wytchcroft

except Mal pretends (to himself even) not to be!

I'm not so sure. A lot he will try to pretend away with the business front, but some levels of his fatherlike qualities, I'm sure he will openly admit to being "the right thing to do" if someone asked him without pressure. I don't think it's so much a case of denial but a case of hiding it from others because he doesn't want to open himself up to all the consequences of caring.

That's why Nandi is such a pretty mirror for him. He knows why she does what she does, and it's not business. It's easier to try and open up based on her example, but that's when the sum of his cowardice ends up having consequences of their own: Inara leaves. Which makes him question the sense of the whole thing, hehe.

which i think she found, come HOG

Absolutely, I would have loved more interaction between her and the whores. :)

yeah... could be - and in the real world things to play out many more times than once, they become patterns - so maybe tht's what happened during her guild time, and like you say, mayybe Nandi woke up to herself later, when she was on her own...

Patterns in Nandi's life.. hmm. What do you think there might have been?

From:

-- except Mal pretends (to himself even) not to be! --

//I'm not so sure. A lot he will try to pretend away with the business front,//

yeah that's what I meant primarily - in the paternal thing Mal is pretty open - not always - but often.

///That's why Nandi is such a pretty mirror for him. He knows why she does what she does, and it's not business. ///

good point!:D

From:

You give Nandi a 'softer' personality (for want of a MUCH better word) than i had been thinking, and... you're not wrong. You've given me a pole - if i can write Nandi somewhere between your pole and my iniital thinking, I may catch her personality... it's gonna be tough though.

From:

Glad to help. :)

Yes, I have a pretty definite view of Nandi, and it's in general a more balanced Mal, sharing Inara's preference for harmony, which is what enabled her to openly protect her home - not her "business". For me, her feelings for Inara are a pretty big aspect of her personality because it, too, mirrors Mal - and contrasts him.

From:

it adds a layer to Inara's tears.

and in the opening transmission oh you can totally tell!:)
it's almost the same as when Inara waves mal in the BDM.

From:

it's almost the same as when Inara waves mal in the BDM.

oh, it is! I hadn't thought of that before, but that same sort of awkwardness is there, neat!

From:

what an icon!:)

and yeah, i've missed this kind of thread thrashing - it's fun!:D

From:

it adds a layer to Inara's tears.

Oh, I don't think that Inara is jealous about them in two directions, necessarily. I think Nandi has the same unrequited thing going on for Inara that Mal thinks he does, because ultimately both know they can't keep her.

and in the opening transmission oh you can totally tell!:)
it's almost the same as when Inara waves mal in the BDM.

Really? I don't remember enough to tell... hee!

From:

oh unrequited* yes, hence 'almost'. oh you should rewatch that HOG opening when you get the chance, i love that scene.

*it's Amy/Willow time.

From:

There's that little moment where Nandi says "who'd have thought we'd both end up out here" and Inara's "who'd have thought" in reply, and the whole "I would have waved you sooner" awkwardness...

It doesn't have the same subtext, but there's still a similarity in the uncomfortableness once they finish talking about business and move into the personal...

From:

Oh yeah, definitely agree. :)

From:

Okay, that is definitely true. :D There's a history there.

God. Suddenly I want to see a fic where Inara and Nandi live happily ever after at the HOG. Inara wrinkles her nose at the dust and Nandi hogs covers and sometimes they fight about the low standard at the HOG and about how Inara's eyes are drawn to the horizon and then they make up and Inara soothes Nandi's demons and Nandi weathers Inara's rare storms of erratic temper.. *sigh*

From:

There's a history there

Yes, I think so. There are these little moments between them that are full of so much.

I've particularly always been intrigued by the scene where Inara is carrying water or towels to help with Petaline, and she passes Nandi, who kind of gives her this suprirsed look, like she's startled to see Inara doing such a menial thing, maybe... it's interesting.

Gar... meeting, I'll have to close my laptop so I don't get caught ;o) More later... *runs*

From:

*HUGS*:):)

From:

Cool thing to notice! :D I admit I haven't rewatched this episode much at all. It's just painful to know the awful end! I'm a wimp.

And tsk tsk tsk, in a meeting! *G* Yay, more later!

From:

Ah, whereas I, mistress of ze angst that I am, have watched that episode second only to Shindig I think. I watch every little Mal/Inara interaction, and every little Mal/Nandi interaction, and everything else relevant to them that I can glean :o) I know it's not a great episode story wise, but I love it for the character interaction and developments. And as much as it hurts, I watch that scene with Inara crying all the time, it just kills me. :o)

And I wasn't *in* the meeting yet, but the meeting was coming to me, so I had to 'close up shop' so to speak ;o) I WISH I could have my laptop in front of me during meetings! Maybe I could stay awake! ;oD

From:

It's definitely one of my most watched - even though it's flawed, it just has so much going on, i get drawn back all the time, didn't even notice at first just how many fics of mine have sprung out of this episode.
You're right about the story (or at least how it's played out) but the scenes, man, so many strong scenes with so many of the characters!:D

From:

Yes, so many great scenes, so many new glimpses into characters, good lines, heartbreaking moments... really, there could be no story (uh... ;o) and I'd still love watching :oD

From:

yeah, it's like the thread over at FFFN, re-writing Shindig.
i mean STORY, who gives a good gorram about that? FF is one of the very very few series where, to me, the episode stories are like, who cares!, it's the characters and the over-all arcs that count.
I mean, y'know, I'd watch em go shopping! Oh wait... :D;D

From:

Well, I do like it when there's a good story to go along with the good characters, but if I've got to sacrifice one, I'll drop the plot for the character stuff anyday :oD Character development is the real meaty stuff I like, when actions have consequences, and the characters grow based on their experiences... you know, like *people* :oD

From:

and that's the thing - HOG has so many stories really:):):)
- Zoe/Wash (the whole baby thing)
Simon/River (River going along on the job + the jokey birth scene which is actually a joss vital if you ask me)

Book actually surrounded by working women, so we can see his rapport with Inara is not necessarily a one-off, or we can see the effect Inara has had on him (depending how you read it).

M/I + Nandi, Mal vs Burgess (another Anti-Mal) oh i could go on and on. THOSE are the stories that count, not the 'plot' per episode.

(Within reasonable limits o'course.)

right gonna go try out my bunk i guess. A pleasure ma'am as always. *hugs!!*

From:

right so - something(s) about H.O.G. and Nandi... well, I've always been bothered and not worked out why.
And now BINGO!
my sis gave me CSI season 2... most of that season i missed first time around but not all... and I'm watching the episode Slaves of Vegas (what a great title - not!) and HELLO it's Nandi!!!
Lady Heather, of course.
I'd forgotten, but in her first story she basically says absolutely everything that Nandi says!
Almost word for word* - and some of what Inara says too in FF.

And it shows almost Nandi as Nandi would have been as a Companion - in the way she talks to Grissom, not the actualities of her establishment which is much more HOG.

So, anyway - the weird echo sensation i always had with HOG is finally solved. huzzah!

*i can read a man almost before he walks in. /// you're fear is of being known //// you like the veneer of civilisation, fine china, high tea/// - plus the whole tea ceremony bit in the first place.

Re: H.O.G.

From:

wytchcroft.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-05-07 11:27 pm (UTC) - Expand

Re: H.O.G.

From:

browncoat2x2 - Date: 2009-05-29 11:58 am (UTC) - Expand

From:

Get your pen going sweety!:):)

From:

:O TRAP!!!

Nah, IF I write something, I'll make it Mal/Inara first and tackle the more difficult stuff when I'm back in practice! :D

Care to.. prompt a Rouka?

From: