Inara's syringe: What's the big mystery? by DigificWriter

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Inara's syringe: What's the big mystery?

POSTED BY: DIGIFICWRITER
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 6, 2004 09:13
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VIEWED: 12094
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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:18 AM

Hi all. I've watched all the episodes of Firefly at least twice, and can't for the life of me figure out what this whole mystery surrounding the syringe Inara is prepping in the montage sequence of 'Bushwhacked' is all about. Anyone care to explain/help me out on this issue?

Take my love
Take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care
I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell 'em I ain't comin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I've found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:30 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Well, the mystery is that we do not know what the syringe contained. The most obvious assumption was that it was a suicide kit so that she did not have to suffer at the hands of the Reavers. But, Joss mentions in the commentary for "Serenity" that that is not it, he had something else in mind, but that if nothing ever came of continuing the story, that would be an acceptable notion for viewers to infer.

Possibly it is medicine for her terminal illness, which many Browncoats have speculated is the reason she went out to the Black, to see a bit of the 'verse before she died. Looking at the syringe at that time, she could have been thinking, "Well, don't have to do that anymore."

Others have speculated it could have been a potion which would have given her extra stength and stamina to battle the Reavers.

Actually, anyone's guess is about as good as any other at this time.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:52 AM

DIGIFICWRITER

I'm almost totally sure there's another ep where Inara gives Simon (or somone else) a case that looks very similar to the one from which she pulls the syringe in 'Bushwhacked'. I always figured that the explanation she gives before handing said case to said person of it being a standard Companion medkit covered the syringe (since, like I said, the case she hands over looks like the one she takes the syringe from) as well. The only thing I can concretely remember about the ep (despite having recently finished watching the series over again on DVD) is that Mal barges into Inara's shuttle and demands what Simon's doing there, and Inara says that she's servicing him cause he's 'not long for this world'. Of course, I could be screwing up my eps, but I don't think I am.

Take my love
Take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care
I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell 'em I ain't comin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I've found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 8:42 AM

THATWEIRDGIRL

The syringe is not in bushwhacked. The medkits Inara gives Simon look like ration packets. They are in sliver pouches not engraved rosewood cases. This all happens in Serenity.

www.thatweirdgirl.com

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:06 AM

DIGIFICWRITER

Okay. Stupid me.

Take my love
Take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care
I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell 'em I ain't comin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I've found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:15 AM

THATWEIRDGIRL

not stupid. I've just watched Serenity more times than I should.

btw I think it's her medicine.

www.thatweirdgirl.com

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:47 AM

RHUTTNER

Quote:
Originally posted by thatweirdgirl:
not stupid. I've just watched Serenity more times than I should.

btw I think it's her medicine.

www.thatweirdgirl.com

There is no limit to the number of times a person SHOULD watch Serenity.

Are you an official Browncoat? If not, go sign up gorram it! http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?u=rhuttner

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 10:27 AM

DOUBLESHINY

This is the exchange in Serenity :

Inara
This is just a standard Companion immunisation package,I'm not sure it'll help in this...

Simon
It won't hurt, supplies down there are pretty rudimentary

This suggests to me that anti-biotics are in the syringe. It could well be a drug to combat infection in Kaylee's wound.

Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 10:28 AM

QUIXOTICONE

After many repeated viewings of the series (which never seems to get old), I've come to believe the syringe is medicine, of sorts...

Let's look at some possibly connected info: Note her supposedly routine medical check-ups, and when questioned about, replied "Same as last time." instead of 'Fine' or 'Clean bill of health'... Also, the line where she turns away, saying "I don't want to die at all" seems to play at something beyond the threat of the moment...
Factor in that she voluntarily left the Companion Guild to head out to the Black...

