So I've still never watched a Whedon show, but that made me want to throw up a little anyway. And I feel obligated to chime in anyway and tell you that this is a good post which very succinctly and clearly outlines what is SO FAILY about not only that Firefly story but ALL THE DAMN RAPE, especially in these fantasy worlds where they can change anything they want and yet they hardly ever change gender roles or even have less freaking rape. Rape is always so good for the hero's emotional development! And so edgy and gritty! Ugh.

He calls her a whore repeatedly

I think this reinforces, again, my belief that I probably really don't need to watch Firefly or Buffy. Gah. (I totally believe there are redeeming things about both, and I know you like big parts of Buffy in particular. But I don't think I could stomach even the good parts of them while knowing that so many people hold Whedon up as the Most Feminist Writer Ever. When we can DO SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.)