GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Inara's Needle?

POSTED BY: SOUTHERNSLAYER
UPDATED: Sunday, January 9, 2005 23:20
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Sunday, December 28, 2003 3:21 AM

SOUTHERNSLAYER


So after viewing the commentry for "Serenity" What do you think the needle Inara had it the box was designed to do if not to kill her? Perhaps it was designed to turn her into a reaver to avoid the pain of watching her friends die and prevent her from being harmed.

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 3:25 AM

GUNSLINGER


What would make you think it was anything other than a fast poison?

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 3:51 AM

SAINTPROVERBIUS


The commentary on the DVD says it's not a suicide kit.

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 4:14 AM

HUMBLE


Quote:

Originally posted by SouthernSlayer:
So after viewing the commentry for "Serenity" What do you think the needle Inara had it the box was designed to do if not to kill her? Perhaps it was designed to turn her into a reaver to avoid the pain of watching her friends die and prevent her from being harmed.



i've come up with another perspective on inara's needle. i noticed in our mrs. reynolds that inara said saffron had "companion training". inara and saffron also had a scuffle outside of shuttle where they both showed expertise in hand-to-hand fighting. could the needle be filled with some sort of drug that gives an improved reaction/response to combat situations? a super soldier syrum or the like? i don't think this is for suicide, as with u.s. astronauts who are given cyanide tablets for hopeless situations, i mean, a needle is cumbersome and not easily accessed if immediately needed. also, this makes me wonder why, 500 years into the future are they still using needles?

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 4:52 AM

GUNSLINGER


I suppose another possibility is that it could be a drug that puts you into a coma. Reavers are strange in their behavior, i.e. they will chase you if you run, but if you sit still they will leave you alone, sometimes. Perhaps they will not mess with a person who appears to already be dead.

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 6:10 AM

CB


Quote:

Originally posted by humble: a super soldier syrum or the like?


Maybe, though she seemed very hesitant to take it, as if she had to be absolutely sure they were on board before injecting it. Maybe the stuff is like an adrenal concentrate? Extremely fast reaction time and increased strength and agility, but because your muscles are being strained way beyond their natural endurance, damage can occur, or any number of other physiologiical problems.

Im not sure how much relevance this has, but I once played a game, a while back, where you could purchace a drug called "Psycho", that enhanced all your physical stats insanly (hence the name), and you could take out armed and armored foes barehandedly, but the after-effects were really debilitating, like loss of strength, mobility, or mental facilities. Perhaps Inara's injection was something like that?

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 6:10 AM

CB


Quote:

Originally posted by humble: a super soldier syrum or the like?


Maybe, though she seemed very hesitant to take it, as if she had to be absolutely sure they were on board before injecting it. Maybe the stuff is like an adrenal concentrate? Extremely fast reaction time and increased strength and agility, but because your muscles are being strained way beyond their natural endurance, damage can occur, or any number of other physiologiical problems.

Im not sure how much relevance this has, but I once played a game, a while back, where you could purchace a drug called "Psycho", that enhanced all your physical stats insanly (hence the name), and you could take out armed and armored foes barehandedly, but the after-effects were really debilitating, like loss of strength, mobility, or mental facilities. Perhaps Inara's injection was something like that?

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 7:39 AM

HUMBLE


yeah, i was thinking this drug would probably cause respiratory, cardiac, and liver damage. probably something that amplifys your sympathetic nervous system response to danger(fight or flight response) and also extends the stamina of the person taking the drug. inara has already shown she knows swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, and firearms training/experience so i don't think it's a stretch on reality that she could hold her own in a fight. also, the drug could be a pain-inhibitor or immunological enhancement drug that minimizes effect of injuries and allows rapid healing. these are just my own speculations. the suicide version of explanation just doesn't feel right to me.

if the guy speaks softly and carries a big stick, take the stick from him while he's talking and beat him over the head with it!(what mal might have said in a future episode)

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 7:56 AM

MANIACNUMBERONE


Quote:

Originally posted by Gunslinger:
I suppose another possibility is that it could be a drug that puts you into a coma. Reavers are strange in their behavior, i.e. they will chase you if you run, but if you sit still they will leave you alone, sometimes. Perhaps they will not mess with a person who appears to already be dead.



Your shiny description of Reavers made me think of Grizzly bears.

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 8:07 AM

SAINT JAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by Gunslinger:
Reavers are strange in their behavior, i.e. they will chase you if you run, but if you sit still they will leave you alone, sometimes. Perhaps they will not mess with a person who appears to already be dead.



