Big Damn Heroics #5: Firefly — Safe

There’s a doctor shortage about. Simon, River and Book discover that they aren’t Safe.

Name Safe

Broadcast Date November 8, 2002

Synopsis Simon and River get kidnapped, Book gets shot and Mal is forced to choose between them.

Firsts & Lasts First episode to focus on a character other than Mal and to use the second version of Mal’s opening narration. First explicit use of River’s telepathy. Last appearance of Sir Warwick’s cattle. Last mention of Badger.

The Ship It takes three weeks for Serenity to fly from Persephone to Jiang-yin.

The Crew

Mal His official seal is out of date and in the name of Captain Harbatkin.

Mal haggles and does a deal on the cattle. When Book is shot, he and Zoe try to save the Shepherd’s life. Mal goes aboard the Magellan, while Book is in surgery. Upon their return to Jiangyin, he, Zoe and Jayne rescue Simon and River from their kidnappers. Mal regards Simon and River (and presumably Book) as ‘on his crew’ and feels no need to discuss it.

Zoe In the gunfight on Jiangyin, she shoots a gun out of one of the Grange brother’s hands. Battle wounds are nothing new to her. Zoe and Mal try to save Book’s life. She goes aboard the Magellan while Book is in…