On Shepherd Derria Book by Ged

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

On Shepherd Derria Book

POSTED BY: GED
UPDATED: Monday, July 3, 2006 11:28
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Saturday, July 1, 2006 8:03 AM

I'm sure this topic has been discussed many times, but I thought I'd throw my hat into the discussion and chime in with some things that I thought were relevant to who Shepherd Derria Book might have been.

Facts:

Episode #1, Serenity: He states that he knocked out the very man he "swore to protect."
Priests are generally not required to swear to protect lawmen.

Episode #2, The Train Job: Book knows about Niska, and knows that it's better to be "a little late" than not have Mal complete the deal.
Book knows and understands this infamous criminal, his reputation, and the best course of action to take. He also knows the works of Shan Yu (something that is probably not studied at the abbey).

Episode #5, Safe: Shepherd Book is injured and is taken to an Alliance cruiser for medical attention. The officer is reluctant to help him, even though he's a Shepherd. When his ID card is recognized, the officer orders the soldiers to immediately take him to the infirmiry
Now what sort of ID card gets reluctant Alliance officers to make their men move double time?

Episode #6, Our Mrs. Reynolds: When the electromagnetic trap is spotted, Book immediately describes what is, what it does, and it's purpose.
Book appears to be very familiar with crime and criminals.

Episode #10, War Stories: When Mal and Wash are captured on the planet and their clients are assassinated, Shepherd Book is able identify the calibur of the bullets used, the type of gun, and the fact that it had a laser sight on it.
Shepherd Book appears to be very well versed in arms of all types, as he was able to tell a lot of detail based on a bullet wound left in the body.

Episode #14, Objects in Space: Jubal Early knocks out the Shepherd, and comments "That ain't no Shepherd."
Early is familiar with Book's history in some fashion - a history that is clearly not religious.

The Movie, Serenity: Book understands how top secret operatives work, how they will come at Mal sideways, stating "That's how they think."
Book understands the precise workings of top secret government agencies, leading us to believe that he was intimately involved with the government at very high levels.

Conclusions:

I think it's pretty clear that Shepherd Derria Book is more than he seems. From the tidbits pulled from the various episodes and the movies, we see that Book is knowledgeable of weapons, infamous criminals, types of crimes that some of the crew hasn't even heard of, and the way top secret government agencies work. His Identity Card also got him medical care from an Alliance ship with no questions asked (and they were also free to leave without problems). I think it's safe to say Derria Book was involved in the military side of the government, at perhaps the highest levels. Further evidence to support this, in the movie Serenity, is that he knows how this secret agent of the government thinks. He knows that this agent chasing the Tams is "a believer." Book understands that this agent believes that his cause is righteous and will never stop, as he is a tool of righteousness. The agent chasing Mal and River in the movie has seen the true evils of the government he thought was righteous, and he no longer believes in them. Book is also a believer. I put forth the speculation that Shepherd Book was in fact this agent in his past. Some of the things that make me think this is the fact that Book is a huge believer in God and in righteousness. "Doing the right thing" seems to be a phrase that is closely associated with Book in both the series and the movie. The agent in the movie was a believer and believed he was doing the right thing. Now that he knows that this cause for the government was not at all righteous, where does he focus his righteous beliefs now? Well, if he were Derria Book, then God and religion is a logical progression to focus such righteous tendencies. Seeking righteousness and doing the right thing are all things that are associated with religion.

What we do know is that Book has had a change of heart and priorities since his prior life, and has found spirituality through Christianity and God. He has become a priest and knows a lot scripture. Some may ask, "How do we really know he's a preacher? How do we know he's not pretending and the bible he's carrying around is just a prop for his cover?" My rebuttal to that is his actions and behaviors. Book is very helpful to the crew and wants to do things to help them out. In "The Train Job," Book offers aid, but he does not want to do crime. He is clearly torn here (not in a big way, but he wants to do what's right). The biggest rebuttal to this argument is in the movie Serenity. Book is seen living with poor people in the outer rim planets. He's definitely not there to profit. He's there helping this small town in the middle of nowhere, at the edge of the solar system. Another tidbit from the movie that supports this rebuttal is something Jayne says. Jayne said, "Book used to tell me that if you can't do something smart, do something right." Again, righteousness is exuding from Book, even though he's not with them anymore - his sayings echo.

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

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Saturday, July 1, 2006 8:08 AM

COPILOT

Although he has less screen time than most on the show and in the movie I think is the most intriguing chachter. Yes Joss certainly had a story line for book. Which thankfully he didn't try to cram into Serenity the movie (still annoyed with X3). And you are correct in your assumption that this topic has been discussed numerious times. When I can I'll find a few links to old threads for you unless someone beats me to it.

An I carried such a torch

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Saturday, July 1, 2006 8:10 AM

EVILDINOSAUR

I'd say that's the best theory after seeing the movie. Joss doesn't come right out and say it but he sure hints at it alot in the movie.

"Haha, mine is an evil laugh."

