That is the central theme of Londo's Faustian arc: The more power he got the less control he had over things, everseeing the future, not able to change it. He is a very tragic figure.
@@matthewteague623 He also had no good reason to disclose his ambitions to Morden. Bad reasons, such as impatience and arrogance, but not good reasons. He wanted to Make Centauri Great Again. Obvious parallel is obvious.
The brilliance of this scene is most apparent when compared to Morden talking to G'Kar. G'Kar talks about much of the same, wanting a rebirth, wanting to take by military force, wanting to wage war but his is driven by vengence. When he has his hypothetical vengence and Morden asks him "and then what do you want?", G'Kar does not know and after reflecting says he is not sure it matters. Morden realises there and then that he is not that useful as a sustained puppet as G'Kar could be satiated by blood. However Mollari is looking for an unobtainable dream. To rebuild a Centauri Empire based on delusions of the past where they can go on forever, conquering territory for no other purpose than the "glory" of the republic. Also G'Kar is the same person now as he would be through getting what he wants, angry, resentful, vengeful. There is no psychology change to manipulate. Londo has become a bureaucrat, a pen pusher which he despises himself for being and wants to become again the dashing swordsman of his youth. Much more scope to mould into an agent of chaos.
'Mollari is looking for an unobtainable dream. To rebuild a Centauri Empire based on delusions of the past where they can go on forever, conquering territory for no other purpose than the "glory" of the republic' -- yet when Refa starts doing exactly that, Mollari tries to stop him. By then, of course, it's too late, though it takes even longer for Londo to realize this.
@@glowing571 "Refa, listen to me - My 'Associates' are beginning to worry me." - and Londo said that before Morden even started trying to deal directly with Refa.
Another point: Morden had enough contacts in Narn and Mimbar to get their ambassadors to take a meeting with him. (Morden explains it to Gkar when asked) With the Centauri he either had none or it was so low a minor beauracrat like Londo could ignore it. Londo only got the job on B5 because nobody wanted it. Morden had to corner Londo to get it.
I just realized that Londo was so busy dreaming of past glories he was blind to the glory that is or what could be. The Centauri, Londo believed B5 was a backwater post of no importance far from centauri prime. Everyone else saw the possibility. Delenn knew what B4 was and what B5 could be. Even after she was offered the leadership of the Grey council she didnt care B5 was more important. Gkar saw B5 as key to developing alliances a hegemony with the league of non-aligned worlds against the Hegemony. Kosh well there was a Vorlon in B5. Its a lesson we should all learn
@@edthejester Ah! But in the process, Londo discovered that it cost him more than he had really been willing to pay... and that it wasn't really what he wanted after all.
I would also add: "When I look at you I can see a hand reaching for the stars. The hand is yours, and there are voices... Thousands of voices calling up your name." "My followers?" "Your victims."
I remember watching the pilot episode way way way back when and was a bit perplexed that such a minor pointless character was given the role of the opening monologue. Makes a lot more sense now, fascinating to see it unfold.
Not universal genocide. The Shadows don't want genocide, they just consider it a useful tool. What they want is evolution, for the races of the galaxy to advance and become strong, even if that means that some of them have to be plowed under.
@@weldonwin Problem is they do not know when to stop anymore. Delen had a point in final confrontation, it did not matter whether Shadows or Vorlons won, in thousand years they would do it all again.
@@Matej_Sojka Delenn had no point at all. That's like asking when does evolution stop? Never. It always moves and changes. That's why the wars happened every 1000 years or so. It is a process that is not supposed to have an end. It is endless. You can't grow just once and call it a day. You have to grow continually if you want progress.
I do not think they were always with him. Remember that he encountered kosh two times iirc before kosh was killed and I think the vorlons could see the shadows.
@@mattep74 That Kosh didn´t start a fight to the death doesn´t mean Morden was alone, especially on B5...and Kosh´s suit got damaged, so they did have a heated discussion over the case as it seems.
@@NoNameAtAll2 I kinda believe that is what Sheridan ultimately was going for with his path and maybe what Kosh actually prepared him for. To move beyond either the Shadows or the Vorlons. Now that I am thinking about it, maybe Kosh knew all along that the only way to get forward was for the younger races to find their own path, their own "question". And one could be, "Where do you want to go?". And I guess both the Shadows and Vorlons, feared that question. At the end of Season 4, this became in my opinion outright obvious.
*May you live in interesting times and come to the attention of people in power. And may you get all that you deserve and more.* Never did a single character embody and suffer from that ancient curse more than Londo Mollari.
