Mal and Nandi

POSTED BY: manwithpez
UPDATED: Sunday, July 25, 2004 16:01
VIEWED: 9315
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SUPERFLY

Friday, July 23, 2004 12:57 AM

I think we've all been missing one of the key ingredeants (sorry can't spell) to the sudden overt nature of Mal's affection for Inara. To put it bluntly, I think it could have had a lot to do with sex.

We heard in Our Mrs. Reynolds that "nobody but me's grab hold of my plow in a long time." But in HOG, not only does Mal get to express his looooooooong represed sexuality, but he gets to express it in a very loving way. Take another gander or two at the sex scene in HOG. Hot enought to make you wanna slap yo mamma, but still extreamly sentual and sensative.

Anyone here ever read Kate Chopin's "Awakening?" Well... I think that's probably what Mal got that night. An awakening. For a long time, he's been more captain than man. One night with Nandi reminded him that he is a man, has needs, and feelings. His reaction to running into Inara still clothing himself outside of Nandi's room says it all for me.

If he hadn't run into her that morning, I imagine he'd have shut the door, walked down the hall, and clicked his heels while shouting "Wooo Hooo!!! I'm a man again!"

PURPLEBELLY

Friday, July 23, 2004 1:13 AM

Like a rebirth

MANWITHPEZ

Friday, July 23, 2004 1:31 AM

Superfly has hit it on the nail, exactly, I think. That's what I meant in the original post when I said, "Backed up". He's put this wall up, and all of the sudden, antique guns and sake...Bang! And I mean that figuratively and literally. His walls are being torn down. The more of a fmaily he makes on Serenity, the more humanisitic he becomes. I think this is the root of it. I think you start to see him shut back down in Objects in Space. But, he does admit to at least liking River...Something I don't think he would have down prior to sleeping with Nandi. He;s starting to see the crew as a family and not as his charges or some people he has to protect. He's a noble person to start with, but chinks in his armor are starting to show through. That captain's a big softy, and I think the only three on the ship that might have the idea were Kaylee, Book, and Inara.

That, and I'm talking out of my posterior.

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

GRACEOM

Friday, July 23, 2004 4:08 AM

I think it was a lot of things... Being able to connect with someone maybe gave him the idea he might be able to connect with other people he'd always kind of had a hankering to connect with... Nandi died and life is short... But also, Nandi *did* confront him with Inara's feelings, even though she didn't really have time to elaborate. I think that must have made an impression. He had reason to trust Nandi's intuition, and he knew that she knew Inara well (how soap operish is that?) so maybe he finally believed that what he'd always assumed was impossible might just be possible after all (that Inara might acutally care for him, and that therefore he might dip a toe in admiting he cared for her...but then she won't let him).

Okay, I'm incoherant. Tequilla does that to me.

Grace

ROWAN

Friday, July 23, 2004 8:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Channain:
First, how odd is it for me to see my RP character talking about stuff out here I like it! Second, I have some issue with the idea that Nandi's death showed Mal how short life can be. I'm thinking Mal saw more than enough of that in the war. He kills when he sees fit to - he doesn't seem to have any qualms about taking life from anyone he thinks doesn't deserve it. That may also be why he's living the way he wants to, as free as he can - before someone else gets the same idea about him.

Hello Channain

so it's an odd feeling to see Rowan out and about and talking on her own is it?

well you see there was this star I wished on and suddenly I came off the paper and became a real girl!

