Completely new "Inara's Syringe" theory... by BadgersHat

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Completely new "Inara's Syringe" theory...

POSTED BY: BADGERSHAT
UPDATED: Thursday, May 27, 2004 17:17
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VIEWED: 4643
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Thursday, May 27, 2004 4:36 AM

Okay, try this on for size...

What if Inara left for the black for a very particular reason, and the syringe is NOT a mind enhancer, or a suicide, or a life-saving med, or anything like that?

What if, and this is just my Hat's early-morning shake-out-the-dust moment here... but, what if she left, because she wants to become a mother?

And what if part of her training at the Academy included some form of permanent or near permanent birth control, and the syringe was, in fact, some type of fertility treatment? And she glanced at it in a "If the Reavers get me this will have been all for nothing" kind of way?

Maybe there's some sort of policy/rule/law with Companions forbidding parenthood, and she's on the run to pursue being a mother, seeking a man that would be a compatible father?

Hmmmmm....

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:08 AM

ANNIK

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
Okay, try this on for size...
(snip)What if, and this is just my Hat's early-morning shake-out-the-dust moment here... but, what if she left, because she wants to become a mother?

And what if part of her training at the Academy included some form of permanent or near permanent birth control, and the syringe was, in fact, some type of fertility treatment? And she glanced at it in a "If the Reavers get me this will have been all for nothing" kind of way?
(snip)

I really like this theory ... great angle ... great possibilities.

One of several thousand reasons Firefly is great is how often the 'little things' of daily life are shown -- Zoe and Wash talking about having babies, Mal putting his toilet away, the unique ways Kaylee and Jayne have made their bunks 'home'.

So ... I'd second your theory! Works for me.

Cheers,
Annik
... my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:09 AM

HOAGIE

interesting theory, but i'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on that one.

I agree that the companions are probably banned or at least discouraged from having kids as they would appeal to a smaller clientelle base during pregnancy and afterwards, plus the kids would need to be provided for and the mothers would have to take time off from work to tend to them, so the guild loses out on dues and percentage of profits. The only flaw in that theory is that Inara is still registered with the guild and still follows all of the guild's laws. the only difference is that she is not tethered to one house as most companions seem to be.

if she was so eager to conceive she could easily have broken ties with the guild and gone on her way with the Serenity crew or just wanderd the core searching for a suitable mate. a companion has money, evidenced by the fact that she pays Mal for the shuttle, and there'd be no end to the way she could get it, since companions are skilled in music, dance, massage, etc. she wouldn't even have to sleep with anyone till she felt ready. she could easily pay to reverse whatever sort of contraceptive surgery was done if she wanted.

*shrug* that's my take on it. it just seems that Inara has more on her mind than babies.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:14 AM

BADGERSHAT

Ah, yes, but keep in mind, we've never seen her actually communicate with the Guild, we know she left the home world place very suddenly, we don't know that she's ACTUALLY still registered, we only hear what she's said, and we know there's a myustery behind it.

And we have no idea what types of punishments may be in store for a Companion who decides to go against Guild Law... which could very well be why she's on Serenity, sort of on the run.. but doesn't want anyone else to be privy to such details...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:18 AM

HOAGIE

*thinks* oh yeah.

good call

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:19 AM

BLEYDDYN

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
...we don't know that she's ACTUALLY still registered...

Well, in the Train Job, the deputy sheriff said she had run Inara's papers twice, so either she is still registered or she has really good fake papers. I would assume that when the deputy said that, she meant that she had checked, possibly via Cortex (sp?) with the Guild to make sure that Inara was legit.

--Bleyddyn

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:23 AM

BADGERSHAT

But, keep in mind (yes, I say that a lot, I know) keep in mind that the sherrif seemed a bit skeptical about her, despite the papers being run twice... and Inara has proven herself to be rather resourceful, I wouldn't be surprised if she DID have an amazing set of fakes.

So there!

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:09 AM

RHUTTNER

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
Ah, yes, but keep in mind, we've never seen her actually communicate with the Guild, we know she left the home world place very suddenly, we don't know that she's ACTUALLY still registered, we only hear what she's said, and we know there's a myustery behind it.

