What happened to Early's ship? by Callahan

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

What happened to Early's ship?

POSTED BY: CALLAHAN
UPDATED: Friday, September 29, 2006 14:32
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Monday, July 24, 2006 5:14 AM

As far as I can see, this hasn't been discussed before...and I haven't watched the commentary for OiS, so if it's in there, just send me on my way. =P

At the end of OiS when River is floating back from Early's ship back to Serenity, you see Early's ship suddenly turn around and fly away.

First of all, why did it just magically fly away?

Secondly, wouldn't the crew want to take the ship? It looks like it would fit in the cargo hold, and it could serve great purpose. If not to use (since that would be a little of an inconvience to store for actual use), then it could be used for parts, or sold. It looks like it was a pretty advanced ship, especially compared to Serenity. They could have got quite a good amount of credits for it, and I don't think anyone would question it since it's not like Early has close ties to the Alliance.

---

"It's a Callahan full-bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge...
It is my very favourite gun."

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Monday, July 24, 2006 5:55 AM

DUG

I always took it that River's push off of the ship caused it to drift away from Serenity. Remember, Serenity is moving fast enough to travel between planetary bodies. Early's ship is matching course; it shouldn't take much at all to shift it off of the exact course.

As to not taking a very fine ship, that bothered me for a while. I explained it to myself in 2 ways. 1, Mal expects that Early has the ship bobby trapped. Wouldn't take much, and the risk is too great. 2, even at our level of space travel we don't do an eva without some method of getting back to the ship if seperated. He may have thought Early might get back into the game if they stuck around too long. That also goes along with all of the theories that Early survived and that you can see a reflection of his ship in his visor at the end.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 6:02 AM

CALLAHAN

Hmm..thanks for responding.

As for River pushing off the ship, I don't think that was it, since Early did that himself to get back onto Serenity in the first place. Plus it looks like it deliberately turned around.

About the booby trap...River was in there for quite a while, even playing with some knobs at the distress of Early.

Might have been too difficult to get it on board...especially with it flying off like that.

But why it did...that still confuses me.

---

"It's a Callahan full-bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge...
It is my very favourite gun."

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Monday, July 24, 2006 6:08 AM

NANITE1018

Well it probably was responding to a call on the part of Early to come pick him up. i mean, you'd have to be an idiot not to have someway of getting back to your ship in case something went wrong.

Although i never noticed that it flew away. lol, but i'm not very observant. lol

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Monday, July 24, 2006 6:30 AM

CALLAHAN

Yeah, that does make sense.

Especially with you being able to see it the reflection of Early's helmet.

Although his last line makes him seem pretty hopeless...but...who knows.

---

"It's a Callahan full-bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge...
It is my very favourite gun."

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Monday, July 24, 2006 11:06 AM

ENGINEANGEL

Actually this has been dicussed before, but it's probably buried in the archives.

The ship does turn around deliberately if you watch it, and it looks like its reflection is in Early's helmet at the end. I think he called it to him, like Nanite1018 said. Also, seeing as all the villians in firefly seemed to appear twice, it would make sense that we would see him again. I remember an interview with Joss that hinted at Early coming back as well. I also don't think his last line is hopeless. I think it's more like "Well...now I get to wait around for my ship..." like it happens all the time.

Another take on the whole sitch can be found in this fan fic, by AintWeJust: http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=5686 It's an interesting take on the whole situation and a good read anyways.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 11:49 AM

CITIZEN

I always took it that River programmed the Auto pilot before she left the ship.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 12:05 PM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:

I always took it that River programmed the Auto pilot before she left the ship.

This is my thought as well. She programmed it to go in "that" direction. Maybe somewhere specific, maybe not.

Quote:
Originally posted by Callahan:

Secondly, wouldn't the crew want to take the ship?

Not sure there is a way to explain that one if the feds boarded.

"No officer, it's ours."

"Where'd we get it? Um..."

"Why is it in the hold? Hm..."

"We're under arrest for stolen goods? Huh..."

Not sure I buy the every villain shows up twice. Don't think we have enough eps to make that judgment. Nor the Early will be back thing. Perhaps he called it (later maybe), perhaps not. Just depends on what River did/didn't do.

