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Post by Skitty on May 29, 2007 19:57:46 GMT -5
"It's my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of a son of a bitch or another. Ain't about you Jayne. It's about what they need. "
Chivalry and heroism in the verse is a very different animal to what we're used to. Here are our Big Damn Heroes, men and women who do whats right when they can, but do whats wrong when they have to, or when it's kinda fun.
As a space western, fans might have excepted to see some of that old fashioned, cowboy chivalry in their heroes, but they were not to find it in this particular series. Taking a new stance on what the idea of "good guy" really is, Firefly walked a very different path.
So what do you think of our crew of miscreants? Are they heroes? Or are they just people, trying to get through life?
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Post by browncoat1 on Jun 5, 2007 6:08:21 GMT -5
Zoë: Do you know what the definition of a hero is? Someone who gets other people killed.
I don't think of the crew as "heroes", though we browncoats refer to them a Big Damn Heroes (or BDHs). I think of them more as people trying to survive who are sometimes put into situations where their ethics or integrity cause them to act in a way that others might perceive as "heroic".
Firefly (and Serenity) is a story of people trying to eek out a living in a rather harsh universe. These people want to live life their own way, free of an invasive and oppressive government, so they fly on the fringes under the radar to avoid detection. Of course that choice puts them into dangerous situations, but it is their choice to be there.
The underlying message of Firefly to me is freedom, to live life following your own moral compass, free from oppression and with the right to choose your own path. That really clicked with me and hooked me from the beginning.
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Post by artcat on Jun 5, 2007 8:44:39 GMT -5
Gotta agree with browncoat1 on this one, man Skitty, you hit the nail on the head on exactly what this show is about, fantastic question.
Firefly was about people just trying to live their life, it was about daily struggles and that is why the show hooked me, it wasnt about strictly social soap opera ish storylines. it was people trying to survive living by their own moral codes, and that is what makes the characters true heroes in my book.
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Post by spygrl on Jun 5, 2007 9:27:10 GMT -5
Great idea for a panel if there is time for it!!  What's wrong with a person just trying to get through life being a hero? Personally my definition of hero is a little broader than just someone who does something extraordinary. So for me, anyone who has qualities that someone can hope to emulate is a hero  LOL is it bad that I immediately went to thinking about a comparison between the tv show Heroes and Firefly when I read the thread title?? |
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Rhaevyn
Sunnydale High Student
Posts: 23
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Post by Rhaevyn on Jun 5, 2007 10:51:02 GMT -5
I agree that, though the crew of Firefly doesn't fit in with the classic spandex-wearing superhero model, they are still heroic. Of course that does depend on your definition of a hero. To me, someone who goes to work everyday to support his/her family can be heroic. Making a small choice to help someone or make their lives a bit better can be heroic. Sure, the BDH's don't go around the universe actively trying to save it from villainy, but when they are confronted with an evil, they each make the choice to stand against it. I believe that the key in the Firefly/Serenity 'verse is *choice.* The characters don't have any superpowers (at least not of the X-men/Spiderman sort) and there aren't any aliens around to make things obvious. There are just people tring to survive in a dark universe and the choices they make are what engenders them as heroes in my Book.
Sounds like a great panel to me!
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Post by VerseExplorer on Jun 5, 2007 12:21:37 GMT -5
The crew of Serenity are just folks. It's the charm of the show. They are just people that are dealing with life in the future. They are as far from the image of a comic book hero as you can get. Now when they are faced with the "bad guys" they have the courage to stand up to them. It's what we all wish we would be able to do. They fight for what they need and for what they see as right. They don't have any superpowers, but they tackle what needs to be done. They aren't heroes by ordinary definitions, but they are my Big Damn Heroes.
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Post by Skitty on Jun 5, 2007 12:42:01 GMT -5
Great idea for a panel if there is time for it!! What's wrong with a person just trying to get through life being a hero? Personally my definition of hero is a little broader than just someone who does something extraordinary. So for me, anyone who has qualities that someone can hope to emulate is a hero LOL is it bad that I immediately went to thinking about a comparison between the tv show Heroes and Firefly when I read the thread title?? My idea of the "hero" tends to be a bit broader as well, which is why I so often get dogged for insisting that Spike was a hero, even without a soul, and even Dawn, on occasion, was a hero. I guess that's why I was so ready to get behind the crew of Serenity, even with their misdeeds. I think we live in a day and age where we don't want perfect heros like Superman anymore. We want to see the kind of hero we might be if we were in that situation. We want to see real people doing their best to be good, because that's what we're all doing. Being a hero doesn't always mean you go jumping into a burning building to save a puppy, although that would be pretty damn cool. Sometimes being a hero means helping someone else even though it puts you at risk, or giving up something you want or need for the good of others. That's why I watched Firefly. |
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Post by tenthcrewmember on Jul 3, 2007 16:55:29 GMT -5
I tell you, Firefly came into my life at a point where I was "on the drift". I was jobless, no real prospects, and my family was falling apart. Needless to say, I completely identified with the show. It showed me that I had to find my own path, that family is what you make of it, and that sometimes, you gotta bend (maybe even break) others rules in order to survive.
Now while I didn't violate any laws I did choose my own path and, I must tell you, that I am now gainfully employed, run my own business as well, my family is stronger than ever, especially now that it has been bolstered by the great friends I made when I became a Browncoat.
Firefly is, to me, the ultimate expression that heroes are truly the everyday people who keep on going even when the 'Verse seems to be against them.
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