Timeline

The following is a timeline for the Firefly 'verse. Some of the following entries on the main timeline may not be based on the show's canon.

Timeline[]

2020[]

Star cluster in Taurus is discovered, designated “34Tauri(2020)”. Five stars and 14 gas giants found (seven large enough to be brown dwarfs and the remaining seven of Jovian size).

2021[]

Recycling programs beginning to fail, global warming increasing.

2027[]

Astronomers discover several planets within the 34Tauri(2020) star cluster.
P/2027(White Sun)03 shows chemical signatures of Earthlike conditions.
Despite reddish hue, P/2027(White Sun)04 shows similar conditions.
Over the next 15 years, terrestrial planets are found by the dozens in the 34Tauri(2020) star cluster. Most are believed to be within acceptable limits for terraforming.

2028[]

Astronomers discover several planets within the 34Tauri(2020) star cluster.

2030[]

It's official: Earth will lose the ability to sustain 21st century society and current population levels within 100 years.

2035[]

The quantum nature of gravity is deduced, allowing for rapid and unprecedented advances in gravity manipulation technologies. Creation of artificial gravity and gravity screening soon follow.

2037[]

Space technology development vastly accelerated by new discoveries. Due to the advent of gravity technology, terraforming can take decades instead of centuries.

2040[]

First theories for evacuating the Earth presented. Gravity manipulation technology makes evacuation a viable idea.

2042[]

Terraforming technology tested on Mars with positive results.

2045[]

Terraforming of Venus and the moons of Earth and Mars begin.

2047[]

Terraforming of Venus and the moons of Earth and Mars are abandoned due to a lack of native resources.

2048[]

Failure of terraforming efforts in the Solar System hit home. Global morale sinks to new lows as riots break out in many major cities. Earth's governments decide that fast action is required to keep society from falling into chaos. As rebuilding Earth’s ecosystem no longer appears to be an option, a plan for mass exodus is proposed instead. The GEA (Global Exodus Alliance) is formed and given unlimited governmental authority and complete control over Earth's meager remaining resources as member nations cede their power to the organization. The GEA moves quickly to take control of infrastructure, police and military and most of the private sector as well, all in the name of mobilization of the greatest single endeavor in human history. Plans are made for the evacuation of the Earth-That-Was's population to the 34Tauri(2020) star cluster.

2053[]

Collection and storage of samples of all life on Earth.

2060[]

With plans for colonization in place, global resources mobilized, and construction of arks and ark modules on-going, the Global Exodus Alliance (GEA) makes its final move to cement control over humanity. The GEA publishes the "Articles of Alliance", a super-constitution which supersedes all other legal systems on the planet. As China and the U.S. are contributing most of the resources and much of the know-how to the Exodus Project, they take joint stewardship over the new "global government". Smaller countries are given a choice, sign the articles or give up any chance of having their populations join the exodus. Results are almost immediate, unilateral capitulation by 98 percent of Earth's governments. The Alliance is created.

2072[]

First wave of terraforming begins. Dozens of Robot terraformer ships are launched. Their targets are two planets orbiting the Verse's central sun, a white primary, dubbed "White Star" (later, simply “White Sun”) by the Americans and "Bai Hu" or "White Tiger" by the Chinese.

2075[]

Latest projections show Earth unable to support more than 5 percent of current population within three decades. GEA recommends a vast expansion of the Exodus Project and Alliance approves, remaining cities will be systematically dismantled to increase the size of the ark fleet tenfold. Pollution runs wild as ark fleet is considered the only priority.

2090[]

Loading of arks begins with cargo, fuel, and stored genetic samples.

2094[]

Boarding of the ark ships begins. Over the last five decades, Earth population has dropped to around one billion due to starvation, disease, toxic contamination, and criminal activities. Reproductive rates have dropped to near zero. Most of the Earth's population now lives in squalor. Although most ark ships will not depart until completely loaded (a process that takes years), survivors welcome the safe, sterile, climate controlled environments of the Ark ships after the horror Earth has become. A rich black market develops that sells positions in the boarding lottery, falsified medical certificates, and other items needed to gain quicker access to the arks.

2095[]

The Alliance declares global martial law.

2097[]

First ark ships begin to depart. Priority is given to those ships populated with the ancestors of those who will act as the terraforming and construction labor force upon arrival.

2101[]

The final Ark ship leaves Earth orbit.

