Book's line in Objects in Space?

POSTED BY: Geiiga
UPDATED: Monday, October 15, 2007 14:43
VIEWED: 30285
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GEIIGA

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 6:00 PM

So, when River's wandering the ship at the beginning of the episode, Book's line is "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not. So where does that put you?"

Now, Simon's bit was kind of putting blame on her for separating him from his career, and Jayne's bit was almost an apology for the events in Ariel, but Book's line (and, come to think of it, Inara's) don't make much sense in context.

AMITON

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 6:27 PM

I don't think River is so much picking up on things that have to do specifically with her. In Simon and Jayne's cases, those thoughts about her are very strong and very current at that particular moment. Book, Mal, and Inara don't even realize River is there, I don't think, but they are all putting forth strong emotions at that point. Even moreso in the case of Wash and Zoe; they're so entirely caught up in what they're doing, they just might have lost sight of the fact that they're on a ship, much less in plain sight. River feels the flood of emotion coming off of them (and, in my opinion has gets a healthy does of what being in the throes of passion is like).

I'm personally not exactly sure how to take Book's thought, but if I had to wager a guess I would say that, like Jayne at that moment, he is dealing with anguish in his soul over something that happened in his past (in my opinion, whatever drove him to his current station in life). On a parallel line of thinking - during "Out of Gas," we notice that the normally staunch and reliable Book is not only in prayer and meditation, but is singled out (again, by River) as being *afraid*. I do believe that Book is completely firm in his religious conviction, and I don't think I believe he is a afraid to die - I think he's afraid to be condemned to the path that his conscience and his past lead him down and he feels guilty - e.g., he's going to a special hell himself.

Just a thought =)

Amiton.

SINGATE

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 6:35 PM

I think Inara's line was more directed at Mal: "I'm a big girl, just tell me". Part of her wants Mal to say he loves her.

Also River hears a sound like the ocean when she is observing Zoe and Wash. Swept up in the rush of emotion. If you listen she hears the same thing just before she runs from Mal and Inara. Its almost like she can't take anymore and has to get away.

HIGHWIREDSITH

Wednesday, January 11, 2006 6:13 PM

So no one thinks River tuned into the fact that Shepherd Book was an alliance operative, a mole, a spy - maybe a rogue spy working for some covert group inside the alliance, a group that wanted to keep River on the run to maybe see what she was made of, what she would do? And maybe Book was having his own reservations about his mission, maybe he was contemplating turning rogue or already had? Jubal Early's line "He ain't no shepherd" came soon after.

Speaking of this episode - the part where Simaon says "So you're Alliance" and Jubal thinks he says "You're a lion," how many times have you ever seen something like that happen in scripted dialogue? I'm guessing never. It had no real purpose, just one of those little things that blows me away about the way these shows are written.

POWEROFTHEVERSE

Monday, January 16, 2006 2:59 AM

You guys forget that in the movie Shepherd Book is living away from River doing his Shepherd thing. As he said before he wasn't born a Shepherd. I think he's an alien, can't think of anything else. Confusing thing is he didn't know the truth about miranda.

ALASKAMIKE

Monday, January 16, 2006 7:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by HighWiredSith:
So no one thinks River tuned into the fact that Shepherd Book was an alliance operative...

I think that Book is a retired operative, who tags along with Serenity initially because of the ship itself, and later because of River.

THEREALME

Monday, January 16, 2006 7:30 AM

If Book is currently undercover,then he is an incompetant! Even Jayne can spot the holes in his back story. He's let too many things slip.

No, Book MAY have once been an operative, but he is not on a mission now.

And I do not think that River was present during the Inner Thoughts episodes. I think her mind was wandering among the crew, looking for the stranger (earlY).

TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree

JOLYNEHEATHER

Monday, January 16, 2006 4:43 PM

After watching all of the episodes and the movie, I am almost entirely convinced that there is some sort of Operative core out there in the Firefly-verse and Early and Book are former members. There are similarities between Book, Early, and the Operative in dialog and such that seem to link them together. I would bet the awarness that the Operative had that he was "a monster" is something similar to what drove Book to the monastary. Nevermind that Book was the first to point out that an Operative would be coming for them. Maybe Early was a failed (read: CRAZY) Operative. I have to agree with what others have posted, I don't think Book was even aware of River's pressence and his comment was directed towards Jayne. Perhaps what River picked up on was the Operative in Book.

Also, I can kill you with my brain...

SHOGUN

Monday, January 16, 2006 5:49 PM

I have watched that episode many times and am not totally convinced that River is wandering about the ship physically as she is mentally or spiritially. Some of what the crew said made sense, but others like Book was kind of confusing and not sure if he was directing at River or someone else. He mentioned the word innocent and in my mind, River and her innocense is the only one really in question. I believe that Book was an operative once as perhaps was Jubal Early, but they wouldn't know each other as most operatives don't know each other as they are entirely covert. Maybe Book was too old and retired, perhaps he couldn't do it anymore and his inner demons caught up with him. Perhaps he became out of date and the operatives are better trained. Younger, made better!!! Thats another thought, the alliance tries to make people better...are the operatives made as well as trained. Was River in training to be an operative herself?

You could go on and on with thoughts of what could be. Its trying to figure the things out that are right in front of you thats sometimes the hardest.

Stay shiny!

SHEPARD

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 12:34 PM

I think it's pretty obvious Book was supposed to be a former Alliance operative, but the series didn't last long enough for Joss to develop that storyline. Book becoming a Shepard would be a good way to establish a persona for a person who otherwise would have come out of nowhere (Remember, the Operative in Serenity had neither name or rank in the Cortex). Think about it, it's easier to create & maintain a backstory which mostly involves being sequestered from society and working in a vegetable garden, out of sight of society, than to try to create a complete paper trail for someone who has held jobs, traveled, etc. I'm not so sure about Jubal, I like to think he was just really good at what he does. Indeed, with the psychological issues River describes, Jubal sounds too unstable to make a good undercover agent.

Hell. It's Special.

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