My piece about Adama/Roslin being my ultimate OTP (aka One True Pairing) continues to be one of the most popular blog posts that I have ever done to the point it keeps getting hits almost every day. I think it just goes to speak for the couple, which is so beloved even though Battlestar Galactica (2004) wrapped up in 2009. So, I thought I would share another sci-fi OTP that I love equally with Adama/Roslin for different reasons. And that pairing is Wash and Zoe from Firefly and (ugly tears) Serenity.
Unlike Adama/Roslin, Hoban Washburne and Zoe Washburne are already married by the time we meet them in Firefly. The audience can feel their love through their body language and honest chemistry. In addition to ensuring we only received that one season, corporate meddling almost robbed us of this couple as executives originally wanted Zoe with Captain Malcolm Reynolds. I’m eternally grateful that Joss Whedon stood his ground on this because the audience is given something that we are seldom given off the bat: an already-established relationship.
Like seriously, seldom in fiction is a main couple already established. Not only were Wash and Zoe established, but they were also happily married–I mean to the point of #relationshipgoals. There need to be more representations of happy relationships like Wash/Zoe, because while seeing a relationship develop can be juicy, seeing how a loving couple weathers life and keeps the romance strong is equally important.
The relationship isn’t without its disagreements, but they are arguments that feel real not the needless, over-the-top drama usually portrayed in fiction. With only one season, the bulk revolves around Zoe’s deference to Mal to the point she won’t ask for vacation time so she and Wash can enjoy some alone time.
They balance each other out, with Wash tending to be goofier while Zoe is down to earth and business. As a couple, they play off each other well. I can’t help but chuckle during the episode called Bushwhacked where all of Serenity‘s crew are being interrogated separately. Zoe is shown first and when asked about her and her husband’s relationship is telling him that “They are private people.” During his turn, Wash is blabbing about how much he loves his wife’s legs and being together with a warrior woman — he loves her and all of her.
One of the most touching scenes is during Shindig when they finally have downtime. It’s just the two of them in bed together, bantering back and forth about how if she falls asleep power-hungry Jayne will slit her throat to takeover while Mal is away. The scene continues with Wash sharing what he’d say in her eulogy. Moments like this just make them feel so real.
I just wish we would have been given more seasons to enjoy this couple; however, I am grateful that we received them at all. We need more happy, already-established couples that show us the best of what a relationship could be. Zoe and Wash do just that.
Blood & Ink 