Theory about Inara

POSTED BY: MsBigPileofDust
UPDATED: Thursday, May 14, 2009 19:56
VIEWED: 20391
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MSBIGPILEOFDUST

Monday, January 19, 2004 12:42 PM

I have another crackpot theory (apart from the one on Book working for Blue Sun and following River).

I've only been posting here for a week so I apologise, if someone has already posted this theory.

Based on the 'Out of Gas' commentary, I think that maybe Inara is either terminally ill or under threat of death. If its the former, this could account for her refusal to persue Mal and her having a painless-suicide kit in her possession.

Tim Minear tantalises the listener and poor David Soloman with hints about Inara’s big secret. I think he lets it out of the bag though by saying that her conversation with Simon after they find out that the ship will run out of air gives a big hint. She only really says one thing, something like 'its never a good time to die', and only does one thing, she looks at him significantly when he mentions his birthday.

So… Does she have a fatal disease?? Is she being threatened with death unless she spies on the cap?? Is she about to turn 40 but has really good beauty products or a haggard painting???? Whaddaya think?

Check out my Buffy, Angel & Firefly Custom Figure Website: http://www.btinternet.com/~msbigpileofdust

THALOS

Monday, January 19, 2004 2:05 PM

Joss Whedon in one of his commentaries mentions that the syringe we saw in "Serenity" had in fact nothing to do with suicide. He went on to say that since the show was cancelled that if viewers thought it was for suicide that's fine, but Inara's secret and the truth of what was really in that syringe would have been (and may be in the movie) disclosed.

I still like the theory that she is addicted to drugs which is why she is on Serenity and not the house priestess.

"Whoa, good Bible."

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, January 19, 2004 2:24 PM

Joss did say the syringe was not a suicide kit. As to what it was, there has been quite a bit of speculation, from a drug used to boost strength and speed, to drug to simulate death. No telling for sure, but hopefully we will receive some more clues when the movie comes out.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

SEGURANT

Monday, January 19, 2004 2:37 PM

Well I think she is in hiding. In Heart of Gold, it was mentioned that Inara was up for high priestess or something like that. She could have made an enemy or decide not to take the post and left.

Segurant

"You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who's in ruttin' command here. "

BOBSUNCORP

Monday, January 19, 2004 2:57 PM

I had this idea that the drug may actually have been some kind of emotion supressor - hence the reason why she was injecting herself with a lot of scary reavers about to (possibly) attack. Also it seems to me that in a profession where she makes people fall in love with her, she would need to keep HER emotions in check and able to deal with. Her relationship with Mal (or lack of) may also cause her to want to stay in control. Partly I wonder whether this kind of a drug is obligatory for a companion - a theory debunked by the fact that the "heart of gold" (can't remember her name) did not seem to be aware of this, although did not disprove it either - perhaps she left the academy before she found out about it.

"If they board this ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh, and sew our skins into their clothing. And if we're very, very lucky... they'll do it in that order."

VENA

Monday, January 19, 2004 7:38 PM

there is the fact that wheh she came back from her physical (sorry fuzze on the ep.) kaylee asked Inara how things went. She replyed with somthing close to "Same as last year"

That can get you to think a bit especialy when you tie it in to the mysterious meds, it's never a good time to die, and the odd leaving of the house.

I vote she is deathly sick.

Any takers?

***************************

Mal:"someone ever ties to kill you, you try to kill'em right back!"

NICOLACLARKE

Monday, January 19, 2004 8:12 PM

I like the idea that Inara is an addict of some sort (well, perhaps 'like' is the wrong term...). It would explain why, with such an apparently bright future ahead of her (Nandi's comment about ambition and Inara making house priestess), Inara chose to hide herself away on the most disreputable-looking ship she could find. I imagine a drug addict wouldn't be the kind of image a Companion house would want to project. I assume, too, that she left before she was found out, or else I'd guess she wouldn't be able to operate as she does - i.e. as a registered Companion with company health insurance perks.

Being dangerously addicted to something expensive might also add an extra urgency to Inara's need for clients - perhaps that's why she was forced to consider leaving when it became obvious Mal was keeping her from finding enough work. She loves Mal, and Serenity, but the addiction is too strong?

SHINY

Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:08 PM

When Joss jokes, "she's a druggie" in the commentary, maybe it's not totally a joke. She may in fact be dependent on the drug she takes out as they pass the Reaver ship in Serenity. Just last night, I noticed this from the transcript to "The Message" ( http://www.fireflyfans.net/feature.asp?f=46):

Quote:

During this, Inara finds a small package, squarish, addressed to her. She smoothly slips it beneath her outfit without anyone noticing, turns to see Kaylee arrive, looking glum.

If we assume that what's in the small package is another kit with the same syringe and vial, it's reasonable to assume that she needs to take this drug regularly for some reason (to stave off death, keep her young, surpress emotions, increase her pheromone production, whatever)

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

VETERAN

Friday, January 23, 2004 12:29 AM

I think she may be terminally ill.

NITEHAWK

Friday, January 23, 2004 1:02 AM

terminally ill would be painfully cliche. but it might explain her choice to go off and adventure or whatever, to experience life while she can (mrs heart of gold mentioned companion life being constricting). Might also explain why she doesn't open up to Mal (beyond it would ruin her career) - she doesn't want to have him love her and then die on him.

KURUKAMI

Friday, January 23, 2004 1:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BrownCoat1:
Joss did say the syringe was not a suicide kit. As to what it was, there has been quite a bit of speculation, from a drug used to boost strength and speed, to drug to simulate death. No telling for sure, but hopefully we will receive some more clues when the movie comes out.

