ship_manifesto

Title: Autumn Leaves
Author:

faith_of_borg
E-Mail: julia_hoffman2003@yahoo.com
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: Wash/Zoe
Spoilers: Up to the final episode of Firefly. Major spoilers for Serenity (the movie) as well.
Notes: Disclaimer: Translations of the Chinese spoken in the episodes quotes were provided on the website Dusk Til Dawn. A link to that site can be found in the general links section. Personally, I don’t know Chinese. I would like to thank

crack_van for helping me locate some wonderful Firefly fanfics.

grim_prime for convincing me to give the series a shot—and I would like to thank my entire Friends List for raving about the wonderfulness of the DVD’s of Firefly. And now, I would like to thank all of my beta readers. They include:

seandc and

hopefulnebula. And last, but not least: Thanks to

seandc for the banner at the beginning and the end of this essay.

Zoe: " If I'm going to wear a dress, I'd want something with some slink."
Wash: "You want a slinky dress? I can buy you a slinky dress. Captain, can I have money for a slinky dress?"
--A conversation from Shindig. Wash and Zoe discuss a dress in a shop’s window.

Introduction

Hoban "Wash" Washburne and Zoe Alleyne Washburne are quite possibly the Jossverse’s least dysfunctional couple. While they had their problems, they always understood each other. Whether settling arguments on Serenity through jokes or with fists, they were always fun to watch. And they were vital parts of the crew. This is basically a chronicle of their loves and loss, and the twists their lives took in order for them to meet each other.

title or description

Hoban "Wash " Washburne: The Pilot

"Oh, no! We’re all doomed! Who's flying this thing? Oh right, that would be me."
--A moment of humor from Bushwacked.

Wash: Pilot. Jokester. Geek personified. Our first sight of this man within the series is when he is playing with his dinosaurs at the pilot’s console. It sets the tone for how we will see him for the rest of the series.

Wash: Everything looks good from here...Yes. Yes, this is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land." I think we should call it..."your grave!" Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! Ha ha HA! Mine is an evil laugh! Now, die! Oh, no, God! Oh, dear God in heaven!
--Wash and his little plastic dinosaurs, from Serenity. (The episode, not the movie.)

Ah, Wash. This scene basically sets the tone for the endearing quirkiness of his character. Among Firefly’s cast, he seems to also have been its soul. He piloted the ship through many battles, and stayed relaxed throughout it. This is a man who could remain in a zen-like state, while facing Alliance ships. Piloting is (or was, at least) his life. Zoe, while never coming second, may be tied for Wash’s heart. Wash was the one who was always behind the scenes, making sure the crew made it to safety. Basically, he was the guy in charge of the get away vehicle after a heist.

Remember what I said about Zoe being tied for first place in Wash’s heart? It’s more than likely that she would come out on top. As proof that, consider when Saffron attempted to seduce him. He refused. Unlike Mal, who immediately gave in, and was knocked unconscious. Zoe admired his devotion. Plus, she would have either killed him or severely injured Wash if he tried to touch Saffron. This is Zoe we’re talking about! Not to mention that he would have also hated himself until the day he died.

Mal: Wash, how did--
Wash: Hey, I just got kicked in the head.
Zoe: My man would never fall for that [Chinese - "cheap floozy"].
Wash: Most of my head wishes I had.
--Zoe knows Wash very well in Our Mrs. Reynolds.

On that rare occasion when Wash felt jealousy over Zoe, it was because of Mal. In the episode War Stories, Wash was under the false assumption that Mal wanted her. A bit of torture and male bonding (during the torture) quickly dispelled that notion. Although, at the end of the episode, Zoe jokingly offered herself to Mal; Wash knew she wasn’t being serious.

Mal: Your husband has demanded that we sleep together.
Zoe: Really?
Wash: What? Mal, come on.
Mal: He seems to think it would get all this burning sexual tension out in the open -- you know, make a fair fight for your womanly affections.
Wash: No. That was the torture talking. Remember? The torture?
Zoe: Take me, sir. Take me hard.
Jayne: Now somethin' about that is just downright unsettling.

And that brings us to the Reavers in the movie. Wash proved his mettle by flying Serenity through Reaver space, and then as they were in the process of fighting. His piloting through that was incredible--and he remained zen-like to the end. There was a moment of shock and horror as the Reavers’ harpoon smashed through the window--instantaneously killing Wash, once the viewer has assumed that everyone is in the clear. (Of course, this is Joss Whedon. Expect the unexpected. Listen! That’s the sound of fans across the globe grumbling simultaneously.)