Sad thing is, we'll never know... *sigh*

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Monday, July 24, 2006 12:10 PM

CITIZEN

Quote:
Originally posted by SigmaNunki:
Not sure there is a way to explain that one if the feds boarded.

"No officer, it's ours."

"Where'd we get it? Um..."

"Why is it in the hold? Hm..."

"We're under arrest for stolen goods? Huh..."

Not to mention the whole being to big to fit through the door thing.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 3:19 PM

THEMANTHEYCALLMATT

I think River programmed it to fly away. It seems like the only logical explanation, because River and Mal saw it fly away, and they would have shown some indication of surprise at it suddenly veering off if it hadn't been expected.

As for the reflection in Early's visor, I admit that it bears a slight resemblance to his ship, but I think it could just as easily have simply been an accidental reflection of some stuff on the stage he was being filmed on.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 4:37 PM

ENGINEANGEL

Quote:
As for the reflection in Early's visor, I admit that it bears a slight resemblance to his ship, but I think it could just as easily have simply been an accidental reflection of some stuff on the stage he was being filmed on.

come now, does that sound like our thorough joss?

and i don't know if river and mal saw the ship fly away, they might not have.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 4:46 PM

THEMANTHEYCALLMATT

Quote:
Originally posted by EngineAngel:
Quote:
As for the reflection in Early's visor, I admit that it bears a slight resemblance to his ship, but I think it could just as easily have simply been an accidental reflection of some stuff on the stage he was being filmed on.

come now, does that sound like our thorough joss?

I know, the fan in me doesn't want to believe it's possible, but I find it more likely that he'd forget to kill a reflection than that he'd have Mal staring at the ship (see below) and not act surprised to see it fly away.

Quote:
and i don't know if river and mal saw the ship fly away, they might not have.

Mal was looking at River, who was drifting towards him from Early's ship. The ship would have been right in the centre of his field of view, behind River. I just watched it again to make sure, and there's no way he could have missed it if his eyes were open.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 5:16 PM

ENGINEANGEL

Quote:
Mal was looking at River, who was drifting towards him from Early's ship. The ship would have been right in the centre of his field of view, behind River. I just watched it again to make sure, and there's no way he could have missed it if his eyes were open.

ah, but i just watched it again too, and i think it's possible that by the time the ship started to turn, river was down close enough to mal that his view was blocked by her or his view was totally on her and focused on trying to catch and steady her that he could have missed the ship turning. It's a possibility.

Quote:
Not sure I buy the every villain shows up twice. Don't think we have enough eps to make that judgment.

very true, we don't have enough eps to back that up that it would have happened for sure for the rest of firefly. But throughout the first season that we did have, we saw every major villian at least twice i think. so i think he would have been back. but that's just my opinion, you're right to say we don't have hard fact in the matter.

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Monday, July 24, 2006 8:00 PM

ONNAHINLI

ok im goin to check that out right now lol

i thought he'd had some kind of remote on his suit or something. i dont think he died and if they were to have the series theyd probably have him pop up again. there was 14 episodes and 3 episodes had repeeat appearances of characters. (saphrine -idk how to spell that lol-, badger, nad niska) im sure we'd see early sooner or later with no explanation at all, if the series was still runnin.

"I dont know. If i wanted schoolin' i would've went to school"
-Jayne

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Monday, July 24, 2006 8:25 PM

SPASSJUNGE

I always thought it was autopilot programmed by River, but then I heard or read an interview with Joss somewhere that hinted pretty definitely that he wanted Early to come back, so I'm thinking Early called it to him somehow. Like has been said, one would have to be pretty stupid not to have a way to get back to his ship.

Glänzend!

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Monday, July 24, 2006 9:04 PM

ONTHEDRIFT

Quote:
Originally posted by Callahan:
Yeah, that does make sense.

Especially with you being able to see it the reflection of Early's helmet.

Although his last line makes him seem pretty hopeless...but...who knows.

---

I think River autopilot programmed it to fly away, and then Early later "called" to it. Mal and River would have noticed if the ship just took off on it's own. And as far as Early's last line being "hopeless", remember some of his other lines? "Am I a lion" comes to mind. His dialogue couldn't be taken at face value, there were some ummm, "layers" at work there.

