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WARNING: This post contains spoilers for Star Wars, Firefly/Serenity, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Supernatural. Only what is already established, but still.
Millenium Falcon
Captain: Han Solo
Crew: Chewbacca (Co-Pilot)
Details: Light Freighter, YT series YT-1300 Transport
In the first Star Wars film, the Falcon is introduced as a ship so ancient as to be practically obsolete; people constantly display their amazement at just how crappy she looks. Luke Skywalker calls her a 'piece of junk,' while Leia says "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" Her captain Han Solo has complete faith in her, due in part to a few modifications he’s made over the years, but also due to the fact that she’s a very fast ship (like the Black Pearl), saying she can make 'point five past lightspeed.' Whatever that’s supposed to mean. Anyway, she saves the rebels' skins at least a couple of times, although she does tend to be temperamental.
-The Millenium Falcon has changed hands twice through gambling; Lando Calrissien won her in a game of sabacc, which is probably kinda like poker, and Han Solo won her off Lando in a tournament of the same game.
-The original model for the Millennium Falcon was changed at the last minute because it too closely resembled ships from the television series Space: 1999. The replacement is said to be based on a half-eaten hamburger held by George Lucas. You can see something like what she was supposed to look like here.
-The Millenium Falcon showed up in Blade Runner, but you can barely see it and I don’t think this is something to brag about. Then again, I don't like Blade Runner.
-According to Wikipedia, Joss credits the Millennium Falcon as one of his two primary inspirations for Serenity. (see what I did there? Segue!)
Serenity
Captain: Malcolm Reynolds
Crew: Zoe Alleyne (First Mate), Kaylee Frye (Mechanic), Hoban 'Wash' Washbourne (Pilot), Jayne Cobb (Mercenary), Simon Tam (Doctor), Inara Serra (Companion), Sheppard Derrial Book (Preacher), River Tam (second Pilot, assumedly), Bester (original mechanic who was fired because Kaylee > Bester.)
Details: Cargo Vessel, 03-K64 Firefly-class
Serenity has an awful lot in common with the Millenium Falcon. Both former cargo vessels, both used to steal and smuggle, and both crewed by folks familiar with war (okay, Han Solo not so much, but Chewbacca was involved in the war on Kashyyyk.) The Falcon sees a lot more battle than Serenity, who doesn't have quite the tricks up her sleeve the Falcon does – she’s not particularly fast, not well-armed, and she seems to be modified more often out of necessity than for personal gain. Just like the Falcon, she’s frequently described as a heap of junk. Still, she has the love of her crew in abundance, and she does seem to have an awful lot of strength and endurance. She was purchased by Mal while the used spaceship salesman tried so sell him on a (far less pretty) more popular model, but Mal fell in love with Serenity on first sight:
-The class of ship is named Firefly because the ship looks like a firefly. I’m just saying. Also, she has the cutest little feet that come out when she lands, and she has two shuttles, one of which Mal rents out to Inara so she can, you know, companion at will.
-In the show, Serenity has no weapons; in the movie she has next to none, just one blaster cannon.
-Serenity was named after Serenity Valley, where a battle was staged during the Unification War between the Alliance and the Independents. The Battle of Serenity Valley was one of the decisive factors in the Alliance's victory, and it lasted seven weeks. Then the survivors were left to fend for themselves for a week, resulting in the deaths of more than 4000 of the 5000 soldiers Mal was leading at that stage. In a deleted scene, Zoe revealed that Mal named the ship Serenity because "once you enter Serenity, you can never leave." In another episode, this is rephrased as "no one leaves Serenity, you just learn to live there."
-In the film Serenity, the ship is desecrated in order to pass through Reaver territory. Fans weep. She also receives damage the landing gear is crushed, an engine pod is severed, and part of the main engine is destroyed. It's okay, though, because the Operative makes the Alliance pay to fix everything, and we see the crew patching her up. Inara even paints a shiny new logo.
The Black Pearl
Captain: Jack Sparrow
Crew: Pintel & Ragetti (apart from the span of time between Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man’s Chest.
Original crew/Curse of the Black Pearl: Hector Barbossa (mutinous first mate/Captain), 'Bootstrap' Bill Turner (well, for a little while), Bo'Sun (Boatswain, possible First Mate), Koehler, Jacoby, Grapple, Mallot, Twigg, Jack the creepy undead monkey.
Second crew/Dead Man's Chest: Joshamee Gibbs (First Mate), Cotton & parrot, Marty, Leech, Anamaria
Details: Pirate Galleon, originally a cargo ship called the Wicked Wench.
