Ariel: Simon's Strength

POSTED BY: GoramMan
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 10:43
VIEWED: 14357
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ASARIAN

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by GoramMan:

Asarian,

I knew he was at the Abbey and Inara was getting the physical (or whatever). My meaning was that they were absent from the action in the episode. Everything that occured happened without any contribution or input from them. Inara's only part in it was putting them at the setting.

Not trying to be testy. Just saying I know my Firefly plots, fellow browncoat.

Oh, I didn't know. Sorry, fellow browncoat. :)

As for Inara, "putting them at the setting" was really an important, necessary role. Cuz normally they'd never set foot on a planet crawling with Alliance. Like Zoe said: "It's a Core planet. It's spotless, there's sensors everywhere, and where there ain't sensors, there's Feds." So, they really needed a solid excuse to be there. Also, I think the crew would not have bought Simon just suggesting: "Hey, I got an idea: let's be bad guys and pull a heist on a Core planet hospital!" Mal certainly wouldn't have gone for that: he didn't want to offload the goods for that on Boros in the Pilot, either. Plus, I really think them HAVING to be at Ariel adds to Simon's moment: now he's the caring brother, 'sideways' always on the lookout for opportunities to help his sister, whenever the chance presents itself. Really more powerful that way.

Also, in The Train Job Inara already had her 'Simon' like moment, coming to the rescure of Mal and Zoe, in a daring and cleverly pulled-off stunt. Short of doing a sort of repeat of that -- Inara pulling some high-society trick, or using her feminine wiles -- I believe Joss did well to just bench her for this one. And somehow I can't picture Inara just popping up to join the caper after her "Shouldn't be more than a day or two." exam. So I guess she just had to be left out for the duration.

So, apart from her being woman, I see no 'mystery' surrounding her absence. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

ASARIAN

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

(...) He's on a central planet with an accordingly level of medical facility, he knows what he needs, he is at this point desperate for a new way to help River, and best of all: he has a crew that is disreputable and clever enough to pull this off ...

For those who didn't know, I believe jewelstaitefan's "disreputable" is actually a clever hint to the 2nd deleted scene from the Pilot:

BOOK
If I can ask, what made
you pick this ship?

SIMON
It looked disreputable.

Book was right, Simon is "not without critical judgement," and he picked the perfect crew for the job.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:40 AM

Sorry, didn't intend to be clever or hinting or vague. I conjured it as obvious, clear quote. Glad I wasn't too obtuse and you got it.
Wasn't there other reference made to them being disreputable?

ASARIAN

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

Sorry, didn't intend to be clever or hinting or vague. I conjured it as obvious, clear quote. Glad I wasn't too obtuse and you got it.
Wasn't there other reference made to them being disreputable?

Well, in "Safe" Zoe says: "Also, your disreputable men are here." But that don't refer to the crew itself, of course. Hence, I thought you meant the deleted scene. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

SCHOOLBOYSWINK

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 11:12 PM

I think it is thematically important that Book was absent, since he is the moral compass for the entire ship, not just Mal. I also find it interesting that Inara is not aboard Serenity, waiting, during this heist, and it is the heist that goes the best. Were it not for Jayne's betrayal, it would have gone off without a hitch. Combining with Mal's line to Inara from the BDM about "You turn me about," it suggests that some of the problems arise because Mal's head is not in the game due to Inara's presence. Compare to the relative success of the payroll heist at the beginning of BDM: No Inara, and everything goes perfect if it weren't for the Reavers. (And even when they do arrive, Mal's decisive action to initiate getting townsfolk into the vault saves the lives of a number of people.) Food for thought.

I hadn't considered the possibility of Inara as a Christ-like figure per se, though I did make mention of her offering absolution to Book in the "subtle observations" thread. (Not so subtle, perhaps, but moving at least to me.) In TJ, she also comments that she always prays for Mal and crew when they are on a job. In this regard, we see her again as an intercessor, between Book and sin, between Mal and danger. The religious implications here are stated directly in the dialogue, and there could be a deeper symbolism as well. Later, however, Inara fears and flees love on Serenity, which I think rule her out as a direct symbol for the Savior in the traditional Christian sense (which I am considering here in response to the reference to Christmas.) That said, there is the possibility this symbolism would have been developed in more detail in later seasons throughout Inara's actions and (dare I say it) death (if included in the show, obviously). Another shame that we didn't get to see this play out.

Another off-topic note; someone mentioned Zoe's line about the sensors and the feds. I have always loved this line because it shows her dislike for the Alliance in a moment in which she is completely independent of Mal, and the tone in her voice doesn't bear the weight of regret and hate for the Battle of Serenity Valley, or other vestiges of her past, nor is she currently under direct Alliance threat as she was in Bushwhacked. This line more than any other shows Zoe's personal disdain for the Alliance and the whole lifestyle that they represent and require, the mindset that led her to join the Browncoats in the first place.

"When you can't do somethin' smart, do somethin' right!" -Jayne Cobb quotes Shepherd Book

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:54 AM

You say the best heist is Ariel, and Inara is not present.
The other extremely successful job was the Lassiter, and that was with Inara helping. Granted, her help was largely to counteract the YoSaffBridg factor.
Not sure exactly which was more successful, Lassiter or Ariel. Lassiter did get them a new model of mule.

i thought Kaylee was the moral compass for Serenity. In this enlightened society, inara is the most respectable and distinguished role model aboard - Kaylee sees this and has herself a sexual freedom and maturity, Book is stuck in the 25th century practically.

GORAMMAN

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
Book is stuck in the 25th century practically.

Ha! That was good

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Tuesday, February 5, 2008 9:46 AM

Speaking of the take from Ariel - does anybody feel cheated that they let Niska keep the money they gave him for Wash? After forcibly taking back Mal, with Niska wiggling away, almost seemed fair if they would have taken back the money they'd already have given him. They seemed to have the run of the place by that time.

SCHOOLBOYSWINK

Wednesday, February 6, 2008 11:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
i thought Kaylee was the moral compass for Serenity. In this enlightened society, inara is the most respectable and distinguished role model aboard - Kaylee sees this and has herself a sexual freedom and maturity, Book is stuck in the 25th century practically.

It is mentioned in one of the DVD interviews that Kaylee was supposed to represent motherhood, fertility, earthiness, etc. (Don't remember if this is Joss's comment or another creative contributor.) Remember what we first see/hear Kaylee doing, before she ever meets Inara. For these reasons, I always saw Kaylee's open sexuality as directly representative of life, affection, etc. rather than any reflection of Inara's attitudes or lifestyle.

"When you can't do somethin' smart, do somethin' right!" -Jayne Cobb quotes Shepherd Book

ASARIAN

Thursday, February 7, 2008 1:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SchoolboysWink:

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

i thought Kaylee was the moral compass for Serenity. In this enlightened society, inara is the most respectable and distinguished role model aboard - Kaylee sees this and has herself a sexual freedom and maturity, Book is stuck in the 25th century practically.

It is mentioned in one of the DVD interviews that Kaylee was supposed to represent motherhood, fertility, earthiness, etc. (Don't remember if this is Joss's comment or another creative contributor.) Remember what we first see/hear Kaylee doing, before she ever meets Inara. For these reasons, I always saw Kaylee's open sexuality as directly representative of life, affection, etc. rather than any reflection of Inara's attitudes or lifestyle.

I'm still with AgentRouka's conclusion that Kaylee represent Serenity's hope.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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