GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

My new Book's past theory...

POSTED BY: AMITON
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 23:39
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Sunday, January 22, 2006 12:56 PM

AMITON


For the record, I'm (mostly) formerly of the Book was a former operative camp. However, I kept coming across the statement that Joss flat out said in an interview that he wasn't, point blank. I haven't personally seen the interview, but the possibility made me sit and think about new angles for a while.

What most of us usually hold to about the operative thing is Book's ident card and the fact that he knew so much about how operatives work and think (not to mention his ship, combat, firearms, and crime knowledge). I actually feel kind of stupid because this never occured to me before...

My new assertion is that Book ran smuggling ops much like our current beloved crew. The ident card? It's a forgery. Something Book had made to cover his tuckus when he got into trouble. Probably a scenario that..erm..fit the current crew very well for something along the lines of "the accompanying ship and crew are working undercover operations for high-ranking alliance." He likely even used to do a mission (or all of them) on the older Fireflys...the ones prior to the E-model with the extenders for stability =) It makes it pretty easy for him to help Mal through the murkier waters. Especially where operatives are concerned...

Book says in the BDM:

Select to view spoiler:



That means an operative. That's trouble you've not known before.



I don't know that an operative would know exactly how things look to the people on the other side of their work... They figure out how their quarry think and work around it. They do what they have to in order to get the job done. To know exactly what kind of trouble it is to deal with something like that really requires one to be on the recieving end, I think. Book wasn't an operative, but he seems to have run afoul of one before... Bear in mind, I don't remotely believe that operatives are a secret, or that most of them remotely resemble our friend from the BDM...his lack of rank and name is, shall we say, uncommon?

No, I don't think Book was an operative anymore. I think it's possible that whatever happened that related him to operatives may have been what sent him to the Abbey for two years and being isolated from the world for so long. I don't think he was necessarily in hiding, per se, but maybe the reason he stayed inside for so long was so that things would cool back down before he went back out into the world. And I also think that running back into his old lifestyle on his first day out of the Abbey would account for the crisis of faith he takes to Inara...

Oh, and Early...maybe he's seen some of [pre-shepherd] Book's work out in the 'verse and knows him at least by reputation. At least in my opinion, it all fits together *really* well, and it suits Joss' tendency to leave a really simple answer to a question that he seemed to answer by leading you to a totally different conclusion.

Amiton.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 8:04 PM

AERIN


I've had very similar thoughts, but I still keep coming back to the belief that Book was originally in the Alliance employ, whether that means an Operative or high-ranking military officer. I can't see him ever doing the type of "petty criminal" activity that Mal's crew runs. It seems beneath him. Sometimes I get the sense that their business is amusing to him. I'm not sure I can describe it, but I get an egotistical vibe off of Book, especially when he reveals some crucial bit of knowledge. Much like the Operative - he's so humble he's actually prideful.

Book's understanding of how the Alliance works is certainly more than Mal has (who is no slouch), and it's not limited to the Operative. In The Message he knew what proper procedure should be for the Fed. If Book's knowledge of the Alliance is based on receiving-end experience, he's had a lot of that experience!

I'm not sure I believe an Operative wouldn't or couldn't know what it would be like for the people he's hunting. The Operative is very intelligent, and being hunted by another Operative could be part of training (actually, that would be a good idea). Book's a smart guy, and he also could have been out of the business long enough to see Operatives from another perspective.

If Book never worked for the Alliance, I could see two other possibilities. He could have been essentially an operative for the other side (which others have suggested), or he could have been some type of Kingpin-like crime boss. That would explain a lot of knowledge of criminal techniques and the Alliance's response. He could have gained his fighting abilities by working his way up to that position. It would also explain why he seems to find Mal's level of thievery amusing.

I like your arguements and I agree that it's a mistake to get convinced by the ID cards.

Jayne: I once hit a guy in the neck from 500 yards with a bent scope. Don't that count upstairs?
Book: Oh, it'll be taken into consideration.
Jayne: You made that sound kind of ominous.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:50 PM

FLETCH2


If I can use a StarWars analogy for a moment. I think the Operative is like Vader, the guy the ruling elite sends to eliminate problems. Book I think was like Tarkin, a high up functionary of the Alliance, perhaps one high enough as to have once given guys like the Operative their orders.

