Book's line in Objects in Space?

POSTED BY: Geiiga
UPDATED: Monday, October 15, 2007 14:43
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REAVERMEAT

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 12:58 PM

Here's my theory.

I think Book knows that Jayne had sold River and Simon out. His thoughts in my opinion were directed at Jayne.

STILLFREE

Saturday, February 4, 2006 7:36 AM

If everyone's line was something emotionally significant they either said or will say, perhaps Book's was something from way back in his (presumed) Operative days. It's obvious that the Operative in Serenity is willing to do anything for his beliefs, with no conscience. Book's line strikes me as something an operative would say to a man begging for mercy ("I'm innocent, I don't know anything, take the sword out of there!")

ANNA

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 4:02 PM

I also definitely think Book was once an Operative. Not now though, not any more. I wonder how he quit? Doesn't seem like something you can just retire from and take-your-pension-thank-you-very-much, if you know what I mean.

Jubal...I don't think so. He's not Operative material. They're calm, collected, they don't do what they do because they enjoy it necessarily (I'm sure they each have their own reasons, although I'd guess they're similar to the big-screen Operative's, about doing what they think is right and creating a "better world", perhaps). Jubal, well, "[he] likes to hurt people". He's a little crazy. He gets unnerved while River is fooling him in OiS. No doubt, he's a very talented bounty hunter; but he'd be a very sloppy operative.

MATTCOZ

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 5:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PowerOfTheVerse:
I think he's an alien, can't think of anything else.

There are thousands of more rational explanations than that. No aliens in Firefly.

Book obviously has a darker past, had some kind of affiliation with the Alliance as we saw in "Safe". I don't think it is as complicated as some of you make it out to be though, really doubt he's some kind of spy. We might not ever learn the truth.

SAB39

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:33 PM

Is there an accepted explanation for Book's line to Inara at the end of Serenity (the episode not the movie)? "I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect... and I'm not entirely sure I think he was wrong".

(I haven't read the comics and so I'm aware I'm probably missing some of Dobson's backstory)

It's occurred to me based on that line that perhaps Book's mission was to protect Dobson, and (just like the Operative in the BDM) he "lost his faith" in the Alliance at the end of the episode when he saw what kind of man Dobson was and heard Simon's story of what the Alliance was doing to River. At which point his way of continuing once he'd lost everything he believed in was to take solace in (what had previously been) his "cover" as a Shepherd and take on that life for real.

The fact that Dobson took him out would seem to contradict that, unless Dobson himself didn't know who he was.

ANNA

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
Is there an accepted explanation for Book's line to Inara at the end of Serenity (the episode not the movie)? "I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect... and I'm not entirely sure I think he was wrong".

I always just took it as in that episode, despite knowing that Dobson was Alliance and up to no good, Book tried to protect him because it was the Christian thing to do, or just the right thing to do, because he didn't want anybody to die etc. Not that they knew each other beforehand or had some covert Alliance scheme or anything.

Just my take

MATTCOZ

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
Is there an accepted explanation for Book's line to Inara at the end of Serenity (the episode not the movie)? "I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect... and I'm not entirely sure I think he was wrong".

It's pretty self-explanatory, no deep meaning in it. He thought it was Dobson that needed protection from the crew, which is why he stood in front of Jayne and then later tried to free him. He didn't lose his faith in the Alliance, he was starting to lose his faith in himself.

SAB39

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:49 PM

Yeah, that's the "face value" explanation and perhaps that's all there is to it, but (especially since we know something's up with Book's history - which other than his uncanny ability to knock a guy out with a single punch, we didn't really know at the time) I don't quite buy it.

"*The* man I *swore* to protect" seems a bit strong for a guy that just happened to be getting on the same boat as him...

MATTCOZ

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 9:23 PM

Maybe from any normal man, but not from a shepherd. Also it was that man he swore to protect that he knocked out with a single punch, hardly protection. :p

SHEPHERDTERRY

Thursday, March 9, 2006 3:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
Is there an accepted explanation for Book's line to Inara at the end of Serenity (the episode not the movie)? "I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect... and I'm not entirely sure I think he was wrong".
***
Yeah, well I think another thing we have to consider is that Book seems to have been the first of the passengers to board the ship. Granted that Dobson could have ostensibly boarded first, but if you look, you can see Dobson struggling in with his bags the first time we see him, and we do not see Book. Would be a mite convenient (or maybe he's just REALLY good)that Book would successfully pre-empt the exact ship that Dobson would trail the Tams to...

Also, I think the idea that Book was an operative fleeing from the demons of his past makes the most sense. I mean, an operative without a name would have to create one for himself when he was done, and for a shepherd, what is more logical than Book (the 'good book' - the bible)? And he seems mighty handy with a gun (kneecapping a running man with one shot in "War Stories"? Egad! That's one hell of a priest!)

I think Shepherd cannot escape his past, and River tuned into that feeling. In my opinion, it's one more clue for the audience to peice together Book's past.

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