Who was Shepard Booke?(Serenity/Firefly question)

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Who was Shepard Booke?(Serenity/Firefly question) (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 6/13/2009 8:51:55 PM EDT

This is something that popped in my head after watching Serenity for the XXX time(not really sure how many times I've seen it).

During the Firefly series Shepard Booke got shot and had his wounds treated on the Alliance Cruiser, I'm pretty sure the episode was called "Safe" when Simon and River got kiddnapped. The Alliance treated his wounds after they saw his ID card.

Then in Serenity when the crew went to visit him on Heavan he was telling Mal that it "wouldn't be a palm's up military run" Mal told him that the shepard would have "to tell him about that some day" Shepard Booke "No I don't". Booke also told him he wasn't born a Shepard.

Then you have The Operative, who swung a complete 180.

Got me thinking, was Shepard Booke an Oprative back in his younger days?

Posted: 6/13/2009 8:55:24 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:

This is something that popped in my head after watching Serenity for the XXX time(not really sure how many times I've seen it).

During the Firefly series Shepard Booke got shot and had his wounds treated on the Alliance Cruiser, I'm pretty sure the episode was called "Safe" when Simon and River got kiddnapped. The Alliance treated his wounds after they saw his ID card.

Then in Serenity when the crew went to visit him on Heavan he was telling Mal that it "wouldn't be a palm's up military run" Mal told him that the shepard would have "to tell him about that some day" Shepard Booke "No I don't". Booke also told him he wasn't born a Shepard.

Then you have The Operative, who swung a complete 180.

Got me thinking, was Shepard Booke an Oprative back in his younger days?

Quite simply, yes. That's what you're supposed to gather.

Posted: 6/13/2009 8:59:11 PM EDT

[#2]

You think it was accident he ended up on Serenity?

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:00:49 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:

You think it was accident he ended up on Serenity?

Uhh yes.

Or else the show would have been over before it started. I'm pretty sure he's playing the part of the grizzled veteran who wants to put his past behind him and make peace with himself and God.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:01:45 PM EDT

[#4]

The really crappy part is that we'll never know for sure.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:08:54 PM EDT

[#5]

I was just thinking he found someone or something that made him pull a 180 like the other operative did.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:09:55 PM EDT

[#6]

The show and the movie both sucked.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:12:33 PM EDT

[#7]

Don't forget about Jubal Early's response to Simon's comment about knocking out a shepherd- "That ain't a shepherd."

There was a lot of backstory left to be told. Gorram Fox executives are going to the "special" hell...

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:16:58 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
The show and the movie both sucked.

You're on the wrong board. Liking Firefly is essentially an ARFCOM litmus test.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:17:43 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
The show and the movie both sucked.

Well thanks for chimmin' in and clearing that up....

Maybe you have an idea for a better movie and series?

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:18:34 PM EDT

[#10]

I think the fact that Shephard knew that a) an Operative would be sent, and b) how an Operative thinks and behaves, we can surmise that he was a black ops man himself. Whether he was an Operative specifically, or something else (those guys with the blue gloves, for instance), is anyone's guess. You certainly don't lose anything by assuming he was an Operative.

Quoted:
The show and the movie both sucked.

I'm pretty sure that did not contribute to the discussion at hand.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:19:55 PM EDT

[#11]

Shows and movies about personal freedom always suck...

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:22:42 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I think the fact that Shephard knew that a) an Operative would be sent, and b) how an Operative thinks and behaves, we can surmise that he was a black ops man himself. Whether he was an Operative specifically, or something else (those guys with the blue gloves, for instance), is anyone's guess. You certainly don't lose anything by assuming he was an Operative.

Quoted:
The show and the movie both sucked.

I'm pretty sure that did not contribute to the discussion at hand.

Glad to help.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:23:55 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Shows and movies about personal freedom always suck...

No, just this one. But, I've stated my reasons for my opinions on this before. I won't completely disrupt your thread with my trolling.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:33:22 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
The really crappy part is that we'll never know for sure.

that's a good thing in my opinion

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:40:07 PM EDT

[#15]

Dark horse comics was supposed to release a miniseries about his backstory, but nothing has come of it yet. I'm guessing whedon is too busy with his tv show Dollhouse to work on it.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:50:05 PM EDT

[#16]

Operative in his younger days

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:52:09 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:

You think it was accident he ended up on Serenity?

Uhh yes.

Or else the show would have been over before it started. I'm pretty sure he's playing the part of the grizzled veteran who wants to put his past behind him and make peace with himself and God.

Maybe his 'Making Peace' was to protect the Tams..

for the 'underground' that helped Simon get River out (before they were ret-conned out for the movie),

or for a faction within the Alliance,

or maybe for himself...