My theory: Inara has a terminal illness, and the syringe is her pain-killing medicine. Something that might help her endure a brutal slaying at the hands of the Reavers. Her illness pushed her to leave the Guild before her time... Her journey echoes the theme of many others on Serenity: the search for something lost. Consider: Mal - lost his faith & seeking something to fill the void, Book - lost his compassion & seeking forgiveness, Simon/River - lost her sanity & seeking what happened to her / how to correct it... Inara would seem to be running to embrace what life she has left by taking to the Black with Serenity & crew... It's all about the theme, people - it's a Whedon show, after all

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 5:22 PM

POLGARA

Hello there! my first post yay!

About the terminal illness:
Wouldnt she be fired or disabled from being a Companion if she had a terminal illness?
I just thought about this because I remembered that in one episode she went to have a "Companion Inspection" where she had a medical check-up, and I think she wouldnt be allowed to continue being a Companion if she was sick.

Just a general thought, maybe we will find out in the movie!

Polgara

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 5:31 PM

THEREALME

Welcome aboard!

Well, if Inara were sick, but it was nothing that could be caught by her customers, then I don't see why it would matter to the House. Especially since the House would not receive Inara's dues if she were shut down.

And when asked how it went, Inara did say, "Same as last year," not, "fine".

I agree with the "Inara is dying" theory.

The Real Me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:09 PM

ADAMSTERLING

Plus, she might have really been leaving Serenity, in HOG and TM, because

a) She has fallen for Mal. She knows that she doesn't have much time left, and doesn't want to go through the pain, of becoming lovers, then dying.

b) She has fallen for Mal. She knows that she doesn't have much time left, and she doesn't want to put Mal through the pain of becoming her lover, only to have her torn away from him. A bit egotistical, but oh well... ;)

-Adam

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:22 PM

ROCKETSURGEON

[caution mild spoilers]

I have to admit that I once thought that it was some sort of nano-tech enhanced thing that turns a companion into the last thing you'd want to run into in a dark alley. Envision scales or something transforming the skin into a regenerative armour, enhanced strenght and, well, everything else she already has: combat/martial arts training, tactical know-how, historic combat engagement information, etc... If the change is somehow permanent, you could see the reluctance. Consider the evidence: sword training, evading YoSafBridge on a narrow catwalk in a long baggy skirt without so much as a scratch (she didn't fight because Mal was a higher priority), overall companion know how. There is also something poetic about how her mind and body become the best weapons to get out of the worst possible situation in light of how they are very much integral to her profession.

Occam's Razor (sp?) would argue the disease thing, except that she should have no reason to leave if it were a terminal disease. Perhaps everyone dies alone, but there's no reason to run away from the few you care about during the dying part. It should be all the more reason to enjoy what she has. Yeh the others will be upset, but they'd be upset about her death wherever she was when it happened.

---
"Here's something you can't do ... [insert cool manoever here]"

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:28 PM

THEREALME

While it would be sorta cool to see Inara morph into something like Mystique from the X-men movies and kick butt, I don't see that happening.

Besides, how would Mal react?

Zoe, of course, would want to try a dose herself.

The Real Me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 8:20 PM

PAHNOO

I see the terminal illness thing as a large possibility. The syringe may well hold some form of pain killer or something of the same ilk that would dampen the pain. BUT also thought this one out. I also watched the commentary by Joss and it sounded to be something more than just poison or a pain killer. I was thinking maybe a dose of some form of STD. She's going out, may as well take some of them with her. After all the Reavers rape, kill, eat and sew the flesh to their clothes. Not necessarily in that order. She'd get post mortem revenge on them.

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 8:21 PM

THUNDAR

I think the syringe from Serenity is a life lengthening drug that she takes. Several remarks throughout the series let us know how she feels about death. Once again, she takes it out to look at it in regret.

I'm not sure how to tie that in with her little "out of time" moments. Only during Inara's time on-screen are there those little moments where the scene goes on but Inara seems to stop and look off wistfully. Then in Heart of Gold, she tells Petaline "This is just a moment in time, step aside and let it happen".

