GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Joss' remarks on Inara in Serenity commentary (spoiler for commentary)

POSTED BY: GUNSLINGINBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Sunday, February 8, 2004 01:42
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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 4:17 PM

GUNSLINGINBROWNCOAT


Okie dokie, for those of you who have the DVD and have at least listened to Joss and Nathan's commentary on Serenity, I wonder if the comments by the two during Inara's "needle" scene have perplexed anyone besides me.

This is the scene where Serenity is passing the Reaver ship and we're being showed the crews reactions as Mal announces it on the intercom. Inara is in her shuttle, and she opens a little ornate box which has a hypodermic needle in it. Joss remarks on how during this scene people are supposed to think it's a companion suicide kit or something, but he goes on to say that he had other plans for it and that it's appearance in this episode might've been foreshadowing. (Presumably this means this particular needle is not connected to the immunization kits she gives to Simon, these seem different since they're wrapped in foil or something anyways, not kept in a nice box)

Joss refuses to comment further on how this relates into his plans for Inara since it would take up too much commentary time or something, but Nathan heckles him about it and finally decides to explain it himself. He whispers "she's a junkie" and the scenes move on and it's left at that.

So wow, Inara was gonna be addicted to high profile drugs later on or something? Maybe Nathan's just pulling this out of his...well, who knows. It makes sense, she has so much privacy in the shuttle that the others might not know. Maybe if the Reavers were going to board she was gonna have one last hit? If Mal caught her later in the series or somesuch he might have taken it upon himself to help her and further their romance or something.

Another thing, they remark on how Jayne obviously has a "crush" on Kaylee because of his teasing remarks and his huddling outside the infirmary window. This seems exaggerated to me, I just took it as Jayne worrying about her as a friend, but he likes her? I can't see them together anyways...

--------------------------------------------------
"It must be all lies and of no account when the culture of a thousand years could not prevent this stream of blood being poured out, these tourture-chambers in their hundreds of thousands. A hospital alone shows what war is."
-All Quiet on the Western Front

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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 5:57 PM

SUCCATASH



That's really interesting. I'm starting to think that if Firefly had continued for several seasons, Jayne and Kaylee would be together and Simon and River would be jammin sex too because it turned out River is not really his sister. She's a genetic experiment, they killed his real sister.




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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 6:47 PM

KRIS


Re: Kaylee + Jayne

Despite the age difference (and they could really play with how big a gap, since Adam Baldwin doesn't exactly look his 41 years), I can see how a Kaylee/Jayne pairing would work...or at least the two having a one-nighter. They're both open and casual about their lustfulness, confined to a ship that sometimes doesn't see a planet for weeks (months?). Could happen.

Re: A Simon/River pairing possible?

Even if she did turn out to be a genetic experiment and not his real sister, she'd still be a clone of some sort, so it'd still be incest. And even if they somehow still got around it by saying that she was simply some construct that was given plastic surgery to look like his sister...Well, Simon remembers what his sister looked like before she was taken to the academy, so it'd still be gross on his part to be attracted to someone who looks like her.

As far as Inara being a junkie. Hmm...Storyline might've had potential, but I liked the bit with the needle in "Serenity" better when I was sure that it was a suicide drug.

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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 7:18 PM

KOBAYASHI


They also commented in the commentary about some being up with Inara when Simon was talking about it being his birthday. I got a Luke/Leia vibe out of it. Anybody else pick up on this?

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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 7:45 PM

SERGEANTX


I took Nathan's 'junkie' comment as a joke. I'd guess Joss had something a bit more dramatic in mind. Maybe it was some kind of drug that would enhance certain secret companion abilities or training. We've seen glimpses of her in near fight situations before. Think OMR and HOG. Its not beyond imagining that, with said enhancement, she could become a formidable opponent in a fight. Someday maybe Inara and River will be called on to save the day through less conventional means than we've seen thus far.

Also, I've been preachin the Jayne/Kaylee thing since the beginning. I'm not sure it will happen, but I do think Jayne has crush like feelings for her. Even as late in the season as 'Trash' we see that glint in his eyes when he watches her. Could just be admiration, but I think he adores her and is just too emotionally immature to do anything about it. But I don't see any indication Kaylee is interested in him.



SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 8:06 PM

BLUEHOOT


The "she's a Junkie" part I believe was meant to be taken lightly, as a joke...he sounded sarcastic and didnt seem to really mean it. And the thing was that I thought he had said that people werent supposed to believe it was a suicide kit, that's just what they happened to believe and it happened to work for that episode.

