Scenes you didn't understand

POSTED BY: bufo
UPDATED: Friday, November 9, 2012 23:52
VIEWED: 17171
PAGE 1 of 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NEXT PAGE

BUFO

Thursday, August 4, 2011 9:11 PM

Is there a scene where you didn't really understand where they were going with it? This is not about bad scenes since I can't think of any that are cringe worthy.

Here's mine: In the pilot ep Book knocks on Inara's shuttle while she is giving herself a sponge bath. She says come in before he covers herself up. Book sees and is embarrassed. Why did she do that and what if it had been Mal who knocked or did she hope it was him?

BYTEMITE

Thursday, August 4, 2011 10:00 PM

Well, the commentary says that she was upset about the insults from her client and Mal and was cleansing herself.

So what I figure is this:

1) If it was Mal, he wouldn't have knocked anyway, and the woman has to bathe sometime. So in case he did barge in, she did at least have her back turned to the doorway.

2) Since there was a knock, she knew it wasn't Mal, and so wasn't in as much of a hurry.

One possibility is that she might have thought it was Kaylee. We see that Kaylee does often visit Inara, and for Kaylee Inara might have felt fine telling her to come in just before she covered up.

It happens to be Book, but I don't think he saw anything more than her back. Also, when she sees it's Book, she's glad because she has a chance to make a second first impression without Mal deliberately trying to embarrass her, and to talk to Book about any misgivings he might have while he's traveling with them.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, August 4, 2011 11:20 PM

I think she was expecting Book. I dare say a large portion of a companions clients are men of the cloth. She was merely preparing herself.

Cartoons - http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com

BYTEMITE

Thursday, August 4, 2011 11:37 PM

Hmm. I'm not so sure. The only client Inara has I'm not sure about is Atherton. The rest tend to be more Alliance officials or affiliated.

Which in this case is one and the same, but she doesn't know that. I digress.

ECGORDON

Friday, August 5, 2011 12:35 AM

I'm not sure it mattered to Inara who was knocking. She is very comfortable with her body and is not ashamed to be seen unclothed. Even if it had been Mal I think she would have got a kick out of teasing him with a glimpse of what he couldn't have.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Friday, August 5, 2011 2:06 AM

Bytemite wrote:

Quote:
Hmm. I'm not so sure. The only client Inara has I'm not sure about is Atherton. The rest tend to be more Alliance officials or affiliated.

Well I think you have to read between the lines. The relaxed nature in which she accepts Book into her room suggests she's not in the least bit uncomfortable about Book being there. This in turn suggests she's more than familiar with men of the church paying her a visit or two.

And remember book's past is still somewhat of a mystery at this stage and as he said. He wasn't born a Shepherd.

Just a thought.

Cartoons - http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com

BYTEMITE

Friday, August 5, 2011 3:48 AM

ECGordon: I'm not sure about that, either. This is a lady who's supposed to be, or at least tries to be the epitomy of feminine grace. And while, okay, she has sex with men for money, modesty would still be a virtue, as would mystery.

She even blushes in Shindig when Atherton's being too upfront, I dunno, that says to me that she has her boundaries.

BYTEMITE

Friday, August 5, 2011 3:53 AM

It's not impossible that she's serviced clergy before, yes, but within the context of that scene I don't get the vibe that she thinks Book is there for a little something-something.

I would imagine she'd be a lot less welcoming, considering she's only just finished up trying to settle herself from the other insults and degradations she was subjected to.

RIONAEIRE

Friday, August 5, 2011 4:37 AM

I get the idea that men of the cloth aren't all that common in the core and the rich circles Inara frequents, sure she may have been with some at some point but if she were I don't think it figures into this scene at all. I think Byte's probably right, very common that. I think that companions are rather expensive so lowly not-rich folk probably can't afford one.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

THESOMNAMBULIST

Friday, August 5, 2011 9:51 AM

Well the church has plenty of money and for all Inara knows Book could have absconded with church funds.

The question is:

"She says come in before she covers herself up. Book sees and is embarrassed. Why did she do that and what if it had been Mal who knocked or did she hope it was him?"

My reasoning; she did that because she's been with men of the cloth before. It may seem out of context but if Inara is used to Clergymen visiting her, then it explains her lack of concern in covering herself up. Book (to her) is just another conflicted clergymen. (For there are many.)

As for whether she was expecting Mal, I would say no more than any other ordinary day. Given that we later learn Inara is in love with Mal it's fair to assume she's always hoping he'll pay her a visit.

Cartoons - http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NEXT PAGE