why not Mal?

POSTED BY: SouthernSlayer
UPDATED: Saturday, February 26, 2005 14:58
VIEWED: 10652
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ROCKETJOCK

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 4:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AMDOBELL:
I don't think Mal has a problem with Inara being a whore, it's the whole pretending that being a Companion is different.

I agree, in a way. But part of the problem is that Mal does think there's something wrong with high-class prostitution. He think's it's pretentious, partially because of the lower social class most independents were perceived to occupy. He doesn't like the idea of a whore occupying a higher social level than "honest" workers -- he treated the girls of the Heart of Gold in a gentlemanly manner because he thought of them as being more honest about themselves than Inara is about herself.

Mal's problem, IMHO, is that he doesn't want to admit that there's a difference between a fry cook and a gourmet chef; Inara's possibly is not understanding that being trained at the Cordon Rouge doesn't make you morally superior to the person flipping McBurgers; it just makes you better educated.

Or -- just maybe -- Inara's real problem is that she did realize just that, and was, perhaps a bit too vocal about it to the wrong people...

"Hermanos! The Devil has built a robot! Andale!" -- Numero Cinco

SMITH

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 4:35 AM

I have to agree with AMDOBELL that 'if they did hook up he would be far too jealous to share her with anyone who had the coin to pay for it.' I mean, Mal can't be simply too scared of rejection to let her know his feelings. I think it has more to do with what would happen after they hooked up. Would she quit her profession for him, or would he learn to live with the fact that she has lovers on the side? Neither seems likely.

GOOSH

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 6:40 AM

I think Inara and Mal can work fine, yes there will have to be some HUGE concessions, Mal's firm belief that Inara is a "whore" for one. I do think that they can "make" it work, perhaps even with Inara keeping her profession. That's the whole basis of loving someone else, you should share some views, but when they don't correspond, you cede your beliefs because they're worth it. I don't claim to understand love in it's entirity but i do think it's a matter of people, they obviously are physically attracted to each other, and it will be a very funny relationship, with them both being very headstrong and argumentative. I like a little confrontation, ask my significant other if you must. Heck, i'll give you her email if you so desire...(you shouldn't because it's kinda creepy) But, i'm hoping it works, how it works is my overall goal, and if it can, i think it will.

I only worry because I burn.

BROWNCOAT1

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 3:54 PM

Let's look at Mal & Inara for a moment. It seems that no two people could more different. Mal is an Independent and fought against the Alliance during the War. Inara supported unification. Mal is from a rim planet, and Inara is from a Core world. Mal is a soldier and captain of a ship that takes any job, legal or not so legal, to earn a living. Inara is a companion, a highly respected profession, and is well paid. Mal is considered to lack sophistication and manners, while Inara personifies sophistication.

Looking at these observations, I can easily see why Mal would be very hesitant to confess his feelings to Inara. He loves her, that much is obvious, but Mal is an honorable man. He most likely believes that he can not provide for Inara or move in the social circles that she does. They are from two different worlds and it may be difficult or even impossible for them to live in the others world. Of course in my opinion they should make one together.

I also believe that Mal has a blind spot the size of an Alliance cruiser when it comes to Inara. I honestly think he doesn't have a clue how she feels about him. He may think that her barbs and insults are sincere and that she thinks of him only in the way she does the rest of the crew. So rather than be rejected, Mal remains quiet, keeping his feelings to himself.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Meet Up:
http://firefly.meetup.com/9/boards/

ZEEK

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 6:11 PM

Is anybody else worried that the show will lose something if the relationship does get resolved? Could you really see Mal and Inara as a couple? What if they decided it wouldn't work? Would the tension still exist?

MALICIOUS

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonWho:
What is the problem? The drinking? The late nights? The womanising? The bizarre sexual practices? The random acts of violence? Honey, those are the things I love about you, I don't want you to change.

Well, I WAS thinking more along the lines of "THE ATLANTIC OCEAN" but those are good reasons too.

Count three. No more, no less. Three is the number you shall count to. Not two, nor four, but three....

Priceless!

Mal-licious

Co-Holder of the Red Bell from Hell

SIMONWHO

Thursday, February 24, 2005 3:22 AM

Well, that's always the dilemma with Unresolved Sexual Tension, the moment you resolve it, the relationship goes flacid. Thankfully Joss has the answer - kill one of the characters. *warning, spoilers for Buffy/Angel follow*

Buffy resolves the tension with Angel, poof - he is replaced by Angelus. Angel finally makes a move on Cordelia, kapow - she ascends and returns wrong. Fred and Wes, finally get it together - she smurfs it up. Buffy tells Spike she loves him - he denies it (wise man) but incinerates anyway.

The relationships that lasted on those shows never had the plot resting on them - Xander and Anya; Willow and Oz; Wes and that girl he rescued. The Fred/Gunn relationship lasted because the tension was from the love triangle, not the chemistry between the two.

So my guess is when it was resolved, something dramatic would happen that would immediately rip them apart. Which is as it should be.

