Mal and Zoe, or how much do I love you, Firefly.

[dangermousie]

I think the Mal and Zoe relationship has to be one of my favorite things about Firefly. I have never seen before, in a show, a situation where you have an attractive and straight man and an attractive and straight woman who are great friends, and have quite a shared past, yet there is no hint, no indication of any UST there, no past romance, no hidden regrets, nothing except friendship. I love it. They are friends and comrades in arms, and he is her Captain, and that is all there is. Which is so freakingly awesomely rare!

When Mal taunts Wash during torture that he never thought Wash was good enough for Zoe, whether there is any truth in that statement or not, you know he would not be thinking it because of repressed jealousy. When he tells him that he and Zoe are going at it like bunnies, you never think even for a second that there is either truth, or suppressed wishful thinking in that statement. No, it’s just Mal being Mal and trying to keep Wash alive for a bit longer (and making me fall for him just a bit more). There is no hidden grand passion, no secret tormented past. Zoe is happily married to a man who might get jealous of her loyalty to Mal and her obedience to his orders, but who never seriously thinks that Mal and Zoe are OTP.

And of course, at the end of that ep, when Mal and Zoe offer to go and boink because Wash demanded it during the torture, this is done as a complete jest (and the fact that Mal would joke that way also says volumes about the UST-free relationship. I would like to see him joke that way about Inara. Yeah, right.) and the lack of chemistry is remarkable, and any sexing, potential, past, or present, is explicitly dismissed.

Even in Buffy, this wasn’t the case. Xander had a thing for Buffy for years, and Willow for Xander (until her orientation change). But to have two best friends be just that, and no other feelings going one-way, both-ways, or any other combination is lovely. Woo-Hoo for Joss!

Comments

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

There's also Cordy and Wes on "Angel" - I mean, yes, they have that one kiss in Season 3 of "Buffy" but they both know it's not going anywhere, and their friendship (and with Angel as well) in the first two seasons of the show is lovely.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, but even Cordy and Wes had that half of S3 where she was chasing him and he was attracted to her. I have never seen a complete lack, which is neat.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

In "Buffy" and that was largely to show Xander how she'd moved on and whatnot - on "Angel" they're totally just friends and there's no chemistry and they accept that (but you don't watch "Angel", right?)

I think Aeryn and D'Argo have that kind of relationship on "Farscape" too, actually - they're really good friends. I'll have to take your word about "Firefly" ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Haven't seen Angel, yes ;)

The thing with Farscape, I always thought D'Argo was more of Crichton's friend than Aeryn's. He certainly took John's side in early S4. It's rather unusual to have best friends to be in a Firefly situation (though not unique, of course).

I actually don't think Aeryn has anyone on the ship except for Pilot, who is more of her friend than John's (I think Sikozu likes her better, but she is not a friend).

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

Nothing to add; you said it very well. It is extremely rare to see friendship portrayed this way between genders on television. It's very refreshing!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Love the icon!

[ayn-rand-fan-13.livejournal.com]

There is that sort of relationship between Veronica Mars and Wallace Fennel, where nobody even considers them as a couple. They just work together so well as friends. (Sorry, I'm obsessed). What I like about Firefly (or will like, once I actually see it) is that there is room for a lot of different sorts of relationships, because of a large cast of main characters.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nothing wrong with obsessing. I am an obsessive myself!

[ayn-rand-fan-13.livejournal.com]

*does the whole fist-pounding-heart thing with the peace sign* Power to the obsessives!
BTW, did you manage to catch Veronica Mars on UPN tonight?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nope. Was out with husband :)

[ayn-rand-fan-13.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. You have one of those "life" things. :)

[grace-om.livejournal.com]

I was so hoping that that was the way they'd go with Lee and Kara on BSG. You know, friends, comrades in arms, sometimes at odds, but always family. But then the end of Colonial Day and KLG...complicated things ::pout:: I don't know where the heck they're going with those two, but it's not a simple friendship uncomplicated by sex anymore :-/

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I actually liked the K/L dynamic, because I saw something there since the mini, so it felt OK they'd go that way (for one, they have sexy chemistry, unlike Zoe and Mal, for another, both Mal and Zoe have viable and interesting romantic interests).

Of course, I am a K/L shipper, so biased.