Firefly was a space western television series created by geek guru Joss Whedon that ran on Fox beginning on September 20, 2002. Only 11 of the 14 episodes ran before the series was canceled. However, unprecedented fan response and massive DVD sales allowed for a well-received feature film called “Serenity”. The saga now continues in books, comics and the love of its’ fans.

The series was set in 2517. Taking place in an unnamed solar system, the story takes place across a series of worlds and moons which were terraformed and filled with refugees from the used up “Earth that Was”. The culture of this system is a fusion of English and Chinese customs and language. Many of the inner worlds were forced to become part of the Alliance. Several of the outer worlds had more freedom but lacked the amenities and opportunities of the Alliance worlds. They also have to deal with the Reavers, a cannibalistic group of nomads that have become animalistic and savage.

The series follows the misadventures of the crew of the Firefly class ship Serenity as they try to eek out a living through sometimes criminal means as they try to stay out of the hands of alliance forces. Here, Funko has created their amazing POP! figures based on five members of the crew in their (hopefully) first run of figures. All figures come in the “big head, big eyes” Funko POP! style.

#135 Captain Malcolm Reynolds
Released by FunKo in 2014

Captain Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds is the owner and captain of the Serenity. He was a former sergeant in the Independent army, nicknamed the Browncoats for their distinctive outer wear in the Unification War. He named his ship after the Battle of Serenity Valley, which is believed by many to be the down turning point for the Independents. He is passionate, stubborn and fiercely loyal to his crew. The figure comes with his aforementioned Browncoat and his trusty sidearm drawn.

#136 Zoe Washburne
Released by FunKo in 2014

Zoe Alleyne Washburne is Mal’s second in command aboard the Serenity and she was also his corporal in the Unification War. She is a capable and completely unflappable fighter, no matter how dangerous the situation. She is also completely loyal to the Captain, except in matters concerning her husband, Wash. Her figure is holding her omnipresent sawed off shotgun, ready to defend the ship.

#137 Hoban Washburne
Released by FunKo in 2014

Hoban “Wash” Washburne is Serenity’s pilot and Zoe’s husband. He is deeply in love with his “warrior woman” wife and a bit jealous of the “war buddy” closeness between Mal and Zoe. He was courted by several other ships before joining Serenity. He is light-hearted and is prone to make amusing comments when the situation gets grim. His figure wears one of his ubiquitous “Hawaiian” shirts and holds one of the dinosaurs that adorn his console on Serenity.

#138 Jayne Cobb
Released by FunKo in 2014

Jayne Cobb is the “muscle” on Serenity. He is a mercenary who joined Serenity after he and two other mercenaries got the drop on Mal and Zoe but switched sides when Mal offered him a bigger cut of their earnings and his own bed. When his former partners protested, Jayne shot them. Jayne often portrays the “lummox” but is actually cunning and displays a lot of common sense. He cares for the crew but money sometimes gets the better of his common sense. He is a hero to the “Mudders” of Canton who have a statue of him and a song about him (although the truth is he was saving his own behind when he earned the honors.) Jayne’s figure wears the “cunning” hat that his mother knitted him to keep him warm in space and he carries his most beloved rifle “Vera”.

#139 Kaylee Frye
Released by FunKo in 2014

Kaywinnet Lee “Kaylee” Frye is the mechanic of Serenity and despite having no formal training; her natural mechanical aptitude keeps the ship in the air. Kaylee has a bright, shiny and positive attitude. She is sweet and chipper which often brings the rest of the crew out of their bad moods. She loves her ship and genuinely loves the entire crew. She has an affinity for strawberries and girly things, to the chagrin of Mal, who only sees her as his mechanic; a job where girly things are useless. Her figure wears a girly pink shirt under her well worn coveralls and she holds a wrench, ready to dive into Serenity’s engine as needed.

Hopefully Funko POP! will come out with figures for the rest of the crew: Simon and River Tam, Inara Serra and Sheppard Derrial Book. There is a number of interesting possibilities for the fifth figure: a reaver, the Operative from the Serenity movie, Saffron, the “Blue Gloves” or even Serenity herself.

Firefly, at its core, is about love and family and that is what draws people to all aspects of it, these figures included. The family you were born into isn’t always as important as the family you chose. Despite hardships, betrayals and secrets, the people on Serenity slowly became a family. And as Mal famously said…

“Do you know the first rule of flyin’?  Love. You can learn all the math in the ‘Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don’t love; she’ll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she’s hurtin’ ‘fore she keens. Makes her a home. “

Love and family. I think those are two pretty good things to build a universe around.