What would be Firefly's Season 2 story arc?

[Steve Jordan]

Firefly, right up to Serenity, featured the arc that centered around River Tam, her problems and weird abilities, until we learned what had caused them. At the end of Serenity, River and the rest of the crew were ready to move on.

So, if Firefly was suddenly resurrected, and someone was writing new stories, what would be a good story arc for a new season? Should River still be a central part of the arc as a known and dangerous fugitive? Or would the Alliance back off of her, knowing that her knowledge is no longer a state secret?

We have two new relationships, but one lost love and two lost characters... how would the ship's dynamic change? Should new characters be added to the dynamic... perhaps someone from season 1?

Would the fact that River is no longer a fugitive open up Serenity to new and interesting work? Would they be considered heroes, suddenly trying (or avoiding) to live up to everyone's expectations (shades of Hero of Canton)? Or would they be officially blacklisted, and still be forced to stay off the Alliance's radar?

For the record: No, I was not planning to pen such a story... just looking to start an interesting conversation.

 

[soulsinging]

i feel like the movie basically encapsulated the planned storyline for season two. i always figured season one would've ended with the parting ways with inara and some insight into sheperd book's mysterious past. then season two would have been the river plot arc.

from there? i think season three would be about exploring the new dynamic. i could see adding maybe one character, but a less traumatized river that can pilot fills a void nicely and inara's seeming commitment to staying on can replace the moderating voice book offered. i think the real arc would be the crew struggling to decide in the aftermath whether to run and keep to their usual business or commit to basically trying to revive the independent movement in the wake of the events of the movie. after losing so much to get that broadcast out, i don't see mal or zoe wanting to back down now that the alliance is rattled. jayne would be against it. river, kaylee and doc could go either way. and in out of gas, inara said she outright supported unification. the resolution of all that, dodging an angry and vengeful alliance, and seeking out work which seems more and more to be coming from people wanting them to join an emerging resistance.

 

[Steve Jordan]

i think the real arc would be the crew struggling to decide in the aftermath whether to run and keep to their usual business or commit to basically trying to revive the independent movement in the wake of the events of the movie.

Do we or don't we keep picking at the Alliance? With enough contrasting voices on that boat (especially between Mal and Inara), that could be a good arc. Possibly some good stories where one side gets to prove a point, then the other side gets to provide a mellowing force that keeps them going overboard. Maybe more of an exploration of what Alliance life is really like, on both sides of the fence.

 

[Rodders]

I always had the feeling that ultimately Mal would restart the whole Browncoat independance thing again but beat the Alliance this time.

 

[digs]

I know Mal used to be a Browncoat [insert rank here] in the good ol' days but the thought that he might become a military leader seems odd to me. Obviously Mal's pretty smart and can be good with people when he wants to be, but I see him as more of a small-time leader than a great hero with legions of followers. Maybe he'd conduct more guerilla-style warfare while someone else (someone from the old days, maybe?) takes care of actually running the independence movement.

 

[Steve Jordan]

I always had the feeling that ultimately Mal would restart the whole Browncoat independance thing again but beat the Alliance this time.

I can't see how Mal and all the frustrated Browncoats left in the 'verse could beat the Alliance. And I think Mal's smart enough (or resigned enough) to know that.

Now, occasional guerrilla warfare, just to keep 'em ticked off? I could almost see that, but I could see Robin Hood-type "steal from the Alliance, give to the common folk" more likely.

 

[Mouse]

Well... I reckon a season two would have to be before Serenity. Then we still get to keep Wash. Him and Zoe have a baby as they were talking about it in one of the eps, and River gets more and more kick ass. I'd be happy with that.

 

[Steve Jordan]

Well... I reckon a season two would have to be before Serenity...

Blow up the continuity?!? You monster you!

No, I'd want it to be post-Serenity. It gives us plenty of new character dynamics (Mal and Inara an item but still finding plenty to argue about, Zoe without the calming force of her husband, lack of Book's insight, level-headed but still dangerous River), and avoids dragging on the same old dynamics (Mal and Inara refusing to give in to their love for each other, Simon avoiding Kaylee, crazy and we-don't-know-she's-dangerous River).

Maybe we could have a few "flashback" episodes or scenes that cover the group prior to Serenity.

 

[Mouse]

Yep! A season two could be squeezed in before Serenity I reckon.

 

[digs]

Mouse I deeply understand your desire to include Wash, but I think squeezing a season two in between season one and Serenity would limit the show because we already know where it begins and where it ends - and it means that some questions (i.e. who was Book? What's with Inara's morbidity and those syringes she pulls out in some early episode?) can't be answered, as they're still mysteries in the movie. And I really, REALLY wanna know those answers.

How about a compromise: they just clone Wash and somehow give him his old personality. Or resurrection. Hey, it worked in Buffy.

 

[Steve Jordan]

Mouse I deeply understand your desire to include Wash, but I think squeezing a season two in between season one and Serenity would limit the show because we already know where it begins and where it ends

Exactly... who wants an entire season where we know nothing of consequence is gonna happen?