PHAEDRA

Thursday, February 24, 2005 5:18 AM

I think there are several problems with the relationship both identified thus far and some unexplored. My overiding theory, Inara represents a force of feminity, which Mal cannot control and is thus naturally intemidated by and fears (while simultaneously desiring).

First the quick recap:

1. Mal can't share. For all his discourse relating to freedom and being a solid anti-establishment, Mal is a traditionalist: 1 man, 1 woman ergo his comments in HoG re: tending towards woman folk. Also Mal is a bit of a prude, as pointed out by another contributer in reference to him catching Kaylee and Bester together and his hesitance to get together with Nandie who obviously wants him.

2. Inara represents the establishment. There is a deep strain of class consciousness that informs most of Firefly, ergo the tensions between Mal/Inara and Kaylee/Simon.

3. Mal is damaged. The war left Mal extremely suspect both of both faith, and I would argue love. Love means giving part of yourself to another, which is a level of freedom I question whether Mal or Inara would be willing to give up.

4. He's afraid that he's not good enough for her. He lacks formal education. He can't afford to keep her in her lifestyle. His life is rough (with all the people shooting at him and such), he may fail her just as he failed Nandie.

Now undiscussed issues:

1. Lets look at the rest of the women on Serenity.

Kaylee: Kaylee is completely loyal to both Serenity and Mal. Serenity is her chief love and she's also beholden to Mal for letting her on the ship in the first place. Also Kaylee is vulnerable in that she's one of the few crew members without a tendency or a talent for violence.

River: Though River is a super genius and (arguably) the best shot on the ship, she is also beholden to male forces: i.e. her brother who keeps her sane and Mal who keeps her on the ship. River is a wild card which Mal and the rest of the crew are naturally suspect of, but her connections keep her under control.

Zoe: Zoe is the hardest case in my argument. Zoe is as strong and smart as Mal (perhaps arguably even more so). But Zoe also respects rank. By hook or by crook Zoe will follow Mal's lead. Note, that even though Zoe sometimes disagrees with Mal, she'll never openly oppose him. And they have a history which roots them to eachother, i,e, the war. She also has the additional restraint of Wash (not that Wash rules Zoe, its quite clear who wears the "pants" in that relationship), but she's anchored to a male force. But Mal also resents this influence, thus the exchanges in War Stories.

Inara is different from all these women. Pushing her profession aside (we'll come back to that in a minute). She's the only woman on the boat who openly contradicts Mal. Infront of the rest of the crew or in private she calls him out when she thinks he's wrong and also calls him petty. She uses her capital (her sexuality and desire for him/his desire for her) to control him. Ergo her threats to leave in the first episode. Mal chaifs(sp?) at the thought of being controlled. Thus he consistenly reminds her (although unsucessfully) that it is HIS SHIP. Note, that he has no desire to be beholden to her, hence his refusal to help her sell the Lassitar.

Additionally, its her position as a companion. Being a companion places her at an additional advantage that Mal can't deal with. Mal seems to resent, simultaneously admire higher education. Remember his comments about rich kids in the first episode and his issues with Simon. Inara seems to take a perverse pleasure in lording her education over him.

It also means that she's a free agent, someone whose beyond his will. Desire/Love/Passion are the tools of Inara's trade, her capital. Mal could never control these as opposed to his ability to market Jayne's violence. Her profession also directs the course of the ship (yet another unacceptable area of power), hence they have a lot of fights over the choice of planets, even though he relys on her capital to gain entry to plan

GOOSH

Thursday, February 24, 2005 6:01 AM

I think, all the posts in this thread, which is one of few i've read, have been very valid points. We can obviously debate this until Sept. 30th, perhaps further if we so choose. I honestly know very little of Joss's other endeavors, i've probably seen some, just not known that he was behind any of them. I think that when all else fails we can always fall back on science. It's magnetism, in this case social magnetism, and as with all magnets....opposites attract.

Which, I suppose is the nature of the beast. It's about the complications, for those of you who have read any of Terry Goodkind's works, i'm trying to think of the solution not the problem. I can hardly see a conclusion to this dilemna coming in a way we all find acceptable, much less can agree on before we've seen the upcoming film. If my dreams (some of the wildest) come true, and Firefly does get picked up by some other station after the movie, which really isn't "that" far-fetched, i guess. I think we'll see a continuation of the tension, or perhaps a new third party, one more willing, and less decietful than saffron, to be with Mal, giving him a new avenue. Putting the pressure on Inara would be a good way to add a twist but keep the suspense, and keep us interested. I just hope it's ends happy, i can't stand sad drear endings to pretty romance.

I swear on my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you!

ELWOODMOM

Thursday, February 24, 2005 7:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SouthernSlayer:
Hey. I was just wondering what everyones opinion was on why Mal never told Inara how he truely felt about her. He's a confident guy so it surprises me that he hadnt expressed his feelings during Inara's time on Serenity.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

I think it's because if they DID confess their love for each other, ratings would drop. It's called the Moonlighting syndrome. Then again, Fox dropped the show anyway, so what do I know?

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