• Summary
• Episodes
• Cast
• News
• Videos
• Photos
• Downloads
• DVDs
• Similar
• Reviews
• Blog
• Forum

Serenity's crew is preparing to land to embark on another job. Jayne is preparing in his own manner by trying to hide a weapon on his body. He mentions that he's been on this planet before and thinks it could get ugly. Mal remains firm, no weapons for this job.

Jayne dons some rather odd accessories that almost completely mask his face. Simon ends up coming along on their expedition, thanks to Kaylee's suggestion, posing as a wealthy businessman shopping for some mud, the planet's chief export.

They wander around the area and mock Jayne for his conviction that he needs to disguise himself. Except, it turns out Jayne kind of has a point. As the large statue of Jayne in the center of town attests.

Elsewhere on the planet, Inara meets with the local magistrate, Higgins. He has a problem that he needs Inara's assistance with.

The crew heads for a local bar and wait for their contact. They start discussing the odd statue of Jayne. A man shows up and tells Mal that his contact is dead but he can get them their cargo. The only problem is getting it past the magistrate's people.

Suddenly, across the bar, the bar's musical talent begins singing a little ditty about Jayne. The locals seem to know all the words and a rousing sing-along breaks out. According to the song, Jayne is a folk hero, much like a futuristic Robin Hood to these mud pit people. Jayne recounts the story of how he stole money from the magistrate and then his ship was hit as he was attempting to escape. He threw the money out of the ship so he could get away. But, to the locals, who don't the whole story, Jayne is a benevolent hero.

When the crowd realizes that Jayne is back, they gather around, drinking and toasting to Jayne. He soaks up the attention, loving every minute. The people want to throw a celebration in Jayne's honor and Mal leaps on their offer, thinking it will be the perfection distraction to allow the others to retrieve the cargo.

On her shuttle, Inara discovers that the Magistrate's ^problem^ is his 26-year old virgin son. Inara quickly shoos Higgins out the door and sits down with the young man to get better acquainted.

After being tossed off Inara's shuttle, Higgins finds out that Jayne is back. Higgins realizes that he can't outright kill the man. So instead, he releases Stitch, Jayne's former partner and the man Jayne left behind, wounded, when he made his escape all those years ago, from his box-like cell. He arms the now one-eyed man and offers him a chance for revenge. By killing Jayne.

Higgins' son tells Inara about Jayne, the hero, and mentions that his father landlocked Jayne's ship so he won't be able to escape. Inara is a bit floored by the revelation of Jayne as a hero.

Jayne Appreciation Day doesn't quite go according to plan. Stitch shows in the middle of the festivities, with a battered Simon in tow, and tells the crowd the real story of what happened. How Jayne wasn't a hero. He was a man who threw his partner out of a flying ship to save his own ass. And threw him out before he threw out the money. Jayne admits that it's the truth and Stitch tries to shoot him. A young man throws himself in front of Jayne, taking the bullet instead. Jayne kills Stitch and then tells the locals that he's not a hero. He knocks the statue of himself off its pedestal.

Back on the ship, Wash is having some trouble taking off. And the, suddenly, they're not. Turns out that Higgins' son released the ship from its hold. His father is furious but the young man is smug. After all, his father ^wanted him to be a man.^

Jayne still can't grasp the idea that some kid took a bullet for him, even after hearing the truth. But Mal tells Jayne that it's not about him. It's about those people needing a hero...