60+ Best Firefly Quotes From The Classic Sci-Fi Show

The sci-fi series ‘Firefly’ is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of human beings on a new star.

This show, as the fans know, follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters that live on Serenity.

The series enjoyed great popularity during the course of its airing. We have brought to you the best quotes from the series. Make sure to check them out.

If you like this article, do check out our quotes on [Sci-Fi quotes] and Doctor Who quotes once you’re done with these. Happy reading!

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‘Firefly’ Mal Quotes From The Sci-Fi Show

Firefly quotes are enjoyed by viewers from all over the world. Here is a collection of best and most iconic quotes from the famous series ‘Firefly’.

1. “Book: I've been out of the abbey two days, I've beaten a lawman senseless, I've fallen in with criminals. I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect. And I'm not even sure if I think he was wrong.”

- ‘Firefly’.

2. “Mal: How come you didn't turn on me, Jayne?

Jayne: Money wasn't good enough.

Mal: What happens when it is?

Jayne: [smiling] Well...that'll be an interesting day.”

- ‘Firefly’.

3. “Simon: Um, I’m trying to put this as delicately as I can…how do I know you won’t kill me in my sleep?

Mal: Listen, you don’t know me, son, so I’m gonna say this once: if I ever kill you, you’ll be awake, you’ll be facing me, and you’ll be armed.

Simon: Are you always this sentimental?

Mal: I had a good day.”

- ‘Firefly’.

4. “Simon: You had the Alliance on you, criminals and savages…half the people on this ship have been shot or wounded, including yourself, and you’re harboring known fugitives.

Mal: We’re still flying.

Simon: That’s not much.

Mal: It’s enough.”

- ‘Firefly’.

5. “I did a job and had nothing but trouble since I got it, not to mention more than a few unkind words with regard to my character. So let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job and then I get paid. Go run your little world.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

6. “I swear by my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you.”

- Malcolm Reynolds, ‘Firefly’.

7. “Wash: Kaylee! Go to blackout! We're being buzzed!

Kaylee: Shi [meaning affirmative]. Going dark.

[She climbs on top of the engine and flicks a switch, causing everything to go dark]

Kaylee: Okay, now I can't get down.”

- ‘Firefly’.

8. “Book: He's not wildly interested in ingratiating himself with anyone, yet he's very protective of his crew. It's odd.

Inara: Why are you so fascinated by him?

Book: Because he's something of a mystery. Why are you?

Inara: [looks taken aback, then smiles] Because so few men are.”

- ‘Firefly’.

9. “Zoe: I know something ain't right.

Wash: Sweetie, we're crooks. If everything were right, we'd be in jail.”

- ‘Firefly’.

10. “Zoe: Sir, we don't want to deal with Patience again.

Mal: Why not?

Zoe: She shot you.

Mal: Well, yeah, she did a bit.”

- ‘Firefly’.

11. “Mal: Did you send word to Patience?

Wash: Yeah, ain't heard back yet. Didn't she shoot you one time?

Mal: Everyone's makin' a fuss!”

- ‘Firefly’.

12. “Simon: I really know how to show a girl a disgusting time.

Kaylee: It's...sweet. Poor little thing, never even saw the light of day. Now it's in show business. Wash: Oh my god, it's grotesque! Oh, and there's something in a jar.”

- ‘Firefly’.

13. “Mal: Yep. That went well. Seventy-two hours earlier...

Monty: Mal, why you got a piece trained on my wife?

Mal: She ain't your wife, Monty.

Monty: Huh? I married her, didn't I?

Mal: You ain't the only one.

Monty: What the hell is going on here? What do you mean she ain't my wife?”

- ‘Firefly’.

14. “Bandit: [robbing a couple on a floating wagon]  You gonna give us what's due us and every damn thing else on that boat. And I think maybe you gonna give me a little one-on-one time with the misses.

Jayne : Oh, I think you might wanna reconsider that last part. See, I married me a powerful ugly creature.

Mal: [in disguise in a dress and large bonnet] How can you say that? How can you shame me in front of new people?

Jayne: If I could make you purtier, I would.

Mal: [gasps] You are not the man I met a year ago.

[Mal and Jayne pull their guns on the unsuspecting bandits]

Mal: Now, think real hard. You've been birddoggin' this township a while now. They wouldn't mind a corpse of you. Now, you can luxuriate in a nice jail cell, but if your hand touches metal, I swear, by my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you”

- ‘Firefly’.

15. “River refusing to eat: I don't want any.

Simon: River, you have to eat. It's good. It tastes like...takes a bite...It's good.

Jayne: Smells like crotch.

Kaylee: Jayne!

Jayne: Well it does.

Mal: ...Could have been meditating on the wonders of your rock garden right now.”

- ‘Firefly’.

16. “Zoe: You paid money for this, sir? On purpose?

Mal: She won't be winning any beauty contests anytime soon, but she is solid. Ship like this, be with you 'til the day you die.

Zoe: Cause it's a death trap.

Mal: That's not— You are very much lacking in imagination.”

- ‘Firefly’.

17. “We are just too pretty for God to let us die.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

18. “No power in the verse can stop me.”

- River, ‘Firefly’.

19. “Ten percent of nothing is… let me do the math here. Nothing into nothin’. Carry the nothin.”

- Jayne, ‘Firefly’.

20. “I can kill you with my brain.”

- River, ‘Firefly’.

21. “I aim to misbehave.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

22. “We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

23. “You know what the chain of command is? It’s the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who’s in ruttin charge here.”

Jayne, ‘Firefly’.

24. “Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might wanna look to that.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

25. “Yes sir, Captain Tightpants!”

- Kaylee, ‘Firefly’.

