What's With Book?

POSTED BY: Werzbowski
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 7, 2004 01:50
VIEWED: 5231
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WERZBOWSKI

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 2:06 PM

So my wife & I are watching "SAFE" last night and it happens to be her first time seeing that particular EP. Just after the Alliance checks Book's ident card and his status suddenly reverses my wife turns to look at me and says...

"What's with Book anyway?" "You've seen all the episodes do you find out what/who he is?"

I had no answer. Yes we have all seen Book demonstrate uncommon knowledge & skills for a preacher but no explanations ever saw the light of day.

I have my own pet theories of course ranging from him being a top Alliance figure trying to redeem himself to some kind of important criminal in the Alliance witness relocation program.

So I though that I would put the question to my fellow Browncoats and see if we could come up with some kind of consensus.

Have at it friends...

"We will rise again!"

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 2:22 PM

It seems pretty obvious that Book was some sort of Alliance operative or perhaps former military officer. You see this w/ the ID card incident in "Safe", his handling the Alliance agent physically in "Serenity", his knowledge of nets in "Our Mrs Reynolds", and several other instances in various episodes.

I share the same thoughts as many others. Book must have done, saw something horrible, ordered something horrible done, or took part in something so terrible that he felt a need to repent. He leaves the Alliance and enters the Abbey and becomes a Shephard.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

DUTCH

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 3:33 PM

Wouldn't it be kinda funny if he was the commander in charge of taking Serenity Valley?

I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.
--Stephen Hawking

TASS

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 3:49 PM

The other option is that the Abbey is actually a deep cover base, sort of like the HQ for MI-5 and anyone high enough up (or the Alliance Cortex) has flags for folks with Ident cards from there...

Tass - where you are is where you are meant to be.

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 4:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dutch:
Wouldn't it be kinda funny if he was the commander in charge of taking Serenity Valley?

I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.
--Stephen Hawking

That has been touched on several times Dutch, and I think it is a possibility. It would definitely make life very interesting on Serenity if Mal & Zoe ever found out.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

SHINY

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 5:33 PM

Yes, Book could be the "General Richard Wil..." (interrupted by Zoe's entrance) mentioned in Simon's encyclopedia in the original unaired version of the pilot

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

HKCAVALIER

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 5:48 PM

I think this part is from Serenity: there's a point where some kind of trouble is brewing and Simon is about to go out to meet it when Book very forcefully tells him, "You take care of her (River)." I couldn't help feeling that he gave that a little more weight than just "take care of your sweet, crazy sister." After all, in a life and death confrontation shouldn't the doctor be on hand? Naw, I think Book is very specifically interested in River's survival. That was why he was checking out all the ships in the first place--he was looking for the ship Simon was gonna load his big box onto. Book is on a mission specifically to ensure River's escape from the Alliance. That's why he doesn't hesitate to knock that fed out. Book is clearly not a rash man but he took that fed out as quick as Mal ever would. As I re-watch the ep's I keep seeing Book focused on River at every turn. He's keeping an eye on her.

Anybody else notice how focused Book is on River?

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 5:58 PM

I had noticed it HKCavalier, but I am not sure if he is on some mission to watch over her so much as he may recognize the handiwork of the Blue Hands. He may see a chance at redemption in watching over her.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

WERZBOWSKI

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 6:07 PM

I think I agree with Browncoat1 on the subject of Book's interest in River. I also think that his interest is purely to do with his "new" role as preacher and his apparent "quest" for redemption from whatever evils he has done.

"We will rise again!"

ARP

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 6:09 PM

>Anybody else notice how focused Book is on River?

I noticed but I'm not sure his intentions are benign. I think the biggest insight comes in Objects in Space, when River gives us a peek at each person's thoughts, and Book is something like this: "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not. Now where does that leave us?" It's said in a very angry voice. It's at direct odds with what he says and how he acts in the entire rest of the series.

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