Inara's secret.
POSTED BY: peacekeeper
UPDATED: Saturday, June 6, 2009 20:50
VIEWED: 50550
PAGE 11 of 16
Only going to write one post on this, because this is definitely not the place to discuss my own little bit of writing, but, yeah, what Simon tells Mal in the last chapter was that she was trying to slow the progression of the disease by slowing down everything. Though the implication is also that as a street drug it can be used simply for the sake of vanity.
You can still hate my portrayal of her mother. Mal does. :-) I think at best she's misguided and confused, at worst actively malicious.
Okay, end non-canon fic rant.
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You know, one other thing. It seems to me that a lot of people who watch Firefly don't really like Inara. I think some fans perhaps do see her as vain and shallow, and I think that's too bad. In part, this is why I'm so glad Morena let Inara's secret slip. It was obvious there was something there, of course, but if it was just that she wanted to live forever, then that would've lessened her character rather than enhancing it. And that's what's frustrating about so much of the anti-aging talk: it lessens her character. So, right, just to repeat, I think, if it's there, it has to involve her illness.
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Just so you know, when you post it, I'm going to act surprised still. Because you're probably not telling us everything. 
In regards to how people perceive Inara, I think there's a perception that because she's a bit promiscuous, she really is immoral. And because she's immoral and promiscuous, there's a tendency to see her underneath the pretty as (and write her as) a selfish shrew of a slut. I guess her fighting with Mal doesn't really impress them either, I see a lot of interpretation as Mal is just trying to call her on what she's doing is wrong, and her response is shrieking back. Because I guess Mal has to be right, and she's not acting like a good girl should, all needy and submissive and supportive, so she doesn't deserve him.
...I want someone to make me a sammich now. Preferably male.
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Oh, just to be clear, I don't mean the VERY last chapter. I haven't thought nearly that far ahead. I meant the last one I posted, number 6. So nothing spoiled. Can't spoil for you what I don't know myself.
But, more importantly: I find it so bizarre that people would think ill about her because of her profession. If anything, I find her work REALLY interesting in terms of the false divisions/emotional compartmentalization it must force her to erect. I LOVE how Joss puts that right out there in the pilot during her conversation with the client. I also think it pushes us to think about her connection to her body, which is particularly interesting since it's a body that's dying.
I love everyone, but she's my favorite – and it makes me really, really, really sad when she's shoved aside in fanfic as someone who's kind of in Mal's way.
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shoved aside like she's in Mal's way...
Thank you, thank you, from all of us that adore her character.
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Although, to be fair to that viewpoint, even though Inara tends to emphasize the therapeutic nature of her occupation...
Well, I could see how complications might arise. I imagine she generally likes her clients, but she's encouraging them to feel more than just like. Even without Mal in the picture it's the sort of thing that you'd expect could cause a lot of jealousy. Even some of the nicest people can start to act crazy if the bug bites them.
In that way, there is something potentially deceptive and harmful in what she does. I think she has to walk a pretty fine line between that and what good she does.
I'm not saying she's a bad person, because she definitely has a strong sense of morals, her decisions aren't unethical, and what she does she does not do with the intent to manipulate or harm. And she's not perfect, and I love that about her. I'm just pointing out, yeah it gives her feminine power and independence, but on the other hand it also reinforces masculine power over women (as all prostitution does), and there's a heck of a lot of problems that could arise from her career choice (again, besides Mal).
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Oh, I agree that it's really complicated, and that it probably makes her behave unintentionally in ways that could be seen as very manipulative. Another thing that's fronted in that first scene with a client – his distrust of her. But I'm more interested in the internal conflicts it must breed in her, even if she's not completely aware they're there. The other thing being a Companion offers her of course is a mechanism through which she can be in complete control of her relationships to people, which I would imagine would be useful emotionally given her situation. That Mal doesn't allow her to control their relationship (use her wiles on him) must frustrate her immensely. I don't think she quite knows how to have a relationship outside of the emotional boundaries dictated by her illness and by the Guild. I just wish there was more acknowledgment that she's COMPLICATED, not simply malicious or sinister or bothersome or vain or any of these other two-dimensional representations. :-)
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You know, that's another interesting question to speculate on. When did she find out? How has it influenced her career and the way she practices (aside from the 'see the universe' tour she decided to take)?
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Quoting Bytemite in this thread on Mal: And judging by all his pony-tail pulling, Mal hasn't had too many mature reciprocated relationships with women. He kind of doesn't know HOW to act. And his upbringing seems to have left him kind of repressed, both religious and in the values of masculine strength he appears to have been taught, so he doesn't have any way that he knows how to express his desires, and seems inclined to try to ignore them out of his own embarrassment.
Quoting Cliosmuse in this thread on Inara: The other thing being a Companion offers her of course is a mechanism through which she can be in complete control of her relationships to people, which I would imagine would be useful emotionally given her situation. That Mal doesn't allow her to control their relationship (use her wiles on him) must frustrate her immensely. I don't think she quite knows how to have a relationship outside of the emotional boundaries dictated by her illness and by the Guild.
I think that about sums it up. Shall we all go home now? No, on second thoughts - there's still so much more about this ship to explore. But like Platonist, I find it a pleasure to see this level of discussion about two such fascinating characters. When I read these two quotes together, it really gives new layers to the Shindig scene where Inara tries to use her wiles on Mal when she's teaching him to fence and he rears up and turns on her with his remark about whore academy.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Platonist: I don't think Mal necessarily judges people based on how useful they are. Objects in Space and the Lilac Run aside, River tends to be far more trouble and in need of protection than the amount she gives back. Yet he lets her stay.
Or Shepherd Book. Initially his perspective is why the hell would I want a shepherd around? Shepherd Book is a pretty good cook from what I can tell, and seems to know an awful lot about clandestine operations, but none of that is why he stays either.
If all Mal really valued about people is how they are useful (to him), his initial impression of Inara would have been "rich, pampered, spoiled, useless." Which I don't think is the impression he got at all. And I really don't think he enjoys it when she uses her companion status to save his neck, even though it's quite useful for him!
Nah, a person who only values others for their uses isn't just Mal-practical, they're narcissistic sociopaths. Mal appreciates plenty of other things about his crew than just what uses they have. What would Mal be without Kaylee's cheerfulness, Book's wise common sense, Wash's sense of humour and sometimes friendship, or Zoe's loyalty? River's important to him, not just cause she's a reader and a pilot, though what about her it is... Maybe her combination intellectual and childlike wonder or playfulness? Jayne is important because he represents straight-up self-interest, which Mal uses to protect the crew. Mal does respect Simon's unexpected bravery (quiet guy like that, who'd have thought?), that is, when Simon isn't punching him for taking River on a job, or annoying him, or being too sarcastic... And Inara. I'm not sure there's anything about her he doesn't appreciate.
Nope, I think our Captain has a secret sentimental side. :)
Somebody on the site had another link (I'll see if I can dig it up) on a theory that each of the other characters represent (and therefore in this context APPEAL to) parts of Mal--his willpower, his heart, his logic, etc.
I thought it was quite good as a working model interpretation--many things fall into place.
I think Mal though, is not judgeable as a "normal" character--ie a character with a reasonably cohesive, convergent physical, emotional or mental life (and you thought I was talking about River, didn't you?) So part of me agrees with Platonist--he NEEDS them for specific reasons, he just gets ATTATCHED to them for specific (usually other) reasons.
But oh yeah, secret sentimental side definitely there. :)
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