"War Stories" is possibly my favorite episode.

Is that the episode where, toward the end, Mal is beating up (or trying to) the bad guy, and when t memfault Jayne? Wash? t /memfault goes to help Mal, Zoe says "No -- this is something he needs to do on his own," and Mal yells "No I don't!!!" and then Jayne (or Zoe?) just shoots the bad guy?

Is that the episode where...

Yep. Also with the funniest torture scene this side of Princess Bride.

Yes! Classic.

Aeryn seems to meet your criteria as well, ita.

No, Aeryn was too special for me -- as a Peacekeeper she was better than mere mortals, and she was an atypical Peacekeeper too -- that was less about her fighting, but she still had a taint of special about her.

Zoe's just a normal woman who fights. Not a member of a warrior race, just some chick with skills.

That's true. She's also more relaxed with her fighting; she'll do it when she has to, but it isn't a big deal.

Zoe's just a normal woman who fights. Not a member of a warrior race, just some chick with skills.

I assume Major Kira wasn't quite warrior enough, then?

Damn, now I want more of Zoe's (well... and everybody else's) backstory. How did she get the skills? Did she decide to get them or did she need to get them?

Other than the insane vengeful slave thing (which could count as conflicts coming from other things), Justine from AtS seems to fit the criteria.

Other than the insane vengeful slave thing (which could count as conflicts coming from other things), Justine from AtS seems to fit the criteria.

I don't think she meets the second - she's doing this because she's fucked up.

Oops. Misread.

I think the fucked upedness falls into my apart from clause.

I think she is at ease with the fighting; she's just driven by anger, unlike Zoe.

I don't think she meets the second - she's doing this because she's fucked up.

Yeah, I would definitely say she was not at ease with it.