LOL!
I will have to have a look at what I've been up to!
This is not my best medium for expression and I realise how poorly I explain and express myself in a written format when I read how others write including you.
I completely agree with your statement: "I'm thinking Mal saw more than enough of that in the war. He kills when he sees fit to"
In a war or business environment Mal would have hardened his heart somewhat keeping those he cares about at arms length for fear possibly of the pain you feel when you lose someone you love. I though maybe Nandi had opened his heart a little made him realise that keeping people at arms length while caring for them is not really working for him on a certain level. That there isn't any point to fighting his feelings or suppressing them for Inara because he's still going to hurt if he loses her the only difference will be that he never got to have any of the good stuff. I think this is how Nandi acts as the catalyst opening Mal up to this realisation. His defences have been lowered and his emotions are on the surface he's in a vulnerable place emotionally hence his attempt to make his declaration to Inara she sensing this in him knowing it's coming from Mal because he's in this emotionally vulnerable state shuts him down before he says something he isn't really ready to follow up on once he's no longer feeling this way. This would probably be the next morning when he wakes up and realises what he’s said and done. I think Inara does this as much to protect herself as to protect him.

AURAPTOR

Friday, July 23, 2004 11:49 AM

Nandi pretty much seduced Mal, not realizing that he AND Inara secretly loved each other. She figured it was just him, and thought he could use a good thrust.

The scene of Inara crying over Mal and Nandi was pretty powerful, and telling. Even though she's a companion, and a damn good one, she still could not seperate her feelings for Mal and the 'business' side of things.

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

THEREALME

Friday, July 23, 2004 2:09 PM

Great ideas, everyone. But I'll have to disagree on one point. I think Inara shut Mal down before he could express his love for her in order to protect HERSELF.

She's a companion, after all, and with her Companion Powers (tm) she certainly knew what he was about to say. After all, I did, and I'm hardly psychic at all!

She had realized how vulnerable she had become, how connected with Mal. That is also why she had to leave. She was running away. I think that Inara handles sex fine, but has problems where love in involved. This is due, no doubt, to Inara's Secret.

Whatever THAT is.

The Real Me

CHANNAIN

Friday, July 23, 2004 2:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Rowan
Hello Channain so it's an odd feeling to see Rowan out and about and talking on her own is it? well you see there was this star I wished on and suddenly I came off the paper and became a real girl! LOL!
I will have to have a look at what I've been up to!

Check the New Characters thread for the Gunrunners RP. That's the quickest way. Not a lot of folk have the time to wade through 18 threads, all 100 or so posts each. The Fa-Zhou Rowan character is why my Avatar looks like Jeannette Lee.
http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=3498
You're becoming quite notorious, actually

Quote:
Originally posted by Rowan
I though maybe Nandi had opened his heart a little made him realise that keeping people at arms length while caring for them is not really working for him on a certain level.

That's my thought as well. A fella can go a long while maintaining an existence without really living. Nandi put a nice dent in that armor of his, then Inara cracked it when she told him she was leaving. Now he's gotta fix it.

Quote:
Originally posted by auraptor
Nandi pretty much seduced Mal, not realizing that he AND Inara secretly loved each other. She figured it was just him, and thought he could use a good thrust.

Oh, I think there was a lot of mutual seduction going on there. Love might be a bit strong too, IMO. But she knew there was something going on between them - heck, she even said as much.

Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe
But I'll have to disagree on one point. I think Inara shut Mal down before he could express his love for her in order to protect HERSELF.

I'm thinking there might even be Guild law against Companions falling in love. The second they do that, they're out - buh-bye prestige, privilege, the whole nine yards. She'd lose her access to the Guild client registry and be forced to eek out an existence on her own. Not that she wouldn't be able to, but it would be a lot harder, and several of those clients of hers all like the idea that they're "courting" a registered companion. Atherton Wing--case in point. Desirable as she is, I seriously doubt he would have given Inara a second look if she didn't have the Companion pedigree.

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

ROWAN

Sunday, July 25, 2004 12:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by THEREALME:
Great ideas, everyone. But I'll have to disagree on one point. I think Inara shut Mal down before he could express his love for her in order to protect HERSELF.

Hello THEREALME

I didn't want you to feel lonely out there thinking you were all by yourself in this belief. You and I are in complete agreement I said the same thing myself in my earlier post.

THEREALME

Sunday, July 25, 2004 4:01 PM

Thanks, Rowan.

I must admit it was getting a might lonesome.

The Real Me

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