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| 3 | %% Zero Context Example entries are NOT allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them. %% |
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| 6 | |
| 7 | ---- |
| 8 | |
| 9 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 10 | |
| 11 | !The Core |
| 12 | |
| 13 | !!!Osiris |
| 14 | |
| 15 | [[folder:Gabriel & Regan]] |
| 16 | !!Gabriel & Regan Tam |
| 17 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/WilliamConverseRoberts & Creator/IsabellaHofmann |
| 18 | |
| 19 | River and Simon's parents. Well-to-do, they take great pride in their social position and Simon's achievement. They support the Alliance and do not believe it could or would do anything to harm their daughter, River, who was in their care in a special school. |
| 20 | ---- |
| 21 | * AbusiveParents: There are some implications that they are aware of what is happening to River; Gabriel barely pays attention to her even as a child, even though she is clearly more intelligent than her genius brother. |
| 22 | * IHaveNoSon: It's established in "Safe" that Simon considers himself divorced forever from his parents. When it came down to it, they wouldn't believe him and they wouldn't even attempt to help River. |
| 23 | * ParentalFavoritism: Even when the Tams were children, they made no secret in favoring Simon over River. |
| 24 | * StepfordSmiler: One would think being rich and intelligent members of the upper class in the Alliance would give the Tams freedom, but the Alliance is a police state: the Tams must constantly behave in accordance with their station. Gabriel is furious (with ''Simon,'' not with the Alliance) because going into a police station to bail out his son gave ''him'' a stain on his record. |
| 25 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's not likely that the Alliance left the older Tams to their empty "happiness" after ''both'' of their children managed to get onto the Alliance's top-ten-most-wanted list. |
| 26 | [[/folder]] |
| 27 | |
| 28 | !!!Persephone |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[folder:Badger]] |
| 31 | !!Badger |
| 32 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/badger_8488.jpg]] |
| 33 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Crime and politics, little girl. Situation is always… fluid. "'']] |
| 34 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/MarkSheppard |
| 35 | |
| 36 | ->'''Sir Warrick:''' I know [Badger]. And I think he's a psychotic low-life.\ |
| 37 | '''Mal:''' And I think calling him that is an insult to the psychotic low-life community. |
| 38 | |
| 39 | A lowlife "businessman" on Persephone who frequently does business with Mal. |
| 40 | ---- |
| 41 | * BriefAccentImitation: River does this to him at one point, and is good enough to convince him she's from "the old homestead". |
| 42 | * ButtMonkey: When [[BookDumb Jayne Cobb]] is able to make you look pathetic, you truly fall into this. |
| 43 | * CreatorCameo: Was ''supposed'' to be this, but Joss liked Sheppard!Badger better. |
| 44 | * EvilBrit: Britain no longer exists, but Badger has the accent and he's most certainly immoral if not outright evil. He's from Dyton Colony. |
| 45 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Badger acts polite, but there's always a sneer present and a vague sense of resentment. On some rare occasions he does slide into AffablyEvil, such as his interaction with River, but mostly not. |
| 46 | * HolierThanThou: He considers himself better than Mal because he has "roots in the community". That same community loathes to deal with him. |
| 47 | * KarmaHoudini: He insults the crew, holds them at gunpoint and welches on deals with them without ever suffering any consequences. |
| 48 | * LaughablyEvil: Badger might be a bottom-feeding vulture without a hint of conscience, but his fun lines and Mark Sheppard's charismatic performance make him a joy to watch. |
| 49 | * LondonGangster: With his cockney accent and bowler hat, he gives off a vague Creator/BobHoskins vibe, although of course London no longer exists. He's actually from "Dyton Colony". |
| 50 | * TheNapoleon: Badger's short height is very evident around his large, intimidating thugs. Of the crew, he mostly deals with Mal, Jayne and Zoe, all of whom tower over him. He's also fairly sensitive, becoming offended when he feels someone isn't showing him the appropriate respect, and is very consumed with the idea of being above other people. |
| 51 | * TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: He gives one to Mal, but considering the type of person Badger is, it falls entirely flat. |
| 52 | -->''"What were you in the war? That big war you failed to win? You were a Sergeant, yeah? Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds… balls and bayonets brigade. Big, tough veteran. Now you got yourself a ship and you're a Captain. Only I think, you're still a Sergeant, see? Still a soldier. A man of honor in a den of thieves. Well this is my gorram den, and I don't like the way you look down on me. I'm above you, better than! Businessman see? Roots in the community. You're just a scavenger."'' |
| 53 | * TeethClenchedTeamwork: With Mal on pretty much every single job. |
| 54 | --> '''Mal:''' Well, maybe I'm not a fancy gentleman like you, with your...very fine hat, but I do business. We're here for business. |
| 55 | * WickedCultured: As with most criminals of the LondonGangster variety, he tries but fails. River even uses this in her TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. |
| 56 | -->'''River:''' Now you're what, petty thief with delusions of standing? Sad little king on a sad little hill. |
| 57 | [[/folder]] |
| 58 | |
| 59 | [[folder:Harrow]] |
| 60 | !!Sir Warwick Harrow |
| 61 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/LarryDrake |
| 62 | |
| 63 | A nobleman on Persephone who owns some "property" that he needs moved off-planet. After he refuses to deal with Badger, Badger sends Malcolm Reynolds to talk to him. |
| 64 | ---- |
| 65 | * CoolOldGuy: Harrow is a quick-witted, classy fellow who's a good judge of character. |
| 66 | * ErmineCapeEffect: He wears a sash indicating his lordship. |
| 67 | * GentlemanSnarker: He doesn't seem to have a very high opinion of anybody. Particularly Atherton Wing, whom he dislikes immensely. He gets his fair share of barbs in. |
| 68 | -->'''Harrow:''' ''[to Wing]'' You'll have to rely on your winning personality to get women. God help you. |
| 69 | * OddFriendship: He changes his mind about Mal after seeing some very inappropriate ballroom behavior, and agrees to act as Mal's second at the duel. |
| 70 | -->'''Harrow:''' You ''did'' mess up Atherton's face, and that has endeared you to me somewhat. |
| 71 | * SurroundedByIdiots: He may be part of Persephone's upper crust, but he'd be the first to tell you that "crust" is not generally a complimentary word. |
| 72 | [[/folder]] |
| 73 | |
| 74 | [[folder:Atherton]] |
| 75 | !!Atherton Wing |
| 76 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wing_atherton.jpg]] |
| 77 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"You belong here, Inara, not on that flying piece of go-se. You see that, don't you?"'']] |
| 78 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/EdwardAtterton |
| 79 | |
| 80 | A young nobleman on Persephone who has hired Inara Serra on multiple occasions. On some of these occasions, he has proposed a more permanent arrangement with her. |
| 81 | ---- |
| 82 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: At first, he comes across as a pleasant and even charming young man. This facade drops soon and it quickly becomes apparent he's a possessive cretin. |
| 83 | * BullyingADragon: In a social sense. Companions are ''much'' higher status than some petty lordling from a backwater world, and when Atherton tries to threaten Inara, she ends his entire social life. |
| 84 | * CombatAestheticist: As should be expected from an obscenely rich young man who likely held a blade since before he was potty-trained. |
| 85 | * TheDandy: He's a well-dressed pretty boy who doesn't look like he's even seen dirt before. Harrow even calls him a spoiled dandy. |
| 86 | * EvilBrit: He speaks with a refined English accent, and is plenty evil. |
| 87 | * GreenEyedMonster: When Mal tries to simply talk to Inara, Wing quickly loses his temper. |
| 88 | * {{Jerkass}}: The magnitude of Wing's dickery cannot be underestimated. |
| 89 | * MasterSwordsman: Sure, Wing is a dick, but there's no getting past the fact that he's a highly skilled swordsman. |
| 90 | -->'''Harrow:''' Wing may be a spoiled dandy, but he's an expert swordsman. He's killed a dozen men with the long blade, and you're the first one gave him a reason. |
| 91 | * PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: He's a sexist piece of shit who treats women like things to be used or owned. |
| 92 | * UpperClassTwit: Atherton's upper-class position in society hasn't stopped him from being a violent frat boy in a grown man's body. |
| 93 | [[/folder]] |
| 94 | |
| 95 | [[folder:Banning]] |