Interesting, but Companions don't typically operate in Reaver space so I doubt they would have a defence against them specifically.

And death is just the first part of a wild ride when Reavers come on board.

Mal - "Now you're only gonna scare him"
Jayne - "Pain is scary."

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 8:51 AM

MRPLASTIC


Quote:

Originally posted by humble:
also, this makes me wonder why, 500 years into the future are they still using needles?



Yeah. It's not like they're still using other "antiques" like gunpowder, horses, or wagons.

It's a case of different tools for different needs: in the infirmary, Simon regularly uses a pneumatic injector to deliver drugs. In this setting, the injector offers advantages of quick loading and quick delivery.

For Inara's kit, however, the requirements seem to be different: readiness despite infrequent use (a complicated delivery system such as a pneumatic injector might jam/misfire/lose its gas charge/otherwise not work) and portability/easy concealment (a syringe is much smaller than an injector) seem paramount.

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Sunday, December 28, 2003 11:12 AM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS


In the commentary for "Out of Gas," Tim Minear mentions that there's a clue about Inara during her scene talking to Simon. I'm going to paraphrase:

He says that asphyxiation isn't the most dignified way to die. She says she doesn't want to die at all.

In context it's easy to dismiss the line, but coupled with Joss' comments during "Serenity," I think Inara is out seeing the 'Verse before she dies of something terminal and incurable she's already got.

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com
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Sunday, December 28, 2003 11:21 AM

CARDIE


After watching the DVD's with this possibility in mind, I think I agree with you.

Cardie

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Monday, December 29, 2003 3:02 AM

11THHOUR


Quote:

Originally posted by CaptBaggytrousers:
In context it's easy to dismiss the line, but coupled with Joss' comments during "Serenity," I think Inara is out seeing the 'Verse before she dies of something terminal and incurable she's already got.



The same thought occurred to me.

Other clues to this could be behind why she did not sign aboard one of the luxury liners that Mal asked about in Out of Gas. It may be that a large corporate cruise line has its own medical examination for Companions, or asks for medical records, and then her condition would be known.

Also in the episode Ariel when Inara returns from her yearly exam, Kaylee asks her how it went. Inara just brushes past the question with a quick answer, "Same as last year". I wondered why she answered that way instead of a comment like, "I'm fine", or something to that effect. So, "Same as last year" could be another way of saying that her condition has not improved.

11thHour

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Monday, December 29, 2003 4:15 AM

BROWNCOAT1

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


I wondered about this too after watching the commentary, and there are several possibilities, each of which it seems people touched on here.

I think it most likely that Inara is ill with some disease that may be incurable, thus her leaving the Core and heading out to the fringe w/ Mal on Serenity as he tends not to ask too many prying questions.

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


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Monday, December 29, 2003 4:49 AM

SAINTPROVERBIUS


Well, I think the important question no one's asked about this theory is..

Why the hell would she be considering taking medicine for a terminal illness right as the possibility reavers might board the ship and rape, kill, and eat everyone on board occurs? To taste better to them?

I think the idea that she's a recovering drug addict makes more sense.

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Wednesday, January 5, 2005 10:36 AM

SAGRILARUS


The box, the fancy needle, that's her works. Opium would make a lot of sense both for the situation and her place in life.


Sag

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Wednesday, January 5, 2005 8:12 PM

TENTHCREWMEMBER

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?


Over on the Serenity Board I posted:

OKay, assuming Joss isn't yanking our chain *g* and the needle isn't a suicide kit, then you have to ask what prompted her to take it out at that moment. To me, she looks as though she is remembering something (perhaps someone?). If it is, like Joss says, much more gross than suicide, perhaps she is carrying an invitrofertilization kit with the...umm...DNA, yes DNA to keep this a family show *g*, the DNA of a lover...one she had to leave behind in order not to complicate her profession or even the person died and she stole his DNA (using feminine wiles of course), and that DNA is her future child.

It may be late, and I may be completely moonbrained, but it is possible.

Dang it...one of these days I'll just write a fan fic instead of posting all my good ideas.

Cilantro!
TCM

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Thursday, January 6, 2005 1:14 AM

PSYCHICRIVER


SERNITY SPOILERS!!!!!


















Select to view spoiler:


ACK! Inara ill?! Well we do know that one of our BDH's dies in Serenity! Please don't let it be her!



PsychicRiver

"Two by two, hands of blue."
"We can take care of each other. I'll knit!"

