Babylon 5 is my favorite television show ever and I’ve been rewatching it on DVD. I loved almost all of it but like any show I have my favorite scenes. I’m going to list my five favorites. not necessarily in order, and if you like please list your own.
Susan’s reply to Earth Force’s question. “Who am I?..God sent me”
Vir waving at Mr. Morden’s head, spiked on a pole.
The look on Dr. Franklin’s face when he charges in to the room where a boy has been killed by his parents. (He knows he screwed up bad)
G’kar and “King Arthur” talking about the brawl they were in. “And they made a very satisfying thump”
Londo an the wife he kept, when she asks him why he chose her.
“I will do as you ask… But there is a price to pay.” Kosh agreeing to Sheridan’s demand that the Vorlon join the war against the Shadows, knowing full well that he’s going to die as a result.
“Get the hell out of our galaxy!” Sheridan telling the Vorlon and the Shadows to both piss off.
“What do you want, you moon-faced assassin of joy?!” Londo answering the phone.
“Anatomically impossible.” Bester responding to Sinclair’s unspoken thought as to what he ought to go and do.
And of course, Londo sharing with Delenn his utter bafflement about human culture;
I’d like you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra: 'Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova.
I will not ignore Ivanova’s recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out.
Next time, my way.
And, of course, her answer to the question “Who are you?”.
Delenn was my favorite character, but Ivanova got all of the best lines.
Also:
Time? Cannot run out of time. Time is infinite. You? Are finite. Zathras? Is finite. This? Is wrong tool, never use this.
I have a hard time pinning down favorite scenes, there are SO many. That being said, any scene with Zathras in it is guaranteed to be sublime.
“Zathras is used to being beast of burden to other people’s needs. Zathras have sad life, probably will have sad death, but at least there is symmetry.”
A church choir singing “And the rock cried out, no hiding place!” as an angry mob beats a politician to death.
“It’s easy to find something worth dying for. Do you have anything worth living for?”
“All right. Fine! You really want to know what I want? You really want to know the truth? I want my people to reclaim their rightful place in the galaxy. I want to see the Centauri stretch forth their hand again, and command the stars! I—I want a rebirth of glory, a renaissance of power. I want to stop running through my life like a man late for an appointment, afraid to—to look back, or to look forward. I want us to be what we used to be! I want—I want it all back, the way that it was! Does that answer your question?”
“I will confess that I look forward to the day when we have cleansed the Universe of the Centauri and carved their bones into little flutes for Narn children. It is a dream I have.”
“Ambassador, it is not my place to speculate on how anything gets in your bed.”
Marcus: I spy with my little eye something beginning with “B.”
Franklin: Boxes.
Marcus: Right. I spy with my little eye something beginning with “M.”
Franklin: More boxes.
Marcus: Two in a row!
Franklin: And that’s when I shot him, Your Honor.
A while ago I was daydreaming how I’d love to have a whole herd of cattle dogs, I’d get four more and name them G’Kar, Londo, Delenn and Vir. Yes, they would be the Babylon 5. I’m such a nerd.
In the episode “Signs and Portents”, when Lady Ladira arrives on the station, she is standing in front of a set of TV monitors showing the day’s scheduled activities. And one of the items listed is “Rolling Stones Farewell Concert”.
I actually prefer Vir’s initial “what do you want?” response to Morden over the waving at the spiked head a couple of seasons later. Although that is an awesome callback…
G’Kar to Garibaldi: “Stop seeing things in such absolute terms. The universe is run by the interweaving of three elements: Energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest.”
