Dark Horse Comics

Transcripts

 

Serenity 1/3

(click on the chinese to view a translation)

 

SCENE ONE

Open on exterior of church with voiceover: AND SO I SAY TO YOU ON THIS FINE DAY, CITIZENS OF CONSTANCE, THAT YOUR LIVES ARE NOT DEFINED BY THAT WITH WHICH YOU ENTER THIS WORLD, BUT RATHER WITH WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND ON IT.

Shot of church interior, the pews full of townspeople: OUR LIVES, FROM THE MOMENT WE ARE BORN TO WHEN WE DRAW OUR LAST BREATH, ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A SERIES OF COMINGS AND GOINGS.

Cut to pulpit, where SHEPHERD BOOK is preaching: IF WE LIVE OUR LIVES AS WE SHOULD, WE GIVE OF OURSELVES WITH EACH ENTRANCE AND EXIT. IF WE DON'T... WE TAKE.

 

SCENE TWO

Closeup on MAL: WELL, NOW...

Pull back to show JAYNE, MAL, & ZOE in a standoff against unseen baddies, as MAL continues: THIS IS A SITUATION.

JAYNE: REALLY? AND HERE I WAS THINKING IT WAS (1)

ZOE: SIR, IT DISTURBS ME THAT I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH JAYNE.

MAL: THAT MAKES TWO OF US. WHERE WERE WE?

Shift to view of baddies. The leader, a bald man with Chinese symbols tattooed down the sides of his face, is flanked by a blonde-haired woman, a large black man, and a short, scrawny guy holding two daggers.

LEADER: YOU WERE ABOUT TO SURRENDER THE COIN TO ME... [inset view of satchel full of bills and coins] ...OR I WAS ABOUT TO SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE. YOUR CHOICE.

MAL: DON'T SUPPOSE IT MATTERS TO YOU, OUR BEING HERE FIRST?

LEADER: YOU SUPPOSE RIGHT, THOUGH I DO APPRECIATE THE PREACHER YOU BROUGHT ALONG AS A DIVERSION. THAT WAS ALMOST INTELLIGENT.

MAL: YEAH. I USED TO THINK SO.

BLONDE WOMAN: CAN WE MOVE THIS ALONG, OTT? I COULD SPRAY THEM ALL DOWN IN A MICRO AND WE'D BE OFF THIS MISERABLE ROCK.

LEADER (OTT): YES, YOU COULD. IT'S YOUR CALL, MALCOLM.

JAYNE: C'MON, MAL... WE CAN DO THIS -- STARTING WITH THE FREAKY ONE. THERE'S TOO MUCH COIN AT STAKE NOT TO...

MAL: ZOE?

ZOE: I'LL BACK YOU EITHER WAY, SIR.

OTT: YOUR DECISION, MAL...

MAL: TAKE IT.

JAYNE: BUT MAL --

MAL: STOW IT, JAYNE.

JAYNE: [quietly] GORRAM.

OTT: [as BLACK MAN moves forward to pick up the satchel] I'LL HAVE THE CASH, MAL... AND YOUR GUN. I'VE A THING FOR ANTIQUITIES.

MAL: THIS THING'S GOING YOUR WAY, OTT. [quietly] DON'T MAKE IT GO ANOTHER.

OTT: YOUR GUN. NOW.

MAL: [holding up his gun] YOU KNOW, THIS HERE GOT ME THROUGH THE WAR... [cut to ZOE, listening] ...IT'S ONE OF ONLY TWO THINGS I CAN RECALL THAT DID, AND STUCK WITH ME AFTERWARDS.

OTT: THE WAR IS OVER, MAL.

MAL: YEAH. PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THAT.

MAL drops his gun, then kicks it as it falls, hitting OTT in the face.

OTT: GUT THEM. ALL OF THEM!!!

BLONDE WOMAN:  (2) [begins firing as MAL, JAYNE, & ZOE dive behind boxes.]

JAYNE: DON'T WORRY, MAL. I'LL FIX THIS  (3). [pulls pin from hand grenade]

ZOE: JAYNE, NO! WE'RE IN A VAULT. THE CONCUSSION ALONE'LL KILL US --

SCRAWNY GUY'S knife suddenly imbeds itself in JAYNE'S shoulder, causing him to drop the grenade.

JAYNE: AAARRRGGGHHH!

SCRAWNY GUY: [quietly] BOOM.

MAL reaches for the fallen grenade, but ZOE'S hand gets there first.

ZOE: CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT, SIR. JAYNE, MAYBE. NOT YOU.

ZOE throws the grenade across the room into an open safety deposit box, then fires her gun at the box door, slamming it shut.

 

Meanwhile, back at the church...

SHEPHERD BOOK: AND SO I SAY TO EACH OF YOU, THE TIME COMES WHEN YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE YOUR DECISION. WHAT TO TAKE FROM THIS WORLD, AND WHAT TO LEAVE BEHIND --

He is interrupted by a shrill alarm: WEEEEOOOOWWEEEE

TOWNSMAN: IT'S COMING FROM THE BANK.