As in his final words, he soared one last time. "I'm a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar. . ."

He died as he lived; doing what he loved. May he rest in peace, in a ‘verse where nothing else will harm this sweet man.

Zoe Alleyne Washburne: The Warrior Woman

Zoe is a woman who has been through Hell, and survived with most of her soul and sanity intact. The fact that she can still love is more than likely due, in part, to Wash’s influence.

After living through the Battle of Serenity Valley, one would have expected Zoe to have become hardened and cold. However, this is not the case. While there may be a ruthlessness to her actions that is not all that she is. She is a woman who has lost much, but survives.

Underneath that layer, there is a maternal instinct. In private moments with her husband, she expressed the desire to have a child. In a unique switch, it was Wash who vetoed this idea. Their life was not safe for a child. One or the other would have been forced to raise the child alone.

Wash: All I'm saying is we're living pretty deep in the rough and tumble, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Zoe: Nor do I.
Wash: Well, I'm not sure now is the best time to bring a tiny little helpless person into our lives.
Zoe: That excuse is getting a little worn, honey.
Wash: It's not an excuse, dear. It's objective assessment. I can't help it if it stays relevant.
Zoe: I don't give a good gorram about relevant, Wash. Or objective. And I'm not so afraid of losing something that I won't try havin' it. You and I would make one beautiful baby. I want to meet that child one day. Period.
Wash: And this beautiful baby of ours, you don't mind that it's going to grow up on a spaceship?
Zoe: Worked fine for me.
--Zoe and Wash discuss their possible future. From Heart of Gold.

In the movie Serenity, she was put through the emotional wringer. From one emotion of happiness; to the horror of losing her husband for no reason. With Mal’s help, she focused her rage and grief into killing the Reavers. At that point, she wanted to die herself, but continued to fight. Fighting was all she had left. And she survived to properly grieve for Wash.

As she lit the candle at his tombstone, fans more than likely got tears in their eyes. Her lighting of the candle symbolized that she was going to at least try to continue to live.

She is both warrior and woman. She cannot function unless she is both. After all, she is human.

Together

The two of them worked well together as a couple. They were playful, mischievous, and flirtatious. A joy to see.

That was not always the case, however. Upon their first meeting, Zoe found something about Wash that she disliked. What he was, she could not be certain of. (Between the horrifying mustache and that Hawaiian shirt, I can understand her feeling of revulsion at first.)

Wash, obviously, never let her first impression dissuade him. While the details are unknown, except in fanfic, it is obvious that he somehow managed to win her heart, and wed her.

When one was seriously injured, that person refused to leave the other’s side. Take this scene from Out of Gas, for the perfect example of that.

Mal: Wash, I need you on the bridge.
Wash: Zoe's hurt.
Mal: And the doctor's gonna do everything he can. Meantime, I gotta have you on that bridge. We need to know how bad it is.
Wash: How bad? It's bad, okay, sir? My wife may be dying, here. So my feeling is it's pretty damn bad.
Mal: Wash...
Wash: I'm not leaving her side, Mal. Don't ask me again.
Mal: I wasn't asking. I was telling.
Wash: Chur ni-duh. (Screw you.)

Throughout their marriage, Wash and Zoe maintained an air of sweetness. You could tell they loved each other, based on looks they occasionally sent. During the episode Shindigthey even joked about what they would say upon Zoe’s death. In retrospect, this is a bittersweet moment, as it wasn’t Zoe but Wash who has since died.

Zoe: You could lock the door and keep the power-hungry maniac at bay.
Wash: Oh, no, I'm starting to like this poetry idea now. "Here lies my beloved Zoe, my autumn flower, somewhat less attractive now she's all corpsified and gross..."

When Wash is killed in Serenity, (the movie, not the episode) it is a shock to everyone. Personally, I was stunned. I believe there was a gasp of horror or two as well. It also fuels Zoe with the desire to win the battle--even at the cost of her own life. She isn’t killed, much to the relief of everyone.

At Wash’s graveside, Zoe wears the slinky dress that he had wanted to see her wear while alive. As she lights the candle on the tombstone--which contains a heartbreaking holograph of Wash as he was when he was alive--you know that it will be a while for her to pick up the pieces.

Zoe is a soldier, and she knows she can survive this. She will go on with her life.

Why I Love This Pairing

Wash/Zoe. I think they were a great couple, and have a very strong and committed marriage.

On Wash's side? He got a dose of seriousness from Zoe, and learned more about his wife each and every day. While he has had brief moments of jealousy about Mal, he trusts her implicitly. He knows she would never cheat on him; just as he would never willingly cheat on her. Saffron proved that without a shadow of a doubt. No matter how Saffron tried to seduce him, he still said no. No matter how much he must have been tempted.