@@jonreese7066 I remember watching that episode _when it first aired._ And I was also participating in the B5 usenet-newsgroup [1980s-early-1990s era forum]. The fans collectively metaphorically sh1t themselves after watching that episode. And even that initial scene with Vir had people cheering while simultaneously making their hair stand on end.
If Londo had been just a bit more dismissive of this random human nuisance, if he hadn't been exasperated into giving a grand rant to this total stranger, the entire series might have swung a different way.
Schools and colleges don't exist to teach you about life. They exist to teach you subject matter to facilitate your life. What you do with that is entirely up to you. Based on your comment (lack of understanding), it appears you may have failed at that.
@@robinstewart6510 It is not even possible to say something positive about a 30 year old scifi show that really kicked ass at its time without being judged and belittled. Statements like yours make me think maybee you might be the one lacking in education since you are still defending a profound misunderstanding of what school was for centuries and what it should even be today. Greetings from an non-native speaker from austra.
@@robinstewart6510 Viel interessanter ist die Frage, warum man einen 2 Jahre alten Post kommentiert, bei dem jemand keine allgemeine Aussage trifft sondern von der eigenen Lebensgeschichte ausgeht, nur um der Person zu sagen, dass sie versagt haben.
It is important to remember that up until this very scene, the Centauri at large and Mollari in particular were victims. It was G'Kar who was involved in the plot to assassinate Kosh. It were the Narn attacking Centauri colonies and capturing Londo's nephew. It were the Centauri giving in, surrendering, retreating in the face of aggression. G'Kar is the one who tries to ruin Londo's career through blackmail. While everyone else is falling over themselves trying to get the elixir of immortality, it's Mollari who goes 'Well, all is well that ends well' when the Vorlons blow up Deathwalker's ship. Time and time again, the crew has to bail out Mollari while G'Kar pressures him. Only once does Mollari get a bit of trolling through, that's it. It's the Narn who walk around in studded black leather armour while the Centauri show dignity, a civilian attitude. The one in a uniform is a drunkard, and Vir is a harmless civilian. t's the Narn who live in red twilight. Villain coded through and through. It even continues after this episode! It's still the Narn who instigate yet another conflict in the season finale, it's just that Mollari finally, for the first time, has the means to do something about it. But this was the first step towards a complete role reversal, to the point that many viewers flat-out forget that G'Kar started out as a villain in season one (to the point where Sakai is surprised that G'Kar would help her out. He's the bad guy, right?).
G'Kar and the Narn's aggression adds to the tragedy since the hawks in the Centauri Republic no doubt had their work made so much easier thanks to the Narn's aggression.
And this is the moment, when the Shadows chose not just Londo, but the whol Centauri people, because they had ambition. The Narn, were just obsessed with revenge on the Centauri and thats it, nothing else, no ambitions beyond that revenge. The Centauri couldn't care less about their war with the Narn, they just wanted to reclaim their greateness.
Still, the Shadows could have gone with the Narn... wanting revenge is, after all, wanting something. They went for the people with the greater ambition, but I wonder how the story would have unfolded if they had gone with the Narn, and with G'Kar occupying Londo's position.
@@Asehpe And then what? The Narn destroy the Centauri and then what? That is my point, the Cantauri want to rule the galaxy, to be great, to have all the other races bow before them as masters of the stars themselves. The Narn only want to hurt the people who hurt them first
weldonwin true but the Narn could have acquired a taste for power and conquest had the Shadows chosen them. The motivation to protect their people at all costs could quite easily have been warped by the shadows. I think G’Kar was Mordens second choice had Londo disappointed...
Londo was never truly an evil, nor entirely unscrupulous person. He had ambition, which is not always bad, and in truth wanted what was best for his people. But sometimes in so doing so, and being so dedicated to his cause, he forgot about consequences. The ends justifying the means, or not in this case. And while as a whole he could be a very good and conscientious person, he was too much of a coward to admit and maybe ask for help if it was possible. What makes him such a great character is that despite his faults, he can invoke your sympathy and understanding at times.
At this point in the series, however, he was still very much in a feud with G'kar and mired in petty crap. Once the Shadows started knocking over planets, he got a cold dose of reality and made some tough choices for the good of his people. Interestingly, if he had just blown Mordern off, Mollari wouldn't have been named Emperor, and he could have died happy. Destiny doesn't always like you, even when it has plans for you.