His skillset was way to convenient for Whedon not to have purpose.

Posted: 6/13/2009 9:53:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Yep, I remember it. Probably one of the coolest TV theme songs of all times. Well at least one of the best Bass enspired theme songs.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:12:09 PM EDT

[#19]

Who was Shepard Booke?

Preacher with a smutty mind!

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:13:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Book was a former Operative.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:15:35 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

His skillset was way to convenient for Whedon not to have purpose.

There was a really long story arc planned.

Damnit

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:18:07 PM EDT

[#22]

Fuck Fox.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:20:10 PM EDT

[#23]

allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:24:22 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:27:55 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:29:05 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Operative in his younger days

http://mortystv.com/showcards/barney_miller.jpg

Holy crap, I knew he looked familiar..............

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:33:33 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

I would assume the series and movie is classified as Sci-Fi. There are some sci-fi elements to it, but more of an old west type of feel to me. Good/great series and movie, watch it for yourself and let us know what you think.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:41:54 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:42:13 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

nope. gotta watch the series first.

it's the best show ever on network tv imo.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:43:17 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:

allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

Kirk would disagree.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:43:38 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

.

well yeah so far he seems like the arfcommer of the group

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:43:42 PM EDT

[#32]

The series is kind of lame, though the good out weighs the bad

watch the movie first then the series if you liked the film

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:49:26 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

.

well yeah so far he seems like the arfcommer of the group

"Well now we know" Quote from Jane...Serenity

Also known as Animal Mother

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:54:23 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Don't forget about Jubal Early's response to Simon's comment about knocking out a shepherd- "That ain't a shepherd."

There was a lot of backstory left to be told. Gorram Fox executives are going to the "special" hell...

There was also the Alliance undercover detective/ passenger that said the same thing about Shepard Book not being a priest on the premier.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:54:27 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

I'd nail Summer Glau now that she's older, but only because I haven't been laid in nine years and I'm desperate. She has a very fat face and it kind of looks like someone smacked her in the face with a shovel.

Posted: 6/13/2009 10:57:18 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

I'd nail Summer Glau now that she's older, but only because I haven't been laid in nine years and I'm desperate. She has a very fat face and it kind of looks like someone smacked her in the face with a shovel.

this. seriously, it looks like that. but i would hit.

Posted: 6/13/2009 11:19:47 PM EDT

[#37]

Booke was THE operative from serenity who time travled back in time for retirement. He lost his accent from wearing plot armor all the time.

Posted: 6/13/2009 11:21:41 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

Kirk would disagree.

Wasn't the Star Trek series still around(Next Generation) when the movies started? I could very well be wrong, because I'm not a Trekky.

You mentioned earlier, you disliked firefly/serenity. I didn't ever weigh in on the other Firefly threads, but since I started this one. Feel free to throw this one off topic and tell me why you disliked the series/movie.

Posted: 6/13/2009 11:55:29 PM EDT

[#39]

During the Firefly series Shepard Booke got shot and had his wounds treated on the Alliance Cruiser, I'm pretty sure the episode was called "Safe" when Simon and River got kiddnapped. The Alliance treated his wounds after they saw his ID card.

For some reason, I had the impression that he was related to someone on the High Council (or whatever they called it). I don't think that a turncoat Operative would get the treatment he got on the Cruiser.

Jane is my favorite character for the record...

Jayne Cobb is an interesting character, to be sure. Tough but basically immature. ("Shut up, Jayne, you're scaring the women.")

Adam Baldwin's come a long way since his role in "Independance Day."

BTW He is NOT related to The Baldwin Brothers (Alec Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, William Baldwin and Stephen Baldwin).

(My favorite line of Jayne's: "Well I know that NOW!"

Also: "Come on out, little crazy person. We're going for a ride."

Posted: 6/14/2009 1:49:17 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:

You think it was accident he ended up on Serenity?

Uhh yes.

Or else the show would have been over before it started. I'm pretty sure he's playing the part of the grizzled veteran who wants to put his past behind him and make peace with himself and God.

Maybe his 'Making Peace' was to protect the Tams..
for the 'underground' that helped Simon get River out (before they were ret-conned out for the movie),
or for a faction within the Alliance,
or maybe for himself...
His skillset was way to convenient for Whedon not to have purpose.

