Inara's secret.
POSTED BY: peacekeeper
UPDATED: Saturday, June 6, 2009 20:50
VIEWED: 50550
PAGE 6 of 16
I'm feeling OK except for lack of sleep caused by my seemingly perpetual move from a big old house to a newer, smaller house.
Honestly, I've thought that way about Inara for a long time. And it seemed to gel after seeing the Companion Papers.
I thought about Inara's family in a little fic called "Mal's Cold". She describes her upbringing as a daughter of a Companion to Mal so that he know where she comes from.
I've always been a student of history and about a week ago I was watching a documentary on prostitutes in the West on the History Channel.
Prostitutes were usually the first women that came into a settlement that was almost exclusively male and they paved the way for the "respectable women", wives and families that came after.
But in Inara's case it's a bit reversed. The "respectable women" are already in there but it's the Companion that brings culture and upper class ways and morals.
Must be another of Joss's perverse tweaks at society.
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Oh, I agree absolutely. In fact, I would say that what you described is the only way it CAN be.
On western history: I have my sneaking suspicions that in the Rim the progression was whores for terraforming crews, families with the 'lil woman, then companions.
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That would be the correct order of things.
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Interesting speculation :) I like the idea of her mother being a Companion and the Guild not knowing about her health issues. Although, Inara never strikes me as a liar when it comes to her Companioning credibility, or maybe she was going to hide her illness until she couldn’t perform anymore. Maybe that’s why she goes to the Training House to teach instead of hitching a ride with a luxury liner.
The whole thing is kind of sad when you think about it, especially when she has no fantasy future or hopes and dreams in Better Days, except to be with Mal.
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Agreed. Better Days is all about the fantasies the characters have, the way they'd like their lives to go.
It says something that Inara's one fantasy is Mal, and Mal has no fantasies.
Also, I've said it before, but Inara's reaction to Mal talking about having children in OMR... Viewed through these lenses, it's as heart-wrenching as when she cries in HOG, or tells Mal that she's leaving.
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Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
And something did happen to drive her from Shinon. My personal theory is that she got into the way of someone (either another Companion or a client)very powerful and even though she was the innocent party, she "volunteered" to leave until things were better on Shinon.
Since we don't hear much about rivalry within the guild, but surely it must exist, this sounds like a very plausible reason for leaving. I know companions aren't exactly geisha, but there are enough similarities that I'm sure rivalries and competitiveness would arise. Plus, Atherton is enough of an example that companions can cross clients leading to political ramifications (though of course in Ath's case he crossed the line and ended harming his own reputation).
NCB, I can see a scenario like the one you're theorizing being enough of a reason for Inara to have to leave, and get that wistful look in her eye when thinking about Sihnon. Leaving was clearly not her first choice.
To stay on topic though, I doubt the guild would necessarily know about Inara's condition if she wanted to keep that sort of information hidden.
Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:
The whole thing is kind of sad when you think about it, especially when she has no fantasy future or hopes and dreams in Better Days, except to be with Mal.
Uhhhhmm... that's a sad fantasy? Oh, or are you saying the situation's sad because that's her only fantasy, and the fates (aka Joss) have seen fit to cut her life and potential time with Mal short? Gotcha, I read that wrong. 'cause it's not a sad fantasy if ya ask me.
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Either way, I think...
Don't get me wrong. Mal is a great character (both in writing and, sometimes, in morals), but he'd also be a very difficult person to live with.
I don't envy Inara the trials she has ahead of her.
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Oh, no doubt he'd be a difficult person to live with. ...If they argue like that NOW? Heh. :(
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Buuut... If they ever worked out the issues, aside from the fights, they'd probably be good for each other.
Inara needs someone real who's not after her just for prestige, who'll encourage her strength and wisdom but check some of her core-born naivety. Mal needs someone nurturing, who can endure and temper his worse moments, and keep him from doing things he would hate himself for.
Plus, take away some of Mal's darkness and violence, and they both have pretty similar senses of humour. And they can find appreciation in a lot of the same things.
And Mal isn't ALL bad. If he mellowed out some, he might actually be able to give back some of the nurturing. He's certainly very good with Kaylee and River, it's not something he's completely incapable of. And he definitely cares enough for Inara.
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Holy cow, huge discussion. I read about half of it and am still confused as heck. Is this something I'm gonna learn in one of the comic series or is this something I can learn now and not feel bad for being spoiled?
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