The Companions Guild - hurrah!!

POSTED BY: AgentRouka
UPDATED: Thursday, March 15, 2007 02:35
VIEWED: 13767
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AGENTROUKA

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:17 PM

Okay, I've been noticing this in tons of fanfic and several interesting discussions over time and I decided to investigate!

Does the majority of browncoats consider the Guild Inara is so fond of to be something that must be distrusted? Do most see ulterior motives, hidden agendas or even harmful plots beyond the obvious? Do they see exploitation in the choices these women make?

Because it's a big organisation? Because it's a big organisation of prostitutes?

In other words, am I, as a big fan of the concept, a shivering minority?

I adore the idea of the Guild and the option of Companion life. I adore the spiritual, Buddhist attitude and the fact that they are proud of themselves. I adore the idea of prostitutes with power and respect.

We know very little about the Guild, but many people like to take this as an opportunity to consider the many possible catches and downsides, while I can imagine a plethora of excellent support systems for Companions in all kinds of life stages. I can imagine a Companion kindergarten, for one. Married Companions. An old Companion retirement home. Companion charities.

Sure, it's an exclusive club making tons of money, but who says they don't use it well and fairly on its members?

Speak up, people who don't think the Guild must be evil! Speak up and.. um, praise! Or something!

KAYNA

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:23 PM

Well I don't think they must be evil. They might be but they might not be. I'm not sure. In fact, I never really gave it much thought at all. Actually I do like the idea of the guild. I never really understood why our culture looks down on prostitution so much.

Hmmmm....

I must think on this and come back when I have a littele more useful input.

Question. Why no guy Companions?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

AGENTROUKA

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kayna:

Question. Why no guy Companions?

There might be some!

I just suspect that there are much fewer of them, since the profession might be less attractive to men. Women gravitate toward nurturing professions and men less so.

Good question! Maybe it's a cultural thing that grew out of the empowerment of female prostitutes, but even there it would seem odd to exclude them.

Anyone have an idea that doesn't lead up to "The Guild is bad"?

I do suspect that the male Companions, should there be some, are highly sought after by men and women alike...

NBZ

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:36 PM

as I mentioned in the other topic, I cannot see any organisation who gives its members suicide/murder kits as benevolent.

I am talking specifically about the black vial that Inara carries.

It is a business. It does not need to be evil, but it definitely is not totally benevolent, even if the victim deserves the punishment. It is still a law onto itself, meting out its own "justice".

I doubt Inara thinks fo it as such either. She must have questioned why she is given a drug that can kill the victim.

MAVOURNEEN

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayna:

Question. Why no guy Companions?

There might be some!

There are male companions. In the BDM, for a few milliseconds before we see Inara kneeling before Buddha, there is a long shot of a corridor in the House...and walking down the corridor is a man dressed in what I can only describe as a "boy skirt", vaguely Indian in style. I have always assumed him to be a Male Companion.

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KAYNA

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
as I mentioned in the other topic, I cannot see any organisation who gives its members suicide/murder kits as benevolent.

I am talking specifically about the black vial that Inara carries.

Oh dear, I don't mean to seem like I'm picking on you NBZ. In piont of fact I like how you seem to have spent some time thinking things out but I have to point out that we don't really know that that is what the vial Inara carries is. You're refering to the one in the pilot ep right? Joss said that he had plans to explain that in the commentary but wouldn't let the secret out just yet. Knowing his imagination, there are all sorts of things it could be. And who says the Guild gave that to her in the first place?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

NBZ

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:56 PM

Tim Minear and Morena Baccarin (or both) let it out of the bag.

I think Tim was talking about an episode they did not do as it was a little too dark. Inara would get taken by reavers. the crew would find her, but all the reavers would be dead.

Someone asked him wether this is what the vial was about and he backed out if I remember correctly.

Morena last year in some convention also expanded on it. I think her interview is on the firefly talk podcast or something.

But good followup question.

Maybe she did not get it from the guild?

/ponders

I like explorign idea's so no need to frett. I am not feeling picked upon yet. I always get my disclaimer in first so that the other person feels sorry for me

AGENTROUKA

Friday, March 9, 2007 8:44 PM

Good point about the vial!

It seems like the idea of the vial having NOT been Guild-issued but rather given to her by someone else, might be an interesting puzzle piece into her reasons for leaving, since Inara obviously has no problems with the Guild directly, but also obviously left with some conflict.

Most intriguing! Was it a good friend? Or did she purchase it herself? And what motivated her? Did the law fail her or someone she cared about, making her consider self-justice in the case of a violent attack? Is it related to her reason for leaving at all?

SPACEANJL

Saturday, March 10, 2007 10:41 AM

Me again.

The idea of the Guild is great. And as I said elsewhere, I am all for independent women doing their own thing.

My point is that a very large organization has the potential to be turned to dodgy ends. Not everyone will be bad. In fact, I think the concept is a very fine one. But you have to realise that any group of people will contain the whole spectrum of folks, from the benevolent to the barking.

All I was asking, is that people see beyond the black and white assumptions. I mean, on the other side of the coin, we have a whole frontier of planets filled with witch-burners and criminals.

Inara is a fine person, who doesn't want to give up a life of which she is proud. She has worked hard to attain a level of education, sophistication and poise beyond what most people can dream of achieving. Her work is to bring a measure of peace and comfort to people, in whatever way they need. And I think much of the Guild is like that.

Just, I don't think a group of gentle and benevolent therapists would maintain any degree of independence in a cutthroat world unless they had a certain iron beneath the velvet.

KAYNA

Saturday, March 10, 2007 4:42 PM

Well they do get into every part of the society. They especially have contact with the higher and mighteier parts of it (and quick side note: The Counselor in War Stories. What was she a Counselor of?) Who knows what kinds of things those high and mighty would let slip to thier bed partners at certain vunlnerable moments. I believe that the Guild knows a lot of secrets. Especially the weaknewsses of the powerful. Knowing such things is a great way to stay in business.

I think SpaceAnJL has a great point. There is the potential for bad in the power the Guild holds but so Far I've seen nothing to indicate they've done anything untoward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

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