More about sex and Inara

POSTED BY: mal4prez
UPDATED: Saturday, August 1, 2009 19:12
VIEWED: 20411
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KAOSIUM

Friday, June 26, 2009 3:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Hmm. Perhaps that might have been part of why she left, but I suspect more than her job, Inara's secret is what really kept her pushing Mal away, and why she ultimately left.

That could be too, though it doesn't explain why she'd continue companioning in the first place. If she has "something set aside" as per "Heart of Gold what is she doing still working if she only has a few years to live?

PLATONIST

Friday, June 26, 2009 3:34 AM

Why is Inara still working?

Health care?

KAOSIUM

Friday, June 26, 2009 3:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:
Why is Inara still working?

Health care?

I can't imagine the Guild is so heartless it would cut off her health care because she wants to enjoy the remaining years of her life. I understand that's what the actress revealed at that convention recently, that Inara's secret hinted at in the scene from "Out of Gas" was that she was dying.

If it was health care why on earth would she go to the rustic rim rather than stay on her wealthy core planet with presumably top notch hospitals and crack physicians aplenty?

BYTEMITE

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:16 AM

I think there was a bit more to it than that, and am pretty much planning to explore my long convoluted theory in writing, so I can't go too deeply into it. :)

Suffice to say, I think Inara is sick, but I also think that she may have been in danger on Sihnon. I think the guild encouraged her to go, and I think she wanted to go see the verse before she died.

I think she continues to practice companioning because it's something familiar and comfortable for her, something she can fall back on if things on Serenity don't work out.

PLATONIST

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:19 AM

The Guild may not know, check out the Inara discussion here, it has the spoiler alert:)

http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=2&t=38119#701552

AGENTROUKA

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mal4prez:
Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:
I get the impression that this aspect of the discussion is nearing the "agreeing to disagree" zone.
I can't stop yet because I think you're not getting what I'm saying. You're over-complicating and taking this places I don't mean, and getting off the point.

Whoa. Deeply sorry.

Quote:

Let's keep it simple: Bytemite thinks that Mal's attempt to talk honestly meant a wholesale acceptance of Inara, profession and all. That he was fully willing to start a relationship with her, right then and there, and be the lover of a working, practicing Companion.

Just confirm that this is indeed what you think, then I will know that we do indeed disagree and I'll leave it alone.

I'm fairly certain she actually said that this is not what she meant?

It's not what I mean, in as broad strokes as you paint here, either. In a very over-simplified way, it is, though.

I certainly don't think Mal could or would have phrased it like that because he can't imagine himself in a relationship, period. Any relationship.

I think Mal was - judgment free - open to trying something with Inara. Not in the "I'm ignoring the crashing and burning outcome" scenario you described earlier, but in an actual and earnest "Let's see how I can handle this", open minded approach. Earnestly open to trying, whatever it would be. I think he was already working up to that pre-HoG.

I'm basically don't see Mal in any kind of denial at this point.

And we have already agreed to disagree about Mal's ability to accept Inara in the past, if you remember, so it's hardly going to be surprising that we're ending up back there.

Do have fun in Vegas.

AGENTROUKA

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaosium:
Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Hmm. Perhaps that might have been part of why she left, but I suspect more than her job, Inara's secret is what really kept her pushing Mal away, and why she ultimately left.

That could be too, though it doesn't explain why she'd continue companioning in the first place. If she has "something set aside" as per "Heart of Gold what is she doing still working if she only has a few years to live?

Maybe she likes her work?

BYTEMITE

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaosium:

I don't think Mal ever intended to openly defy the Alliance as much as to simply escape from them. When he introduces Zoe to his new ship he says something to the effect of 'it's independence, never have to live under the heel of anyone ever again. Take jobs as they come.' He wanted to hire a mechanic and maybe a cook, he didn't say 'we need a burly thug for business dealings.' Also he didn't buy a warship, but an unarmed freighter, and at no time tries to arm it. I think he really just wants to be a freighter captain, and it's just the way of life on the Rim that when you start out you need to work some questionable dealings to keep flying. The only actual heists that didn't involve simple smuggling or salvage were originated by Simon and Saffron, not Mal.

Having Mal settle down to regular runs and just be a transport wouldn't seem to me to be out of character in the slightest. I think what Mal really wanted was freedom, not revenge.

If that's true, why not go back to ranching, i.e. what Mal would believe a normal life?

I think because it hurts too much.

Why not get a job as a salesrep for a core corporation, or something within the bounds of Alliance law?

I think because it reminds him he lost.

I don't think it's so strong as revenge, he's a good sport all considering to that commander in Bushwhacked. But I think he can't stand any other job he might take, because they would be self-lacerating.

I don't disagree about the becoming JUST a transport, Mal would be perfectly happy, and perhaps safe, doing that. But I don't think Joss would've ended it that way. I think he would've ended Mal's story with a big change of some kind.

I see him coming full circle, really. I think when he can give up Serenity Valley and take up ranching again, he'll truly have recouped from his losses in the war.

AGENTROUKA

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:

Well, anyway. Know what else? I don't think Mal likes his job, in truth. I think he has a lot of regrets and that his job is just a projection of depression-related low self esteem.

I agree with that, as well.

At this point, Mal is stuck in this life. Criminal record, Simon and River, a family held together by unsteady jobs. He can't really change it, but I'm certain he doesn't like it. Regrets describes it well.

Not that he hates every part of it all the time. He loves Serenity. But overall, he's dissatisfied.

AGENTROUKA

Friday, June 26, 2009 4:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaosium:
For a 'petty crook' he's an awfully honest man. In the pilot he lets Patience keep the food bars even though she tried to kill him and was at his mercy.

Which was also the smarter choice, because now he might still do business with her in the future, instead of becoming The Guy Who Killed Patience.

Quote:

He gives the medicine back as well as Niska's money in "The Train Job."

Which was also the smarter choice because keeping the money would have meant being hunted down for sure. The medicine was an act of honor, yes. Mal will do the right thing if cornered. It's more often than not an easily suppressed instinct, though.

Quote:
He doesn't claim the cattle even though it looks like the people who paid him are going to be hauled off to jail in "Safe."

Which was also the smarter choice because a second later the officers want to see official papers for the cattle and shooting ensues.

Quote:
In "Shindig" he tells Inara one of the things he hated was "the lie of it all."

Not getting into this one.

Quote:

On some things Mal just won't compromise, and it appears this is one of them, which I suspect is why Inara left. She knew that they were incompatible as long as she still wanted to be a companion thus it was just hurting both of them for her to stick around.

I agree that this is what Inara thinks, aside from her secret and aside from perhaps a general unwillingness to bind herself.

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