| 96 | !!Banning Miller |
| 97 | ->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/KimOnasch |
| 98 | |
| 99 | A wealthy lady who was in attendance at the grand ball on Persephone on the occasion when Malcolm Reynolds first met the lord Warwick Harrow. |
| 100 | ---- |
| 101 | * AlphaBitch: Of her clique on Persephone; she's the snobby leader of a group of upper-class ladies. |
| 102 | [[/folder]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[folder:Murphy]] |
| 105 | !!Murphy |
| 106 | ->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/LarryPennell |
| 107 | |
| 108 | A noble gentleman who was in attendance at the grand ball on Persephone on the occasion when Malcolm Reynolds first met the lord Warwick Harrow. |
| 109 | ---- |
| 110 | * ActuallyPrettyFunny: He talks about how he's been trying to get an acquaintance to buy a new kind of tractor instead of the inferior model he currently has but is amused when Kaylee reveals that the two tractors are the same model, just marketed under different names. |
| 111 | * CoolOldGuy: A witty older gentleman who can't abide "useless people" or bullies of Banning Miller's stripe. |
| 112 | * PayEvilUntoEvil: A ''very'' downplayed case. His snarkiness towards Banning is cutting, insulting, and very slut-shamey, but since she's a rich snob and bully, it's hard to muster up much sympathy for her. |
| 113 | [[/folder]] |
| 114 | |
| 115 | !The Border |
| 116 | |
| 117 | !!!Whitefall |
| 118 | |
| 119 | [[folder:Patience]] |
| 120 | !!Patience |
| 121 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/BonnieBartlett |
| 122 | |
| 123 | An old trading partner of Mal's, who apparently double-crossed him during a past deal and shot him. She is running a backwoods moon by the time the series starts. |
| 124 | ---- |
| 125 | * ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Apparently every time Mal makes a deal with Patience she tries to backstab and cheat him out of payment. |
| 126 | * EvilOldFolks: Elderly, affable, and ruthless. |
| 127 | * ILied: With regards to making a deal with Mal. The crew note she didn't make much effort to hide that fact, stating she would have at least tried to haggle them down their already-discounted price if she was honest about it. |
| 128 | * {{Jerkass}}: She oozes with self-assuredness and relishes mocking Mal when she thinks he's at her mercy. |
| 129 | * NeverMessWithGranny: An amoral version. |
| 130 | * NoodleIncident: She and Mal seem to have met a few times, and the last time ended in gunplay. Hardly surprising once the audience gets to see her idea of standard business practice. |
| 131 | --> '''Zoe:''' Sir, we don't want to deal with Patience.\ |
| 132 | '''Mal:''' Why not?\ |
| 133 | '''Zoe:''' She shot you.\ |
| 134 | '''Mal:''' Well, yeah, she did a bit. But that was due to a perfectly legitimate conflict of interest. I got no grudge. |
| 135 | * ShutUpHannibal: Once Mal, Zoe and Jayne take down her bodyguard and he has her pinned under a dead horse, she gets one from Mal. |
| 136 | -->'''Mal:''' Now I did a job. I've had nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention a few unkind remarks as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. ''*takes the bag of coin*'' And then I get paid. Go run your little world. |
| 137 | * UncertainDoom: Mal leaves her pinned under a dead horse in a remote spot in the desert, which is already bad enough, but there's also the little matter of the Reaver ship that, if they survived Wash's midair maneuver, might have decided to hit Whitefall after losing track of ''Serenity''. |
| 138 | * WastelandElder: Patience is running her own planet, although as planets go, it's pretty desolate and barren. |
| 139 | [[/folder]] |
| 140 | |
| 141 | !!!Regina |
| 142 | |
| 143 | [[folder:Bourne]] |
| 144 | !!Sheriff Bourne |
| 145 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/GreggHenry |
| 146 | |
| 147 | Sheriff of the small town seen in "The Train Job." |
| 148 | ---- |
| 149 | * {{Foil}}: He's basically Mal, if Mal [[BadgesAndDogTags became a local sheriff after the war]] instead of [[FromCamouflageToCriminal a crook]]. |
| 150 | * GoodIsNotDumb: He's willing to [[ObfuscatingStupidity play the part of a backwoods hick sheriff]], but that's just a cover. He's quick to spot potential holes in the alibi of Mal and Zoe, and pretends to take all of Inara's claims at face value while secretly having his deputy check Inara's credentials multiple times. Had her paperwork not been perfect, Inara probably would have been held right along with Mal and Zoe. |
| 151 | * LetOffByTheDetective: Mal and Zoe return the medicine once they find out what it is, but they did still steal it in the first place and assaulted the Alliance troops on the train while getting it, so he could still haul them in on serious charges. However, because he sees they're doing the right thing, he lets them go. |
| 152 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He understands Mal and Zoe trying to do the right thing, and lets them go, knowing that times are tough for them as well. He's also seen giving a prisoner a light for his cigarette. |
| 153 | * TheSheriff: Of the small town Mal and Zoe are robbing. |
| 154 | [[/folder]] |
| 155 | |
| 156 | !!!Higgins' Moon |
| 157 | |
| 158 | [[folder:Higgins]] |
| 159 | !!Magistrate Higgins |
| 160 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/GregoryItzin |
| 161 | |
| 162 | ->''Now Jayne saw the Mudders' backs breaking'' |
| 163 | ->''He saw the Mudders lament'' |
| 164 | ->''And he saw the magistrate taking'' |
| 165 | ->''Every dollar and leaving five cents'' |
| 166 | -->-- ''The Hero of Canton'' |
| 167 | |
| 168 | The final word of law on Higgins' Moon, a small moon that has a primary export of raw materials for spaceworthy ceramics (in other words: mud). Higgins is a man who looks out only for himself. He treats his indentured 'mudders' almost as slaves, and metes out strict punishment to any who cross him. Even his son, whom he loves as much as a man like him can love anybody, gets treated like a ''thing.'' |
| 169 | ---- |
| 170 | * BadBoss: He pays the mudders next to nothing, keeps them stranded in his little town and plays at being a king. |
| 171 | * BeardOfEvil: A little goatee. |
| 172 | * CorruptCorporateExecutive: Higgins has made his money out of mud, but is a greedy psychopath who treats the mudders like slaves. |
| 173 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Higgins greets Inara very cordially and is even able to talk Stitch into attacking Jayne instead of himself. |
| 174 | * FeudalOverlord: Of his moon. The mudders are essentially slaves that he keeps oppressed. |
| 175 | * IOwnThisTown: Or rather, he owns the moon. It's 'Higgins' Moon' after all. |
| 176 | * WellDoneSonGuy: Higgins is embarrassed by his more sensitive and goodhearted son. |
| 177 | [[/folder]] |
| 178 | |
| 179 | [[folder:Fess]] |
| 180 | !!Fess Higgins |
| 181 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/ZacharyKranzler |
| 182 | |
| 183 | Son of Magistrate Higgins, and Inara's client on the planet. His father hired him a Companion to try and "make him into a man." Unfortunately for Higgins, [[GoneHorriblyRight she succeeds.]] |
| 184 | ---- |
| 185 | * TheDogBitesBack: Against his father, who doesn't consider him a "man." |
| 186 | * GrewASpine: Fess was pretty brow-beaten by his father, but eventually stands up to him. |
| 187 | * NiceGuy: Really, it's a miracle how good Fess turned out considering how much of a bastard his father is. |
| 188 | * ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: He lets the ''Serenity'' escape despite his fathers interests in catching them. |
| 189 | * VirginShaming: Played with. His father hires Inara to bed him so he can become a man, and she does, but that isn't what makes him a man. Inara talks to him and gives him the confidence to stand up to his father, therefore becoming a "man" by his own decisions, not his father's. |
| 190 | * WellDoneSonGuy: His relationship with his father is very strained. Higgins doesn't consider Fess to be a "man." It's unclear how Fess is meant to meet women on a moon inhabited by his father, his father's men, and a society of people who are basically slaves and hate the Higgins family. |
| 191 | [[/folder]] |
| 192 | |
| 193 | [[folder:Well-Dressed Man]] |
| 194 | -> '''Played By:''' Bob [=McCracken=] |
| 195 | The unnamed local black market boss on Canton. |
| 196 | ---- |
| 197 | * LovableRogue: Downplayed, but conducting criminal operations that take money from the pockets of the corrupt Higgins ins’t exactly MoralEventHorizon behavior. |
| 198 | * TheManBehindTheMan: Referenced. Mal arrives expecting to deal with a man named Kessler. The Well-Dressed Man says Kessler worked for him, while he stayed in the shadows, but now he has to handle this transaction himself because Higgins recently had Kessler killed. |
| 199 | * NoNameGiven: He doesn't introduce himself to Mal. |
| 200 | * SharpDressedMan: His fancy wardrobe is even reflected in how he’s credited. |