@@brilliantcut2488 the old emperror would be killed and his place then taken by Cartagia anyway, more likely the Shadows were behind this because, unlike Londo, Cartagia is just right type of person for them to work with. Cartagia agreeded on Shadow bases on Centauri Prime, not Londo; if not for Mollari's meddling, Centauri would've become true follower of the Shadows, never leaving Narn and taking more active role in the entire war. As I see the plot, Londo always ruled politics of his nation to ally with 'Light forces' (EA first, then B5, Minmbary, even Narn), even struggled with opponents of that view.
@@maxisaev568 Technically that is not true... while the role he play in those events can certainly replace by another and happen without him. That also means he can then play the part of thwarting those events. He is someone of considerable determination and agency. He is some how let his vice overwrite his virtue and choose poorly.
@@biocapsule7311 I disagree. Londo had many flaws and virtues. He used them both to thwart the Shadows and the Drakh. He was told by the technomage 'there was always going to be a conduit for the Shadows'. He used that information and everything he had to minimize the damage the Shadows were always going to inflict on the galaxy. Vir understood this, that's why he erected monuments to both Londo and G'kar. Londo eliminated Reefa, Cartagia and became a willing host for the Drakh.Only in doing so, Centauri Prime became ultimately free. Being a willing host, he even figured out how to outplay the Drakh (in a much more effective way than Gilthunder in the Seven Deadly Sins). He gave every major character the clues they needed in order to undo all the evil schemes. He's a much more believable Professor Snape in my opinion. He got dirty, he would have been the first to admit it, but he did it with every intention to suffer the worst of the consequences.
Now that went dark pretty quickly. From light-hearted comedy to downright intense drama-thriller in split seconds. Peter Jurassik is really a good actor.
👍 He was like if Eddie Haskell from the Leave It to Beaver TV show was grabbed by the Shadows in the 1960's and conditioned for a few hundred years to do their bidding? ;-)
Londo in many ways has been a "mirror" for me as I look back at inflection-point choices. Be careful pursuing all that you want; you might get it. B5 without doubt has been the best therapy :)
This was the moment when the whole series changed direction. This moment is where the Narn/Centari War really began. This is the moment, the first step, that made the Narn and later Centari home world....burn
No, this is not what ultimately caused the Centauri home world to burn. It is when Londo had Morden killed and his head mounted on a pike that Centauri Prime was destined for doom. Most people apparently don't realize that Morden was the man Londo was told to spare, not Sheridan as many seem to think. By the time Sheridan's life is on the chopping block, Centauri Prime's already been devastated with its cities constantly burning. As the last representative of the Shadows, Morden could have saved Centauri Prime and guided the Drakh towards a different path. If Londo had just overcome his grief and rage long enough to realize that it was better for his people to spare Morden, he could have avoided that dark fate and leading a reign of terror.
@@marckrieger3277 The ruin of Centauri Prime was foretold on an episode and Londo was told of 3 different events where he could change that future. One of them was "spare the man who is already dead." That was Morden, the man who could've kept the former underlings of the Shadows in check.
@@InfernosReaper Do you know the Name of the Episode? Also how was Morden already dead. He was full recovered After surviving the nukes. I am still like your Theory. Interesting how Morden could had changed the drak.
@@marckrieger3277 The prophecy is from season 3 episode 9 "Point Of No Return", when Lady Morella, widow if the former Centauri Emperor, tells him he has three chances to avoid the great fire at the end of his path, two others he had already missed. It's not the exact wording: #1) Save the eye that can't see. - I guess preventing G'Kar from loosing an eye #2) Don't kill the one who is already dead - probably Morden, less likely Sheridan #3) Surrender to his greatest fear, even if he knows that it will destroy him. If you are willing to spent some money and like a read, look for a copy of "Legions of Fire" by Peter David. It's a trilogy of books that continues the story of Babylon 5 to fill alot of the loose ends of the series, focussing on the Centauri from the moment Londo gets his keeper to the aftermath of his death.
Morden made an error in asking Delenn: “what do you want?” . He should have spoken to a representative(s) of the Warrior Caste, who would have been more receptive.
this is the moment of Londo's downfall he just doesn't know it yet. Londo is one of my favorite on the show and a tragic character. He was given the post as ambassador to get rid of him, a joke post if you will. He wanted power he wanted influence and he wanted to become emperor. Suddenly sometime after this he and mordin became friends or acquaintance's and started to use Mordin's allies which is another mistake. Suddenly everyone wanted to become Londo's friends to be part of his circle all because with the help of Mordin, Londo became the most influentual member of Centauri prime. Starting wars and getting away with it among others, but then Londo finally started having questions about Mordin and his allies and started having concerns. Londo tried to do the right thing of break away from Mordin and his allies but they wouldn't have any of it and shortly after Londo started using Mordin and his allies. Then in season 5 he got what he wanted to become emperor but NOT how he wanted to be emperor, he became nothing but a puppet emperor. As he says after becoming Emperor all the power he ever wanted but no choice, a slave to a master he has now a puppet.
