Babylon 5

I'm watching A Voice in the Wilderness and I have a question about something I've never noticed before. Why does Draal have a beard? I thought Minbari were hairless...

SeaDevil wrote:

I'm watching A Voice in the Wilderness and I have a question about something I've never noticed before. Why does Draal have a beard? I thought Minbari were hairless...

A possible hint of the shared Human/Mimbari physiology?

There have been Minbari with facial hair. It's the Narn that aint got no hair.

SeaDevil wrote:

I'm watching A Voice in the Wilderness and I have a question about something I've never noticed before. Why does Draal have a beard? I thought Minbari were hairless...

He's not the only one. Kalain (from the Trigati) and Dukhat both had facial hair.

Whoosier Whovian wrote:

There have been Minbari with facial hair. It's the Narn that aint got no hair.

... that we know of.

That we want to know of!!! Finding out Centauri had 6...well, that was TMI for me!

Ronpur wrote:

That we want to know of!!! Finding out Centauri had 6...well, that was TMI for me!

I seem to remember JMS had actually thought about putting the 3 'slots' on each side of Adira's back in Born to the Purple, but thought it would probably be a little overkill

Cruel Angel wrote:

SeaDevil wrote:

I'm watching A Voice in the Wilderness and I have a question about something I've never noticed before. Why does Draal have a beard? I thought Minbari were hairless...

He's not the only one. Kalain (from the Trigati) and Dukhat both had facial hair.

I forgot about them. It's been a while...!

Wrapping up season one.

Legacies - The introduction of Neroon. Great character played excellently by John Vickery.

A Voice in the Wilderness Parts 1 &2 - Great two-parter. Sinclair shows how tough a commader he can be going toe to toe with a EI heavy cruiser. Good stuff from Londo in this one, too.

The Quality of Mercy - I used to dislike this one. The more I watch it, the more I like it now. Still, the B-story with Londo showing Lennier "his B5" is the best part. Still a crying shame that Lockhart and Mumy never shared a scene...

Chrysalis - "Nothing's the same anymore." The last line of dialogue in this seson finale couldn't be more true. Gripping finale which has everything. Mr. Morden and his associates, murder attempt, assassination, transformation, and a marriage proposal. Nothing will be the same anymore...

SeaDevil wrote:

Legacies - The introduction of Neroon. Great character played excellently by John Vickery.

Neroon was terrific. Don't know if you ever played the CCG (which was one of the rare ones that I think actually captured the feel of the show), they did some characters with practically a "What If" theme. Captain Sinclair (if he had remained on the station), Laurel as the Control agent, Refa if he became Emperor, and Neroon if he had become Ranger One...

SeaDevil wrote:

A Voice in the Wilderness Parts 1 &2 - Great two-parter. Sinclair shows how tough a commader he can be going toe to toe with a EI heavy cruiser. Good stuff from Londo in this one, too.

Yeah. Poor Londo. One of the last times I think he got to have fun and enjoy his life.

SeaDevil wrote:

The Quality of Mercy - I used to dislike this one. The more I watch it, the more I like it now. Still, the B-story with Londo showing Lennier "his B5" is the best part. Still a crying shame that Lockhart and Mumy never shared a scene...

You could say the A story was exploring capital punishment and its methods (Mindwipe being seen as maybe not so humane as people think, and the flip side with the alien healing machine created to heal and give life as a more positive result of it), but I kinda thought the 'real' reason for it was storyline... showing that you could create and implant a completely new and different personality and memories into someone sets up the Control personality thread.

SeaDevil wrote:

Chrysalis - "Nothing's the same anymore." The last line of dialogue in this seson finale couldn't be more true. Gripping finale which has everything. Mr. Morden and his associates, murder attempt, assassination, transformation, and a marriage proposal. Nothing will be the same anymore...

And wouldn't it have sucked if it didn't get a season 2?

I always have mixed emotions transitioning from 1 to 2. I love Sheridan, but miss Sinclair.

Was a shame that you find out he lost Catherine at the end of To Dream in the City of Sorrows, but the implication at the end of In Valen's Name is that he found her in the past, so it actually worked out in the end for those two.

A Race Through Dark Places

Those pesky Psi Cops are at it again. Just have to have their political agendas and the best made teep babies possible.

Bytes from A Race Through Dark Places-

"We are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, busting our butts for Earth, and now they want to charge us (rent) for an extra five feet?"
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*** And so it begins... Delenn and John's first date ***
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"The Corps got started because we were afraid of telepaths. Now they're victims of our own fears. We took away every right they had and shoved them into a big black box called Psi Corps. Now look at them. Black uniforms, jackboots, giving orders.... some days, they scare the hades out of me."