Most of it was love, although there might have been a small portion that knew that Zoe could easily hurt him if he cheated. Prior to that episode, however, there was Bushwacked. He showed more of his sweetness and humor in his description of Zoe.

Wash: The legs. Oh yeah, definitely have to say it was her legs. You can put that down. Her legs, and where her legs meet her back. Actually, that whole area. That, and above it.

And later...
Have you seen what she wears? Forget about it. Have you ever been with a warrior woman?

He was being interrogated by Alliance troops, and said that. You wouldn’t think he would describe Zoe while under threat of arrest, but he does.

On Zoe's side? Wash allowed her to see the humor in life. Most of the time, she has been a soldier, and has grimly survived obstacles. Wash could make her laugh, and feel like a woman who was worshipped. From his offer to buy her a slinky dress; to his gallantness whenever he was around her. With him, she had even contemplated having a child--even though their life was extremely unpredictable and often dangerous. In that instance, Wash was the voice of reason.

Unfortunately, and in a shocking twist of fate, Wash was also killed because of that dangerous life. Speared through the chest by a giant Reaver harpoon, just as everyone thought they were safe. A strange curveball in life for Zoe--a woman widowed young.

Together they were a good pairing. And they will more than likely continue to thrive in fan fiction. I know for a fact that after the movie was released, there was more fan fiction to be found relating to them.

Recommended Reading

Finding Serenity: Anti-heroes, Lost Shepherds And Space Hookers In Joss Whedon’s Firefly, edited by Jane Espenson. This is a wonderful Firefly related book, which contains variously thoughtful and humorous essays. Included within its pages is an essay about the marriage of Wash and Zoe, written by Michelle Sagara West. (It is located on pages 97-104.)

Serenity: The Official Visual Companion. This book contains the shooting script of Serenity, as well as interesting bits of trivia on how the actors view the characters they play.

Websites

General

Alan Tudyk Online.
Firefly Web Directory.
Serenity in 2000 words or Less.
FireflyWiki.
Wikipedia Firefly Entry.
A Wash/Zoe discussion—Post-Serenity.
Dusk Til Dawn.

Fanfic Related

Flower & Leaf: A Wash/Zoe Archive.

Tabitha. Written by Fish and RSB. This story is equal parts funny and tragic. Zoe discovers she’s pregnant.

Zoe/Wash Drabble. This was written by

magikfanfic, and is a cute look at Wash and Zoe’s relationship behind the scenes of Objects in Space.

Blood on His Hands. What if Wash hadn’t died in Serenity? What if it had been Zoe? What would have been the reaction? This is written by

azuremonkey, and is a great twist on the scene.

All The Reasons Why. This story, written by

sk850, shows all the reasons why it shouldn’t have worked between Wash and Zoe—and how it really does.

Gone. Written by

aricadavidson. Post-Serenity Zoe talks to Wash. All I can say is it’s very sad, and wonderfully captures the grief.

Synesthesia. Post-Serenity, River speaks to ghosts. Wash is among them, and few believe her.

Big Damn Zombies, Sir. This was written by

shrift, and is a truly hysterical story. It is not set after Serenity, so everyone is still in one piece. Jayne’s a zombie—the crew manages to take it all in stride.

Pieces. Written by

dumbphilomel. This story is set after War Stories, and deals with the aftermath of that. It’s from Wash’s point-of-view, and is oftentimes very sweet.

Simply Perfectest. This story is set before the series, and is written by

voleuse. It shows Wash’s attempts at a courtship of Zoe. It takes a lot of work to get her to smile at him—something unexpected (but obvious) finally does the trick.

Like Breathing. This story is written by

velvetandlace, and shows the beginnings of Wash and Zoe’s relationship. Set before the series, and in Zoe’s point-of-view.

Tears by Proxy. Written by

poisontaster, and set Post-Serenity. River can sense the grief of a particular person. Very well-written.

So Many Things. Written by

dknightshade. Post-Serenity, Zoe thinks of all the things she’ll never get to experience now that Wash is gone. Very sad.

Virtuoso. Written by

agilebrit, and set before Wash and Zoe’s marriage. How Zoe went from being annoyed by Wash, to being his wife. Very lovely story.

The WZ Zone. This is a listing of quite a few interesting Wash/Zoe stories over at Fanfiction.net.

Fan Art

Zoe fanart. Made by

vandonovan.
Wash/Zoe Wallpaper. Made by