Earth That Was...Is a Mystery...

POSTED BY: firefly151
UPDATED: Friday, September 5, 2008 17:00
VIEWED: 5354
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FIREFLY151

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 12:06 AM

Joss Whedon created a whole galactic community with Firefly. It's got rich planets, dumpy planets, and all kinds of culture. But I'd like to know more about the history of this Firefly world.
Especially Earth That Was.

In the beginning of Serenity, River's 'teacher' says, "Earth-That-Was... could no longer sustain
our numbers, we were so many."

That obviously means the world was over-populated. So...were people left behind on the Earth? What was left behind? What inspired everyone to leave our solar system? What world powers were there? What did they become? Does anyone still care about Earth (That Was) or its history? The questions go on...

Of course, any reasons would probably have to fit with the way Firefly works. Too bad we didn't find out exactly what became of our beloved Earth.

---
Keep Writing, Keep Flying

ROCKETJOCK

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 1:34 AM

What's interesting to me is that the terraformation processes used to remake the planets and moons of The 'Verse must have been a mature technology when the exodus fleet left Sol system -- they sure as hell didn't develop it on the way!

So -- this implies that at least some of the worlds of Sol system were terraformed before the fleet departed. Maybe some were more successful than others.

So -- if you can make a dead pill like Mars or Ganymede bloom, why was Earth-that-was abandoned?

I don't think it was. I think there was a war, physical or political, to decide which side got to keep Mother Earth. The ecosphere have been badly damaged in the struggle, but not so much as to force the winners of the struggle off-planet.

I've got a feeling the ancestors of the Alliance weren't the winners of the last war--they were the losers. The proto-alliance re-wrote the history books on the long flight out, to make it look like their opponents got the short end of the stick. But winners don't abandon real estate, however damaged...

Which means the winners are still in Sol system -- and one does have to wonder what they've gotten up to by this time. . .

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

AURAPTOR

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 2:47 AM

It take far more resources to move people and other living things than it does to move technology and gear. So the first settlers to the new part of the 'verse were probably the very wealthiest, who could afford having much of their goods sent on ahead and then followed along, or sent their descendants, as part of their inheritance packages. As more and more 'common folk' followed, they'd be directed toward the outer planets, where tera forming had less time to transform planets and resources were scarce. Those who had less and less likely spent everything they had just to get off the crowded Earth, even if it meant arriving on a new planet with nothing but the luggage they had. Much like early immigrants to America.

It is not those who use the term "Islamo-Fascism" who are sullying the name of Islam; it is the Islamo-Fascists. - Dennis Prager

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

ANTHONYT

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 4:47 AM

Hello,

Before we got the 'big reveal' on the Reavers in the Big Damn Movie, I always believed that they were the left-behind residents of Earth that Was.

I'm willing to bet that in any exodus, the weakest, poorest, and least skilled individuals tend to get left behind. You don't take the entire 'least common denominator' to colonize a new world. You take just enough of them to do the manual labor, and then only the elite get a pass.

--Anthony

"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner

FIREFLY151

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 9:04 AM

I'ts great to see what everyone's saying, and there does seem to be a focus on who was left behing on Earth. I especially like the idea that other planets in our solar system (Sol) might have been terraformed... There's a lot of mystery, enough even to spawn some interesting fanfic... or perhaps, a completely different side to the story of the Firefly series. Anyhow, keep your theories coming! :)

Keep Writing, Keep Flying

HERO

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 5:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by firefly151:
So...were people left behind on the Earth? What was left behind?

Just Hobbits.

Quote:

What inspired everyone to leave our solar system?

They wanted to escape oppressive taxes, govt health care, reality TV, and life was unsustainable after Barrack Obama's ego blocked the sun.

Quote:

What world powers were there?

Same as now...the Yankees, the Cowboys, and Diet Pepsi.

Quote:

Does anyone still care about Earth (That Was) or its history?

Just the ones too cool to memorize Star Trek history. (If the Browncoat fits...)

H

PIZMOBEACH

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:09 PM

Very interesting topic FIREFLY151 - one of my favs - it seems almost tossed off in the show but it's as you say, full of potential.

