Firefly is a brilliant modernization of the Western genre, taking classic archetypes and setting them in space. Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds captains the Firefly-class cargo ship, Serenity. The series follows Mal and his crew in their everyday life as smugglers, thieves, mercenaries, or anything else they need to be to keep Serenity flying. The space western is frequently hailed as one of the best series ever made, but it wouldn’t be what it is without John Wayne’s iconic 1939 film.
Stagecoach followed a disparate group of strangers as they traveled across the untamed wilderness between Arizona and New Mexico with the looming threat of Geronimo and the Apache hanging over their heads. The critically acclaimed western featured a large ensemble of nine main characters. After watching the genre-defining film, Joss Whedon was inspired to add more characters to Firefly, some of whom have direct parallels to the archetypes depicted in Stagecoach.
Firefly Drew Inspiration from Stagecoach, Expanding its Cast of Characters
Adam Baldwin as Jayne Cobb, Summer Glau as River Tam, Sean Maher as Simon Tam, Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds, Morena Baccarin as Inara Serra, Gina Torres as Zoe Washburne, Alan Tudyk as Hoban Washburne, Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, Ron Glass as Shepard Book standing in Serenity in a promo for FireflyImage via Fox
Both Firefly and Stagecoach have nine main characters; Joss Whedon expanded his cast after watching the classic film. While Whedon’s space western features some archetypes commonly seen in his work, such as a powerful young woman still figuring out the extent of her abilities or the loyal comrade who always has the hero’s back, classic westerns also inspired some of the characters. Not every character has an obvious counterpart in Stagecoach, but the film’s influence is evident.
Malcolm Reynolds, played by The Rookie‘s Nathan Fillion, is an anti-hero with his own sense of right and wrong. This type of character is not uncommon in Whedon’s work, so it’s likely Mal existed prior to Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s creator adding more characters to the ensemble. That said, it’s hard not to see the resemblance between Captain Reynolds and the honorable outlaw, Ringo Kid, played by John Wayne. Ringo was falsely imprisoned and on a mission to right some wrongs. Along the way, he falls in love with a fancy lady, much like the slow-burn romance between Mal and Inara.
On the surface, there is an obvious parallel between Dallas and Morena Baccarin’s Inara. Dallas was a prostitute, shunned by the residents of Tonto. She was forced out of town and onto the stagecoach headed for Lordsburg. While traveling together, many of the passengers looked down on Dallas, but Ringo always treated her with respect and consideration. Firefly flipped this dynamic on its head with Inara being the most respectable member of the crew, because of her profession as a courtesan, or registered companion.
While Inara and Dallas share a profession, personality-wise, Dallas has more in common with the sweet and generous Kaylee. Dallas always had a fairly positive attitude and helped Mrs. Mallory no matter how many times she shunned the lady of the night. Played by Jewel Staite, Kaylee is the ship’s brilliant mechanic. Kaylee had an innate understanding of machines and how they worked, making her invaluable. Her warm and genuine disposition charmed most people. However, when socializing with high-society ladies, they looked down on her, seeking to embarrass her, creating a similar dynamic to what Dallas experienced.
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Doc Boone is almost always drunk, driven from Tonto for not paying his rent, and he is in a similar position to Dallas. Like Ringo, Boone doesn’t look down on Dallas. The most overt comparison could be made to Simon. Both characters are doctors by trade, but that’s where their similarities end. Boone is jovial and often serves as comic relief, whereas Simon Tam, played by Sean Maher, is stiff and awkward, with a dangerous secret. Boone has more in common with Serenity’s mercenary, Jayne Cobb. Jayne likes guns, money, drink, and women. He’s unrefined and unashamed like Doc Boone.
Ellsworth Gatewood is arrogant and entitled. He held a more respectable place in society, but after stealing money from his bank, he’s on the run from the authorities. He frequently demanded that they keep moving to avoid his crimes catching up with him. It sounds a lot like the position Simon is in Firefly‘s premiere. While Simon isn’t a greedy thief, he was a gentleman on the run from the Alliance. His crime was rescuing his gifted sister from a secret government facility.