Also, if Joss says that Jayne has a little bit of a crush on Kaylee, then it must be true. After all, Firefly is his creation...lol

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Wednesday, December 10, 2003 9:50 PM

SAMUS


Re: Jayne crush on Kaylee

I asked this question in a thread the other day, and a few people poo-pooed the idea.

I feel a tad vindicated.

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 5:30 AM

MELEAUX


Okay,
Jayne may have a crush on Kaylee but c'mon... EVERYBODY has a crush on Kaylee. Even me and I am the vey heterosexual mother of five. Jayne and Kaylee?.... Ewwww. and Simon and River?... Ewwwwyeer!

She understands, she doesn't comprehend

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 6:23 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave


On the needle business, I think they're just trying to rile folks about something that isn't even there. That whole thing was probably just a poorly executed attempt at humor. And Nathan's "She's a druggie" comment was total and complete sarcasm.

On Jayne and Kaylee, I'd have to echo Meleaux. Kaylee appeals to everybody, even those of us who don't swing that way. I mean watching her eat the strawberry? Please! I think it's safe to say everybody went googly over Kaylee from that moment on.

In the deleted scene from Serenity, Book commented on how "Kaylee has a heart for everyone." That's not a direct quote, but it's close. In the same episode, Inara said, "Kaylee is very dear to all of us." In the commentary, Joss and Nathan couldn't say enough about how Kaylee is the purest spirit in the entire crew, and everyone responds to that in their own fashion. Jayne isn't always sure how to handle that kind of sincerity from anyone, so his response to her can be callous.

I've always seen Jayne and Kaylee as having a brother/sister relationship. In Bushwacked, he took a verbal jab at her, she punched him in the shoulder - that's textbook sibling behavior. My brother Jay and I do that all the time. In OMR Jayne said, "That's why I never kiss 'em on the mouth." Kaylee closed her eyes and you could see her thinking, "Find a happy place...find a happy place...FIND A HAPPY PLACE." That indicates to me that although she likes him the way she likes everybody, there isn't a romantic attraction there. I'm thinking Kaylee's a Libra...

In strong sibling relationships, when the going gets tough, they are ALWAYS there for each other. No matter what.

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 6:32 AM

FAHQ


Regarding Inara's syringe:

In "Serenity", remember the comment Inara's client made about her "Clock being sped up"? It is possible that it may have been a drug to do just that, if suicide was not an option for whatever the reason. Then again it may have been a way to commit suicide. We never did get much of an explanation of Companion "training".

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 8:20 AM

SERGEANTX


Quote:

In "Serenity", remember the comment Inara's client made about her "Clock being sped up"? It is possible that it may have been a drug to do just that, if suicide was not an option for whatever the reason. Then again it may have been a way to commit suicide. We never did get much of an explanation of Companion "training".


That's an interesting angle. Along with the 'clock sped up' comment there was also the disjointed filming of that sequence as well as the sponge bath scene - shots of her staring off,seeming distracted,the freeze frame cuts and shots of her looking away while conversing with the client.

The other hints that Inara may have abilities beyond popular knowledge include a couple of times(more maybe) where she has worked with others dealing with pain, Kaylee after being shot in Serenity and the girl in labor in HOG. This might have just been psychological training, but based on River's reaction in HOG, I think it could be more. For one of the least developed characters early on, Inara seems to have quite a bit more depth than we've seen so far.


SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 8:45 AM

KERNELM


Quote:

Originally posted by Channain:
On the needle business, I think they're just trying to rile folks about something that isn't even there. That whole thing was probably just a poorly executed attempt at humor. And Nathan's "She's a druggie" comment was total and complete sarcasm.



Agree on Nathan's comment being a joke, but it certainly seems there's something up with Inara. Tim Minear also mentions mysterious goings-on with regards to Inara in the Out of Gas commentary. Remember also that in OOG Mal questions why Inara wants to fly with Serenity, which Inara never really answers.

Pure speculation: What if the needle was actually a weapon of some kind? Maybe something developed by the Companion Guild? Probably reaching a bit here... though the recent thread where Dune was mentioned does have Bene Gesserit on my mind. :-P

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:06 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave


Quote:

Originally posted by KernelM:
Pure speculation: What if the needle was actually a weapon of some kind? Maybe something developed by the Companion Guild? Probably reaching a bit here... though the recent thread where Dune was mentioned does have Bene Gesserit on my mind. :-P



I do like the way you think, KernelM - I remember thinking it looked like the probe/assassination device from Dune. Inara does have certain Bene Gesserit aspects, doesn't she?