If he was something like the Governer of a sector (or whatever the Alliance equivalent was) then he would know an awful lot about the was things like the Federal law was organized because he would probably it would have come under his juristiction. As to the ID. If he left on good terms there is no reason to think that he wouldn't still retain all kinds of influence within the Alliance that he simply chooses not to use.

Imagine you are a US navy vessel that gets a call from a yacht in trouble and on board is a former secretary of Defense or Admiral with a gunshot wound. Chances are the Captain will do all he can to save the guy, after all even if he's no longer in power it looks bad if someone important dies in the care of your command, who knows what high ranking friends he might still have?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 8:18 AM

AERIN


Would you expect Tarkin to kick ass in hand to hand combat? Perhaps when he was young? I could see that as a possibility.

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Monday, January 23, 2006 8:40 AM

BOWIE


Quote:

Originally posted by Fletch2:
If I can use a StarWars analogy for a moment. I think the Operative is like Vader, the guy the ruling elite sends to eliminate problems. Book I think was like Tarkin, a high up functionary of the Alliance, perhaps one high enough as to have once given guys like the Operative their orders.

If he was something like the Governer of a sector (or whatever the Alliance equivalent was) then he would know an awful lot about the was things like the Federal law was organized because he would probably it would have come under his juristiction. As to the ID. If he left on good terms there is no reason to think that he wouldn't still retain all kinds of influence within the Alliance that he simply chooses not to use.

Imagine you are a US navy vessel that gets a call from a yacht in trouble and on board is a former secretary of Defense or Admiral with a gunshot wound. Chances are the Captain will do all he can to save the guy, after all even if he's no longer in power it looks bad if someone important dies in the care of your command, who knows what high ranking friends he might still have?



I'v had much teh same idea! I too think he is some kind of high up official, the kind to have given orders. I was thinking he might have left he alliance after they did something bad, not creating the reavers exactly, just something that he couldn't hold with. I think even before being a shepeard he had a consience. I think he may have joined the church to be "somewhere he wasn't a threat," and then surprisingly found God. Its just my own little bit, of mucht he same theory.

If you play Nationstates.net check out the region Firefly.

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Monday, January 23, 2006 8:45 AM

AMITON


I personally like the idea of Book being an operative =) I think it opens all kinds of good stroy arcs. I was more or less responding to the statement that Joss (may have) said Book wasn't an operative and that I felt like a moron for not thinking of the ident card as a forgery.

A crime boss, definitely a possibility that works out about the same lines, and Book's old enough for it to be plausible. I don't think Book is above Mal's line of work, but I do think there's a certain smug, paternal kind of patronage when Book gives advice. Along those lines, though, if Book was in that business for a long time, then his experience and the difference in age between Book and Mal would cover that. *shrug*

I can't buy into Book being a high-ranking officer in the Alliance. I can buy him being Alliance (although that still causes all manners of problems with him not turning the crew in fast-like rather than going through a crisis of faith about it), and even being a retired operative or operative oversight of some kind, but he doesn't fit the mold for me to let my mind fit him into flag-level military operations and command-and-control. Not to mention that Book's line about high-ranking officials not doing field work had a disparaging tone to it (in my opinion...there were much more euphemistic ways to have put that).

Amiton.

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Monday, January 23, 2006 9:13 AM

STAKETHELURK


Quote:

Not to mention that Book's line about high-ranking officials not doing field work had a disparaging tone to it (in my opinion...there were much more euphemistic ways to have put that).
I believe it's Simon who actually says that line in "Ariel," to the Alliance officer who captured them. Makes you wonder how Simon knew that sort of stuff? It is an important point to consider, though.

As for Book, it's plausible that he could be an Operative, but it's plausible that he was something else entirely (Maybe ex-law enforcement? That'd explain his knowledge of a crimelord like Adlai Niska). What I like is that Joss has created a thematic parallel between Book and the Operative in the BDM, but he's never made any explicit confirmation. He's answered the question without answering it. Right now it looks kinda like Book was an Operative, but if Joss later shows us that he was something else entirely, there'd be no contradiction of continuity. That's some good writing!