In Shindig she was picking clients from the Guild registry and told Atherton that he will now have a black mark in the registry. If she wasn't in the Guild anymore I don't think she would still have access to pick or black mark clients.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:13 AM

BROWNCOAT1

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

Interesting theory Hat, but I am not sure if is very probable.

Certainly Inara could have broken her ties w/ the Guild, but if she had, wouldn't she have been blacklisted? Blacklisting her seems like a logical course of punishment to limit her ability to ply her trade in the Black and on frontier worlds. Also I find it unlikely she would leave the Guild as she seems to have no problem moving around in the open on Core worlds and at high brow social functions as she did in Shindig.

As far as her wanting to be a mother, it is a possiblity, but I doubt it. Inara does not seem the type to want to have a child w/ just anyone. She seems more the type to find a suitable husband and settle down if she decided to raise children.

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

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:14 AM

BADGERSHAT

Then again, she might still have friends within the Guild. She does tend to cover her communications screen when someone enters her shuttle, maybe to prevent anyone from seeing a less-than-kosher contact? And if she's on the run from certain policies in the Guild, it doesn't mean that she's left the Guild--maybe she left the home world, planning on being a mother, but no one in the Guild knows this yet. She's taking clients to build up bank, then will get preggers and quit the job to be a mommy...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:52 AM

HELL'S KITTEN

I gotta agree with BadgersHat. How could I not?

Anyway, I already commented on this in another thread ("Inara's Secret"), so I won't repeat myself:

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=4&t=5308#66738

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 6:53 AM

GRACEOM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hoagie:

I agree that the companions are probably banned or at least discouraged from having kids as they would appeal to a smaller clientelle base during pregnancy and afterwards, plus the kids would need to be provided for and the mothers would have to take time off from work to tend to them, so the guild loses out on dues and percentage of profits.

Not only that, but I doubt many of their clients would be pleased to have additional potential heirs running around. Think of the messy legal cases

For that reason alone, I'd imagine that contraceptive implants or surgery is required of all Companions.

My guess is that maybe she already had a child (secretly) against all the rules, and her behavior is down to trying to protect that child (which is somewhere being raised in secret) while continuing to support it as best she can by continuing to work as a Companion.

That of course does not explain the syringe...unless it's something she stopped taking that still reminds her of how she stepped outside the bounds and what she now has to lose (if the Reavers kill her, for example).

Grace

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 7:06 AM

GORAMSHINY

Wow... and again i say wow. Everytime i read one of these i go ohhh why didn't i think of that but this one is just... Wow.

It explains so much, or atleast ties into a lot.

If she did want children and it is against guild rules it makes perfect sense that she'd leave the comfort, and close scrutiny of home and head out on her own, Also why, in doing so, she'd seek out a rinky dink ( sorry kaylee ) lil ship like Serenity rather then the big space liners she could have.

It fits in with her expresion during 'serenity' when her client du jour says he'd love to see the planet she's from ( name escapes me at the moment ) and there's that cut of her rolling her eyes. If she wanted a kid and had found the enviroment at home particulary oppresive to that goal... well that little moment fits.

As does the 'i don't want to die' line in out of gas ( though that could fit just about anything ) as well as her reaction to the whole Mal/Nandi thing would have hurt even more if, being out there looking for both bank and a potential father, the one man she'd found remotely worthy ( again, Serenity, she replies to Books question of why she deals with Mal with "so few men are (a mystery)" Something a woman so highly trained to sense what her customers want would perhaps find most appealing ) went and lay with another companion ( even an ex one ) when that is probably the one thing that keeps her and Mal apart.

And even now i realize this post is a messed up jumble so I'll just end with another Wow and a

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 7:11 AM

BADGERSHAT

... I followed you for a while there... I think you were saying that you think my idea might be a good'un... if so, thanks much! If not, well, that's okay too.

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 8:36 AM

SPOOKYJESUS

BADGERSHAT - this theory is really good.

Really really good...... so good it may dwarf the real answer if this aint all ready it.....

