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

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UPDATED: Saturday, February 7, 2026 14:42
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RUGBUG

Monday, February 22, 2010 3:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
You know... All we see is Inara give Fess a kiss and the next day Inara is cleaning up tea. I mean, it's assumed there was sex, maybe because we all expect it, but sex is never actually implied. Maybe we just all have really dirty minds. What if the tea ceremony took all night or they just stayed up talking about Fess's problems and his dad putting him down all the time? And the next morning, when Fess expresses his admiration for the Hero of Canton and how his dad's looking to string him up, Inara hatches a clever plan for Fess to defy his father, assert himself, and also help her.

Having sex with him would also contradict Inara telling Fess that being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of, that it's just a state of being. Fess' problem wasn't that he was a virgin, and clearly Inara's reason for accepting him for a client was to help him with his problems. Sex necessary? Maybe not!

There's a whole post-coital scene you're forgetting. If Fess and Inara didn't have sex, they got naked, climbed into bed together and then Fess talks about something they did that he thought would make him feel different. ;)

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:

Simon's too proper to really get a read on whether he thinks sex is important or not; obviously he's able to recognize that Mal as big brother might be dangerous if it looked like Kaylee had been taken advantage of, and might react the same way in regards to River. His reaction to Kaylee asking Inara about her appointments might be prudishness, and that's how Kaylee takes it, leading to the subsequent conversations about what's proper. But maybe he's just surprised to hear it from Kaylee, who can seem pretty innocent. At the very most, it could possibly be argued that Simon sees sex as something vulgar. But either way, it seems to me it's not something he really cares about, or maybe even thinks about much. Which again suggests that core worlders don't really see it as anything important.

I've got to disagree about Simon. I think he feels sex is VERY important. He knows Kaylee is willing, but he won't just sleep with her even though she's willing. He will not view her as recreation...and it frustrates Kaylee. It's interesting to see the juxtaposition of Fess/Inara and Kaylee/Simon in Jaynestown. I'm sure there's a whole essay worth of compare/contrast options...more than I'm willing to think about right now other than a cursory "Hrmm...intersting."

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

BYTEMITE

Monday, February 22, 2010 4:14 AM

Well, it's been a while. I admit I was mostly looking at the script for the episode here, which goes from Inara's "it's okay to be a virgin speech" and kiss to morning with the crew, then at some point back to Inara, who the script specifies is cleaning up their tea.

*double checks* Ah, hmm. Yep, that was added. Guess Joss had to put some sex in the episode somehow. :)

Still, it probably COULD have been accomplished without sex. With the added benefit of FURTHER pissing off the Magistrate.

RUGBUG

Monday, February 22, 2010 4:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Well, it's been a while. I admit I was mostly looking at the script for the episode here, which goes from Inara's "it's okay to be a virgin speech" and kiss to morning with the crew, then at some point back to Inara, who the script specifies is cleaning up their tea.

*double checks* Ah, hmm. Yep, that was added. Guess Joss had to put some sex in the episode somehow. :)

Still, it probably COULD have been accomplished without sex. With the added benefit of FURTHER pissing off the Magistrate.

No worries...I had to pull the DVDs out to be sure. :D

Inara could've taught Fess to be a man without the sex, but what she was contracted for was pretty specific and if she didn't fulfill that contract, well...that's a whole 'nother can of worms, yes?

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

BYTEMITE

Monday, February 22, 2010 4:45 AM

Wait now, are companions contracted for specific types of engagements, or does someone make an appointment and the companion and client settle on the exact nature of their engagement during the preliminaries? "It's a pleasure to see you, how have things been since we last spoke?" And other such companiony leading questions intended to get someone to unburden?

ANOTHERSKY

Monday, February 22, 2010 9:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Wait now, are companions contracted for specific types of engagements, or does someone make an appointment and the companion and client settle on the exact nature of their engagement during the preliminaries? "It's a pleasure to see you, how have things been since we last spoke?" And other such companiony leading questions intended to get someone to unburden?

It's possible. Inara turns down hanging-out offers with noobs to go to a ball with the dashing Sir Fussy-pants Wing in Shindig.

And I will now outright make the contention that her having sex with Fess is the rub in this episode. Other than ratings(and questions of her contract), could it possibly have been done the other way?
__

Going for a ride.

BYTEMITE

Monday, February 22, 2010 2:58 PM

I think not only could she have accomplished the same goal, but she could have potentially done a better job. It kind of contradicted the virgin pep speech she gave, and a young man Fess' age could be easily confused.

Fess seemed like a nice kid. Shame his father pressured him into anything. In ten years he probably would have taken over as magistrate and been a much kinder and better boss, and then I'm sure he'd have no shortage of women looking to court him.

Maybe that whole "I choose you" thing Inara does would be enough to help him forget about the money, but I'm wondering if he would have had a bigger self-esteem boost if Inara had taken him to the Mudder's bar and coached him on his flirting game. But I think because of what's expected - culturally, for television, and maybe simply because of how most people would view Inara's job - we got a suggestive cuddle scene.

RUGBUG

Monday, February 22, 2010 4:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Wait now, are companions contracted for specific types of engagements, or does someone make an appointment and the companion and client settle on the exact nature of their engagement during the preliminaries? "It's a pleasure to see you, how have things been since we last spoke?" And other such companiony leading questions intended to get someone to unburden?

I'm not saying that the contract is always for sex. But it clearly was in the case of Fess Higgins. There's really no doubt. If Fess hadn't wanted to, then fine...but he didn't seem to mind.

I think the conversation about not feeling different was suppose to make us believe that the sex wasn't really the transformative factor for Fess. However, the message is muddied because it happened. And then there's Fess at the end, defying his father, sitting with his business front and center. His action, and the camera angle tell us he grew some balls, but we can't really determine what part of his time with Inara helped him do that.

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

ANOTHERSKY

Monday, February 22, 2010 8:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RugBug:

I think the conversation about not feeling different was suppose to make us believe that the sex wasn't really the transformative factor for Fess. However, the message is muddied because it happened. And then there's Fess at the end, defying his father, sitting with his business front and center. His action, and the camera angle tell us he grew some balls, but we can't really determine what part of his time with Inara helped him do that.

This is exactly my point. And here I thought a man's courage was in another part of his anatomy.

__

Going for a ride.

KPO

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 2:46 AM

Quote:
And I will now outright make the contention that her having sex with Fess is the rub in this episode. Other than ratings(and questions of her contract), could it possibly have been done the other way?

Well there's this idea that a boy can turn into a man by losing his virginity. The episode tried to turn this cliche on its head but then ultimately had to use it - because how 'transformational' can a tea ceremony and a little bit of life-coaching be (in the space of one episode)? So we're left with Inara telling him he doesn't need to have sex to become a man, then having sex with him to prove it - and lo, him becoming a man.

I guess a quick and easy watershed moment was needed since Fess's 'transformation' needs to take place in just a single episode (to serve the ep's main storyline). I don't think this subplot was ever likely to be a satisfying study into Companionship. Which prompts me: Inara fans, what episode/scene in the series does sum up Inara and her Companioning, really well?

(Very sorry to those who would've said Jaynestown!)

Heads should roll

FEARTHEBUNNYMAN

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 2:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by kpo:
Quote:
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.

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