Firefly Reflection: Episode Eleven

"Heart of Gold", the most western of this space-western series, was one of my favorite episodes yet. I found it high-paced and entertaining, with enough solemnity and character development to keep me emotionally invested. The one thing I could have done without in this episode is Jayne's lecherous behavior once in the brothel. This episode had more than  enough sex without including his romps.

I would argue that this episode dealt--and dealt well with--the issue of misogyny. Because this barren western town on a vague planet in space with its patriarchal structure was enough removed from our modern America, this discussion could be (and was) very straightforward. "Heart of Gold" did not dance around the issue of misogyny, but exposed and condemned it.

In this episode men, particularly the whim-abiding Rance Burgess, were seen verbally, physically, and sexually abusing women. Some of these women fought the abuse. The brothel's owner, Nandi, had taken over its ownership from a man who ran it like a dumb and treated his employees horribly. Once her baby was safe and secured, Petaline walked up to her ex-client, Rance, and shot him in the head. (In my own, I could hear the cheers of misandristic feminists.) One other displayed more internalized misogyny, selling the secrets and whereabouts of her sisters from the brothel in exchange for a bag of silver...and forced sexual favors. This girl, though she looked disgusted by her public degradation, accepted the abuse. These goings on were clearly displayed as what they were: episodes of abuse from men, imposed on their female subjects.

"She understands a whore's place, don't she? ...Let us all remember, right here and now, what a woman is to a man!" These shudder-worthy phrases were made by Rance, blatantly displaying his sexism and violence.

Even the crew was not guiltless. As mentioned above, Jayne was delighted to find himself in a brothel, with scores of women at his fingertips. That being said, the others kept their hands to themselves--until a tipsy Mal was propositioned by Nandi, an encounter that later made Inara cry.

I believe that the issue of misogyny was dealt with well because, though spelled out neatly for the audience, it was in a time and place well removed from our own. Despite this distance, the manner was similar, and enough to spark recognition in those watching.