My theory on Shepherd Book's 'secret' past

POSTED BY: Algus
UPDATED: Sunday, March 12, 2006 16:11
VIEWED: 9785
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ALGUS

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 8:00 PM

Spoilers for like everything? Dont read if you havent watched show/movie, read comic, and so forth

Alright, this kind of goes along with the "Book's line in Objects in Space" but I decided to devote my own thread to it since I've been working on this for a couple days now and thought it might be able to use its own thread. I'll probably post it in my blog later after I modify it from some feedback.

First I ask what we know about Shepherd Book? The obvious, he claims to be a Shepherd, a sort of futuristic Christian Priest. We also know he has some sort of secret past. That secret past, is of course, the primary concern of this little analysis.

First, we have his combat training. He's a highly trained individual, not only with firearms, preferring notably a rifle in War Games. Not, I suspect, because it is useful for shooting out kneecaps. No, he favors this weapon because he knows it. He is also very well trained in the martial arts. In this, and I believe this to be a very important comparison, he resembles the Operative from Serenity. Obviously, to an American-Sino Alliance, the Martial Arts would be very important. They are still considered important in Asian countries to this day, and the Chinese influence upon the Verse would make this just as important, if not moreso. So, Book is a trained assassin as it were. This, I presume, all fans of the show know, right from the first episode when he skillfully takes down the Federal Marshal.

Now for his Alliance clearance. This is from the episode Safe and should be familiar to most viewers as well. His clearance is so high that the Captain of the Alliance Cruiser immedietly allows him access to their medical bay, no questions ask. Does this not resemble the Operative? His clearance changes the tone immedietly from one of agitated hostility to a FEARFUL respect. People fear this level of clearance, they fear what the people who possess it can do to them if they are displeased.

Now you might be guessing where I'm guiding this argument, and rolling your eyes because it is one that has been made before. I will say this now. I do not believe Shepherd Book is an Operative with the Alliance. Nor do I believe he was an Operative with the Alliance. There are several reasons for this. To keep with the Alliance clearance for a moment, it is worth noting that he still HAS Alliance clearance, so whatever he was a part of, he was able to make a clean break from. I have yet to determine fully how important this is. Could it be that he is from a powerful family? But as I mentioned, there are other things I suspect besides him being an Operative.

Let us take a moment to look at his history. He is a Shepherd, there can be no question as to this. Things he does, in the show, especially in the comic, do not question this. Whatever he was in the past, he was a Shepherd. When he says that he has been out of the Abbey for only two days in Serenity, he is telling the truth. If you know the comic, considered canon, you know that he strikes Captain Reynolds in a moment of anger. That is when things begin to change. At first he can't bare to even think of what he is "Calling me that just makes this harder," he says at one point. Later he decides to leave the ship. Because he knows Mal doesn't care that the Shepherd struck him, but the Shepherd does. He cares that since he's joined Serenity, he's given into violence. At first it was justified, disabling the lawman, and so forth. But as time has gone by, it has changed from justified, to anger. He struck Mal with anger and that knowledge was so painful to him, he could not bare it.

This tells me that he is more then just a Shepherd. Yes, we know this, but it is important to lay out regardless. Supposing he had been a Shepherd his entire life, it is my belief that had these things begun to occur, he would have reacted to them in a different manner. He would never have known true evil, he would not have felt the loss of his vows so keenly. No, there is something in his past so terribl

MATTCOZ

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 8:33 PM

Very well thought out theory, can't say I disagree with any particular point. I'm not convinced he's quite the monster you made him out to be though.

MALICIOUS

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 8:44 PM

In my opinion, he cannot be a monster if he is sorry. Monsters aren't sorry for anything. That's what makes them monsters.

One point that has always struck me as strange is that when he meets Kaylee in Persephone, he says "I'm called Book" not "My name is Book." It's just a little thing, but it always makes me think he is aware that his name could be known to others and/or that he doesn't want to be associated with his true identity (who he truly is--The Real Him?).

Mal-licious

I'm going to add cursing and the hurling about of things to my repertoire.

