Having delved into the basic psychology of Mal Reynolds in the previous episode, the writers turn towards the next topic of interest: the relationship between Mal and Inara. In the previous episode, it was easy to see that the relationship is more complex than simple unresolved sexual tension. Mal subconsciously sees Inara as a possible source of self-redemption, a tie to keep him grounded in his humanity, but he has issues with her profession because it complicates that idealized role within his psychology. Inara, on the other hand, is attracted to his nobility but repelled by his lack of faith in humanity.
Having seen the relationship through the filter of Mal’s world on Serenity, this episode presents the opposite perspective by bringing the crew to Inara’s world. In another example of the folly of the FOX executives, much of this episode is dependent, at least in terms of certain references to past events, on the pilot. For instance, the fact that Serenity is returning to Persephone means little without the context of the pilot episode and the first encounter with Badger.
Just to frame the difference between Mal’s usual haunts and the Alliance version of high society, the teaser begins with one of Mal’s usual capers. Already, these scenes have taken on a routine feel; one is at home with the idea of Mal committing his crime with a certain flair for the dramatic and witty. It’s clear that Inara doesn’t really fit into the barfight kind of situation.
Serenity returns to Persephone to drum up some business, and it’s clear that all the running around is making some of the crew weary. When your pilot wants to spend some time on solid ground, you know you’ve been on the run for way too long! Even so, it’s equally clear that Mal can’t abide the idea of becoming used to the idea of a place run by the Alliance.
Having returned to her idea of civilization, Inara gets the chance to entertain a higher level of clientele. Indeed, this is a good example of the benefit of the business relationship: Inara opens the door for Mal to do business on the core worlds. Of course, it also forces Mal to deal with his emotional reactions to Inara’s profession. And he also has to be wondering if dandies like Atherton are the kind of men that Inara would be attracted to (though how blind is he, if he doesn’t know she’s attracted to him?).
The whole thing puts Mal in such a funk that he takes it out on Kaylee. When Mal starts snapping at his surrogate kid sister, it’s a serious sign of his foul mood. Even Zoe gives Mal the evil eye after that little incident; only Jayne seems ignorant of Mal’s mistake. Mal seems to have an effect on people, of course, given that Badger comes gunning for Mal as a means of starting a business meeting.
As it happens, Mal has the chance to use his somewhat more acceptable presence to initiate a deal with a bigwig in the local peerage. This episode provides an interesting look at how the criminal element regards Mal and his particular status quo. They get the strong feeling that Mal thinks he’s better than they are, and in point of fact, he is. But he’s still considered beneath the wealthy and well-connected. Funny how Mal prefers it that way, since it gives him plenty of excuses to chart his own course.
If the criminal element sees Mal as too good for them, it’s equally clear that some among the gentry see Inara as not being good enough to deserve being at their level for any other reason than belonging to them. Atherton resides within that particular hall of ignorance, convinced that his social standing grants him superior privilege to use others. Not an uncommon trait, after all, among those with artificial control over the lives of others (nobility, executives, and so on).
When Kaylee enters the party, one can’t help but fall for that look of wild-eyed wonder. She’s truly beautiful, even with a bustle the size of the engine room, and that smile could stop hearts. In another example of a character nuance that works better when informed by the pilot, there’s another scene with Kaylee and strawberries. This is almost always a good thing.
Spending time on small character moments is a sign of a well-rounded writing effort, and this episode is no exception. The card game continues the process of crossing the line between passengers and crew; Simon and Book are doing some of the same duties as Jayne, for instance. It’s also a reminder that River is still deeply troubled, and liable to go nutty without warning. And of course, Wash and Zoe’s banter smoothly reminds the audience that Jayne can’t be trusted.
To paint the high society of the Alliance in a more variable light, the writers let Kaylee come face to face with the arrogant dandies like Banning, only to have her own honor defended by someone with no patience for “useless people”. Like Harrow, Mal’s potential business partner, Murphy seems to seek practical solutions to problems. Harrow, of course, is more willing to sidestep the Alliance rules when they are inconvenient, and one must imagine that money in the right hands has much to do with that. Whatever the case, practical men obviously fall for Kaylee’s kind of charm!
Atherton’s sense of entitlement and apparent misogyny comes out as soon as Mal seems to be a threat to his intentions for Inara. Mal has every reason to object to Atherton’s treatment of Inara, at least until she indicates that she can handle it on her own. Mal displays his own finely-honed sense of jealousy during his dance with Inara. That scene is done extremely well, revealing not only the depth of Mal’s concern for Inara but also something of Mal’s previous background.
The aristocracy depicted within the Alliance certainly seems to be an analogue of the Southerner culture, with rituals and traditions being upheld to combat the rapid decline of old ways. It’s entirely possible that Persephone is somewhat removed from the “core planets”, perhaps just within the edge of that artificial boundary. If so, the Alliance may not have fully taken hold of the culture.
Whatever the case, this is a society that Mal used to know, at least to a certain degree. It doesn’t seem that the concept of dueling with swords is something common within the Alliance, since none of the crew had ever heard of it. Instead, it sounds more like something indigenous to Persephone culture, probably related to the “club” that Atherton mentioned to Harrow. Regardless, Mal knows the dances and at least some of the common elements of how to deal with “nobility”, so before the war, he might very well have been operating within the lower echelons of that hierarchy.
Oddly, it seems that Harrow takes a liking for Mal as soon as Atherton hits the floor. Harrow is ready to fight in Mal’s stead, which seems like a formality, but still denotes a kind of common cause. The writers, perhaps knowing that it would be very easy to have the crew simply rescue Mal from his own ignorance, make sure that Badger keeps the rest of the gang grounded. By having Mal act as Badger’s intermediary, this comes across as a practical consideration, rather than a simple plot convenience.