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 8:38 AM

BADGERSHAT

Why thank you, Spooky...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:10 AM

MALICIOUS

Keep in mind that dwarfing things is habitual with our hat Jefe. And keep in min.... *head explodes--too much in there*

Mal-licious

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:22 AM

BADGERSHAT

........ love you too, Mal...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:32 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:

I wouldn't be surprised if she DID have an amazing set of fakes.

So there!

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

See Geezer take a pass on the easy straight line.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:38 AM

BADGERSHAT

... ???

uummm... I don't think I getOH I GET IT!!!!!!!!!!

stupid Hat...

... okay, THAT was funny...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:54 AM

EST120

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
What if Inara left for the black for a very particular reason, and the syringe is NOT a mind enhancer, or a suicide, or a life-saving med, or anything like that?
What if, and this is just my Hat's early-morning shake-out-the-dust moment here... but, what if she left, because she wants to become a mother?

what was it nathan fillion said in the commentary? oh yeah, "you see, she's a junkie". hahahaha! just kidding. interesting theory BadgersHat. I have to agree with some of the other posters, though, having children and still being part of the guild just do not seem to go hand in hand. some of her clients are quite upscale people (ath' wing

and the counselor) so i cannot imagine that she is no longer part of the guild, plus she does go for her annual checkup (although, admittedly, we cannot be sure that is where she actually went).

what if the stuff in that syringe was something like steroids that would turn her into the incredible hulk or something like that so she could fight off the reavers. hahahahaha! again, just kidding. i am in a strange mood.

of course, i say all this without any clue myself what that thing was for. could it possible be a drug like simon and river took (and tracey) that made them appear to be dead? i suppose the reavers would not care if she was dead, they would probably still butcher her anyway.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:57 AM

BADGERSHAT

Well, my point was, maybe she's left the home world because the Guild frowns upon parenthood, and maybe she's trying to reverse some birth control conditioning they put on her, and maybe she's going to eventually give the Guild up entirely...

Not too sure about Hulk-Inara... has a rather strange image in my mind...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:12 AM

INSIGHT SPINNER

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
Okay, try this on for size...

What if Inara left for the black for a very particular reason, and the syringe is NOT a mind enhancer, or a suicide, or a life-saving med, or anything like that?

What if, and this is just my Hat's early-morning shake-out-the-dust moment here... but, what if she left, because she wants to become a mother?

And what if part of her training at the Academy included some form of permanent or near permanent birth control, and the syringe was, in fact, some type of fertility treatment? And she glanced at it in a "If the Reavers get me this will have been all for nothing" kind of way?

Maybe there's some sort of policy/rule/law with Companions forbidding parenthood, and she's on the run to pursue being a mother, seeking a man that would be a compatible father?

Hmmmmm....

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

Well, Mal already has a passel of children: Jayne, Kaylee, Simon and River and Wash counts, too.

Actually, I think this is an interesting theory, and clearly infertility treatment has been mighty simplified.

insight spinner
__________

Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think....

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:35 AM

INSIGHT SPINNER

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:
Ah, yes, but keep in mind, we've never seen her actually communicate with the Guild, we know she left the home world place very suddenly, we don't know that she's ACTUALLY still registered, we only hear what she's said, and we know there's a myustery behind it.

And we have no idea what types of punishments may be in store for a Companion who decides to go against Guild Law... which could very well be why she's on Serenity, sort of on the run.. but doesn't want anyone else to be privy to such details...

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

Well, we have little evidence that she is not still registered, plus she renewed her registration as recently as the episode "Ariel", so she was in good standing up to that point...unless you suspect she is (dun-dun- DUUUNNNN) LYING. But she can't be a complete deception, that would be too easy. Plus, she gets clients through guild channels -- clients that fear censure from the guild, which is something she can wield over them (SHINDIG.

As for punishment, I think guild censure is probably punishment enough. It probably works the same as it does for clients.

Still, a fun theory.

insight spinner
__________

Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think....

