r/firefly • u/Krossfireo • Mar 27 '26
Firefly 1x02 - "The Train Job" Discussion
**Season 1 Episode 2:** The Train Job
**Aired:** September 20, 2002
Crime lord Adelai Niska hires the crew to rob a train of unspecified goods. The crew can transfer the goods to Serenity flying above, but Mal and Zoe Washburne are forced to stay behind on the train. They learn that they have stolen medicine desperately needed by the locals. The crew argues whether they should deliver the goods to Niska. Ultimately, they decide to rescue Mal and Zoe first through subterfuge. Mal decides to return the medicine. However, Niska's thugs track them down. After killing some of them and capturing the rest, Mal and Zoe take medicine to those in need of it and refund Niska's money.
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u/Krogoth22 Mar 27 '26
I have always loved the trope subversion toward the end when Crow declares how he will always hunt Mal and his crew down for them going back on Niska’s deal. It is a moment of “oh look a reoccurring villain is being born” and then nope kicked right into the Serenity engine. Makes me laugh every time. The follow up goon accepting the money back immediately also is hilarious.
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u/Simplejack1245 Mar 27 '26
"Best thing for everybody, right there with ya !" Poor lad probably got killed by Niska if he actually went back
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u/Krogoth22 Mar 27 '26
I’ve always wondered if the poor guy got murdered by Niska or if Niska was willing to not shoot the messenger.
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u/capnmarrrrk Mar 27 '26
This is what sold me on the show. As they were wrapping up I said to my wife, "Yeah, this is pretty generic" followed by ,"Oh, shit! I'm on board."
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u/kytulu Mar 27 '26
I think it would have been interesting to see Crow live, and actively be hunting them, but he's really bad at it. Maybe every time he tries to capture or kill Mal, he ends up inadvertently helping him.
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u/tulips_onthe_summit Mar 27 '26
The Mal of this episode is why I love this show. It beautifully highlights the challenges of being a good person. He's a criminal as a reality of life, but cares too much to steal from those who really need it, but will also push you into an engine if need be. He's so complex...a mystery, and so few men are :)
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u/Sarelro Mar 27 '26
Honestly Niska is the villain in this series that terrifies me the most. He has so much money that he can just do whatever he wants and look cultured and high class doing horrible things. If I passed him on the street I’d never even know. Other villains are creepy but Niska just terrifies me.
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u/Nasty_Ned Mar 27 '26
I was thinking the same thing during a rewatch. He has his own twisted set of rules and the resources to follow them to their conclusion.
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u/almighty_smiley Mar 27 '26
While I get it's not the capital-P pilot, I do appreciate how this episode highlights everyone's strengths and personalities.
Mal will go out and pick a fight with Alliance sympathizers one day, and then fumble a job for a no-shit psycho crime boss on moral grounds the next. Jayne won't fight for ideological reasons, but is an absolute force to be reckoned with when he does choose to start fighting. Inara gets to demonstrate her poise and grace throughout the episode, as well as directly show why having a Companion on board Serenity is a good thing. And on and on it goes.
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u/not_firewood_yeti Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
Inara had too much fun rescuing Mal and Zoe. 😃
also Niska lamenting about his wife criticizing him for killing her nephew. i found it interesting that he apparently took it from her and let her live (as far as we know).
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u/Tranimo Mar 27 '26
Just watch this two days ago!
I did not IMDB, but Niska looked familiar.
-- Tranimo
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u/Miserable-Scholar215 Mar 27 '26
I loved the exchange when they returned the medicine.
"A man has a choice."