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:05 AM

SHAMBLEAU


It's possible that the needle box is for medication, but can be used for suicide if you OD. We know that Inara left Xenon unexpectedly, when she was in line to run her Companion House. We know she's on a rundown vessel and that's highly unusual. We know she went for a medical checkup, which she said was routine. We know in OOG that, when Simon said he didn't want to die on Serenity, she said she didn't want to die at all, while looking away from Simon. Tim Minear said there was a clue to Inara's secret in that scene and I'm betting it was in that glance away. She's medicating herself for something fatal. It's why she won't let anyone close.

shambleau

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:18 AM

MANIACNUMBERONE


Whew! Glad I saw this thread (at last.) I was prolly ruining the taglog for everybody with needle talk.

I am thinking the needle contained drugs... I don't think they were drugs that Inara wanted to take though, and I don't think they were suicide drugs either. I would place my bets on it being some form of control drug being used by the companion guild over the companions.

It may give the user some form of heightened abilities, i.e. quicker reactions, sturdier health, or it may be a tracking drug used to keep tabs on her... which is possibly why she was considering taking it if she was going to be killed... so that her body could be found perhaps.

Regardless, I don't think she wanted to use it, because this drug could very likely have bad side effects as well as (possible) good ones. Knowing what we do about how this future society likes to experiment with people, isn't this a consideration?

I can see how this required dependence on an unpleasant drug by the companion guild might have forced certain compaions to flee, i.e. the HOG whorehouse ladies. Might they not have fled there to escape the control of the drug?
Might not Inara be trying to flee the trap of the drug?
Isn't that a great excuse by the companion guild to find out if their companions are still addicted... to require a yearly checkup for the presence of the drug, masked as a pretense to ascertain their health to continue "companioning?"

-------------------------------------------
Inara: Who's winning?
Simon: I can't really tell, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
-------------------------------------------

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:18 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave


Quote:

Originally posted by shambleau:
It's possible that the needle box is for medication, but can be used for suicide if you OD. We know that Inara left Sihnon unexpectedly, when she was in line to run her Companion House. We know she's on a rundown vessel and that's highly unusual. We know she went for a medical checkup, which she said was routine. We know in OOG that, when Simon said he didn't want to die on Serenity, she said she didn't want to die at all, while looking away from Simon. Tim Minear said there was a clue to Inara's secret in that scene and I'm betting it was in that glance away. She's medicating herself for something fatal. It's why she won't let anyone close.



Wow. Okay, I'm with you now. Whedon put in a lot of little glance away moments with Inara. Now that you mention it, why would a companion have a suicide kit anyway? Granted, traveling out on the rim, there's risks, but she seems to be the only one willing to take an overdose rather than be taken by Reavers.

Whoa...good theory.

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:19 AM

ASTRIANA


Quote:

Originally posted by shambleau:
We know in OOG that, when Simon said he didn't want to die on Serenity, she said she didn't want to die at all, while looking away from Simon. Tim Minear said there was a clue to Inara's secret in that scene and I'm betting it was in that glance away. She's medicating herself for something fatal. It's why she won't let anyone close.



That actually makes quite a bit of sense, and it explains Inara's last words in HOG ~ which fair near ripped my hear right outta my chest.

~A~



...I'm still free,
You can't take the sky from me.

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:51 AM

KAYTHRYN


I like this idea but... if Inara has a fatal illness what's the use of showing her with her medicine when the Revers were nearby?

My original theory had always been that the needle and it's contents were protection for companions. Something they kept close during their time with a client. If the client started to get rowdy or violent he or she'd get a quick stab and take a nap for a few hours. That's why I had thought Inara had taken the needle out. If the Revers were coming in, and she knew she was gonna die, make it painless. But I haven’t seen the DVD commentary or deleted scenes or whatnot, so I don’t know how that stands.

-------------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 11:57 AM

LINDYCAT


Needle could be used for:

Drugs for pleasure
Drugs for sedation of enemy
Drugs for suicide
Drugs for enhanced abilities
Drugs for suppression of something (illness, some companion programming, ability,...)
Drugs for medication
Weapon (mixing higly reactive compounds to make a sleep agent, neurotoxin)


I am sure there are more combinations. And there is always Jayne's comment on Inara doing something funny to the shuttle because it smelled funny, and Inara saying that is was incense (OoG).