26. “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!”

- Wash, ‘Firefly’.

27. “We’re still flying. It’s enough.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

28. “We’ve done the impossible, and that makes us might.”

- Mal. ‘Firefly’.

29. “We’re deep in space, corner of No and Where.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

30. “They tell you, never hit a man with a closed fist, but it is, on occasion, hilarious.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

31. “They don’t like it when you shoot at them. I worked that out myself.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

32. “If you take sexual advantage of her, you will burn in a very special level of hell. The kind they reserve for...people who talk at the theater.”

- Mrs. Reynolds, ‘Firefly’.

33. “Big damn heroes, sir.”

- Zoe, ‘Firefly’.

34. “Are you gonna kill me?”

- Saffron, ‘Firefly’.

35. “What? What kind of crappy planet is that? Kill you.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

36. “In the maiden’s home, I heard talk of men who weren’t pleased with their brides…”

- Saffron, ‘Firefly’.

37. “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!”

- Wash, ‘Firefly’.

38. “Mal: How would you even set up a meet, man won't deal with you?

Badger: Know a place he'll be. Safe place. Using some new tech gun scans. High class, too. Won't let me in there. You might slip in. Of course, you couldn't buy an invite with a diamond the size of a testicle. I got my hands on a couple.

[Mal and Jayne struggle to not laugh]

Badger: Of invites...”

- ‘Firefly’.

39. “Big damn heroes.”

- Zoe, ‘Firefly’.

40. “Man is stronger by far than woman…yet only woman can create a child. Does that seem right to you?”

- Jubal Early, ‘Firefly’.

41. “Dear Diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy.”

- Jayne, ‘Firefly’.

42. “Someone ever tries to kill you, you try to kill them right back.”

- Malcolm Reynolds, ‘Firefly’.

43. “Next time you want to stab me in the back, have the guts to do it to my face.”

- Mal, ‘Firefly’.

44. “Jayne: Ten percent of nothing is, let me do the math here, nothing into nothing, carry the nothin'...

Mal: Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might wanna look to that.”

- ‘Firefly’.

45. “Do you know what the definition of a hero is? Someone who gets other people killed.”

- Zoe, ‘Firefly’.

46. “I’ve been in a firefight before. Actually, i’ve been in a fire. Actually I was fired, from a fry cook opportunity.”

- Zoe, ‘Firefly’.

‘Firefly’ Serenity Quotes

Along with 'Firefly' quotes, viewers also like 'Serenity' quotes. Here are a few impactful quotes from the continuation of the series, ‘Serenity’.

47. “Wash: I don’t know, but if she doesn’t give more power to offset the burn through, this landing is going to get very interesting.

Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: Define ‘interesting.’

Wash: Oh God, Oh God, we’re all going to die?

[talking into the intercom]

Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: This is the captain speaking. We might experience some turbulence, then explode.”

- ‘Serenity’ (2005).

48. “Dr. Simon Tam: [to River] If there’s any fighting, drop to the floor or run away.

[pause; regarding the rest of the crew]

Dr. Simon Tam: It’s okay to leave them to die.”

- ‘Serenity’ (2005).

49. “Wash: "Here lies my beloved Zoe, my autumn flower... somewhat less attractive now that she's all corpsified and gross.”

- Wash, ‘Serenity’ (2005).

50. “Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: I’ve staked my crew’s life on the theory that you’re a person, actual and whole, and if I’m wrong, you’d best shoot me now…

[River cocks the gun she is pointing at Mal]

Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: Or, we could talk some more.”

- ‘Serenity’ (2005).

51. “Zoe: So, trap?

Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: Trap.

Zoe: We going in?

Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds: Ain’t but a few hours out.

Wash: Ya, but remember the part where it’s a trap?”

- ‘Serenity’ (2005).

'Firefly' Mal And Zoe Quotes

Mal and Zoe are two of the most popular characters from the series. Here are some of the most iconic 'Firefly quotes' by Mal, Jayne and Zoe.

52. “Zoe: First rule of battle, little one ...don't ever let them know where you are.

Mal: Whoo-hoo! I'm right here! I'm right here! You want some o' me?! Yeah you do! Come on! Come on! Aaaah! Whoo-hoo!

Zoe: Course, there're other schools of thought.”

- ‘Firefly’.

53. “Mal: Mercy is the mark of a great man.

[stabs Atherton Wing]

Mal: Guess I'm just a good man.

[stabs Atherton Wing]

Mal: Well, I'm all right.”

- ‘Firefly’.

54. “If they take the ship, they'll... eat our flesh, and sew our skin into their clothes...and if we're very, very lucky, they'll do it in that order.”

- Zoe, ‘Firefly’.

55. “My days of not taking you seriously are certainly comin’ to a middle.”

- Malcom, ‘Firefly’.

56. “Sir, I think you have a problem with your brain being missing.”

-Zoe, 'Firely'.

57. “Jayne: We're sittin' put for a funeral?

Mal: Yes, Jayne. That's exactly what we're gonna do. Not gonna have these people lookin' over my shoulder once we're gone. I ain't sayin' there's any peace to be had, but on the off chance there is, those folks deserve a little of it.”

- ‘Firefly’.

58. “Kaylee: [about Simon] You shouldn't be so rude to him.

Jayne: Why? Cause he's all rich and fanciable?”

- ‘Firefly’.

59. “Zoë: Jayne?

Jayne: Hey, I didn't fight in no war. Best o' luck, though.”

- ‘Firefly’.

60. “These are stone killers, little man. They ain't cuddly like me.”

- Jayne.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Firefly quotes' then why not take a look at Buffy quotes, or 'Star Wars' prequel quotes.