It might well be that she had a medical condition which was exacerbated by periods of extreme psychological stress, which would probably include getting attacked by the Reavers. Perhaps the syringe was an ampule of meds for the onset of symptoms, similar to what a diabetic has to do when their insulin runs low.

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it merely shouts "Weren't you listening the first time?!?" and lets fly with a club.

VENA

Friday, January 23, 2004 1:20 AM

I think I have changed my mind. My vote now swings to the idea that it is not only a drug she must keep taking cause of some kind of addiction but maybe, just might be somthing to keep her young.

member Nadie commenting on how Innara did not look a day older than the day she left the house?

Mal:"someone ever ties to kill you, you try to kill'em right back!"

SOUPCATCHER

Friday, January 23, 2004 2:06 AM

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=3396

I like the theory that Inara is the opposite of terminally ill. But there is a problem with the syringe being a youth drug. As PHLEBOTININ brought up in the above thread, why does she take it out when threatened with the danger of Reavers?

I see the needle as a last resort. Something that she would only use in a scenario involving death at the hands of Reavers. Why specifically Reavers? Because they would eat her flesh and that's something that Inara, in her present state, cannot allow to happen.

So here's the theory. Inara has gone through longevity treatment and her body does not age at the same rate. Her cells have been modified with a virus. This virus can be transmitted to Reavers through the eating of her flesh. The syringe counters the virus and returns her to normalcy so that, if the ship is taken, we don't get a bunch of longevity treated Reavers. The problem with using the syringe is that she would go back to normal mortality. I'm guessing that her treatment is not something you just pop back into the pharmacy to renew.

Still having fun rolling this idea around

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

SAINT JAYNE

Friday, January 23, 2004 2:54 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Vena:
member Nadie commenting on how Innara did not look a day older than the day she left the house?

I thought it was just a generic complement.

SHINY

Friday, January 23, 2004 4:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kurukami:
It might well be that she had a medical condition which was exacerbated by periods of extreme psychological stress

...like for example flying out to the edges of the galaxy to be threatened by criminals and savages, while simultaneously being insulted or teased by someone with whom she has serious UST problems?

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

SHINY

Friday, January 23, 2004 4:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
I see the needle as a last resort. Something that she would only use in a scenario involving death at the hands of Reavers.

If that's the case, then the mysterious package she receives and quickly hides in 'The Message' should not be another one of these, meaning there would be an additional mystery to solve...

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

SOUPCATCHER

Friday, January 23, 2004 5:21 AM

Quote:
If that's the case, then the mysterious package she receives and quickly hides in 'The Message' should not be another one of these, meaning there would be an additional mystery to solve...

Ooh. Didn't remember that package. Now I have to wait until my loaned out disc 4 is returned so I can get a better look at Inara's mail.

If she is getting another syringe in that episode then my theory doesn't hold much water...

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

DRAKON

Friday, January 23, 2004 10:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by NiteHawk:
terminally ill would be painfully cliche. but it might explain her choice to go off and adventure or whatever, to experience life while she can (mrs heart of gold mentioned companion life being constricting). Might also explain why she doesn't open up to Mal (beyond it would ruin her career) - she doesn't want to have him love her and then die on him.

Also, the choice could be explained if she is an addict. Something they tell addicts is not to return to their old lives, old routines. To do something else altogether.

The syringe in "Serenity" is like a glass cigarette for an ex smoker. Always there, but proof that they are stronger than the addiction. And maybe she ain't that strong, hence the reason why her shuttle smells of incense.

[that part does not quite fit. Injected drugs don't have a smell do they?]

The same data points you've provided are also explainable in the addiction theory as well.

Gorram Faux

"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"

MRPRESIDENT

Friday, January 23, 2004 2:56 PM

uh, annual medical exams???? Doesn't anyone think that that would be enough to blow any of these theories? Wouldn't a medical exam by someone authorized by the Companion's Guild(? or whatever they have) identify that a) she was terminally ill, b) she was a drug addict, or c) she was taking drugs to slow her aging? Yes, yes, any of these could be acceptable to Companion rules, but I doubt it, since they are supposed to be so respectable at this point in time. First post, just a thought...

SHINY

Friday, January 23, 2004 3:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mrpresident:
uh, annual medical exams????

That's assuming Inara wasn't lying about the exam (after all, her whole career/job is pretty much a lie, according to Mal...)

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

SAINT JAYNE

Friday, January 23, 2004 4:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
That's assuming Inara wasn't lying about the exam

I think the exams are real and I think everyone knows that being a registered Companion means they receive the health minister's seal of approval. Well, maybe "seal" isn't the right word here.

So if she lied, then she's either not registered any longer, or Companions standards aren't as high as I think they are.

BROWNCOAT1

Friday, January 23, 2004 4:50 PM

Some really interesting theories being argued in regards to Inara.

Not sure I agree w/ the youth drug thing. Seems to me something like that would be something every Companion would take, and it does not explain her opening the box to look at the syringe when the Reaper ship is closing with them.

It could be some sort of drug for an addiction, and the stress of an encounter w/ the Reavers could cause her to contemplate taking it.

I had forgotten the parcel she received in "The Message". I will have to go back and rewatch the episode as I do not remember the size of the box, but it is possible it could be a "resupply" of the drug, if that is in fact a drug.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

MRPRESIDENT

Friday, January 23, 2004 4:52 PM

In "Train Job", the local sheriff's deputy checked Inara's status and confirmed that everything was in order at that time, so she must still be registered.

