Did they ever explain why the Alliance was so quick to help him when he was shot and they took a look at his credentials? Also, some of the knowledge that he had that was unusual for a shepherd to have? I've seen all the episodes and the movie and don't remember them doing so.
Firefly's Sheperd Book
- Thread starter Othello
- Start date
SPOILER
One of the comic trilogies seems to imply he was under their employ and that the employ had been terminated (during that comic).
There a graphic comic novel coming about his past.
One of the comic trilogies seems to imply he was under their employ and that the employ had been terminated (during that comic).
There a graphic comic novel coming about his past.
Given his discussion with Mal in the movie, I assumed he used to be an Operative.
No, it's never been actually addressed. However, as Tharpdevenport stated, there is supposed to be a comic coming out that tells some of his backstory, although it should have already been released by this point. Also, apparently there was a browncoat cruise in 2007 where Ron Glass states Derrial was not the shepherd's real name, but the name of a man he had killed. As far as I know that's all the backstory there is so far.
Agreed....
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: It's of interest to me how much you seem to know about that world.
Shepherd Book: I wasn't born a shepherd, Mal.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: You have to tell me about that sometime.
Shepherd Book: [pause] No, I don't.
If we wasn't an operative he was definitely something else in the inner circle.
My theory, he wasn't an Operative, but he did work in Alliance Intelligence. Then he wanted out, so he created the persona of a priest and lived that life, eventually making his way to Serenity. He kept enough credentials of his actual identity should the need ever arise to reveal who he was, like it did that time he was shot.
Hey, that's my take on things anyway.
Hey, that's my take on things anyway.
It was my take, as well, that he was an Operative for the Alliance who still had "some pull" with some of his contacts.
Siiiiiiiiiigh. I hate that this is all conjecture. We should just be able to point to, like, season 3, episode 17 of Firefly which would've delved heavily into Shepherd Book's past.
Sorry, I watched Serenity in BluRay last week and am just bitter about Firefly having had it's life cut short.
Sorry, I watched Serenity in BluRay last week and am just bitter about Firefly having had it's life cut short.
Count me in as another who thinks Book was an Operative in his previous life.
i'm another who thinks Book was an Operative. i think the story of the Operative in Serenity is a re-telling of Book's story. By the end of Serenity, it's not a leap to see the Operative going off to some secluded place, finding religion and at some point, years later, trying to reconnect with the world again.
That's the same thing I thought.
Then he find a time machine and he's sent back in time just in time to get on board of Serenity at the same time of Simon and his mysterious suitcase...
Wouldn't be surprised if The Shepard's Tale never comes to be.
I always thought the story of the Operative in Serenity mirrored that of Books past. Oops I guess someone else had the same idea. I guess I should read the whole thread before answering. But yes I agree that The Operatives story is Books Story, and maybe the Operative becomes a Shepard.
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