Latest Book Theory.... by DeckRoid

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Latest Book Theory....

POSTED BY: DECKROID
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 9, 2004 17:00
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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 7:54 AM

Ok. I have read most of the Book theories out there, and I might have missed one or two, so keep that in mind when you read this. I dont want to come off as someone who might have stolen someone else's idea...

Book joined Serenity.

He did so on a Core Planet, if not core, then definatly an Alliance Thick planet.

He said he had "been out of the world for a spell".

He has an Alliance Ident card of some worth.

He knows about things he shouldn't. (far to many to list)

I think Book was the commander of the Alliance Forces @ Serenity Valley.

Thoughts? Debunking? Comments? Questions? Name calling? They are all welcome.

I call her "Vera"

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 8:45 AM

KURUKAMI

See, where I think that theory doesn't fit in is how on earth a military commander of the Alliance would know all that much about crime and the "underworld" of the galaxy. Not too many high-ranking officers that I've heard of have such broad knowledge.

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it merely shouts "Weren't you listening the first time?!?" and lets fly with a club.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 9:24 AM

GUNRUNNER

I'm thinking that he wasn't at Serenity Valley but he was head of the Alliance internal securty service (ala the FBI) or whatever it maybe called and thats how he know so much about crime and thats why he has the ident card.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 9:37 AM

RYSH1

I belive that Book was a cop during his early years,perhaps an interrigator, and a Judge around the time of the Serenity War.
I also am of the opinion that he may be responsible for the Reaver situation by having banished men who resorted to cannibalizm during the last few weeks of the war to the extreme outlying area they now inhabit.
I think that the Reavers are just men as he states and ones gathering a nasty rep for themselves to keep both the allaince and other planets well out of their territory.
One other hypothesis is that Book is Zoe's father. He never married but that was because the love of his life was on the Independant side while he was an Alliance Judge.Book almost always has an interest in going on missions if he can protect Zoe.
Religion is the refuge of those that are inclined to guilt and Book may have alot he feels he needs to atone for.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 9:45 AM

DYAIRVATREE

Well thats one I haven't heard before. But of the theories I've heard so far here's the one I think fits best. That book used to be a corupt judge, it would explain his knowlege of crime,weapons and exit wounds because all that would be used as evidence in a court of law. And also explain the phychic flash River had where he says "I don't give half a hump if your innocent or not, so where does that leave you?"

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 10:17 AM

RYSH1

I dont think corrupt is the best term, but i can certainly see where if theory bears out he had to make some togh calls he now regrets.
Also just little touches to support the Judge theory.
1. The name Book (throw the book at them)
2. The hair- reference to that style of hair belonging to his order. That style hair has long been associated with judges.
3.his speach patterns and references are very judicial. He also argues for the reavers being just men....almost as if he had some familiarity with them.
4.ex-cops dont always get much recognition or stature,ex-judges do. Early probably recognized him.Would have definitely liked to have seen if Niska did,cause Book sure knows him.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 1:09 PM

RYSH1

hmmm.... noones debunking my theory. Either that or it sent everyone back to reviewing episodes for the confirmation. chuckle

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 1:31 PM

TMURRIE

Ok, here's a wacky one. What if his real name isn't Book. I mean, in Serenity, after Kaylee asked his name, he said " Call me Book". Not "my name is Book", or something along those lines. Maybe he is a very famous, and important person,who's name everyone knows. But not to get any attention towards himself, he calls himself Book. He's obviously more than he seems, and to cover it up even more, he changed his name, or just doesn't give his name.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 1:45 PM

ZENOPHITE

perhaps book is an intelligence officer or some kind of clandestine service type; perhaps even a former assassin for the alliance. such a past would certainly put book in a position to be acquainted with the underworld while commanding such consideration from the alliance forces. Granted the Judge hypothesis seems to fit the 'objects in space' quote better but then again can't be absolutely sure that the quote was from the past (although personally i believe it was, just playing devil's advocate here.)

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 1:52 PM

LEAFY

I posted one of my theories on the other Book theory thread, but I came up with yet another one. I just don't think he was military. I think he was an Indiana Jones type galactic archeologist, and maybe knows that Earth that Was is really still there (ore something like that). He has threatened to make that public knowledge if he is harmed or bothered. He went into the Abbey to lay low for a while, that is how he ended up a Shepherd.

If he was a famous general at Serenity Valley, he would be famous enough that Mal and Zoë would recognize him, or at least have a clue who he was. The Alliance Security forces wouldn't necessarily know who he was if he was an archeologist (or a professor, or something like that), but they would probably recognize him on sight if he was military. That is why he had to show his ID when they took him for treatment at the Alliance station.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 1:52 PM

KARENKAY

i love all the guesses about book here. i could be convinced of most.
and i love the character book. but he worries me. don't know enough about him yet.
i always wonder who could have left that gun sitting out for river to find in OiS and the only person i can't completely rule out is book.
does he worry anyone else?

"Huh."

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Tuesday, March 9, 2004 5:00 PM

SHEPHERDSCOTT

I've been lurking here for quite a while, and I figured that this topic is a very good excuse to register and reveal my presence.

Although I've not seen the other Book discussion thread with the Book theories referenced here, I did enjoy reading the theories presented in this thread. I applaud all of the careful attention you regulars have given to the Book Question, making note of the very useful details presented about him in the series. However, I would like to provide counterpoint to some of the suggestions. I, too, indulged in the thought that he could be an Alliance general, but making him the commander at Serenity Valley seems a little *too* over-the-top for Joss, who seems to have taken a more subtle approach to FIREFLY. Likewise, having Book be Zoe's father seems a little too melodramatic and Dickensian, and I don't see any strong detail in the series linking the characters besides skin tone. Book as an ex-judge is an extremely appealing theory. It fits well with the few established facts about him (the authoritative ident card, the "don't give a hump" psychic quote). Furthermore, it could fit in well with Joss' thematic inspiration for the series: frontier justice in the West after the Civil War was often shaped by "hanging judges" who eagerly issued warrants to dubious deputy marshals, who didn't shy away from bringing 'em back more often dead than alive.

I would like to offer a refinement to the ex-judge theory (if this already has been covered by others, please forgive my presumption). The quote that River gleans from Book's mind could be something a "hanging judge" might say...but it strikes me more as an inquisition than a juridical pronouncement. It strikes me as the cold intimidation of an inquisitor trying to break his victim. Could Book have been an inquisitor--a torturer--in the Alliance version of the Gestapo? As an inquisitor/torturer, Book would know all about crime, about violence, about wounds the body can sustain; he would also possess a high-ranking ident card, especially if he were a chief inquisitor. After the war, Book may have sickened of his previous role. Like the Emperor Charles V, who retired to a monastery, Book may have cloistered himself to seek absolution. Now, coming out of the abbey, he wants to tour the unified society his brutality helped forge. And it would also explain why Book would be familiar with the writings of Shan-Yu...and so disparaging of them.

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