PHLEBOTININ

Friday, January 23, 2004 5:59 PM

You know, I've wondered about that comment the sheriff made to his assistant? deputy? in Train Job about Inara's Companion papers being in order. As I recall, the sheriff asks his assistant if Inara's papers are in order, and she says, "I checked three times." Or something to that effect.

Now, somethiing about that interchange screamed MEANINGFUL to me. Perhaps this apparently matter of fact interchange was meant to interject an almost subconscious kernel of doubt about Inara's Companion status into viewers' minds? I mean, why make such a point about her papers being in order at all? I know, when The Train Job was written, it was meant to be the new pilot, and thus you could argue that this interchange about Inara's papers was a way to establish Inara's exalted status as Companion and to tell viewers that in the Fireflyverse, Companions are perfectly legal.

But I don't know. Here's some thoughts: Inara is no longer a "real" Companion....her papers have been expertly faked to allow her to continue doing her Companion's job. Her Companion's job is a cover for something else -- maybe she's been hired by the Alliance to spy on Mal or Browncoat activities in the far reaches of the 'verse? Or maybe she works for someone else altogether? Maybe the syringe she looks at in Serenity is a weapon of some kind. Or something that will make her super-strong.

Or, she IS terminally ill or has some other weird condition and has her Companion's papers faked to avoid being kicked out of the profession. Maybe she paid the doctor in Ariel to fake her yearly health exam results.

Just some thoughts. I'm probably wrong, but if there is one scenario I don't want to be correct is that Inara is dying. That's a little corny to me. And even if corny, sad. I want that character around for a good long while.

As I think I've said somewhere before, probably the best way to figure out what the heck Inara's backstory is is to concentrate on exactly why she would be contemplating the syringe under threat of Reaver attack. The terminally ill theory here just doesn't hold water, especially if Joss is telling the truth that the syringe is not a suicide kit.

DAKION

Friday, January 23, 2004 6:26 PM

Based on Joss's comments, I definitely think it's a drug addiction issue. I think that indeed she left before she was found out. I think the reason she was shown with the kit in the pilot is to suggest the notion of a suicide kit (which someone so tied to doing what she does for a living would not want to meet the reavers fate) but actually could be her thinking of causing herself to OD on her drug of choice (thus becoming a suicide means) or at least put herself in a state where she would be oblivious to what they would do to her but I think she chooses instead to not take the drug and remain in her top form mentally to resist them. Maybe she is working on breaking her habit or maybe she is "on the wagon" and contemplates going offf it at that moment.

RAVENWHYTEWING

Friday, January 23, 2004 6:33 PM

Just would like to remind you all that in "Out of Gas", when mal asked Inara what she was running from, he assumed it was the Alliance. If she was an addict, it might explain what she was running from.

I do the job, (click) and then I get paid.

RAVENWHYTEWING

Friday, January 23, 2004 6:34 PM

if she was caught, perhaps

I do the job, (click) and then I get paid.

ROBSTHELL

Friday, January 23, 2004 7:13 PM

From what I remember of Serenity, and I only watched it the other night, when Inara pulls that box off the shelf (or whatever it is) there aren't a whole lot of other boxes like that there, plus it seems a bit strange for each individual syringe to come in one box, doesn't it? I'd have thought there'd have been quite a few around if she were addicted to something rather than just having one box around.

Just my thoughts.

VETERAN

Saturday, January 24, 2004 3:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by phlebotinin:
You know, I've wondered about that comment the sheriff made to his assistant? deputy? ...As I recall, the sheriff asks his assistant if Inara's papers are in order, and she says, "I checked three times." Or something to that effect.

...Perhaps this apparently matter of fact interchange was meant to interject an almost subconscious kernel of doubt about Inara's Companion status into viewers' minds? I mean, why make such a point about her papers being in order at all? ...you could argue that this interchange ...was a way to establish Inara's exalted status as Companion

They emphasize a Companion's elevated social status several times in the show. Remember the agrument Inara uses to convince Mal to rent her the shuttle in OoG, the references to Inara as Ambassador in Serenity. I don't think they're planting any doubt about her credentials. What they're doing is establishing the difference between the 'verse and today's society.

Quote:
..maybe she's been hired by the Alliance to spy on Mal or Browncoat activities in the far reaches of the 'verse? Or maybe she works for someone else altogether?

That doesn't make much sense, the War has been over for six years. Mal isn't a threat to the government. He's trying to stay under Alliance radar as much as possible.

ENDERSPAWN

Saturday, January 24, 2004 4:24 AM

Hey hey, I wanted to comment on some stuff and to throw some kinks into the cogworks, as they say.

First, Drug Addiction? Very nice. I think it is possible even when all of the evidence is put together. HOWEVER: Youth drug? No way. First, Joss is trying to make a science fiction show without too much sci-fi. No teleporters, no clones, and so on. It's too easy. So is making Inara a spy for Mal. Mal isn't planning an insurrection. He wants to be left alone.

The doctor's visits? I mean, Doctors can be men and these companions are trained sexperts. Even if it was a woman...who knows? Very likely it would be easy to quiet up an addiction.

Also, this would undermine all the work the show has put into showing us "how it is", which to me seems very much like Joss. All the high and mighty references to Inara as a companion are IRONIC!!

Tell me it doesn't make a little bit of sense!