| 201 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He’s only in two brief scenes, but his smuggling contract brings the crew to the moon in the first place. Because this results in multiple deaths among other outcomes, it could also count as an UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom. |
| 202 | [[/folder]] |
| 203 | |
| 204 | [[folder:Stitch]] |
| 205 | !!Stitch Hessian |
| 206 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/KevinGage |
| 207 | |
| 208 | An old crime buddy of Jayne's, who is being held prisoner by Higgins. |
| 209 | ---- |
| 210 | * AlasPoorVillain: Knowing how utterly screwed over he was by Jayne, and the resulting torture, one can't help but feel slightly sorry for him. |
| 211 | * AntiVillain: Stitch is a vengeful, vicious crook, but given that he never really commits any major villainy onscreen, it's hard not to side with him when he (rightfully!) seeks revenge on Jayne for betraying him and leaving him to be captured and tortured by Magistrate Higgins for years. |
| 212 | * BeardOfBarbarism: He's grown one after years of isolation and torture. |
| 213 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Jayne has to beat him to death in self-defense.]] |
| 214 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: He's ''outraged'' that Jayne shoved him overboard, and is even more insulted when Jayne says Stitch would've done the same to him. |
| 215 | --> '''Stitch:''' We dumped the fuel reserves, dumped the life support, hell we even dumped the seats! There's Jayne, the money, and me... there was no way he gonna drop that money. |
| 216 | --> '''Mudder:''' He did. He dropped it on the mudders. |
| 217 | --> '''Stich:''' By accident you inbred dunghead! He tossed me out first! For six months we run together, and he turned me out before I could scream! |
| 218 | --> '''Jayne:''' You'd have done the same. |
| 219 | --> '''Stitch:''' No. ''Never.'' You protect the man you're with. You watch his back. Everybody knows that! |
| 220 | * EyeScream: One of his eyes was torn out, probably in the near-fatal fall from the hovercraft he and Jayne used for the robbery. |
| 221 | * HandCannon: He wields a shotgun with one hand. |
| 222 | * HonorAmongThieves: He may be a crook, but he's a firm believer in protecting the people you work with and ''never'' betraying them. |
| 223 | * NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: After he learns that Simon is associated with Jayne, he starts giving out one of these to Simon, in order to force Simon to help him find Jayne. It would have gone on much longer, and been much nastier, if Stitch hadn't heard the mudder chanting for Jayne and realized that Jayne was just outside. |
| 224 | * RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Against Jayne. |
| 225 | * SealedEvilInACan: He was a pretty vicious crook ''before'' being hunched up in an overheated chicken coop for a few years. By the time he gets out, he's gone a little AxCrazy. |
| 226 | [[/folder]] |
| 227 | |
| 228 | !!!Heart of Gold Planet |
| 229 | |
| 230 | [[folder:Nandi]] |
| 231 | !!Nandi |
| 232 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/MelindaClarke |
| 233 | |
| 234 | A former Companion who knew Inara on Sihnon before they both left the planet. Nandi gave up her life as a Companion--having concluded that it was too restrictive--to become a brothel madam, overseeing common prostitutes on one of the outer planets. When Petaline, one of her girls, becomes pregnant with the son of a local landowner, the richest, most powerful man on the small planet, she calls Inara to see if the crew of ''Serenity'' can help against the baby's father, Rance Burgess. |
| 235 | ---- |
| 236 | * ActionGirl: She learned how to use a gun, and use it well, long ago. |
| 237 | * BeleagueredChildhoodFriend: To Inara. |
| 238 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Rance Burgess shoots her in the stomach with his laser gun, killing her outright.]] |
| 239 | * CulturedBadass: She had plenty of higher learning during her time as a Companion, and isn't afraid to put bullet holes in men who try to take advantage of the girls working for her. |
| 240 | * DeadpanSnarker: Nandi is fairly witty with her words. |
| 241 | * HookerWithAHeartOfGold: She even appears in the episode ''Heart of Gold'' running a brothel by the same name. |
| 242 | * MamaBear: For her girls in her brothel. |
| 243 | * MissKitty: She's a brothel madame who's very protective of her girls. |
| 244 | * OldFriend: To Inara, with whom she trained to be a Companion. After Nandi left the Guild, the Companion higher-ups forbade Inara from speaking with her. It's an order that Inara simply ignores. |
| 245 | * SilkHidingSteel: An expected trait for a former Companion. |
| 246 | [[/folder]] |
| 247 | |
| 248 | [[folder:Petaline]] |
| 249 | !!Petaline |
| 250 | ->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/TracyRyan |
| 251 | |
| 252 | One of the girls at Nandi's brothel. Targeted by Rance Burgess to be the surrogate mother for his heir due to his wife's infertility. |
| 253 | ---- |
| 254 | * ActionMom: She shoots Burgess less than a day after giving birth. |
| 255 | -->'''Petaline:''' Rance, this is Jonah. Jonah, say hello to your daddy. ''(BoomHeadshot)'' Say goodbye to your daddy, Jonah. |
| 256 | * SilkHidingSteel: She does her best to stand up to Rance while Nandi is still alive. After Rance murders Nandi while escaping the brothel, Petaline personally executes him, banishes his surviving gunmen, and tells the traitor Chari to "go with them." |
| 257 | * YouAreInCommandNow: It's taken as read that, with Nandi's death, the brothel has a new madam. |
| 258 | [[/folder]] |
| 259 | |
| 260 | [[folder:Chari]] |
| 261 | !!Chari |
| 262 | ->'''Portrayed By:''' Kimberly [=McCullough=] |
| 263 | |
| 264 | One of the girls at Nandi's brothel. |
| 265 | ---- |
| 266 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: She's introduced helping care for the pregnant Petaline but is really TheMole for Burgess. |
| 267 | * QuestionableConsent: While helping Burgess, he essentially forces her to give him a blowjob in front of a crowd of his men. She's clearly uncomfortable but goes along. |
| 268 | [[/folder]] |
| 269 | |
| 270 | [[folder:Helen]] |
| 271 | !!Helen |
| 272 | -> '''Portrayed By:''' Creator/HeatherBlack |
| 273 | |
| 274 | One of the girls who Jayne ends up spending a lot of time with. |
| 275 | ---- |
| 276 | * TrueBlueFemininity: She's one of the girlier brothel girls and wears a blue dress. |
| 277 | [[/folder]] |
| 278 | |
| 279 | [[folder:Lucy and Emma]] |
| 280 | !!Lucy and Emma |
| 281 | -> '''Played By:''' Creator/AngieHart and Creator/DoanLy |
| 282 | |
| 283 | Two of Nandi's girls who are religious and ask Book to teach them a prayer. |
| 284 | ---- |
| 285 | * ThoseTwoGirls: They often appear together. |
| 286 | * TokenReligiousTeammate: Out of ''Serenity'''s varied crew, they immediately approach Shepherd Book when he goes to make himself a sandwich. He promptly gives them a BluntNo, thinking they're selling (he's established in "Objects in Space" to be celibate), but they instead ask him for a worship service for them and the other employees. Book is sympathetic, and seems infuriated when told that the last pastor to visit took payment in trade for reading a single Bible passage. |
| 287 | [[/folder]] |
| 288 | |
| 289 | [[folder:Burgess]] |
| 290 | !!Rance Burgess |
| 291 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/burgess_rance_7595.jpg]] |
| 292 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"The rights you got are the ones I give you."'']] |
| 293 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/FredricLehne |
| 294 | |
| 295 | -->''"Nothing worse than a monster who thinks he's right with God."'' |
| 296 | ->'''Mal Reynolds''' |
| 297 | |
| 298 | A rancher who runs afoul of the crew of ''Serenity'' when he decides to wage war against a brothel run by Nandi, a former Companion and friend of Inara Serra. According to Nandi, Burgess was the richest man on the planet, and kept everyone else poor so he could play at being a "cowboy in his own gorram theme park". |
| 299 | ---- |
| 300 | * AwesomeButImpractical: He carries a very advanced (and very illegal) custom laser pistol and hovercraft, and lords over the locals with them. The former runs out of battery after only a bit of use, leaving him defenseless against a vengeful Mal, while the latter is so slow on the road that Mal successfully runs him down with a ''horse''. |
| 301 | * BoomHeadshot: [[spoiler:At the hands of Petaline.]] |
| 302 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Petaline shoots him in the head.]] |
| 303 | * {{Determinator}}: For all his faults, it's hard not to be impressed by the bastard's utter failure to give up right down to the last second. |
| 304 | * TheDreaded: Burgess might be something of a rich dandy, but his single-minded ruthlessness make him such a dangerous enemy that even the not-easily-intimidated Mal recognizes him as a threat. After meeting him once, his first plan is to get the hell away as soon as possible. |
| 305 | * FamilyValuesVillain: He holds very "traditional" views, viewing men as the dominant gender with women relegated to lesser status as wives or prostitutes whose lives are pretty inconsequential. |