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Monday, January 23, 2006 9:41 AM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...


I think Book definitely was employed by the Alliance but not as an Operative, more of an Interrogator Specialist, the kind of professional that Operatives might take someone to that they needed information from...any way necessary. Probably sound like a real stretch but I think Niska did the same thing, had the same "job," during the war. They both make Shanyu references, which I think is more than just a coincidence - reading Shanyu may have been something like required reading for their position. In the same episode Book makes a reference to knowing of Adelai Niska and his rep from before his time with the crew.
If he was on the same level and used the same sadistic brutality as Niska it also explains a lot about why he's chosen the path he's on now - extreme guilt from a necessarily suppressed conscience. Unlike Book, Niska's just sick no matter how many layers you peel back, but Book was decent and was able to rationalize his behavior, keep it down until after the war because he was brainwashed (not literally) and he was being a good soldier.
It also explains River's read of, "I don't care half a hump if you're innocent or not..."
It explains why he knows so much about crime having dealt with criminals.
It explains Early knowing *what* Book was, and almost saying, “That ain’t no Preacher,” with a bit of distaste, like even he was a bit put-off by what Book did.
It also explains Book not wanting to tell Mal about his past, "I'm like Niska.. I tortured many a fine man... some Independent soldiers even..." just not something you would ever feel necessary to tell someone, let alone Mal.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.net

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Monday, January 23, 2006 9:51 AM

TAYEATRA


I agree that Book knows too much about the Alliance inner workings to just have been a smuggler type or criminal. All that stuff in the Message just wouldn't fit.
However, to the people who think he's an operative... think again...

Operatives don't exist, like the Academy scientists. There is no way that Juble Early could have identified (at least partially) the Shepard if he had been an operative.

As for high level military... possibly but i'm not convinced they would have let him go if he'd been 'given' that much information.

Also, he was really cut up about killing the Fed in the pilot episode.

I'm thoroughly confused about it. Fingers crossed that Joss gived us an explanation soon because every time I think of a possibility my brain shoots it down.

Taya

Dark Angel, Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Enterprise, Farscape... anything else you'd like to cancel?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 10:07 AM

PDCHARLES

What happened? He see your face?


Quote:

Originally posted by Tayeatra:

Operatives don't exist, like the Academy scientists. There is no way that Juble Early could have identified (at least partially) the Shepard if he had been an operative.




SPOILERS!!!

Took the words right out of my mouth Pizmo and Tay.

The Operative says, in the movie, "Like this facility, I do not exist." (correct me if this is not it )

Jubal's reply in OIS seems to have came from Books rep or Jubals research on 'em. An operative is unknown. ( but i know... it could be possible Jubal's got connections )

As far as the ID card:
it could have been forged. Seems the cap'n and crew aquired security cards relatively quickly in "Ariel" for an Alliance facility.

I do not think an operative would have a card. ( hand was used in movie ) ...and he was simply id'ed as an operative with corresponding rights

or Book just was of a high rank in the Alliance ( maybe there is a good faction of the Alliance )

So, I go along with some of u stating that he was heavily involved with the Alliance but not an operative. Just think of how many bureaus and departments our gov'ts have....

I still would love more info from the man himself... and hope some of his (books) old cronies from the past learn of his death and come out from the shadows lookin' for revenge






U gonna be smart here Riva?!?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 10:24 AM

AERIN


It hadn't occured to me that Jubal shouldn't have known Book - good one! Sill, there could be multiple levels of Operatives, some with names. Dr Mathias seemed familiar with people sent by Parliment, but hadn't encounterd a nameless Operative before. Or, Jubal could have encountered Book as an Operative if their missions overlapped. Maybe they were sent after the same person - hire a bounty hunter to flush a guy out of hiding and draw his attention while the Operative sneaks up behind his back. Or, maybe Jubal flunked out of Operative training school and met Book there.

Man, there are so many possibilities! Joss is awesome!

