Book's Past theory by themantheycalledJames

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Book's Past theory

POSTED BY: THEMANTHEYCALLEDJAMES
UPDATED: Saturday, February 4, 2006 15:35
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Thursday, February 2, 2006 11:23 AM

I just finished watching all the episodes in my Firefly boxset. I don't know if anyone here has throught of this before but after seeing the film/show/comic my theory is that Book was an Operative like Chiwetel Ejiofor in the movie. Think about it makes perfect sense. And Operative would need to have extensive knowledge about the criminal under world and almost super natural fighting ability Book had Both. He also knew ehough about the Alliance to worn Mal about the Operative in the film. Finally when Book is injured in Safe, People at the Alliance Medical facility help him as soon as the see his ident card. Meaning he basically bad to be a high ranking guy in the Alliance.

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Thursday, February 2, 2006 12:05 PM

SEADOG

Yup. Also consider that Book knew Alliance proceedures and protocal. Further, consider that he 'just got out of a monastary' when he met Kaylee.

A man with a past that he refuses to talk about trying to make amends for his deeds. Yup, an Operative.

If anyone has seen the movie "Man on Fire", you remember when Denzel Washington's character asks Christopher Walken's character, "Do you think God will forgive us for what we've done?" Walken replies, "No."

With that in mind, flying the 'verse as a shepard is apt to make up for some deeds...

Ever been with a warrior woman?

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Thursday, February 2, 2006 6:47 PM

THEMANTHEYCALLEDJAMES

First please forgive my spelling mistake at the end of that post. I ment to so he " Had to be a high ranking guy in the Alliance.

Second I was wondering how many other people have come to this conclusion. It seemed pretty GORRAM obvious to me.

And third now that Book is dead I wonder how this subplot could be followed up on. And with which character would be the catalyst for it. Mal has already delt with an operative but on the show it seemed like Jayne and Book hung out together the most.

And Finally I've never been with a warrior woman. But I do think Gina Torres is hot (Damn you FishBurne

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Thursday, February 2, 2006 7:20 PM

THEMANTHEYCALLEDJAMES

Stupid me I don't think I spelled that dude from the matrix movies last name right...stupid me...

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Friday, February 3, 2006 2:10 PM

CAPTKAR

The idea that Book was an Operative is a sound one on some levels, but also take into consideration....

1) Sheperd Book knows immense amounts of the world of crime, where an Operative only does what the parliament tells them to do. Assasinations, silencing runs, etc....

Such as the net in Our Miss Reynolds. Why would an Operative need to have any knowledge about these nets. Operatives do not usually fly around in a small ship, rather they fly around in a battle-cruiser. So I don't think that an Operative would need to know about them.

2) If Book was an Operative then in Serenity why would the only defense he has on Haven be one anti-air gun? Bieng as he knows what happened to River, and knows that they have sent an Operative, and obviously has knowledge of how they will attack. Then why would he have such a weak defense?

3) Finally if Book was an Operative why wouldn't he tell Mal more detailed information about the way an Operative works. His protocals, his training, or his die-hard belief?

Taking these into consideration I do not think that Book was in fact an Operative. But rather an extremely succesful Smuggler, like Mal, only his plans tended to work. With his knowledge of crime, and the right connections I fully believe he could have had someone like Mr. Universe or another programmer make him a fake ident card with all he needed to clear with Alliance.

I think the reason he went to the shelter was because he had done so mush and learned so much that an Operative was sent to cancel the risk. The Operative did to Book what he did to Mal. Killed all those close to him, his friends, his shelter. After this Book kills thie Operative somehow and has a epiphony. Thus causing him to go to the mission for a while.

Of course then one day when he thinks it is safe, when he believes he has absolved all of his transgressions, he borads a Firefly. Within 3 days bieng out of the mission he "beats a lawman senseless, let someone he has sowrn to protect die, and joined in a band of outlaws." Thus causing his sins to return, and with that his doubt. But seeing the path Mal is on he believes he can help him along his path, and hopefully save him from the same path.

Until Serenity.

So what yall think, am I crazy, or just way off base?

-When you can't run you crawl, and when you can't crawl you find someone to carry you-

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Friday, February 3, 2006 3:36 PM

HALFBREEDINKC

I'll bite on this one. I was thinking along similar lines. Not an operative, perhaps a high ranking official in the alliance military? Possibly an aide to one of the officials in parliament or former member of parliament itself?

Something made him re-evaluate his entire life, enter a monastery, and become "someone else". If you read the novelization of the movie the operative actually recognizes Book when Haven is being destroyed (how much of that was in the actual script and how much was "filler" from the author I have no idea).

Somehow I see Book as being somewhat highly placed in the Alliance military, and somewhere along the way, during the unification war, he finds out things about his "beloved" alliance that change his entire perspective - the slaughter of innocents? Maybe he saw what people like Durran Haymer - a war criminal if ever there was one - were doing and getting away with?