Interesting thread.


Just as the War Against Drugs would make some kind of sense if they honestly called it a War Against Some Drugs, I regard Dubya's current Kampf as a War Against Some Terrorists. I may remain wed to that horrid heresy until he bombs CIA headquarters in Langtry. - RAW

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 6:42 PM

RECHEANDIA


Wow - what a thread.


When I watched the scene my only thought was the needle was for suicide.

BUT....

I've just today gotten my DVD set and haven't yet (!) rewatched all of the episodes.

If memory serves correctly, there's one scene with Inara in her shuttle with what is obviously a hookah sitting on the table.

yet more fuel for the drug addict theory.


Richard Echeandia

Mal: "Everybody dies alone."

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Thursday, December 11, 2003 7:13 PM

HARDWARE


My thought was that it wasn't a direct suicide drug, but a sort of "suicide soldier" drug. You know, something that adrenalizes your muscles for speed and strength, shuts off pain receptors, perhaps even increases aggression. Not something Inara would want to take unless there were no other choice.

Even worse, what if it was instantly addictive? Or the effects can't be controlled until the user is brought to a core Companion facility? The companions could give this out in case a client kidnaps or threatens a companion. The companion has no other choice but to take the berzerker drug and get all medievel on his ass. A very good object lesson to other clients to pay your money, take the time given to you and thank the nice lady.

The more I get to know people the more I like my dogs.

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Friday, December 12, 2003 2:03 AM

CHOBART


Does anyone think that what Inara reveals to River at the start of OIS has a connection (I am still awaiting the DVD set here in the UK, apparently its out in the new year, so I havn't heard any of the commentary) maybe a shot in the dark but could be that river knows whatever it is that Inara does... hmmm

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Friday, December 12, 2003 6:14 AM

ZIKZAK


I like the weapon angle. I think it's a special drug that will turn her into a disease-carrier to kill the reavers. Inara was sent out to destroy the reavers, so she picked the rattiest outlaw ship she could find. When they came near, she was preparing to take the drug, knowing it would kill her, the reavers, and the rest of the crew.

But she doesn't really WANT to do it. She does love Mal and Kaylee and the rest, and doesn't want to kill herself, even to accomplish a great end.

That's my opinion. I think Book has a different job to do, but he too is on a mission that lead him to Serenity.

Stephen

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Friday, December 12, 2003 8:42 AM

JK


The idea that its medication makes a lot of sense to me, far more than any of the others ideas. She could well have brought it out when the Reavers are coming because it was supposed to stave off a possible unpleasant death, only for the Reavers to come and kill her unpleasantly anyway.

JK

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Friday, December 12, 2003 10:40 AM

SHAMBLEAU


As for the idea that when River mind-reads/dreams Inara's words in OIS, they are possibly about Inara's secret, I agree. I didn't have much time to post when I was listing my reasons for thinking that Inara was medicating herself, so I left that one out.

Jayne's "I got stupid" comment was one that he said to Mal and that River didn't hear. Simon's dream comment to her is then almost echoed word-for-word when he's speaking to Kaylee on the walkway. I'm pretty sure that what Book says is also something he actually said in the past and has nothing to do with his conversation with Jayne. That's why it seems likely to me that what Inara says could be something unrelated to her conversation with Mal, just as his "None of it means a damn thing" is about his view of life and not necessarily about Inara, although it could be. I love double meanings like that, by the way.

So my take on "I'm a big girl, just tell me" is that she said that to a doctor who was trying to be gentle with her about her prognosis and not tell her that she was going to die. Of course, it also works as a comment to Mal, but as I said, the comment can have more than one meaning, which is what makes it so cool for me.



shambleau

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Friday, December 12, 2003 1:24 PM

WHOODAHN


Quote:

Originally posted by shambleau:
I'm pretty sure that what Book says is also something he actually said in the past and has nothing to do with his conversation with Jayne. That's why it seems likely to me that what Inara says could be something unrelated to her conversation with Mal, just as his "None of it means a damn thing" is about his view of life and not necessarily about Inara, although it could be. I love double meanings like that, by the way.

