Serenity's crew ventures to a distant moon to aid an old friend of Inara's who's now running her own brothel outside the arm of the Alliance. But things don't go smoothly for Nandi and her girls. However, the relationship, such as it is, between Mal and Inara comes to a head as she announces her intention to leave Serenity.

Malcolm and Zoe reunite with a wartime buddy, but the circumstances change as it turns out he's simply trying use their friendship to get away with a scam that will allow him to return to his home. Though they've faced death and danger innumerable times, Tracey's death hits the crew hard as they contemplate the fragile nature of the life they've chosen.

Mal and the crew cross paths with Saffron again, and against his better judgement Mal allows her to stowaway on Serenity because she may have a job for them. Stealing a valuable laser pistol from one of her former husbands, proves her undoing as Mal and Inara are a step ahead of her the entire way. Hugo Award controversy.

After feeling left out one too many times, Wash forces Malcolm to take him along on the latest job hoping that he'll be able to finally join in the storytelling. But the return of Niska puts both of them in a difficult spot as Mal loses an ear and Wash loses his innocence. In the end, it's River that steps up and helps save the day.

During what starts as a relatively innocuous stop on a core planet, Jayne finally does what we've expected him to do, and comes within an eyelash of being shoved out the airlock. Simon provides the crew with the opportunity for a heavy payday which in return gives him a chance to move forward in his attempt to help his enigmatic sister River. Android listeners can now access the podcast using Podbean's new Android app available through Google Play.

Writer Tim Minear masterfully weaves the present with two levels of the past as we learn the details behind the origin of each of the original crew members. We've witnessed the crew experience some hardships along the way, but nothing to this extent as Serenity goes dead in the water as the result of a mechanical breakdown that even Kaylee is unable to repair. Unsurprisingly, Captain Reynolds takes care of his crew first and prepares to die at the helm of his beloved ship.

The crew's job as the middleman on a deal that actually goes relatively smoothly takes a back seat to the unlikeliest of folk heroes, Jayne Cobb. Viewed as a man of the people after standing up to the magistrate, Jayne gives these poor indentured servants hope even after they learn the truth behind his origin story. Did Dave really watch Sharknado?

Joshua's brother Isaac terrorizes the city, but once we learn the circumstances behind Isaac's behavior, we recognize the difficult position facing Max and Joshua. In perhaps the most heart wrenching episode of the second season, we watch as both Max and Joshua agonize over decisions they've been forced to make.

Back on Serenity after a stint as hired muscle, the crew delights to find their captain married to one of the town's women. But of course all is not as it seems as guest star Christina Hendricks' character Saffron has ulterior motives that don't include becoming Mrs. Malcolm Reynolds for very long.

Max tries to work out some of her relationship frustrations through a dream that takes place on Halloween, and in a scenario reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, we see the crew as we've never seen them before. Todd Stashwick (12 Monkeys and The Originals) and Sarah Carter (Falling Skies) guest star. Listen to Michael Ahr's interview with Todd Stashwick here.