Browncoat

:This article is about fans of the television series Firefly and its spin-off film Serenity. For the Nazi paramilitary sometimes called "brownshirts", see Sturmabteilung.
Browncoat is the name given to fans of the space western franchise Firefly. The term originated as a nickname to the fictional Independence fighters in the television series. It has come to refer to those who continue to support the show, including cast members.
Fictional meaning
In the series, Browncoats were named after the simple brown dusters the soldiers of the Independence faction in the show had worn as uniforms. Conversely, the Alliance's soldiers were called "Purplebellies," because of the purple-tinted body armor they wore on their chests.
Fans
In 2002, while Firefly was nearing cancellation, fans organized to try to save the series from being canceled by Fox Broadcasting Network. Their efforts included raising money for an ad in and a postcard writing campaign to UPN. These fans are also sometimes known as "flans" (IPA /flænz/). This originated from a slip of the tongue by actor Nathan Fillion during an interview, when talking about Firefly fans. ()
Since then, there have been several Browncoat fan films. One titled Browncoats: Redemption raised $113,000 for charity. The film is set on the ship Redemption three months after the Miranda signal is sent.
Charity
A number of fan groups and charitable organizations were created by browncoats across the globe. Notable charitable groups include Austin Browncoats, California Browncoats and Southeastern Browncoats.
Can't Stop the Serenity is a global charitable event to benefit Equality Now and other causes (chosen at the local level, some cities include Kids Need to Read, a charity co-founded by Firefly/Serenity star Nathan Fillion and author PJ Haarsma). The project began in 2006 and has raised a combined total of more than $600,000.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu