So who was Book?

POSTED BY: SpaceCoyote
UPDATED: Thursday, August 3, 2006 16:52
VIEWED: 6460
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SPACECOYOTE

Monday, July 31, 2006 3:30 AM

We never really get to hear or see who Book really was in the past, but we do get a few moments and clues that suggests he was not always the man he appeared to be. Was he running from something when he boarded Serenity?

PHOENIXROSE

Monday, July 31, 2006 3:39 AM

My personal theory; he was an Operative. Having to retire, he took his fanatical faith in the parliment and turned it into faith in the Church. Going into retreat and moving past the horrors he may have done in his past, he became a Shepherd. It might be why he defended the fed in the pilot, and certainly explains his star treatment at an Alliance facility. Just look how the Operative was treated in the movie. Probably Book's ident card just said he was high-status and was to have access to anything he needed.
It comes the closest to fitting to me. Possibly he was just a high-ranking member, but considering what he knew about how an Operative "thinks and moves" I'm pretty sure that's what he was.

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ANONYMOUS1

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SpaceCoyote:
We never really get to hear or see who Book really was in the past

Nathan Fillion revealed much to Joss's horror Book's past at a convention in 2005.

Nathan said Book "was a landscaper".

Joss said "This is your last convention, young man."

REVDEADCORPSE

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:14 AM

There is the Operative theory.

There is also the "high level government official" that has gone into retirement to escape the sins of his past.

My favorite is that he was an Alliance general. Possibly one of the ones that helped break the Independents on Hera.

Dunno for sure.

Hey... I've got an idea. Let's get Universal to green light another movie so Joss can tell more of the story...

*sigh* If only it were that easy...

Qui Desiridat Pacem, Preparet Bellum

XITWOUND117

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:28 AM

There's no way he was an Operative, I don't think the Parliament would just let an Operative go. Plus, Book seems far less composed than an Operative would be. The one in the movie has just about no emotions, shows no fear, and is an expert of combat. Book is just fair in combat, certainly fears, and is a man of God. How can you be a man of God after being an Operative? Book seems genuine in his faith in God, so I don't think its an act. Plus, he's more insecure than an operative would be.

My guess? Alliance special ops. Maybe a scout or commando. Not anywhere near an Operative, but enough to know something militarily, be allowed to slip away from the alliance, and still try to reconcile his actions with God.

I'm absolutely fascinated with the meaning behind what he says in Objects in Space. I really really really hope that one day Joss gets to explain it.

RODAN

Monday, July 31, 2006 12:12 PM

It's possible he is (was?) some kind of assassin hired by the alliance to find and kill River. He got lucky and ran into her on Serenity, then started waiting for the right moment. He was still waiting when the alliance decided to send in the Operative.
Unfourtunatly, that theory would put even more doubt on Kaylee's seemingly uncanny ability to sense good people.

________
Bwa.

STORMFALCON70

Monday, July 31, 2006 1:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RevDeadCorpse:
There is the Operative theory.

There is also the "high level government official" that has gone into retirement to escape the sins of his past.

My favorite is that he was an Alliance general. Possibly one of the ones that helped break the Independents on Hera.

Dunno for sure.

Hey... I've got an idea. Let's get Universal to green light another movie so Joss can tell more of the story...

*sigh* If only it were that easy...

Qui Desiridat Pacem, Preparet Bellum

Alliance general? Mmmmm....I like it!

Damn you'se highups fer robbing us the opportunity to see Books story told.

As fer the Alliance letting Book 'The Operative' or Book 'The General' just 'slip away' well....he had powerful connections? Generals can retire you know. Who says Operatives can't also? So they kept a close eye on him for awhile....until he dissappeared aboard Serenity. I don't remember him leaving the ship as much as the others, so....?

And, by the way, bloody-wicked-evil people setting aside the sword for the path of faith isn't exactly an unheard of concept in literature and history. This in response to the poster who doubted he could have been such a 'monster' as 'The Operative' then become a man of God.

I like the 'General' idea....I like the 'Operative' idea.

A Browncoat AND one of the 2%

"It's my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sumbitch or another."

Capt Mal Reynolds

DARKFLY

Monday, July 31, 2006 1:21 PM

It's obvious he's been part of the alliance before but I think he was an operative which realized what he did was wrong much like the operative in the Big Damn Movie and then realized the only way to get forgiven for all the wrong he did was to give himself to GOD,nuff said.

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This is about to get interesting...Define interesting...Oh GOD oh GOD we're all going to die.

SPACEANJL

Monday, July 31, 2006 2:16 PM

Posted this elsewhere, but I'll post it again.

Cop. Maybe Military Police. Possibly Internal Affairs. Possibly on the take.

Think 'LA Confidential'. It would fit with the criminal knowledge, and knowledge of the Operative.

CALLAHAN

Monday, July 31, 2006 2:17 PM

I'm personally a fan of the higherish ranking general in the War theory.

Explains all his knowledge, certainly his clearance.

Became a man of faith in a monastery to escape what he had done in the war. When he left, he left to see the rest of the verse, see what kind of a place he helped create.

At the end of Serenity when he's clearly upset about the events that had taken place all in that one day, he's not upset because it's broken the type of a life he's supposed to uphold as a preacher, but because he knows that his actions in the war eventually forced people to take up this type of life and do bad things. He wasn't sure he was on the right ship because it was too stark of a reminder of what he has created.

Just the way I see it.

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"It's a Callahan full-bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge...
It is my very favourite gun."

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