ROCKETJOCK

Saturday, January 24, 2004 5:28 AM

Alternate possibility: Inara is ill, but with something neither terminal nor likely to endanger her status as a Registered Companion (tm), *provided* she removes herself from the central worlds and takes her medication regularly. Something embarassing, but not contageous, like a brain chemistry imbalance; can't have the public associate Registered Companions (Reg US Pat Off) with the emotionally unstable...

Under this scenario, the needle isn't a Kevorkian Cocktail Per Se; but a deliberate overdose might look like a desirable alternative, what with reavers knocking on the door and all. Even if it's not fatal, it's likely to take some of the sting out of all the dying and corpsification likely to be going on.

If so, Kaylee's dismayed look would be nothing more than the normal involuntary squeamishness someone might show when their diabetic friend deals with insulin.

RocketJock

FAITHLESS

Saturday, January 24, 2004 7:33 PM

This may not hold much water with the whole syringe during possible reaver attack but I've always wondered about birth control. Maybe Inara wanted to inject herself with this (birth control?) seeing as the possible Reaver rape that would surely insue. And if she herself became a Reaver instead of simply being killed she wouldnt want to carry a Reaver child. Or again with the maybe I must put in a possible pregnancy (which I doubt considering her size and the time-frame) and the mysterious syringe would do something to the child and/or herself.

Not the best theory but just placing another possible one on the table!

'Even if you see them comin...You're never ready for the big moments.'

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Saturday, January 24, 2004 10:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Vena:
I think I have changed my mind. My vote now swings to the idea that it is not only a drug she must keep taking cause of some kind of addiction but maybe, just might be somthing to keep her young.

But why would she need to take it just before the Reavers came on board?

"I threw up on your bed"

3OF19

Sunday, January 25, 2004 12:56 AM

That idea about the drug being a pregnancy prevention measure got me thinking a bit...

What if it is a pathogen that, once injected, is transmitted sexually resulting in death?
Inara herself could be immune due to a vaccine of some kind.
It could be a weapon for if she get's in a sticky situation (like the Reavers) where Inara would suspect getting raped (or could be used for assasinations).
Why would she get another package of it? Simple, it might go bad after a while, like normal drugs that have expiration dates.

FAITHLESS

Sunday, January 25, 2004 1:35 AM

Bravo!!! That is a great twist on my strange twist!

Maybe it doesnt go bad but Inara was just getting more of the the vaccine you mentioned. She may inject the vaccine every so often just incase she has to use the other vile.

But I was also thinking that if its protection then it would have to put something into inara that if injested in any other form (such as through the eating of her flesh) then it will have negative effects on the skin-eating feind! It wouldnt effect her partner in any way but it will keep her hormones in check and her eggs at bay. But once injested by the Reavers it would make them go wonky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Even if you see them comin...You're never ready for the big moments.'

SHINY

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 1:53 AM

It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

SAINT JAYNE

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 2:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
..."I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once

Holy dah bien! That's the only thing I've heard so far that makes total sense! I'm not saying you're right, but good thinking.

SHINY

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 6:44 PM

Perhaps Inara had to leave Sinhon because she wouldn't have been able to keep her illness a secret there, and she rented Mal's shuttle so she could continue to work under less scrutiny and afford to pay for her treatments...of course, this doesn't fully explain the reaver scene unless we accept the 'futility' argument.

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

HATEHATEHATEFOX

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 6:49 PM

This is so weird, I totally didn't see your post about Inara being fatally ill until just this moment so we have a double-whammy on this notion.

Anyway, I happen to agree with you - that OoG scene is quite a big hint but see my Theory about Inara for more details.

~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever so profoundly regretted as a kind act.
Robertson Davies

HATEHATEHATEFOX

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 6:51 PM

Quote:
I still like the theory that she is addicted to drugs which is why she is on Serenity and not the house priestess.

This is a very cool theory. And one I'd never read before. Plus, the syringe was not a suicide kit? That's news. Then why did she pull it out when the Reavers were pursuing them?

~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever so profoundly regretted as a kind act.
Robertson Davies

HATEHATEHATEFOX

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 7:03 PM

Quote:
But I was also thinking that if its protection then it would have to put something into inara that if injested in any other form (such as through the eating of her flesh) then it will have negative effects on the skin-eating feind! It wouldnt effect her partner in any way but it will keep her hormones in check and her eggs at bay. But once injested by the Reavers it would make them go wonky.

Could it be, then, that Inara is some kind of sacrificial goat? Drugged with poison and waiting to be taken by the Reavers?

It would certainly explain why she was on such a disreputable ship out on the corner of No and Where. And, after all, Serenity has had 2 (?) encounters with Reavers already - isn't that some kind of record?

~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever so profoundly regretted as a kind act.
Robertson Davies

GEORDIESTEVE2003

Tuesday, January 27, 2004 11:38 PM

Ok I've just read the entire thread. Stuff that makes most sense so far.

Inara doesnt want to die, but would she really be willing to endure what the Reavers might do to her, just to survive? They are supposed to kill remember, and worse before, so a sterilisation kit might make sense, something to make her unable to have a child. However, its highly likely everyone would be killed on the ship, so why bother. Maybe if they thought she was dead already, the old puffer fish thing, slow down heart rate etc. Would Reavers bother with a corpse?

Don't think it has anything to do with ageing, myself, doesnt ring true.

Illness thing, a maybe for me, I think the annual check is standard, would make sense and I believe everyone in adult movie industry has to do the same for same reasons, but it could also have been to check that her illness hadnt progressed to the point where she could no longer be a properly authorised Companion. The whole running ID three times thing in Train Job, I would say that was just because it was suspicious, a Companion, someone of stature, turning up on their little dirtball to bail out two nobodies, they were just making sure.

