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Serenity 2: If I was Writing It

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To begin, this article is a little null-void, because my number one demand for the Serenity sequel, if it ever happens, is for Joss Whedon to be behind it all, meaning that any movie plan I could dream of writing up would never happen. I want this to be Joss Whedon’s show, mainly because it is the first thing you think of when you think of the writer. Buffy and Avengers Assemble may be his masterpieces, but ‘Firefly’ was the ultimate underdog show and the biggest example of ‘what could have been’. Part of me is glad that it was cancelled before its time, because in doing so, it has been catapulted into the history books and has reached fame, unheard of for a TV show. Also, the energy on the Firefly and Serenity set comes from an understanding between Whedon and all of his actors. They are all on the same wavelength, which is abundantly clear when you watch the film or the season. I want that energy in any potential Serenity sequel.

I think a Serenity sequel is possible. The actors seem game for it. The only actor who possibly might shy away from the idea of it is Alan Tudyk and he was (SPOILERS!) killed off in the last film. Nathan Fillion is massive these days, but he references his old Firefly character so much in his other work that I am sure that he would jump at the chance of returning to the story. The only other actor I am unsure about is Queen of the Nerds, Summer Glau. I would like to think she would come back, mainly because Whedon discovered her and the show does need her character to continue. The mystery of Summer Glau was partially tied up in the last movie, but there is still a lot of story there to explore. I reckon that if the script was bang on, there would be no doubt for an ensemble comeback. So, allow me to try and make that script.

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Two parts of bad news: my movie wouldn’t be ready yet. I want to catch up on the action years after Serenity. I want the gap between movies to be very clear (this also will make it easier to explain the absence of any actor who does not wish to return). True, there are clear signs of ageing already, but I think I want to see some more greying around the edges of the hairs. I want to see the wrinkles of hard battles etched around everyone’s eyes. These guys have had a tough life, running from the law and struggling to make a living from day to day. This story is about the crew realizing that they are ageing and can no longer carry on their desperate dash for survival. That is where the second part of bad news comes from. My Serenity story would be an epilogue, tying up every available point. I am not angry about lack of Firefly, because the movie was everything I dreamed of. I am only thinking of a sequel, because there are certain plot points hanging in the air: Malcolm and Inara, River. I aim to answer of all of these and give the show the send-off it deserves.

The story opens twenty years after the last film. There is no more Serenity crew. The gang has disbanded. Malcolm Reynolds is still in the ship, smuggling people across borders. He runs the operation himself and we can tell that the loneliness is getting to him. He cares for his clients, but there is a lack of banter between him and them. He walks the empty corridors of his ships, his eyes glistening with happiness at any older time. Then suddenly, he is attacked. An enemy ship, faster and better technology than he has ever heard of. Serenity is boarded and his clients are savagely murdered. The killer captures Malcolm.

She is Tania Monroe, an ex-Alliance enforcer. She has faced Malcolm before, but has always been outmatched. Here, she has left the Alliance and has found employment with an old crime-lord from the series, Niska. He has given her the materials she needs to finally catch her old nemesis and she uses her old connection to broadcast a transmission across the galaxy. She has caught Malcolm Reynolds, career criminal and a symbol for rebellion everywhere. She will execute him live on this transmission this time tomorrow and there is nothing anyone can do, but watch and wait for their dreams to be crushed. Much like ‘Dark Knight Rises’, she plans to let that slither of hope crush the rebellion from the inside out, as they try and fail to save their hero.

Out there across the galaxy, the transmission reaches the rest of the crew. Zoe is the first to receive the transmission. She has a younger scavenger with her, a young man called Yol that she has been training. He is good, but nowhere near as good as the people she used to fight alongside in Serenity. Ironically, it is Yol that gives Zoe the push to head out and find Malcolm, as she is reluctant to explore her past. Kayleigh and Simon Tam have a quiet life on a backwater planet as healers. Simon wants to stay with their idyllic life, knowing that Malcolm is as good as dead. Kayleigh knows that they owe Malcolm their lives on more than one occasion and convinces him to try and contact the rest of the crew. Jayne Cobb runs a fighting ring and takes some convincing to join the fight, but his good nature wins out. Inara has a life of her own now, married to a rich businessman. She appears happy, although we can tell it is slightly forced, but the second she hears that Malcolm is in danger, she gets up and leaves, prepared to drop everything for her old friend.

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They all meet up and prepare a plan. I am not going to lie, I haven’t thought very much further than this point. I think it is a good reunion storyline, has all of the triumphant returns and should bring all of the action that we want from the show, as well as the chemistry between the characters. There will be the new characters of Yol and Tania, as well as the old heroes we all love (if Christina Hendricks is game, she could also be a part of the rescue team in the movie). And of course, River is also hidden in this movie. I would only reference her with sad looks from Simon Tam, when an old friend asks about her. It would seem that she isn’t in the movie at all, too busy with shooting ‘Arrow’ or whatever is popular at the time. And then it turns out that she had a plan of her own all along and when the going seems at its bleakest, she appears with insane martial arts and saves the day. And of course, Malcolm Reynolds would get a chance to kick ass as well.

It leaves me with my final point. Who would play villain Tania Monroe? I wanted a Whedon regular to take the part. Eliza Dushku or maybe Alyson Hannigan? But is that too obvious? Then it hit me. Seeing as the Whedon fans would already be having their fan-boners stroked as it is, maybe my script and casting should try pleasing another area of fans. Which is why my actress of choice to portray the villain of the piece would be Stana Katic from Castle. Could you imagine it? Scenes of a kidnapped Nathan Fillion bouncing lines off of his Castle partner? Stana Katic could milk the villain part for all its worth and we would be grinning from ear to ear at the clash of the two leads. I would pay to see that film.

So what do you guys think? Am I on to something? Or have I just ruined the franchise for you? Who would you cast as a villain? And have I missed anything? Comments please.