What Is Inara Running From?

POSTED BY: ManiacNumberOne
UPDATED: Sunday, August 6, 2006 04:35
VIEWED: 19567
PAGE 1 of 1

MANIACNUMBERONE

Saturday, July 26, 2003 8:31 AM

In Bushwacked, at the beginning, when Simon is talking with Inara, she essentially says that everone is running from something. She is, of course, trying to give some ease to Simon with her inclusive statement, but I got the feeling that she was talking about herself more than anything. Anybody else get that? What do you suppose she could be running from? The Guild life and responsibility? I'd be curious to hear what everyone is running from.

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Who's winning?
I can't really tell, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
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-=ZERO=-

Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:11 AM

I think that Inara is running from the truth and her conscience. I believe that Inara is beginning to realize that her lifestyle is wrong. I say this because of the way she acts around Mal. Whenever Mal makes fun of her or disrespects her about her line of work, she just kinda shrugs it off without really giving a good retort other than making fun of him about being a smuggler. There's obviously chemistry between the two, but Mal hates her being a prostitute but secretly wants a woman that it better than him, while Inara hates him being a smuggler but secretly likes a rugged tough man.

As for the rest of the crew, this what I think they are running from:
Book: Thats a secret...
Mal: Memorys of the his past in the war.
Jayne: Any kind of attachment to human beings.
River: The Alliance
Simon: The Alliance
Kaylee: Backwater homeworld.

Zoe & Wash are the only mystery to me other than Book, their motives and desires (other than for each other) aren't talked about much in the show. Wash is the comic relief while Zoe is Mal's sidekick, which are hard to elaborate without taking them out of their respective roles.

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-=ZERO=-
Check me out on WinMX, I have all Firefly episodes in SVCD format.

DRAKON

Saturday, July 26, 2003 9:58 AM

"I think that Inara is running from the truth and her conscience. I believe that Inara is beginning to realize that her lifestyle is wrong. I say this because of the way she acts around Mal. Whenever Mal makes fun of her or disrespects her about her line of work, she just kinda shrugs it off without really giving a good retort other than making fun of him about being a smuggler. There's obviously chemistry between the two, but Mal hates her being a prostitute but secretly wants a woman that it better than him, while Inara hates him being a smuggler but secretly likes a rugged tough man."

I hope you are wrong about this. I think Joss is better than that as a writer.

First off, I don't think its the sex. I think what has Mal bugged is the fraud, the illusion a good Companion weaves around her client. Yeah you know its an illusion, and she does too. Its play acting, its fake love.

And I think there is the fact that she is better regarded socially bugs him a bit. She supported the Alliance, and probably gave a lot of aid and comfort to her soldiers. Soldiers that killed his friends during the war. He is a war hero, yet cannot get an honest job. She wasn't, and yet makes a higly lucrative living play acting at love.

Mal will never know what Inara's real feelings are. He'll always suspect she is playing him, manipulating him, etc.

I think Inara's take on Mal is reflective and defensive. He obviously has a problem with her and she seems to believe it is his "puritanical attitude about sex" But at some level, she has to know that it is the difference in status, or else she would not call him "petty" as frequently as she does.

It is also my guess that since "Heart of Gold" Mal will never call Inara a whore ever again. Cause she ain't. Whores are independent of the guild, and Inara is still trapped in the Alliance.

"my kind of stupid"

TRAGICSTORY

Saturday, July 26, 2003 1:33 PM

Even though I love the explaination in the post above, I think Inara was "ousted" from the guild house. Internal politics and the like.

If I had to write a fanfic for it the plot would be Inara supports allience, realizes that the gov. she supported is not the idealistic society she belived (or was led to believe). Another companion, who was also in the higher ranks of the guild, set up a plot to discredit her within the guild and further her own position. Inara falls in the trap, finds some clever way to avoid being procecuted for treason by the allience, but needs to flee the center planets until things cool down. So she just happens to get on a ship with a captian who happens to be supportive of them types which don't like the allience so much and smuggles her off the planet.