Its bugging me, I'm gonna think on it some more, but not sure I can work out it out from what we have so far, maybe there are clues enough, but I'm not feeling it.

Shiny.

MSBIGPILEOFDUST

Wednesday, January 28, 2004 9:52 AM

Quote:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

That's a superb point! Well spotted! My strongest theory was always the terminally ill one and that has clinched it for me.

I like the drug addict idea, because it has retro-chic opium den associations but I think she's dying.

Here's an idea about the syringe... Maybe its miracle medicine which is keeping her alive and she was planning on using it to revive Reaver victims, if she had the chance. Although she might also have needed a sewing kit to put their skin back on the right way round! Eeek!

Check out my Buffy, Angel & Firefly Custom Figure Website: http://www.btinternet.com/~msbigpileofdust

SHINY

Wednesday, February 4, 2004 12:48 AM

Another possible clue about Inara's knowledge of/connection to the Reavers, from the original script to Bushwhacked:

Quote:

MAL
That ship was hit by Reavers.

Mal turns, heads off. The others don't follow right away as the horror hits them.

JAYNE
(fear)
Reavers...

Wash looks to Zoe who doesn't deny it -- she knows it, too.

WASH
Crap. [Tzao gao.]

Inara glances back into the infirmary, where the man is writhing in his delirium. She knows what this means.

(emphasis mine)

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

PALEHORSE

Wednesday, February 4, 2004 12:54 AM

what about the idea that she is using an anti-aging drug, as she is wise beyond her years and left the Head House though she was about to become the High Matron or whatever

ZENOPHITE

Wednesday, March 3, 2004 11:49 PM

actually her can be a case for both the youth drug thing and terminal illness. from "out of gas" commentary we know that when Inara says "i don't want to die at all" means something more than it seems and this could be interpreted either way.

Another sort of far out possibility: we know that bioweapons were used during the war. (remember saffron saying that their mark was actually a bioweapons guy during the war, zoe's reaction seemed to imply that indeed such things had occurred rather than it being total fluff from saffron)
COuld inara have been exposed to some sort of bioagent?she was pro unification ("out of gas") could she have been a sort of mata hari type spy for the alliance? granted this is a stretch.

FORRESTWOLF

Thursday, March 4, 2004 1:29 AM

Since I'm working on the Traveller roleplaying game/Firefly thing, I thought I'd mention that anti-aging drugs are considered very illegal in Traveller (a roleplaying game with a very old history that I'm convinced was one of the inspirations behind Firefly).

IF Joss was inspired by Traveller, he might just have picked up on the "anti-aging drugs would be illegal" idea.

Actually, I find the drug addict or terminally ill ideas more convincing, but I thought I'd throw the Traveller idea out there.

For the record, psionics are the one other BIG no-no in the Traveller 'verse...

PALEHORSE

Thursday, March 4, 2004 1:50 AM

Traveler was a great system.

Any game that gives you a chance of dying in character generation places high on my list.

Good times...Goooodtimes.....

There were prodigies and portents enough, One-Eye says. We must blame ourselves for misinterpreting them. One-Eye's handicap in no way impairs his marvelous hindsight.

LODRIL

Thursday, March 4, 2004 6:09 PM

Hmm.. lots of interesting theories.

The Reaver thing has some points to it, but seems to have one gaping flaw in the logic; Reavers are apparently pretty easy to goad. If you wanted to get taken in by Reavers as a trojan horse of sorts, seems it'd be easy enough to do without needing the expense of touring with Serenity or the destruction of a valuable Companion. You could just have some ordinary girl with the virus find some Reavers and then 'run' from them. Sending Inara like that would be equivalent to hiding behind some bushes to shoot golden bullets at a blind man. Way too much work and expense for what you're getting. She did seem to know enough about the Reavers though...

Drug addiction has many more interesting possibilities. Perhaps she wasn't addicted on purpose... a poorly chosen client might have done something to her. There are also drugs to overcome drug addiction, which might be what she had. Historically, those drugs become more addicting (witness opium addiction, for which morphine was invented, and morphine addiction, for which doctors created heroin). An unwilling addiction would explain why she was allowed to remain a companion, albeit fallen from grace. The trauma of it might also explain her desire to get away from her old life.

Also, just because it's not a 'suicide kit', doesn't mean it's not to ward unpleasantness with something less than death. It might have been pain killers, or as someone suggested, something to protect her from pregnancy or other Reaver induced complications. In WW2, the Japanese used painkillers on the Korean women that they forced to ummm... serve the army.

It might also serve some entirely third purpose. Maybe it would somehow disguise/reveal her to the Reavers as someone they should accept and not kill. Maybe it would 'lobotomize' her, rendering her a Reaver and keeping her from revealing secrets she learned as a Companion. There seems to be a lot of room for speculation.

As for terminal diseases... it's a thought. It'd probably have to be something that wasn't catchy, given her line of work. It would explain quite a few of her actions, like her (more or less) easy acceptance of Mal's affections to her friend in Heart of Gold. If that were the case though, why would the approach of Reavers make her think of the medicine? That seems off, which makes me doubt the syringe was to stave off death.

DAEG

Thursday, March 4, 2004 7:01 PM

It seems to me that the elevated status of Companions would make them prime candidates as agents for anyone wishing to spy on or influence those in positions of power.