OR, the syringe could have contained the antidote to the Companion birth control. She was regretting not having Mal's little browncoat..

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:00 PM

THEREALME

The anti-aging drug idea has merit. Nandi and Inara seemed to treat each other as contemporaries, but Nandi seems to look maybe a decade or more older. Also, Nandi remarked directly on how young Inara still seemed.

The Real Me

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:29 PM

SNEAKER98

Quote:
Originally posted by THEREALME:
The anti-aging drug idea has merit. Nandi and Inara seemed to treat each other as contemporaries, but Nandi seems to look maybe a decade or more older. Also, Nandi remarked directly on how young Inara still seemed.

If so, why would she need to take it right before the reaver attack?

My person opinion is that she's a drug addict. It's tough to get drugs out in the black, so thats where she went to try to quit. The syringe could be her "emergency dose", kind've like emergency cigarettes that someone who's trying to quit always has around.

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 10:46 PM

STEALTH

Just my thoughts but I think Inara is on some exploring/mission and has a royal heritage having been born on a planet “that’s like an ocean of light” and the scene where she comforts Book at the end of Serenity suggests something more of her. What sort of person is born on a planet that’s an “ocean of light” and it wasn’t known to someone in the alliance brass (I thought they knew everything..) seems like a light and dark thing ( the Reavers being the dark bit) and maybe the syringe had some essence of the planet to combat the dark Reavers.??

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 12:08 AM

The concept of it turning Inara into a big bad ugly (or giving her the essence of her planet or similar) is just too fantastical. It's an idea that might have worked on Buffy and Angel, but the whole point of Firefly is that it was about real people and real events. Those people and events are just something out of science fiction, is all ;)

The idea of it being some kind of eternal youth drug is intriguing, though. It's scientifically viable, and it ties in with all the HoG stuff, as well as her "don't want to die at all" "guess we're all running from something" bits of dialogue. My preliminary guess is that the Guild don't take kindly to the eternal youth drug, or that it's outlawed on the core worlds completely. But she just doesn't want to die. So she shipped out.

The looking at it would be some kind of "I went through all this trouble so I could continue to inject myself with this stuff and now I'm going to be killed by Reavers. Great."

JK

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 12:38 AM

EVILTOBZ

nice thoughts there JK. much less depressesing than the idea of inara being terminally ill. i like it :)

---------------------------------------------
eviltobz - that's lowercase gorram it!

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 1:22 AM

RIVERGIRL

, is all ;)

The idea of it being some kind of eternal youth drug is intriguing, though. It's scientifically viable, and it ties in with all the HoG stuff, as well as her "don't want to die at all" "guess we're all running from something" bits of dialogue. My preliminary guess is that the Guild don't take kindly to the eternal youth drug, or that it's outlawed on the core worlds completely. But she just doesn't want to die. So she shipped out.

if it is that sort of drug would it not show up on her yearly checkup?

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 1:31 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
if it is that sort of drug would it not show up on her yearly checkup?

Of course, another thing to consider is that her visit to Ariel was not for an annual Guild checkup, but rather one more of her rejuvenation procedures.

I'm beginning to like that idea of her being much older than we think, a disparity that she thinks would concern Mal if they ever had a relationship.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 3:16 AM

NEWSCAPER

Re: the syringe... (long lead-in)
I think Inara is out in the boondocks because she is she has effectively rebelled against some rule of her Order.
Perhaps she has some secret that would get her expelled or blacklisted -- and keeping a safe distance is the best defense.
Or perhaps there is some onerous rule that she cannot abide -- yet can't bring herself to actually quit the order ebcause being a Companion is her life and livelihood(sp?)
Or perhaps she is in self-imposed virtual exile because she was already punished for something, in her view unjustly.

I think it must have to do either with a forbidden love, or a prohibited pregnancy.
Surely there myust be some pretty draconian rules to prevent some nasty political baggage for the order if a Companion recklessly follows her heart with an important client -- or perhaps just accidentally gets knocked up -- can't have too many noble nbastards running around mucking things up.

