Objects in Space

_****½

Serenity's crew is put in danger when bounty hunter Jubal Early tracks them down in an effort to take River into custody, making her feel even more unwelcome among her friends than she already did whilst simultaneously trying to evade capture.



The review for "Heart of Gold" can be read here.

Simon (Sean Maher) and River (Summer Glau) have been on the run from the Alliance since their introduction into the series, and while there have been a number of times where both have been forced into hiding within the ship, there has been a steadily growing sense of safety between both of them as they have become more accepted among the crew. Here we see the that the longer Mal (Nathan Fillion) harbors these criminals aboard his ship, the worse things are likely to become for the rest of the people he cares about.

In typical Simon and Kaylee (Jewel Staite) fashion, the two flirt with one another without really progressing their relationship beyond friendship as Simon relates the shenanigans he had gotten into after being made surgeon. It's very clear through their interaction that the two are close friends, that they're attracted to one another, and that, should River be taken out of the picture, the two would likely have formed a romance by now. As Simon considers the possibility of having to leave the ship, Kaylee is visibly heartbroken, asking him if there's not anything about Serenity that he's happy with, and while he notes that it's become something of a home to River, he can't quite commit the same to himself. It's not that he's unhappy on the ship, or that he doesn't consider it a place to call home, but due to the circumstances of his arrival, being on the run from the feds, he sees it as something of a temporary situation, likely forced to leave at the first sign of trouble. Simon would love to tell Kaylee that he can stay, that he's attracted to her and could have a future with her, but in doing so he would only hurt her, as he the longer he stays the more danger he puts her in, and whatever romance they might have will be cut short when he is inevitably arrested. There are a lot of factors that keep them apart, and while both of them want to pursue something greater, they both remain shaken by the fact that they will only be torn apart in the end.

As Early (Richard Brooks) searches Serenity for River, River in turn is pursuing him, eventually getting on the intercom and claiming to have become the ship itself. While the claim is inherently insane, and the viewer is well aware that she can't actually have become one with Serenity, the way in which she sells the situation is very well done and perfectly in character for her. Her monologue provides her with a perfect opportunity to relate her feelings regarding the crew, her situation, and her insecurities, allowing those aboard the ship to finally connect with her in a way that they hadn't before. This sequence expertly allows her to take control of her own destiny and prove herself to those who had questioned her, while also taunting the man who had managed to dispose of everyone else on board.

Early corners Kaylee in the engine room very early on, dominating the scene and backing her against the wall. While he's very quietly menacing, and the scene itself says everything about him that needs to be said, he is made to go beyond where he needs to when he asks Kaylee if she had ever been raped. It's a threat that needn't have been thrown into the story, and while it's perfectly in character with quickly getting the crew out of his hair, it seems as though a different approach could have been taken that would have triggered less people.

River is very quick to offer herself up as Early's bounty in order to spare the crew of Serenity having to turn her in, and while it's never made clear whether or not it's part of her greater plan to save her people and escape herself, it's strange how readily Early accepts this scenario. Given how skilled he is, one would imagine he would be somewhat suspicious of her offer, but instead he makes his way back to his ship only to be cast away into space, and he's too clever to have fallen into this trap.

Brooks gives a fantastic performance as bounty hunter Jubal Early, creating a very threatening presence aboard the ship without ever raising his voice. His interactions with the rest of the cast are spot on, and it's amazing how terrifying he manages to be with a minimal amount of emotional outbursts. The standout performance, however, belongs to Staite, from her character slowly backing away from River not wanting to get shot to her silent tears as she worries that Early will rape her. Overall the cast is great in this episode, and there's not a single portrayal that isn't positively shining throughout the narrative.

Joss Whedon does an incredible job with the direction of this episode, showcasing River's broken state of mind as she sees flashes of what she imagines people are thinking spliced between what they're actually saying. River follows the sound of a flowing river, eventually finding a divining rod surrounded by leave and branches within the confines of the cargo hold of Serenity, musing that "it's just an object, it doesn't mean what you think it does," and revealing everyone around her in a panic because her branch is actually a gun. The audience gets a great feel for River in this episode, both her state of mind and who she is in relation to those around her, and it could not be presented in a more appropriate manner.

Whedon's script has a focus on both River and Early, showcasing the similarities and differences between the two of them without sacrificing elements of either character. What's interesting about Early is his ability to study his targets and take them out of the picture in precisely the right way, attacking both Mal and Book (Ron Glass) fast and hard, while reasoning with Simon and threatening Kaylee with physical abuse. He notes that "[Book] ain't a shepherd," hinting further toward Book's hidden past, and it's his deductive knowledge that makes him a terrifying threat.

Jubal Early seems clever and skilled enough to have thought of a means of saving himself, and I would expect to see him return in the future were this not the last episode. Also, with Inara's (Morena Baccarin) hesitance to tell the rest of the crew members about her upcoming absence from the ship, there seems to be a chance that she might not leave at all, though, again, there may be little to no chance of following up on that now.

The Overview for Firefly will be posted on December 29th.