| 306 | * FeudalOverlord: He's overwhelmingly rich but purposefully keeps the planet poor so that he can rule as the unofficial king. Or in the words of one character, "So he can play cowboy and have the best toys." |
| 307 | * HeManWomanHater: He sees Nandi's whores as less than human, and when Mal compliments his wife he right-away assumes he's talking about his gun. |
| 308 | * {{Hypocrite}}: He looks down on Nandi's whores but uses their services and even chooses one to be the mother of his child. |
| 309 | * KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Shot by the woman he tried to use to pull an heir from.]] |
| 310 | * KnightTemplar: He believes entirely that he is in the right, which is noted by Mal as a dangerous point-of-view for an enemy to have. |
| 311 | * LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:After he kills Nandi, Mal goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge and personally chases after him, then drags him back for his execution]]. |
| 312 | * PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Burgess isn't just a killer, rapist and tyrannical overlord, he's a virulent misogynist who views women entirely as tools to be used or discarded on a whim. |
| 313 | * SmugSnake: Rance certainly considers himself a hero and a great man, despite all the murder and intimidation. He's also not as tough or untouchable as he thinks. |
| 314 | * UnholyMatrimony: {{Implied}}: his wife is only onscreen for a few seconds of the episode but doesn't appear to have any problem with him having intentionally impregnated a prostitute to raise the child as his heir (although she could just be ConditionedToAcceptHorror by this point). |
| 315 | [[/folder]] |
| 316 | |
| 317 | !Niska's Criminal Empire |
| 318 | |
| 319 | [[folder:Niska]] |
| 320 | !!Adelai Niska |
| 321 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TropeNiska_3493.jpg]] |
| 322 | [[caption-width-right:300:''"When you die, I can't hurt you any more. And I want two days at least, minimum."'']] |
| 323 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/MichaelFairman |
| 324 | |
| 325 | A crime lord introduced in the second pilot, "The Train Job." Very concerned about reputations, especially his own. He is the second recurring villain of the show. |
| 326 | ---- |
| 327 | * AxCrazy: Lampshaded by Zoe to Mal. |
| 328 | -->'''Zoe:''' He's a psycho, you know. |
| 329 | * BackFromTheDead: Niska likes to do this to people who die on him during his torture sessions. |
| 330 | * ColdBloodedTorture: Niska's modus operandi in the series. He strongly believes in the principles of Shan Yu. |
| 331 | * CaptainObvious: One of his quirks is deliberately explaining things that he's already made clear. |
| 332 | * DirtyCoward: [[spoiler:When Mal frees himself, Niska pathetically crawls away in fear.]] |
| 333 | * ElectricTorture: When Niska gets busy, he likes to start off with this before getting nastier. |
| 334 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: An interesting case of this in the spin-off novel ''The Ghost Machine''. At the start of the novel, Niska has paid Badger to acquire the titular machine for him when he hears reports that it basically traps those exposed to it in a hallucination of their best lives, but Niska later learns that the 'dreams' generated by the Machine can become nightmares which either kill the subject or leave them in a rage after waking up. Reasoning that the risk of the machine backfiring is too great, Niska contacts Badger to inform him that he has changed his mind, but allows Badger to keep the money he already paid as he reasons that ''Badger'' hasn't failed him and in fact kept up his end of the deal. |
| 335 | * EvilOldFolks: He looks like someone's grandfather, but he's a ruthless sadist. |
| 336 | * FauxAffablyEvil: At first, he comes across as a harmless old grampa with a funny accent and probably some nice stories. Just when you're expecting him to pat his lap and hand you a Werther's Original, he has his henchmen slide open a door to reveal a human carcass hanging by its feet. |
| 337 | -->'''Mal:''' ''[barely hiding his disgust]'' …I'm sure he was a… very bad person.\ |
| 338 | '''Niska:''' My wife's nephew. At dinner I'm getting earful. And there is no way out of that. |
| 339 | * FourEyesZeroSoul: He wears a pair of Gepetto-looking glasses. |
| 340 | * HateSink: Niska is a repugnant serial torturer who's [[CardCarryingVillain proud of his reputation as a vile monster]]. He rightfully earns the contempt of our heroes at every turns. |
| 341 | * KarmaHoudini: Despite getting several punches from a pissed-off Mal and losing his space station to the crew's assault, Niska slips away at the end of “War Stories” and doesn’t face any permanent punishment. |
| 342 | * TheMafiya: Of sorts, due to his accent and his tattooed henchmen. |
| 343 | * OhCrap: [[spoiler:He's reduced to a frightened mess when he sees Mal has gotten off the torture table and taken down the only guy in the room who could protect him.]] |
| 344 | * RevengeBeforeReason: Mal gave him back the money for the train job, but Niska takes the incident as a personal slight and wants to torture Mal for days before killing him to keep his reputation solid. |
| 345 | * SadisticChoice: Niska's attempt to give one to Zoe backfires on him when she immediately chooses Wash. He seems rather disappointed. |
| 346 | * SlaveToPR: Niska places immense value on his professional reputation; he wants to keep up his status as TheDreaded. This results in him torturing his nephew to death, dishing out YouHaveFailedMe gruesome deaths and letting Zoe walk away unscatched from an encounter with him because he wants to be known as a man of his word. |
| 347 | * SoftspokenSadist: He can be very soft-spoken in the tone of a kindly old man. The fact that he does this while he's [[ElectricTorture zapping the living daylights out of you]], [[ColdBloodedTorture cutting off your ear]], or even worse things makes him ''creepy''. |
| 348 | * StrangeMindsThinkAlike: Just as Book had in a previous scene, Niska reveals an interest in the works of fictional despot Shan Yu, and just like Book it's within the context of torture. It's perhaps a hint to Book's less-than-Godly past. |
| 349 | * TortureTechnician: What Niska is generally known for, although he doesn't participate himself. He stands nearby and taunts while his more burly henchmen do the dirty work. |
| 350 | * YouHaveFailedMe: People who disappoint Niska tend to be tortured to death multiple times. |
| 351 | * VillainCred: He puts enough value into his "reputation" as both TheDreaded and a man of his word that Mal refusing to complete the train job and even returning the advance payment is seen as an ''insult'' because it marks Mal as a man who crossed him and got away, something Niska ''very'' much wants to correct to show the universe what happens to people who cross him. |
| 352 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:After ''War Stories'' he's never seen again.]] |
| 353 | [[/folder]] |
| 354 | |
| 355 | [[folder:Crow]] |
| 356 | !!Crow |
| 357 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/AndrewBryniarski |
| 358 | |
| 359 | The chief enforcer for Adelai Niska. Crow served as Niska's right hand and saw to it that all of his business associates fully complied. |
| 360 | ---- |
| 361 | * BadassBoast: He gives a rather intimidating threat of revenge to Mal, although it's undercut by Mal immediately kicking him into ''Serenity's'' engine. |
| 362 | * DeathGlare: His default expression; Crow seems two seconds away from murdering everyone around him at any given time. |
| 363 | * TheDragon: For Adelai Niska. [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] by Niska, sort of: |
| 364 | --> You have seen Crow. He loves to stand at the door to say "Boo!" |
| 365 | * HonorBeforeReason: Much like his boss, Crow favors personal retribution instead of money. This gets him killed, while another henchman frightened enough to accept Mal's ultimatum is spared. |
| 366 | * TheLastThingYouEverSee: Subverted in one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series. |
| 367 | -->'''Crow:''' Keep the money. Use it to buy a funeral. It doesn't matter where you go, or how far you fly. I will hunt you down, and the last thing you see will be my blade. |
| 368 | -->'''Mal:''' (''{{beat}}'') Darn. ''(kicks Crow into Serenity's engine intake)'' |
| 369 | * TurbineBlender: How Mal disposes of him. |
| 370 | * WeWillMeetAgain: That's what he thinks, anyway. Mal doesn't care for the idea. |
| 371 | * WrongGenreSavvy: Thinks he's in a heroic space opera where the hero won't kill a defeated unarmed enemy even when given death threats. [[TooDumbToLive He thought wrong.]] |
| 372 | [[/folder]] |
| 373 | |
| 374 | [[folder:Viktor]] |
| 375 | -> '''Played By:''' Creator/MichaelBentt |
| 376 | Niska’s new lieutenant. |
| 377 | ---- |
| 378 | * BaldOfEvil” He’s a hairless man who serves Niska and shows no qualms at torture. |
| 379 | * NumberTwo: Niska’s new lieutenant. |