So my take on "I'm a big girl, just tell me" is that she said that to a doctor who was trying to be gentle with her about her prognosis and not tell her that she was going to die. Of course, it also works as a comment to Mal, but as I said, the comment can have more than one meaning, which is what makes it so cool for me.



That was my impression too, I had thought that River was digging up thoughts that weren't related to her or the conversation. Except in the case of Wash and Zoe, that one was related to what they were thinking. I hadn't thought about Inara being sick. It makes a lot of sense. It would explain why she is traveling to see the 'world' and why she doesn't want to make a commitment. Nice catch!

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Sunday, December 14, 2003 12:25 PM

LINDYCAT


I don't think this has been pointed out yet...


Tim in OoG comentary says that there is another hint in the conversation Inara has with Simon. I think it is in both the "clinical description" line and the "I don't want to die at all." lines she says.

I'm going solely on medication now.

LC

Just as the War Against Drugs would make some kind of sense if they honestly called it a War Against Some Drugs, I regard Dubya's current Kampf as a War Against Some Terrorists. I may remain wed to that horrid heresy until he bombs CIA headquarters in Langtry. - RAW

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Sunday, December 14, 2003 12:26 PM

LINDYCAT


I don't think this has been pointed out yet...


Tim in OoG comentary says that there is another hint in the conversation Inara has with Simon. I think it is in both the "clinical description" line and the "I don't want to die at all." lines she says.

I'm going solely on medication now.

LC

Just as the War Against Drugs would make some kind of sense if they honestly called it a War Against Some Drugs, I regard Dubya's current Kampf as a War Against Some Terrorists. I may remain wed to that horrid heresy until he bombs CIA headquarters in Langtry. - RAW

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Sunday, December 14, 2003 5:04 PM

NIGHTTRAIN


Yeah. I originally thought that the "she's a junkie" comment was totally sarcastic and meant to be a joke. But i'm thinking now that maybe it is a drug addiction of some sort. Not a full blown "junkie", but just more of a way to dull the pain of some traumatic experience from her past. This could also be an answer as to why Inara has left the companion guild. She would be unable to hide her drug problem working in the guildhouse, but off on a spaceship, a disreputable looking one, she could hide her addiction. She doesn't live at the guildhouse, she is just registered with it. So maybe at her annual checkup she doesn't have to undergo a full load of testing to renew her companion license, and she can skip the drug test.

Really going out on a limb with this. Most people seem to be moving away from the addiction possiblility but i thought i'd at least post my idea.

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Monday, December 15, 2003 6:24 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave


Quote:

Originally posted by LindyCat:
Needle could be used for:

Drugs for pleasure
Drugs for sedation of enemy
Drugs for suicide
Drugs for enhanced abilities
Drugs for suppression of something (illness, some companion programming, ability,...)
Drugs for medication
Weapon (mixing higly reactive compounds to make a sleep agent, neurotoxin)



Good list!

It occurred to me lately that there's one thing that seems to have been overlooked, but falls under the "Drugs for suppression of something" category here - Contraception.

In Dangerous Beauty, a movie based on the life of Veronica Franco, a Venetian courtesan and poet, Veronica's mother, Paola, gives her a small drink of something right after Veronica's debut as a courtesan. Presumably, the drink is an abortive, possibly a mild poison of some kind.

I'm thinking that the syringe is much the same kind of thing for Inara. That being the case, then she would indeed be self-medicating a narcotic, and too much of it would probably be deadly.

I'm also thinking the syringe - and its poingnant exposure in Serenity - is strongly tied to the reason she had to leave Sihnon. Based on her wistful nostalgia in Serenity and Nandi's comments in Heart of Gold I believe it's fairly certain Inara didn't leave her homeworld by choice.

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Monday, December 15, 2003 7:20 AM

STILLSHINY


So saw the hookah! I've been watching em in RM. Saw that and I was like oh my. This thread is so awesome. Remember: we overanalyze, but we never get boring. This stuff rocks. Now I wanna watch the whole series over just looking for these references. After hearing Alan talk about his "3 switches" I decided to try to count everytime he used them.