I also always thought there was something sinister about the routine medical checkup (mostly because we weren't shown any of it). It would be an ideal time to "debrief" an agent (pardon the pun). I was initially thinking that this could even be without the knowledge of the agent - possibly they carry an implant that records all their encounters and is extracted and replaced once a year, without them ever knowing of it's existence.

The drug kit, however, alters this theory and could suggest a method of keeping the "agents" under control. They report back and do as they're told - or their supply is cut off. Perhaps the drug also helps keep any "conditioning", that they have been subjected to, active.

WULFHAWK

Thursday, March 4, 2004 8:15 PM

Quote:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

Quote:
Perhaps Inara had to leave Sinhon because she wouldn't have been able to keep her illness a secret there, and she rented Mal's shuttle so she could continue to work under less scrutiny and afford to pay for her treatments...of course, this doesn't fully explain the reaver scene unless we accept the 'futility' argument.

We know that:
The injection kit wasn't a suicide kit.
Inara wasn't willing to share whatever it was with Simon when he was seeking medical supplies.
She didn't offer it when either Kaylee or Book lay dying.
She seemed to consider using it when a Reaver attack seemed imminent, a moment we might have expected her to pull her gun instead.
Inara was immediately aware of what happened to Mal when he was drugged in Our Mrs Reynolds.

I propose the syringe was filled with a poison propagated through sexual contact. Inara's mail would be her anti-venom/vaccine treatment keeping her invulnerable to it's effect. Her intent was to take as many Reavers with her as possible.

This rather changes what we were led to perceive Companions to be. We were repeatedly given to believe Companions were part fancy whore, part entertainer, part social activist, part travelling psychologist, and entirely legitimate. Her knowledge of drugs (the 'goodnight kiss') throws a shadow on this entirely happy image; carrying an assassin's weapon would reveal a very dark side to the Companion's Guild.

Drugs. Martial Arts. Skills and reputation designed to penetrate the highest levels of society. Is Inara the equivalent of Japan's Ninjas?

Would Joss do this to us?
The real question is, how long would he have kept the secret? 8)

Take my love
Take my land

HORRID

Thursday, March 4, 2004 10:38 PM

one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet which might back up the illness theory was in the conversation with simon he starts off by going into details about dying and inara says "I don't wanna here it" or words to that effect, it seemed to me like she was more pushing the thought of dying to the back of her head more so than worrying about this specific life threatening situation

also shortly after coming back from her exam she's a little cagy and quick to change the subject about them, and shortly after that comes her decision to leave the ship

could be stretching a bit here though

SHINY

Thursday, March 4, 2004 10:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Wulfhawk:
Drugs. Martial Arts. Skills and reputation designed to penetrate the highest levels of society. Is Inara the equivalent of Japan's Ninjas?

A spy or assasin-geisha that uses drugs/poison maybe, but not so much with the fighting and martial arts/ninja stuff, as witnessed in OMR and HOG.

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

WULFHAWK

Friday, March 5, 2004 4:34 AM

Saffron, trained at the Academy, felled Wash with a single kick, and held her own hand to hand with Mal. Inara and Saffron had a quick pass in which Inara managed to avoid being smacked. In Heart of Gold, Inara smoothly and ruthlessly takes a knife to the throat of the bad guy.

Japan's legend of ninja's don't really include black clad super-karate guys... at least, not so much. They were professional spies and assassins, feared because they could be anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Most Companions might not even know of the Guild's darker duties. Is this why Inara left her rising career? The time came for a rising star of the Companion's Guild to learn of her new place and duties, and she refused to accept? Or perhaps became disillusioned with the whole 'court 'em, rut 'em, kill 'em' aspect after a time? Or perhaps even rebelled and is now running for her life?

The books by Steve Perry, 'The Man Who Never Missed' and 'Matadora' illustrate kinda what I'm saying.

Take my love
Take my land

INITIO101

Friday, March 5, 2004 2:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
Quote:
If that's the case, then the mysterious package she receives and quickly hides in 'The Message' should not be another one of these, meaning there would be an additional mystery to solve...

Ok. I went back and watched The Message episode twice and still can't find where Inara received a package. I thought I missed it the first time and after reading this thread, was curious to see to back up the Inara addiction theory. Does anyone know where in the episode it's supposed to be? The only thing Inara does in the beginning to talk to Mal about selling the Lassiter. Then Mal and Jayne received the big crate and Jayne's hat. Help anyone? Thanks!

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REYVNDARKNIGHT

Friday, March 5, 2004 7:13 PM

Interesting. I was of the notion that Inara had left the Guild because she had a politically powerful enemy. An enemy who had dispatched Book to locate her.

And that the syringe was a suicide kit.

However, after people mentioned how she had surrupticiously hid that piece of mail she received in "The Message", I have to reconsider. I don't think she is a drug addict, but I am of the mind that she is terminally ill and receives that drug to ease her pain. And the fact that she continually distances herself from Mal kinda seals it. She seems to be protecting Mal because she knows that if they do become lovers, he will soon be left alone when she dies from the illness.

SHINY

Friday, March 5, 2004 7:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Wulfhawk:
Saffron, trained at the Academy, felled Wash with a single kick, and held her own hand to hand with Mal. Inara and Saffron had a quick pass in which Inara managed to avoid being smacked. In Heart of Gold, Inara smoothly and ruthlessly takes a knife to the throat of the bad guy.

