One of the best characters from theFireflyfranchise is deserving of a redemption arc for the potential revival. Rumors continue to circulate regarding a potential reboot of the series, and there have been theories about what the story could center around, including one thatreplaces Nathan Fillionwith Wash and Zoë’s daughter, Emma. Above all else, a reboot has the potential to give one villain another shot at glory.
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the Operative,the antagonist ofSerenity, Firefly’sbig-screen motion picture follow-up. By the movie’s end, a haunting recording led to the Operative reaching a parlay of sorts with Captain Mal’s crew after offering medical assistance to Team Serenity and telling the Alliance that they were no longer a threat. This offered hope for a redemption arc thatFireflyfans would never see until 2014’s comic book sequel,Serenity: Leaves on the Windby Zack Whedon and Georges Jeanty.
TogiveFireflyfans the Operative redemption they always wanted, adapting the full six issues ofLeaves on the Windmay be the best route to go.
Firefly’s"the Operative" Gets the Comic-Book Redemption Arc That Fans Wanted to See inSerenity
It All Begins inSerenity: Leaves on the Wind#1 by Zack Whedon, Georges Jeanty, Karl Story, Laura Martin, and Michael Heisler
As a sequel toSerenity,Leaves on the Windtries to give closure to the show’s most central characters and even correctFirefly’smost controversial scenes. Among the closures provided is for one ofFirefly’smost complex villains, the Operative, who confirms at the end ofSerenitythat he was no longer the Alliance’s right-hand man. But his fate after walking away from them remained open-ended. While the Operative is certain at the end ofSerenitythat they’ll never see each other again, Mal makes an effort to re-enter his life when he needs him.
The Operative nearly gives his life in a battle against the Alliance for the team he once hunted on their behalf.
When Zoë is captured and sent to a prison camp, Mal seeks the Operative’s help, and his understanding of the Alliance proves useful in planning their rescue mission. However,the Operative’s redemption truly arriveswhen Team Serenity realizes that they are walking into a trap, and the Operative urges the team to continue without him. Even though the Operative is convinced that he can handle the coming fight alone, there’s still no guarantee in his mind that he’ll survive, as evidenced by the hard-fought battle. The Operative nearly gives his life in a battle against the Alliance for the team he once hunted on their behalf.
When all is said and done, their mission is a success, and Zoë is back home with her newborn baby, Emma. The comic series ends much the same way asSerenity, in that a mutual understanding and brief alliance allows the Operative and Captain Mal Reynolds to part ways, but this time, that mutual understanding turns into mutual respect as both men part ways with a handshake. The handshake is an indicator that the Operative’s redemption is not only complete, butcompletely earned in theFireflystar’s eyes.
AFireflyRevival Can Follow Up on the Operative’s Whereabouts Post-FireflyComic
What Is the Operative Up to After theSerenity / FireflyComic Books?
Before they shake hands, the Serenity ship drops the Operative off on the planet Theophrastus, and, initially, it seems as if he’ll embark on a new hero’s journey. That is, until he is confronted by Zoë, who reminds the Operative that her husband died trying to escape him. The Operative understands that Zoë might want her revenge, and he merely promises to defend himself.The Operative’s fate is left open-ended, as it’s unclear if Zoë commits to her vengeance off-panel or if she spared a changed man’s life.
This iswhere a proposedFireflyrevival can pick up. WithLeaves on the Windbeing an official canonical storyline within theFireflyfranchise, a sequel, whether it happens onscreen or on-panel, can finally confirm the whereabouts of the Operative after this interaction. It could be as simple as Zoë confirming that she killed the Operative on that fateful day, or it could be her coming to terms with letting the man who indirectly killed her husband roam free. In the latter case, a sequel can show how and if the Operative has committed to walking a new path.
A Redemption Arc for the Operative Further Complicates Firefly’s Hero/Villain Alignments
The Heroes Act Like Villains and the Villains Have Heroic Characteristics
InSerenity: Leaves on the Wind#4, where he fights his replacement, an operative named Denon, the Operative is told that no matter what he does, he can’t change who he is.“Yes, I know that,“the Operative answers, but this interaction doesn’t stop him from protecting the Browncoats. Being equal parts resilient and noble is whatmakes the Operative ripe for a hero’s journey. Then again, these are traits which he originally displayed in theSerenitymovie. He always displayed heroic characteristics, while the Browncoats always leaned more on the anti-heroic - practically villainous - side.
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One scene inSerenityshows the Operative ready to have a civil conversation with Mal, but the moment he mentions being unarmed, the Captain shoots him. That’s not the sign of a hero, and it speaks to some truths thatFireflyfans may not like. The Operative’s warrior code made him more of a hero than theFireflycrew ever were. TheFireflycrew were desperate to survive the terrors and scarcity of the ‘verse. They do some terrible things as a result. The Operative, especially in seeking retribution, maintains the heroic qualities that make the formerFireflyvillain deserving of redemption.
Serenity: Leaves on the Windis available now from Dark Horse Comics.
Firefly
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Firefly is a science fiction television series set in the year 2517, focusing on the crew of the spaceship Serenity. As humans inhabit a new star system, the renegade crew, led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds, navigates conflicts and alliances while pursuing their own interests across lawless territories.
