So who was Book?
POSTED BY: SpaceCoyote
UPDATED: Thursday, August 3, 2006 16:52
VIEWED: 6460
PAGE 3 of 3
Had there been a second season - it would have been great for them to have done an entire backstory on him.
Especially with him having told Mal in the movie that he wasn't going to tell him why he knew so much abou the Alliance/Operatives.
T~
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Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Before 'losing his faith' in the Alliance Ideal and becoming a cloistered Shepherd as a reaction, Book was General Richard 'The Hammer' Wilkins. Wilkins was a brilliant battlefield tactician, mastermind of the "deep flank" maneuver that broke Independent resistance on Hera at the Battle of Serenity Valley, and effectively ending the War of Unification.
His nickname, 'The Hammer', stems from his unstinting demand for discipline from his troops throughout his military career -- and most particularly -- from his reputation as the presiding officer in numerous courts martial. He was so-nicknamed because of an over-90% conviction rate in cases he heard, and a tendency to sentence said convicts to multiple-year terms at hard labor. Basically, it was rumored that Gen. Wilkins didn't really give half a hump if you were innocent or not. If you were even peripherally involved in wrongdoing, he was going to drop the hammer on you.
After Serenity Valley, in which massive casualties were taken in both camps after the hostilities had ceased, General Wilkins held himself accountable to that same standard, quit a promising military career, and joined the clergy. It wasn't his fault that his masters decided to make examples of the rebels by letting them starve to death, but he held himself responsible anyway...
Aside from his knowledge of weapons, fighting, spies, military and police tactics, et cetera -- and the medical attention he receives on an Alliance military cruiser just by showing his retired general officer/Alliance Hero of Serenity Valley IDent card -- it also explains why he can't discuss his past with Mal.
Respectfully,
zoid
P.S.
...And as a general officer, I'd be willing to bet he'd had more than passing familiarity with Parliamentary Operatives. The CIA does lots of stuff hand-in-hand with the US military...
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"I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDBOF'
Everyone seems to be forgetting that scene in the start of War Stories, wherein both Book and Niska quote the works of Shan-Yu, (probably spelt that wrong), and anticipates that is was Niska who snatched Mal and Wash. Then in the Train Job when he talks of Adelai Niska Jayne even says, "How does Shepard know a name like that?" so how would an alliance general have known a criminal mastermind so intimately as book knows Niska?
"I mean to say."
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Well, it's certainly not unprecedented for a military force to be sent against a criminal organization.
Arguably the current actions of the US armed forces against Al Quaida (in Afghanistan and elsewhere) are examples of that. But there are better ones. American cavalry entered Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa. He was a revolutionary (against the Mexican government) but was considered a criminal for attacks against Americans along the border.
So an Alliance general might have knowledge of criminal organizations, either as a result of similar actions or through making contingency plans for such operations.
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I'm pointin' right at it!
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Well doncoat, how would both Book and Niska have been quoting Shan yu, coz to me that suggests that they have met before or possibly worked together, maybe Book was screwed over by him.
Not everything fits as well as you'd like eh?
"I mean to say."
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Shan Yu is someone who might be read by military leaders and the like. "Warrior Poet" and all that, not to mention all the things about torture.
There was a scene that was in the script of "The Message" that wasn't put in the episode; might shed some light on Book. But then, as it was never in the ep, it also might not be canon.
Anyway, after the cops leave the ship, Jayne was to look at Book and say "You either spent a lot of time fighting bad cops or being one." and Book's response is "Maybe both."
So he might have been in law enforcement. Might have dealt with Niska. Might even have turned crooked at one point. And that, of course, doesn't preclude the possibility that he was also military and/or parlament at some point in his life. I mean, he's not exactly a young guy. Of course we never find out how long he was at the Abbey. Not that I remember.
[]
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jamaicanbatman:
Shan Yu is clearly a 'through the mirror darkly' analogue of Sun Tzu, author of "The Art of War".