2102[]

Leading ships of the Ark Fleet reach cruise velocity of approximately 102,777 km/s or 0.34483c. Fleet formation spreads a little as trailing ships take a little longer to reach cruise velocity. Ships at cruise velocity for 116 years, Earth time. Time dilation slows time aboard ship to 108 years, 10 months, 18 days.

2110[]

All telemetry data from Earth ceases. It is assumed that remaining Earth population is 0.

2164[]

As the Exodus fleet approaches, higher resolution imaging of the Verse becomes possible. Observers discover hundreds of planets and moons, many of which appear to be terraformable.

2190[]

Last person in the fleet who was born on Earth dies.

2200[]

Robot terraformers arrive and begin terraforming of P/2027(White Sun)03 "Londinium" and P/2027(White Sun)04 "Sihnon".
Terraforming of P/2028(White Sun)13 "Bernadette" is started.

2218[]

Leading ships of Ark fleet begin to decelerate as they enter the Verse. Destination: P/2027(White Sun)03 “Londinium” and P/2027(White Sun)04 “Sihnon”.
Last member of the first “star generation” dies. No living member of crew has direct memories of Earth or the Solar System.

2220[]

Terraforming of Londinium, along with its moons Colchester and Balkerne, is complete.
Terraforming of Sihnon, along with its moons Airen, Xiaojie, Xiansheng and Yunnan, is complete.
Arks arrive in the Verse; start terraforming other worlds, mostly core worlds.

2225[]

Colonization of Londinium and Sihnon complete.

2240[]

Terraforming of Bernadette, along with its moons Nautilus and Spinrad, is complete.
Terraforming of planets in the Georgia and Red Sun systems begun.

2251[]

Terraforming of P/2030(Red Sun)08 “Harvest”, along with its moons Farraday and Higgins' Moon, is complete.

2253[]

Decision to use nano-compression technology to compress and ignite brown dwarfs.
P/2020(Blue Sun)01 “Burnham” first brown dwarf to be “helioformed”, due to distance from core systems. Ignition successful but produces random bursts of radiation.

2255[]

Terraforming of P/2028(White Sun)12 “Liann Jiun”, along with its moons Tiantan and Fu, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2027(White Sun)05 "Gonghe", along with its moon Xing Yun, is complete.

2256[]

Terraforming of P/2027(White Sun)06 “Osiris”, along with its moons Epeuva and Tannhauser, is complete.

2258[]

Helioforming process improved to mostly stable levels, minor radiation bursts but within acceptable levels. P/2020(Red Sun)02 “Heinlein” is helioformed.

2259[]

Heinlein stable. Heinlein’s satellites available for terraforming.
P/2020(Red Sun)01 “Himinbjorg” is helioformed.

2260[]

Himinbjorg stable. Himinbjorg’s satellites available for terraforming.
P/2020(Georgia)01 “Murphy” helioformed. Helioform technology vastly improved, declared safe for brown dwarfs inside inner solar systems.

2261[]

Murphy stable. Murphy’s satellites available for terraforming.
P/2020(White Sun)02 “Lux” is helioformed.

2262[]

Lux stable. Lux’s satellites available for terraforming.
Radiation burst problem at Burnham resolved. S/2038(Burnham)01 “Miranda” available for terraforming.

2266[]

Terraforming of P/2027(White Sun)07 “Ariel”, along with its moons Ariopolis, Shiva and Poseidon, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2028(White Sun)09 “Valentine”, along with its moons Selene and Chons, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2027(White Sun)08 “Bellerophon”, along with its moons Tyrins, Hanthus and Parth, is complete.

2270[]

P/2020(Kalidasa)01 “Penglai” is helioformed.
Terraforming of P/2028(White Sun)11 “Albion”, along with its moon Avalon, is complete.

2271[]

Penglai stable. Penglai's satellites available for terraforming.
P/2020(White Sun)01 “Qin Shi Huang”, last brown dwarf to be helioformed, is ignited.

2273[]

Qin Shi Huang stable. Qin Shi Huang's satellites available for terraforming.

2274[]

Experimental terraforming of S/2042(Penglai)04 "Pacifica" fails, resulting in the planet's destruction and the formation of the A/2274(Kalidasa)k7f1y "Six Sigma" asteroid swarm.

2280[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Red Sun)03 "Jiangyin", along with its moons Tongyi, Dangun and Rhilidore, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2029(Red Sun)07 "New Melbourne", along with its moons Maria and Destiny, is complete.