"Yeah. If you ask me, we created our own monster. And maybe we deserve it."
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"It appears my choice was successful. The woman who sold me this told me that I would definitely 'turn heads'."

"Yeah. Well, if they turned much further, you'd be sued for whiplash."
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"We do not have cats on Minbar. We have Gokks. I think such creatures are an attempt by the universe to make sure that we never take ourselves too seriously."
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"How many Minbari does it take to screw in a light bulb? None. They always surrender right before they finish the job, and they never tell you why.

Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Kosh,"

"Kosh who?"

"Gesundheit!"

"Were you like this when you were married?"

"Yeah."

"The woman was a saint."
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"I'm deducting 60 credits a week from the budget set aside to maintain combat readiness and applying it against the rent."

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that I'm not ready to fight anybody until I've had a decent night's sleep in my own darn bed."
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*** And for those out there that might not know... Walter Koenig's wife is the Psi Cop with him during the Mars interrogation ***

Just finished:
"And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place"

The contrast of the Church choir singing the song and the Narn's revenge on Lord Refa is very intense.

Shadow Dancing

Z-minus 10 days....and counting. Great Ivanova and Marcus moments. His love is growing. But the last few minutes.....WOW!

Ronpur wrote:

Just finished:
"And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place"

The contrast of the Church choir singing the song and the Narn's revenge on Lord Refa is very intense.

Much love for the Narn Bat Squad

The Coming of Shadows

Our season title episode, and eventual Hugo award winner (which was a huge thing in those days before they split the Best Dramatic Presentation up into short and long form... rare for a tv show to win against movies).

Bytes from The Coming of Shadows-

"Yes, the Emperor is allowed to come about. If this bothers you, I suggest you stay in your quarters and stick your fingers in your ears and hum real loud until it's over. Unless you want to try something as breathtakingly rational as trying to open up a dialogue."
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"You seem interested in why people chose to be here."

"It has occurred to me recently that I have never chosen anything.I was born into a role that was prepared for me. I did everything I was asked to do because it never occurred to me to choose otherwise."

*** Gotta love it. The theme of personal choice is a biggie thru the series ***
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"A message you must give for me."

"Well, if it's important, perhaps one of your people should deliver it."

"If I did that, the message might never be delivered."
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"Our competitors are moving into position, setting themselves up to ascend the throne the moment he dies. Before that happens, we have to rise above the others. We must do something extraordinary. Something unparalleled."

"He said, 'Just pick a target.'..."
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"Londo, don't do this!

"I have no choice!"

"Yes you do! Londo, please, I know you don't listen to me, but I'm asking you just this one time, don't do this! There's no turning back one you start down that road. "

"Do I have to go find him (Morden) myself?"

"No, no, I'll go. I'll go and bring him back. And someday, I'm going to remind you of this conversation."
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"I was ready. I had prepared myself. I had made my peace with the universe, put all my affairs in order. I had the dagger in my hand! And he has the indecency to start dying on his own. Never in my life have I seen a worse case of timing."
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"He wanted to say he's sorry. He came all the way out here, risked his health and endangered his life so that he could stand beside a Narn in neutral territory and apologize- for all the the things the Centauri did to your people, for all the things his family did. He said: we were wrong. The hatred between our people can never end until someone is willing to say 'I'm sorry.' and try and find a way to make things right again.

Said it was the only choice he ever made in his life."
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"I was sent to find you. I have a message. I believe it will explain everything"

"Play."

"Hello old friend, it's been a while..."
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"Stay close to the Vorlon, and watch out for shadows. They move... when you're not looking at them."

*** Easily one of my top fav lines from the series ***
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"Sheridan's rule #29- Always make your opponent think you know more than you really know."
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"What did he say?"

"He said, 'Continue. Take my people back to the stars."
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"Mollari. What did he say, really?"

"He said that we are both damned."

"Well. It's a small price to pay for immortality."
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"For a hundred years, the Centauri occupied our world. Devastated it. We swore we would never let that happen again. This attack on our largest civilian colony has inflicted terrible damage and loss of life. They have crossed a line we cannot allow them to cross.

As a result, two hours ago my government officially declared war against the Centauri Republic. Our hope for peace is over. We are now at war."
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"... leaving the Emperor's nephew to claim the throne. A young man who feels as we do about the future."

*** Refa, you have NO IDEA what that young man feels... ***
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The line about staying close to the Vorlon has so much depth. You think he's saying to stay close because Kosh and the Vorlons seem to oppose the Shadows... then you find out later its a warning when Ulkesh hits the station and what the Vorlons are really like... then if you read To Dream in the City of Sorrows, you find out what inspired Jeff to say it that way, because Ulkesh was the Vorlon Ambassador to Minbar when Jeff was sent there.