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Thursday, January 6, 2005 2:32 AM

KIRINA


TCM- that was the exact same idea that I had the first time I thought it through after listening to the commentary! That it was DNA of someone close to her, maybe a sibling or lost love, who she was planning to have cloned or something- but I dismissed it as being a bit too out-there. But then this is Joss, and it is sci-fi, so who knows?

The problem is the *way* she looks at the needle- on the imdb board someone made the very valid point that she's not looking at the needle like it will help her, but I don't think that rules out it being a booster of some kind that could help her fight the Reavers- because the damage such a drug would do to her body could be really, really severe. I also think the idea that she has a terminal disease fits well with the canon, but agree with the person (sorry for not remembering your name!) who said that she wouldn't be thinking of staving off the disease at a time like that. Maybe it's a combination of both? Some kind of stimulant that in very small doses works as a treatment for the disease but in a large dose would make her able to fight the Reavers at the cost of burning her out completely. Possible?

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Thursday, January 6, 2005 6:52 AM

DIZ


I have seen some theories that Inara is not dying, that instead she is trying to be immortal. It fits with all of the context: mum about the doctor visit, "I don't want to die at all", the needle, and let's just add Nandi's comment in HoG "And you look exactly the same as the
day I left. How do you do that out
here?". Nandi looks older than Inara: not by much, but by a few years. Yet they speak about going though companion training together. So I think it can be assumed that they are the same age.

It's a good theory; wish I'd thought of it. Hope her secret is explained one way or another, it kills me not to know!

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Thursday, January 6, 2005 11:04 PM

KIRINA


That is an interesting theory. After all, with Joss- with sci-fi in general for that matter- you've got to be wary of assuming that any line is a throwaway line, or that it can be taken at face value. I don't know though, the more I think about this the more I have to grudgingly admit that it would make sense. Inara's decision to leave after th4e Nandi incident (Heart of Gold) would make sense by this explanation, because if she's trying to be immortal or stop aging/stay young looking, then she can't stay in one place or with one group of people for too long or they'd start to notice- like in Tuck Everlasting if anyobne here's ever read that (great book btw). But I don't know, for some reason it doesn't sit right with me.
I came up with an explanation last night to explain everything I think needed explaining about Inara- why she left Zenon, why she left the Companions when she wanted to be head Companion or whatever and was looking like she was going to make it, why she chose Serenity of all ships, why she came to the decision to leave when she did, what the needle was all about, what her line about not wanting to die really meant- the whole shebang. It's kinda like the illness that everyone's suggesting- I'm not saying it's the most original of explanations, but I don't think I've read the exact same thing anywhere else, and it's what I think fits best. My theory is that Inara has a hereditary disease- non-infectious, and one of these ones that make the body weaker over time, and is terminal and incurable. The drug in the needle is the nearest thing to a treatment that exists- it holds the disease at bay and helps her keep functioning at a normal level when it gets bad- it's not something that has to be taken regularly, just on 'bad days', a bit like an asthma inhaler. She left the Companions when it was diagnosed as terminal to travel, make the most of however long she has left, and went with Serenity because of the independence she could have there- the fact that she wouldn't be constantly under someone's watch or anything- and that she'd get to see a lot of places she probably wouldn't otherwise visit. She decided to leave because she couldn't have that sort of restriction on her, and she couldn't let anyone get too close because she was going to die and didn't want to put them through that or whatever. Then the dealio with whatshisface, the guy who sword-fights with Mal- I'm so annoyed I can't remember his name! It's right on the tip of my tongue. Never mind. Anyway, why she considers staying with him- she's travelled, it's a reasonably nice life, and it'd be a temptation to stay in that sort of luxurious life for the last of her time. And I think she left Zenon because of her family- either they lost their money, or one of her parents was diagnosed with the illness and they were evicted from the planet when it was found incurable (it's the Core, they probably don't want the general populace exposed to such things? I don't know! It's a theory! It makes sense if you're me, and hopefully also if you're not).

What are anyone's thoughts? Fundamentally flawed? Just doesn't sit right? Actually makes sense?

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Friday, January 7, 2005 6:16 AM

REEQUEEN


Interesting theories - to be honest, I hadn't given it that much thought, but now that I have:

I really like the "Inara is dying" theory. It explains a lot of her behaviour, her rectitude about her own secrets, why she left Sihnon, and so forth. Nicely ties up some stuff. I also like the idea of her chasing immortality (something I'm inclined to do myself), it explains the same things in a similar way.