Therefore my bets are on 1) a shot to unlock her fertility someday, 2) semen from a dead former lover, or 3) an embryo that she had extracted and put in stasis for implantation someday instead of following House rules and aborting it.

With the suicide shot out of the picture, I can't think of anything else that would seem to have an emotional value like the scene suggested.

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 3:30 AM

RHUTTNER

Quote:
Originally posted by Thundar:

I'm not sure how to tie that in with her little "out of time" moments. Only during Inara's time on-screen are there those little moments where the scene goes on but Inara seems to stop and look off wistfully. Then in Heart of Gold, she tells Petaline "This is just a moment in time, step aside and let it happen".

What moments are you referring to? The only time I know of that I would call 'out of time' is in Serenity when she is bathing. There are 2 moments where the picture freezes. Are you saying there there are other times where she freezes but others don't? Never noticed that. If so, can you tell me where, I'd like to check it out.

There is also the scene in Serenity where the picture changes as shes talking to her client. But I just figured that was more of a visual of her internal thoughts.

Thanks

Are you an official Browncoat? If not, go sign up gorram it! http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?u=rhuttner

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 1:22 PM

THUNDAR

Quote:
Originally posted by rhuttner:

What moments are you referring to? The only time I know of that I would call 'out of time' is in Serenity when she is bathing. There are 2 moments where the picture freezes. Are you saying there there are other times where she freezes but others don't? Never noticed that. If so, can you tell me where, I'd like to check it out.

There is also the scene in Serenity where the picture changes as shes talking to her client. But I just figured that was more of a visual of her internal thoughts.

Thanks

Hmm, I'll have to watch them all again and take notes. It will be shear torture....

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 3:06 PM

RHUTTNER

Quote:
Originally posted by Thundar:
Quote:
Originally posted by rhuttner:

What moments are you referring to? The only time I know of that I would call 'out of time' is in Serenity when she is bathing. There are 2 moments where the picture freezes. Are you saying there there are other times where she freezes but others don't? Never noticed that. If so, can you tell me where, I'd like to check it out.

There is also the scene in Serenity where the picture changes as shes talking to her client. But I just figured that was more of a visual of her internal thoughts.

Thanks

Hmm, I'll have to watch them all again and take notes. It will be shear torture....

Sorry to put you through that. But if it helps, after you tell me what scenes youre referring to, imagine the agony I will have to go through to watch them.

Are you an official Browncoat? If not, go sign up gorram it! http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?u=rhuttner

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 7:54 PM

EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

She definitely is hiding something. In OiS she said that she was going to New Melbourne and that she didn't want to "draw this out", and she appreciated Mal not "telling the others". I think this lends to a potential infraction of Guild Law.
I liked the idea of it possibly being something to OD on in the syringe. If it turned her into some super over adrenalined thing to fight the Reavers, I would be pretty disappointed. It's too hokey, and I think the strong point of the show is it's roots in reality (i.e. no aliens). But that's just me.

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 8:05 PM

SHINYSEVEN

I'm not saying I actually believe this, but Inara's femininity can be pretty OTT at times. If she were a male-to-female transexual, she could be looking at the syringe that she uses for her hormone shots and thinking that if she's about to be horribly murdered, at least she had the chance to live part of her life the way she felt natural.

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Thursday, July 1, 2004 8:22 PM

THELION

Hello there. Long time lurker, first time writer. Anyway, I thought I'd throw in my two credit's worth. I honestly believe the theory that she has some sort of drug addiction. That seems to be the most logical reason for running to the outer regions of the 'verse and for her to also pull it out when she thinks they may be boarded by reavers. Why would she bother with the syringe if she had some sort of terminal illness? Certainly, the hint to her past could be that subtle--she could be thinking "At least I won't be a slave to this," or something along those lines--but I think that it was more direct, where she was simply thinking that she might as well have one last fix if she's going to die anyway. This is all opinion with no real proof to back it up, and one of the greatest things about mystery is the possibilities it holds, still, this is what I think is the most logical choice.