| 380 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He disappears during the gunfight and its unclear if he was shot off-screen or simply laid low until Mal left. |
| 381 | [[/folder]] |
| 382 | |
| 383 | [[folder:Torturer]] |
| 384 | -> '''Played by:''' Creator/JohnDunn |
| 385 | ---- |
| 386 | * KarmicDeath: Downplayed. He briefly is placed in his own device but gets out to fight Mal, then is shot. |
| 387 | * NoNameGiven: He’s only known by his job title. |
| 388 | * TortureTechnician: He nonchalantly electrocutes and cuts up people for Niska’s enjoyment. |
| 389 | [[/folder]] |
| 390 | |
| 391 | |
| 392 | |
| 393 | !Other Characters |
| 394 | |
| 395 | [[folder:"Saffron"]] |
| 396 | !!"Saffron" |
| 397 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yosaffbridge_7525.jpg]] |
| 398 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Everybody plays each other. That's all anybody ever does. We play parts."'']] |
| 399 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/ChristinaHendricks |
| 400 | |
| 401 | Known as Saffron, Bridget, and Yolanda -- none of which are her real name. One of the few recurring villains (they likely intended more, but dying off after one season does mess up plans a bit) of the show, she is a con woman who specializes in seduction. Introduced in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" as Saffron, and thus is best known by this name. |
| 402 | ---- |
| 403 | * AccidentalMarriage: How she's introduced. |
| 404 | * BestHerToBedHer: Subverted within the course of a few seconds. She briefly pretends to be a believer in this trope to try to seduce Mal and gain the upper hand, but he sees through it and she instantly drops the act. |
| 405 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: First appears as TheIngenue. |
| 406 | * BrokenAce: Saffron is strikingly beautiful, deviously clever, and well-versed in a variety of disciplines, including martial arts, gunplay, ship tech, and Companion training. She's also a twisted, manipulative, and possibly genuinely mentally-ill woman who ran out on a cushy life and a happy marriage because she couldn't go without the stimulation of committing crimes. In "Trash", Mal even admits that she's beautiful and brilliant while calling her an evil double-crossing snake in the same breath. |
| 407 | * ComplexityAddiction: Mal points out that with her smarts, she can figure out much easier ways of making money. She replies that money isn't really the point. |
| 408 | * ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Deconstructed. Boy, howdy... how do we begin? The crew of ''Serenity'', Monty, Durran, and there are allusions to her disposing of previous accomplices. She even states to Mal that the reason she acts like a manipulative, murderous FemmeFatale is because [[EvilCannotComprehendGood she believes others have ulterior motives]], but Mal points out it's made [[SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers her cynical]] and the reason why she doesn't have any meaningful relationships. |
| 409 | --> '''Mal''' ''(listening to "Yolanda" covering her tracks):'' "They" got Heinrich?! Well. Guess he wasn't useful anymore. |
| 410 | * DarkActionGirl: Uses her [[TheVamp Vamp]] and FemmeFatale skills in addition to her ass-kicking ability. |
| 411 | * EvilCannotComprehendGood: When Mal catches up to her, she claims that the reason she acts like a manipulative, murderous FemmeFatale is because she believes others have ulterior motives. Mal states that her distrust of others is why she keeps on burning bridges. |
| 412 | * EvilRedhead: Generally she prefers theft, con games and treachery to outright murder. But that's a difference in ''style,'' not an actual rule. |
| 413 | * ExtremeDoormat: Her "Saffron" personality was one. |
| 414 | * FemmeFatale[=/=]TheVamp: She uses a combination of innocence and feminine wiles to hit her marks. |
| 415 | -->'''Saffron:''' But face it, hubby: I'm really hot. |
| 416 | * ForTheEvulz: Deconstructed. In her first appearance, she implies this is her real motivation for playing an elaborate ruse to send ''Serenity'' into a trap, not the money. In her second appearance, it turns out that she was once married to a man who could give her everything she could ever possibly want, but she left him because she still couldn't resist the urge to commit crimes and screw people over. Mal states that her cynical distrust of others is why she keeps on burning bridges. |
| 417 | * IHaveManyNames: Resulting in the [[BuffySpeak awkward]] but ''canonical'' "[=YoSaffBridge=]." |
| 418 | * IgnoreTheFanservice: What Mal tries to do. "Oh, I'm going to the [[BrickJoke special hell…]]" |
| 419 | * LaserGuidedKarma: After plotting and scamming the crew so much in her reappearance in "Trash", she's outwitted and left in a dumpster by Inara. |
| 420 | * LoveableRogue: Played with. |
| 421 | * ManipulativeBastard: Hell, it's her job. She bats her eyelashes and most melt before her... it's hard to blame them, too. |
| 422 | -->'''Saffron:''' I didn't kill him, either.\ |
| 423 | '''Mal:''' No, I don't reckon there's many you've killed. Just left them in a position to die easy. |
| 424 | * MeaningfulName: Her first alias is Saffron, which is an incredibly valuable and expensive spice that is worth more than gold -- appropriate for a gold-digger. |
| 425 | * MsFanservice: Her nude scene. |
| 426 | * MoralityPet: It's heavily implied that Durran is the only one of her husbands that she has ANY affections for (reacting with anger when Mal realizes this). Mal even points out that she could have easily just returned and stolen the gun without all the subterfuge, and realizes that it's because she actually does care about what he thinks of her. |
| 427 | * MysteriousPast: Aside from her habit of [[SerialSpouse marrying men and leaving them to die once she's gotten what she needs]], and her at least semi-genuine affection for one of her past husbands, we really don't know anything about her. Inara thinks she's probably received Companion training, but we'll never know for sure. |
| 428 | * NoNameGiven: No ''real'' name, at any rate. She's been known as Saffron, Yolanda, Bridget, and who knows how many other names. |
| 429 | * TheOldestProfession: Based on their interactions, Inara realizes that Saffron has most likely received Companion training, but too late to do anything about it except delay her escape. |
| 430 | * PragmaticPansexuality: She tries to seduce Inara and almost succeeds before Inara recognises her own Companion techniques being used against her. |
| 431 | * SerialSpouse: That's why she has many names. Mal eventually lampshades it in ''Trash''. |
| 432 | -->'''Saffron:''' He[Mal]'s my husband.\ |
| 433 | '''Mal:''' Well, who in the damn galaxy ain't? |
| 434 | * ShadowArchetype: Easily construable as Inara's {{foil}} and [[EvilCounterpart opposite]]. In the comic ''ComicBook/FireflyTheSting'', [[NotSoDifferentRemark she says to her]]: |
| 435 | -->'''Saffron:''' [I'm] what you would've been, if something had gone wrong. If you'd failed out of companion training. What you could be, if you let go of your pathetic hopes and dreams and boring rules. A ''free agent''. I'm an object lesson in what you fear the most... and what you secretly wish for. |
| 436 | * SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: She definitely believes this, but Mal gives her a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech that points out where it got her. |
| 437 | -->'''Saffron:''' Everybody plays each other. That's all anybody ever does. We play parts.\ |
| 438 | '''Mal:''' You got all kinds of learnin' and you made me look the fool without tryin', and yet here I am with a gun to your head. That's 'cause I got people with me. People who look out for each other, who do for each other and ain't always lookin' for the advantage. |
| 439 | * SmugSnake: She's smart, but pigs will fly before she outdoes Mal and his crew. |
| 440 | * TheVamp: Arguably a [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype deconstruction]]. She is highly trained and skilled in seduction and uses it to manipulate everyone she comes across. But as a result she doesn't have any meaningful relationships, she's left countless identities and more than a few bodies in her wake, even she doesn't seem to know who she really is, and we're shown how psychologically messed up someone would need to be to choose such a lifestyle. More importantly, she burns bridges with the one person she DOES genuinely love (or at least care for). |
| 441 | * WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Mal thinks that she doesn't kill many people, "you just put them in a position where they die real easy". He's also astonished when she refuses to simply knock out Durran when they try to steal from him, and puts two and two together and realizes that the only reason for her actions is because she cares for Durran and lied about her story. |
| 442 | [[/folder]] |
| 443 | |
| 444 | [[folder:Early]] |
| 445 | !!Jubal Early |
| 446 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/early_jubal_2595.jpg]] |
