Theory about Inara
POSTED BY: MsBigPileofDust
UPDATED: Thursday, May 14, 2009 19:56
VIEWED: 20391
PAGE 7 of 8
Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...
BRAVO!! Perfect explanation!
"I'll be in my bunk..."
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...
Yes, exactly! Later in the episode, after River "sees" Simon say "I would still be there..." he actually does say it. And then she "sees" Jayne say "The money was too good", the exact line he said to Mal from the airlock in Ariel, some days earlier. Conclusion - what she "saw" was what people either had said in the past or would say in the future.
I guess that puts me rather firmly in the "Inara is ill" camp. And just think - Joss may wait until the series returns to let us know............
MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."
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Hi all!
I just love speculation, so of course I had to read all the posts. I kinda like the idea that it's rejuvenation drugs -- don't know why, the idea that Inara's 80 or 100 or 150 years old kinda tickles me.
And ever since "Objects in Space" first aired, that "I'm a big girl.." line has driven me nuts. So has Book's, actually....
I'm not fond of the "terminal disease" guess, mainly because it's too obvious, and Lord knows Whedon doesn't like to go for the obvious plot twist. Although that's the first place my mind went.
There's two ways I see that scene:
A-Inara is terminally ill (with whatever disease) and she was just looking at the kit in a "well, if we get boarded by Reavers, at least I won't have to do this any more," which could also work for drug addiction.
B- Her looking at the kit has nothing to do with the fact that the Reavers were near. Whedon said it was the beginning of a thread, and he sometimes does throw in a bit somewhere you think it fits, but really has nothing to do with that actual situation. It could have just been total misdirection, so we'd think the presence of Reavers was relevant when in fact it wasn't.
My completely bizarre, highly unlikely idea is fertility drugs,but I can't think up one good reason to back that up.
Quote:
I think you'll see that she is portrayed as not quite the fighter, as she falls to the ground when Saffron tries a round-house kick ...
This is not an idea so much as it is a note/question -- the last time I watched "Our Mrs Reynolds", it looked to me like Inara ducked, rather than falling, as I'd thought before. Am I insane? If so, it doesn't make her any more of a fighter, but it does make it look like she's at least able to move defensively.
"You are such a boob."
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Gotta weigh in on this one....
I lean toward the idea that Inara is ill, but not terminally and not so as to disqualify her as a Companion...her remark about the exam is a give-away, I think. The Reaver/syringe moment is a red-herring. Inara receives her perfectly legal medicine via mail. She doesn't reveal this affliction to the crew and Mal because she doesn't want sympathy (she is proud), but she had to go to the border worlds because the affliction, although not incapacitating, ruined her career within the structured world of the temples (am I right that that's what the Companion houses are called?).
Additional thought-- in OMR, which I just watched all the way thru for the first time (and was helpless with laughter thru most of it), after Saffron has whammied Mal, Wash and, second-hand, Inara, Simon examines Mal and then moves to check out Inara, and she says she's ok-- she's obviously not eager to have Simon examine her. Of course, in the context you think its because she got hit with Saffron's whammie too, and she's embarrassed-- but is it possible she just doesn't want a doctor examining her outside of the annual check-up?
Just a thought....
Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!
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Alternate theory-- KAYLEE is the Alliance agent/spy/ninja with space-aids who has been tracking Simon and River while keeping an eye on Mal because of his Browncoat connections....
Hmmmm...naaah....
On the other hand, you never know...Mr. Twisty (aka Joss Whedon) has suprised the holy crap out of me any number of times...I've never been the same since the ep in "Buffy" where Buf runs Angel thru, then shoves him into Hell...just didn't see it coming....
Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
Inara glances back into the infirmary, where the man is writhing in his delirium. She knows what this means.
Now. that *IS* a very subtle a good observation! :)
So, what are we saying here? That Inara had prior personal innvolvement with the Reavers? That perhaps she was raped even by one before? (unsettling, for sure); or saw someone close to her get raped? In that light, a sucide syringe would make sense, 'cept that Joss dispelled the option. Or maybe she was just holding it, in remembrance of how she got her illness?
--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam
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Quote:
Originally posted by bluesuncompanyman:Quote:Yes. Exactly. I am a person that believes Joss does not waste dialogue. When Nandi marvels "You haven't aged" there was a key clue buried there. The clue was just as important as the buried dialogue "I don't want to die at all" to Simon in OOG.
Originally posted by Bytemite:
I spent all that time arguing with BSCM that part of Inara's secret may have to do with anti-aging... But there really isn't any reason for Joss to have drawn attention to her appearance and age unless something was significant about it.
I'm with you there on both counts.
Quote:
... hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once... a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...
I always thought that was pretty obvious, to be honest. Definitely +1.
Inara having a medical thing going on was pretty clear, IMHO. I was just never sure *what* it was. Based the three quotes you mention, I've always gone for the 'not wanting to age' theory.
Knowing what we know now, I still can't fully place Nandi's "You haven't aged" marvel yet. So, whatever 'package' Inara received (on a regular basis?), maybe it was just artificially keeping her health up, and Nandi just meant she hadn't aged as much as she expected, given her illness? Still, that doesn't entirely fit yet.
In a way I'm 'glad', though, that Inara was dying, as opposed to her having found the Fountain of Youth (a rather cheesy theme, really, which has the potential to go bad real fast). So, dying it is then.
--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam
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Whoa! Dudes! We're not hinting around anymore, are we?
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Whoa! Dudes! This thread was started five years ago?
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Holy Mother of spoilerish titles!!
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