As funny as Mal’s attempt to use a sword might be, his secret meeting with Inara reveals something more important to the point of the episode. Mal states his own understanding of his feelings in a rather forthright manner: he respects Inara, but despises her choice of profession. That fits with the semi-redemptive role that she seems to take. And Mal’s apparent inability to fit into the mold of any society, even the criminal element, speaks to the crossroads at which he finds himself.
Revealing yet another side of River, and an extremely creepy one, the writers have her unnerve both Badger’s crew and that of Serenity. It’s not entirely clear how River manages to replicate Badger’s accent so quickly and completely, having heard only a couple words, but when she starts tossing out details about his background, the implication seems to be some kind of telepathic ability. This would certainly fit what has been shown to this point.
Despite Inara’s attempts at training Mal in the basics, it’s clear that Atherton is far more talented in the use of a blade. The choreography isn’t perfect, to be sure, but this is a case where it doesn’t have to be. All the audience has to know is that Mal can’t use a sword for more than hacking and slashing, and Atherton is playing around instead of dueling seriously. That said, Mal is still incredibly stupid for falling for Atherton’s trick, and if there’s a weak point of the script, that would be it.
One wonders if Inara’s last-second outburst would have been considered “within the rules”, but whatever the case, enough people at the duel probably wanted to see Atherton ruined, so they would have kept their mouths shut. The logic that Atherton would be branded a coward for being spared seems a bit odd, but Persephone society is clearly bizarre. Melded with the Alliance, it seems structured to reward those who play the game while crushing those who aren’t willing. That certainly sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
By the end of the episode, it certainly seems as though Inara has as much difficulty dealing with the rules of society as Mal, making them an interesting pair. One has to wonder about Inara’s background prior to becoming a Companion. Was that always her choice, or was it her way of escaping the confines of the growing Alliance control over everything in life? Could she and Mal be kindred spirits in more ways than one? Whatever the answer, it certainly seems as though both of them need the kind of life Mal has cultivated on Serenity.
Focusing on the relationship between Mal and Inara, something clearly meant to be a cornerstone of the first season (if not longer), this is inevitably a lighter episode than the few that came before it. Armed with Espenson’s usual cutting wit, this episode approaches the deeply covered emotions with more of a comical air, even down to the duel itself. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, since the end result is an enjoyable and fun episode.
Memorable Quotes
ZOE: “Yeah? Thought you’d get land crazy that long in port.”
WASH: “Probably, but I’ve been sane a long while now, and change is good.”
ZOE: “Planet’s coming up a mite fast.”
WASH: “That’s just cause I’m going down too quick. Likely crash and kill us all.”
MAL: “Well, that happens, let me know...”
INARA: “I don’t suppose you’d find it up to standards of your outings. More conversation and somewhat less petty theft and getting hit with pool cues.”
BADGER: “Had a problem with your attitude is why. Felt you was...what’s the word?”
JAYNE: “Pretentious?”
BADGER: “Exactly! You think you’re better than other people.”
MAL: “Just the ones I’m better than.”
ATHERTON: “Half the men in this room wish you were on their arm tonight.”
INARA: “Only half? I must be losing my indefinable allure.”
KAYLEE: “Yes, sir, Cap’n Tightpants!”
KAYLEE: “Is that him?”
MAL: “That’s the buffet table.”
KAYLEE: “Well, how can we be sure, unless we question it?”
WASH: “Don’t fall asleep now. Sleepiness is weakness of character. Ask anyone! You’re acting captain. Know what happens you fall asleep now?”
ZOE: “Jayne slits my throat and takes over.”
WASH: “That’s right.”
ZOE: “And we can’t stop it.”
WASH: “Well, I wash my hands of it. It’s a hopeless case. I’ll read a nice poem at the funeral. Something with imagery.”
ZOE: “You could lock the door and keep the power-hungry maniac at bay.”
WASH: “Oh, no, I’m starting to like this poetry idea now. ‘Here lies my beloved Zoe, my autumn flower, somewhat less attractive now she’s all corpsified and gross’...”
MAL: “Fellow called Badger.”
HARROW: “I know him. And I think he’s a psychotic lowlife.”
MAL: “And I think calling him that is an insult to the psychotic lowlife community.”
MAL: “Well, why wait? Where’s that guard? He collected a whole mess of pistols.”
GENTLEMAN: “If you require it, any gentleman here can give you use of a sword.”
MAL: “Use of a swhat?”
MAL: “And I never back down from a fight!”
INARA: “Yes, you do...you do all the time!”
MAL: “Well, yeah...but I’m not backing down from this one!”
JAYNE: “What we need’s a diversion. I say Zoe gets nekkid!”
WASH: “Nope.”
JAYNE: “I could get nekkid.”
ALL: “NO!”
MAL: “See how I’m not punching him? I think I’ve grown.”
HARROW: “You didn’t have to wound that man.”
MAL: “Yeah, I know...it was just funny.”
JAYNE: “We was just about to spring into action, Captain. Complicated escape and rescue op.”
WASH: “I was going to watch. It was very exciting!”
MAL: “Don’t care much for fancy parties. Too rough.”
INARA: “It wasn’t entirely a disaster.”
MAL: “I got stabbed! Right here!”
INARA: “You also lined up exciting new crime.”
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode was somewhat lighter than the episodes that have come before, giving the audience a moment to rest while also delving into the complexities of the relationship between Mal and Inara. While the lack of serious depth makes it seem like something is missing, and the context of Persephone society within the rest of the Alliance is hard to gauge, the episode makes its case with a certain grace.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Original Rating: 7/10
Final DVD Rating: 8/10
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