While collecting some post from a space station, Mal and Zoe receive a coffin containing the body of Private Tracey, a soldier from their old platoon. On the body's person is a message recorded by Tracey prior to his death, asking Mal and Zoe to take his body back to his family. During the journey, Serenity is pursued by Lieutenant Womack, an Alliance officer who is going great lengths to recover Tracey's body.
Before the climax of the episode, we are treated to how the different characters are dealing with the death. For example, Book says a few words over the coffin while Jayne is working out on a nearby bench press. The discussion they have shows the surprising friendship the two have had over the course of the series. Speaking of Jayne, this episode also reveals that he sends a lot of his income to his mother, and is excited to receive a knitted woolly hat in the post. He wears it for most of the episode.
One thing that's quite unusual in this one is the characterisation of Wash. I've previously mentioned how calm and collected he can be during stressful situations. However, he becomes a lot more giddy during a ship chase sequence. While I preferred the earlier character, it's not too big of an issue because the behind the scenes reason for the change is actually pretty funny.
There is still some humour in the episode. For example, the opening features a carnival barker claiming to have proof that aliens exist. We cut to Simon and Kaylee in the booth, which contains the aforementioned alien life-form; a mutated cow foetus. It's playing with how the Firefly's world does not have aliens. There's also a flashback to the Unification War, in which we find a wilder and much more gung-ho Mal fighting alongside the more serious and level-headed Zoe and a not very competent Tracey. In a slightly sadder one, we have Mal and Zoe drinking with Inara and reminiscing over Tracey, sharing a story of how he stole an officer's moustache. Yes, really. You never hear the end of that story too, but I'd love to imagine it.
Anyway, I don't want to spoil the twist, but there's a harrowing chase and a tense moment as Womack bombs the canyon they're hiding in. There's also a tough showdown between Serenity's crew and Womack, spearheaded by Shephard Book of all people.
Finally, I'd like to talk about the ending, in which they deliver Tracey's body to his family, as that's the most poignant scene. This episode was one of the last ones to be filmed, and didn't air in the original series run. Just before shooting commenced on this particular scene, the cast were told that the series had been cancelled. They're all genuinely grieving. It's actually one of the few things which gets me teary-eyed.
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