| 447 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Does that seem right to you?"'']] |
| 448 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/RichardBrooks |
| 449 | |
| 450 | ->'''Simon:''' You're out of your mind.\ |
| 451 | '''Early:''' That's between me and my mind. |
| 452 | |
| 453 | Shows up in the final episode, "Objects In Space." When we first meet him, he proves to be more than a match for Mal and company, but it isn't long before [[PsychoForHire his true colors become apparent]]. |
| 454 | ---- |
| 455 | |
| 456 | * ArrogantKungFuGuy: He easily defeats both Simon and Mal in hand-to-hand combat with little more than a 'tsk' of derision. |
| 457 | * AttentionDeficitOohShiny: He doesn't lose his focus from his work, but he can't keep focused on one topic of conversation without going off on bizarre tangents or randomly changing topics in the middle of a sentence. |
| 458 | * BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: Part of River's dissection of his character reveals he used to torture his neighbor's dog when he was a child. |
| 459 | * BaitTheDog: Whedon was definitely having some fun manipulating [[Franchise/StarWars Boba Fett]] fans. At first he comes across as a badass, philosophical and quirky bounty hunter. Then he casually threatens to rape Kaylee and you realize he's a sociopathic monster. |
| 460 | * BecauseImGoodAtIt: |
| 461 | -->'''Inara:''' This is pointless, you know that?\ |
| 462 | '''Early:''' $200,000 seems pretty pointed to me. That kind of money, I could retire. Not that I would. What's life without work? |
| 463 | * BerserkButton: Trying to psychoanalyze him. When Inara makes a small attempt, he breaks his facade and violently pistol-whips her. River turns this against him by mercilessly [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech deconstructing his stoic, spacy exterior]] from where he can't get at her. |
| 464 | * BlatantLies: For several topics. See HonorBeforeReason and NobleDemon. |
| 465 | * BountyHunter: The evil, sadistic kind. |
| 466 | * CatchPhrase: "Does that seem right to you?" |
| 467 | * {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Early and reality are not on one-to-one terms, though it's not clear how much of this is [[ObfuscatingInsanity deliberate on his part]]. |
| 468 | * CombatPragmatist: He takes out the crew silently, identifying the biggest threats as Mal and [[MysteriousPast Book]] before locking everyone else in their cabins to spare himself a cat-and-mouse game. |
| 469 | * DramaticSpaceDrifting: How he's defeated in the final episode. River lures him outside the ship where Mal ambushes him and shoves him off into space. He takes the situation surprisingly well. |
| 470 | --> '''Early:''' Well. Here I am. |
| 471 | * DisneyVillainDeath: {{Subverted}}. [[spoiler:In ''ComicBook/SerenityLeavesOnTheWind'', the crew captures him and dumps him out ''Serenity'''s lower hatch from several hundred feet up. However, he's recovered by a local, who sells him to an Alliance operative, who puts him in a regeneration tank of some kind.]] |
| 472 | * FauxAffablyEvil: He'd initially appear to be AffablyEvil and he does get some killer lines, but he soon reveals how much he'll twist his rules just to hurt people. He's also terrifying when he wants to be. |
| 473 | * {{Foil}}: Jubal is calm, intelligent, crazy like a fox, a skilled combatant with a decidedly precise style, and deeply intuitive, able to suss out a person's nature in an eerily quick fashion. Just like River. |
| 474 | * HonorBeforeReason: He claims this, but he changes his plans so much that his so called code of honor is proven to be unimportant. |
| 475 | * InsistentTerminology: Subverted, in a surreal way: |
| 476 | -->'''Simon''': So you're a bounty hunter?\ |
| 477 | '''Early''': No, that ain't it at all.\ |
| 478 | '''Simon''': Then what are you?\ |
| 479 | '''Early''': I'm a ''bounty'' hunter. |
| 480 | * KickTheDog: Literal example (albeit offscreen and in his backstory) in that he murdered his neighbor's pet dog. |
| 481 | * LaughablyEvil: As much of a monster as Early is, he's a remarkably entertaining fellow due to Richard Brooks' fine performance and his bizarre lines. |
| 482 | * MeaningfulName: Named after an infamous Confederate general of the United States Civil War who was notorious for razing buildings and whole towns to get what he wanted (oftentimes, it was money to bribe him out of it) and once claimed that "Union towns burn so nicely." Ironically, the historical Early was a racist, while this iteration is black. |
| 483 | * NobleDemon: Subverted: he claims not to want to kill anyone who he doesn't have to. But it becomes apparent that he 'has to' kill pretty regularly. |
| 484 | * NonIndicativeName: Named for a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubal_Early#Civil_War Confederate general]] from the UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar, who was one of the creators of the "Lost Cause of the South" mythology of that war and who also happened to be an ancestor of Nathan Fillion. Ironic name for a bounty hunter that opposes a former idealistic rebel against the Alliance and is, not to put too fine a point on it, a black man. |
| 485 | * PsychoForHire: River explicitly calls him out for this; the reason he took his job is because it gives him an outlet for his violent urges. |
| 486 | * RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: He's beyond any kind of redemption to the audience the moment he threatens Kaylee with this: and it becomes apparent that he's coldly, rationally invoking the trope when he brings up the possibility of raping Kaylee to ''Simon.'' |
| 487 | * ScaryBlackMan: He's a highly ruthless and intimidating black bounty hunter. |
| 488 | * TheSociopath: While he claims to be AffablyEvil, River taunts him in that she's been in his head and knows ''exactly'' what kind of person he ''really'' is. So did Jubal's mother. That's why she reacted with fear when she found the dead animals he'd killed. |
| 489 | * SoftspokenSadist: Early has a deep but soft voice that's borderline hypnotic, but he's also a barely restrained sadist. |
| 490 | * VillainousBreakdown: He abandons his witty one-liners and calm, smooth demeanour as River starts to run circles around him. Early becomes violent, suspicious, paranoid and even comes to believe that River has possessed the ship. |
| 491 | * WarriorPoet: In a weird sort of way. |
| 492 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:The end of the post-''Serenity'' comic ''Leaves on the Wind'' reveals that he survived his fall and was recovered and healed by Kalista to help her find River again, this time backed up by Academy super soldiers. In the sequel, ''No Power in the Verse'', Jubal is never seen or mentioned, and when Kalista finds River, it's by happenstance.]] |
| 493 | * WouldHitAGirl: Hits Inara for questioning his motives. |
| 494 | --> '''Early:''' Don't go visiting in my intentions. Don't ever. |
| 495 | [[/folder]] |
| 496 | |
| 497 | [[folder:Mr. Universe]] |
| 498 | !!Mr. Universe |
| 499 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mr_universe_2754.jpg]] |
| 500 | ->[[caption-width-right:350:''"You can't stop the signal, Mal. Everything goes somewhere, and I go everywhere."'']] |
| 501 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/DavidKrumholtz |
| 502 | |
| 503 | -->''"You guys always bring me the very best violence."'' |
| 504 | |
| 505 | An isolated and reclusive TechnoWizard who is an ally of the crew. |
| 506 | ---- |
| 507 | * BunnyEarsLawyer: He's a loner who 'marries' his sexdoll/robot, but he's also a genius. |
| 508 | * CantStopTheSignal: He's the TropeNamer, boasting about how he can get any signal out there for the galaxy to devour, [[spoiler:Even after he's dead.]] |
| 509 | * CasualDangerDialogue: |
| 510 | -->'''Mr. Universe:''' [[spoiler:Guy killed me, Mal. Killed me with a sword.]] How weird is that? |
| 511 | * CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:The Operative stabs him through the stomach after he's fulfilled his purpose. Mr Universe manages to leave a message for Mal, but dies from his injuries.]] |
| 512 | * CrazyPrepared: After the Operative and his soldiers smash his broadcast equipment, he leaves a posthumous message for Mal guiding him to a hidden backup transmitter. |
| 513 | * DeadManWriting: [[spoiler:He leaves a message for Mal after being stabbed by the Operative. He dies after the recording.]] |
| 514 | * DeadpanSnarker: [[spoiler:Snarkily demands his "30 pieces of silver" after he's forced at gunpoint by the Alliance and the Operative to sell ''Serenity'' out and lure them to his planet.]] |
| 515 | * DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:Died in the arms of his robot wife Lenore.]] |
| 516 | * KnowledgeBroker: It's his business. |
| 517 | * MajorInjuryUnderreaction: [[spoiler:His reaction to getting stabbed by the Operative]]. |
| 518 | --> '''Mr Universe''': [[spoiler:Guy killed me, Mal. Killed me with a sword. How ''weird'' is that?!]] |
| 519 | * MrExposition: Mr Universe explains all about the 'Miranda' code that ticked off River. |