Maybe in the movie we will learn more!

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"Societies are supported by human activity, therefore they are constantly threatened by the human facts of self-intrest and stupidity." --Peter Berger

DRAKON

Saturday, July 26, 2003 1:48 PM

It works up until "Out of Gas". Inara said she supported unification, when she first comes aboard Serenity.

What we know is that she was good at her job, on her way to being House Priestess, (whatever that means. I do know some pagan religions, some variants of Wicca that perform the Great Rite as initiation, but for some reason, Inara does not strike me as a witch.) Nandi does not know why she left, and she ain't saying.

I don't think it was politics. Possibly an affair of the heart? Perhaps a customer she got too close to, decided to go back to his wife and kids and normal life. Or made her feel less than respected for her service?

"my kind of stupid"

SERGEANTX

Saturday, July 26, 2003 2:48 PM

Since seeing "Heart of Gold" I've formulated a few theories about what's up with Mal and Inara. Call them wild ass guesses. Anyway, I think both of them have the same problem.

Inara has been trained, apparently most of her life, to be a Guild Companion. A successful Companion would no doubt be required to excercise complete control over their emotions and maintain a certain detachment in their relationships, especially with sexual relationships. I'm guessing that the reason Inara left the Guild is somehow related to her being unable to maintain this kind of detachment. Given her training, she likely sees this as an unforgiveable weakness. I think this is the reason for her reluctance become involved with Mal.

Select to view spoiler:

Her speech at the end of "Heart of Gold" makes more sense in this context. "...when you live with that kind of strength you get tied to it. You can't break away and you never want to...".

As much as most of us aspire to find longlasting loving relationships, for a Companion this is the worst mistake.

Mal's experience with the war, and whatever losses he suffered, has left him feeling burnt.

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 them I ain't comin' back.
Burn the land, boil the sea,
you can't take the sky from me.
I think his pain was so great that he swore to never again have any attachment that could lead to that sense of loss. Even his faith in God has been sacrificed in his desperate attempt to never again be tied to something he can't stand to lose.

But he can't help himself. At his core he is a passionate, loving person who wants to believe. And so is Inara. Seeing both of these characters deal with the conflict between what they've learned and who they really are is fantastic drama, and just another reason why this story MUST be continued.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

WHOODAHN

Saturday, July 26, 2003 3:54 PM

Inara doesn't seem to be in any kind of legal trouble. When the Sheriff checked her papers on Train Job, her papers were in good shape. (Alltho she took a big risk by helping Mal & Zoe)

When Atherton threatened to blackball her, she turned it on him. His threat and her comment wouldn't make sense if she was already in trouble with the Guild.

I think she was disillusioned with her life and decided to see the world. She fell in with a group that were just as disillusioned as she was and she fell in love.

Does anyone know how long she was on Serenity? In SERENITY, she tells Book she has been on the ship 8 months. Then in BUSHWACKED, she tells the Alliance she was on the ship almost a year.

TRAGICSTORY

Saturday, July 26, 2003 4:26 PM

To defend my view:

She could have supported unification and after the fact grown to regret that.
I.E.
"I supported the war in Iraq, but after an ungreatful Iraqi population I have come to regret it."

I don't think she was disillusioned with her life and lifestyle because she still continues to do it.

I'm saying that Inara left because of internal politics. This gives her a reason to leave the central planets, keeps her legal and prestigious status, (since internal politics are never aired to the public)and explains why she ends up working alone in Serenity instead of a cruise liner and so far has only gone to a core planet to get her physical, not to bed a client.

The best example I can think of is a high ranking military officer who crosses the wrong superior or equal and ends up manning a weather station in Alaska.

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"Societies are supported by human activity, therefore they are constantly threatened by the human facts of self-intrest and stupidity." --Peter Berger

FREMDFIRMA

Saturday, July 26, 2003 5:06 PM

>>First off, I don't think its the sex. I think what has Mal bugged is the fraud, the illusion a good Companion weaves around her client. Yeah you know its an illusion, and she does too. Its play acting, its fake love.<<

In Shindig Mal says this more or less directly, while dancing with Inara.