GROPOS

Much love for Large... Sgt Major Plug... , and this is the only ep that I really didn't mind Keffer being stuck in there.

Love for Dodger, too!

Bytes from Gropos-

"I love this time of night."

"It's always night in deep space. And time is a meaningless concept."
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*** and I just love how when Gen. Franlklin tells the staff - at ease- Sheridan and Ivanova go to modified parade rest, and Garibaldi slouches and puts his hands in his pockets ***
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"I had an Alfredo Garibaldi serving under my command during the Dilgar Invasion. Excellent soldier."

"That was my dad."

"So much for genetics."
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"You should be intelligent enough to let someone else tell you what to do."
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"Tell me something, Captain. When you destroyed the Black Star, did you feel like a murderer?"

"That's not an easy question to answer. I suppose the Minbari consider me one."

"But the Minbari are not your own flesh and blood."

"There's only one truth about war. People die. Killing is part of a soldier's job. We can't deny it. We can only live with it and hope the reasons for doing it are justified."
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"General, your son is one of the finest doctors I have ever served with. Why, he will bend or break every rule there is if there is a life to be saved or pain to be soothed. And he's a holy terror when his principles are challenged."

"Good. The man who won't stand up for his own principles is not really a man at all."

*** Makes me miss Richard ***
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"It's quite impressive. Pulse cannons. Interceptors. Mine launchers. And a tracking system three times faster than our old one. The general wasn't kidding when he said we could take on a warship."

""Let's just hope we don't have to test that."

*** Sheridan, you have NO idea... ***
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Again, much love for Large. It wasn't until rewatching Dawn of the Dead years later that I realized he was Roger

All Alone in the Night

TaLon's first episode

And always good to see the Agammemnon again.

Always loved the Omega class, even if they did 'borrow' the design from the Leonov in 2010

The Omegas are awesome. Wish the Warp model kit was not so expensive!!

Bytes from All Alone in the Night-

"You're full of it. The Dodgers will never make it to the World Series. They'll be lucky to make it to the playoffs without embarrassing themselves."

"Your diagnosis, Doctor?"

"Well, the patient is confused, delusional, unable to separate his natural sense of loyalty for his home team from the reality that they stink. And only got into the playoffs on a technicality."

"The Mars team hit more home runs than any other team on the books."

"Only because Martian gravity is 40% less than Earth normal. The ball travels faster and further, skewing the results. Now once they hit Earth gravity, Helen Keller could bat better than any one of them!"
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"You say prophecy tells us a great war is coming. Shouldn't the warrior caste lead against it?"

"The warrior caste cannot be allowed to set policy!"

*** was just thinking about how this ep is when we see the start of the downfall of the Minbari leadership and Gray Council. Thought a little bit down the road, and was neat to put things in perspective. Looking at all the major B5 alien races-

Vorlons- go to war against the Shadows
Minbari- end up in a civil war
Centaruri- go to war against the Narns, then later everyone
Narns- go to war against the Centauri
Humans- end up in a civil war
Non-Aligned Worlds- end up fighting each other, then the Centauri

Lots of love going on in the span of 5 years ***
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"Do you know who I am?"

"The man in between is searching for you."

"You are the hand."

"Why are you here?"

"We were never away. For the first time, you mind is quiet enough to hear me."

"Why am I here?"

"You have always been here."

*** I actually love this dream/ foreshadow sequence even more than Londo's. So great they are dropping things that happen 1-2 years down the line, even just with the imagery and outfits ***
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*** I've always loved how the Agamemnon comes out of the jump point firing. That was a pretty fast target lock on the Streib ship. ***
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"Santiago understood the importance of Babylon 5. He knew that if anything happened to him, President Clark would appoint some hard nosed jarhead to run this place. We both know you're not that. But from your record, you look like that."
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"A soldier's record tells a lot about a person. Nto just what he's done, but how he's done it. And why. You have an uncommon failing for someone in your position, Captain. You're a patriot. You believe that when we put on this uniform, we took a solemn vow to protect Earth against threats from outside and within."
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"I'm in."

"Ditto."

"Hey, I never did know when to butt out. We're with you, Captain. Wherever this goes, however it ends, we're with you."

*** And so the conspiracy of light on B5 begins... ***
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Acts of Sacrifice

GKar's is serious, Ivanova on the other hand...

I gotta say, this thread is making me seriously want to watch the series again. Haven't seen it since the first run on TV.