One of the most intriguing aspects is that you can't help but think, "JW hasn't thought about this much, yet." That line, "we were too many," I always took to mean, "long story, go away... when I get to it... at the end of season 2 or 3..."

It also seems highly unlikely imho that that is meant to be read literally - population control is really not that hard to control - certainly before it would force people to flee the planet. Resources - that's another thing. That or disease or a global epidemic seems more plausible.

These are some interesting speculations...

Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
What's interesting to me is that the terraformation processes used to remake the planets and moons of The 'Verse must have been a mature technology when the exodus fleet left Sol system -- they sure as hell didn't develop it on the way!

So -- this implies that at least some of the worlds of Sol system were terraformed before the fleet departed. Maybe some were more successful than others.

So -- if you can make a dead pill like Mars or Ganymede bloom, why was Earth-that-was abandoned?

I don't think it was. I think there was a war, physical or political, to decide which side got to keep Mother Earth. The ecosphere have been badly damaged in the struggle, but not so much as to force the winners of the struggle off-planet.

I've got a feeling the ancestors of the Alliance weren't the winners of the last war--they were the losers. The proto-alliance re-wrote the history books on the long flight out, to make it look like their opponents got the short end of the stick. But winners don't abandon real estate, however damaged...

Which means the winners are still in Sol system -- and one does have to wonder what they've gotten up to by this time. . .

That also sounds pretty interesting, sensational, and tantalizing, especially this little bit:

"I've got a feeling the ancestors of the Alliance weren't the winners of the last war--they were the losers."

Browncoats can't catch a break!

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CITIZEN

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 9:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
What's interesting to me is that the terraformation processes used to remake the planets and moons of The 'Verse must have been a mature technology when the exodus fleet left Sol system -- they sure as hell didn't develop it on the way!

Why would they travel to a new system if there weren't habitable planets waiting for them? The process of terraforming can't be a quick one, without planets already there, they would have had to stay on board ship after arrival for sometime. Clearly the Alliance core worlds are most developed, much older than the rim worlds. Perhaps these were settled first, because they didn't need terraforming? Then the terraforming technology could have been developed there.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

ROCKETJOCK

Thursday, September 4, 2008 4:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:

Why would they travel to a new system if there weren't habitable planets waiting for them?

There weren't; that's why they had to terraform. Heh. But seriously, either they had enough faith in the terraformation technology to take a chance on finding good prospects, or they knew that their target system had a (crazy large!) number of good T-Forming prospects before they left.

Quote:
The process of terraforming can't be a quick one, without planets already there, they would have had to stay on board ship after arrival for sometime.

Joss says that the exodus/volkwanderrung that colonized The 'Verse involved at least one full generation growing up on board ship. A people used to an artificial environment from birth might not be upset at the idea of another thirty or forty years shipside, if it meant getting the job done right.

I agree that the core planets are older than the rim worlds, if only because you'd T-form the bodies closest to the life zone first. (That's to say, those worlds the right distance out from the sun for earthlike temperature without artificial measures like shadow-screens or artificial warming measures.) Those worlds would undoubtedly develop the most stable ecosystems, with the greatest biological diversity, as well.

Incidentally, while the BDM seemed to indicate that the exodus fleet all took place in a single great launching in a short period of time, I think we need to keep in mind that what we saw was, (1) an Alliance-vetted version of history, and (2) filtered though River's memory and imagination. 'Tain't necessarily so. . . .

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

CITIZEN

Thursday, September 4, 2008 10:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
There weren't; that's why they had to terraform. Heh. But seriously, either they had enough faith in the terraformation technology to take a chance on finding good prospects, or they knew that their target system had a (crazy large!) number of good T-Forming prospects before they left.

I say the core worlds didn't require terraforming, they were already Earth-like, that's why that system was chosen.

To be fair it contradicts really nothing we've seen on screen, unlike your assertion that the Alliance was the big loser, which given that it was an Alliance between China and the US is also somewhat logically unlikely

.

Quote:
Joss says that the exodus/volkwanderrung that colonized The 'Verse involved at least one full generation growing up on board ship. A people used to an artificial environment from birth might not be upset at the idea of another thirty or forty years shipside, if it meant getting the job done right.

Joss also says the Alliance didn't lose any big war on Earth...

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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