Quotes

Serenity (movie):
Mal: I got no answers for you Inara. I got no rudder. Wind blows Northerly I go North. That's who I am. Now maybe that ain't a man to lead but they got to follow. So you want to tear me down? Do it inside your own mind.
Inara: I'm not trying to tear you down.
Mal: But you fog things up. You always have. You spin me about. I wish like hell you were elsewhere.
Inara: I was.

Mal: Dear Buddha, please bring me a pony, and a plastic rocket, and one of those...
Inara: Mal, what are you doing here?


Serenity, Part 1
Inara: Enough! Mal, do it.
Mal: Don't you ever tell me what to --


Shindig
Inara: I like watching the game. As with other situations, the key seems to be giving Jayne a heavy stick and standing back.
Inara: Mal!
Mal: Oh, terrible shame. 'Course, they won't discover it till they go order their next round of drinks.
Slaver: Wei.
Mal: Good drinker, that one.

Mal: It sounds like the finest party I can imagine getting paid to go to.
Inara: I don't suppose you'd find it up to [the] standards of your outings. More conversation, and somewhat less.… petty theft and getting hit with pool cues.

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!

Inara: You don't need strength as much as speed. We're fragile creatures. It takes less than a pound of pressure to cut skin.
Mal: You know that? They teach you that in whore academy?
Inara: You have a strange sense of nobility, Captain. You'll lay a man out for implying I'm a whore, but you keep calling me one to my face.
Mal: I might not show respect to your job, but he didn't respect you. That's the difference. Inara, he doesn't even see you.
Inara: Well, I guess death will solve the issue to everyone's satisfaction.

Inara: You're always breaking the rules, no matter which society you're in! You don't get along with ordinary criminals either, which is why you're constantly getting in trouble!
Mal: You think following the rules will buy you a nice life, even if the rules make you a slave.

Inara: Are you in pain?
Mal: Absolutely. I got stabbed, you know, right here.
Inara: Eh- I saw.
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.

Inara: I wasn't gonna stay, you know.
Mal: Yeah? Why's that?
Inara: Oh, someone needs to keep Kaylee out of trouble. And all my things are here. Besides, why would I want to leave Serenity?
Mal: Can't think of a reason.


Our Mrs Reynolds
Inara: So... explain to me again why Zoe wasn't in the dress?
Mal: Tactics, woman. Needed her in the back. Besides, them soft cotton dresses feel kinda nice. There's a whole… airflow.
Inara: And you'd know that because...?
Mal: You can't open the book of my life and jump in the middle. Like woman, I am a mystery.
Inara: Best keep it that way. I withdraw the question.


Out of Gas
Mal: If it's Alliance trouble you got, you might want to consider another ship. Some on board here fought for the Independents.
Inara: The Alliance has no quarrel with me. I supported unification.
Mal: Did ya? Well, I don't suppose you're the only whore who did.
Inara: Oh — one further addendum. That's the last time you get to call me "whore".
Mal: Absolutely! Never again.


Trash Inara: Right, you're a criminal mastermind! What was the last cargo we snuck past the Alliance to transport?
Mal: That was a little dif-
Inara: What was the cargo?
Mal: They were dolls.
Inara: They were little geisha dolls with big heads that wobbled!
Mal: Hey! People love those!

Inara: Well, since I can't seem to find work as Companion, I might as well become a petty thief like you!
Mal: Petty?
Inara: I didn't mean petty.
Mal: What did you mean?
Inara: Suo-SHEE?
Mal: ...That's Chinese for "petty".

Mal: Yeah. That went well.
Inara: You call this going well?
Mal: We got the goods, didn't we?
Inara: Yes, but-
Mal: Then I call this a win. What's the problem?
Inara: Shall I start with the part where you're stranded in the middle of nowhere, or the part where you have no clothes?

Heart of Gold
Inara: Hi.
Mal: BWAH!
Inara: Sorry! Didn't mean to startle.
Mal: You didn't! I was just, uh… "BWAH!" That's more like a… It's a warrior like… Strikes fear into the… hearts of… You know, not altogether wise, sneaking up on a fellow when he's handling his weapon.
Inara: I'm sure I've heard that said. But… perhaps the dining area isn't the place for this sort of thing.
Mal: What do ya mean? It's the only place with a table big enough.
Inara: Of course. In that case, every well-bred petty crook knows that the small concealable weapons always go to the far left of the place setting.

Inara: So you took to bed with Nandi. I'm glad.
Mal: Glad?
Inara: Yes! She's a dear friend, and probably in need of some comfort about now.
Mal: So, you're okay. Well, yeah. Why… why wouldn't you be?
Inara: I wouldn't say I'm entirely okay. I'm a little appalled at her taste.