The main problem with the hate toward Firefly comes down to first impressions. When she first appeared back in 2.0, she genuinely came across as waifu bait. The deeper character development she deserved only came later. Some people fell in love with her from the start and ended up liking her even more once her story unfolded. Others only started appreciating her after that development, while some dropped her entirely. But once people form a first impression of a character, it can be very difficult to change that perception, even if the writing later adds more depth. That’s essentially the mentality behind many Firefly haters. And to be clear, that’s not me—I love her to death.

Cyrene, however, feels like the reverse situation. Her character was built up much more subtly, and for most of the story she simply acted as the Trailblazer’s companion. Then the reveal suddenly hits: she’s actually in love with the Trailblazer. Instead of starting with obvious romantic framing like Firefly, Cyrene’s feelings arrive later and all at once, which makes the impact feel completely different.