2281[]

Terraforming of P/2028(Red Sun)05 "Greenleaf", along with its moons Dyton, Agyar and Bryson's Rock, is complete.

2290[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Red Sun)04 "St. Albans", along with its moon Pi Gu, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2028(Red Sun)06 "Anson's World", along with its moons Varley, Spider and Steele, is complete.
Comm Station Ring 1 asteroids terraforming complete. Cortex coverage expanded to cover Georgia and the Red Sun.

2295[]

Terraforming of S/2035(Himinbjorg)01 "Aesir", along with its moons Bestla, Borr and Odin, is complete.

2300[]

Terraforming of S/2035(Himinbjorg)03 "Brisingamen", along with its moons Freya, Alberich and Beowulf, is complete.

2305[]

Terraforming of S/2032(Qin Shi Huang)01 “Santo”, along with its moons Tethys and New Luxor, is complete.
Comm Station Ring 2 asteroids terraforming complete. Cortex coverage optimum for the four inner systems; considered mostly reliable for the Blue Sun.

2308[]

Terraforming of S/2040(Lux)02 “Persephone”, along with its moon Renao, is complete. (Terraforming of Hades is currently "on hold".)
Terraforming of S/2040(Lux)01 “Pelorum”, along with its moon Kaleidoscope, is complete.

2320[]

Terraforming of S/2207(Six Sigma)05 "Lear", the sole surviving moon of Six Sigma, is complete.

2335[]

Terraforming of P/2030(Georgia)10 "Kerry", along with its moon Madcap, is complete.

2348[]

Terraforming of P/2031(Georgia)13 "Ithica", along with its double-planet S/2172(Ithaca)01 "Priam", is complete.

2350[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Georgia)06 "Boros", along with its moons Ares and Turrent's Moon, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2030(Georgia)11 "Ezra", along with its moon Herschel, is complete.

2352[]

Terraforming of P/2031(Georgia)12 "Regina", along with its moon Alexandria, is complete.

2355[]

Terraforming of Elphame's moons Summerhouse, Fiddler's Green, Ithendra and Sweethome is complete.

2358[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Georgia)05 "Newhope", along with its moons The Commons, Splendor and Godforsaken, is complete.

2360[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Georgia)04 "Athens", along with its moons Ahnooie, Argabuthon, Ormuzd and Whitefall, is complete.
Terraforming of S/2036(Heinlein)01 "Triumph", along with its moon Mycroft, is complete.
Terraforming of Daedalus' moons Arvad's Helm, Notterdam, Rea, Box and Shenandoah is complete.

2361[]

Terraforming of Elphame's moon New Vienna is complete.
Terraforming of Daedalus' moons Illyria and Dakhla is complete.

2370[]

Terraforming of P/2030(Georgia)08 "Three Hills", along with its moons New Lafayette, Conrad and Bob, is complete.

2400[]

Terraforming of P/2030(Blue Sun)06 "Deadwood", along with its moons Haven and New Omaha, is complete.

2404[]

Terraforming of S/2037(Murphy)02 “Shadow”, along with its moons Branson's Mark, Ossolambria and Summerfair, is complete.

2405[]

Terraforming of S/2037(Murphy)01 "Aphrodite", along with its moons Sturges, Hill, Thornley and Anton, is complete.

2407[]

Terraforming of S/2041(Murphy)03 “Hera”, along with its moon Eris, is complete.

2410[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Kalidasa)06 "Angel", along with its moons Lincoln, Jasper and Jackson, is complete.
Terraforming of S/2038(Heinlein)04 "Lazarus", along with its moon Dora, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2028(Kalidasa)08 "New Kasmir", along with its moon Skardu, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2028 (Kalidasa)10 "Sho-Je Downs", along with its moons Miyazaki and Kuan Lo, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2030(Kalidasa)15 "Whittier" is complete.
Terraforming of P/2165(Kalidasa)18 "Zephyr" is complete.

2415[]

Terraforming of P/2027(Kalidasa)07 "Constance", along with its moons Barrowclough and Disraeli, is complete.
Terraforming of S/2038(Heinlein)03 "Paquin", along with its moons Shinbone and Clawthorn, is complete.
Terraforming of P/2030(Kalidasa)14 "Verbena", along with its moons Lassek and Barrimend, is complete.

2417[]

Terraforming of S/2036(Heinlein)02 “Silverhold”, along with its moon Beggar's Tin, is complete.