Jayne: I once hit a guy in the neck from 500 yards with a bent scope. Don't that count upstairs?
Book: Oh, it'll be taken into consideration.
Jayne: You made that sound kind of ominous.

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Monday, January 23, 2006 10:52 AM

GABRIEL


Quote:

Originally posted by Tayeatra:
Operatives don't exist, like the Academy scientists. There is no way that Juble Early could have identified (at least partially) the Shepard if he had been an operative.




Call me crazy, but I have never thought that Jubal Early actually knew Book. Like his analyses of the character of all aboard, he just made a dead-on but skewed intuitive leap about Book, based on listening in to the crew's conversation before. Early was nuts enough to just read Book's mind, or near enough as makes no difference.

___
RIVER: They weren't cows inside. They were waiting to be, but they forgot. Now they see the sky and they remember what they are.
MAL: Is it bad that what she said made perfect sense to me?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 11:02 AM

PDCHARLES

What happened? He see your face?


Quote:

Originally posted by Gabriel:


Call me crazy, but I have never thought that Jubal Early actually knew Book. Like his analyses of the character of all aboard, he just made a dead-on but skewed intuitive leap about Book, based on listening in to the crew's conversation before. Early was nuts enough to just read Book's mind, or near enough as makes no difference.




I think maybe he did know Book. ( and I am crazy! )

Just judging by the way Jubal hid from Book and sneak attacked him. He approached everyone, including Cap'n, as though he was not worried what they tried. Then he snapped out a response to Simon.

Plus, someone brought to my attention that u could see Jubal's ship in "Trash". ...and that got me to thinkin' Maybe he knew a little 'bout all of them before he came on board. 'Cept River... no one knew about her. (Just her capabilities, that is) ...and all parties were surprised.




U gonna be smart here Riva?!?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 12:11 PM

SPOOTER


How's this for a theory.... Book isn't an operative, or even former employee of the Alliance. However, maybe he's the son, or brother, etc., of a high ranking Alliance official, one high enough to have great influence, and whose name would be instantly recognizable throughout the Alliance !
As for being on Serenity and "down with" the crew and it's activities, just being related to a higher up doesn't mean you approve of all they are involved with. Perhaps he decided to find out for himself what the other side is like rather than take government "dogma" at face value. And since we know that the Alliance allows religeous freedom, they probably wouldn't want to set anyone off by trying to interfere with his activities as a Shephard, so long as he doesn't get too much in their way....say by harboring known fugitives...... Just something to consider..

"Also.....I can kill you with my brain...."
River's best line ever....

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Monday, January 23, 2006 12:44 PM

AMITON


Quote:

Originally posted by Tayeatra:
However, to the people who think he's an operative... think again...

Operatives don't exist, like the Academy scientists. There is no way that Juble Early could have identified (at least partially) the Shepard if he had been an operative.



I have to strongly disagree here. An operative of the parliament cannot be an abnormal occurence, and most certainly our villain from the BDM has to be a special kind of operative...the doctor from the training center knew about operatives, but was surprised be the fact that The Operative (with a capital!) had neither a rank nor name...an instance that wasn't familiar with the existance of...

Amiton.

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Monday, January 23, 2006 1:07 PM

TAYEATRA


I'm liking Spooters theory here. Strange but after i'd never continued the family/close relation thread.

I shall have to give it some more thought.

Dark Angel, Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Enterprise, Farscape... anything else you'd like to cancel?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 1:36 PM

NUCLEARDAY


Quote:

Originally posted by Amiton:
My new assertion is that Book ran smuggling ops much like our current beloved crew. The ident card? It's a forgery... He likely even used to do a mission (or all of them) on the older Fireflys...the ones prior to the E-model with the extenders for stability =)



I've always had a bit of a gut feeling about something along similar lines myself. We know that Joss likes juxtaposition, and it somehow fits in my mind at least. I can even see perhaps Book being more of a kingpin or something whereas Mal and his crew are more along the lines of petty thieves. Book certainly has enough of an age difference to have "climbed the ranks" of crime, and to have made his shift to shepard by the time he comes into contact with the crew.