My own theory about the syringe? It's poison. Not to kill herself, but since the reavers are cannibals, if she was poisoned, she'd be killing them when they "partook" of her flesh. Or even something that killed them as they raped her. Not pleasant things to think about, but taking someone with you as they're killing you is a nice vengeance trope.

Since she is obviously the prettiest, sexiest, or may perceived as such by reavers, the chances that she'd be the first victim are good. Maybe she thought by poisoning them, killing them off with their violation of her body, she'd have a chance of saving the others.

Just an idea.

"There is no grace under pressure for a cat on fire." Cosi

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Friday, January 7, 2005 8:08 AM

ZEEK


I think the problem with the immortality or terminal illness theories is the way she looks at the syringe. It's a look of loss. Like she was ready to kill herself (which was the red herring apparently). The only other thing that fits the bill for me is that the syringe contains a child that she had removed and placed in some sort of statis in the syringe. Perhaps she couldn't have the child due to guild rules or something. Perhaps her feelings for Mal remind her of those she felt for the father of the baby. Perhaps Heart of Gold was just too much for her. What with her feelings for Mal and then him sleeping with Nandi. Then the baby being born. Maybe she just had to get away from all the memories being stirred up.

The problem with that theory is that it has nothing to do with the line "I don't want to die at all".

I don't know...maybe all the theories are off to some extent. Nothing seems to fit perfectly with the evidence.

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Friday, January 7, 2005 8:15 AM

REEQUEEN


If we ever find out what the meaning of the syringe is, I'm sure we'll all be surprised. Pleasantly or unpleasantly, who knows?

But it is amusing to speculate.

I really don't like the "it's a baby" theory, though. Don't know why, maybe it's something to do with the assumption that all women must want children, therefore Inara must want a child. Not that I'm arguing against it, I just don't like it very much.

"There is no grace under pressure for a cat on fire." Cosi

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Friday, January 7, 2005 9:56 AM

ZEEK


Quote:

Originally posted by ReeQueen:
If we ever find out what the meaning of the syringe is, I'm sure we'll all be surprised. Pleasantly or unpleasantly, who knows?

But it is amusing to speculate.

I really don't like the "it's a baby" theory, though. Don't know why, maybe it's something to do with the assumption that all women must want children, therefore Inara must want a child. Not that I'm arguing against it, I just don't like it very much.

"There is no grace under pressure for a cat on fire." Cosi



Where do you get that theory from? By that logic wouldn't every woman want to be a prostitute? Just because her character does one thing doesn't mean it's a reflection on every woman.


oh yeah and on another note I still like the baby thing because she flips out in Our Mrs. Reynolds after wishing Mal hundreds of fat children. Granted it's probably just because she doesn't want Mal to be with anyone else, but I've always thought there was more to that scene than meets the eye.

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Friday, January 7, 2005 10:57 AM

SLGN


When I heard Joss' commentary that it wasn't a suicide kit - I then assumed it was a drug kit (as someone posted above), and Inara is addicted to something like opium. My guess, she was debating a 'fix.' An addiction would explain leaving the order (Shinnon) and not tying herself to others (who may eventually find out such a secret). Surely it would be against Guild Law to companion [can I use 'companion' as a verb? ] while addicted.

I like the illness/dying and the poision ideas a lot that folks posted above. But you're right, it doesn't make sense to be concerned for your health (disease-wise) if you're about to be boarded by Reavers.

(note: I didn't and won't be reading spoiler note)

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Friday, January 7, 2005 11:17 AM

RAT


Quote:

Originally posted by slgn:
Surely it would be against Guild Law to companion [can I use 'companion' as a verb? ] while addicted.



All in favor of using companion as a verb say aye!!



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Friday, January 7, 2005 11:39 AM

ZEEK


Quote:

Originally posted by slgn:
When I heard Joss' commentary that it wasn't a suicide kit - I then assumed it was a drug kit (as someone posted above), and Inara is addicted to something like opium. My guess, she was debating a 'fix.' An addiction would explain leaving the order (Shinnon) and not tying herself to others (who may eventually find out such a secret). Surely it would be against Guild Law to companion [can I use 'companion' as a verb? ] while addicted.

I like the illness/dying and the poision ideas a lot that folks posted above. But you're right, it doesn't make sense to be concerned for your health (disease-wise) if you're about to be boarded by Reavers.

(note: I didn't and won't be reading spoiler note)


That doesn't explain the "I don't want to die at all" comment that is also supposed to have something to do with Inara's secret.

I wonder if it would be against guild law to use drugs though. If this future is so accepting of a companion's work doesn't it seem likely that they aren't as strict about recreational drug use?