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Saturday, July 1, 2006 8:21 AM

GED

I forgot to add that in Episode #1, Serenity, Shepherd Book busts out with some Kung Fu on the cop. I'm pretty sure they didn't teach him that in the abbey as well.

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

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Saturday, July 1, 2006 8:27 AM

ROCKETJOCK

Actually, I'd just like to know how his name is spelled.

The novelization, and a good portion of publicity material lists his name as "Derrial Book"; other studio-related material, and his memorial stone in the BDM, however, drop the "L" for "Derria Book"

I tend towards "Derria" myself, considering the film to be pure cannon, rather than a secondary source. Any other opinions?

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

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Saturday, July 1, 2006 12:15 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

Also, in War Stories, Book handled a weapon with ease that only comes with experience.

I'm not exactly sure he's an Operative, but high up enough to know that they exist and how they operate.

I belive he wasn't an Operative himself but maybe one of the orginators of the Operative program or involved somehow in Operative program.

One day.
One plan.
One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 5:16 AM

MICJWELCH

I heard somewhere that River once referred to "duplicates" or clones. I have to believe that Book was one of many clones used as Operatives (notice that the Operative had no name). I think Book chose his name - naming himself after the "Good Book."

I just posted some of this on another thread. Sorry if I'm being redundant.

Also - another bit of evidence. On the subject of knee-caps. The abbey certainly didn't teach him to aim well enough to take someone down without killing him.

"We may experience some slight turbulence, and then... explode."

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 5:30 AM

BSCPANTHERFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by RocketJock:
Actually, I'd just like to know how his name is spelled.

The novelization, and a good portion of publicity material lists his name as "Derrial Book"; other studio-related material, and his memorial stone in the BDM, however, drop the "L" for "Derria Book"

I tend towards "Derria" myself, considering the film to be pure cannon, rather than a secondary source. Any other opinions?

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

If we want to further confuse everyone, the Firefly cards from Inkworks call him "Meria". So there are three variations on "what's-his-name" Book

So who is he?
He's my husband.
Well who in the damn galaxy ain't!

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 7:32 AM

GED

Wow. I think I'm going to go with what's on his tombstone from the movie.

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 8:25 AM

NCBROWNCOAT

I was watching the BDM last night and in the last scene it looked like Wash's monument may have obscured part of Books' and that's why everyone thinks it says Derria.

One day.
One plan.
One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 6:34 PM

RCAT

Don't forget about "The Message" where he figures out the agents chasing them are doing so unofficially and killing them wouldn't be traced back to Serenity. Or In "OiS" when River reads him: "I don't give half a hump whether you're innocent or guilty, so where does that leave you?". In the BDM he takes down an alliance ship w/ the anti-aircraft gun.

I think he probably was in the alliance millitary, probably MI or something akin (though a friend contends he was a criminal of Niska's calibur, claiming the ident-card was a fake). I saw an interview once where Joss was asked if he was a former opperative and he answered 'that would be interesting, but no' (sorry can't remember exact source). Another theory I've seen is that he was once some kind of federal marshall for the outer planets where he had to be judge and jury (swift, frontier justice).

"You know it's all very sweet, stealing from the rich, selling to the poor..."
-Wash

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 6:48 PM

REDLAVA

I would speculate that he was once a part of the Miltary in some capacity, high ranking to be sure. That would explain his familarity with weapons systems, martial arts, and criminal activities.

For a while I thought he might have been a part of Parliament because he knows so much about Alliance procedure, but that would not explain his weapons training.

So my gut says high ranking official in the Military, probably a Admiral or whatever the Alliance has.

P.S. As far as his comment in OIS, it is my opinion that he is refering to Jayne and what he did on Ariel when he says, "I don't give half a hump if you are innocent or not, so where does that leave you?"

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 9:07 PM

ROCKETJOCK

Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
I was watching the BDM last night and in the last scene it looked like Wash's monument may have obscured part of Books' and that's why everyone thinks it says Derria.

Sorry, but I just replayed that scene for myself. My DVD player has a pretty good zoom feature. It says "Derria", pretty clearly.

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

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Sunday, July 2, 2006 9:47 PM

MADRIK

I'm still glad Book died as a mystery. To be honest, I hope we never figure it out.

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Monday, July 3, 2006 11:21 AM

GED

Ok, so I watched the movie again and on his tombstone, it says "Derria." However, there is a possibility that there is an L at the end of his name. But it's very very light, if it's there. Hard to tell.

__________________________________________________
This above all, — to thine ownself be true.
http://www.myspace.com/artv

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Monday, July 3, 2006 11:28 AM

MSG

hmm- well at least we just ponder amongst ourselves as opposed to accosting the poor man and asking..just remembering a sci fi con I had to work for the costume store I worked at. They had the guy who plays Q from Star Trek on and the fans just kept asking him even though he kept saying I'm just an actor I don't know. He finally got so frustrated he left the stage and didn't come back. I felt really bad for him:(
Still say Book's a high level millitary man who saw more than he could stomach and left to make repairations as best he could, which is why he doesn;t look down on Mal and the others for the thieving and such:)

I choose to rise instead of fall- U2

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