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Tuesday, July 25, 2006 3:06 PM

DONCOAT

"Well... here I am. Just waitin' for my ship to catch up to me."

Joss just edited out the last part.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

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Tuesday, July 25, 2006 8:00 PM

THEMANTHEYCALLMATT

Quote:
Originally posted by onthedrift:
I think River autopilot programmed it to fly away, and then Early later "called" to it. Mal and River would have noticed if the ship just took off on it's own. And as far as Early's last line being "hopeless", remember some of his other lines? "Am I a lion" comes to mind. His dialogue couldn't be taken at face value, there were some ummm, "layers" at work there.

I can dig that explanation. Seems a bit complicated, but it's better than thinking they made a mistake.

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Tuesday, August 1, 2006 10:24 AM

CAVALIER

I think there is a comment by Joss that River conceived her plan in OiS so that no one would get hurt (if everything went to plan), and that this shows that she is at heart a good and kind person.

This would seem to suggest that River did not intend that Early die alone and slowly in the endless vacuum of space, and therefore that she sent his ship after him.

Besides, if she wanted just to kill Early, why follow such a complex plan and risk something going wrong? She could have simply shot him.

I do not think that Early had much in the way of remote control over his ship, or he would not have been so panicked at the discovery she had boarded it. Perhaps he thought that no one but himself could get in. (Recall the moment earlier in the episode where Mals says “the only way she could get in is if she knew the combination.”)

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Wednesday, August 2, 2006 6:52 AM

MRSU

***Besides, if she wanted just to kill Early, why follow such a complex plan and risk something going wrong? She could have simply shot him. ****

Hmm, I always thought that that was her Plan A, and that's why she grabbed the gun in the beginning of the episode. But after Mal said to her "no touching guns" she went with the other plan.

The problem with letting Early go on his ship is that he would come back again and would be more ruthless this time. River cared too much about the crew to let that happen. She shot people to save Kaylee, even though she hated it. She was ready to do the same with Early, to save people she loved.

But otherwise - Early's ship is the mystery to me. I prefer to think that the ship was reprogrammed by River to follow them, and it weered off to their cargo bay and they just stripped it of the valuables off-screen and then discarded it.

Adding: and also I'd guess River (and the others) would at least be curious to grab their search warrants and information Early gathered on them.

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Wednesday, August 2, 2006 10:04 AM

CAVALIER

Quote:
Originally posted by MRSU:
***Besides, if she wanted just to kill Early, why follow such a complex plan and risk something going wrong? She could have simply shot him. ****

Hmm, I always thought that that was her Plan A, and that's why she grabbed the gun in the beginning of the episode. But after Mal said to her "no touching guns" she went with the other plan.

IIRC, when we saw that scene from Rivers POV, the gun appeared as a stick. If River was thinking of gun simply as something to play with; that suggests she was not intending to kill anyone with it.

Even if River was determined not to use a gun later on, she could still have killed Early easily enough. A pen is a lethal weapon, if River wants it to be.

Quote:
Originally posted by MRSU:
The problem with letting Early go on his ship is that he would come back again and would be more ruthless this time. River cared too much about the crew to let that happen. She shot people to save Kaylee, even though she hated it. She was ready to do the same with Early, to save people she loved.

But otherwise - Early's ship is the mystery to me. I prefer to think that the ship was reprogrammed by River to follow them, and it weered off to their cargo bay and they just stripped it of the valuables off-screen and then discarded it.

Adding: and also I'd guess River (and the others) would at least be curious to grab their search warrants and information Early gathered on them.

I agree that it was dangerous to let Early go, but it was just as dangerous to let Saffron go at the end of OMR and Trash. In series television, the bad guy must always be allowed to fight another day!

If we have to have an in-universe explanation, perhaps River felt that Early was scared enough to stay away from her for the future. She may also find it painful to see others hurt – she did close her eyes and look away when she was firing in War Stories.