| 520 | * PlayfulHacker: He flirts lightly with Zoe, is quick to make jokes and is on good terms with the entire crew. |
| 521 | * RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: [[spoiler:He's a RegretfulTraitor (or at least a reluctant one) and has to be coerced by the Operative, who immediately kills him. According to WordOfGod, this was an impulsive kill that the Operative didn't think out and doesn't really understand why he did it, and is the earliest indication of his VillainousBreakdown.]] |
| 522 | * RoboSexual: His sole companion is his "wife", a lovebot named Lenore. |
| 523 | * SixthRanger: Mal and the crew of ''Serenity'' seem to like him a lot more than their usual contacts, [[spoiler:burying him with Wash and Book]]. |
| 524 | * SixthRangerTraitor: [[spoiler:Although he tries to make up for it.]] |
| 525 | * TechnoWizard: He's a bonafide genius, able to uncover just about anything no matter how much code it's buried under. |
| 526 | * VoiceWithAnInternetConnection: He acts like this for the crew, never meeting up in person while providing hacking and information about data signals. He seems to be a recluse. |
| 527 | [[/folder]] |
| 528 | |
| 529 | [[folder:Fanty & Mingo]] |
| 530 | !!Fantastic 'Fanty' & Mingojerry 'Mingo' Rample |
| 531 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rample_twins23.jpg]] |
| 532 | ->'''Played By:''' [[Creator/YanFeldman Yan]] and Creator/RafaelFeldman |
| 533 | |
| 534 | Twin brothers who act as fences for goods acquired by Mal Reynolds and the crew of ''Serenity''. Although identical twins, Mal is able to tell the two of them apart (he claims "Fanty's prettier"). Their full names are Mingojerry and Fantastic Rample. |
| 535 | ---- |
| 536 | * EvilBrit: Both of them are criminals trying to cheat the ''Serenity'' crew out of their fair cut of a dangerous job. |
| 537 | * LondonGangster: Similar to Badger, they have this demeanour. |
| 538 | * ShoutOut: To the 1955 FilmNoir ''The Big Combo''; they're a pair of goons who work for the BigBad of the film. |
| 539 | * SingleMindedTwins: They're able to finish each other's sentences and act like one person. |
| 540 | * TwinSwitch: They enjoy switching places with each other and making people think they're talking to the wrong twin. It frustrates them that Mal can always tell which is which. (The novelization claims that one has a slightly higher voice, and that's how Mal can tell the difference.) |
| 541 | -->'''Mal:''' Fanty. [nods to Fanty] Mingo. [nods again]\ |
| 542 | '''Mingo:''' He's Ming-\ |
| 543 | '''Mal:''' He's Fanty, you're Mingo.\ |
| 544 | '''Mingo:''' [Chuckles after a {{beat}}] How is it you always know?\ |
| 545 | '''Mal:''' Fanty's prettier.\ |
| 546 | ''[Fanty shrugs; Mingo looks annoyed]'' |
| 547 | [[/folder]] |
| 548 | |
| 549 | [[folder:Bester]] |
| 550 | !!Bester |
| 551 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/DaxGriffin |
| 552 | |
| 553 | ''Serenity's'' original engine mechanic. He didn't last long -- it's not clear, but he may not even have made it into space. Mal caught him having sex with a local girl in the engine room. Mal isn't the sort to fire a fellow over that, but when the woman he'd brought in fixes the engine in three minutes without even bothering to finish putting her clothes back on, Mal realizes he's got a better option. |
| 554 | ---- |
| 555 | * ComicallyMissingThePoint: It takes him a a few beats to realize what Mal's hiring of Kaylee implies about his own current state of employment. |
| 556 | -->'''Bester''': Mal! What do you need ''two'' mechanics for?\ |
| 557 | '''Mal''': I really don't. |
| 558 | * DumbBlonde: He's got a long head of blond hair and isn't the brightest. |
| 559 | * TheHedonist: An easygoing loser who put casual sex ahead of fixing the engine. Dumped in favor of his partner of the moment, who figured out how to fix the engine ''during'' casual sex. |
| 560 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: Brought a local girl to the ship for sex. Unfortunately for him, said girl was ''Kaylee'', and he loses his job to her. |
| 561 | * KnowNothingKnowItAll: He pretends to be an expert engineer, but he doesn't really have a clue when it comes to how to keep ''Serenity'' maintained and running. |
| 562 | * MrFanservice: Well, at least he has his nice looks going for him... |
| 563 | [[/folder]] |
| 564 | |
| 565 | [[folder:Durran]] |
| 566 | !!Durran Haymer |
| 567 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/DwierBrown |
| 568 | |
| 569 | A wealthy land-owner and collector of rare Earth-That-Was artifacts living on a floating estate on the planet Bellerophon. |
| 570 | ---- |
| 571 | * AffablyEvil: Saffron claims that he's an Alliance official who during the war used chemical weapons to kill resistance fighters and leave the neighborhoods intact to loot. When Mal meets Durran, however, he proves to be a surprisingly kind man genuinely in love with Saffron. This trope winds up being subverted, as that meeting allows Mal to guess that Saffron's story was all a lie, and Saffron later admits that Mal is right and Durran was nothing like what she had claimed. |
| 572 | * AssholeVictim: Saffron tries to invoke this for the crew by telling lies about Durran so they'll feel justified in stealing from him. |
| 573 | * GoodIsNotDumb: He might love Saffron, but he [[spoiler:doesn't believe a word of her lies.]] |
| 574 | * LoveMartyr: Played with: he does genuinely love Saffron despite her [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder many]], [[SmugSnake many]], [[TheVamp MANY]] flaws, but he also understands exactly what kind of person she is, and doesn't put up with her act, calling the authorities to come for her. |
| 575 | * MoralityPet: Saffron actually does have feelings for him, and her interactions with him show that she isn't TheUnfettered due to her seeming guilt at robbing him. It doesn't stop her, but Mal accurately determines that Saffron does view him as more than just another mark. |
| 576 | -->'''Mal:''' ''[to Saffron]'' You don't want him to know the truth. Unlike all the other -- I'm gonna go with -- ''hundreds'' of men you've married, you actually want this one to think well of you when you've gone. |
| 577 | * NiceGuy: "Yolanda" deliberately sought out a very mellow, kindly, understanding man (with a lot of money) when she tried to go straight. He's even fairly mellow, kindly and understanding about finding his crazed ex-wife and a total stranger looting his priceless museum pieces. |
| 578 | --> '''Saffron:''' Durran, honey… this isn't what it looks like! |
| 579 | --> '''Mal:''' Unless it looks like we're stealing your priceless Lassiter. Because that's exactly what we're doing. Don't ask me about the gun, though, 'cause that's new. |
| 580 | --> '''Haymer:''' Well I… appreciate your honesty. Not, you know, a ''lot,'' but… |
| 581 | * NotDistractedByTheSexy: [[spoiler:When Saffron puts on her best seductive tone and gets nice and close to him, Durran refuses her. He's seen this trick before.]] |
| 582 | * ObfuscatingStupidity: [[spoiler:Pretends to still believe in Saffron's con, when he actually called the feds the second he saw her.]] |
| 583 | -->'''Saffron:''' If you had half a brain you'd have called the feds the minute you saw me. |
| 584 | -->'''Durran:''' Oh, I did. ''[showing a button on his ring]'' Emergency signal. For kidnappings and the like. I love you, Yolanda. But I couldn't think for a second -- that you actually came here for me. |
| 585 | * PuppyDogEyes: Durran uses these on Saffron, who goes a bit crazy (well, crazier) and can't deal with them. |
| 586 | [[/folder]] |
| 587 | |
| 588 | [[folder:Leonard Chang-Benitez]] |
| 589 | !!Leonard Chang-Benitez |
| 590 | |
| 591 | The leader of a bandit gang who the ''Serenity'' crew meets on the planet Bethlehem. |
| 592 | ---- |
| 593 | * MistakenForRacist: Well, mistaken for a religious bigot. He initially attacks a group of religious pilgrims that the ''Serenity'' crew was hired to protect, trying to stop their "pagan" rituals. Then we learn that the pilgrims were planning to [[HumanSacrifice sacrifice]] the crew. |
| 594 | * TheMutiny: He's kicked out of his own gang after he refuses to try and collect the bounty on Mal and Zoe, deeming them too dangerous. He briefly joins the crew of ''Serenity''. |
| 595 | * RomanticFalseLead: Kaylee develops a brief crush on him, much to Simon's displeasure. |
| 596 | [[/folder]] |
| 597 | |
| 598 | [[folder: Wash bot]] |
| 599 | A robot clone of Wash that was meant to trap Zoe but its programming with Wash’s memories and personality causes it to protect her instead. |
| 600 | ---- |
| 601 | * SelfHealingPhlebotinum: Can heal damage to its skin. |
| 602 | * TragicRobot: Took damage saving Zoe. She warms up to it enough to tell it not to die because it’s so much like Wash. Now it has to try and find a place for itself separate from Wash’s identity. |
| 603 | [[/folder]] |
| 604 | [[folder:Reavers]] |
| 605 | !!Reavers |
| 606 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/reaver.jpg]] |
| 607 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh, and sew our skins into their clothing. And if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in that order."'']] |
