# Firefly/Serenity: Is all the action within one star system? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312 "2006-03-14T14:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/1 "2006-03-14T14:18:34Z")
I’m never clear on whether the society of human colonies in the Serenity/Firefly universe is an interstellar one, or all concentrated within one star system. The accounts from this article – [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance\_(Firefly)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_%28Firefly%29) – appear inconsistent on this point. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/2 "2006-03-14T14:23:56Z")
One very large star system with many terraformed planets. Serenity doesn’t have any FTL capability. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/3 "2006-03-14T14:24:42Z")
At the beginning of the movie, it’s explained that the settlers live in a single solar system which has dozens of planets and hundreds of moons. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/4 "2006-03-14T14:30:21Z")
After further consideration, I think it’s more like a group of star systems inside a larger one. Picture the end of _2001_ with Io, Europa, Gandymede, Callisto, and all the other moons orbiting the new sun that used to be Jupiter. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/5 "2006-03-14T14:31:00Z")
Also keep in mind that Joss makes it a point to avoid explaining how shit works. He doesn’t want Star Trek’s deflector dish and tachyon beam, he just wants to say “Go from point A to point B.” Yes it is one solar system which was terraformed almost wholy. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/6 "2006-03-14T14:32:38Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Serenity doesn’t have any FTL capability. Just that particular spaceship? Or does FTL technology not exist at all in the Serenity universe/society? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/7 "2006-03-14T14:37:09Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Just that particular spaceship? Or does FTL technology not exist at all in the Serenity universe/society? Hard to say. If anyone does have it, it would be the Alliance capital ships but we never really got to see the 'verse from their PoV. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/8 "2006-03-14T14:38:54Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > Also keep in mind that Joss makes it a point to avoid explaining how shit works. He doesn’t want Star Trek’s deflector dish and tachyon beam, he just wants to say “Go from point A to point B.” So there’s no hint given about how Serenity’s space drive works? Whether it’s a chemical rocket burning/expelling reaction mass, or something more exotic? ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/9 "2006-03-14T14:42:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So there’s no hint given about how Serenity’s space drive works? Whether it’s a chemical rocket burning/expelling reaction mass, or something more exotic? I think the biggest thing we know is that it is a fusion reaction or something. We also know the engine gives off radiation if they don’t shield it… other than that it’s pretty well left alone as far as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/10 "2006-03-14T15:04:28Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > After further consideration, I think it’s more like a group of star systems inside a larger one. Picture the end of _2001_ with Io, Europa, Gandymede, Callisto, and all the other moons orbiting the new sun that used to be Jupiter. No, it’s clearly one star system, with one sun. I think they’ve even got diagrams of it. I think it’s a brilliant choice. Gets rid of all the FTL problems, and makes the whole plot about conflict between societies that much more realistic. It’s also the most plausible future space civilization setup I think I’ve seen in TV or movies. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/11 "2006-03-14T15:06:57Z")
Joss has as much as possible not gone into just how any of the technology works. Which IMHO is a good thing; any explanation would just be Star-Trek-ish meaningless technobabble anyway. That being said, there have been some indications of how things work. The Firefly universe seems to include some quite capable artificial gravity technology, capable of providing internal gravity that persists for hours even after main power has been lost, as well as letting people walk around comfortably while the ship is undergoing a rough reentry. The ship has side-mounted engines which can act both as jet engines in an atmosphere and rockets in space, and a primary drive used in space which ejects sparkly yellow gas when activated. The main drive may be using some form of aritificial gravity technology to assist the propulsion. Everything (air and space propulsion, lights, and life support) seems to be powered of a central device that looks like a scrap heap on a rotisserie. It contains “Compression coils” and might be some kind of fusion reactor, although it seems perfectly safe to stand next to without radiation-shielding gear. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/12 "2006-03-14T15:13:59Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > No, it’s clearly one star system, with one sun. Not in the movie, though, which is probably the cause of **BG** ’s confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/13 "2006-03-14T15:16:13Z")
To be fair, one of the big reasons why the first thing you see in the movie is the diagram of the system is that it was _not_ clear from the series that it was all set in one system… It makes a lot more sense that way, but they felt the need to make that point clear. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/14 "2006-03-14T15:19:11Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Not in the movie, though, which is probably the cause of **BG** ’s confusion. See the post following yours. I thought it was made very clear in the movie. Not only the opening shot, but later on with River locating Miranda for Mal. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/15 "2006-03-14T15:21:19Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > To be fair, one of the big reasons why the first thing you see in the movie is the diagram of the system is that it was _not_ clear from the series that it was all set in one system… It makes a lot more sense that way, but they felt the need to make that point clear. Guess I was using old information then. The concept art that’s at Wikipedia must be from a fan’s perspective of the series. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/16 "2006-03-14T15:26:36Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Not in the movie, though, which is probably the cause of **BG** ’s confusion. Haven’t seen it. Still waiting for the DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/17 "2006-03-14T15:31:41Z")
I love Joss Whedon and Firefly but as with any of his shows you don’t just have to suspend disbelief, you have to take disbelief out to the woodshed and flog it into insensibility. There’s no way all those planets would be in the habitable zone of a single star system, but there you are. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/18 "2006-03-14T15:37:05Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > There’s no way all those planets would be in the habitable zone of a single star system, but there you are. Not necessarily. See post #4. (Also remember some of these planets were artificially terraformed.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/19 "2006-03-14T16:06:33Z")
Serenity [map](http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=6320). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312/20 "2006-03-14T16:17:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Haven’t seen it. Still waiting for the DVD. I meant that some of the continuity problems at Wikipedia might have been spawned by a difference between the movie & the series. > [@](#): > > _(Also remember some of these planets were artificially terraformed.)_ Some of which aren’t planets at all but are really moons orbiting gas giants. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-is-all-the-action-within-one-star-system/348312.md?page=2)