I still "officially" go with the Book as an operative theory, but I could never shake the idea of Book as a smuggler/crimelord either. I guess I like the idea of thinking that every time Book is there to act as Mal's conscience, it's because in the past Book has made the "wrong" choices in similar situations.

Oh, and really shiny idea about the ident card being a forgery! I'd never thought of that, either. Makes sense as something to keep around, just for good luck, as he goes back out into the ''verse at large...

Also, anyone else ever wonder if maybe there's something more to his decision to go wandering in the first place?

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Monday, January 23, 2006 1:39 PM

NCBROWNCOAT


OK, here's my theory on Book. I think he was a high Fed law enforcement official.

Most law enforcement officials would have tactical experience and come up thru the ranks. That would account for Book's abilities with weapons and tactics. It would also explain his feeling that what Mal was doing was small potatoes. He's seen lots worse.

That would also explain why he knows the procedures regarding contacting other Fed officers (The Message) when you are out of your sector and his protection of Dobson (the pilot).

If he was involved interrogating prisoners that would explain his familiarity with the theory of torture, at least on an academic level.

It would also explain his knowledge of Niska (which makes him more likely to be a Fed), familitarity with Operatives and the reason Jubal Early recoginized him. The disgust that Jubal Early uses suggests some sort of scandal or noteritiy attached to Book.

I feel that something happened. Maybe he was involved in a operation that either hurt a lot of innocent people or there was a disaster for the Feds but was officially called a success and he felt responsible none the less. He either retired with high rank (most likely) or was forced out. The incident, what ever it was, caused him to reevaluate his life and faith and he entered the monestary.



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Monday, January 23, 2006 6:52 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


I won't call this a "theory", or even call it what I believe, but it *could* help explain a few things...

Suppose Book was a high-ranking military man. Say, a commander in the Alliance forces. Then suppose that Book had actually been one of the Alliance commanders in charge at the battle of Serenity Valley. He saw things there that could absolutely change a man and cause him to question his beliefs (whether he was fighting on the wrong side, for instance), AND it would go a ways towards explaining his response to Mal when Cap'n Reynolds says Book will have to tell him about his past sometime. "No, I don't," says Book. Could that mean that he's so ashamed of his involvement with the Battle of Serenity that he can't tell Mal about it, or fearful of what Mal's reaction would be if he DID tell him?

Could be that Book left the military after the war and entered the abbey in an attempt at some sort of redemption (remember, Joss is BIG on redemption!), and that he later came to identify with Mal and his crew as being The Good Guys in all this mess. Sure, they're petty criminals and up to no good, but that might just suit Book fine, given what he's seen the other side do in time of war.

Just an idea.

Mike

"Kaylee, find that kid that's taking a dirt nap with baby Jesus; we need a hood ornament."

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Monday, January 23, 2006 7:24 PM

SPERMBIRD



Surely Book's knowledge of both Alliance procedures & criminal elements points towards law enforcement in a hands on capacity.

Now if he wasn't an operative in his previous life before becoming a Shepherd, then I think that he must have been involved in something like a secret police.

Someone who travels the verse, consorting with the criminal element (allowing him to know Niska) while at the same time able to call local authorities into action (knowledge of Alliance proceedures).

Jubal would have recognised him as not a Shepherd simply by the way he moved. People who deal in violence generally are able to judge the capacity in others. Hence he recognised that Book didn't move like a Shepherd rather than someone who was trained to fight.

(I finally got around to posting something around here)


Spermbird

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Monday, January 23, 2006 7:47 PM

THECOLLECTOR


What would be interesting if he was like an Operative Trainer but was high brass in the military...

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Monday, January 23, 2006 8:41 PM

RCAT


Quote:

Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
OK, here's my theory on Book. I think he was a high Fed law enforcement official.

Most law enforcement officials would have tactical experience and come up thru the ranks. That would account for Book's abilities with weapons and tactics. It would also explain his feeling that what Mal was doing was small potatoes. He's seen lots worse.

That would also explain why he knows the procedures regarding contacting other Fed officers (The Message) when you are out of your sector and his protection of Dobson (the pilot).

If he was involved interrogating prisoners that would explain his familiarity with the theory of torture, at least on an academic level.

