What's in two lines? by EmpXenu

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

What's in two lines?

POSTED BY: EMPXENU
UPDATED: Monday, May 8, 2006 19:12
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Tuesday, May 2, 2006 8:23 AM

Could some helpful soul clarify what Mal means when he says "you fog things up" and "you spin me about" to Inara? I'm guessing he admits to caring for her with that second part but I'm not sure what to make of the first. The Swedish subtitles translate it to "you're secretive" and "you confuse me" but that doesn't make much sense.

EDIT: Damn, wrong forum.

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Frog blast the vent core!

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Tuesday, May 2, 2006 8:29 AM

PENGUIN

It's hard to explain in plain English what they mean...

The "you confuse me" part is right...The "you fog things up" part means Inara "clouds" his vision and he can't see straight...sp prevents him from seeing things clearly. His emotions about her keep him from acting rationally.

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more!

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Tuesday, May 2, 2006 1:28 PM

ELOISA

I read it best in conjunction with his comment immediately before that - "I got no rudder. Wind blows northerly, I go north."

Let's forget for a moment there's a thread right on this board discussing whether or not he was meteorologically correct to put it like that - Mal goes his own road in accordance with what happens in the 'verse around him. Then there's Inara. Mal's got no rudder and she has the power to change his course. Fog is notoriously bad for sailing ships also. I sometimes wonder if Mal's a tiny bit afraid of her because of what she can do to him emotionally - and if she feels the same about him.

***
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Tuesday, May 2, 2006 8:04 PM

VOLK564

"fog things up" and "spin me about" are just two pseudo-futuristic ways of saying "you confuse me" or "you make my head spin." Basically, he's saying she distracts him from his duties sometimes - why, we don't know, but I think Joss means us to think that he's being distracted by Inara on account of her being, you know, mighty pretty.

Hope it helps!

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Wednesday, May 3, 2006 2:51 PM

DONCOAT

One or two other connotations come to mind. In various childrens' games, a player is blindfolded and made to spin around until his sense of direction is lost. I think this is what Mal is saying -- "you make it hard for me to make good decisions".

Similarly, by "fogging things up", Inara makes it hard to choose the right path. Fog confuses the senses in various ways. It blinds you, it changes the way things sound, it masks smells. If you wander off track in a fog, you may never find your way back. By analogy, Mal's saying that Inara produces emotional confusion.

So Mal is telling Inara that her presence adds complications to his life, adding extra dimensions to his decision making. When she's around, things aren't as clear as they would be if Mal didn't have to take her into account.

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I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Monday, May 8, 2006 7:12 PM

KIZYR

Those two lines are also the closest Mal may ever come to admitting that he's in love with Inara. Remember how he nearly chokes at those words? KF

~KF

Lord, I'm walking your way. Let me in, for my feet are sore, my clothes are ragged.
Look in my eyes, Lord, and my sins will play out on them as on a screen. Read them all.
Forgive what you can and send me on my path. I will walk on until you bid me rest.
~Haven Prayer

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