Every single character that answers Morden when he asks "what do you want?" gets exactly what he asks for. Vir is the only one who liked what he got and didn't regret it.
A kind of deal with the devil. You get what you wanted, but you might still regret it. You could argue that this Vic request required a chain of events that Londo and Vic both would regret if they consider that deliberate actions from Shadows.
I have to admit, this one remembrance to the one line for so early in the show, to create a huge closed circle to the story of Morden , was a brilliant piece of writing.
@@walterengler5709 I'll admit, when the show first aired, I watched the first couple seasons only sporadically; only started seriously following it in S3 (maybe late S2). But I *can* claim that when this episode came along, _I did not _*_need_*_ the black&white flashback_ to "get" the callback.
I love how Londo doesn't really do any type 'monologing' with Morden, He just gives the order to leave and immediately BOOM when Morden said no. Then came the explanation. Fantastic stuff!
@@JK-Visions Given that Londo would probably rotate away as many Cartagia-time guards as possible, I like to think the same applies to the two characters in-universe.
When you think about it, imagine you're brought in to replace Cartagia's loyal guards and your first duty is to guard the entrance to the gardens which has a Shadow agent's head on a pike. First day and most likely wasn't what they signed up for.
@@steeltimberwolf Or if they are old guards, the head on a pike might underscore there’s a new ruler in town. I imagine you have to be pretty tight lipped to work as a palace guard on Centauri Prime.
@@whitemouse2460 I never even thought about that. Of course he wouldn’t want Cartagia guards. I would think Londo would have guards from House Molari step in. Ditto the food taster. I wonder if he ever replaced Cartagia’s poor fool when he became emperor.
A shame that it misses a key part of the "I had most of our people evacuated from Selene in the night. A skeleton crew remained to maintain the illusion. They knew what was being asked of them."
@@JK-Visions I think the different reactions Londo shows between when learning of Adira's death with an almost cynical 'meh' at the loss of a precious toy vs his humiliation fueled destruction of his quarters when he learned of how he was manipulated so easily was a huge insight into The Centauri culture.
@tallaster-g7s yeah he finally fell in love and that's what pushed him to the realization he was being played. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't have broke.
Wouldve been hilarious if thr Vorlons fired on Centauri Prime but specifically to blow up Morden's head and nothing else, with Vir watching and waving again
the cleaner the input, the cleaner the output. i only have iirc 480p dvd from the complete series. the quality is a bit all over the place in the original but the cleanup and upscale here is very well done.
In the Legions of Fire tie-in books, Vir actually lamented this moment was the death of his old self. For all Mr. Morden's evil, being beheaded was a truly hideous punishment. And there he was, revelling in it.
0:25 "Your *Associate,* Mr. Morden" *_*shiver*_* Completely separate from the direct import of what's happening here... note the significance the show has attached to that word. Morden, and thus the Shadows, are now _Londo's_ *"Associates".* 🤯
Unrelatedly, you may have seen the memes about the relationship between humans and cats -- are we their "owners", or their "servants"? / Are they our "pets", or our "masters"? I've discovered the correct way to characterize the relationship: my cats are "my associates".
But... realize what this means: *_Vir's wish was granted!_* With the way this show straddles the Sci-fi and Fantasy genres, we need to think of those "What do you want?" conversations in terms of "having Dealings with the Fae." Yes, on the surface Vir utterly rejected Morden. But... he _did_ make a wish! A not-entirely-Light-Sided one at that. And then... the thing he'd wished for *happened.* Exactly as he'd said it. His wish was granted. To the letter. So, is he really untainted after all? How much of a debt do the Shadows hold over him because of this?
Yeah. "But it was Londo who did it, not the Shadows." Sure, but isn't it a major plot element that Londo himself is "Shadow-touched", making them part of anything he does? And do we think the Shadows didn't have some say in allowing it to happen, if only by putting Morden in a position to be captured? _"It seems our Mr. Morden has outlived his usefulnessss... But our new prodigy Londo -- oh, how he _*_Wwantssss_*_ to get his hands on him. And what was it that that adorable child Vir said he _*_Wwantssss?_*_ Hmmmmm. Perhaps Mr. Morden _*_can_*_ still be of use to ussss, in one final way...."_
@@Nathaniel-r8l I've read that when lion cubs are "attacking" their parents, impotently but adorably clawing and biting at them, the parents will roar in "pain", *exaggeratedly,* _to _*_encourage_*_ them._ This wish -- the making and the fulfillment of it -- may be Vir's twin Crowning Moments of Awesome (ref. tvtropes). But aren't they also his most Shadow-y moments? (I mean, right up there with his Awesome Moment of Crowning, the look on his face when he finds Londo dead?) I picture the Shadows watching and, like Emperor Palpatine, saying "Good. Goooood..." Giving in to malicious urges, no matter how justified, is how the Shadows get their claws into you.