It would also explain his knowledge of Niska (which makes him more likely to be a Fed), familitarity with Operatives and the reason Jubal Early recoginized him. The disgust that Jubal Early uses suggests some sort of scandal or noteritiy attached to Book.

I feel that something happened. Maybe he was involved in a operation that either hurt a lot of innocent people or there was a disaster for the Feds but was officially called a success and he felt responsible none the less. He either retired with high rank (most likely) or was forced out. The incident, what ever it was, caused him to reevaluate his life and faith and he entered the monestary.





This is what I've felt for a long time. That he had been something akin to a federal marshall.

I also agree w/ the idea that Jubal did not recognise 'who' Book was but 'what' he was. Jubal knew he was a potentially dangerous man and took care of him in the most effecient way possible (as he took care of Mal w/ stealth/violence, Simon w/ reason, Kaylee w/ threats of violence).

The idea that Book did something so horrible that he was driven to attone for his sins is the interesting part. I got the feeling that perhaps he could go no futher w/ his personal healing at the abbey, thus his walkabout and discovery of Serenity. And Inara's line, "Maybe you're exactly where you should be."

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 6:14 AM

CYBERSNARK


Quote:

Originally posted by StakeTheLurk:
Quote:

Not to mention that Book's line about high-ranking officials not doing field work had a disparaging tone to it (in my opinion...there were much more euphemistic ways to have put that).
I believe it's Simon who actually says that line in "Ariel," to the Alliance officer who captured them. Makes you wonder how Simon knew that sort of stuff? It is an important point to consider, though.

I figured that was just Simon's medical training talking. He's probably met a few hospital administrators who don't know which end of a scalpel to hold.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 11:35 AM

SPOOTER


Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
I won't call this a "theory", or even call it what I believe, but it *could* help explain a few things...

Suppose Book was a high-ranking military man. Say, a commander in the Alliance forces. Then suppose that Book had actually been one of the Alliance commanders in charge at the battle of Serenity Valley. He saw things there that could absolutely change a man and cause him to question his beliefs (whether he was fighting on the wrong side, for instance), AND it would go a ways towards explaining his response to Mal when Cap'n Reynolds says Book will have to tell him about his past sometime. "No, I don't," says Book. Could that mean that he's so ashamed of his involvement with the Battle of Serenity that he can't tell Mal about it, or fearful of what Mal's reaction would be if he DID tell him?

Could be that Book left the military after the war and entered the abbey in an attempt at some sort of redemption (remember, Joss is BIG on redemption!), and that he later came to identify with Mal and his crew as being The Good Guys in all this mess. Sure, they're petty criminals and up to no good, but that might just suit Book fine, given what he's seen the other side do in time of war.

Just an idea.

Mike

"Kaylee, find that kid that's taking a dirt nap with baby Jesus; we need a hood ornament."





Ooooh...I like this idea too. I also had some suspicions as to his probable military involvement at Serenity Valley, but dismissed it as unlikely because I hadn't thought it through as completely as this... It does put into an interesting perspective his reply to Mal about telling him about his past someday. Think how Mal would have handled finding out that a trusted friend (as he obviously had become by that time) had such a deep involvment in the one event in his (Mal's) life that so completely changed him....
Perhaps there is a way to intertwine this idea WITH the "relative-of-an Alliance-official" theory I posted earlier..... perhaps enabling him to BE a high ranking military official at Serenity Valley.... Man, we could set up a whole new 2 hr. movie with this thread alone..... Joss... Are you listening?

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 12:00 PM

QUEENOFTHENORTH


I had a thought while reading through this thread. It could be entirely wrong, as thoughts generally are, but anyway . . .

Maybe Book was a bounty hunter, just like Jubal. This could explain why Jubal says he's not a shepherd; either Jubal's heard of Book's work as a bounty hunter, or he recognizes himself in Book.

As for the Alliance connection, perhaps Book did some bounty hunting for the Alliance. This could explain how he knows so much about Alliance procedures, Operatives and the infamous ident card. He probably had to work with/ran into an Operative during one of his hunts.

