Inara's Secret by thiefjehat

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Inara's Secret

POSTED BY: THIEFJEHAT
UPDATED: Thursday, January 5, 2006 20:18
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Friday, February 4, 2005 3:08 PM

I have looked across the threads in this group for this speculation and cannot find it, so I have taken it upon myself to post it. For anyone who has watched the commentary for Out of Gas, we learned in that commentary that Inara harbors a secret. I propose that the secret is this:

Inara is terminal and dying.

Lets examine the evidence:

Starting with Nadie's comment about Inara in Heart of Gold. Nadie stated that Inara's decision to leave the guild homeworld came as a shock to everyone. And also that Inara could have been the house priestess in just a few more years and that she had her sights set on it. But suddenly she left, and with no explaination. Why would she do that?

The second piece of evidence comes in the pilot episode when Inara is chatting with her client and telling him about the beauty of the companion guildworld of Sihnon and that the great city is "like an ocean of light". The client's response is "I can't imagine ever leaving" At that point we "hear" Inara speak in reply but we "see" her look away in regret. I believe this was a Joss Whedon storytelling device designed to call our attention to her regret. He uses similar techniques in Buffy.

Possibly the most direct piece of evidence is Inara's psychic statement to River in Objects in Space. "I'm a big girl, just tell me" It has been stated by many folks on this board that river isn't reading surface thoughts of characters, but rather catching glimpses of the pasts and futures of them. Jayne=Past (Airel airlock) Simon=future(statement to kaylee after the meeting in the dining area) Book&Mal = mystery but book's is most likely related to dark deeds of the past. Inara's? The moment she was learning she was terminal.

In Out of Gas itself we have 2 pieces of evidence. The 1st is Mal's reaction to Inara's intrest for renting the shuttle(flashback sequence). To someone as common sensical and intuitive as Mal, there really isn't any good reason for a guild registered companion to ship out on a common cargo vessel like Serenity. He even challenges her by asking why his ship and not a luxury liner. He finishes with "What are you running from?" Inara isn't forthcoming and changes the subject. The second clue comes in the commentary when we learn that the scene between Inara and Simon contains a clue to Inara's "secret" The scene is the one when Simon tries to clincally describe suffication due to his nervousness. Inara's comment in that scene is to look away from Simon but clearly state "I don't want to die" This was the secret.

I wonder too if the needle from the pilot episode is in some way related to this story arc. We know from the commentary that it is not a suicide device but part of another plotline. Perhaps it will surface again in the movie.

I submit this speculation to the board for consideration.

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Friday, February 4, 2005 5:52 PM

ELWOODMOM

I've read these speculations before, and it all makes sense to me. Sadly, though. Thanks for rephrasing it so well!

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Friday, February 4, 2005 5:53 PM

DARKJESTER

Sorry Thiefjehat, but this is an older topic. I must commend your argument, though! Well presented, thorough, and logical. Of course, I'm biased, because I hold to that line of thinking my own self.

There was a lot of debate about Inara based on the needle we are shown in the pilot, and then the commentary where Joss says that it's not a suicide device. Most people assumed that the needle was tied in to her secret. If I remember correctly, the "Inara is dying and the syringe contains her medicine or experimental treatment" theory was a rather popular one. Some other theories, based on that needle at least, were...

A) Inara is no longer at the Academy because she is an addict, and she plans to OD if the reavers board Serenity.

B) The syringe holds a secret Academy drug that will turn Inara into a killing machine.

C) The syringe is an anti-aging drug (based on Nandi's observation "You look exactly the same as the day I left" in the episode Heart of Gold) and Inara pulls it out and wonders if it was all worth it.

D) It's a weapon she can use against the reavers by injecting them if they get close to her. (Not really tied in to her "secret", but still presented.)

E) And lastly, I think someone suggested that the needle contained her birth control drug, and that at what could be the last hour of her life she was thinking back on the time she didn't use it, and the child she was forced to give up as a result. Not really sure about the logic of this one....

I'm sure I forgot at least one or two, and I can't remember who presented which ideas. But I'm not holding my breath about her secret being explored in the movie this fall. I think we'll have to wait for Serenity II........

MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."

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Friday, February 4, 2005 6:40 PM

MONTANAGIRL

Quote:
Originally posted by DarkJester:
E) And lastly, I think someone suggested that the needle contained her birth control drug, and that at what could be the last hour of her life she was thinking back on the time she didn't use it, and the child she was forced to give up as a result. Not really sure about the logic of this one....

I think there was also a version that the syringe contained her child which she was going to implant at some future date (not sure what she was waiting for) and the look that she gave it in "Serenity" was the regret at never having had the child. Or something like that.

Packer fans welcome.
All others tolerated.

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Friday, February 4, 2005 7:03 PM

CAPNHARBATKIN

I've always been partial to the drug addict theory myself.

There sure do seem to be a lot of hookahs in Inara's shuttle I will say that!

Now, how's about we get on with this increasingly eerie-ass day

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Friday, February 4, 2005 7:44 PM

SHINY

Quote:
Originally posted by DarkJester:

A) Inara is no longer at the Academy because she is an addict, and she plans to OD if the reavers board Serenity.

B) The syringe holds a secret Academy drug that will turn Inara into a killing machine.

C) The syringe is an anti-aging drug (based on Nandi's observation "You look exactly the same as the day I left" in the episode Heart of Gold) and Inara pulls it out and wonders if it was all worth it.

D) It's a weapon she can use against the reavers by injecting them if they get close to her. (Not really tied in to her "secret", but still presented.)

E) And lastly, I think someone suggested that the needle contained her birth control drug, and that at what could be the last hour of her life she was thinking back on the time she didn't use it, and the child she was forced to give up as a result. Not really sure about the logic of this one....

Nice summary, DJ, but you missed at least one theory -- it's in my short fanfic (see page 11):

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=1628

Jayne, your mouth is talkin. Might want to look into that.

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Saturday, February 5, 2005 5:14 AM

DARKJESTER

You know Shiny, I've always been more partial to fan images and videos than fanfic. Looks like I'm going to have to re-think that position. WOW!!! Very impressive stuff! When is the next installment coming out?

MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."

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Tuesday, February 8, 2005 2:06 PM

SHINY

Quote:
When is the next installment coming out?

How about now?

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=3075

Jayne, your mouth is talkin. Might want to look into that.

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Thursday, January 5, 2006 8:18 PM

CENTRICA55

im a noob here but i wanted to through out what i thought. i think inara has been on the ship as a child. though this has nothing to do with the needle thing, it ties in with her saying how she loved it the first time she saw the ship and the reason she is staying on it.

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