Joss Whedon's cult classic Firefly attempted to wrap up all its loose ends with the 2005 follow-up film Serenity, but Jewel Staite still wishes they could have touched on a specific plotline.
Despite the controversy surrounding Firefly's creator, the sci-fi western is a show that never seems to fall out of fashion. Following the rag-tag group of criminals led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), Fox canceled the show before the season ended. The cancelation was a twist in the knife for the cast and crew because of the network's failings. Fox aired the episodes out of order, even though Firefly had one of TV's best opening episodes. Nonetheless, fans persevered and were rewarded with Serenity, essentially the show's second season of the show. But even though there has been no new content for almost two decades, the fan following remains strong.
Staite, who played mechanic Kaylee, still gets questions about potential plotlines going forward. The L.A. Complex actor seems to be at peace with Firefly's conclusion, but there is one plotline she always wished she could have played. “Oh, I just wanted her to be a mom,” Staite confessed to TVLine. “I think Kaylee would have made a wonderful mother, and I love the idea of a baby being on the ship and raising the stakes so much.”
Staite added that one of these stakes would, of course, be Mal. As Firefly's typical archetypal captain character, he was known for bottling his feelings and being committed to whatever crime caper they were on. Adding a child on board amid gunshots and duels would make the captain uncomfortable. Staite loved the idea of Mal being out of his comfort zone with a child.
As the most maternal of the group, there is no doubt that Kaylee would have chosen the path of motherhood, though we never got to see it. Even the feature film wouldn't allow the character to reach her full potential. Kaylee and resident doctor Simon (Sean Maher) slow-burn relationship finally culminated at the end of Serenity. Unfortunately for fans, Staite's dismissal of reviving the series is pretty realistic. Whedon's abuse on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer set has become public knowledge, tarnishing any future the show may have.
This is a shame for the relationship between Kaylee and Simon and Mal and Inara (Morena Baccarin), who had the most tortured will-they-won’t-they dynamic in the show. That is the tragedy of the current reboot culture fans find themselves in. Practically anything and everything is being revived and peddled to the masses. But the one series that was axed too soon and never got its fair shake is the one that will most likely never see the light of day again. The only source of comfort for fans is revisiting some of the best episodes of Firefly's short season.
Firefly is currently streaming on Hulu.
Source: TVLine