Just so ya know,

-Frem
die fux die

SIRENKAIN

Saturday, July 26, 2003 7:05 PM

I think it could be something much more simple. Such as more freedom, to come and go as she wants. Inara is always going on about how she can choose anyone and do whatever she wants by guild law. She is however putting alot of space between her and other guild members. She was also part of a "House" I would think as a house member she would have followed the will of the house.

Mal seems to have no problem with whores just companions. The above stated status issue is an obvious thorn for him. The illusion (as stated by him and above posts) is the big problem. Just because you call them companions doesn't change what they are.

Mal has always been very blunt and likes to have things on the simple side. "I do the job I get paid" kinda thing doesn't seem like a man with alot of need for fluffy words. He actually seems to give Saffron more respect because in Trash she makes no excuses about who she is. A women who uses whatever she has to get what she wants.

Morbid and creep-ifying I got no problem with.

SHEPHERDOFHERMAS

Sunday, July 27, 2003 12:57 AM

Book and Inara are running from the same thing IMHO.

In my Firefly universe, Inara and Book were publicly pro-Unification and in deep with the Alliance - while at the same time they were working to destroy the Alliance from within. Their presence on Serenity was carefully planned by the underground movement, and both Book and Inara are there to watch over River and Simon as well as Mal - who the underground believes to be the best bet for a leader to rally the outer worlds to join the forces of revolution....

TIMMINEAR

Sunday, July 27, 2003 3:47 AM

I know what Inara's problem is. And I ain't tellin'.

WHOODAHN

Sunday, July 27, 2003 11:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TimMinear:
I know what Inara's problem is. And I ain't tellin'.

Ahh..come on! Tell us!
Or better yet, will it be explained in the movie?

SERGEANTX

Sunday, July 27, 2003 12:48 PM

Quote:
TIMMINEAR
Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 17:47

I know what Inara's problem is. And I ain't tellin'.

Oh yeah? And what makes you such an authority on the subject?

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

TRAGICSTORY

Sunday, July 27, 2003 2:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by TimMinear:
I know what Inara's problem is. And I ain't tellin'.

Not even for a Scooby Snack?

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"Societies are supported by human activity, therefore they are constantly threatened by the human facts of self-intrest and stupidity." --Peter Berger

MANIACNUMBERONE

Sunday, July 27, 2003 8:44 PM

Arrrg! Torment from the master writer. I like that. You have a truely excellent talent for heightening my curiosity. I had a thought that perhaps you were co-writing the upcoming movie. I hope it is so.

SHEPHERDOFHERMAS

Sunday, July 27, 2003 10:19 PM

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE!
Pretty please

*whimper*
*sigh*

CHANNAIN

Tuesday, July 29, 2003 8:29 PM

I've had several theories about Inara - for her it's hard to pin down exactly what she's running from, mainly for reasons already mentioned here. She's still a companion, still working in her chosen profession, and she seems pretty comfortable with going back to the core worlds, so I don't think the authorities are after her for anything.

No one was trying to force her into a role she didn't want at the Guild house on Nihon (although it didn't seem like she made any kind of special effort to visit) and she still has the "influence" of a companion.

Which means she may be using her profession to hide from herself. Something did happen to her. Something so heartbreaking that she was forced to leave the Guild house. My questions then would have to begin with this one: What are Guild rules on child birth? Would that have anything to do with that physical she had on Ariel? Did she get pregnant, then was forced to end it or chose to end it according to law? If not for Heart of Gold, I would have thought she had the child, Only a woman who had been through child birth before would have been loads more confident about it than she was. If she'd given birth then my theory would have been that she gave it over to the father with no hope of ever seeing it again and then left Nihon because she couldn't bear it.

What it comes down to for me is this: Was she asked to leave by the Guild or was she given the choice to leave with honors, and why?