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Monday, August 7, 2006 9:56 PM

TERRI

I think that Early called out to his ship to bring it back. Of course, big Jubal Early fan here, so I'm probably more than a little biased. I really, really just hope he made it out of there. I can't imagine Joss would kill off such an awesome character after only one showing. His dialogue was so amazing! I dunno, maybe an off course Zaphod picked him up in the HyperImprobablity drive or something.

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Monday, August 7, 2006 10:09 PM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

Joss loves repeat villians. I think that, for whatever reason, Early's ship was heading after him. Maybe he had a way to signal it in his suit (that would be smart, considering he didn't use any teathers) or maybe River did send it after him.
Joss should do more comic books and/or novels (please write novels Joss! I know you don't do that but it would be so shiny!) explaining what happened to Early.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 10:08 PM

CAB1729

I've been told in no uncertain terms that the reflection on Early's mask is a reflection of the crew and Joss (crew up on catwalk, Joss sitting below), not a rescuing spaceship. Perhaps the person who corrected my rescuing spaceship hypothesis was just cranky that day.

I've always figured River was able to send the ship away - whether away to Early or away to the nearest planet, I don't know. Joss does say that he planned on bringing Early back, can't remember where, so it could've been either a rescue or the arrival of Early's own ship that saves him. I just wish we had gotten that 2nd Early episode.

___________________________________________
Hobbes: How come we play war and not peace?
Calvin: Too few role models.

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Friday, September 29, 2006 4:12 AM

SECONDVARIETY

You know, throughout the whole episode most of what Early says is ambiguous and implies a variety of a meanings. So, I always just figured his last line was a statement to himself, and to his ship. As if saying here I am, come get me. For me there was no way that could be the end of his story. First off he was too cool of a character, and second off Early was meticulous in the way he conducted his business. He planned things out extensively, so it would make sense that his suit would be connected to his ship somehow.
As for the ship turning around and going in the opposite direction and nobody on serenity questioning it...er...a reaver did it.

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Friday, September 29, 2006 11:18 AM

PRIVATEDECLAN

I thought the same thing! Like "wtf why dont they sell that thing, it looks awesome!" It seemed more like Joss couldnt think of any other way to deal with the ship, and hoped that nobody would notice it randomly turning and flying away.

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Friday, September 29, 2006 1:35 PM

BROWNCOATJIM

I have to agree with this idea......Early must have had some sort of remote control tucked away somewhere on his person........Joss was probably saving this for a later episode, becuase Early was a very interesting, colorful character.

Interesting, actually, as it just occurs to me, that both the operative and Early were both black, both exeptionally well spoken, and both after River, as well as both being quite amoral about their methods. Perhaps the Operative was a retooling of Early's character that Joss never had a chance to revisit.

WE'RE GONNA CRASH? I DON'T WANNA CRASH!

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Friday, September 29, 2006 2:32 PM

USMCHELLRAISER

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS SHIP?
He probably called it to him.

THEN WHY DID HE SEEM DISTRAUGHT AT BEING LEFT FLOATING IN SPACE?
Re-read the question. If ANyone was left stranded in space, they would have reacted far more emotionally I would think.

WHY DID IT PULL AN ABOUT FACE AND ZIP OFF AT THE END OF OIS?
River probably programmed it to leave.

WHY WOULDN'T SHE KEEP IT FOR SCRAP/JUST KILL HIM?
River was running the show in OIS for the good guys, not Mal or Jayne. The idea of selling the ship probably didn't occur to her. She was also half-crazy still at the time. Also, look at it from River's perspective- is it better to salvage a ship, orrrr...(1) Program it to take off so any Alliance or associates of the Bount Hunter would be able to track the beacon to a false trail? (2) Send it far enough away that when Jubal calls it back, they'll have a good lead on his possible pursuit, or at least him radioing to any 'associates'their status? (She still hadn't killed anyone at this point that she hadn't needed to to save someone. The three losers in 'War Stories' were a beat away from coming on board or at least, preventing the rest of the guys from falling back to the ship.
And, as someone had mentioned, the ship could have been trapped, or she knew he could summon it and didn't want it in the cargo hold or wherever in Serenity when the thing suddenly came to life trying to get to Jubal.

One man's Oh-pinion.

"...let's not ruin an otherwise pleasant day with unnecessary bloodshed..."

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