Theory that Book worked for Blue Sun and is Following River

POSTED BY: MsBigPileofDust
UPDATED: Thursday, February 12, 2004 22:54
VIEWED: 16644
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MSBIGPILEOFDUST

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:18 PM

I'm new to this forum, so please forgive me, if someone has already had this idea...

During my investigation of Book, when I was making his action figure, I noticed a couple of things.

In Serenity, Simon talks about some ‘men’ contacting him and helping River escape. The camera then pans to Book.

Also, in the scene in another episode, when River is scared of Book’s big hair, I wondered whether there might be a deeper level to it than a priceless comedy moment.

I think it may turn out the Book worked for Blue Sun and River has some memory of seeing him (maybe just as a scary big-haired silhouette). I think it was him that helped Simon to rescue River. I think, when Kaylee chats him up on Persephone, he’s looking at cargo being loaded onto ships, not the ships themselves, and that he’s following River.

I don't think he's evil but he may have his own adgenda with River.

Check out my Buffy, Angel & Firefly Custom Figures Website: http://www.btinternet.com/~msbigpileofdust

BROWNCOAT1

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:39 PM

That theory holds more water than some I have seen posted.

I would have to disagree w/ your theory for a couple of reasons.

First, if Book is one of the men that helped Simon, why did Simon not recognize him? Sure, he may never have actually met Simon face to face, but on Book's part, there seemed to be no recognition. Book also seemed unaware of River's "condition". If he was involved w/ getting her out, he would have had some idea of what she went through.

Secondly, Book had been in an abbey up to his arrival on planet, and his boarding Serenity. Of course, we only have his word on that, and it could be part of his cover story. If he had helped to rescue River, wouldn't it make more sense just to accompany her & Simon if he was looking after her?

I think the logic is also offset by Book's obvious tie to the Alliance. In "Safe" we see him get medical treatment on the Alliance cruiser when he shows them his I.D. The officer couldn't get him on the ship fast enough when he saw Book's I.D., but just moments before, had been willing to let him die, even though he was a Shephard.

It does not appear that Book is any more protective of Simon or River than he is anyone else.

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

CHANNAIN

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 5:12 PM

Nothing I like better than batting around Book theories.

Quote:
Paraphrased from original post by BrownCoat1:
If Book is one of the men that helped Simon, why did Simon not recognize him?

If he had helped to rescue River, wouldn't it make more sense just to accompany her & Simon if he was looking after her?

I think the logic is also offset by Book's obvious tie to the Alliance.

It does not appear that Book is any more protective of Simon or River than he is anyone else.

Simon said he was "contacted." He didn't say he "met with" the party that secured River's release. Even if he did, he could have met with anyone, so Book could have been part of it and Simon would never know.

Yes, if Book was part of it, then it might make more sense for Book to accompany them, provided he wanted to make it blatantly clear that he did indeed assist in getting River released - if he did, which I do find fairly unlikely. Plus, chronologically, in Serenity Book was introduced long before we saw Simon. This indicates he was the first passenger, and how would he know Simon and River would show up too? I mean how many ships were in port that day?

Obvious tie to the Alliance? I'd say obvious he's someone more important than we realize. Nobody has ever said anything about him being somehow directly tied to the Alliance besides us. I'm still sticking to the idea that Book is a high muckity-muck in the Shephard echelon, but that's just my theory.

Ultimately, Book is protective of his flock, whether the individual members of the flock (e.g. Mal) care for it or not. Simon and River just happen to be part of it. That I agree with completely.

Firefly Artwork Series
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

NEVETEXTOR

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 5:20 PM

My biggest problem with this interpretation is that Book appears to have approached Kaylee about boarding the ship before Simon did.

ZEKE023

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 5:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Nevetextor:
My biggest problem with this interpretation is that Book appears to have approached Kaylee about boarding the ship before Simon did.

I agree with this.
Also - Book is obvioulsy reformed. He wouldn't be sitting in his room reading the bible where no one can see him (in Out of Gas) if he weren't a believer. He has in all ways acted as someone with a shady history who has become a minister of Christ.
Hell, they even dropped him off at an abbey to do prayer and meditation for an episode.
Unless the whole Christian Church is in on it - I think Book is clean. He may have a shady past, but that's about it.

MSBIGPILEOFDUST

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 5:35 PM

We never see Simon make the arrangement with Kaylee, we just see him boarding. He could have chosen Serenity before Book. One of the other 'men' could have seen him do so and described the ship to Book. Hence the ship ogling!

I think Book's interest in River's condition is not the same as Simon's purely brotherly concern. Therefore, he would keep his connection secret. He may also be ashamed.

I don't disbeliebe the part about him spending time in a Monastery but I do believe he is closely linked to Blue Sun in some way. Maybe a family connection... brother to the President. He could have found out what was going on and intervened.

The fact that the Alliance recognise his identity card doesn't mean he works directly for them. They seem to obey orders from Blue Sun corp. The Alliance officers were sucking up to the hands-of-blue men in Ariel before they got their innards mushed.

Check out my Buffy, Angel & Firefly Custom Figure Website: http://www.btinternet.com/~msbigpileofdust

CHANNAIN

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 6:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MsBigPileofDust:
We never see Simon make the arrangement with Kaylee, we just see him boarding. He could have chosen Serenity before Book. One of the other 'men' could have seen him do so and described the ship to Book. Hence the ship ogling!

You know, there's something to that.

Quote:
Originally posted by MsBigPileofDust:
I don't disbelieve the part about him spending time in a Monastery but I do believe he is closely linked to Blue Sun in some way. Maybe a family connection... brother to the President. He could have found out what was going on and intervened.

I've often thought Book's special treatment in Safe was due to other reasons besides being a former Alliance officer, which is one of the more popular theories on his past. Even pushed around the idea that he was an Independent, but related to some Alliance High-Muckity and under some kind of amnesty because of it. Being related to a Blue Sun High-Muckity might do the trick too, considering Blue Sun seems to be the *other* power in the 'verse, maybe even *big brother*.

This is why I love speculating on Book. Not knowing a thing about the character leads one into some pretty shiny tangents of the imagination.

Firefly Artwork Series
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WINTERFELL

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 6:59 PM

here's some more food for thought...

how about in Ojects in space, when river is going all psychic and sees book flipping out all angry like.. i'd love to figure out what he is saying... i turned on the captions but it didn't pick it up.. something about "inocent"

~~Robb of Winterfell~~
~ http://winterfell.org ~
High Fantasy Heavy Metal

CAPTAINCDC

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 7:06 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Early in OIS says that Book is no Shepherd.

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

SHINY

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 7:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Winterfell:
here's some more food for thought...

how about in Ojects in space, when river is going all psychic and sees book flipping out all angry like.. i'd love to figure out what he is saying... i turned on the captions but it didn't pick it up.. something about "inocent"

IIRC, he says, "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not...now where does that leave you?" Which suggests either Book is, or at least once was, a bad, mean ol' man.

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

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