While "Art of War" is required reading in War College, it is also de rigeur for businessmen. So, by your reasoning, perhaps Book was a CEO for a BlueSun corporate entity?
I find it more interesting that Niska has read the works of Shan Yu. But clearly Adelai has an admiration for Shan Yu's techniques, whereas Book regards his works as more of a philosophical study rather than words to live by and a model for behavior. In addition to Sun Tzu and numerous other philosophical and strategy texts, today's War College syllabi also include Niccolò di dei Machiavelli's "The Prince", not so much to encourage students to behave in the way he prescribes, as to recognize the mentality in their enemies. I propose that an Alliance General might thus be equally familiar with the works of Shan Yu as a negative example with telling insights into common human nature, as well as the mindset of the sociopath...
As to how Book -- if he were a military commander -- would know the name of Adelai Niska: Again, you should perhaps look a little deeper into the character and breadth of knowledge/experience of our modern general officers...
First, Adelai Niska enjoys his notoriety. He's very big on "reputation", meaning he spends a lot of time making sure everybody knows that he's the baddest mutha in the system. Think of Al Capone. Do you suppose there were any military officers who didn't know the name Capone?
Second, general officers are very much aware of criminal activities in our country and abroad. Not only because they might be called upon to engage them, but because their troops might fall prey to local criminal activities, or international terrorism/criminal organizations.
In short, the militaries of the 'Free World' (at least) know a lot more -- about a lot more -- than you are giving them credit for. I know that for a fact, because I've seen the proof with my own eyes. You're still thinking of the military as a glorified version of plastic army men, good only for shooting guns and lobbing grenades (ka-blooiee!).
Respectfully,
zoid
P.S.
Again, like everybody else, I'm just guessing. Nobody but Joss and his 'Inner Circle' knows for sure. It wouldn't surprise me if each of the actors had been given different hints into the character of Book. If I were creating this show, I'd want to increase Book's mystery by having the actors react/interact differently to him. So, I might intimate to Nathan -- in a non-specific way and "don't tell anybody I told you" -- that Book was a copper, while likewise telling Adam that he was a judge. In the meantime, I'd keep the real secret that he was General Wilkins to myself, not even letting Ron Glass know his character's actual past nature; I'd just direct him in such a way as to get a performace consistent with that past.
In this way, the actors would subconsciously reveal how they feel about Book's past, through their body language. Then when I revealed him, the audience would see the natural and honest shock through the actors' visceral reactions on film.
But then again, I'm a great fan of manipulative directors (for instance, Huston), so...
P.P.S.
Here's a link to the National War College (US) that might set y'all to thinkin':
http://www.ndu.edu/nwc/handbooks/studenthandbook/Part3.html#CoreProgra
m
_________________________________________________
"I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDBOF'
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Zoid,
I think you have good instincts here. I spent 4 years active duty Army as an NCO, 4 in the Reserves and 13 years as a spouse. I also am currently living about an hour and a half from Camp Lejuene Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, NC so news from there is a constant even in peacetime.
You're right how generals have to be up on everything from the local criminals, the latest intel and tactics of the enemy to how the sewer is working on post. Most have at least a masters degree and quite a few have PHD's or are close to obtaining one with a combination of military training (War College etc.) and civilian education financed by the military. They have to look at the broad picture and at the minutia at the same time.
As a spouse I worked in family support and at the Post Museeum gift shop at Ft, Hood, TX. General Shinseki was commander there at the time and I talked to him once or twice. He didnt intididate me at all and was very friendly and had a wide breadth of knowledge.
IMHO it's easier to talk to a General than anyone with the rank from Major to full Colonel. The people in those officer ranks are so focused on their particular speciality and/or command and don't have the time to get involved in a personal way with the troops except those they work closely with.
BTW the last time I visited Gettysburg there was a group from the War College there and they were doing a detailed walk around the battlefield.
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