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Friday, July 2, 2004 1:27 AM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

While the terminal illness theory is intriguing, I'd have to disagree with it. I think that if that was the case, we would have gotten some kind of mysterious hint in Objects in Space when River read her mind - kinda like with Book. If you had a terminal illness, and that's the reason you're leaving the ship, and you are TALKING about leaving the ship, wouldn't it be on your mind? River didn't pick up anything that unusual.

Of course, it could still be the case, but I believe we would have had another clue in OiS.

Hmm.. and the youth thing. Nandi did say "you look exactly the same, how do you do that?" Still, she took the syringe out too deliberately, not just a 'all that for nothing?' or 'well, I don't gotta take this anymore'.

The drug theory is interesting too. Maybe she would be running from the guild because she is afraid of being caught, and then expelled.

Once more, let's examine the clues we have : The syringe in Serenity she takes out when in danger of Reavers. Inara ships out with Serenity, a ship that looks 'disreputable' to the upper class, rather than a fancy ship that companions normally ship out on (Out of Gas). Nandi says that Inara was working up to house priestess, and has no clue why she would pack up and leave (Heart of Gold). Inara is obviously running from something, or for some reason. Then she mentions "I don't want to die at all" in Out of Gas. I wonder if River's mind read in Objects was a clue, or just to be taken literally.

I'm not sure what to believe. We really didn't get much to work with here. Hopefully, we'll find out more (or all) in the BDM.

As for my theory on why she is leaving, she has fallen in love with Mal and Serenity. The longer she stays, the harder it gets for her to leave. She feels that she must force herself away, because that kind of an attachment is dangerous to her career as a Companion.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.

~AFf

Keep flying

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Friday, July 2, 2004 1:40 AM

EVILTOBZ

Quote:
Originally posted by AnotherFireflyfan:
While the terminal illness theory is intriguing, I'd have to disagree with it. I think that if that was the case, we would have gotten some kind of mysterious hint in Objects in Space when River read her mind - kinda like with Book. If you had a terminal illness, and that's the reason you're leaving the ship, and you are TALKING about leaving the ship, wouldn't it be on your mind? River didn't pick up anything that unusual.

inara's comment to river was "I'm a big girl. Just tell me." considering the way things finished off after heart of gold i'd assume that its not directed at mal cos she know that he cares for her, so i'd read that as some kind of mysterious hint about something from her past, adding weight to the illness theory. i don't like it, but it seems plausible to me.

---------------------------------------------
eviltobz - that's lowercase gorram it!

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Friday, July 2, 2004 3:06 AM

THEREALME

Inara's "River thought" in Objects in Space was not directed at Mal, I think. At the end of Heart of Gold, Mal is about to confess his love, and she shuts him up before he can get it out. If I could tell that was what Mal was about to do, then companion-trained Inara could, certainly. No, Inara DOESN'T want to hear it.

Unless, you want to consider the "River thought" to be her unconcious desire, which is possible, I suppose.

As far as the "River thought" not being a clue to her illness, how about this exchange happening sometime in the past:

Doctor: "We've completed the tests, and..."

Inara: "What do they show?"

Doctor: "Well, it's hard to... ummm..."

Inara: "I'm a big girl, just tell me!"

Doctor: "You're dying, Inara."

Or, if we go with the "Youth Drug" idea, then perhaps the Reavers were about to attack during the carefully timed moment when Inara needed to take that shot. Once per day at 6:00 pm, on the dot, or something. Anyway, shot time could roll around, Inara could deliberately take out the box, and look at the needle wondering if she should bother, or look at the irony of how things didn't work out.

The Real Me

Do you want to meet the Real Me, now? See the Ohio Fans!! thread.