I am afraid not. I didnt find that part to be very amusing or interesting. Maybe i did a few like with the tragati but i wont go much deeper. You can always make it yourself;).
@darkillusion3526 Promoting fascism... Destroying democracycon a largely scale... Carpetbagging the foundations of government... Buying himself a government... The list goes on...
Every single character that answers Morden when he asks "what do you want?" gets exactly what he asks for. Vir is the only one who liked what he got and didn't regret it.
A kind of deal with the devil. You get what you wanted, but you might still regret it. You could argue that this Vic request required a chain of events that Londo and Vic both would regret if they consider that deliberate actions from Shadows.
I have to admit, this one remembrance to the one line for so early in the show, to create a huge closed circle to the story of Morden , was a brilliant piece of writing.
@@walterengler5709 I'll admit, when the show first aired, I watched the first couple seasons only sporadically; only started seriously following it in S3 (maybe late S2).
But I *can* claim that when this episode came along, _I did not _*_need_*_ the black&white flashback_ to "get" the callback.
It is one of Straczynski's greatest feats to pull such moves.
Only arc I hated not getting was Garibaldi spacing Bester.
That "AAAAAAHHHH Mister Morden" - gotta love that Venom in the voice :D
I think he actually sounded like the Star Wars emperor at one point.
@@JK-Visionsnot yet but soon he will.
The arc and honor of Vir is splendid, as are so many other details of Babylon 5.
Vir is a badass of rare mettle. His gift from Londo was well earned.
Vir freakin' assassinated the emperor. Boss level unlocked!
B5 was my favorite Sci-fi series.
The quiet and compassionate Vir had the strongest backbone of all them. When he decided that something needed to heard he told them with conviction.
In the end, he got the ultimate reward.
I love how Londo doesn't really do any type 'monologing' with Morden, He just gives the order to leave and immediately BOOM when Morden said no.
Then came the explanation. Fantastic stuff!
I did skip a little bit of dialogue but yes Londo was ruthless:)
_"You announce your attack _*_after_*_ you do it! Liiipstick taaazerrr!"_
Damn Morden must have been there so long his hair started to blend in with the natives.
Or it was because of the torching at zha'dum by Sheridan. But it look great:)
An academy award winning performance! Great acting!
Yes. The most underrated series out there.
But perhaps that is a thing because most rebooting nowadays are really bad.
The Guards' faces in the head scene are hilarious.
Yeah I noticed. Really funny actors. Perhaps they came in on last notice and we're thinking what the heck did we signed up for lol
@@JK-Visions Given that Londo would probably rotate away as many Cartagia-time guards as possible, I like to think the same applies to the two characters in-universe.
When you think about it, imagine you're brought in to replace Cartagia's loyal guards and your first duty is to guard the entrance to the gardens which has a Shadow agent's head on a pike. First day and most likely wasn't what they signed up for.
@@steeltimberwolf Or if they are old guards, the head on a pike might underscore there’s a new ruler in town. I imagine you have to be pretty tight lipped to work as a palace guard on Centauri Prime.
@@whitemouse2460 I never even thought about that. Of course he wouldn’t want Cartagia guards. I would think Londo would have guards from House Molari step in. Ditto the food taster. I wonder if he ever replaced Cartagia’s poor fool when he became emperor.
Vir was Londo's conscious, without Vir, there would have been no redemption of Londo.
This show and DS9 were two of thest 90's Scifi shows.
A shame that it misses a key part of the "I had most of our people evacuated from Selene in the night. A skeleton crew remained to maintain the illusion. They knew what was being asked of them."
That show was soooo darn good!
0:51 "He played me! He played me like a puppet! NO!!"
He did...o boy...
@@JK-Visions I think the different reactions Londo shows between when learning of Adira's death with an almost cynical 'meh' at the loss of a precious toy vs his humiliation fueled destruction of his quarters when he learned of how he was manipulated so easily was a huge insight into The Centauri culture.
@@raybeauvais296 Plus the realization that he was responsible for the death of the only person that he cared about.
@tallaster-g7s yeah he finally fell in love and that's what pushed him to the realization he was being played. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't have broke.
Londo always gives the best gifts.
3:05 Londo spent seasons 1 and 2 playing poker: never call his bluff!
Possibly Peters favorite moment as Londo, as I recall the man told me himself.
Especially the smashing up everything I heard. Do you recall?
@ No, the being like "click-BOOM"
And if you are playing poker with him and feel something moving under the table...
Wouldve been hilarious if thr Vorlons fired on Centauri Prime but specifically to blow up Morden's head and nothing else, with Vir watching and waving again
Yeah or they just came down and stole it lol
Unfortunately, the Vorlons don't have a sense of humor.