If you review those two scenes, I think you'll see that she is portrayed as not quite the fighter, as she falls to the ground when Saffron tries a round-house kick and would presumably be completely outmatched had Saffron not been too rushed to finish her off. She also was easily distracted while holding a knife to Rance Burgess' throat, so he was able to elbow her in the stomach and shoot Nandi, again indicating Inara's lack of ability, experience, skill (or unwillingness) in fighting and killing (at least by hand). In the teaser to Shindig, she seems frightened by the fisticuffs at the bar (in the commentary Morena notes that she's not only supposed to act frightened, but was actually scared as people flew through the air). Although I'll grant that Inara certainly knows how to handle a blade, and may have some assassination training, she definitely isn't prepared to handle hand-to-hand combat and I wouldn't say she's skilled in 'martial arts'

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

DUKE

Friday, March 5, 2004 9:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:

why does she take it out when threatened with the danger of Reavers?

I see the needle as a last resort. Something that she would only use in a scenario involving death at the hands of Reavers. Why specifically Reavers? Because they would eat her flesh and that's something that Inara, in her present state, cannot allow to happen.

My theory is that she has some sort of sexually communicable disease... some osrt of super space-aids. This might account for her leaving her previous position before she could become house-mother. Oh, the shame. Companions ae supposed to be guarentted clean.

Perhaps the drug keeps her symptoms in check and prevents her spreading the desease. But it's kind of an underground things, not entirely legal. Again her reason for leaving her house, and signing on with an outfit like Mal's.

She might take the drug before the revers come to make sure that she does not spead the disease into their population and then on to all of their future victims.

Oh, and although she has a drug to keep her from spreading the disease, there is probably still no real cure. So therefore, a known future of a horrible wasting away aids like death is probably what prevents her from letting herself fall in love with Mal.

"I'll be in my bunk..."

DUKE

Friday, March 5, 2004 9:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mrpresident:
uh, annual medical exams???? Doesn't anyone think that that would be enough to blow any of these theories? Wouldn't a medical exam by someone authorized by the Companion's Guild(? or whatever they have) identify that a) she was terminally ill, b) she was a drug addict, or c) she was taking drugs to slow her aging? Yes, yes, any of these could be acceptable to Companion rules, but I doubt it, since they are supposed to be so respectable at this point in time. First post, just a thought...

The Guild approved Dr. who is doing her annual examinations probably some Allaince government universal health care hack.

Liekly, he does not know about the drugs she is secretly taking to surpress her space-aids. and prevent her from spreading them. She is probably getting those drugs from a rich former client, or some other contact.

The govt. dock would not know she had space aids unless he did the right test, like someone who is HIV positive might appear normal during a routine examination, and thus far has had no reason too.

"I'll be in my bunk..."

DUKE

Friday, March 5, 2004 9:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Saint Jayne:
Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
That's assuming Inara wasn't lying about the exam

I think the exams are real and I think everyone knows that being a registered Companion means they receive the health minister's seal of approval. Well, maybe "seal" isn't the right word here.

So if she lied, then she's either not registered any longer, or Companions standards aren't as high as I think they are.

Or she is taking drugs that mask the symtoms of her super space-aids, and she left her house to reduce the possibilty that her secret might be uncovered.

"I'll be in my bunk..."

DUKE

Friday, March 5, 2004 10:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

BRAVO!! Perfect explanation!

"I'll be in my bunk..."

DARKJESTER

Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
It just occurred to me after my umpteenth time watching Objects in Space that when River reads Inara's mind and hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once...a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

Yes, exactly! Later in the episode, after River "sees" Simon say "I would still be there..." he actually does say it. And then she "sees" Jayne say "The money was too good", the exact line he said to Mal from the airlock in Ariel, some days earlier. Conclusion - what she "saw" was what people either had said in the past or would say in the future.
I guess that puts me rather firmly in the "Inara is ill" camp. And just think - Joss may wait until the series returns to let us know............

MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."

ANKHAGOGO

Saturday, March 6, 2004 5:27 AM

Hi all!
I just love speculation, so of course I had to read all the posts. I kinda like the idea that it's rejuvenation drugs -- don't know why, the idea that Inara's 80 or 100 or 150 years old kinda tickles me.
And ever since "Objects in Space" first aired, that "I'm a big girl.." line has driven me nuts. So has Book's, actually....

I'm not fond of the "terminal disease" guess, mainly because it's too obvious, and Lord knows Whedon doesn't like to go for the obvious plot twist. Although that's the first place my mind went.
There's two ways I see that scene:
A-Inara is terminally ill (with whatever disease) and she was just looking at the kit in a "well, if we get boarded by Reavers, at least I won't have to do this any more," which could also work for drug addiction.
B- Her looking at the kit has nothing to do with the fact that the Reavers were near. Whedon said it was the beginning of a thread, and he sometimes does throw in a bit somewhere you think it fits, but really has nothing to do with that actual situation. It could have just been total misdirection, so we'd think the presence of Reavers was relevant when in fact it wasn't.

My completely bizarre, highly unlikely idea is fertility drugs,but I can't think up one good reason to back that up.

Quote:
I think you'll see that she is portrayed as not quite the fighter, as she falls to the ground when Saffron tries a round-house kick ...

This is not an idea so much as it is a note/question -- the last time I watched "Our Mrs Reynolds", it looked to me like Inara ducked, rather than falling, as I'd thought before. Am I insane? If so, it doesn't make her any more of a fighter, but it does make it look like she's at least able to move defensively.

"You are such a boob."

PEACE

Saturday, March 6, 2004 6:26 AM

Gotta weigh in on this one....