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Friday, July 2, 2004 3:37 AM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

hmm... very interesting. I really want to know what the true answer is. I'm thinkin' we'll be surprised. Just like we'll be surprised about Book's past.

But theorizing is fun! Doesn't it say something that we're still discussing and figuring out the show so long after cancellation?

~AFf

Keep flying

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Friday, July 2, 2004 4:15 AM

I very much don't believe that Inara went to her annual check-up. She's just too evasive; if it had been a matter of privacy, I'm sure there'd have been a trademark snidey comment to Mal about the very same. No, I'm almost certain there IS an annual check-up, but that she didn't go. She's got someone to forge her results or hack the system so that no alerts come up to say that she needs one.

So, our eternal youth drug isn't picked up on by the Guild.

As for why she's leaving, I very much believe that it's because of Mal. Perhaps fear linked to the drug? Because if they became lovers, how long could she keep up the facade? How long before she slipped up? And then she'd have this: "How old are you, Inara?" "Seventy-four." "[Insert Chinese expletive here]". And I doubt she'd be looking forward to such an exchange.

Oh, and she DOES want Mal to tell her. She really, really does. She wants him to love her and she wants to love him. But she can't let that happen, for the above reasons. It's very much Angel and Buffy, in that sense. Angel wants to love Buffy, but knows that the consequences of that mean he can't. Inara and Mal are just living in a slightly less fantastical world.

JK

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Friday, July 2, 2004 4:39 AM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

As interesting as that theory is, remember, the Firefly verse is about REALISM. Already River's powers push the boundaries. Adding an eternal youth drug? And if there is one, why don't we hear about the wealthy people in the verse using it? Even if it was illegal, I'm sure we'd have heard SOME mention of it.

I agree Inara wants to love Mal etc. But it conflicts with her career, as I stated above. Give a good listen to the "I'm leaving" speech in Heart of Gold.

Keep flying

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Friday, July 2, 2004 4:54 AM

RHUTTNER

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
She definitely is hiding something. In OiS she said that she was going to New Melbourne and that she didn't want to "draw this out", and she appreciated Mal not "telling the others". I think this lends to a potential infraction of Guild Law.
I liked the idea of it possibly being something to OD on in the syringe. If it turned her into some super over adrenalined thing to fight the Reavers, I would be pretty disappointed. It's too hokey, and I think the strong point of the show is it's roots in reality (i.e. no aliens). But that's just me.

She was referring to leaving Serenity. That has nothing to do with the syringe.

Are you an official Browncoat? If not, go sign up gorram it! http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?u=rhuttner

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Friday, July 2, 2004 5:04 AM

RABIT

Quote:
Originally posted by AnotherFireflyfan:
As interesting as that theory is, remember, the Firefly verse is about REALISM. Already River's powers push the boundaries. Adding an eternal youth drug? And if there is one, why don't we hear about the wealthy people in the verse using it? Even if it was illegal, I'm sure we'd have heard SOME mention of it.

Yes, I have to agree. Joss always gives hints to thinks like this, in some fashion. The man has foreshadowing down to an art.

I'm more inclined to believe one of two things:
1) She's dying, as has been discussed.
2) The syringe and her leaving the core worlds were independent; she left because of "complications" (a man, loss of a child, whatever), but the syringe is something completely different.

Just my thoughts.

Rabit

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Sunday, July 4, 2004 2:47 PM

SHINY4004

Quote:
Originally posted by newscaper:

Therefore my bets are on 1) a shot to unlock her fertility someday, 2) semen from a dead former lover, or 3) an embryo that she had extracted and put in stasis for implantation someday instead of following House rules and aborting it.

With the suicide shot out of the picture, I can't think of anything else that would seem to have an emotional value like the scene suggested.