You think I look good now, wait till you see me in my new "Browncoat T-shirt"

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 9:24 AM

DTT


I'd like to make some observations that could take this in a different direction. From reading some translations on the net, I have noticed that in Shindig, Inara refers to an older gentleman at the ball as "old friend," and that she calls Nandi "mei-mei," or "little sister," in Heart of Gold. No offense to the drop-dead bombshell Melinda Clarke, but doesn't it seem odd that Morena would be referring to her as a younger sibling? I can definitely see the older sister relationship with Kaylee, but it seems a little off with Nandi. They do a great job of showing that is exactly the type of relationship they have, but it's thrown off visually. Let me be very careful about making this clear -- Melinda Clarke could wash her socks in my coffee any day, but if I had to guess who the "older sister" would be simply by looks... Toss this in with Joss' comment during the pilot that Morena is able to look wise beyond her years. See where I'm going here?
We know a little about Inara, but almost nothing about companions. Ever wonder what a companion does when her looks fade? What I'm getting to is this: just how old IS Inara, the woman who doesn't want to die at all? We know that she loved the ship from the first time she saw it, but did she see it before Mal bought it? Why does Inara have to go so far just to get a basic checkup (with implied STD workup) that could be performed at any medical facility? Are they doing something more extensive? Could it be related to what Inara was holding during the Reaver overpass? I find the terminal illness take very interesting, but I thought I'd also bring up the above possibility. After all, it's not like JW hasn't developed uber-old characters who retain their youthful looks in other series. It's just that this time, it's maybe done in more of a Bionic Family, we-have-the-technology manner.
The biotechnology youthfulness thing could obviously resolve the relationship issue with Inara and Nandi. Nandi is known to have left the companions several years ago. A few years of no cosmetic treatments on a not-so-friendly planet could make the younger girl look like the older girl, especially if the older girl is getting spacelifts and turbotucks in the meantime.

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 9:52 AM

STATIC


Okay. . .a couple of thoughts. . .Not particulary on the actual SUBJECT of this thread but more in reference to what OTHER people have speculated on in this thread. . .

WILL YOU GET OVER THE WHOLE SIMON/RIVER INCEST THING???? I'M TELLING YOU, THEY'RE ACTING PERFECTLY NORMAL!!!!!

"Preacher, you got a smutty mind!"

==================================================
"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 12:26 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES


Quote:

Originally posted by Static:
Okay. . .a couple of thoughts. . .Not particulary on the actual SUBJECT of this thread but more in reference to what OTHER people have speculated on in this thread. . .
WILL YOU GET OVER THE WHOLE SIMON/RIVER INCEST THING???? I'M TELLING YOU, THEY'RE ACTING PERFECTLY NORMAL!!!!!



Maybe that's why the show got cancelled, we got it all wrong.. Fox was protecting morality, because Joss was using his show to corrupt the brothers and sisters of America.... Thank God Fox stopped this evil act.

And might I point out that the thought never even entered my head that there was any suggestion of incest - I can't even see where it comes from (the deleted scene is so clearly an in-joke among siblings)



"I threw up on your bed"

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 12:29 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES


Quote:

Originally posted by zikzak:
I like the weapon angle. I think it's a special drug that will turn her into a disease-carrier to kill the reavers. Inara was sent out to destroy the reavers, so she picked the rattiest outlaw ship she could find. When they came near, she was preparing to take the drug, knowing it would kill her, the reavers, and the rest of the crew.



Could be, although it would gamble on the basis that the Reavers then go back to a central homeworld, and spread the disease. What little we know of them, that seems unlikely, and it only takes one Reaver ship to start going again.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 12:32 PM

DTT


Quote:

Originally posted by Misguided By Voices:
Maybe that's why the show got cancelled, we got it all wrong.. Fox was protecting morality, because Joss was using his show to corrupt the brothers and sisters of America.... Thank God Fox stopped this evil act.

And might I point out that the thought never even entered my head that there was any suggestion of incest - I can't even see where it comes from (the deleted scene is so clearly an in-joke among siblings)



Yes, that's it. Cordy pumping with a one-year-old on Angel was okay, but the mere suggestion of siblings being a little too close nixed Firefly. This morality brought to you by the broadcasters of Joe Millionaire.

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 12:57 PM

THRAWN


I always just figured that Inara was on the run from some terrible thing that happened...a teacher that wanted to manipulate her, someone that wanted to kill her, something just like the standard shady past, on the run archetype.

But there are a lot in here I like a lot more than that - she's going to die and she's healing works well, and she's extremely old and that drug works well.

If the drug keeps her healthy and she's dying, she could have been looking at it like "what's the point in taking this anymore?", just sort of thinking about it.