I lean toward the idea that Inara is ill, but not terminally and not so as to disqualify her as a Companion...her remark about the exam is a give-away, I think. The Reaver/syringe moment is a red-herring. Inara receives her perfectly legal medicine via mail. She doesn't reveal this affliction to the crew and Mal because she doesn't want sympathy (she is proud), but she had to go to the border worlds because the affliction, although not incapacitating, ruined her career within the structured world of the temples (am I right that that's what the Companion houses are called?).

Additional thought-- in OMR, which I just watched all the way thru for the first time (and was helpless with laughter thru most of it), after Saffron has whammied Mal, Wash and, second-hand, Inara, Simon examines Mal and then moves to check out Inara, and she says she's ok-- she's obviously not eager to have Simon examine her. Of course, in the context you think its because she got hit with Saffron's whammie too, and she's embarrassed-- but is it possible she just doesn't want a doctor examining her outside of the annual check-up?

Just a thought....

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

PEACE

Saturday, March 6, 2004 6:39 AM

Alternate theory-- KAYLEE is the Alliance agent/spy/ninja with space-aids who has been tracking Simon and River while keeping an eye on Mal because of his Browncoat connections....

Hmmmm...naaah....

On the other hand, you never know...Mr. Twisty (aka Joss Whedon) has suprised the holy crap out of me any number of times...I've never been the same since the ep in "Buffy" where Buf runs Angel thru, then shoves him into Hell...just didn't see it coming....

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

ASARIAN

Thursday, May 14, 2009 1:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
Inara glances back into the infirmary, where the man is writhing in his delirium. She knows what this means.

Now. that *IS* a very subtle a good observation! :)

So, what are we saying here? That Inara had prior personal innvolvement with the Reavers? That perhaps she was raped even by one before? (unsettling, for sure); or saw someone close to her get raped? In that light, a sucide syringe would make sense, 'cept that Joss dispelled the option. Or maybe she was just holding it, in remembrance of how she got her illness?

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

ASARIAN

Thursday, May 14, 2009 1:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bluesuncompanyman:
Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
I spent all that time arguing with BSCM that part of Inara's secret may have to do with anti-aging... But there really isn't any reason for Joss to have drawn attention to her appearance and age unless something was significant about it.
Yes. Exactly. I am a person that believes Joss does not waste dialogue. When Nandi marvels "You haven't aged" there was a key clue buried there. The clue was just as important as the buried dialogue "I don't want to die at all" to Simon in OOG.

I'm with you there on both counts.

Quote:

... hears "I'm a big girl; just tell me." that it could in fact have been directed not at Mal but something she said to a doctor once... a doctor who was hesitating about telling Inara the seriousness of her condition...

I always thought that was pretty obvious, to be honest. Definitely +1.

Inara having a medical thing going on was pretty clear, IMHO. I was just never sure *what* it was. Based the three quotes you mention, I've always gone for the 'not wanting to age' theory.

Knowing what we know now, I still can't fully place Nandi's "You haven't aged" marvel yet. So, whatever 'package' Inara received (on a regular basis?), maybe it was just artificially keeping her health up, and Nandi just meant she hadn't aged as much as she expected, given her illness? Still, that doesn't entirely fit yet.

In a way I'm 'glad', though, that Inara was dying, as opposed to her having found the Fountain of Youth (a rather cheesy theme, really, which has the potential to go bad real fast). So, dying it is then.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

BYTEMITE

Thursday, May 14, 2009 5:25 AM

Whoa! Dudes! We're not hinting around anymore, are we?

RIVERDANCER

Thursday, May 14, 2009 5:35 AM

Whoa! Dudes! This thread was started five years ago?

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Thursday, May 14, 2009 6:23 AM

Holy Mother of spoilerish titles!!

RIVERDANCER

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:34 AM

Holy mother of postulated five years ago!

Truly, kudos to msbigpileofdust for coming up with the idea YEARS before rumors of its truth. Now stop freaking out just because she was smart enough to be inside the Whedon mind

BYTEMITE

Thursday, May 14, 2009 2:15 PM

I like a neurological approach, but that painkiller thing is brilliant. When the Reavers show up, either she just uses the painkillers, or she decides to OD. Nice. And if it's neurological, maybe the syringe might do double duty: stop degeneration AND act as a painkiller.

EDIT: I think the original poster pretty much nailed it, gotta give credit where it's due. But I felt it necessity to edit the thread title. May have been wrong for that, and I apologize.

RIVERDANCER

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:01 PM

Even if someone had posted a

Select to view spoiler:

"I think Wash and Book might die at some point!"

thread when the series first ended and the movie was years away? I'm just sayin.
And nothing in canon has confirmed what the big secret really is. Yeah, there's a case for it, but no details and no Joss putting ink to paper and saying "Here's how it is." Again, just sayin. It's hard for me to draw a parallel between the two, and hard for me to blame the original poster or original thread title. We're the ones claiming it is true, and if it's true, that would make it spoilers. She just had a theory five years ago and posted it as such.

BYTEMITE

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:55 PM

Hmm. It is possible my reaction may have been an overreaction...

The title's been edited to something better representative than what I came up with, and I'd actually like to discuss the original topic of the thread...

I will fix the potential issue by editing my previous posts, and this thread can continue to present itself as a theory.

BLUESUNCOMPANYMAN

Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:56 PM

Talk about digging up old threads. Down deep in the archive are threads old enough where peeps are actively discussing episodes as they air. It makes for fun reading sometimes.