When it comes to death in Serenity, for some reason it's all about Wash. Yes, his death was the most shocking, no-one had a chance to say good bye, and in many ways it was rather needless, but he wasn't the only beloved character to bite the bullet. Just because Shepherd Derrial Book left Serenity that is not to say he was no longer part of the crew, nor any less loved by the fans. The fact that he gave his life trying to defend his colony is also something that surely deserves more credit, and give his death more time in the spotlight. In fact the only justifiable reason for it not being given the attention it deserves is that it does conform to the classic death of a mentor motif, and is therefore highly predictable. Just like Obi Wan and Luke Skywalker, his death acts as inspiration for Captain Reynolds to continue fighting the good fight, as well as proving that the power to defeat a galactic government lies within himself all along. But even this doesn't negate the fact that Book was an integral and much beloved part of Firefly's main cast. Despite the fact that only 14 episodes of Firefly were produced, each and every one of the nine regular characters vying for a fair share of screen time became a fan loved favourite, including Shepherd Book. The comic The Shepherd's Tale filled in his mysterious past that Firefly never had the chance to delve into, and it was eagerly awaited, but a big part of this was more curiosity rather than to see further adventures of a character they knew wasn't going to have any more.