SAINTANDEOL

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 10:16 PM

i agree that he was part of something horrible, that involved mass death. at first i thought he might just be some secret agent, but then i noticed something while watching "Bushwacked", during the scene where Book, Simon, and Jayne are cutting down the Reaver victims.

Both Simon and Jayne, who have had cause to be around death a'pleanty in their lives, are wearing those surgeon's masks for the stink of corpses. Book is not. How much death do you have to smell to be more accustomed to it than both a trauma surgeon and a cold blooded merc?

"This is our concern, Dude."

THEPISTONENGINE

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 11:26 PM

Good pick up, Saint.

Personally, I think Book is guilty of stealing the tooth fairy's money from under childrens pillows. Heinous.

I just wanted to point out, contradicting what was said in the original post, that martial arts aren't strictly an eastern tradition. I know you didn't mean to limit it, so I'm not being overly critical, but there is a distinction to be made.

I'm not talking about Dojo's and Sensi's in America and Western Europe, I'm talking about where we can find a western practical usage of martial arts: the military. It's not what you see in "Kung Fu, the Legend Continues." It's quick, dirty, and meant to seriously harm people. Go for the eyes, go for the throat. Pick up anything that can be used for a weapon. This isn't touch fighting like in karate tournments, we're talk UFC fighting, except quicker, nastier, and deadly.

_____________
Carry the Nuttin'

ANNA

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 11:31 PM

I'm left with the same question I have about Book being an Operative: why would the Alliance just let him go?

He's obviously still on good terms with the Alliance, what with his cushy free healthcare - he's obviously not hiding from them either. If Book was part of something big, if he knew Alliance secrets, do you think they'd just let him walk out the door?

I like your theory though! Although I'm still set (momentarily, at least) in my, "He was an Operative! He was an Operative!" ways

But I like your thinkin'!

ALGUS

Thursday, March 9, 2006 2:15 AM

Thank you for the interesting feedback. Book is one of my favorites and as is probably obvious I enjoy speculation about him. You've all helped me to refine my theory a bit.

Mattcoz - I was almost tempted not to post this because I was afraid I might get some heated backlash from ardent Book supporters. It can be a lot to stomach, thinking of the Shepherd as a "bad" man. Anyway, maybe I did demonize him a bit, used some stronger language then I meant. I believe what makes him so interesting is that he DID see evil. He DID do evil. And that is what has made him into the good man we know.

Malicious - Oh this is going to sound like a dig and I dont mean it that way but I call semantics. Alright, so we don't want to use "monster" to describe him, villain then, "bad man" more simply. I think he was, at one time, almost as evil as one could conceivably be, but something happened to him, something happened that made him repentant. If monster is too evil then another word.

Loved your comment about his true identity, I guess I didn't mention it in my analysis but I think "Derriel Book" is indeed an alias, would expect him to do no less then live under a false name.

Saintandeol - Excellent observation. Were this any other series I would suspect it was some sort of costume glitch (In fairness Firefly did have one or two, remember Wash "holding" the steering wheel towards the end of the pilot?) I just don't like the "secret agent" idea at all, I think it cheapens him somehow, very high military yes. Yet, he still has his Alliance clearance...this is something I just haven't been able to clear up, how could he have made a clean break? Still, the Alliance was never depicted as "an evil Empire" as the Operative puts it, just a government willing to do evil things.

Thepistonengine - To be honest, I wasnt thinking about that and I THANK you for giving me the benefit of the doubt and making me look smarter then I really am ;) After reading your post it has got me thinking that perhaps he may have been VERY high military at some point. Something that he could have conceivably left, and still had benefits. Veteran's benefits? Sounds crazy, but again the Alliance is supposed to be just a government...who knows.

Anna - I think we're really on the same page in the book so to speak, except for the Operative part. I just don't think he was an Operative, I really don't. Maybe I'm just saying that because I'd be really dissapointed if he was. I like him so I want to make him out to be more even if that is evil. Who knows though, our Operative was willing to do sadistic things for a better tomorrow but maybe other Operatives simply like doing sadistic things for their sake. So maybe that is all that needs to be said about Book.

