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

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

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:30 AM

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Originally posted by fearthebunnyman:
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Originally posted by kpo:
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Inara fans, what episode/scene in the series does sum up Inara and her Companioning, really well?

The scene in the pilot where she lays her hand on the Shepherd's head, in a sort of absolution. That pretty much told me right there who and what Inara was.

I think the answers you're going to get to this question are going to depend on what people think of Inara's function in the show.

That actually was the one scene where I went "Huh".
I mean, I knew what the writers were trying to do to the audience: "aaugh! gut reaction! totally zomg this preacher dude is like confessing to the prostitute, man! Totally wth?"

But I don't know what they were trying to do to the show by having that scene. I mean, Book has that bit and then he's all peachy the rest of the time. It just feels really out of place given the rest of his episode/show "arc" that we see, and Inara's also.

If it really was just to say about the characters to the audience (I apologize in advance) "we're not in Kansas any more", then I get it. But anything else baffles me.
__

Going for a ride.

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KPO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:34 AM

I liked her in the pilot (I liked everything about the pilot).

It doesn't explain the Companioning though. That was a spontaneous moment, where she addressed the imminent need of a human being who had come to her. Not quite the same as her choosing clients and flying out to them to perform services, and then taking money.

That definitely was a good moment, but I don't think it's one that sums up Companioning - though maybe it sums up the person of Inara.

Heads should roll

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:41 AM

See, my whole thing with Inara was, when does the Companion end, and Inara begin, and vice versa? At that moment, Book recognized Inara as a person of status, respect, wisdom, etc, and he came to her for that. And I never found book all that preachy, and when he was, it was certainly never to Inara...he treated her with deference, and it always stuck me (and this is just my own reading) that that was due to her station, as a Companion...which is simultaneously also who she is (in addition to what). It's never explicitly spelled out WHY Companions are as highly regarded as they are, rather it's shown to us in a myriad different ways.

Quick add - In the commentary for the pilot, Joss mentions that when Simon goes up to Inara's shuttle, ostentatiosly for medical supplies, he is actually going up there to confess, about Kaylle and the trouble he felt he caused. And we see him do that repeatedly throughout the series, going to Inara to confess, or seek counsel or comfort. He doesn't open up like that to anyone else, not even Book to whom he's somewhat closed off, which wouldn't seem to make sense as he obviously has respect for Book's religion, and Book IS the preacher. But Simon grew up with Companions, and naturally gravitates to Inara to fulfill that role instead. So there's another example of her status as a Companion and what that might signify to people in the Core. It's obviously more than sex.

KPO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:56 AM

Right... But then they're forced to show the mechanics of Inara's profession occasionally - and it never quite lives up to its esteemed, honourable billing... The mechanics are dirty (I'm not talking in terms of sex...).

I better leave it there - I've hammered on about this too long already!

Heads should roll

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:01 AM

What's dirty about them? Other than the occasional jerk she runs across, that is...

KPO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:16 AM

Just that Inara's pure, noble moments you are mentioning are irrelevant to her job, and what she does for it. They're only relevant to her kind of revered, very classy status - she could be a noble queen, or ambassador, or highly evolved species of alien (I know, Joss wouldn't like that, I'm still working on the details though :) ) - and then you could still have this special role, and special *presence* on the ship. And in these cases it would be legitimate.

But specifically, what's dirty - I guess that she's taking money for what she does. That can never be *that* noble. Also I can only understand it as a charade (as I and others have described previously in the thread - though perhaps others see it differently). The fact that the main part of her job is bringing physical pleasure - let us say is morally neutral. Overall it's a little bit shady, and beneath the person and status of Inara that is put across (refined, classy, beautiful, noble, wise).

Heads should roll

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:33 AM

Ah, see, I think we are coming at cross angles here. You say her nobility is irrelevant to her job...I think it on the contrary that's a fundamental aspect of her work. For some reason you seem to think sex undermines all that...and that doesn't really make any sense unless you think there's something inherently dirty or vulgar about sex. We don't know that the main part of being a Companion is bringing *physical* pleasure either; rather, we are generally shown that the physical aspect augments the spiritual/psychological aspect. It supports it. Also, why would accepting money for her services make it a charade? Doctors and psychiatrists accept money. Soldiers get paid. So does the president. Priests and pastors typically receive stipends and gifts (some more than others). There's a point at which that can be corrupted, but it's not intrinsically so. So that doesn't really make much sense to me either.

BYTEMITE

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:43 AM

I'm going to say that companioning in the series is actually better shown by Nandi then by Inara, the poor girl just has the most awful luck it seems like, and I do see Inara as a little bit naive about it all.

Of course, it seems like most everyone disagrees with me that it was Nandi who was companioning Mal, giving him a taste of what he wants and can't have as payment for him helping out her house. But the way I see it was Nandi really trying to help Mal work through his feelings for Inara and maybe try to get past them.

And she did a pretty good job, too, up to the point when Mal runs into Inara, but I think that's because Nandi really underestimated the depths of both their feelings.

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:10 AM

Well, Nandi was certainly using wiles ;)

KPO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:50 PM

Quote:
Of course, it seems like most everyone disagrees with me that it was Nandi who was companioning Mal,

Actually I agree with you, and thanks - you've given me a breakthrough.

I think they were 'companioning' each other. Two people who for different reasons could use the comfort and shared a connection - it was mutual.

But here's my point, why call this 'companioning' at all? It was just regular, conventional, human intimacy: mutual, and no money changing hands. All right Nandi used some wiles to smooth the process but I don't think that makes it 'Companionship'.

What distinguishes Inara's Companionship is that it is one-sided - her satisfying the needs of a client, and getting paid for it. As someone else said, 'being paid to be personal'. And this is what makes it a charade in my opinion - no human relationship/interaction is really like that.

Actually there is one kind of human interaction that is genuinely one-sided, and that is charity. Seeing another human being in need and acting with compassion - as Inara did with Book.

So perhaps Inara could choose *some* clients on a charitable basis (folk like Fess who apparently could really benefit from her 'touch'?) - but I can't imagine her choosing all her clients that way, and in any case she is still charging money, so not quite charity...

No, as Joss says, he was playing with the old fashioned notion in the Western genre of the prostitue with the 'heart of gold'. I actually don't mind this notion, but I think Joss over-reached when he tried to make the whole *profession* 'golden'.

Heads should roll