Firefly: Exploring Wash & Zoe’s Relationship - GameRant

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Most often, romances on television show couples meeting, falling in love, overcoming obstacles, and eventually getting together. Sometimes there's a will-they-or-won't they, on-again-off-again dynamic; other times a show's creators will keep the couple together and explore their deepening relationship. It's not nearly as common, though, to portray a couple that has already been through the beginning stages and has built a solid foundation. Married couples appear plenty on television, but often, they are shown bickering or are even resentful of each other, and their relationship serves as a point of drama or contention. It's actually quite rare, on TV, to see a couple in an existing healthy relationship, and to see the show explore their dynamics without breaking them up.

One such relationship can be seen in Joss Whedon's Firefly, the prematurely canceled space western whose legacy reigns strong even twenty years later. Zoe and Hoban Washburne (the latter of whom is known simply as "Wash") have been wed for some time by the start of the show. Their relationship isn't flawless, as they are not flawless people, but its portrayal reflects something not often seen in TV shows: a couple who have already built their foundation, and work to keep it in good shape as they care for each other.

Living In Love

Audiences do see these two meet for the first time, during a flashback during the episode "Out of Gas" when Zoe declares that "something about him just bothers [her]." Viewers don't get to see the journey they took to get from that first meeting to the moment the wedding bells rang, but that's part of what makes the relationship unique. It's not about their falling in love; it's about their living in love.

Many onscreen couples that are already married, or have been together for some time, are portrayed as having lost their spark, bickering for laughs or wandering in their affections for the sake of drama. Their everyday interactions don't involve romance or intimacy outside of specifically romantic or intimate scenes. Zoe and Wash, on the other hand, rarely share a moment onscreen without some sort of physical contact. They squeeze each other's hands as they sit down in the mess for dinner; they share kisses to celebrate heists well done. Even when hauling goods off the ship, they take a moment for a peck on the cheek, or walk with a hand on the other's waist. They make suggestive jokes to each other about naked beaches and slinky dresses, as well as less subtle comments about their attraction to each other. Not only are they physically intimate, but they show their love in little, everyday ways: for example, Zoe saves Wash a plate when he's busy during dinner; Wash refuses to leave Zoe's side anytime she's injured. They always have each other's backs in tense situations.

The two of them are a classic example of opposites attract. Zoe is levelheaded and often quite serious; Wash is a bit of a goofball. Their relationship works not despite their differences, but because of them: she keeps him grounded, while he brings out her sense of humor. Of course, that doesn't mean that their differences never lead to disagreements — but they don't let those disagreements tear them down.

Arguments & Resolutions

Every long-term relationship has its disagreements and points of contention, and Wash and Zoe are no different. The difference between them and many other TV couples, though, is that arguments between the two are always resolved by the episode's end. In any episode that features a lover's quarrel between the two, their actions following the argument only serve to reaffirm their loyalty and love for one another.

The main plot of the episode "War Stories" leans heavily on one such argument between Zoe and Wash. The latter is upset that his wife lied to him about her thoughts on his plan for selling stolen goods, wishing he had told her the truth rather than having the captain reject the plan instead. This escalates into Wash displaying jealousy over the closeness between Zoe and Mal, as he believes she takes the captain's side over his. Zoe, meanwhile, grows frustrated that her husband doesn't trust her judgment as he accuses her of blindly following Mal. The two have a heated argument on the ship's bridge, and when Wash and Mal leave for a delivery, things are still tense all around.

All that goes out the window, though, when Wash and Mal are snatched and tortured by an old enemy. Zoe immediately goes into rescue mode, and when criminal mastermind Niska tries to make her choose which of the two to take back with her, she makes no hesitation, cutting him off and immediately taking her husband back. Of course, as a tactically-minded veteran, Zoe probably knows that Mal can withstand torture longer than Wash — but her heart is leading her here, and erases any doubts Wash had about her loyalty to him. By the episode's end, the crew is safe and the tension between the wedded couple has dissolved — the fight is over, and their relationship is stronger for it.

Realistic Relationships In An Unfamiliar World

One of Firefly's greatest strengths as a series lies in how real and honest its characters feel, and the relationship between Wash and Zoe is part of that. From the nature of their squabbles and the ways they resolve them, to the simple gestures they perform for each other and the simple way they look at each other, viewers can see real-life relationships reflected in the characters' marriage. It's not something seen often onscreen, where such relationships are usually dramatized. In a science fiction world like that of Firefly, the down-to-earth portrayal of Wash and Zoe's marriage offers something that viewers can relate to, creating a deeper connection between the audience and the world of the show.

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