“We three are the only ones in this place wearing brown. Means we’ve found something worth fighting for.
Something worth being more than alive for.”
Sarahetc

WHOODAHN

Saturday, August 9, 2003 8:41 PM

I think Inara and Mal are looking for the same thing. True love. An honest relationship. That is why she is tempted every time one of her clients asks her to stay.

I think Inara fell in love with someone and was going to get married. He probably left her at the altar or was already married. That's why she can't commit and is afraid to fall in love with Mal.

I think she is running from her own heart.

RAW53X

Monday, August 11, 2003 4:44 PM

i dont think inara is running from anything. i think she is like kain in kung-fu walking the earth of in this case flying the black. i think in part she is trying to find her self. and her destney. i think she chose the path she did because it will lead her to her destney. i think she belived her destney lay along this path as apossed to on cruse ships.

RAW53X

Monday, August 11, 2003 4:44 PM

i dont think inara is running from anything. i think she is like kain in kung-fu walking the earth of in this case flying the black. i think in part she is trying to find her self. and her destney. i think she chose the path she did because it will lead her to her destney. i think she belived her destney lay along this path as apossed to on cruse ships.

JOHNNYREB

Monday, August 11, 2003 5:33 PM

She may not be literally running from anything. She may have ghosts or a checkered past, but who doesn't? It could be that she is on Serenity to get from point A to point B. None of her johns seemed surprised that she was making house calls, the crew calls her embassador because some places won't let them touch down without someone respectable like a companion on board, (I read that somewhere), and she states herself that she needs to RETURN once a year for an exam. No, I don't think she is on the lam. She is probably running from herself, but wherever you go, there you are.

Viva Firefly!

TZEGHA

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:00 AM

Quote:
She is probably running from herself

Agreed!

DREAMWANDERER

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 4:06 AM

Here is something that's been bugging me.

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In the Message Inara recieves a package. One that she is very careful not to let anyone see. Why????
Any guesses?

"Not all who wander are lost."

TZEGHA

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 10:21 AM

Because . . . she's a mata hari!

She's a recruit for the underground movement that were involved in River's escape! She made sure that Serenity was on Persephone when Simon recieved his 'package', and then she stuck around to make sure he and River were safe and secure!

She's a spy!

That's why, when the feds caught up with them in Serenity, she didn't blink when she told them to run, because it was her mission to protect the Tams. Her presence on Serenity keeps them out of trouble . . . er, yeah!

TRAGICSTORY

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 8:28 PM

I have called Miss Cleo and she says Inara is running from...

S
P
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Space Monkeys!

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"Societies are supported by human activity, therefore they are constantly threatened by the human facts of self-intrest and stupidity." --Peter Berger

STILLSHINY

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 9:37 PM

Spoilers

In the Message Inara recieves a package. One that she is very careful not to let anyone see. Why????
Any guesses?

Find the phone and hold on to it!

What do you mean Inara receives a package. Is this in the Episode or the Script? Cuz I'm missing it.

KAYTHRYN

Tuesday, August 12, 2003 10:43 PM

Spoiler for the message

Select to view spoiler:

Quote:
Posted by still shiny:

What do you mean Inara receives a package. Is this in the Episode or the Script? Cuz I'm missing it.

It’s in the episode. When Inara and Kaylee walk up to the post office thingy there is a small square box on the counter (looks like its just big enough to hold a baseball), that Inara pockets. Looks suspicious since no one else saw her take it (I believe) and since we still don't know what's in it.

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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

TZEGHA

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 1:42 AM

maybe it was a box of glow-in-the-dark condoms?

But cereally.

Maybe it wasn't meant to be anything at all, just a random shaped package to show us that Inara isn't on the up and up?

Or, I don't know from experience, but is Joss more foresighted than that?

