Was Book at Serenity Valey
POSTED BY: palehorse
UPDATED: Friday, February 13, 2004 00:27
VIEWED: 9709
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Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
[BThe real question is, who is Book mentally addressing when River scans his thoughts, Jayne or River?
Why does it have to be either? I'd guess both Book's thought as well as Inara's ("I'm a big girl, just tell me.") are from their past.
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Quote:Funny we should bring this up, as I just finished watching most of the episodes.
"I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not...so where does that put you?"
Quite frankly, I feel that Shepherd Book might have been some sort of law enforcement agent. Not a regular cop, or even a detective, maybe something more like a Federal Marshall, FBI agent or perhaps even a spy in the Alliance government.
He obviously has some clout with the Alliance (the Ident Card) and advanced combat training, not to mention an encyclopedic knowledge of police procedure and criminal activities. Don't forget that Early immediately recognized that Book was not a shepherd in OiS. The only way he could know that is if Book were already known to him (i.e. he didn't figure it out from combat prowess or identity scans or anything.)
Whatever ties Book may have to the Alliance (if indeed they exist) I believe are tenuous. I think that Book really did become a shepherd, maybe not out of a great desire to learn the Word, but perhaps to hide away from some trouble with the government.
I also don't believe he was specifically looking for Serenity when he first boarded her on Persephone. As far as we know, the crew hadn't done anything particularly noteworthy up until that point. I believe that Book is running from something. It puts the "I think I'm on the wrong ship" confession in a whole new light if you consider that Book, very desperately, wants to avoid Alliance attention.
Anyway, I was thinking that the quote above belies a certain ruthlessness with which he performed whatever job he held for the Alliance. Perhaps, his "I don't give half a hump if your innocent" attitude changed at some point and he became disenchanted with his employer. Now he's running from, and perhaps trying to make amends for, his past.
No power in the 'verse can stop me.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Adeptus:
Early immediately recognized that Book was not a shepherd in OiS. The only way he could know that is if Book were already known to him (i.e. he didn't figure it out from combat prowess or identity scans or anything.)
Actually, I thought Early had picked up on something of Book's mannerisms, the way he carried himself, walked, etc. It's personal opinion of course, no way of really knowing but that was what I always assumed. =)
My current pet theory is that Book is the relative of someone high in the Alliance ranks. "Estranged brother of the President", etc. A Billy Carter-Roger Clinton sort of thing. A lot of the other theories kind of mesh with this - he was clearly combat trained for something, and definitely could have had high rank in the armed forces based on his connections, and it would give him even more reason to disappear from Alliance radar, and seek peace/forgiveness while also having powerful connections.
Dear Diary, Today I was pompous and my sister was crazy. Today we were kidnapped by hill folk never to be seen again. It was the best day ever
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Quote:
Originally posted by KernelM:Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
[BThe real question is, who is Book mentally addressing when River scans his thoughts, Jayne or River?
Why does it have to be either? I'd guess both Book's thought as well as Inara's ("I'm a big girl, just tell me.") are from their past.
Hmm. Hadn't thought of that interpretation. I guess the confrontational nature (through both phrasing and Ron Glass' wonderful body language) of River's "reading" of Book made me assume* that it was a current thought, focused on one -- or possibly both -- of the two people physically present in the room with Book.
It does strike me, though, that the two ideas are not contradictory. One can have the same thought more than once, after all.
Thanks for the insight, KernalM.
*Footquote: "When you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME!" -- Felix Ungar
RocketJock
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Quote:
Originally posted by palehorse:
If you look to Tim and Joss's styles, I'm sure that you will find that my idea is not only plausible, but probable
Everything made sense and convinced me until this point. Knowing Joss and Tim, because this is so obvious and logical, I expect this is not what Book is at all. They have a habit of taking our expectations and logical deductions and screwing with them royally.
So, like Geminis the world over, I expect the unexpected.
"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"
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Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
Of course, the other clue you didn't mention is his "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not...so where does that put you?" scene where River is 'reading his mind' in Objects in Space. Not sure exactly if this points to a military past or something else, but I definitely agree with the theory that Book was in the monestary to work through some guilt/issues from his past life, and is now trying to make up for that past.
The real question is, who is Book mentally addressing when River scans his thoughts, Jayne or River?
There is insufficient data to conclude he is speaking to either Jayne or River, or really anyone else we know of. He could have been speaking to himself even.
Gorram Faux
"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"
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The problem is that we simply do not have enough data to do more than speculate at this point.
Personally I lean towards the military connection for Book. I am thinking that he was a high ranking officer and might very well have been present at Serenity Valley, or been part of the mop up force. Whatever part he played in the War, he had a moment where he questioned who and what he was, and then he entered the abbey. Guess whatever it was, it shook him so bad he turned to religion seeking absolution or to atone for his crimes.
I agree w/ Drakon that I would not try to assume where Joss was going w/ Book, because no matter what we think is logical, Joss will surely turn it upside down.
"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."
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ARRRGHH!
When have you ever seen Aliance police officers.
NEVER!
Individual worlds may have peacekeepers but they are more like Mayberry R.F.D.
The aliance "keeps the peace" via martial law. Soldiers and Cruisers are the repressive force, to some, glue to others, holding the semblance of civilization in place.
He is hiding, in my opinion, from his own guilt.
He is not "on the lam" or desperatly trying to stay under the radar as the use of his ident card would have popped up a red flag to detain him( a warant gets you arrested if the cops stop you for speeding in Va. and we don't have the cortex)
Yes he was looking for a ship as a passenger, but what made him choose Serenity for, 1st transit, then a home is his personal growth and atonement.
If he were an officer in the aliance military, his perspective durring the war as to what kind of person would fight for the independants would have to be skewed in order to allow him to order them slain. He now sees that they were human and is coping with his guilt issues.
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I agree w/ you Palehorse, to some extent.
I don't think he is hiding from anyone, so much as he is looking for something. I think he is looking for absolution from past crimes, and peace.
I do like the spin you put on it about his now seeing those that fought for the Browncoats differently now that he has lived with them and fought beside them, but that could not have led to his decision to enter the priesthood. I am thinking guilt drove him there.
"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."
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Quote:
Originally posted by Drakon:Quote:
Originally posted by palehorse:
If you look to Tim and Joss's styles, I'm sure that you will find that my idea is not only plausible, but probable
Everything made sense and convinced me until this point. Knowing Joss and Tim, because this is so obvious and logical, I expect this is not what Book is at all. They have a habit of taking our expectations and logical deductions and screwing with them royally.
So, like Geminis the world over, I expect the unexpected.
"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"
Got to say that there is some sense to your babbling, but then again, I AM THE SANE ONE HERE!
Joss drops hints in BTVS season 3 that the bed in Buffy's dreams is for "Little Sister"
In BTVS season 4 "spirit guide" Tara tells Buffy to be home before "DAWN"
The clues have been there for us, but the aura of mystery has been focused on, and I too Hate this phrase, "the girl in the box".
It's like Moe(3 Stooges) moving his hand and twiddling his fingers to get your attention before hi hits you with the hammer you've known was in his other hand the whole time.
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