Did the 'Companion' thing ever bug you in Firefly?

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Saturday, February 7, 2026 14:42
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PIZMOBEACH

Thursday, February 18, 2010 3:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Well, pizmo, I disagree, and see above for why. I'd do a step by step argument here, but I got a site visit thing I gotta do. Be back later!

Looking forward to it - I didn't see your post since we posted at about the same time. That spoiler does add to the mix... I'm not sure how just yet though. :)

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TWO

Thursday, February 18, 2010 5:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
I like what TWO was suggesting about Companions versus Whores - Companions wanting friendship, whores money. What if it goes further, what if part of their training was in the art of making their clients fall in love with them? Not just the art of physical pleasure, but really get inside their hearts, where it seemed completely mutual and real? That would be a powerful "service."

That's an old-fashion scifi idea: Companions are highly respected because they are the human-embodied essence of Love Potion No. 9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Potion_No._9_%28film%29 Wasn't there an elixir in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince[2009] that did almost the same? “Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room.” I think Companions agree with J. K. Rowling about it being a dangerous idea. I think they're too ethical to do that to their Clients.

I'm going to be romantic and postulate that the friendship between Companion and Client is real. Anything less in the relationship feels like failure to a Companion and that's why they are highly esteemed.

And to make things worse for Inara, she is not creating as many of the connections she expects. She feels like a failure. That might be why she temporarily stopped seeing Clients during the 5 months she is away from Serenity -- she's trying to get her old confidence back.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity", where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

PIZMOBEACH

Thursday, February 18, 2010 5:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by two:
I'm going to be romantic and postulate that the friendship between Companion and Client is real. Anything less in the relationship feels like failure to a Companion and that's why they are highly esteemed.

I prefer your romantic take to mine, because I like to think of Inara as a genuine person, and yet... if Companions have that power (and I'm not suggesting that they have a potion or some kind of hypnotics, just great understanding through training and years of accumulated experience, The Training House), they would be a very powerful group in the 'Verse. What if

Inara left because they were getting too political, using their power for other things than Companioning?

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

TWO

Thursday, February 18, 2010 6:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
I prefer your romantic take to mine, because I like to think of Inara as a genuine person, and yet... if Companions have that power (and I'm not suggesting that they have a potion or some kind of hypnotics, just great understanding through training and years of accumulated experience, The Training House), they would be a very powerful group in the 'Verse. What if Inara left because they were getting too political, using their power for other things than Companioning?

That's two ideas. Companions are the Bene Gesserit from “Dune” Or they are the “spice.” One or both. Wiki quote: The story explores the complex and multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as the forces of the Empire confront each other for control of Arrakis and its "spice". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_%28novel%29

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity", where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

MINCINGBEAST

Thursday, February 18, 2010 6:40 PM

Fascianting, thought-provoking stuff!

However, my distrust of nuance and depth councils me that maybe Inara is just the 25th century Ashley Dupree, gussied up with Buddhism and faux-spirituality. I hope that doesn't sound unduly dismissive, but the fact is that she puts out for money, however we frame it.

Sad how Inara having sex with strangers (which is a very friendly thing to do) makes me cringe, while Mal shooting strangers (not so friendly) makes me applaud. Something about the American psyche makes violence seem wholesome, perhaps even regenerative, while sex is just icky.

PIZMOBEACH

Thursday, February 18, 2010 7:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by two:
That's two ideas.

It is indeed, the first one of Companions being real with their customers (yours) or being fake and manipulative (mine), led me to the second one; expanding their sphere of influence through manipulation, something you believe Inara would not like or want to be a part of AND THEREFORE, giving her motivation to leave the Guild.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

BYTEMITE

Thursday, February 18, 2010 8:08 PM

Okay, back, yay! Also my map generator thingie is working on my computer, which means I'm not going to have to spend all day redoing figures and I have time for a few comments.

Okay, so, actually, I was a bit hasty with my blanket disagreement, pizmo, there's really only one thing you said that I disagree with, the other two points I'm right with you.