Mr Ed Wasser...such a great Villian..so sinister....he and the shadows don't come at you head on..nor behind...they come from the sides. Londo Mollari gives a life lesson here..His speech, echos a lot of our lives that we live...we all want maybe better or simpler times...when we were on top of our game...Bravo to both actors and the Great J. Michael Straczynski! Long Live Babylon 5!
Uh, the point of question one is...there is no good answer. Its all about examining yourself and the labels you put upon yourself. You discover yourself not by finding an answer but by constantly re-asking the question. Watch "Comes the Inquisitor." As for "What do you want?" I feel its deeper meaning is...its okay to want things, but there will be a cost, and the only one who can pay that is you (even if the price is becoming the kind of person who can do the things needed to achieve your goal.) Note that during this ep, Morden asks a lot of people...but he goes for the one who doesn't have a fixed, attainable goal, but an ideal. Lorien's question of "why are you here?" is a lot deeper and the show dwells less upon it. I think its still dovetailed with the other two in that Sheridan does not ultimately return for the cause or for himself, but for Delenn. I read that as the idea that we define meaning not from ideals or destiny or ambition...but the people in our lives. "Where are you going?" Yeah, I don't have anything for that one. However, I feel that "Who do you serve?" and "who do you trust?" are actually the questions for the Mimbari and Humans respectively. After all, so much of Mimbari culture is based around service and obligation and humanity (in the show at least) is defined by its collaboration and paranoia. And yet, the Earth-centric arc is all about the line between governmental authority and personal morality and the Mimbar-based stories are just as much about betrayal and secrets as anything in the series. I feel this has to do with the duality of their species and that the questions are inexorably linked. Theoretically, you should trust those you serve (and if you can't trust them, you shouldn't serve them) and yet, if people have placed faith and responsibility in you, there is an obligation to use it wisely.
@@saberstrike000 Both "Who are you?" and "What do you want?" are fine questions - in moderation. You can lose yourself in the pursuit of the answer to either, though, and that's not really why you are here.
"Who *are* you?" "What do you *want* ?" "Why are you *here* ?" (big rock guy & Ivonova) I don't seem to remember the questions the other 1st races asked, but I do recall that each one had a question that they asked more than once - one that was taken as simple, but intended as profound.
Now i want a purple hat that says that with a black hair fan decoration in the center. White letters same as the red one. Feel free to steal this idea just make sure you tell me when you make the hat to link it here so i can order it from you if you do.
@Ghastly Grinner The problem is that 'no man is an island' and neither are nations. When you do things on the backs of others, it won't end well in the long run.
@Ghastly Grinner And which one is hated the longest? Which one has to pay the price longer? I know those answers too well. Not that it matters, the ruthless ones don't care how they are remembered, because they often think they will last forever.
An irony not often discussed is that, until this scene, the most Morden had been able to get from any Ambassador had been from G'Kar. G'Kar had said that he wanted to see the Centauri wiped out, but when asked if there was anything beyond that, he'd said no. Mollari's answer is a bit more wide in scope, but it makes one wonder what might have happened, had Londo just kept walking.
The shadows wouldnt help the narn since they really just don't want the centauri alive since they will attempt to enslave them again st any chance they get.
Maybe they move on to the Drazi next, or the Brakiri? It would be inconvenient and require much more work to get an interstellar conflict started, but it was still possible. Even after the Centauri sign on, the other races get approached. Heck, maybe they just leverage Earthforce harder to go warmongering.
A man late for an appointment is the most tragic thing of all. The universe literally trembles when time is disrespected in such fashion. What Londo wanted is quite reasonable and rational. He didn't know he was dealing with a nutjob.
Morden isn't a nutjob. He's completely sane. The problem is Londo never took the time to question whether Mordon's associates' objectives aligned with his. They definitely do not.
Anastasios Gkotzamanis+ Gaunter have more in common with the Third Space Race than the Shadows, Shadows are old and powerful, but not as old and powerful as the Third Space Race.
He got him to talk by calling him "Ambassador" at 0:52. For Mollari, his status as ambassador on a distant space station was a failure and an insult. Morden reminded Mollari of that, which is what finally provoked him.
