Joss' remarks on Inara in Serenity commentary (spoiler for commentary)

POSTED BY: GunslinginBrowncoat
UPDATED: Sunday, February 8, 2004 11:42
VIEWED: 13827
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HARDWARE

Friday, December 12, 2003 5:13 AM

My thought was that it wasn't a direct suicide drug, but a sort of "suicide soldier" drug. You know, something that adrenalizes your muscles for speed and strength, shuts off pain receptors, perhaps even increases aggression. Not something Inara would want to take unless there were no other choice.

Even worse, what if it was instantly addictive? Or the effects can't be controlled until the user is brought to a core Companion facility? The companions could give this out in case a client kidnaps or threatens a companion. The companion has no other choice but to take the berzerker drug and get all medievel on his ass. A very good object lesson to other clients to pay your money, take the time given to you and thank the nice lady.

The more I get to know people the more I like my dogs.

CHOBART

Friday, December 12, 2003 12:03 PM

Does anyone think that what Inara reveals to River at the start of OIS has a connection (I am still awaiting the DVD set here in the UK, apparently its out in the new year, so I havn't heard any of the commentary) maybe a shot in the dark but could be that river knows whatever it is that Inara does... hmmm

ZIKZAK

Friday, December 12, 2003 4:14 PM

I like the weapon angle. I think it's a special drug that will turn her into a disease-carrier to kill the reavers. Inara was sent out to destroy the reavers, so she picked the rattiest outlaw ship she could find. When they came near, she was preparing to take the drug, knowing it would kill her, the reavers, and the rest of the crew.

But she doesn't really WANT to do it. She does love Mal and Kaylee and the rest, and doesn't want to kill herself, even to accomplish a great end.

That's my opinion. I think Book has a different job to do, but he too is on a mission that lead him to Serenity.

Stephen

JK

Friday, December 12, 2003 6:42 PM

The idea that its medication makes a lot of sense to me, far more than any of the others ideas. She could well have brought it out when the Reavers are coming because it was supposed to stave off a possible unpleasant death, only for the Reavers to come and kill her unpleasantly anyway.

JK

SHAMBLEAU

Friday, December 12, 2003 8:40 PM

As for the idea that when River mind-reads/dreams Inara's words in OIS, they are possibly about Inara's secret, I agree. I didn't have much time to post when I was listing my reasons for thinking that Inara was medicating herself, so I left that one out.

Jayne's "I got stupid" comment was one that he said to Mal and that River didn't hear. Simon's dream comment to her is then almost echoed word-for-word when he's speaking to Kaylee on the walkway. I'm pretty sure that what Book says is also something he actually said in the past and has nothing to do with his conversation with Jayne. That's why it seems likely to me that what Inara says could be something unrelated to her conversation with Mal, just as his "None of it means a damn thing" is about his view of life and not necessarily about Inara, although it could be. I love double meanings like that, by the way.

So my take on "I'm a big girl, just tell me" is that she said that to a doctor who was trying to be gentle with her about her prognosis and not tell her that she was going to die. Of course, it also works as a comment to Mal, but as I said, the comment can have more than one meaning, which is what makes it so cool for me.

shambleau

WHOODAHN

Friday, December 12, 2003 11:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shambleau:
I'm pretty sure that what Book says is also something he actually said in the past and has nothing to do with his conversation with Jayne. That's why it seems likely to me that what Inara says could be something unrelated to her conversation with Mal, just as his "None of it means a damn thing" is about his view of life and not necessarily about Inara, although it could be. I love double meanings like that, by the way.

So my take on "I'm a big girl, just tell me" is that she said that to a doctor who was trying to be gentle with her about her prognosis and not tell her that she was going to die. Of course, it also works as a comment to Mal, but as I said, the comment can have more than one meaning, which is what makes it so cool for me.

That was my impression too, I had thought that River was digging up thoughts that weren't related to her or the conversation. Except in the case of Wash and Zoe, that one was related to what they were thinking. I hadn't thought about Inara being sick. It makes a lot of sense. It would explain why she is traveling to see the 'world' and why she doesn't want to make a commitment. Nice catch!

LINDYCAT

Sunday, December 14, 2003 10:25 PM

I don't think this has been pointed out yet...

Tim in OoG comentary says that there is another hint in the conversation Inara has with Simon. I think it is in both the "clinical description" line and the "I don't want to die at all." lines she says.

I'm going solely on medication now.

LC

Just as the War Against Drugs would make some kind of sense if they honestly called it a War Against Some Drugs, I regard Dubya's current Kampf as a War Against Some Terrorists. I may remain wed to that horrid heresy until he bombs CIA headquarters in Langtry. - RAW

LINDYCAT

Sunday, December 14, 2003 10:26 PM

I don't think this has been pointed out yet...

Tim in OoG comentary says that there is another hint in the conversation Inara has with Simon. I think it is in both the "clinical description" line and the "I don't want to die at all." lines she says.

I'm going solely on medication now.

LC

Just as the War Against Drugs would make some kind of sense if they honestly called it a War Against Some Drugs, I regard Dubya's current Kampf as a War Against Some Terrorists. I may remain wed to that horrid heresy until he bombs CIA headquarters in Langtry. - RAW

NIGHTTRAIN

Monday, December 15, 2003 3:04 AM

Yeah. I originally thought that the "she's a junkie" comment was totally sarcastic and meant to be a joke. But i'm thinking now that maybe it is a drug addiction of some sort. Not a full blown "junkie", but just more of a way to dull the pain of some traumatic experience from her past. This could also be an answer as to why Inara has left the companion guild. She would be unable to hide her drug problem working in the guildhouse, but off on a spaceship, a disreputable looking one, she could hide her addiction. She doesn't live at the guildhouse, she is just registered with it. So maybe at her annual checkup she doesn't have to undergo a full load of testing to renew her companion license, and she can skip the drug test.

Really going out on a limb with this. Most people seem to be moving away from the addiction possiblility but i thought i'd at least post my idea.

CHANNAIN

Monday, December 15, 2003 4:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LindyCat:
Needle could be used for:

Drugs for pleasure
Drugs for sedation of enemy
Drugs for suicide
Drugs for enhanced abilities
Drugs for suppression of something (illness, some companion programming, ability,...)
Drugs for medication
Weapon (mixing higly reactive compounds to make a sleep agent, neurotoxin)

Good list!

It occurred to me lately that there's one thing that seems to have been overlooked, but falls under the "Drugs for suppression of something" category here - Contraception.

In Dangerous Beauty, a movie based on the life of Veronica Franco, a Venetian courtesan and poet, Veronica's mother, Paola, gives her a small drink of something right after Veronica's debut as a courtesan. Presumably, the drink is an abortive, possibly a mild poison of some kind.

I'm thinking that the syringe is much the same kind of thing for Inara. That being the case, then she would indeed be self-medicating a narcotic, and too much of it would probably be deadly.

I'm also thinking the syringe - and its poingnant exposure in Serenity - is strongly tied to the reason she had to leave Sihnon. Based on her wistful nostalgia in Serenity and Nandi's comments in Heart of Gold I believe it's fairly certain Inara didn't leave her homeworld by choice.

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