VETERAN

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 2:37 AM

Inara certainly was on the up and up. Her credentials were checked throughly by the local authorities in Train Job. Of course, now that she's been associating with known smugglers who knows what the authorities have on her, could be they're all wanted, could be they're just not bigtime enough to be more than a blip on the police radar.

The only person posting here who knows what Inara's story is won't tell us (please Tim just drop a couple of hints). I don't believe she has any kind of a past to run from or that she's a spy. Maybe she's simply decided that she didn't want to be a high priestess. I know a couple of people who walked away from high level management opportunities.

TZEGHA

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 2:52 AM

Just because her papers were cleared in TTJ, doesn't mean that she doesn't have something to hide. It may in fact being the reason she's being secretive: to keep those papers clean. Whatever she's running from (her Self: IMO), or maybe this is even a separate issue from that. Certainly a person doesn't have just one aspect to their past. Maybe hers is a bit more . . . complicated than that.

Maybe she ran because she knew something was wrong with the direction her life was taking, and then became off-and-on involved with a friend who had some sort of trouble, or maybe she has a secret beau who sends her little presents. That would most certainly be something she's like to keep hidden: a sweetheart (one-sided? Complicated?). Or something else that she doesn't want known by the crew or by the law, but that is not known by the law, and so it wouldn't have shown up when her papers were checked.

VETERAN

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:01 AM

Or maybe it's her latest purchase from the 'verse's version of Victoria's Secret and she doesn't want Mal to get any ideas (well she does but she doesn't).

MANIACNUMBERONE

Friday, August 22, 2003 8:34 AM

In Out of Gas, Mal said straight out to Inara, that he thought she was running from something, or else why choose to be on his little boat? I believe she is ducking the major areas where she would be thought to be seen. Doesn't it almost sound like she is avoiding a very pesterous suitor?

VETERAN

Saturday, August 23, 2003 8:32 PM

That's a good possibility.

WILLIAMX

Saturday, August 23, 2003 11:00 PM

I think she's running from complications . . .

the details are at the moment unknowable to me but it seems that it's an entirely personal choice.

Book is an ex-alliance intelligence guy.

VETERAN

Sunday, August 24, 2003 2:14 AM

I think you're right about Book. Some sort of intelligence or law enforcement official.

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 5:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TimMinear:
I know what Inara's problem is. And I ain't tellin'.

So there is a problem! ;)

~AFf

-edit: just noticed that this is a year old. Sorry. It was linked to on the OB! Don't blame me!!

BRUISERSMOM

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 5:55 AM

I'll jump in with my speculations. I remember watching a movie about Venetian courteseans and one of the courtesans was exiled because of a relationship with a lover that went sour. The lover was powerful and used his power to ruin the courtesean's career. Obviously, Inara's career wasn't ruined, the Venetian courtesean became a common street whore, but Inara has been knocked down a few pegs, if she has gone from working in a house in the core to renting a shuttle on an antiquated smuggling ship on the rim. Even if it doesn't turn out to be what the writers create, this idea should make for saucy fan fiction.

ZOID

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 9:54 AM

(Originally posted at the NOB, on 21 SEP 04, by yours truly)

Speculation (maybe spoiler) space:
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Like I said before, Inara's actually 52 (or more) years old. That's what her hypodermic is for. Mal was gonna profess his love for Inara in the HoG ep; but, she cut him off, saying she was leaving. According to the Serenity production notes (available online), she carried through on that intent, leaving Mal to carry a torch for her. At some point in the early moments of the BDM, an event occurs that necessitates Mal and Inara rejoining forces, otherwise they would remain parted, because that was Inara's decision. (NB: Otherwise, Inara wouldn't even be in the BDM)

Why would she have made the choice to leave (sometime after OiS and before the opening of the BDM)? Because she's dying? Who isn't? Because it interferes with her business? She doesn't strike me as someone who subsumes her own welfare and desires for that of others.