The townspeople run out of the church, leaving BOOK facing rows of empty pews.

BOOK:  (4)

 

In the vault:

ZOE: THEY'RE GETTING AWAY.

JAYNE: THEY'RE GETTIN’ AWAY WITH THE MONEY.

MAL: THEY AIN'T THERE YET.

OTT and gang step into the elevator. MAL fires at them, but he is too late, and his shot hits the elevator door as it slides closed.

MAL:  (5)

 

SCENE THREE

JAYNE: [climbing out of a sewer manhole in a back alley] GONNA TAKE A WHILE FOR THE STINK OF THIS TO PASS.

ZOE: JUST A SEWER, JAYNE.

JAYNE: WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT THE SEWER.

MAL: NOW AIN'T THE TIME, JAYNE. UNDERSTOOD?

JAYNE: WELL, YOU JUST BE SURE AND SAY WHEN.

MAL: SO... THE JOB'S BUST AND I HAVE NO DOUBT OTT AND HIS HAVE ALREADY MADE IT OFF WORLD, AND EVEN LESS THAT THEY DID US THE FAVOR OF DOING SO QUIETLY. IT'S A FAIR BET HE'S TURNED THE WHOLE DAMN PLANET ON TO US, SO WE'D DO BEST TO SHUT OUR MOUTHS, KEEP OUR HEADS LOW, AND SEE IF WE CAN'T OBTAIN OURSELVES --

A large four wheeled monstrosity roars up to them and SSKKKRREEEEEEE's to a halt.

MAL: -- A VEHICLE. SHEPHERD BOOK. DIDN'T PLAN ON SEEING YOU SO SOON.

BOOK: I IMAGINE THAT'S RIGHT.

MAL: SHINY RIDE. CAN WE KEEP IT?

BOOK: NO, WE CERTAINLY CANNOT.

Everyone climbs aboard.

MAL: SO... HOW GOES THE FLOCK?

BOOK: AT THE MOMENT? TO THEIR HOMES. TO FETCH THEIR GUNS.

 

SCENE FOUR

Aboard Serenity, WASH is lounging in the pilot's chair, his feet up on the console. A voice sounds over the radio: =WASH.=

=WASH, YOU HEARING ME?=

=WASH.=

WASH jerks awake, almost falling out of his chair: MOTHER!

=WASH, I AM DECIDEDLY NOT YOUR MOTHER.=

WASH: RIGHT. BUT I ASSUME YOU DIDN'T CALL JUST TO TELL ME THAT...

=CHANGE OF PLANS. LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE LEAVING THIS WORLD A BIT SOONER THAN ANTICIPATED. I'D LIKE THAT LAST STATEMENT TO PROVE SPECIFIC AND MUNDANE, NOT SPIRITUAL-LIKE.=

WASH: GOTCHA.

=AND WASH...=

Cut to monster vehicle being pursued by several other vehicles *and* men on horses.

MAL: [into radio] HURRY.

 

SCENE FIVE

SIMON: [seen through camera lens] REALLY, KAYLEE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD EVEN WANT MY PICTURE...

=KAYLEE -- KAYLEE?=

KAYLEE: [to herself] ALL THAT SCHOOLIN', HE'S GOTTA ASK. [louder] WHAT'S UP, WASH?

=THE USUAL -- CRIME AND US TRYING TO AVOID THE PUNISHMENT. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE UP HOW AS WE GO. YOU WANNA MAKE LIKE A KITE?=

KAYLEE: YOU WON'T HAVE TO ASK ME TWICE, WASH. THE FRESH AIR'LL DO ME GOOD. MAYBE IF I BAT MY EYES OBVIOUS-LIKE, SIMON'LL BE A PRINCE AND HELP.

SIMON: I'M NOT A MECHANIC, KAYLEE. I DOUBT I COULD BE OF MUCH HELP WITH... WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

KAYLEE: YOU LET ME BE THE JUDGE OF THAT. 'SIDES, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS STRAP ME IN.

SIMON: [to himself] STRAP YOU INTO WHAT...?

 

Back on the planet...

MAL: PRAYERFUL GROUP YOU FOUND YOURSELF HERE, SHEPHERD. AND HERE I THOUGHT THAT BOOK OF YOURS HAD A THING IN IT ABOUT NOT KILLING FOLKS.

BOOK: IT DOES. COMES A BIT BEFORE THE ONE ABOUT NOT STEALING.

MAL: [fires at one of the pursuing vehicles, BOOK gives him a *look*] JUST DOIN' UNTO HIM AS HE'D A DONE TO ME.

JAYNE: STOP CHASIN' US! WE DON'T GOT YOUR DAMN MONEY! GO CHASE THE PEOPLE WITH THE MONEY!!!

ZOE: JAYNE, YOU YELLING LIKE THAT'S ONLY GONNA MAKE THEM WANT TO SHOOT YOU MORE.

JAYNE: HOW YOU FIGURE?

ZOE: BECAUSE IT MAKES ME WANT TO SHOOT YOU.

