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Description
Zoë Alleyne Washburne was portrayed by Gina Torres. Born February 15, 2484, "Vesselside" (given her statements to Wash during an argument in the episode "Heart of Gold", this is clearly an expression meaning "aboard a spaceship"), Zoe served in the Unification War under Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds and continues under his command on his spaceship, Serenity. She shares his belief in the corruption of the Alliance and wants freedom for the Border Planets. A loyal first mate and a tough, deadly fighter, Zoe is the only member of Mal's crew to regularly call him "sir", a vestige of their past as soldiers. She trusts Mal unconditionally, but has been known to disobey orders in serious situations when she disagrees with him.
Zoe married Serenity's pilot Wash sometime after he joined the crew, though initially she claimed that something about him "bothered" her. In the DVD commentary for the episode "Shindig", costume designer Shawna Trpcic mentions that the leather necklace Zoe always wears is a symbol of her marriage bond. However, she is seen wearing the necklace in the flashback sequences of "Out of Gas", well before she has married Wash. In the book Firefly: The Official Companion—Vol. 1, Torres speculates that the necklace is actually a shoelace from the boots that Zoe wore during the Unification War.
Although Zoe and Wash worked a very dangerous sort of lifestyle, they managed to retain a rather happy marriage with one another. Wash at times grows jealous of Zoe's close relationship with Mal. Zoe and Wash considered having children, but were unable to do so due to Wash's death in Serenity. Zoe and the rest of the crew built a memorial for her husband on Mr. Universe's moon. As revealed in the comic Serenity: Float Out, Zoe was pregnant with Wash's daughter.
According to the book Serenity: The Official Visual Companion, Firefly series creator Joss Whedon writes that Zoe's last name was Alleyne (at least at the time of the Unification War), and she took the name Washburne after her marriage to Hoban Washburne. This is confirmed in a deleted scene from Serenity, in which a display lists her military name as Corporal Zoe Alleyne. In the documentary Re-Lighting the Firefly, her name is given as Zoe Warren, apparently a version of her name which was considered at one time, but changed by the time the film Serenity was released.
At the time of the Battle of Serenity Valley, Zoe had attained the rank of Corporal. She and Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds were the only survivors of their platoon in that battle.
The prop used as her weapon of choice, a Mare's Leg lever action pistol, was originally used in the series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

Description
Zoë Alleyne Washburne was portrayed by Gina Torres. Born February 15, 2484, "Vesselside" (given her statements to Wash during an argument in the episode "Heart of Gold", this is clearly an expression meaning "aboard a spaceship"), Zoe served in the Unification War under Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds and continues under his command on his spaceship, Serenity. She shares his belief in the corruption of the Alliance and wants freedom for the Border Planets. A loyal first mate and a tough, deadly fighter, Zoe is the only member of Mal's crew to regularly call him "sir", a vestige of their past as soldiers. She trusts Mal unconditionally, but has been known to disobey orders in serious situations when she disagrees with him.
Zoe married Serenity's pilot Wash sometime after he joined the crew, though initially she claimed that something about him "bothered" her. In the DVD commentary for the episode "Shindig", costume designer Shawna Trpcic mentions that the leather necklace Zoe always wears is a symbol of her marriage bond. However, she is seen wearing the necklace in the flashback sequences of "Out of Gas", well before she has married Wash. In the book Firefly: The Official Companion—Vol. 1, Torres speculates that the necklace is actually a shoelace from the boots that Zoe wore during the Unification War.
Although Zoe and Wash worked a very dangerous sort of lifestyle, they managed to retain a rather happy marriage with one another. Wash at times grows jealous of Zoe's close relationship with Mal. Zoe and Wash considered having children, but were unable to do so due to Wash's death in Serenity. Zoe and the rest of the crew built a memorial for her husband on Mr. Universe's moon. As revealed in the comic Serenity: Float Out, Zoe was pregnant with Wash's daughter.
According to the book Serenity: The Official Visual Companion, Firefly series creator Joss Whedon writes that Zoe's last name was Alleyne (at least at the time of the Unification War), and she took the name Washburne after her marriage to Hoban Washburne. This is confirmed in a deleted scene from Serenity, in which a display lists her military name as Corporal Zoe Alleyne. In the documentary Re-Lighting the Firefly, her name is given as Zoe Warren, apparently a version of her name which was considered at one time, but changed by the time the film Serenity was released.
At the time of the Battle of Serenity Valley, Zoe had attained the rank of Corporal. She and Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds were the only survivors of their platoon in that battle.
The prop used as her weapon of choice, a Mare's Leg lever action pistol, was originally used in the series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.