2420[]

Titan Terraforming Project is complete. The moons of gas giants P/2020(Kalidasa)02 “Heaven”, P/2020(Kalidasa)03 “Zeus”, P/2020(Kalidasa)04 “Djinnís Bane”, P/2020(Blue Sun)02 “Fury", and P/2020(Blue Sun)03 “Dragon’s Egg” are ready for colonization, except for S/2165(Fury)03 “Seventh Circle”, S/2165(Fury)06 "Iscariot" and S/2178(Zeus)06 “Betty”. While the moons are ready for colonization, they are not opened to colonists until 2436.

2421[]

Terraforming of Fury's moon Iscariot is complete.

2425[]

Terraforming of S/2040(Penglai)01 "Beylix", along with its moons Charity, Cinote and St. Lucius, is complete.
Terraforming of S/2040(Penglai)02 "Newhall", along with its moons Severance, Darcke and Mohenrichia, is complete.

2436[]

Core resources running low, Londinium importing over 60% of raw materials despite extensive recycling programs.
Rimward expansion begins as worlds in Kalidasa and Blue Sun systems complete terraforming.

2440[]

Terraforming of P/2030(Blue Sun)07 "Muir", along with its moons Arminius and Shepherd’s Mission, is complete.

2444[]

Patience is born.

2449[]

Adelai Niska is born.

2459[]

August: Serenity's keel is laid and construction begins.

2460[]

Derrial Book is born.

2465[]

Lund is born.
Warwick Harrow is born.

2468[]

September 20 - Malcolm Reynolds is born. In the motion picture Serenity, the date of birth for Malcolm Reynolds is displayed as being September 20, 2468.
- Screens from Serenity suggest that Mal was born on September 20, 2468; which would make him 49 at the time of the series Firefly; though this may be a mistake, since the information screen also misspells his name as "Malcom," and may have been intended to be 2486, making him 31, an age more consistent with his appearance (and the actor's own age).

2469[]

Sheriff Bourne is born.

2470[]

The moon Ita is chosen as the location for a secondary Union of Allied Planets orbital drydock facility.

2471[]

Regan Tam is born.

2472[]

Temperance Jones is born (or possibly the next year, as she is described as being 4-5 years older than Jayne)

2473[]

Temperance Jones is born (or possibly the previous year, as she is described as being 4-5 years older than Jayne)

2474[]

Young Henry Evans leaves home for the final time. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)

2475[]

Skunk is born.

2476[]

Marcus Grange is born.
Wright is born.

2477[]

Jayne Cobb is born.

2479[]

Harken is born.
Viktor is born.

2480[]

McGinnis is born.

2484[]

Zoë Alleyne is born. Zoë Alleyne's year of birth year was confirmed on an information screen in a deleted scene from Serenity, available on the DVD release of the film, which also indicated the specific date, the indication that she was born vesselside, and her Social Control Number. The Firefly Timeline by Edgar Governo indicates Zoë's date of birth as February 15, 2484, while a feature in The Signal #2.4 podcast indicates it as March 15, 2484 — both based on that deleted scene.
Henry Evans learns about the Independence movement and joins to avoid police trouble. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)

2485[]

Crow is born.

2486[]

Hoban Washburne is born.
September 20 - Malcolm Reynolds is born. In the motion picture Serenity, the date of birth for Malcolm Reynolds is displayed as being September 20, 2468.
- Screens from Serenity suggest that Mal was born on September 20, 2468; which would make him 49 at the time of the series Firefly; though this may be a mistake, since the information screen also misspells his name as "Malcom," and may have been intended to be 2486, making him 31, an age more consistent with his appearance (and the actor's own age).

2488[]

Approximate birth year of Ross Macintosh. (Serenity Role Playing Game)

2490[]

Simon Tam is born.
Henry Evans has his left eye surgically replaced with a video transmitter. He also obtains a new identity: Derrial Book. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)

2493[]

Bridget/Saffron/Yolanda is born.
Chari is born.
Approximate birth year of Joe Henderson.

2494[]

Derrial Book is stationed on a ship over Greenleaf. He interrogates Hope Claypool. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)

2497[]

Banning Miller is born.
Kaywinnet Lee Frye is born.

2498[]

Derrial Book is an officer on the I.A.V. Cortez. He oversees an operation designed to end the war in one day, but it results in the massacre of 4,000 people on the I.A.V. Alexander instead, and Book is discharged from the Alliance and ejected from the Cortez. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)

2500[]

River Tam is born. River Tam's age is said, and confirmed, to be 17 at the time of the Firefly TV series (2517), setting her year of birth as 2500.