I am reminded of something from the movie though "Knowing secrets isnt my business, keeping them is" Somehow he's made a clean break and still enjoys the benefits of being a high rank Alliance citizen, so whatever has gone down they do not care that he left. I think this really bolsters the argument that he wasn't necessarily some sort of secret operative. Though that might instead make him a public figure that could be recognized. (Mayhaps there was more to River screaming at him in that one scene where he had his hair all crazy then meets the eye?)

Anyway, once again, thanks for the interesting comments guys.

---
Where's the KABOOM?! There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom! *sigh* Delays...delays...

ANNA

Thursday, March 9, 2006 10:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Algus:
I guess I didn't mention it in my analysis but I think "Derriel Book" is indeed an alias, would expect him to do no less then live under a false name.

I always thought "Book" was kind of, too obvious a name for a shepherd (you know, the good Book, har har). When I first heard it I thought it was a bit of an easy name for someone who believes so deeply in the bible, maybe that's another hint to it being an alias. Maybe I'm just overreaching though.

BROWNCOATGHOST

Thursday, March 9, 2006 10:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Anna:
I'm left with the same question I have about Book being an Operative: why would the Alliance just let him go?

He's obviously still on good terms with the Alliance, what with his cushy free healthcare - he's obviously not hiding from them either. If Book was part of something big, if he knew Alliance secrets, do you think they'd just let him walk out the door?

Who said he ever left the Alliance?

He might have been let go officially, but kept on unofficially. Why would they allow this? Simple: can you think of a better spy than one who would be immediately trusted and welcomed anytime and anywhere because of the trappings of his faith?

This is not to say that I think he isn't really a shepherd now, that he means anyone harm, that he doesn't have something to hide, or that he didn't do something so awful in the past it warranted a new identity. But when it comes to knowing exactly who your enemies are, how many of them there are, where they are and what they know about you, there is no better way to discover the information than to wear the veneer of someone who is above reproach -- someone who can easily make themselves essential to everyone around them -- and go sauntering boldly into the lion's den as though the secrets of your soul were written on your face. It's part of the rules of warfare.

Hell, it's what I would do.

As to who I think he is: he definitely is/was high-ranking military at some point. He knows his ships, he knows his guns, he knows field trauma surgery; and he is known to not only the likes of Jubal Early, but that peon captain whose ship they approached for medical aid in 'Safe' -- a random captain in the middle of gorram nowhere. In 'War Stories', he moved and shot like a seasoned soldier -- very calmly and deliberately -- and noted exactly how poorly Simon was shooting in all that fray. Another thing that stuck out for me during that episode was when Zoë asked him if he was good during their prep to go in, his response was an emphatic, 'Yes, ma'am!', as though he was accustomed to saying it. He was also very, very upset about the death of the fed Dobson in the 'Serenity' episode: I noticed he placed particular emphasis on 'the man I swore to protect' when he was weeping to Inara. Now, that could mean he just casually followed Dobson onto Serenity while looking like a simple passenger himself. This leads me to speculate that they were a team sent to retrieve River, but differed on the subject of how to go about it. When Dobson shot Kaylee in his agitation, Book put him down hard and without hesitation -- yet refused to let Jayne touch him. I figure he stayed with Serenity after Dobson's death if only to keep tabs on River and collect more info, since the crew travels a lot and it would have looked almighty suspicious if he'd asked to be let off immediately after the incident. Perhaps, after that, the crew kind of grew on him and he developed another reason to stay. Or not.

Just my stray thoughts.

(Was in the middle of editing the post for more thoughts when the board went down for maintenance. Fixed now.)

LEEBO

Friday, March 10, 2006 2:49 AM

But would you blow the whole plot by patching your spy up right quick in your infirmary while your "sheep" watch?

No, it doesn't make any sense that he's a spy because that would just give the Alliance one more reason not to treat him when Serenity siddles up to the cruiser asking for help. Better to leave him dead then to spoil the whole plot then and there.

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