Heart of Gold (Firefly)

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“Heart of Gold”
Firefly episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 13
Written by Brett Matthews
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
Guest stars Melinda Clarke
Kimberly McCullough
Fredric Lane
Tracy Leah Ryan
Angie Hart
Production no. 1AGE10
Original airdate 19 August 2003 (MundoFOX)
Episode chronology
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"The Message" "Objects in Space"

"Heart of Gold" is the thirteenth episode of science-fiction television series Firefly created by Joss Whedon. It is the last of three episodes that were not broadcast in the original 2002 Fox run.

A Companion-trained friend of Inara's who runs a brothel calls for help from Serenity when a local bigwig reveals his intentions to take “his” baby from the girl he impregnated.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

At a ranch-like whorehouse in the middle of a barren land, a man in a hover craft, Rance Burgess, accompanied by thugs on horseback, approaches the madam, Nandi (played by Melinda Clarke), looking for "the girl." Despite Nandi's protest that "the girl" had left, the thugs drag Petaline, a nine-month-pregnant young woman, out to face him. He forcefully extracts a DNA sample from her to verify if the child is his, threatening to cut it out of her if need be. When the men leave, a group of women crowd around Petaline and Nandi, wondering who can protect the distraught mother-to-be from the ruthless tyrant.

Cut to Mal Reynolds, practicing his gun draw. Inara enters the dining area behind him and startles him with her greeting. He then claims that she didn't startle him and that "Bwaahh!" is a warrior's cry. As she leaves, he aims his gun and quietly growls "Bwah." Wash shortly arrives to announce a distress call, specifically asking for Inara. She talks to Nandi, an old friend, on vidscreen, and offers to ask the Serenity crew to help. Overhearing the conversation, Mal muses about "a whole house full of Companions", but Inara corrects him, reluctantly calling them "whores". Mal seems bemused that they, unlike Inara, are "independent", and uncharacteristically dismisses Inara's offer to pay for the assistance. Inara, however, insists on keeping this "strictly a business arrangement". Zoe assembles the crew to explain the voluntary nature of this mission. Jayne predictably objects to such a risky humanitarian endeavor. Book tries to appeal to his seemingly non-existent altruistic side, but Mal quickly gains his support instead by pointing out the women's trade.

Arriving at Nandi's ranch, the crew is warmly greeted by the proprietor and her employees. Jayne eagerly takes advantage of their hospitality, Shepherd Book shares an awkward moment with two women in need of spiritual counseling, Simon goes to examine the soon-due Petaline (with River in tow), and Kaylee bemoans her own lack of attention from the doctor. Mal and Zoe discuss the situation with Nandi, who describes the poverty Burgess enforces on the locals.

That evening, Mal and Inara take a trip into town to allow Mal to size up their opponent. The odious Burgess only confirms Nandi's assessment. He also takes a second to show Mal his laser pistol, with an auto targeting scope. Shortly after the Serenity couple departs, Burgess gets his own confirmation — he is the father of Petaline's baby.

Returning to Nandi's ranch, Mal announces that Serenity will depart forthwith, rather than face "a monster who thinks he's right with God" and who won't back down after only a single thrashing from some temporary help. Nandi diplomatically acknowledges his need to protect his own people, but Mal clarifies that he expects to evacuate Nandi's people as well. Nandi, however, refuses to leave her hard-earned property and way of life, and Mal reluctantly accepts the challenge, admiring the streak of stubborn independence they share.

The Serenity crew gamely spends the next day and night building up the brothel's defenses and preparing some surprises for the villains. Zoe and Wash have a tense conversation (clearly not a new one) about having a baby themselves in the near future, and Zoe puts her foot down on the subject — they will have this child soon. Nandi shows off a prized collection of guns to Mal, slipping in some subtle queries about Mal and Inara's relationship, and observing that the two shipmates share a dislike of "complications". She talks about the Companion training she shared with Inara on the latter's home world, Sihnon. She says that Inara was in the running to become "house priestess" of House Madrassa when she suddenly left, without explanation, to travel among the Alliance worlds. Nandi had left before then, however, straining at the restrictions of Companion life. She moved to this border world and assumed control of the whorehouse (implying a hostile takeover), cleaning it up and making it a better workplace for "the girls". Mal and Nandi gradually move toward sex, pausing only when Nandi says "I ain't her", which Mal deflects without directly acknowledging her implication of his feelings for Inara.