The answer is simple and it hit me like a bolt from the blue: Inara's at least 52 years old. My evidence? Go to IMDB. On Serenity's 'Full Details' entry ( http://imdb.com/title/tt0379786/fullcredits ), look under 'Stunts' and you'll find the name, "Shohreh Aghdashloo". Who's that? She's a 52 year old Iranian actress, nominated for last year's Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "The House of Sand and Fog" (nominated and won 5 less prestigious awards for the role). Now, look back at the character listing at the top of the webpage. No listing for Ms. Aghdashloo. An Oscar nominee with no listed credit? They have listings for such obscure personages as 'Lab Tech #2', 'Lilac Mom' and 'Newsperson'; but an esteemed actress doesn't get a proper credit for even a cameo role as 'High Priestess' or 'Gabriel Tam's mistress' or whatever? Nothing?!

Now go back to the stunt section and note the name of her stuntperson: Karin Silvestri. Karin's a young woman in her mid-to-late 20's and a member of UCLA's 1997 gymnastics team.

Karin is also Morena Baccarin's stunt double! Interesting, is it not?

If I'm right -- and I'd put good money on it -- IMDB couldn't possibly list "Shohreh Aghdashloo - Inara without rejuvenation drug", or something similar, because it's a spoiler. And that's the only entry that would be a spoiler. Even "Inara's Mother" wouldn't be. Now look at the picture link I posted above (or look up Shohreh yourself). Morena and Shohreh bear a striking resemblance to one another, don't they? Only a couple of decades difference in ages.

In conclusion, everyone's been waiting for the other shoe to drop since the show started. You know what I'm talking about: Joss. He likes to get his audience pulling for a couple and then break them up, or kill one of them. Tell me this is not totally his style. Mal and Inara belong together, but will anyone object to them going bust when it turns out she's old enough to be his mother? It's cruel, but it makes sense and in the end the fans see that the breakup was justifiable, even if they hate how it crushes their hero's heart. Again, tell me that isn't Whedonesque...

I now believe Nandi was going to tell Mal about Inara's age in HoG, before she got herself offed by Burgess. I believe Inara loves Mal, but she finds their love impossible to reconcile against the fact of their age difference.

If I had my druthers, Mal would accept her for who she is inside, not what her chronological age is, and convince her to marry/be with him. Surely, Joss' feminist streak would allow for a man who can see beyond appearances to the beauty and wisdom beneath.

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
On the other hand, I could be totally wrong! See ya' at the theatre... (How'my doin', Tim?)

zed
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

Only 211 days, 19 hours, 15 minutes, and 11 seconds left until The BDM!

CHARKI127

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:38 PM

OK very blown away that TIM MINEAR (!) reads these posts! I thought it was a prank. Just one more reason the series and this group is so mighty. charki

PURPLEBELLY

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Mal would accept her for who she is inside, not what her chronological age is,

Especially after he's used the syringe, and we've discovered who Mal really is.

I didn't think a spoiler warning was necessary

JENSKI

Wednesday, September 22, 2004 3:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Like I said before, Inara's actually 52 (or more) years old. That's what her hypodermic is for.

I think there's definitely something in the mix about Inara's age/appearance. If you recall in HOG, Nandi greets Inara with "You haven't changed at all." Definately something keeping her young. But I doubt it's the syringe (otherwise, why would she have got it out when she knew Reavers were attacking - unlikely to want a quick "make me young" dose at a time like that!).

May I present the best theory to date.... Inara is a robot! The Inara-bot, if you will.

[kudos go to the combined powers of nifty conspiracy theorists over at the OB]

As for Shohreh Aghdashloo, I think she'll probably come in for a short appearance as the House Mistress or a Companion Guild big-wig.

IMHO

"Some people juggle geese"

THEREALME

Thursday, September 23, 2004 3:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jenski:
Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Like I said before, Inara's actually 52 (or more) years old. That's what her hypodermic is for.

I think there's definitely something in the mix about Inara's age/appearance. If you recall in HOG, Nandi greets Inara with "You haven't changed at all." Definately something keeping her young. But I doubt it's the syringe (otherwise, why would she have got it out when she knew Reavers were attacking - unlikely to want a quick "make me young" dose at a time like that!).