| 608 | ->'''Played By:''' Creator/BrandenRMorgan, Creator/MischaPfister, Creator/DavidSobolov, Various |
| 609 | |
| 610 | ->'''Jayne''': Reavers ain't men.\ |
| 611 | '''Book''': Of course they are. Too long removed from civilization perhaps, but men. And, I believe there's a power greater than men. A power that heals.\ |
| 612 | '''Mal''': Reavers might take issue with that philosophy… if they ''had'' a philosophy… and they weren't too busy gnawing on your insides. Jayne's right. Reavers ain't men. Or they forgot how to be. Come to just nothin'. They got out to the edge of the galaxy, to that place of nothin', and that's what they became. |
| 613 | |
| 614 | Spacefaring, [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] raiders that haunt on the outermost fringes of the 'Verse, said to be folk who were driven insane after reaching the end of the galaxy and seeing the sheer nothingness. |
| 615 | ---- |
| 616 | * {{Aesoptinum}}: [[spoiler:Their origin.]] |
| 617 | * AxCrazy: There is no such thing as sanity when it comes to these guys, for all of them are extremely psychotic and extremely violent animals. |
| 618 | * AlwaysChaoticEvil: They are beyond madness. Every single Reaver is driven by evil urges. It's not even clear what keeps any two Reavers from tearing each other to pieces the instant they meet aside from maybe finding mutual understanding in their shared urges. |
| 619 | * BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: The way they turned some of their victims into Reavers: making them ''watch'' the torture they inflict on others. |
| 620 | * TheBerserker: Played with. When attacking someone face-to-face, the Reavers become mad, frothing, berserk killers. ''Outside'' of face-to-face combat, however, Reavers are disturbingly thoughtful and intelligent, laying carefully-prepared traps, operating advanced spacecraft, and deliberately torturing people to break their minds and increase their numbers. They're skilled enough that they can take an entire ship by surprise without leaving any obvious trace of their presence. |
| 621 | * BetterToDieThanBeKilled: ''No one'' wants to be taken alive by the Reavers, and no one who can stop it will allow someone else to be, leading to several {{Mercy Kill}}s. |
| 622 | * BodyHorror: Mutilate both their victims and ''themselves''. Mal describes it as "desecrating their flesh." |
| 623 | * ColdBloodedTorture: As Reavers are calculated sadists, they prefer their victims conscious--more than violence, they are motivated to inflict agony on other people. Torture prolongs the satisfaction of the endless aggression that consumes them. When Mal kills one of their victims before they can really get started on him, they immediately drop the body and move on. |
| 624 | * TheDreaded: Absolutely '''everyone''' -- Zoe, Jayne, and even [[HorrifyingTheHorror the Operative]] -- is scared to death of them. |
| 625 | * DyingRace: The pilot reveals they fly without any reactor containment, meaning they're likely all suffering some degree of radiation poisoning. They also don't seem to breed and are unable to build any kind of culture, so the only method of creating new Reavers is to drive people insane. Ignoring these "new" Reavers, they realistically cannot last more than a generation. [[spoiler:And that's on top of the massive losses they took in the movie when the Alliance Navy fleet managed to defeat and repel their Miranda fleet, which was very likely the largest concentration of them, in the atmosphere above Mr. Universe's planet.]] |
| 626 | * GoMadFromTheRevelation: Reavers have a penchant for breaking and torturing people into becoming second-generation Reavers simply by exposing them to what they do to others. |
| 627 | ** Subverted in the case of the first generation: The prevailing theory of the uninformed is that they saw or met ''something'' in space that they could only cope with by going mad. [[spoiler: The movie supplied the truth, which is more prosaic and yet even more horrifying.]] |
| 628 | * HarpoonGun: They're pretty much the only faction in TheVerse that prioritizes melee and close-quarters combat ([[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale well, in terms of space battles, at least]]) over ranged weaponry and strategy. By extension, their ships almost ''only'' use harpoons instead of the rockets and torpedoes used by the Alliance, Independents, and various criminal organizations. |
| 629 | * TheHorde: There are thousands of them, and they attack in swarms when angered. |
| 630 | * ImAHumanitarian: Although they'll undoubtedly pin down anything that can't get away and devour it alive, they definitely favor hunting humans. |
| 631 | * ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Favour ballistic blades and edged weaponry. Even their vehicles are commonly equipped with massive [[HarpoonGun spear cannons]], some of which fire projectiles large enough to punch through a ship's hull. |
| 632 | * InsaneEqualsViolent: [[spoiler:Inverted: they're insane ''because'' their aggressor instincts were heightened to a truly ridiculous level.]] |
| 633 | * ItCanThink: Sure, they're insanely and indiscriminately violent, but that doesn't make them ''stupid''. What little is seen of their methods hints at excellent hunting skills -- which typically rely on stealth, patience, and subtlety. When they aren't relying on traps or surprise, they use high-tech (and non-lethal) methods for disabling and capturing fleeing ships. And in the end, they can always fall back to strength in numbers. They are also able to take entire ships by surprise and leave no trace of their presence and are skilled at psychological torture of captives to turn them into new Reavers. That's in addition to being still smart enough to operate advanced spacecraft and having decent tactical knowledge. |
| 634 | * KillAllHumans: Due to being driven to attack virtually anything they see. |
| 635 | * NightmareFuelStationAttendant: An entire ''society'' of these, '''never''' PlayedForLaughs and presented as the most terrifying part of the entire series. |
| 636 | * NothingIsScarier: Their presence is much more in word than on-screen to make them more frightening. |
| 637 | * RammingAlwaysWorks: One of their main strategies in space battles. |
| 638 | * RapePillageAndBurn: Their M.O. in a nutshell. |
| 639 | * RuleOfSymbolism: See below under TheSavageIndian; TheReveal that [[spoiler:their origins actually lie in the Alliance]] can be seen as representative of how [[spoiler:the United States government's negative stereotyping of Native Americans during TheWildWest often forced those same natives to play into the aforementioned stereotypes in order to just survive]]. |
| 640 | * TheSavageIndian: A ''very'' dark SpaceWestern interpretation of this trope, with them being in part meant to represent how Western settlers stereotyped Native Americans during the expansion west. This somewhat mitigated both by giving the Reavers more of a ''Film/{{Mad Max}}''-style aesthetic and them being [[spoiler:the result of the Alliance's experimentation rather than some kind of "inherent native savagery"]]. |
| 641 | * ShroudedInMyth: Until the movie. |
| 642 | * SpaceMadness: Originally believed to be their origin. |
| 643 | * TakeOurWordForIt: We never see a "true" Reaver in the series, only their ships, the [[ShroudedInMyth reactions others have to them]], and one man who was [[FreakOut broken]] into becoming one of them. TheMovie, with its bigger budget, shows the Reavers in-person, although even here, short quick takes and deliberate shadowing leave them half-seen. |
| 644 | * TechnicallyLivingZombie: Described as such by WordOfGod. |
| 645 | * TragicMonster: Sure, they're a bunch of ''completely'' psychotic and violent people who revel in murdering, torturing, raping, and eating people without mercy or remorse, but none of them ''chose'' to be this way. [[spoiler:Once, they were just normal colonists who had an adverse reaction to a drug that was meant to pacify them, and all the other Reavers are just innocents who've been subjected to the same kind of "special hell" the original Reavers are suffering through]]. |
| 646 | * TranshumanAliens: They're regular human beings warped into monsters [[spoiler:by technology]], and fit well into the "hostile alien" role in SpaceOpera stories. |
| 647 | * UnstoppableRage: These guys are balls-to-the-wall '''mad''' in all of their screentime. |
| 648 | * TheUsualAdversaries: Reaver attacks are rare, but the crew (and, in fact, everybody in the outer worlds) always keeps an eye open for them. |
| 649 | * TheWorfEffect: Both played straight and subverted in the BigDamnMovie. While they're still absolutely terrifying in '''all''' of their appearances, they're ''obliterated'' by [[spoiler:River Tam]] during the Battle of the Universe Planet at the film's climax, but still manage to cut a bloody swath through the Alliance Navy's blockade of the Universe Planet at the same time. |
| 650 | [[/folder]] |
| 651 |
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