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Friday, January 7, 2005 1:29 PM

REEQUEEN


Zeek:
Quote:

Where do you get that theory from? By that logic wouldn't every woman want to be a prostitute? Just because her character does one thing doesn't mean it's a reflection on every woman.


Um, because it's a widely-held stereotype? I was merely extrapolating from the obvious - although how anybody could have a baby or DNA in a syringe is a bit beyond what I know about in vitro fertilization and genetics, or even what I can extapolate from the science. The syringe did not look like something one would jam up one's ying-yang (needle? Ouch!). I don't think, even five hundred years into the future, one could make oneself pregnant by injecting genetic material into one's blood-stream.

As I said, that's just my little hangup. I don't like the theory and I explained why.

I also think prostitution is a really bad career path for anyone, although I firmly believe it should be legalized, with some sort of health screen put in place a la the Companion's Guild. In several close-up shots of Inara during the series, after a particularly dense male has made some inept comment or another (and vividly expressed by Atherton Wing in Shindig), it is clear Inara has doubts about her own profession as well.

Probably part of the reason she left Sihnon and took to travelling.

Of course, my favourite theory is still the poison one, partly because I came up with it, but mostly because it ties up a bunch of things quite nicely. For me.


"There is no grace under pressure for a cat on fire." Cosi

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Friday, January 7, 2005 1:42 PM

ZEEK


I don't see it as an offensive stereotype. I think it's more of a factual stereotype anyway. It's a genetic urge to want to reproduce. Everyone has it programmed into their DNA. So I don't see what the problem is.

That's true I don't remember the needle being very long so I'm not sure if she could really insert it all the way into her womb without going the painful route you suggest. Maybe I'll have to watch Serenity again and check it out.

Another point I'm not sure anyone has really mentioned is that Morena might not even have known at the time what the syringe was. Maybe they just told her to look concerned. So the look on her face might not be the best evidence for us to use.

Just spittin out thoughts as the come to me.

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Saturday, January 8, 2005 4:22 AM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...


Quote:

Originally posted by ReeQueen:

Since she is obviously the prettiest, sexiest, or may perceived as such by reavers, the chances that she'd be the first victim are good. Maybe she thought by poisoning them, killing them off with their violation of her body, she'd have a chance of saving the others.



Crazy idea off the one above - Maybe it's an antidote to her "youth and beauty drug?" It would reverse the effect making her less *attractive* to the Reavers. Not because it would make her as old as Nandi but because in reality she's really really old - more like 110... ish.
I don't believe she's terminal or dying from anything other than old age (another thing that complicates her relationship with Mal - she knows how old she really is). In Ariel she says about her checkup:
"It's Guild law. All Companions are required to undergo a physical exam once a year."
At the end of the ep Kaylee asks:

"Hey, 'Nara. How was your checkup?"

INARA
(dismissing it) "Same as last year."
Maybe she's dismissive because she's done it so many times and it's always been the same??

In Serenity she only contemplates using the antidote to underscore just how evil Reavers are - but in the end she'd never do that to her crewmates.


That guy, working electric, he never drank with us!

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Sunday, January 9, 2005 11:20 PM

KIRINA


Reading all of these theories, I'm just thinking back to Joss's (annoyingly uninformative) commentary on Objects in Space- he talks about how far into sci-fi he's willing to go when River's doing her thing saying she's Serenity, and that psychic is as far, incorporeal possession too far. So where do immortality/extended life/eternal youth theories fit into that spectrum, I wonder?
Ooooh! He said that whenever he's not telling a story about a teenage female superhero, he ends up telling a story about a teenage female superhero: so maybe it *is* some sort of immortality, because that's another buffyverse aspect that might've creeped in. But by the same argument, the immortality/etc theories are v unlikely, because of the buffyverse connotations. So I dunno. The look-on-her-face thing is a problem for the illness theories, because she *wouldn't* be thinking about a cure. She wouldn't be thinking about beauty, because she knows the Reavers wouldn't care what she looked like- they might just go for one of the others first, in which case she might have to watch. I also don't think she'd be thinking about getting high- I guess distancing yourself from your body wouldn't be a bad strategy against Reavers, but something about the drug-addict theory doesn't sit right with me; I just don't think it's in character. I could be wrong. I prefer the chasing-immortality or terminally ill theories, because to me it explains her fear of getting too close to people far better. But maybe we're just taking that line to Simon too seriously; it could be another red herring after all, and just a throwaway line.

Mal: You know, you ain't quite right.
River: It's a popular theory.

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