Who was Shepard Book? by 6ixStringJack

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Who was Shepard Book?

POSTED BY: 6IXSTRINGJACK
UPDATED: Friday, November 23, 2007 01:21
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:06 AM

MICJWELCH

In the comics, the Operative comes in to relieve the Hands of Blue from their task.

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

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:53 AM

RALLEM

I always saw the hands of blue in pairs to a single operative, but I wonder if the operative would have been able to muster a fleet of Alliance Warcraft?

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007 4:16 PM

CONTRA

Hi there.

There is a good theory of who he is in Firefly Old Wounds audio drama (*spoilers*)

http://sonic.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=118820
(theres if hte first part of hte drama there)

They say he was high up in the Alliance and caused many of the attrocities of the war; including what happened at Serenity Valley.

---
mike---
I wanna rocks
Moon give me rocks

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Thursday, November 22, 2007 4:37 PM

JONRPATRICK

Great thread!
Honestly, it's fascinating to think about Book's past because you have to delve into Joss's mind and try to take the non-obvious route - or at least the not-spoken route.
Here's what we know:
1. Good in combat, but not a martial artist (not operative)
2. familiar with criminal methods (so, either criminal OR law enforcement)
3. crack shot (law enforcement?)
4. has an ID card that makes alliance military jump to provide medical care.

#4 is the trick - whatever he was he MUST be from the Alliance side.
AND, he absolutely HAD to leave on good terms.
I believe this eliminate the criminal element and the operatitive. IF he had been an opertative, would a government willing to do experiments on their own citizens really let someone live who knew too many secrets? Personally, I think not.
I can assume he had seen or done such horrific things he 'retired', but somehow managed to not get killed for what he knows.
I believe he became religious to atone and in his own small way, make amends.

I've always assumed he was 1 of the blue hands, personally - but that doesn't work with how he just 'retired' in good standing.
I also thought he'd been VERY high in the government (senator, etc.), but that doesn't answer any question but the ID card.
Because of his knowledge of criminal methods, I also assume he isn't high-military (thus being responsible for Serenity Valley).

That leaves me with the equivalent of the CIA. As far as _I_ know, CIA heads retire and lead lives... and this allows Book to see things that drove him to religion without falling for the possibility of him knowing about people like River Tam...

thoughts?

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Thursday, November 22, 2007 10:01 PM

FREEBROWNCOAT

"Because of his knowledge of criminal methods, I also assume he isn't high-military (thus being responsible for Serenity Valley)."

Military has often used criminals if it fulfills a mission. Lucky Luciano and the invasion of Sicily is a classic example. Special Forces learned breaking and entering from felons in prison.

Book could easily have been high military and known all about criminals. However, his reaction to Mal's petty crime seems to say he doesn't mind low crime, at least he tolerates it. Finds it somewhat amusing when chatting with Simon.

Agree with everything else, tho.

Joss left all kinds of subtle clues. Perhaps for a charity donation by Browncoats he'll reveal it.

"Have you ever read the works of Shan
Yu?"

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Friday, November 23, 2007 1:21 AM

AMDOBELL

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
I could see the crooked cop thing working with one of two bits of extra info to explain safe. A.) He used his crooked connections to make himself a fake ident card that would get him all sorts of nice treatment from the feds. B.) He found out some very damaging information about the Alliance and used it as blackmail to get a gold star on his ident card. He'd have to have it worked out so that the info would come out if he was killed. Serenity 2 anyone ;-)

Zeek, I love your theories best. If Book was originally a crooked Alliance cop then he would have been able to get a fake Ident card, also he would have had access - lawfully or otherwise - to all kinds of potentially explosive or damaging info about the Great and Mighty Alliance. That really sounds like something that would have created enough ripples that he could get anything he wanted.

Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me...

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