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:39 AM

INSIGHT SPINNER

Quote:
Originally posted by BadgersHat:

But, keep in mind (yes, I say that a lot, I know) keep in mind that the sherrif seemed a bit skeptical about her, despite the papers being run twice... and Inara has proven herself to be rather resourceful, I wouldn't be surprised if she DID have an amazing set of fakes.

So there!

--Jefé The Hat

***************************
"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

I think he was sniffing the "o-dear" wafting off of Mal and Zoe. He suspected she wasn't what she said because of them. She could get them out because she was squeaky-clean -- and absolutely a companion in good standing, but she was also lying. That is what he smelled.

But still...she could have fakes.

Even while I debunk your theory, can you tell that I am enjoying it???!! Wacky Fun!

insight spinner
__________

Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think....

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 1:04 PM

CHUCKYBONES

Hat, that's a good idea. However, I have my own.

Anyone here watch Buffy? Specifically, the episode where Giles was doping her (on secret Council orders) so that she lost her Slayer powers. Watch that ep the next time you have a chance; I saw it a few days ago, and damned if it didn't look like Giles' drug kit was a dead ringer for Inara's.

Now, since Inara would've had no logical reason to lose her Slayer powers in the face of a Reaver attack (A - has no Slayer powers, B - would be damn handy for killing Reavers), I think Our Man Joss had something else in mind: turnabout. Inara (somehow) has a dose of some kind of combat drug, that would turn her (no, not into the Hulk; read that post) into an efficient combat machine. As he's done before, Joss ties one idea to something from one of his other series, but turns things around, so you don't know what to expect.

Another example of this? In the cut scene from Serenity where Simon listens to the history of the Battle of Serenity Valley, we hear that the Alliance general who masterminded the defeat of the Independents was named Book... er, I mean Richard Wilkins.

The Mayor of Sunnydale, the guy who transformed into a demon on Buffy & Company's graduation day? His name was Richard Wilkins.

Things that make you go "Hmmm..."

Death is too good for Fox Execs.

Chuckybones

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 1:30 PM

MALICIOUS

Chucky!

Excellent extrapolation! I never noticed that Giles' kit was the same as, or similar to, Inara's. I'll have to pay close attention when I compare them this weekend.

Mal-licious

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 3:53 PM

CYBERSNARK

Guys, maybe commentary-Nathan wasn't just kidding around.

What if Inara is addicted to something. Maybe she left the Core so she'd be able to hide it. She can't break away from the addiction, even though it's killing her.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 4:24 PM

LIGHTINTHEBRAINPAN

Great speculations! My theory about Inara (and what it is, too) (sorry, I occasionally slip into Monty Pythonisms) is that she is some sort of "agent." (I'm sure this is something you FFF "veterans" have discussed to death, so sorry if I'm being redundant.) Her cover as a registered companion gives her access to all manner of important and sometimes powerful people. ... I have wondered whether the syringe is filled with a substance that acts as truth serum (eg, for extracting information that she then passes on to either the Alliance or the Resistance) or that renders people suggestible for traitorous acts. Now, why she would get that out in prep for Reavers, I don't know; that sort of is a hole in my theory, eh?

The other possibility is that the substance in the syringe is designed to make her flesh rather untasty to Reavers or perhaps downright poisonous.

Do we know what Reavers are? Are they feral humans? Mutant humans? I've not heard that explained.

The way Inara spoke about family before she told Mal she was going to leave... I understand the reference to the crew as family, but I almost thought that maybe there was another level of meaning; that she and Mal were sister and brother by blood and that she knew it. As in, his father had some kind of serious affair with her mother, I'm thinking. But that's pretty creepy, because clearly she's attracted to him and him to her, so we've got incest. No... it's probably just that she chose his ship because she's... observing him for either the Alliance (she's being forced to) or the Resistance (her father is involved somehow)... man, so many possibilities. Have to wait a whole year to find out!!!!

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Thursday, May 27, 2004 5:17 PM

WILDHEAVENFARM

Someone might have said this already, but the first thing that came to my mind after I heard Joss Whedon say that it wasn't a suicide kit, was maybe she's making herself poisonous to the Reavers who fix to eat her. Or, she's getting really, really high in her last moments. shrug

Mary
Always a beast, never a burden.

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