance.
----------

"Sir, I would like to gingerly point out that it is difficult for someone to be gently reassuring when they're holding three and a half feet of sharpened steel."

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