MAL: WASH, HOW'S PLAN B COMING?

Cut to Serenity hovering near an old water tower.

=WE'RE A WHISPER AWAY FROM YOU, MAL. YOU MAKE THE REFINERY AT THE EDGE OF TOWN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A WATER TOWER.=

Closeup of KAYLEE, suspended below Serenity in a harness, hooking a cable to the side of the water tower.

=DRIVE BENEATH IT. QUICKLY.=

MAL: YOU WANT I SHOULD TAKE THE WHEEL FOR THIS, SHEPHERD?

BOOK: I’D PREFER TO SURVIVE.

Interior of Serenity cargo bay as SIMON helps KAYLEE up through the open floor hatch.

=KAYLEE, WE READY FOR THIS?=

KAYLEE: ALMOST... [to SIMON] HOLD ON TIGHT. [wraps her arms around SIMON] WASH, WE'RE GOOD.

WASH: WELL, HERE GOES...  (6)

ZOE: [from back seat of monster vehicle] GONNA BE CLOSE!

Serenity banks away, pulling the water tower over and spilling its contents on the vehicles and horses chasing her crew.

JAYNE: GORRAM IT, I'M WET LIKE A DIAPER.

MAL: EVERYONE OFF AND ABOARD. I'VE SEEN ENOUGH OF THIS WORLD. [everyone climbs out except BOOK] YOU COMING, SHEPHERD...?

As Serenity blazes a trail through space, away from the planet...

KAYLEE: WELL, THAT WAS THE DAMPENING SORT OF HEROIC...

JAYNE: YEAH. MAN COULD CATCH HIS DEATH FROM THIS...

KAYLEE: [to herself] THAT'S NOT HOW I MEANT IT. [louder] DON'T BE SUCH A GROUCH, JAYNE. IT'S A HARD 'VERSE OUT THERE. AIN'T EASY GETTIN' PAID... [she looks to MAL, who says nothing. KAYLEE continues, subdued:] WE DID GET PAID, RIGHT...?

JAYNE: IS NOW WHEN, MAL?

 

SCENE SIX

MAL, pouring himself a coffee in the dining area, is startled by RIVER sitting under the dinner table.

MAL: RIVER? WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU--

RIVER: BALL OF YARN... ALL KNOTTED AND TANGLED WITH DIFFERENT WEIGHTS AND COLORS. [quietly] BUT PULL ONE STRING, YOU PULL THEM ALL...

INARA: THERE YOU ARE... I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER THE SHIP FOR HER.

MAL: [quietly] INARA.

RIVER: YOU CHEATED.

INARA: SIMON ASKED THAT I LOOK AFTER HER, AND RIVER WAS BEING SO KIND AS TO HELP ME PACK --

MAL: IF IT'S ALL THE SAME TO YOU, INARA, NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. AGAIN.

INARA: MAL, I'M ONLY TRYING TO SET A SCHEDULE FOR MY DEPARTURE. AND WHILE I CAN, AND HAVE, APPRECIATED THAT YOU HAVE A BUSINESS TO RUN... I MUST ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THAT I DO AS WELL.

MAL: LOOK, INARA, I'M GETTING YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO AS FAST AS I CAN. NOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT AS FAST AS YOU'D LIKE, BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY NEXT DOOR AND I'VE GOT TO TAKE WHAT I CAN ALONG THE WAY. TO BE CLEAR... I WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, AND UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT HERE. [walks away]

INARA: MAL...

RIVER: LET THE BALL OF YARN GO.

 

SCENE SEVEN

WHITEFALL.

Two figures walk up to a building guarded by a grizzled man wearing a ragged poncho.

GUARD: DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT TURN YOURSELVES AROUND AND GO BACK TO WHEREVER IT IS YOU COME FROM. THE MAN DON'T SEE NO ONE UNINVITED, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE.

Pull back from GUARD to reveal two men, then cut to the men's hands, which are blue.

BLUE GLOVES: TELL YOUR MAN WE'RE LOOKING FOR MALCOLM REYNOLDS, JUST LIKE HIM.

GUARD: I'LL TELL HIM AFTER YOU'RE GONE. UNTIL THEN -- WHAT THE?! [His eye begins to bleed]

Cut to view of a blue hand holding a small metal rod as GUARD'S face explodes with blood, RRRAAAWWRRK. Pull back to show the two blue-gloved men standing over the puddle that moments before was the GUARD.

BLUE GLOVES: [quietly] LOOKS LIKE WE'LL HAVE TO TELL HIM OURSELVES.

To be continued...

Chinese Translations
(from Firefly Chinese Pinyinary)
 

1 big lump of s*** - Back to transcript

2 Bastards! - Back to transcript

3 demon woman - Back to transcript

4 Oh Lord, You obviously know that I assist your work; oh, why must there be such trouble for me? - Back to transcript

5 F***! - Back to transcript

6 Let's watch how we die! - Back to transcript

 

Serenity 1 | Serenity 2 | Serenity 3

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