I had a bit of trouble with The Black Pearl because, as far as I'm aware (and I could be completely wrong about this), the fandom hasn’t embraced the ship as much as the other ships mentioned in this...well, whatever it is. There are a few reasons for this, I think. For one thing, most of the time we've spent on the Pearl, we were with a crew captained by the first film's villain, Barbossa. When we first saw her, she was attacking an innocent ship which carried one of our heroes. In spite of Jack's love for her, I just don't think the connection has been built strongly enough for the fans to fully embrace the ship. Plus she's kind of creepy, if gorgeous. Black sails, man.
The Pearl also doesn't fit the mold because she's not an underdog. People fear the Black Pearl. She's so fast as to be 'nigh uncatchable' (like the Falcon,) and she can definitely hold her own in a fight, although she’s sustained a lot of damage (particularly at the hands...er...tentacles of the Kraken.)
-Jack Sparrow originally captained Wicked Wench while working for the East India Trading Company (gasp!) but when he returned a cargo of slaves to Africa, Beckett sank his ship and branded him a pirate. Jack nearly died trying to get it back, but Davey Jones saved him and they made a deal – thirteen years as captain of the renamed Black Pearl in exchange for his soul. (This comes from a game on the official website I’m too lazy to play.)
-The Black Pearl's crew was cursed when her crew mutinied, abandoning Jack on an island so they could steal some pirate gold that made them immortal but unable to enjoy anything, and gave them a Calista Flockhart complex. The ship herself seemed to be affected, her sails torn and tattered but still able to sail. Plus she has a nifty fog effect.
-Captain Jack really likes stroking his ship.
MetalliCar
Captain: Dean Winchester
Crew: Sam Winchester
Details: Black 1967 Chevrolet Impala, license plate KAZ 2Y5
Okay, now, traditionally one might think this wouldn’t fit the theme. But wait! What theme have we come up with so far? Captains travel around in their ships. Sometimes they steal things, sometimes they kill things. Most important to a ship and its captain, however, is the travelling, the freedom the ship offers. "You can’t take the sky from me," (Firefly theme) "What a ship really is is freedom," (PotC) etc. and so on. Let’s look at what we've got here. Dean Winchester travels around the States, trying to stay invisible, afloat and free from the constraints of society. He steals (well, credit card fraud, which is stealing) and shoots stuff (mostly supernatural things.) He’s devoted to his vessel and its crew. In the episode Faith after discovering he’s going to die, he tells Sam "You gotta take care of that car, or I swear I'll haunt your ass." Let's face it, we love the car too. And best of all, there's the whole impersonating a priest thing, which we know Jack did too.
Also, the MetalliCar is sexy.
-The MetalliCar originally belonged to Dean's father, John Winchester.
-The name MetalliCar was coined on the TWoP message boards because of Dean's choice of music. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole."
-In the finale, Sam draws symbols on the MetalliCar's boot making it impossible for demons to pass through, thereby protecting its precious cargo. Dean freaks out about Sam drawing on his car, which is pretty much covered in dust anyway.
-Her doors creak. I love it. Also, Dean likes to pat her on the bum. No, really!
-The MetalliCar has suffered some damage over the course of the show. In the pilot Dean blew out the window shooting a ghost to save Sam, who then drove it through a house. The car survives relatively unscathed from this point until the season finale, when it is hit by a semi-trailer and smashed up but good.
Lucky, lucky girl.
Green Queen
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:D
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*applaudes you*
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Oh, and the Millenium Falcon rules. That is all. They were my first Captain/Ship OTP, baby, and they're still my favorite in that regard. Dean/Impala is pretty darn close, and Captain Jack/Black Pearl is on the list, but Han and his Ship is just a classic sort of image to me. I suppose it's partly due to his personality and to hers. And that's what draws me to Dean and his Impala. They're both creaky and quirky and damaged and have much love for each other.
I love your comparison of Dean to the other Captains you listed, and how he shoots and steals and loves his ship/crew. And he totally pats her on the butt! You noticed it, too? :D
Such a great post! I'm saving it to memories. (And will probably reference it whenever I finally give in and watch Firefly like people have been telling me to.)
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LOL I noticed it because you highlighted it. I only have 2 and a half episodes of Supernatural on my computer. I need the DVDs, man.
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Ah...! *lol* Cool! And the DVDs are coming out next month(! along with S2!!). I'm about to die. I want to devour those extra features before S2 arrives. The deleted scenes, in particular. Can you imagine all the material to meta over? *glee!*
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Joss said that the Millenium Falcon inspired Firefly, and I sort of see it in one way as an exploration of what his life might have been like. It's like what Star Wars could have been if Lucas had stayed occupying the gritty, loosely moralled world Han lived in when we first met him and he shot Greedo first. You know? Plus it's got such great supporting characters. Plus, look how good the captain looks naked! *points to icon*
I cannot WAIT for the DVDs.
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Uh, probably more information than you needed. Sorry.
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