The Giver, The Mentor, The Believer
Of all the misfits on Serenity, Inara is probably the most sane—a respectable, trained professional who enjoys good standing with the Alliance. She’s the only Fe-dom on the entire ship (Shepherd Book uses it in the auxiliary, and Jayne gets annoyed by it in the inferior), making her an outsider among outsiders. Inara could have lived a normal, dignified life on a nice planet somewhere, but instead she decided to wrangle with six headstrong Fi-users on the edge of civilization.
Dominant Function: (Fe) Extraverted Feeling, “Relate to the Experience”
Inara thrives on the wellbeing of others. Her whole job as a Companion is to make emotional connections with her clients, to find what pleases them and makes them happy. Her natural aptitude for this has been honed by years of training with the Guild in order to work her clients’ emotions to the desired state. She’s so good at it that she can easily tell when someone is trying to do it to her—like Saffron (“You don’t play a player”).
Inara always presents herself with formal manners and dignity. She’s respectable and proper, and has the highest social standing of anyone on the ship. Her presence on board helps open doors for them that they might not otherwise get opened. She supported Unification and believes in the Alliance’s goals of civilization for all. She tells Mal at the party in Shindig that, “These people like me, and I like them.”
Inara finds a certain relief in being with a female client on occasion. Her Fe seems to grow weary having to keep up appearances while in the company of men. The Counselor she meets with in “War Stories” also values the emotional nakedness of being with another woman, and they’re able to relax in each other’s company.
While she can easily sense and direct the emotions of others, Inara has a great deal of trouble with her own. She clearly has feelings for Mal, but a relationship with him seems inappropriate—and Mal himself is an inappropriate man. She can’t confess it, so it gnaws at her. Continue reading
Heroes & Villains of MBTI 