There are some problems with the drug keeping her young, like just exactly why she would have looked at it at that particular moment, and exactly what she's on the run from. But...it's so damn nifty, and I like "mei mei" to Nandi.

Looking back at this stuff is great - like, now that I know about Blue Sun, there are a crapload of references. When River slashes Jayne and says he looks better in red, he's wearing a Blue Sun T-Shirt...that one made me happy when I found it out.

I get the feeling there's a lot of subtlety in these episodes that was foreshadowing stuff that we don't know. It's enormously fun to look for the hints.

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:01 PM

CAINUNABLED


I think you might be right about Inara and the whole age thing. Do you think it might have something to do why she left though? Or the syringe? The terminal illness thing is a good argument, but if that syringe is for medicinal purposes, why would she bother looking at it during the reaver scene? I think the idea of the syringe being used as an enhancement is closer to Whedon's intentions. One idea I would like to through out there is that the syringe would be used for enhancing pheramones (if I'm spelling that right); that way she would be able to control the reavers if they got on the ship. She would be hesitant to use it because the Guild would not want it leaked out that they have something that powerful. Also she wouldn't want to use it because it would also effect everyone on the ship. But I'm not even sure I believe that.

"Till human voices wake us, and we drown."
--T.S. Elliot

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:01 PM

CAINUNABLED


I think you might be right about Inara and the whole age thing. Do you think it might have something to do why she left though? Or the syringe? The terminal illness thing is a good argument, but if that syringe is for medicinal purposes, why would she bother looking at it during the reaver scene? I think the idea of the syringe being used as an enhancement is closer to Whedon's intentions. One idea I would like to through out there is that the syringe would be used for enhancing pheramones (if I'm spelling that right); that way she would be able to control the reavers if they got on the ship. She would be hesitant to use it because the Guild would not want it leaked out that they have something that powerful. Also she wouldn't want to use it because it would also effect everyone on the ship. But I'm not even sure I believe that.

"Till human voices wake us, and we drown."
--T.S. Elliot

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:07 PM

STATIC


Quote:

This morality brought to you by the broadcasters of Joe Millionaire.


Does ANYONE remember how a diplomatic-type person from Iraq called out an American interviewer, saying "How dare you ask me about morality? Don't you work for a network who's top television show features a man who is lying to several different women, seducing them, and tricking them into thinking they're marrying a millionaire when they're not?"

==================================================
"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:10 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES


Quote:

I get the feeling there's a lot of subtlety in these episodes that was foreshadowing stuff that we don't know. It's enormously fun to look for the hints.



No doubt - while Joss kept his year's self contained, there were things like Little Miss Muffet Counting back from (300 something?)...

Then again, B5 planted seeds in the pilot for the last episode.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Saturday, February 7, 2004 1:13 PM

CAINUNABLED


Quote:

Originally posted by Static:
Quote:

This morality brought to you by the broadcasters of Joe Millionaire.



Does ANYONE remember how a diplomatic-type person from Iraq called out an American interviewer, saying "How dare you ask me about morality? Don't you work for a network who's top television show features a man who is lying to several different women, seducing them, and tricking them into thinking they're marrying a millionaire when they're not?"

No, but that is extremely funny!!!

"Till human voices wake us, and we drown."
--T.S. Elliot

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Sunday, February 8, 2004 12:18 AM

KAYLEESBOY


Don't know if this has been brought up before. But in the "Serenity" episode when Inara is bathing/sponging herself and it looks like a glitch where the image stands still. I don't think that it was a glitch I think that it was intentional after reading some theories and watching the episodes for more than entertainment value. I think the whole image standing still thing when Inara bathed was a way of saying that time stands still for her, as if she doesn't age the same way as the others on the show would. Which IMO is supported by the theory that the syringe is an anti-aging drug, and in OOG when Inara says "I like something with a little mileage on it."

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Sunday, February 8, 2004 1:42 AM

SPOOKYJESUS


I like the "she don't age" theory - those stills are definity not glitchs!!!

What's apparant about Inara is that she was running from something Tim said as much on his commentary (on the ep. those name I can't remember - the one without air and the flashbacks - yeah you know it). Somewhere on that ep. commentary I remember getting the impression that her running had something to do with drowning - I think it was Simon's description of suffication and her reaction.

- The drowning thing would then, I think fit somewhere with the bathing - ying and yang or something.

Alright - I'm reaching but no more than that River doin' Simon shit you sick fucks.

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