We might have discovered more of his background had the Fox network not been so lacking in vision

(but then what corporation in this world sees beyond the $$$ they are making TODAY?) - and who knows, we may yet find out if some of the rumours turn into reality...

HalfBreed in KC

"They don't ike it when ya shoot at 'em, I worked that out myself" - Mal

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Saturday, February 4, 2006 9:21 AM

MURKYMERC

Quote:
Originally posted by HalfbreedinKC:
I'll bite on this one. I was thinking along similar lines. Not an operative, perhaps a high ranking official in the alliance military?

I am going to one up you one that one. I believe that book was there for that final battle on Serenity, and the deaths and suffering that followed. I also believe that that is what drove him to the church.

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Saturday, February 4, 2006 9:38 AM

ACRAZYIVAN

I've been thinking about this for an awfully long time. I came to the conclusion that Book was an operative - for pretty much all the same reasons you have discussed. I hadn't thought about his protection of Haven, though. If I had to defend my belief about Book to that, I'd say that he was still doing his part to separate himself from being an operative completely. Also, just because this operative decided to smoke Mal out by killing everyone he knew, doesn't mean that's how they all work, right? I mean, couldn't Book have been a more stealthy spy-type operative - kind of like Early (even though he's a bounty hunter). I would think if the Alliance wanted to have their operatives be successful, they'd let them work however they got the job done best, so if Book was better at knowing the little things about espionage, assassins and the like, then maybe he used that to his advantage.

I figure the Ident card from "Safe" is one that the alliance gave him. I would think that an operative would come into information that, at the time, wouldn't think was important to pass on to the alliance. The alliance probably reserves the right to contact you for information after you go into 'retirement.' And if Book really was as good as we're all thinking he was, then he probably knew plenty - and it was important to keep him alive for future information.

Anway, that's my two cents. Great theories all around, travellers.

Keep on flyin'

"Oh Kaylee, everbody know's I'm the funny one."

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Saturday, February 4, 2006 9:55 AM

THEMANTHEYCALLEDJAMES

1) Even though operatives deal command huge cruisers. They do have to deal with criminals like Malcolm on the rim. Thats the hole point of their pressence on the outer rim.

2)Maybe he simply could not have afforded a better gun. Plus when Malcolm got to Haven both the camp and the Alliance were wiped out. SO he DID have ehough to fight back. And if you read the TPB you would know that he left the ship because living on serenity was causing him to return to his violent roots( He killed the blue hand men). So he clearly wouldn't want to move to a place with more guns. AND IN THE NOVEL THE OPERATIVE RECOGNIZED HIM!

3) He did start giving Malcolm info about Operatives in the movie but in the middle of the scene to story cut to one of River's Nightmares.

And the Main reason(Other that the IDENT CARD) I'm guessing that Book is an operative is beacuse his rear supernatural fighting kills. In War stories he took out 10 dudes without killing any of them. There are several characters that were in the war and none of them were that good. He's got to be alot higher on the food chain.

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Saturday, February 4, 2006 12:14 PM

CAPTKAR

I haven't read the book so I didnt know about the Operative recognizing hime, or about why he left the ship.

While you all have sound arguments, I still just can't believe that Book was an Operative. Yes he is a superb markman, and yes he can fight better than Rocky and Bruce Lee combined, but I just cant see him bieng an Operative and not bieng able to help Mal take care of the Operative, or in OIS him getting dropped by Early in 1 shot.

My mind isn't set in stone that Book was a criminal, he could have been an assasin like Early, a higher up member of alliance like in the parliament or captain of a cruiser. Or yes very well a commander during the war. I just cannot get it into mind that he is an Operative.

-When you can't run you crawl, and when you can't crawl you find someone to carry you-

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Saturday, February 4, 2006 3:35 PM

ASARIAN

Oh yeah, Book is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. :)

The problem with Book is that his ident card gives him access to the Alliance medical facility on the cruiser. And this while its captain first wanted to impound Serenity and throw its crew in the brick. So, whatever Book is, he is obviously high ranking. I think we pretty much all agree on that.

Now, the riddle is, you only get such treatment if you're an ACTIVE military / parliamentary / whatever. Or retired with honors, somehow. So, how does that work? He does not seem to be particularly fond of the Alliance, but obviously did not alienate himself enough to get his ident card revoked, as he's apparently 'friends' enough with them to secure instant medical treatment for himself.

So, for the mystery, what is he? Is he perhaps one of the "Key members of Parliament" that have personally observed the 'subject' River? Why, he does not really come acrosss like the Parliamentary type, what with his knowledge of crime and fighting skills and all. An underground Operative, then, who sought passage aboard Serenity to figure out what River knows exactly? Unlikely. He would have just turned her in, and have the Alliance sort it all out later.

"Too much hair!"

"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam.

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