"Some people juggle geese"

The "Inara is taking youth drugs" idea has gone around a bit. It is almost as popular as the "Inara is dying from an incurable condition" idea. Either sort of drug could have been in the package she picked up in Message.

As far as why Inara would take the drug when the Reavers are coming, it could be that the drug is carefully timed. If you DON'T take it every day between 6 pm and 7 pm, it just stops working. If the Reavers attacked during the time, it would sort of be a thing of "Great lot of good this has done for me. I'm going to die now. Is it worth it?"

The Real Me

JAHZARA

Thursday, September 23, 2004 4:56 AM

Sorry Channain, didn't read your whole post (I'm trying to be spoiler free) but got the gist of the beginning. And I got us another theory (about the actress, anyway..)

She could be playing Inara's mother. Remember in Trash when she states who has influence over her affairs. Her mother was stated. And I'd totally buy her as Inara's mom. But then again, I scanned some of your post, so it could be fallacious anyway.

SHINY

Thursday, September 23, 2004 5:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kaythryn:

Quote:
Posted by still shiny:

What do you mean Inara receives a package. Is this in the Episode or the Script? Cuz I'm missing it.

It’s in the episode. When Inara and Kaylee walk up to the post office thingy there is a small square box on the counter (looks like its just big enough to hold a baseball), that Inara pockets. Looks suspicious since no one else saw her take it (I believe) and since we still don't know what's in it.

I think it's only in the shooting script, not the actual episode. At least not on the episode on my DVDs -- I've searched several times for a glipmse of this and come up with nothin'.

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

YT

Thursday, September 23, 2004 6:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by raw53x:
i dont think inara is running from anything. i think she is like kain in kung-fu

Kain killed a Chinese official or member of the imperial family, and was on the run in a foreign land.

Keep the Shiny Side Up

Wutzon: Strungover!, "Grass Monkey", from "Avocado Shakedown"

RAW53X

Thursday, September 23, 2004 7:47 PM

the suringe was a suiside drug intendid to finish her of quick, rather than the fate that would befall
her at the hands of the reivers.

about kain in kung fu, i never new he was on the run. i just thought he was wondering the earth to find his place in it.

SHINY

Thursday, September 23, 2004 8:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by raw53x:
the suringe was a suiside drug intendid to finish her of quick, rather than the fate that would befall
her at the hands of the reivers.

Nope; re-watch that section with the audio commentary from Joss and Nathan turned on.

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

MANIACNUMBERONE

Thursday, October 14, 2004 6:13 PM

I was once again rewatching Out of Gas. When Inara is renting the shuttle from Mal and he mentions the surveying couple interested in renting it, Inara tells him how it's going to be. This isn't really the point of course. She tells mal that he will rent the shuttle to her and for less money. She does this not only to be coy and assert her authority, but more importantly because she was in need of immediate transport and she didn't have a lot of money. This indicates the state of her flight.

DIETCOKE

Thursday, October 14, 2004 7:07 PM

I think she ran because she got too close to a guy who actually worked for the guild and so she couldn't endure being around him while he was sleeping with his clients.

Just like after she found out that Mal slept with her friend, it was the same story and she just couldn't go through the pain of pretending it was okay and it didn't matter.

Oh, heck, I don't know! She could be running from bunnies for all I know!

GRRARRG

Thursday, October 14, 2004 8:19 PM

I don't want any spoilers, so I didn't read all of the posts, but if Inara were 52+ then Nandi would have had a much stronger reaction. There's no way. Unless Inara had been taking the drug since before she met Nandi, but then none of possible reasons for leaving the core would make sense - if they didn't cause her to leave before, why now?

My theory: how about both anti-aging and disease-medication? Inara has some disease, requiring her to take the medicine in the syringe. One symptom of the disease might have something to do with accelerating the effects of age, which could cause the medicine to actually make her appear younger.

