Views from a non-Browncoat...

POSTED BY: SpaceAnJL
UPDATED: Thursday, February 21, 2008 19:22
VIEWED: 9378
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SMAUG

Thursday, February 21, 2008 2:08 PM

Quote:
There's some reason she's uncomfortable in Persephone high society and attracted to Mal, even if she denies and runs from that attraction.

I have posted much longer ramblings on this so I will try to be brief. But the way I see it is that they are caught in a catch 22. Inara is waiting for Mal to simply "take her", so to speak. Yet Mal is waiting for her to quit being a compainion, of her own choice, before he would do so.

Her attraction to him, IMO, is that she has lived a life where every man she ever meets wants her. How many men was it shown or implied wanted her to stay with him? But do they really want HER? Of course they want Inara the companion, but do they want Inara the woman? They don't thus why she never would consider the offer. Even with Athertan, I believe Inara was never really considered his offer, but just wanted to see how Mal would react to the knews if Mal thought she was considering it.

Yes, Mal disrepects her job, but not her. Maybe even calling her a "whore" is one way to keep her at arms lenght. But deeper than that.. does Inara see in Mal the only man she has ever met that maybe doesn't want Inara the companion, but truely wants Inara the woman? We see time and time again that it's only Mal that she seems to let down her guard down around and we begin to see the real Inara buried under the shell of the companion, even if her guard is down only for them to argue (or flirt, depending upon how you look at it

)

Also in a deleted scene from the BDM, it shows Inara having a conversation with another companion (can't remember her name) where this other woman was able to get Inara rather flustered in just bringing up Mal. Again.. Inara letting her guard down and showing her true self. At the end of the conversation, Inara mentions that Mal never even laid a finger on her and then her friend adds "Maybe that's why you left?"

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but I don't think Inara's intentions to leave the ship translate to any plan for the character to leave the show. No matter if she did leave for a time - her backstory was going to be central to some future plotline, perhaps a whole season's worth of plotlines.

I agree.. Inara leaving was simply a way for Joss to show and explore the universe outside the walls of Serenity, and possibly for us to start to get a peak at Inara's backstory.. and learn her secret. She would have come back to Serenity (MAL) at some point for some reason. The movie hastene'd this and more or less cut out everything we were going to see through Inara's eyes while she was gone, but make no mistake, she would be back.

I beleive she left because of how hurt she was that Mal slept with Nandi. Which is ironic considering that is what Inara does as an occupation. But again, Inara does it as a job, Inara the woman would choose to sleep with Mal. I do believe she is drawn to the strenght that she see's in Mal, although running from trying not to be tied to that strengh was just an excuse. Deep down Inara WANTED Mal to stop her from leaving.

It's a shame that those scenes between her and Mal were cut from the movie.

Ok.. enough rambling.. I could go on forever..

Smaug...

SPACEANJL

Thursday, February 21, 2008 2:22 PM

Well, this one has taken off.

Maybe it's just me, but I rather like the idea that 'Firefly' could be about more than just straightforward couple relationships (yeah, this from someone who thinks Jayne's going to be happily married, I know...) I can't help looking at the 'Verse and thinking how much bigger it is than our guys. There's all sorts of weirdness for them to get involved in. And I know it is important for people to make connections and be happy etc, but it would be nice if it wasn't the whole be-all-and-end-all of fic and discussion.

(Slightly hypocritical) grumble over.

Basically, I think Inara is facing the same thing that faces an awful lot of women every day. You Can't Have It All. Very few people get to have the career, the relationship, the whole damn life working out just perfectly. Something has to give. Mind you, maybe she's discovering that she doesn't want the glittery career, and would like to settle down - that can mess with the head of someone who has spent years forging a career at the expense of other things. Believe me on this.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, February 21, 2008 2:31 PM

Of course Inara n Mal would work.

Everybody does the opposite of what they want to do when it comes to love. It messes with you. Inara included and while she can see reason in not staying, love won't let her go... Not for ever.

People change overtime, and while these two free spirits appear far too solitary to come together, it is actually just that kind of personality that succumb to such things in the end.

The world is full of people who 'never' saw themselves as settling down, yet they do. That's life and love. Your opinions change, your sensibilities alter and your resolve wares down. Eventually both Mal and Inara know they will have to settle down so why not for each other?

I think more likely what is happening with the both of them is that this reality is hitting them, and they are having to adjust to it. Of course they'll put up a fight that's their nature, but love will prevail. It always does.

LEIF

Thursday, February 21, 2008 7:22 PM

The big thing here, IMHO, is that Mal or Inara have to change significantly before a serious relationship could work. I believe that would have to fall to Inara.

Mal lost his birth world, he now only feels safe in Firefly. It is his home, the crew have become his family. This is demonstrated in the confrontation with Jayne at the end of Ariel, and Mal's refusal to get rid of Simon and River. Even after they have "left" the ship in BDM, Mal still scoops up River and brings her back to Firefly. I don't see Mal "settling down" unless the Alliance is completely broken. In a way Mal is living "wounded" and will be unable to change for a long, long time.

Inara has shown hints of changing. Her complicity in the heist in Trash, and her amazon like (nice outfit, btw) bow work in BDM. She is already a good pilot, she chides Mal "you never could fly this thing" in regards to her shuttle. (My BDM quote may be off, I can't look it up at work.)

I see Inara becoming Firefly's main pilot. Not as flashy as Wash, but good and reliable in that role. At the end of BDM the Alliance was "weakened" so that could mean more legal jobs for Serenity would be possible.

Speculation is fun!

Leif

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