Character Analysis
Replacement Father Figure
Captain Walken is one of those characters who seems so perfect you almost want him to have a flaw just so you don't hate him. But, at least according to Matt, there's nothing he does that isn't absolutely impeccable:
He was the kind of man everyone felt safer being around. If he'd been wearing a velvet robe and crown, he'd be the very image of a great king; if he were in a doctor's jacket, you'd trust your life to him; if he were in a carpenter's smock, you'd know he'd build you the finest house imaginable. But I preferred him in his blue captain's jacket with the four gold stripes on the sleeve and his cap encircled with thick gold cord. (1.69)
After his father's death Matt became overly attached to the Aurora, and in the course of doing so may have inadvertently made Captain Walken into a surrogate father-figure. Part of his perfection is probably due to the hero-worship Matt aims in his direction, although to be fair he does seem to be a pretty decent fellow.