Alliance Intelligence

Lore & Background

The Alliance governs the star system through an organization of core planets, following its success in forcibly unifying all the colonies under one government. The central planets are firmly under Alliance control, but the outlying planets and moons resemble the American Old West, under little governmental authority. Settlers and refugees on the outlying worlds have relative freedom from the central government but lack the amenities of high-tech civilization found on inner worlds. The outlying areas of space ("the black") are inhabited by the Reavers, a cannibalistic group of nomadic humans. The show explores the lives of a group of people, some of whom fought on the losing side of a civil war, making a living on the fringes of society as part of their star system's pioneer culture.

In Their Own Story

The Alliance's secret agency operates with agents known as the men with "hands of blue"—operatives of a secret agency possibly aligned with The Blue Sun Corporation. These agents pursue fugitives like Simon and River Tam, who are on the run because River's brain was subjected to experiments by Alliance scientists at a secret government institution. River displays symptoms of schizophrenia and often hears voices, and it is later revealed that she is a "reader", one who possesses telepathic abilities. Simon gave up a career as an eminent trauma surgeon in an Alliance hospital to rescue her, and they are fugitives.

Reader's Guide

The Alliance's authority is challenged by the crew of Serenity, who operate on the fringes of society. Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his first mate Zoe Washburne are veteran "Browncoats" of the Unification War, a failed attempt by the outlying worlds to resist the Alliance. Much of the crew's work consists of cargo runs or smuggling. The Alliance maintains control through its core planets, but the outlying worlds have relative freedom from the central government. The Reavers, a cannibalistic group of nomadic humans, inhabit the outlying areas of space, posing a threat to all who travel there.

Did You Know?

• The Alliance is composed of two primary systems, one predominantly Western, the other pan-Asian, explaining the blended linguistic and visual themes of the series.
• The central planets are firmly under Alliance control, but the outlying planets and moons resemble the American Old West, under little governmental authority.
• River Tam's brain was subjected to experiments by Alliance scientists at a secret government institution, and she is later revealed to be a 'reader' with telepathic abilities.
• The men with 'hands of blue' are operatives of a secret agency possibly aligned with The Blue Sun Corporation.
• The Unification War was a failed attempt by the outlying worlds to resist the Alliance, and the Independents' loss at the Battle of Serenity Valley was widely considered as sealing their fate.