Book: "The Man I Was Sworn to protect..." ???

POSTED BY: Sardonica
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 22:06
VIEWED: 7170
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SOUPCATCHER

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:43 AM

Actually (Where's that devil's advocate hat? Harumph. I left it around here somewhere...) I think that Book's phrasing argues against him knowing Dobson.

When he knocked him out he hadn't sworn to protect him yet. When he watched him die he had sworn to protect him. So using different phrasing to describe Dobson at those two different points in time fits perfectly well.

If he had sworn to protect him before they got on Serenity it would be consistent to say: I knocked out the man I swore to protect and then later watched the Captain kill him.

Now it could just be phrasing and the way it was written flows better. But I like the idea of Book seeing those two different events as happening to two different men. One man he doesn't know. The other man he has sworn to protect.

(Hey look, I did find that devil's advocate hat )

editted to change inconsistent to consistent (I hate it when I'm inconsistent )

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

SARDONICA

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
Now it could just be phrasing and the way it was written flows better. But I like the idea of Book seeing those two different events as happening to two different men. One man he doesn't know. The other man he has sworn to protect.

Actually, I think I 100% agree with you here.

(Though I still think that there is much more to Book AND his reasons for joining Serenity than meet the eye. Especially--having leaned today--that he was only signed for 10 episodes makes me think that there was definitely something "up" with his character...)

Chief Editor, AFM
www.apocalypsefiction.com
Writer/Producer, The NUKE Brothers
www.nukebrothers.com

SUCCATASH

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:57 AM

The only logical conclusion I see is that Book is faking his crying scene with Inara at at the end of Serenity.

Book is not trying to rationalize two different men named Dobson, we are.

"Gott kann dich nicht vor mir beschuetzen, weil ich nicht boese bin."

TETHYS

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:59 AM

I for one am a believer in the Book-is-more-than-what-he-seems, but I interpret the whole dialog to be reffering to dobson.....

"You replaced Firefly with *barf* Fastlane?!"
Zoe:"Take me Sir. Take me hard" - War Stories

SHEPHERDQ

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 5:01 AM

Both Book and I view it as two seperate things even though it was the same man.
In the first it was Book's direct action.. HE beat the lawman senseless and he knew he was a lawman as he had just revealed himself.
Then he had stood his ground to protect him from Jayne and the " Not gonna happen. " is present and future tense meaning the lawman may have things happen, but death will not be one. By the lawman getting shot.. he had failed to protect.. a seperate action from the first.
A side note, he has headed for the lawman to warn and try to protect him in some fashion when he got knocked out.

The Journey is the worthier part.

PURPLEBELLY

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 6:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Succatash:

The only logical conclusion I see is that Book is faking his crying scene with Inara at at the end of Serenity.

Agree one hundred per cent. Book is attempting to gain a level of initimacy with Inara to encourage her to tell him why she is on Serenity. He doesn't know that she too is directed by a cell of the True Alliance, but there are dissonances to be resolved.
As I've said elsewhere, Book is aware that Dobson has been directed to Serenity as unknowing cover for Book. Therefore, while Dobson is expendable in terms of the mission, Book feels responsible for him on personal terms.

Only Purplebelly believes any of this

THEREALME

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 7:18 AM

If Book and Dobson were in this together,then when Book snuck back alone to free him, he wouldn't say "Lawman, it's Shepherd Book..."

He would say, "Hey Dobson, you really screwed up the plan there!"

And of course, Dobson would probably not beat Book senseless.

I don't believe that Book's scene with Inara was faked. It was done too well!!

And Purplebelly, sometimes you go too far!

The Real Me

PURPLEBELLY

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 7:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
If Book and Dobson were in this together,then when Book snuck back alone to free him, he wouldn't say "Lawman, it's Shepherd Book..."

Sorry to everyone who has read this before, but you're probably ignoring my posts anyway

Dobson is unaware that Book is under cover. Dobson is a Fed who failed his last assessment, and is expected to fail to apprehend River. The Whedon twist is that, Clouseau-like, he almost 'succeeds' in delivering River to the Blue Sun agents on the Alliance cruiser.

Book is good, real good. Book protects Dobson only when that does not jeapodise his mission. He decks Dobson to stop him getting shot. He tries to warn him about the Blue Sun agents, who will kill him along with the crew.

Only Purplebelly believes this

REGINLEIF

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 9:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sardonica:
Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
Aside from Kaylee, I think that Book is the character who is most "exactly what he seems".

He IS a preacher. He had no secret plots going.

Hm. I'm not sure that I agree with that... but only TIME will tell!

Chief Editor, AFM
www.apocalypsefiction.com
Writer/Producer, The NUKE Brothers
www.nukebrothers.com

I consider Book as the most mysterious character (besides River, of course). I think he was a kind of a body-guard (couldn't find a better term) for Dobson, with or without his knowing. And now he feels bad because he betrayed the man he swore to protect. And that's why he knows all these things about weapons, he's had training as a body guard. Of course everything written here is just a wild speculation.
*sigh* why did Fox have to cancel the show? I hope that the movie will cover everything Joss never had time to cover in the show, but still...
*waiting for April 22*

You can't take the sky from me.

PURPLEBELLY

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 11:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
And Purplebelly, sometimes you go too far!

Thanks, that's the nicest thing I've heard today

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