Serenity was the 2005 cinematic conclusion to the canceled TV series Firefly, Joss Whedon’s beloved but unpopular “cowboys in space” show that lasted only one season on Fox.
The Serenity movie is a masterclass of scriptwriting, with tight characterization and an engaging plot full of memorable lines. Few went to see it in theatres, but for those who’ve discovered it since then, here are the most memorable lines.
"Shiny"
In the future, intrepid earthlings will use a new form of slang, including Chinese terms and the repurposed word “shiny.” For the crew of the spaceship Serenity, this means a variety of things, as it appears more than once in the script.
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Firefly / Serenity fans - called “Browncoats” - make use of this term to describe something as well and good and not worth dwelling on. Use it at your own discretion.
"We’re All Just Folk Now"
The crew of Serenity are interplanetary outlaws, who perform illegal activities while trying to stay one step ahead of the planetary Alliance. The beginning of Serenity finds them robbing a small-town bank, wherein lies a larger haul than it initially seems.
At gunpoint, one of the staff opens the vault and comments that Mal and his colleagues once fought for independence from the “meddling” Alliance - which prompts Mal to assert that those battles are over, and “we’re all just folk now.” It's an admission of the loss of a noble purpose for the renegades and shows how far Mal has sunk in his pursuit of justice.
"Eta Kooram Nah Smech"
The story of Serenity starts and restarts several times before settling into the heart of the plot, which begins in earnest with brother and sister Simon and River Tam escaping from prison. Unknown to the Serenity crew, River has been trained in deadly combat, and her brother has installed a “safe word” to calm her down.
Once activated on a deadly rampage, she can only be defeated by force, or subdued with the Latin sounding phrase, “Eta Kooram Nah Smech.” Although not the most catchy line in Serenity, it's as formidable and memorable as the famous nonsensical line “Klaatu Barada Nikto” from The Day the Earth Stood Still and Army of Darkness.
"Reavers!"
In the fictional universe of Serenity, a mysterious and vicious race known as Reavers skulk about the galaxy in search of innocent victims. Think of them as space zombies - they attack and bite and disembowel, but can also apparently assemble and pirate spaceships.
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During the initial robbery, the brave crew barely escapes a Reaver incursion, and an unstoppable, horrible villain is violently introduced. More than mindless monsters, Reavers would play a pivotal role in exposing and overcoming the government forces that pursue the elusive Serenity.
"I Aim To Misbehave"
Although Mal and crew are wanted criminals, their crimes hardly seem vicious - they’re accused of being merely “petty thieves” at one point. So their turn to more destructive, deadly methods is a bit jarring.
But characters in Serenity are nothing if not self-aware, and Mal justifies their illegal behavior by saying “I aim to misbehave.” It's one of the more quotable lines on this list, especially as it invokes the spirit of Harry Potter, who must “solemnly swear [he is]up to no good” at one point.
"I'm Gonna Have To Go With Wrath"
Another quotable line occurs near the end of the movie, when Mal battles the relentless Operative in a final fistfight in Mr. Universe’s lair. Sensing victory, the Operative suggests Mal will be defeated because of his adherence to the Seven Deadly Sins.
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After the hero overcomes his nemesis, he suggests he’ll seek revenge by indulging in “wrath” - which shows the unforgivable lengths Mal will go to help his crew.
"That’s Not Incense"
Whedon’s scripts are nothing if not clever, with characters that are continually able to mock themselves and the situations they're in. The best illustration of this comes when Mal attempts to rescue ex-girlfriend Inara from a trap set by the Operative.
In an innocent but cunning maneuver, Inara lights a candlewick just prior to Mal’s confrontation with Alliance forces at her resort. When the Operative lectures them that Mal is “not the plucky hero, the Alliance is not some evil empire, and this is not the grand arena,” Inara retorts “and that’s not incense,” before a flash-bomb erupts and the couple escapes.
"He Killed Me With A Sword"
The Serenity crew’s recruitment of fast-talking Mr. Universe ends tragically for him, as he’s killed by the Operative after they infiltrate his base of operations.
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But Mr. Universe is able to leave a clue to unraveling the Alliance with his dying breath, as he records his final thoughts to his companion “love bot,” Lenore. Her parroting of his instructions for Mal - prefaced with “he killed me with a sword” - offer a final signpost in a strange but memorable way.
"Miranda"
One of the biggest clues to the struggles awaiting the Serenity crew come early from the lips of the sporadically deranged River - after watching a subliminal advertisem*nt at a refuge bar, she utters one word - “Miranda.”
Even her brother Simon doesn't know what this word means - is it a person, a place, or something more sinister? Their eventual discovery of Miranda - and all the horrors that it entails - set in motion the final set-piece of the movie. Any fan who’s seen Serenity more than once will have a hard time thinking of this name in any other way.
"I’m A Leaf On The Wind"
Poor, affable pilot Hoban “Wash” Washburne, the faithful and quieter member of the Serenity crew who’s counted on to fly his colleagues out of trouble again and again. Prior to crash-landing at Mr. Universe’s base, Wash asserts that he can avoid a mid-air accident because he’s “a leaf on the wind.”
His impromptu mantra doesn't sit well with Mal (“what does that mean?”) and would prove useless in warding off a tragic, deadly blow. Writer/director Whedon is known for sacrificing minor characters in his movies - think Agent Coulson in the Avengers- and Wash’s final words of hope are dashed with the audience’s expectations in memorable fashion.
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