What Gives With Inara?
POSTED BY: Jongsstraw
UPDATED: Thursday, September 6, 2007 14:59
VIEWED: 15078
PAGE 2 of 5
Quote:
Originally posted by wytchcroft:
"
Mal says some pretty funny/nasty things directly to Inara probably for his own amusement and because he knows she can handle it. She more often than not hits back with equally witty comments of her own."
- probably for his own amusement???
i think more likely as a defence, to keep a distance there, an armour. Inara does the same - although more subtly. they both seem afraid at times of the obvious sympathy/understanding/attraction between them - yet neither one is willing to risk the others dismissal of them.
there are many potential scenarious between them that could be explored. but in terms of the show on tv? a high risk of the 'Moonlighting' factor if they actually got together and the friction was lost...
Why did you have to bring up "Moonlighting"? Perfect romantic tension until....they got together. It was handled so amateurishly that I could have done it better. And I cannot write witty repartee.
I don't think that Mal and Inara could ever lose all of the friction between them. There would always be something that puts up a barrier between them. It's just in their natures.
http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/
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I always saw the thing between them as true to life. Two working professionals both with a past regardless of sparks will defiantly find it hard to meet in the middle. They have a hard enough time relating and connecting with folks who either don't understand them or believe they understand. The problems are tenfold for folks who are capable of seeing around the bullshit and even worse when one is willing to call BS on the other.
And my theory still stands firm on one thing: Sure Inara is jealous of Nandy knockin' the boots with Mal. But I think Inara kinda had it in her head to spend her evening with Nandy rather than plat midwife. They had a clear and defined friendship that might have had an equal or greater amount of time and emotion invested to that of the feelings for Malcolm.
That whole thing in itself is all too real. The usual circle jerk associated with love and it's feelings between folks.
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Quote:
Originally posted by nvghostrider:
And my theory still stands firm on one thing: Sure Inara is jealous of Nandy knockin' the boots with Mal. But I think Inara kinda had it in her head to spend her evening with Nandy rather than plat midwife. They had a clear and defined friendship that might have had an equal or greater amount of time and emotion invested to that of the feelings for Malcolm.
Glad you brought this up, Ghost. It was something cut from my original aforementioned tomes that I can now bring to light.
When Inara breaks down over Nandi and Mal, I don't think it is as simple as jealousy for either of them. Again, she has the Companion training; she knows Mal loves her (or if not love then at least he cares for her and has romantic notions where she is concerned), and she knows Mal would rather it had been her than Nandi. She knows there is no reason for them ever to come back to this rock, knows she hasnt' lost Mal to Nandi. I think what happened between Nandi and Mal made Inara realize that it really could have been her, threw into stark relief how much she wanted him. This brought pain at all the missed opportunities, but more importantly whatever beginnings of jealousy she did feel made her realize how much she loved him, how much she wished she could have him, and devastated her to realize that (for whatever reasons in her own psyche and/or past) she could not allow herself to be with him even as she realized she could no longer hold him at bay. Hence she then decides to leave the ship and tells Mal about it before he can fully voice his feelings, since she knows if she ever hears it straight from his lips that she can't resist it, and it will disintegrate the person she has been taught to be, has convinced herself that she really is. Obviously, a part of her actually wants this, though a part of her does not. Hence at the end of BDM she tells Mal that even then she doesn't know what she wants to do or where she wants to be. Mal of course tells her this is a good answer, his response being both prophetic about their future and recalling of the Pilot episode's discussion about Mal being lost in the woods and liking it that way.
"When you can't do somethin' smart, do somethin' right!" -Jayne Cobb quotes Shepherd Book
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I pretty much took it as Inara being lost to herself and her profession. She probably doen't remember any hopes or dreams she ever had. If she does then they are passing thoughts, set aside for the sake of masking her reality. She is not fulfilled by her work. She has no known personal life. She lives for her profession. But I think that's why she likes to help in certain situations. It gives her something other than work to do.
And how long has she gone without sex that was her own. Love that was whole and true. An experience that spiritual and purely loving that she could call her own. There's no telling. Sometimes folks need that release. They need to feel safe and wanted as a person and not an object of desire, but a partner in love. Maybe she never felt that and longs for the missing pieces that she never knew. Her and Mal compliment eachother. For his missing pieces keep him from being whole and true. They are drawn to eachother and have the least amount of chance at being whole and true together. But they can help regulate eachother enough to get by.
All this sounds way too familiar to me. I think I need a break from the Mal/Inara discussions for a bit.
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good analysis of M/I
re:especially what got left on the cutting room floor
I never knew what to make of "I don't know" and "good answer", but I liked what you said about them BOTH just not KNOWING how they felt and being afraid to love...really not that uncommon.
and IMHO these 5 words are probably the most honest words they've ever spoken to each other. The smile they share at that moment is priceless.
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Faults in the human heart. Just a personal observation that seems way too close for comfort right now.
Goodnight folks.
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You can't actually know that.
For all we know all she ever wanted was to be a companion.
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Women are intrigued by, but don't necessarily fall in love with, guys who don't pay them much attention. Or at least not in the manner they're accustomed to being treated. I think she realizes Mal isn't the hayseed captain some might be led to believe. Mal has a mysterious side to him that Inara can't quite figure out, and as one skilled in reading the male of the species, I think she finds that refreshing.
People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss
" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "
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OK, this got muddled with everyone posting at once. Are you referring to her job satisfaction? , nbz
Yeah, I don't know how she feels about that either.
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Quote:
Originally posted by PLATONIST:
OK, this got muddled with every posting at once. Are you referring to her job satisfaction? , nbz
Yeah, I don't know how she feels about that either.
yeah it got confused in there. Should have been careful and quoted. It was to:
Quote:
Originally posted by nvghostrider:
I pretty much took it as Inara being lost to herself and her profession. She probably doesn't remember any hopes or dreams she ever had. If she does then they are passing thoughts, set aside for the sake of masking her reality. She is not fulfilled by her work.
My reply:
Quote:
You can't actually know that.
For all we know all she ever wanted was to be a companion.
The only hint we get of any unhappiness is the Pilot when she looks away when talking about Sinhon to her client.
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