Or the disease could be something else, with the medicine having a coincidental side effect of slowing down the aging process - or even reducing it.

Whatever the disease is, they haven't found a cure yet (physical exam in Arial was the "same as last year"), the Guild would kick her out if they knew (so she has to run), and there's an alliance/Blue Sun connection (they infected her, or she signed up to get the experimental drug).

I mock you with my monkey pants

KAYLEEFRYE

Thursday, October 14, 2004 9:36 PM

I really don't think it's any kind of major anti-aging thing. Joss didn't even really want laser guns in Firefly, much less some huge insane thing where Inara is really 52 and takes anti-aging stuff so she looks 25. It might have been something that would have happened on Buffy or Angel, and I agree it is a very Joss thing to do, but I just don't think he would have done it in Firefly. But then again, I could be totally wrong and you could be right, for all I know. Hopefully, we find out in April.

GRRARRG

Friday, October 15, 2004 7:47 PM

I agree that a major anti-aging thing goes against Joss' desire to keep a sense of realism about the show. Just to clarify my theory - I think that the medication that Inara is taking for her disease may have a side effect that helps her physical appearance somewhat. You know, there are medicines that we have today that clear up your skin and help reduce wrinkles, so it's not unreasonable to assume that Inara's medication could have a similar side-effect, just a little more potent. But she ain't 52.

I mock you with my monkey pants

DELIA

Saturday, October 16, 2004 7:21 PM

I have no idea what Inara is running from, and I'm okay with that. We'll find out in the BDM (if Joss wants us to know).

What I do have a problem with is this: If the powers that be at Fox hadn't cancelled the show, we probably could have retired this topic months ago. Instead, we're still hashing and rehashing the same theories.

How long till the movie?

___________________________________________
Angel: People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do.
Hamilton: Yeah, but we won't care.

SYRYN

Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:10 PM

i was wondering. no doubt maybe she is trying to get further away from her training/home(?) planet. but in bushwhacked. when they talk about the transport ship carrying families. she reapeats, kinda insistantly: "families?!"
so it makes me wonder if she is either looking for family members, or possibly looking for her own child. who could have been concieved with (look to earlier comment) a "pesterous client"
i know this is a long shot. i just wonder if she could be running from a person who perhaps wants his child, and also she would be running to find the child.
or maybe she's after her parents or siblings. maybe she was sold into the guild.

just makin it up as i go (I.Jones)

GUYWHOWANTSAFIREFLYOFHISOWN

Sunday, August 6, 2006 1:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by WhooDahn:
In SERENITY, she tells Book she has been on the ship 8 months. Then in BUSHWACKED, she tells the Alliance she was on the ship almost a year.

first, she said that in the train job

second, it is my belief that there were several months between the episodes

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php
-try it out, I dare you

98% of teens have smoked pot, if you are one of the 2% that haven't, copy this into your signature

I'm so into Firefly, my butt glows in the dark.

MISBEHAVEN

Sunday, August 6, 2006 4:35 AM

I don't think Inara's trouble has anything to do with the Alliance or the Guild. As she notes, "I have no quarrel with the Alliance. I supported Unification." Also, she apparently has no problems with House Madrasa (spelling?), becuase that's where she was staying when Mal rescued her from the Operative. So, what is she running from? I think she is dying of an illness. First off, we now she's afraid of death, becuase she says so frequently. Secondly, she has that mysterious syringe in her quarters. Perhaps it's medicine of some kind. Lastly, there are her medical check-ups. She claims they're routine, but they might be something more. If I were dying of a terminal disease, I would want to travel as long as I was able. To see as much of the world as I could. Inara states that one of her reasons for shipping out with the crew of Serenity is becuse she,"wanted to see the Verse." That's what I think is going on with her. She's dying. Oh, I almost forgot. I think part of her hesitation in getting romantically involved with Mal is because she knows she's dying, and she loves him and doesn't want to hurt him further.

Morbid and creepifying I got no problem with, so long as you do it quiet like.