I am definitely leaning towards your first theory, I think it fits. Inara, although a companion and professional, still maintains a lot of relationships with the crew on the ship, and is very loving (eg. Kaylee etc) I think it makes sense that she'd want a kid one day. It would also help to make her have more depth, since everyone on the ship seems to have some sort of secret, why couldn't hers be that she wants a child one day (which people wouldn't expect a companion to want) and was thinking that now she'd never have one?? It's also less fantastical than the other theories (although they are all great ones

I just think the whole realism thing is a big issue to be dealt with here)

I do want to add that I don't think that this theory is the whole thing however, there has to be MORE to it. (It's a Whedon show

after all)

"Oh I'm going to the special hell."-Mal

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Sunday, July 4, 2004 5:04 PM

WAVE

Given the immediate threat of the Reavers, it seems most likely it's either a suicide kit or a weapon. Since Joss said it isn't a suicide kit, surely it's a weapon? Assuming it is actually a syringe (are we sure?) and that the contents must be injected in order to do anything, it's probably Inara herself who would be using it. Which I think supports the killing-machine theory.

I don't agree that this is a hokey idea, as there's no reason the transformation need be bizarre or grotesque. It's likely she would look exactly the same, even though her abilities would be enhanced. Of course, such a metabolic speed-up could mean death for her, as well as the Reavers.

We are not in the 8th dimension! We're over New Jersey!

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Monday, July 5, 2004 5:47 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Has anyone else considered the possibility that Joss, or at least someone involved in the production, reads a lot of the Firefly message board speculations, and that even if it was originally intended that Inara was dying, or she was actually much older than we think, or whatever, that he might rethink his ideas and come up with something entirely different just to surprise us?

Was that a long run-on sentence, or what?

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Monday, July 5, 2004 7:27 AM

PURPLEBELLY

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Has anyone else considered the possibility that Joss, or at least someone involved in the production, reads a lot of the Firefly message board speculations

Not if they've got any sense. Except for Purplebelly's Denouement, of course.
BTW, by the end of Serenity, all the crew are dead; there will be a fresh cast for each sequel

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Monday, July 5, 2004 8:25 AM

STEVETHEPIRATE

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. Arrgh.

Whatever the answer to this (thus far) 42-post riddle is, it can at least be noted that Joss must be sitting back and smiling while (if he is) reading this. Much conversation about what appears to be a minor plot point - the kind of plot points he likes to exlpoit to maximum effectiveness.

As for my opinion, it's definitely not the "drug makes Inara all badass" theory. Someone earlier mentioned the level of realism in Firefly. Interesting to note that the two shows he created in modern-day settings dealt in each episode with the unbelievable, while his show based 500 years in the future feels more natural. Hence, the "suicide syringe" theory or the "terminal illness" theory seem more plausible.

Or it could be something we haven't considered yet. Personally, I hope to be surprised.

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Monday, July 5, 2004 12:16 PM

KOHAN

My thoughts are that Inara is repressed or inhibited of sexual pleasure (or some emotion), the entire "ritual" is all an act, giving the client maximum result and minimizing any sort of attachment that the companion might have to her client. In other words, she's normally doesn't "feel".
(I'm not sure if it's just sexually or anything else, sort of like the citizens of libreia in Equalibrium but not entirely stripped from emotions.)

The reason why she might have pulled out the serium is because she wanted to feel the joys of becoming one with someone(mal) for once before she dies?!

Also, the first time we see Inara, there was a cut away shot showing her looking down with a sad face while she was talking to the client with a smile. (in the pilot) She's not happy inside as she should be, which mean the entire companionship soul seeking thing might be just a load of crap, I think that the syringe has something to do with that. We know Joss doesn't just drop random hints, so I'm sure the two are past related.

This also might explain something about safron, who knows... It could be that the Academy is secretly ploting something through the works of companions? Inara found out about it and she was exiled? maybe it all traces back to blue sun?

who knows...

-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Why? Is there blubber?"
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Tuesday, July 6, 2004 9:13 AM

SHINYSEVEN

Maybe it's Simon's "seven percent solution" that he trusted her to keep (and keep away from him) and she's trying to figure out if the situation is bad enough to give it back to him.

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