Firefly’s Shepard, Ron Glass, Heads Out Into The Black

Because 2016 hasn’t sucked enough, we lose the man the represented the soul of the Serenity. No details yet, but Ron Glass, famous for a variety of TV roles, including seven years on Barney Miller, has passed away at the age of 71.

As Shepard Book, a wandering preacher, Glass brought dignity to an undignified crew. He would reprise the role in the film sequel, where he uttered one of the most poignant lines of the series, “I don’t care what you believe. Just believe it.”

Joss Whedon took to Twitter with this:

RIP, Mr. Glass.