Nathan said in the visual companions that his take on the whole Mal/Nandi scene is that it's Mal "wanting to be human for a little while, which isn't something he really allows himself much." Or something like that.

I think it wasn't to hurt Inara, but rather that at the time, Mal actually wanted whatever it was Nandi was offering. I also think it was more than "just sex," that Nandi was actually doing some Companioning. Here Mal is, he offers to help Inara's friend as a gesture to Inara, right? And Inara has to brush it off as just business, because she can't let anything go deeper between them, she can't accept the gift/favour Mal was offering.

Well, that HURTS. The "strictly business" comment when they're introduced and Inara's subsequent eye-roll tells Nandi right away that Mal is feeling rejected. So Nandi was giving Mal something he wanted, telling him things about Inara and giving him a night with a companion. Nandi was trying to be helpful, because it seemed to both Nandi and Mal that Inara just plain wasn't interested and Mal's feelings were unrequited. Hence what I said about Mal needing comfort, and believing Inara would never offer it. Thus, Mal's lie about only two people in the room, he's still thinking about Inara or maybe trying to forget about Inara (only to be reminded the next morning).

Mal has no idea that Inara has any feelings for him at all, I mean it doesn't even seem like the idea even occurs to him in Our Mrs. Reynolds, so why would he think that sleeping with Nandi would somehow "show" Inara how he feels about anything? Mal's discomfort was over his apparent hypocrisy, and then anguish as Inara seems to reinforce that it doesn't bother her and she doesn't care about him.

I actually agree with you that there's a class issue here, but I see it more on Mal's side. Inara seems remarkably just fine hanging out in a seedy bar in Shindig, or hell, even just renting a shuttle on a low-end transport. Does she seem judgmental towards Kaylee? Zoe? Wash? They all seem to have working class backgrounds. Yet she's kind and friendly to them, and I think that's genuine. It's only when Mal's around that she puts on airs, and that's to discourage him, because she doesn't want to get involved with him.

But with Mal, unfortunately, that feeds a very real class distinction that HE sees and that seems insurmountable to him. He sees Inara and Simon and sees Simon as a threat, Simon as "more right" for Inara, more "Inara's type," like her clients. He dislikes Simon IMMEDIATELY based on apparent class. And to Inara, he retaliates with the whore comments, in an effort to try to bring Inara down to his level. But while he thinks maybe Inara is misguided and idealistic in regards to her profession (like the conversations in Shindig, about "the lie of it"), I don't think he believes his insults.

And Two pointed out this problem, but Inara offering actual love for money is dangerous.

Actually, I don't really like the friendship idea, because that feels very manipulative and unethical to me. I don't think Inara MAKES people feel ANYTHING, I think people feel that on their own.

Why does Inara have to offer anything other than sex, beauty, grace, and comfort? Why does she have to be anything different to be a high class whore, or even set apart from whores in general? I think we can all agree that maybe while the basic transaction is the same, Inara is very different from a streetwalker.

But so long as we're going here, I do think she cares about people, in general, and likes to relieve suffering, in general. Personality wise, she is not like someone who is only interested in money or pleasure, I think she's naturally helpful and friendly, and

PLATONIST

Thursday, February 18, 2010 8:51 PM

Good read, Byte, very well thought out, especially the part about Mal and Nandi, you nailed it, and thanks for getting all the Inara Secret links organized in one place, even if they tear a piece of my heart away, every time I view.

BYTEMITE

Thursday, February 18, 2010 9:04 PM

Well, watch out. If I seem sharp it's only 'cause I'm kind of running with scissors here. I'm liable to trip up at some point.

Also interested in counterpoints/arguments. It's good to have a different cross section of opinions here than usual, most of the time when we're talking about Inara it's you and me and other Inara fans. Even if maybe it doesn't show Inara in as good a light, it's nice to get other perspectives. Especially to understand the character (and to better write the character, on my part).

PIZMOBEACH

Thursday, February 18, 2010 10:03 PM

Good stuff Byte - I like your take on the classes conflict in particular, that it's more Mal than Inara.

And now I have a great reason to go watch HoG!

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

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