Heart of Gold Question *SPOILERS*
POSTED BY: Shadesiren
UPDATED: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 15:05
VIEWED: 5642
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I have a question... regarding what Mal did with.. Nandie? Mandie? Thandie? Whatever her name was - Inara's friend, in Heart of Gold..
My husband's opinion of our illustrious Cap'n has, sadly, took a major nosedive. He says if Mal truly loved Inara, he would never have.. well - you know. I am of two minds - I think he shouldn't have done that, if he wanted to maintain his 'higher moral ground' vs Inara's occupation, and if he really did hope to one day reconcile all the le se and end up with her, he shouldn't have done it. On the other hand, I can understand giving in to weakness with someone who is so like the woman he loves - and he KNOWS she is sleeping with other people, even if that's because it's her job...
So.. I don't know.. maybe I just like him too much to think too little of him, but my hubby says nope - Cap'n Mal is a very bad man for what he did. I sure agreed with him when I saw Inara crying - but after that, I still kinda understood it, I guess...
Just curious what other's thoughts on this are?
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When Inara was discussing the Heart of Gold job with Mal, she made a point of telling Mal that she would pay, even after he told her she didn't have to. Inara made it very clear she wanted their relationship to stay strictly business. She was quite firm on that point. Mal tried to do the job as a friend, but was "put in his place" by Inara.
I'm thinking that the generous amounts of "fine rice wine" also had a lot to do with Mal letting his guard down enough to be with Nandi. Also, there's the "we might get shot in the morning" thing, so the "let's live for tonight" sounds like a good idea. Even though they only knew each other for a short time, Mal and Nandi made a connection with each other. It wasn't just about sex for Mal. Nandi was a woman he respected for her courage, and "his kind of stupid", and a damn fine lookin' woman.
Now if Mal had just bedded any of the various whores of that establishment for some sportin' sex (like a certain mercenary we all know), THEN I'd have to agree that Mal was kind of horndog. But that wasn't the case with Nandi, he cared about her and she was special. Plus, there was a connection to Inara through her, whether Mal wanted to admit it or not.
Inara keeps Mal at arm's length. There's probably a backstory involving Inara's past that Joss didn't get to that explains part of that. She also is a Companion and that would not be consistent with the kind of relationship Mal would want with her.
As to the "higher moral ground" of Inara's occupation. Mal's objections to Inara's profession center not so much on sex, than about being paid to play a role. His use of the word "whore" is anger about being paid to behave falsely by someone. Mal is fiercely independent and cannot abide being beholden to anyone.
Mal loves Inara, but is he supposed to be a monk? Inara loves Mal, but she has sex with others. It's her "job" sure, but she is intimate with people with whom she does not love or intend to be in a "couple" relationship. That's going to wear on him.
Besides, it had been a long damn time since anyone had taken ahold of Mal's plow. It was about time for him to blow the cobwebs off!
11thHour
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I gotta disagree with your husband here, Shadesiren. I'm not seeing that Mal transgressed in any way/shape/form. Sure I feel bad for Inara, but she has done nothing but share meaningful glances and a lot of nasty repartee with our Captain since the pilot. Is Mal supposed to be a monk, until either Inara or he musters the guts to actually say something nice to the other? How can you remain faithful to someone you've never so much as kissed? Mal and Inara have a whole lot of feelings, that's for sure, but absolutely nothing (say it again!) to show for it. On the contrary, each of them has decided for very sensible and utterly unromantic reasons to leave well enough alone.
So here comes this sophisticated, gorgeous woman throwing herself at Mal and he's supposed to remain chaste for Inara with whom, as far as he knows, he has no future? To say nothing of the fact that he obviously hasn't gotten laid in over a year-- "Moment of weakness?" How 'bout acting like a gorram human being for once in his life?
Seriously, I was happy that Mal had at least a few hours of pleasure in his miserable life.
HKCavalier
Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
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Well, I don't really think any less of Mal for that... I mean, he's not taken by any means, and Inara HAS been giving him the "strictly buisness relationship" deal. Plus the wine, and the night-before-possible-death thing... It's not like he hasn't slept with anyone before in his life, and it's not like Inara ain't sleeping with other men (I know it's her job, but it still counts).
Though I did feel like crying myself when I saw her curled up weeping in the corner :(
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I have to agree with HKCavalier. Mal can't be a monk because Inara hasn't given him any reason to. If he felt he and Inara had a chance, I'd be mad...but it's obvious at this point in time that there is no chance. I think that's one reason I'm so mad this show stopped with no answers. I believe the second season would have looked deeper into a possible relationship, though I still would think that not possible considering what her job is. I highly doubt that she would just "quit". Who knows though, maybe she would finally become one of the crew if that happened.
So, to sum it up...I don't think Mal did anything wrong with Nandi (sp?..name?)
Oh, I know this is off topic...but am I the only one who started to notice something between Wash and Kaylee? I notice 1 or 2 scenes where they were either a little too close and there were was some eye locks going on. Maybe it was just me. I know she's meant for Simon and he's married...but I thought I saw something.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shadesiren:
I have a question... regarding what Mal did with.. Nandie? Mandie? Thandie? Whatever her name was - Inara's friend, in Heart of Gold..
My husband's opinion of our illustrious Cap'n has, sadly, took a major nosedive. He says if Mal truly loved Inara, he would never have.. well - you know.
I think he was just overrun by the urge to.. well - you know, and he couldn't help it.
And I think we can hardly blame him. As Inara put it: "She's well worth taking advantage of".
He is no preacher, after all. Plus he seems not to be very sensitive, and I believe really did not conceive the feelings Inara had towards him.
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You've all pretty much summed up how I felt about it - Basically, Inara put hereslf in the situation of crying over him FINALLY giving in, and I agree that if he was going to do, it was a good time. of course, afterwards, she says "I'm leaving" and I KNOW that this is the main reason.
I also agree that part of my frustration over the deal is the whole 'unanswered questions' bit - the show being cancelled before we learned more. That's the big gorram problem right there.
*sigh*
*waits for the movie... and prays for the next series....*
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Women!..... Can't live with'em.. Can't kill'em.
Hehe kidding(sorta) I am married with kids.
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Quote:
Originally posted by 11thHour:
Now if Mal had just bedded any of the various whores of that establishment for some sportin' sex (like a certain mercenary we all know), THEN I'd have to agree that Mal was kind of horndog. But that wasn't the case with Nandi, he cared about her and she was special. Plus, there was a connection to Inara through her, whether Mal wanted to admit it or not.
What about Saffron? In OMR, he knew he didn't really marry her, and she was CLEARLY not right for him. But he gave in and WAS going to "bed" her! Only her poison lipstick saved him!
I'm not in the "Mal should save himself for Inara" camp myself. He's a single man, obviously interested in women, and pretty separated from them most of the time. Inara has repeatedly and explicitly rebuffed him. Sure, he ought to know that there's something special building between them, but it always looks like it's going nowhere, at least to him.
Nandi I can deal with. It's Saffron I have trouble accepting...
Stephen
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Ease up on Mal. Its not like Inara's honest about her feelings. That episode made it obvious he had no idea she liked him until the end. Poor guy's sittin' on a ship with a bunch of hotties yet hadn't gotten any play. And like was said before he had the whole might die in the morning thing goin on.
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