Relationships

[ray gower]

If there is one thing that is coming through this series, it is the pairings that are forming.

Obvious is the Zoe/Wash marriage, which is free and easy and just a trifle staid

But there are the other two as well:-
Mal and Inara, Kaylee and Simon.

Both come from the same stand of very straight laced and are far beyond simple Victorian attitudes and are to us highly comical. Is this another facet from the 'Wild West' culture that predominates?

[Tabitha]

If you read the Heart of Gold script, HERE, there is further development on the Mal-Inara relationship, and also for Wash and Zoe. It was supposed to air before Objects in Space, so I wouldn't read it until you get roughly to that point, although I don't think there is much in the way of spoilage.

I find the whole victorian-mores-in-space bit a bit strange. On the one hand you have a universe where being a companion is not just accepted, but is a highly respected occupation, but on the other there are puritannical attitudes in abundance. It is a little bit difficult to imagine these different strands of morality all evolving in the same over-arching culture.

Having said that, even the people who supposedly accept the 'new morality' don't seem to subscribe to it too deeply - I am thinking of Inara's date in 'Shindig'.

Wash and Zoe is the relationship I haven't quite figured out yet. It becomes a little bit clearer in the later episodes, but they seem to be quite the odd couple. You gotta watch "War Stories" for a lot more on these two BTW.


Hard to say much without spoiling, guys.

[ray gower]

I think the Companion may not be a huge leap in concept.

Whilst prostitution is technically illegal and frowned upon in the UK, escort agencies that provide social companions are not. Here the two have been merged, perhaps on the not entirely illogical grounds it is going to happen anyhow.

We also have some very different cultures rolling around as well. We are learning quite a bit about the rules and taboos of Mal's world, but we have yet to be able to compare it against what must be vastly different nearer the centre of civilisation, which could be well laid back.

The hint offered by Shindig, I would suggest may not be a particularly good guide. People who are trying to be civilised in the wild and woolly lands inevitably overstep the more generally accepted mark.

[Tabitha]

Originally posted by ray gower


We also have some very different cultures rolling around as well. We are learning quite a bit about the rules and taboos of Mal's world, but we have yet to be able to compare it against what must be vastly different nearer the centre of civilisation, which could be well laid back.

The hint offered by Shindig, I would suggest may not be a particularly good guide. People who are trying to be civilised in the wild and woolly lands inevitably overstep the more generally accepted mark.

I am under the impression that Kaylee came from a similarly backwater world to Mal's. And yet her outlook on sex and companionship is much more permissive (perhaps not the best word, but I can't think of a better on) than Mals, and if you bring Simon into the equation - probably the closest thing the crew has to a 'civilised' citizen from the central planets, he is a LOT more straightlaced than either Mal or Kaylee in terms of morals.

*shrugs* I dunno, I don't think we can put the crew members into little boxes that place their moral codes as being in proportion with their distance from the core. Perhaps each of them is not necessarily representative of their home planet's disposition.

[ray gower]

I think there is still much we do not know about the characters yet.

I get the feeling that each of the characters are misfits in one form or other, each coming from their own social class and forming their own stereotypes. After his bouts with Badger, I think Mal had a much higher standing in the time before the civil war, perhaps as a career soldier, or his his folks were of comparitively wealthy means, but not gentry.

As for Zoe and Wash. I long ago gave up trying to work out female minds

[Hal Jordan]

I'm probably not really following the theme y'all are discussing but I thought I'd just mention my opinion on Wash & Zoe’s relationship in case anyone is interested. But before I do, I should mention that I’m probably not being too accurate ‘cause the characters are still new and also, I tend to make assumptions that are different from the usual. So feel free to shoot my theories, I won’t be offended.

Here’s my take on the whole Zoe & Wash relationship. I’ve found this one to be the least interesting of the three. But that’s not a bad thing. I just think Kaylee/Simon’s & Mal/Inara’s were more exciting. So here’s the good thing, I personally don’t usually find too many married couples on these scifi/fantasy related tv shows. And that to me makes Zoe & Wash somewhat unique. I’m use to seeing two characters building their romance right from the beginning. Whereas in this relationship, the romance is already established, let’s see what happens from that point. I don’t know what Joss has/had planned for the two but I’m guessing he thought that having a married couple on the show would give a different spin on the whole relationship thing.

Anyway, I just hope Joss gets to put closure on these characters.

Cheers!

[ray gower]

Your opinion is much valued, Hal.

You are right, the Zoe/Wash arrangement is unusual and there does seem to be a strange bond between them. Perhaps it is intended as a stabilising thing, to compare the progress of the other two against?

[Hal Jordan]

Originally posted by ray gower
Your opinion is much valued, Hal.

Thanks and btw, I do agree that companions aren't too much of a huge leap in concept 'cause if I remember correctly, a similar idea has been used before. Battlestar Galactica had a character that would companion. Could I use companion as a verb? Anyhow, regardless, the concept still interests me and I hope we get to find out more about Inara and the companion's world.