Diagnosis: retcon (Inara discussion)

POSTED BY: Bytemite
UPDATED: Thursday, November 27, 2025 21:56
VIEWED: 19100
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BYTEMITE

Monday, February 9, 2009 11:15 PM

So, Better Days comic book. Simon visiting Inara for some reason. I don't know if I believe the rumours, and folks do like to yank on the ol' fan chain, but what do you all think of the "she's (possibly terminally) ill" theory?

Obviously there's been some retcon for the comic books, but how well do you think this fits with her portrayal in FF/S? How well would it explain the motivation for some of her choices?

And I know this is Joss we're talking about, but is there anyway this rhetorical possibility could end without tragedy? Pretty and angsty though this storyline would be, the tragic angle is just so OBVIOUS.

I'm hunting plot-bunnies, so I do have an ulterior motive here... Feel free to be as inspirational as possible, all right?

VERONIC

Friday, February 13, 2009 5:52 PM

Good idea.
When I read this comic I didn´t know why Simon visit Inara.
But yes, he is a doctor, and Inara perhaps is ill

BYTEMITE

Friday, February 13, 2009 6:10 PM

Ooh, a response!

Yeah, so I've been looking at how that angle meshes with her possible motivations for her choices.

Her pushing away Mal from any potential relationship no longer is a matter of just fear or self-preservation. It's actually somewhat noble. Sad as hell, but noble, requiring a lot of strength, to face her disease alone so she doesn't hurt anyone if she dies.

And her leaving Serenity, between the series and the movie, that's an extension of it. Mal's indiscretion with Nandi still probably plays some role, but I'm thinking their having to bury Nandi more made Inara feel like she had to leave. She had a glimpse of what the future might hold for the people she cared about if she stayed. But she WANTED to stay, that's for sure, and have these people know and accept her secret, and support her through it.

Why was she even on Serenity, before she left? Well, I'll never be able to guess why she left Sihnon, because there's a lot of suggestion that she can't go back. The internal look of regret that the fancy camera work in the pilot episode reveals when her client asks her about Sihnon, the fact that she takes a job teaching at a training house in the movie... But there's grief there, too, and I think she might have lost a family member to the same illness she has. Then she was diagnosed and decided to try to see the rest of the verse.

But Serenity isn't exactly a peaceful little pleasure cruise for her before she goes, and she knows it, so why did she stay onboard almost a year? Going on my version, I think her loss of immediate family has made her want to seek out a family. And maybe there's more, she acts kind of like a mother for a lot of the crew. Maybe she feels like that's something she'll never be able to be, at least biologically.

I think I might bring in another topic to this conversation, while I'm at it.

In general, whether you like the illness theory or not: Mal and Inara.

Doomed relationship? Why or why not?

VERONIC

Friday, February 13, 2009 6:23 PM

Very very good theory.
The only thing that I know is that Simon and Inara haven´t any relationship (please, not, I don´t want a soap opera. Inara with Mal, only).

Morena confirmed her character die in the future if the show had continued. Your theory could be true.

BYTEMITE

Friday, February 13, 2009 7:02 PM

Aw, she said that? Darn.

I've only heard of this from other people, I wouldn't know what was said or not.

Well, thank goodness for this community, we can write all sorts of different endings. :)

VERONIC

Friday, February 13, 2009 7:36 PM

Look

BYTEMITE

Friday, February 13, 2009 8:25 PM

Hmm.

I'm... not actually convinced that is Joss' plan from this. All we know is that the questioner's "cousin" supposedly heard this from Joss.

And that when Morena heard that Joss might have said this, she says that if he said so, it must be true. That doesn't imply that she knows for sure.

But I still like this theory, and it fits with some of the ways Inara acts and with the reveal in the comic books.

Just don't want her to die, she's a great character.

Thanks for posting it, that's actually a bit of a relief. :)

VERONIC

Friday, February 13, 2009 8:31 PM

Inara is one of my favourite characters too ;)

VERONIC

Saturday, February 14, 2009 1:14 AM

I have re-read that comic book and.........you are right.
Simon comes to Inara like Doctor. Inara is ill now.

BYTEMITE

Saturday, February 14, 2009 1:29 AM

Tragic as it could be, I really think that would be a great direction for Inara's character development. She is so damn strong. Wow.

But I still hope Joss doesn't kill her. He gets a little too kill-happy sometimes, goes for the tragedy when in the long run the characters and plot development would be more interesting if he did something else.

Does anyone really want to see Mal get even MORE miserable? Good holy gravy.

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