Meanwhile, Petaline approaches delivery with Simon and a nervous Inara attending, both of whom reveal that they've never delivered a baby before (River unhelpfully contributes some of her typical odd pronouncements and behavior). That evening, back in town, one of Nandi's girls, Chari, reports to Burgess on Mal's preparations. After making an angry speech to his men implying women's ordained place as submissive servants to men, he makes Chari kneel before him to perform "a few more chores".

The next morning, Mal arises from Nandi's bed and stumbles into Inara in the hallway. As he tries to make excuses, Inara calmly acknowledges his sleeping with Nandi, even thanking him for comforting her friend, and suggests that Companions don't feel embarrassed about sex because of the lack of puritanism that Mal exhibits on the subject. But later, she sobs deeply in private.

Mal reviews the state of their defenses with his people and gives some last-minute advice to the worried women. Nandi looks in on Petaline, whom Inara is coaching while Simon prepares for the delivery. The two Companions share a look, and Nandi realizes that Inara is much more attached to Mal than she let on. When Nandi starts to discuss this with Mal, they are interrupted by "imminent violence" from Burgess's approaching forces. Burgess's men have gained prior access to Serenity and ambush Wash and Kaylee as they board. Wash and Kaylee have their hands full avoiding fire and are unable to answer Mal's call for air cover assistance.

The battle begins, with the villains using automatic and laser weapons on the ranch house and its occupants. Jayne deftly takes out the machine gunner, and Book works a Kaylee-rigged fire hose to put out fires caused by the laser gun.

Back on Serenity, Wash lures the invaders into the rear hallway, and Kaylee locks them inside. The two shipmates belatedly realize, however, that they've locked themselves into their opposite's rooms — pilot Wash in the engine room, and engineer Kaylee pointlessly able to reach the bridge.

Character Mal confronts Burgess
Character Mal confronts Burgess

As Petaline gives birth, the traitorous Chari lets Burgess inside. He quickly storms into the delivery room, taking the newborn boy. Nandi overhears Petaline's cry of despair and heads off the departing Burgess. Inara sneaks up behind him and puts a knife to his throat, allowing one of Nandi's girls to recover the child. Burgess gets the drop on Inara, however, shoots Nandi, and escapes. Mal arrives too late to save Nandi. He and Inara grieve for a moment over the fallen woman, then have a silent conversation of looks that impel the rage-filled ship captain to pursue the kidnapper and murderer. He ultimately captures the man and drags him back to the ranch, setting the unrepentant and unbowed man on his knees before Petaline and their baby. She cheerfully introduces baby Jonah to his father, then shoots him in the head, execution-style. Petaline tells the remaining thugs to "go on home", and orders the treacherous Chari to accompany them. The girls and the crew have a funeral for Nandi, during which one of the girls, Lucy, (played by Australian singer, Angie Hart) sings "Amazing Grace". Serenity then departs.

Back on the ship, Inara reiterates her gratitude that Mal was able to comfort Nandi on what turned out to be her last night, but Mal can only regret his failure to save her. As Mal tries to broach the subject of his and Inara's unacknowledged feelings toward each other, Inara muses about how Nandi created a family, and how that kind of shared strength and love makes people never want to break away. She then shocks Mal by announcing that she will be leaving Serenity.

[edit] Series continuity

  • When Mal first kisses Nandi, he pauses a moment, "waiting to see if I pass out". This refers to when Saffron knocks him out with a drugged "good night kiss" in "Our Mrs. Reynolds".
  • The events of this episode take place on an unnamed border world. Inara's home world, Sihnon, is mentioned in passing. According to creator Joss Whedon, Sihnon and Londinium are the two primary core worlds in the Alliance.

[edit] Foreshadowing

  • Inara announces her intention to leave Serenity; although she fails to act on it during the series' sole remaining episode, she has been off the ship for some time by the time of the events in the subsequent film, Serenity.
    • The only scene from the TV broadcast of the subsequent episode "Objects in Space" which is not included in the episode as shown on the DVD set of the series is a dialogue between Mal and Inara regarding her decision to leave. The final episode as seen on the DVD alludes to her leaving the ship, while the broadcast version has alternate dialogue because "Heart of Gold" was never shown, so a reference to Inara leaving would make little sense to viewers.
  • Mal's reluctance to express his true feelings for Inara to her, which is seen in this episode, is seen once again in the comic book series Serenity: Those Left Behind when he drops Inara off at the training house but doesn't give her the goodbye he would like. He is later caught by Shepherd Book reciting this goodbye to himself.

[edit] Reception

"Heart of Gold" was nominated for a 2004 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hugo and Retro Hugo Nominations, <http://www.noreascon.org/hugos/nominees.html>. Retrieved on 22 February 2008 

[edit] External links

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