Mr. Peacock is a well-mannered liquor sales agent. A running joke in the film was that people frequently mistook him for a member of the clergy, calling him the “Reverend.” Shepherd Book is the more literal embodiment of Peacock, being an actual man of the cloth. Translating Peacock into a shepherd allowed Firefly to deliver a more nuanced and complete exploration of faith. Book provided a contrast to Mal, who had turned his back on religion after being disillusioned following the heartbreaking defeat at Serenity Valley.
Then there’s Buck, the driver of the stagecoach. He’s generally in good spirits and very kind-hearted. Buck cares for his passengers and wants to keep them safe, but he’s not really a fighter. Much like Wash, he was a little goofy and provided plenty of humor in the story. Alan Tudyk’s Wash has both personality traits and function in common with Buck, making him the most complete interpretation from Stagecoach to Firefly.
The gentlewoman Lucy Mallory, lawman Marshal Wilcox, and the notorious gambler Hatfield don’t have obvious parallels to Firefly‘s characters. One could make a comparison between Mrs. Mallory and Inara, both being well-respected members of the group. When audiences first meet Mrs. Mallory, there is an implication that she has a medical condition. She was very secretive and easily tired out. While it turned out she was pregnant, Morena Baccarin revealed that Inara suffered from an illness that she kept secret, so there is some overlap between the two.
Marshal Wilcox was an authority figure on the journey, so he could also be compared to Captain Reynolds. However, Hatfield really doesn’t have a counterpart in Firefly.
Firefly Pulled Other Elements from John Wayne’s Iconic Western
Gina Torres as Zoe, Nathan Fillion as Mal, and Adam Baldwin as Jayne disembarking Serenity in Firefly ‘The Message’Image via FOX
In addition to seeing Stagecoach‘s influence on the characters and size of the cast, there are some notable elements that the must-see western’s fingerprints are all over. In Firefly, the main antagonist is the Alliance, representing corporate interests, control, and dominance. Whedon wanted to explore how grand and far-reaching political moves affect the little guy, whom the Orwellian government steps on.
Another enemy that Mal and the crew of Serenity need to watch out for on the rim of colonized space is the Reavers. Reavers were insatiably violent creatures that left death and destruction in their wake. The cannibalistic monsters attacked indiscriminately. Anyone unlucky enough to cross their path was unceremoniously hunted and killed unspeakably. With the racist portrayal of indigenous people as violent savages, the Apache in Stagecoach have a blatant parallel to the Reavers.
Stagecoach‘s problematic portrayal of the villains did not carry over to Firefly, as they were recontextualized for the space western. Initially, it was believed that Reavers were men who went to the edge of space and went mad. The show’s film sequel, Serenity, revealed that they were an unforeseen consequence of the Alliance trying to control how people behave. It was a chemical they used to calm people down and eliminate aggressive behavior. A small portion of the population suffered the opposite effects, becoming exponentially more violent and cruel.
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Ringo treated Dallas with respect and wanted to marry her even after he found out what she did to survive. While Mal makes his dislike of Inara’s profession clear, he never treated Inara as if her job defined her. Most notably in “Shindig,” Mal defends Inara’s honor when one of her clients treats her like an object that belonged to him. When explaining the distinction to Inara, he said, “I might not show respect to your job, but he didn’t respect you. That’s the difference.”
Another sentiment that appears to come from Stagecoach is Firefly’s “The Message.” In a flashback to when Zoe and Mal fought alongside Tracy, Mal says, “Someone’s carrying a bullet for you right now, doesn’t even know it. The trick is: die of old age before it finds you.” The poetic line shares a similar meaning to something Doc Boone says under the threat of the Apache along their journey. “Somewhere, sometime, there may be the right bullet or the wrong bottle waiting for Josiah Boone. Why worry when or where?” Boone says with a laugh and a drink in his hand. Granted, it’s a lighter take on one of Firefly‘s themes that death comes for everyone, eventually, but the influence is there.
Release Date
2002 – 2003-00-00
Network
FOX
Showrunner
Joss Whedon
Directors
Allan Kroeker, David Solomon, James A. Contner, Marita Grabiak, Michael Grossman, Tim Minear, Vern Gillum
Writers
Cheryl Cain, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jane Espenson