The problem is that Londo despite severing ties, still had their taint on him. Vir would have had to hand over both Londo and Morden's head.
Considering the method of execution the Centauri favour is vivisection Mr Morden's end would have been a painful bloody one.
the cleaner the input, the cleaner the output. i only have iirc 480p dvd from the complete series. the quality is a bit all over the place in the original but the cleanup and upscale here is very well done.
In the Legions of Fire tie-in books, Vir actually lamented this moment was the death of his old self. For all Mr. Morden's evil, being beheaded was a truly hideous punishment. And there he was, revelling in it.
He did say he wanted to "live just long enough to see. . ." that.
It is amazing that Londo got the better of the Shadows but not of the Drakh.
Vir took them down. And in the most epic way imaginable.
This is absolutely outstanding.
I am binge watching the entire series on Amazon now. One of the best sci-fi series ever made.
in every other day you will be wrong, noone expect that one.
Thank you. Great stuff !
Your welcome!
Loved Babylon 5 . Delenn and many others! Star trek but more!
Epic storytelling done right.
Man, how I miss good writing in science fiction.
Morden got what he deserved and Vir got his wish. Goodbye Mr Morden.😊👋🏼
Thanks for this. I must have missed the episode with the head cause I can't remember it. He got his wish after all.
Peter did an amazing job
Every time this is replayed, no one ever takes the time to show the look around and double take before he looks up in the garden. 😕
? I am not sure I understand what you mean.
0:25 "Your *Associate,* Mr. Morden" *_*shiver*_*
Completely separate from the direct import of what's happening here... note the significance the show has attached to that word. Morden, and thus the Shadows, are now _Londo's_ *"Associates".* 🤯
Unrelatedly, you may have seen the memes about the relationship between humans and cats -- are we their "owners", or their "servants"? / Are they our "pets", or our "masters"?
I've discovered the correct way to characterize the relationship: my cats are "my associates".
That's probably true. I like cats!
Morden, Mordred, Moria, Mordor. All have the Latin root "mors" meaning death.
But... realize what this means:
*_Vir's wish was granted!_*
With the way this show straddles the Sci-fi and Fantasy genres, we need to think of those "What do you want?" conversations in terms of "having Dealings with the Fae."
Yes, on the surface Vir utterly rejected Morden. But... he _did_ make a wish! A not-entirely-Light-Sided one at that.
And then... the thing he'd wished for *happened.* Exactly as he'd said it. His wish was granted. To the letter.
So, is he really untainted after all? How much of a debt do the Shadows hold over him because of this?
Yes. Londo’s gift to Vir
Yeah. "But it was Londo who did it, not the Shadows." Sure, but isn't it a major plot element that Londo himself is "Shadow-touched", making them part of anything he does? And do we think the Shadows didn't have some say in allowing it to happen, if only by putting Morden in a position to be captured?
_"It seems our Mr. Morden has outlived his usefulnessss... But our new prodigy Londo -- oh, how he _*_Wwantssss_*_ to get his hands on him. And what was it that that adorable child Vir said he _*_Wwantssss?_*_ Hmmmmm. Perhaps Mr. Morden _*_can_*_ still be of use to ussss, in one final way...."_
@@voidstarq They adore Vir for making that wish. Like a teeny kitty stretching its claws.
@@Nathaniel-r8l I've read that when lion cubs are "attacking" their parents, impotently but adorably clawing and biting at them, the parents will roar in "pain", *exaggeratedly,* _to _*_encourage_*_ them._
This wish -- the making and the fulfillment of it -- may be Vir's twin Crowning Moments of Awesome (ref. tvtropes). But aren't they also his most Shadow-y moments?
(I mean, right up there with his Awesome Moment of Crowning, the look on his face when he finds Londo dead?)
I picture the Shadows watching and, like Emperor Palpatine, saying "Good. Goooood..."
Giving in to malicious urges, no matter how justified, is how the Shadows get their claws into you.
Thank you. Can you upload videos and clips about the Minbari Civil War?
I am afraid not. I didnt find that part to be very amusing or interesting. Maybe i did a few like with the tragati but i wont go much deeper. You can always make it yourself;).
@@JK-Visionshated that part too. Waste of ressources, lives and ships.
😍😍😍
I must say that would like to use Vir's words on Elon Musk...
Yeah who know what deals he makes with the dark force on this planet.
been on my mind too
What did Musk do to get your disrespect? Besides voting for Trump.
@darkillusion3526 Promoting fascism... Destroying democracycon a largely scale... Carpetbagging the foundations of government... Buying himself a government... The list goes on...
@@darkillusion3526 Who are you asking for?
Definitely wasnt a clean cut.
No. It's too long otherwise.
Lando and Vir were the walking incarnations of kinda good and kinda bad. Kinda…