2502[]

Terraforming of P/2033(Blue Sun)09 "Shenzhou", along with its moon Tiangong, is complete.

2503[]

Temperance Jones becomes pregnant with Jane and changes her surname name to McCloud.

2504[]

Derrial Book finds religion. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)
Jane McCloud is born.

2506[]

The Miranda Project fails, killing 99.9% of the colonists, and resulting in the remaining tenth of a percent becoming Reavers. It is suggested that the failure of the G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate precipitated the Alliance's Unification War.
The Unification War begins.

2508[]

December - Independent Forces are pinned down outside of New Kasmir.
Battle of Sturges

2510[]

The Battle of Du-Khang. Featured in "The Message".

2511[]

May: Battle of Serenity Valley ("Serenity")
The Union of Allied Planets wins the Unification War, and an armistice was signed ending the war.
Yolanda is married to Durran Haymer. In the TV series' episode "Trash", Durran Haymer indicates that six years have passed since they got married and Yolanda disappeared.

2512[]

Malcolm Reynolds hired Kaywinnit Lee Frye as the Serenity's mechanic, after walking in on her having sex with the ship's previous mechanic, Bester. ("Out of Gas")

2514[]

Jayne pulls a job on Higgins' Moon.
River Tam enters The Academy.

2516[]

Jayne Cobb and two others attempt to hijack Serenity.

2517[]

Derrial Book leaves Southdown Abbey. (Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale)(in "Serenity" Book states he has been out of the Abbey for two days.
Derrial Book and the Tam siblings join the crew of the Serenity. ("Serenity")
Derrial Book, Lawrence Dobson, Simon Tam, and River Tam book passage on Serenity.
Mal pulls the train job for Adelei Niska.
Crow is killed by Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds.
As of 2517, a Platinum was 2.5 times less valuable than a Credit. Based on the relative price of Ivoprovalyn in each type of Currency.
The crew of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity raid Saint Lucy's hospital on the planet Ariel.
- The majority of the episodes of the television series Firefly take place during this year.

2518[]

The origin of the Reavers of Miranda is revealed. (Serenity)
The Universe battle annihilates the Reaver fleet and damages the Union of Allied Planets Navy.
The Operative deserts the Union of Allied Planets.
Derrial Book is killed on Haven.
Hoban Washburne and Mr. Universe are killed on Cortex Relay Station 2e "Sygnus".

2519[]

Terraforming of P/2028(White Sun)10 “Rubicon” is complete.
All White Sun planets available for colonization.
Emma Washburne is born
“Miranda Affirmation” project initiated. I.A.V. Unification on station to oversee habitation and distribution.
Call sent out for colonists with harsh environment experience and military background to assist with exploration and construction. Assignments considered extremely hazardous.
Terraforming of S/2180(Miranda)01 “Caliban” resumed. Fast-tracked, utilizing new techniques pioneered at Ita. Tentative completion set for 2530.

Stories[]

The various stories set in the 'verse can be assumed to be in this order:

"Fun With Dick and Jayne"
"Big Damn Hero" (Mal growing up on Shadow flashbacks)
"Safe" (Tam estate flashback)
"R. Tam: Session 1"
"The Message" (Battle of Du-Khang flashback)
"Safe" (adult-Simon flashbacks)
"Serenity" (opening: Battle of Serenity Valley)
"Float Out" (flashbacks)
"Out of Gas" (assembling the crew flashbacks)
"R. Tam: Session 416"
"Serenity" (film) (Simon rescues River from the Academy.)
"Serenity"
"The Train Job"
"Bushwhacked"
"Shindig"
"Safe"
"Our Mrs. Reynolds"
"Jaynestown"
"Out Of Gas"
"Ariel"
"War Stories"
"Trash"
"The Message"
“Carnival”
"Big Damn Hero"
“What Makes Us Mighty”
"Heart Of Gold"
"Objects in Space"
“Generations”
"The Magnificent Nine"
“The Ghost Machine”
“Life Signs”
"Better Days"
"Crystal"
"Those Left Behind"
"Serenity" (film)
"Float Out"
"Take The Sky"

It is unclear exactly when "What Holds Us Down" takes place, but the inclusion of both Hoban Washburne and Simon Tam shows that it is some point between the end of "Serenity" and the beginning of Serenity.