Here's a thought: A new character that likes Zoe, but she's not over Wash yet, and has to be slowly won over. Or... Zoe just resigns herself to going from guy to guy, not caring about any of them, and probably leaving a lot of bruises in her wake...

 

[Mouse]

Noooo! I want Wash back.

How about a compromise: they just clone Wash and somehow give him his old personality. Or resurrection. Hey, it worked in Buffy.

I like that idea...

 

[Steve Jordan]

Noooo! I want Wash back.

We all wish Wash was still with us... but we'll have to move on. Wash would want it that way. (Well, actually Wash would've wanted to not die, and have a few hundred Reavers spontaneously combust, but that's the way those things go...)

Now, what else do we have? Inara and Mal are an item, but Mal won't want Inara being a companion anymore. Would she agree? What will she do with herself if she gives it up?

 

[Perpetual Man]

Not exactly answering the question here to start with, but I seem to recall Joss Whedon talking about things just before Serenity came out (it might actually be one of the extras on the DVD collection or even the movie) when he was talking about how he collapsed all his ideas for the future of the series into the film.

Given the time he would have built things up a lot more slowly, and although there were changes I'm pretty sure his inference was that the end of season three would have pretty much been SERENITY. Following that the fourth season would go in a totally different direction.

There was also a comment by the man in a magazine interview was that should SERENITY get a sequel, he had a few ideas and that the main characters would be returning. Including Wash and Book... and it would not be flashback.

Sooo, if we suddenly had a second series now, set after Serenity what would it be?

Well I think the Alliance would be slightly miffed at their cover up being exposed. It might have weakened them slightly, but not as a physical power, which would remain almost absolute. The fact that this piddly little Captain on an outdated ship had exposed them and caused them no end of turmoil and embarrassment, would be the equivalent of painting a huge bullseye on the back of Serenity, and they would no longer be a small band of rogues but the most wanted criminals in Alliance space.

At the same time anti-Alliance elements would be trying to associate themselves with the Serenity crew, upping the risk level for Mal and Co; while every law man, bounty hunter and profit monger would try and make a profit from them in anyway they could.

The Operative would return, probably in an unexpected way and on top of all this the crew would find themselves being hunted by officials because of their link with Shepherd Book...

Everything would culminate with a return to the used up Earth.

 

[Steve Jordan]

There was also a comment by the man in a magazine interview was that should SERENITY get a sequel, he had a few ideas and that the main characters would be returning. Including Wash and Book... and it would not be flashback.

Hmm... bring back dead characters in NOT a flashback? Basically, it's a prequel to Serenity. Bah... let's move on, already.

Sooo, if we suddenly had a second series now, set after Serenity what would it be?

Your ideas sound good and logical... though, if the Alliance suddenly has to deal with the entire 'verse now knowing they basically created Reavers... not to mention half the 'verse now thinking Mal & Co are heroes... they might be too busy doing damage control to worry about Serenity, not to mention the bad PR that would be caused by taking them out.

The Alliance might send more bounty hunters after them, to do them in quietly or have it look like an accident. Fortunately, with River's mental powers and the crew's natural paranoia the odds of anyone sneaking up on them will be slim...

I thought Earth What Was is supposed to be too far away for a casual trip back... that's why no one knows what state it's in now. But maybe new visitors arrive from Earth What Was, to complicate the Alliance's life, and Serenity ends up occasionally involved with (or helped by) them, not knowing who they are or why they're so gorram powerful.

Maybe the Operative, shamed by his failure to capture River, would leave the Alliance and find the agents of Earth What Was and throw in with them, becoming a liaison between them and Serenity.

I'm not hearing anything about character development out there! Here's another bone: Kaylee and Simon, yeah, they're pretty much a fixed couple. So we could bring on a new shipmate that would provide a foil for River, Zoe or Jayne, or somehow get in the way of Mal/Inara... possibly an old client of Inara's who could get on everybody's nerves.

 

[Mouse]

Nooo! Zoe doesn't get anyone else. She gets to go slowly insane over losing Wash.

 

[Rodders]

Jayne's Treachery has to raise it's ugly head again, surely

 

[Steve Jordan]

Nooo! Zoe doesn't get anyone else. She gets to go slowly insane over losing Wash.

She'll probably start to get dark and cold over losing Wash. But Zoe has a very dominant nature, and she seems to be at her best when using it. So she may "adopt" a member of the crew to keep an extra-close eye over... River, for instance. I can just see her saying to Mal, "That girl still needs watchin', even now, Cap'n." That'll keep her on an even keel.

Jayne's Treachery has to raise it's ugly head again, surely

Absolutely! But if it does, I think Mal will leave him behind (he's already had one warning), and he'll have to do something pretty dam' amazing to get back on-board.

 

[Rodders]

Season cliff hanger perhaps?

 

[Steve Jordan]

Ah hates big season cliff-hangers. It's just not civilized-like. Let an arc end with the season, and carry-over a sub-arc or two if you want (like Jayne debating trying to turn Mal in, or a bounty hunter closing in).