This could also explain the "I don't care if you're innocent or not". Bounty hunters are in it for the money and the hunt, and they don't generally care what the person's done. Perhaps Book caught somebody who was innocent and gave them back to the Alliance, where the person was then executed. After finding out that the person really hadn't done anything wrong, he wonders what he's been doing with his life and ends up becoming a shepherd.

The bounty hunting could also explain his weapons/tracking knowledge, something a bounty hunter would definitely need to know. And maybe Niska was somebody he was after before, and that's why he knows so much about him.

Anyway, that's my thoughts.

"I'm having one of those things - a headache with pictures."

"Of course I'm right. And if I'm not, may we all be horribly crushed from above somehow."

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 12:12 PM

GUENEVER


I agree with the Book as high level Alliance. Someone wrote a fanfic with him as a General. Makes the most sense to me. Explains why he knows so much, and still gets the VIP treatment.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 12:15 PM

PDCHARLES

What happened? He see your face?


Good take Queen!

This would also fall in line with why he sneak attacked Book.

U gonna be smart here Riva!?!

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 2:27 PM

AERIN


I think there are a lot of good possibilities here. Whatever Book was before, I think he was a very bad man who took pleasure in the bad things he did (like Jubal Early). That's just the impression I get from him. I feel he has a dark side which dominated his life until at some point he was shown the error of his ways. Now he's trying to repent, but he's fearful of backsliding into his former ways. When he joined a crew capable of killing a Fed (a "good guy" in his former world), he worried that he was starting down the wrong path again. But as he got to know the crew of Serenity he realized they are basically decent people just trying to survive free, and that the Feds aren't necessarily the good guys.

If Book was an operative, I think he took pleasure in the job (which I don't think The Operative did - he regretted killing innocents). Same thing if he was ex-military, ex-political, or a relative of a high-ranking Alliance official. He was not just a military man who saw bad things or was involved in regrettable battles. He did bad things by his own hand, he did them well, and he enjoyed them. Now he has to pay.

Well, those are just my impressions.

Jayne: I once hit a guy in the neck from 500 yards with a bent scope. Don't that count upstairs?
Book: Oh, it'll be taken into consideration.
Jayne: You made that sound kind of ominous.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2006 3:05 PM

JAYTEE


I think maybe Book was high ranking Alliance military and involved in either the Battle of Serenity Valley OR the orbital bombardment of Mal's homeworld, the moon Shadow, which was "sterilized" from high orbit OR both. Book seems to have been wrestling with some serious guilt over something in his past and has some kind of affinity for Mal despite Mal's being a Browncoat. I think their pasts are more intertwined than either realize.



Jaytee

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Wednesday, January 25, 2006 9:41 AM

CHARLYO


I'm former military and LE.

I'd have to agree with the BOOK;former cop, rather than BOOK;former military. He could be both, but I'd have to say he was likely a grunt or street cop, then worked up the ranks.

His knowledge base and methods are similar to that of a policeman, federal marshal or similar occupation.

Soldiers look at problems with the mindset "how do I kill/destroy/avoid it?" Real estate is more important than life, especially the opposition's lives.

Police have a slightly different view "how do I deal/catch/expose/prove it?" Lives are first and foremost, even those of bad guys, property not so much.

military world is seen as 1:my squad/ship/flight crew and 2:targets.

Cops see the world as 1:cops, 2:bad guys and 3:victims.

Doubt he was ever a criminal. Might have bent the law here and there, but most likely to achieve a goal.

He has killed, and been threatened with death.

His search for faith? Fear of death, hoping he has achieved redemption for his perceived sins.

His sins? who knows?
It might just be he got sick of the job. When you are a cop, you see a lot of stupid choices and bad behavior by folks, it's not romantic at all.
It might be he had some of his men serving under him lost in an operation gone bad. Happens.

Anyway, may Book find peace. He deserved it.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2006 11:39 PM

AERIN


Oh, sorry, I didn't mean Book deserved to suffer. I only meant he became a Sheppard to make up for what I think he did. I think his past haunted him.

Jayne: I once hit a guy in the neck from 500 yards with a bent scope. Don't that count upstairs?
Book: Oh, it'll be taken into consideration.
Jayne: You made that sound kind of ominous.

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