Well I'd say he was put there because Whedon thought such a character would be interesting and could lead to some cool story arcs. Looking at it from the show's perspective, in the movie Serenity, the Shepherd left the ship Serenity and the crew never found out exactly what was in his past before he became a passenger. He was then killed by the Operative's forces on that settlement after they left for harboring them. Operative kills another Operative that was doing his job that you think he supposedly had? Doesn't make sense. Plus it looks like he finished his journey with the Serenity crew and went on doing the same thing at the settlement they stopped at... spreading God's word and trying to make peace with himself and God. I think you're reading too much into it. Remember, Kaylee approached him and offered him a ride, not vice versa. The Alliance DID plant an agent on board though and he was quickly dealt with in the first episode.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:07:20 AM EDT

[#41]

One more thing: His stated purpose (IIRC) for leaving the monastery (or whatever he was in) was to see the world. This is NOT consistent with his being an operator, who would be very familiar with the world.

There are many societies in the Firefly/Serenity universe, and most if not all of them seem to be feudal. In such societies, historically the family fortune goes to the eldest son; the next one becomes a soldier; and the last becomes a priest. Book's past (what we know of it) reminds me of such a situation: He is highly educated; he has a TON of prestige (witness the first-class, almost panicy, response by the Alliance cruiser's officers when his ID is discovered); and yet he feels that he is pretty much out of touch with the common people (see his reason for leaving the monastery). He also felt a great deal of guilt when he allowed a man under his protection to be killed; this isn't what an operator is about.

One thing he is NOT, is "prissy." He's able to look deadly trouble in the face and deal with it. He's also pretty much at home with everyone in the ship, including the 'companion,' who basically is a very high-class prostitute (by his lights).

I think Book was related to someone on the central committee, someone who was influential enough to cause a near-panic when the cruiser's officers discovered his ID.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:35:17 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The show and the movie both sucked.

You're on the wrong board. Liking Firefly is essentially an ARFCOM litmus test.

NO, liking Red Dawn is the official ARFcom litmus test.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:39:32 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:

The show and the movie both sucked.

Your taste, it's severely broken.

And, you might have caught Teh Ghey.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:48:58 AM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:
I was just thinking he found someone or something that made him pull a 180 like the other operative did.

The war. Remember operatives believe "hard." Booke had to find something else to believe in besides the goal of a perfect society. So he sequestered himself in the abby for several years, until he believed "hard" enough in God that he could return to society.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:49:30 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Shows and movies about personal freedom always suck...

No, just this one. But, I've stated my reasons for my opinions on this before. I won't completely disrupt your thread with my trolling.

Too late

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:53:22 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:

Quoted:
allrighty, i just put it on my instant netflix, so im thinkin i might watch it right now to see what all the hype is about.

Make sure you watch them in order.

? i got serenity. is it legit to start with that?

summer glau has a five head. ugh.

You could, but wouldn't recommend it. You would miss out on a lot of the back story. The movie was more or less an end to the series, it is the only movie to be based off a cancelled TV series. Good plot and good characters, but for some reason cancelled. You will get a lot of folks around here will say it sucked, but you will get many more that will say it was a great series. Jane is my favorite character for the record...

Kirk would disagree.

Wasn't the Star Trek series still around(Next Generation) when the movies started? I could very well be wrong, because I'm not a Trekky.

You mentioned earlier, you disliked firefly/serenity. I didn't ever weigh in on the other Firefly threads, but since I started this one. Feel free to throw this one off topic and tell me why you disliked the series/movie.

IIRC, the reference is to the original series, which was planned for a 5 year run but cancelled after three years.

Posted: 6/14/2009 4:57:20 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
One more thing: His stated purpose (IIRC) for leaving the monastery (or whatever he was in) was to see the world. This is NOT consistent with his being an operator, who would be very familiar with the world.

That's not what Book said. He stated that had had "Been out of the world for a spell... like to walk it a while."

a relative to an important person wouldn't know as much as he did unless he had some first hand knowledge. Book knew the bad guy in Train job, he knew what the Carrion House was, etc, etc. the implication seems to me at least that he was a retired operative who converted to Christianity to help with his guilt/burdens.

Posted: 6/14/2009 5:04:56 AM EDT

[#48]

Being at the house sick the last 4 days gave me time to watch (again) the series and the move.

I think Book has too much information and skills to just be a relative of someone on the council.

In addtion to the knowledge of how the military/operative will come after Mal, do you remember the show where Mal and the pilot were kidnapped by the crazy old bastard on the space station? He said there were no rules/sins about "knee capping" people. Between the terminology and the skill with a handgun that moves him out of the "relative" and into the former highly skilled military or council operative realm, in my opinion.

And it's a great show. We've watched in over and over and over since we got the DVDs of the series and the movie last year.

The man has a vision he refuses to give up on. No matter how hard the government and it's minions work to take away the rights of the people to be free, he's dedicated his life to remaining free and to looking out for those with the same beliefs who accompany him.

Since the movie came out after the series was cancelled it made it easier to "kill off" some of the characters to put the story "to bed".