Joss Whedon had a hit on his hands with Firefly, even if nobody else knew it. The Fox network sure didn’t. That didn’t stop Whedon from placing a clever little easter egg in the pilot episode of the cult classic series that’s had us wildly speculating ever since.
Firefly arrived in 2002, but a handful of years earlier, Josh Whedon wrote the first draft of the script for Alien: Resurrection. Though his initial script was heavily abandoned, it’s to be noted that he’d certainly leave his mark on the Alien franchise one way or another.
In the very beginning of “Serenity,” Firefly’s pilot episode, we’re introduced to Nathan Fillion’s Malcolm Reynolds in the midst of the Battle for Serenity Valley. Before calling it quits, despite all signs pointing to his losing the battle, he powers up an anti-aircraft cannon to take down an Alliance ship. Just there, in the heads up display, top and center of the screen is the logo for Weyland-Yutani.
Weyland-Yutani, you may not remember, is the super-conglomerate corporation behind all the evil misdoings in the Alien franchise. Here’s a better glimpse at that logo.
You may also find it interesting to note that in Serenity, the film sequel to Firefly, one of the Alliance operatives claims they were “building a better world,” which echoes the slogan used in the Weyland-Yutani logo. The Alliance in the Firefly verse is the evil imperial entity threatening the freedom of its citizens. Could WY and the Alliance be connected somehow?
More likely this is just a big easter-egg, but a geek can dream. The timeline does fit. Alien takes place during the year 2122, whereas Aliens and Alien 3 take place in 2179. Alien: Resurrection takes place in 2379, 200 years later. Firefly takes place during the year 2517, so roughly 138 years after the last chronological Alien film. Perhaps there’s a good reason Earth That Was is no longer habitable.
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Happy Alien Day! #alienday426
Geekritique
Also, apparently, Firefly-class ships have been flying around the universe since back in the Battlestar: Galactica days … http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/97301/did-serenity-really-appear-in-battlestar-galactica
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Ah yes. That will be a fact for a future date. Good catch😉
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This is so interesting! More conversations need to be had about this.
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!!!!!!!! Two of my favourite franchises! i knew this, but it makes me happy other people out there were aware this is a thing. In Joss we trust, and in outer space epic adventures :3
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This was a fun read! Thanks for the like on my podcast episode. It means a lot that you dropped by!
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Mind: blown.
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I did notice that WY logo when I watched Serenity and was intrigued. Didn’t know of the Whedon connection though. Nice spot that!
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When I watched Alien: Resurrection a few years ago, I kept saying to myself, “This all seems so familiar.” Then during the end credits when I saw Joss Whedon’s name attached to the script it clicked. It was Firefly but with Aliens. It made me appreciate Resurrection a little more.
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It’s not the best of the Alien franchise. But it does feel very familiar, you’re right.
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Wow, really? You just had to go and pick the scab that is Firefly today, didn’t you? Here I was, having a nice morning, sipping on my Monster and you had to rip that band aid right off. Thanks, bro – for nothing.
Browncoats forever….
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I’m so… Sorry?
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