Firefly Episode 5

I just finished watching firefly episode 5 titled "safe."  I thought that this episode grew off of the 2nd episode and was much more entertaining.  This episode deals with many moral issues.  First, as I am sure you know, it deals with the illegal underground dealings of captain Mal and the rest of his crew.  Another issue the crew faces is when the doctor and his genius/psychic sister are kidnapped by men who lead them to a very small, religious, and slightly crazy community.  The community is terrified by the doctor's sister because of her apparent ability to read people and their minds.  They call her a witch and immediately try to burn her at the stake judging it as "god's will."  At this point, captain Mal returns to save the doctor because of his guilt at leaving them behind in the first place.  Which brings us to the last moral issue.  Captain Mal once again displays a strong character when he knowingly returns to save the doctor and his sister even though he knows that the two of them being off the ship is much more suitable to the crew.  The doctor's sister complicates many situations and the doctor seems very pompous and full of himself, however, Mal realizes what is right and acts on his judgement.

Another part of the episode is that the shepherd is shot in the chest and the only way to save his life is for Mal to return to an alliance station and get medical treatment for the shepherd.  Upon arriving there they realize that the shepherd is not who he really seems.  He seems to be an important alliance member rather than a preacher.  This is a bit of foreshadowing for the shepherd will still not reveal who he truly is.  I am anxious to see what happens within this plot line.