Thursday Thirteen 3 or 4

This is either my third or fourth Thursday Thirteen. I am not sure, so I will simply be vague. As most of my habitual readers know (and we know who you are... hello?), I am quite the fan of an increasingly obscure science fiction tv show called Babylon 5. It came out in the mid '90's and still has a strong fan base, but it is now being overwhelmed by newer shows that a) have been on so long that you have to mention them (Stargate and its derivatives... used to be Trek and its derivatives, but no more 'Enterprise') or b) just really good (Battlestar Galactica and the departed Farscape). Still, much of the plot cohesion you might see in these shows (BSG in particular) is a tribute to B5 and its writing, which to me, is still the best written sci fi show out there. And the show has had some great writers from J. Michael Straczynski, the series creator and main writer, to such fine guest writers as Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, DC Fontana, and Peter David. Because of such great writing, naturally, a lot of good quotations are the result... some philosophical, some funny, and other poignant. In any event, here are 13 of my favorite Babylon 5 quotations.

1) 'The avalanche has already begun. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.' -- Kosh. My all time favorite and one of those enigmatically cryptic ones that lets you know how powerless you can be sometimes to the gears of history.

2) 'We know... The true secrets, the important things. Fourteen words to make someone fall in love with you forever. Seven words to make them go without pain, or to say goodbye to a friend who is dying. How to be poor, how to be rich, how to rediscover dreams the world has stolen from you.' -- Elric. I mentioned this one a few posts ago regarding the also enigmatic Technomages. I think the quote says it all about what they are.

3) 'We're all born as molecules in the hearts of a billion stars, molecules that do not understand politics, policies and differences. In a billion years we, foolish molecules forget who we are and where we came from. Through desperate acts of ego, we give ourselves names, fight over lines on maps, and pretend our light is better than everyone else's. The flame reminds us of the piece of those stars that live inside us. A spark that tells us: you should know better. The flame also reminds us that life is precious, as each flame is unique. When it goes out, it's gone forever. And there will never be another quite like it.' --Delenn. Ok, this is more a monologue. It ties in well with my own philosophy of the universe and reads very well, though the acting was good too.

4) 'May gods stand between you and harm in all the empty places you must walk.' -- Ivanova. This was in reference to an old Egyptian blessing, and actually used in season 2 as well (this reference is from season 3). Though more of a deist these days, I like the way these words feel.

5) 'Only those, whose lives are brief can imagine that love .. is eternal. You should embrace that remarkable illusion. It may be the greatest gift your race has ever received.' -- Lorien. One of my favorite quotes about love, and who knew the wisdom of a sci fi tv show? :)

6) 'How is it all going to end?'
'In fire.' -- Kosh to Centauri Emperor Turhan. Even Kosh could see the writing on the wall, but Vorlons are supposed to know those things.

7) 'All my life, I've had doubts about who I am, where I belonged. Now, I'm like the arrow that springs from the bow. No hesitations, no doubts. The path is clear.' - Sinclair/Entil'Zha. I like to look at this one now and then to remind me to stay on the right path... I can understand completely on this one.

8) 'You do not understand... but you will.' -- Kosh to Sheridan. Again, Kosh at his cryptic best, though rather pointed, like a parent trying to get a kid see the forest for the trees and knows that it will all come in time... he hopes.

9) 'Now get the hell out of our galaxy!' -- Sheridan. Nothing like telling some First Ones that we don't need them anymore.

10) 'G'Quan wrote: 'There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future, or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.'" -- G'Kar (end of season 3 monologue). Ah, G'kar... from thug to diplomat to philosopher, his evolution is one of the great treats of watching the series from beginning to completion, and not the least to watch the acting of the late Andreas Katsulas as the Narn ambassador.

11) 'Why is that we always break up our history by the wars, not the years of peace?' -- Garibaldi. I always found this observation to be astute, and somewhat sad, but as as a student of history, and military history as well, I understand all too well.

12) 'Who are you? What do you want? Why are you here? Where are you going?' -- Lorien. The final piece of First One wisdom, this time, by The First One (um, First Ones are technologically superior beings with abilities that lesser beings, like us, would presume to be god-like in less enlightened days.). I've also written a series of essays on these questions... I will have to post them some time.

13) 'If you go to Z'Ha'Dum, you will die.' -- Kosh. No one ever listens to the Vorlon.

Well, that should do it and I hope I haven't confused most of my readers...

C.