The moment I saw Morden I pinned him as a Mephistopheles type. He asks you for what you want, but anything he helps you obtain comes at a terrible price. He shows that here since he was disappointed in G'Kar's desire. He was interested at first, until he saw G'Kar had an end goal in sight. Londo's desire was much loftier, the kind of ambition he was looking for.
Even heroes could turn to the dark side and become like the monsters he once fought against. Dedication and obsession with a good cause can push towards the extremes towards the dark side.
...and shortly thereafter, steel mills and other heavy industries that once made Pittsburgh great returned, although no one could quite figure out why. Almost unnoticed was the return of Raywell's hamburger joint, the best hamburgers ever made.
In Peter Davids B5 book trilogy "legions of fire" (written around the year 2000), there actually IS a centauri prime minister who uses that precice slogan 😂
If you can avoid it, don't answer the Vorlons when they ask "who are you?" either. The answer might or might not be comforting. Whether it's a good thing if the Vorlons like or dislike the answer you give? *UNINTELLIGIBLE WARBLING - "Yes."*
If You Think about It no way the questions themselves originate from the shadows or vorlons, its Lorian races with there- What do you want, Who are you and Where are you going.'....Over time both Vorlon and Shadows simply lost the very Core meaning of those questions....
The moment it goes South for Londo and the moment The Shadows found someone they could use.. When someone is full of Anger then someone will use it to their own ends Sound familiar? MCPGA! Make Centuri Prime Great Again!
Ah but being full of anger isn't enough. Morden went to G'Kar as well, remember, and found him to be, if anything, angrier than Londo. The difference was that all G'Kar wanted was to sink his teeth into the Centauris' collective throat. He just wanted revenge for its own sake, and gave no thought to what came after. Londo, on the other hand, wanted to make his people strong and feared again, and make the Centauri empire as vast and sprawling as it once was. That fit in with the Shadow's philosophy, which wasn't just about mindless destruction; it was about warfare and struggle being a crucible of sorts, that would burn away the weaker or the unfit races, and leave only the strongest to remain.
MAGA is about reviving America economical, nothing to do with conquering the stars and seeking revenge. Easier to compare it to the rise of Adolf or Napoleon as the show wasn’t around for MAGA
@@steadyjumper3547 ah, but with all good Sci-Fi, it remains timeless and fits with the time it is being watched. Even now. And I seem to recall, the US economy was doing ok in 2016.
0:26 I'm sorry but Morden enthusiastically following Mollari into the elevator is just hilarious. I suspect Ed Wasser has comedic chops that I haven't otherwise seen
Hah, as someones who`s country was turned into a shadow of itself, whos people lost two third of their home and turned into a joke from a moderately powerful kingdom, i can feel Londos frustration.
the constant travelling really helped sell the illusion that B5 was more than 3 rooms on a set somewhere, and that these people had jobs and things to do besides sitting around talking.
To things to note. When Morden asks his question, the response is usually highlighted with a darkening of the room. Not in the case with Londo. Morden is covered in light indicating that he is the "god" that the Centauri are looking for. One thing I think this episode missed on. A subtle clue if you would. The closing of the doors should have always been delayed. Because Morden always had two shadows with him. And they would have needed time to enter and exit the rooms and hallways too.
I loved when Morden asked Vir that question. "Just long enough to see your head on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that sometimes favors come with too high a price"...
Pivotal moment, to say the least. Londo and G'Kar are cut from the same cloth, but Londo's wounded pride and self-loathing make him easier to manipulate. Once Morden realized this, he knew that once he and the Shadows started doing "favors" for Londo he would be theirs for the taking.
Its interesting. Morden had enough clout to get a meeting with G'kar thru someone in the Narn homeworld. D'lenn either thru a contact or she was simply curious Molarri, morden either had no contact or the contact was so unimportant Londo, who was judged as unimportant could ignore him. The meeting was also kind of unexpected run in. If only Londo got to the casino or the elevator. The shadows might have move on. Its an example of meeting someone unexpectedly who alters the course of your life.
I could imagine an answer like this coming from a Russian or Englishman now more than a Frenchman. The former two nations were world superpowers within living memory, and resent not having that status any longer.
It recently occurred to me that Londo Mollari's problem was that he pined for things "as they were" or at least his idealized memory of how they were. It wasn't until after the First Ones had left that he began envisioning what could be, how he could lead by example. Sadly, by that point the damage had been done.
I love Mollari's initial deflection. If only he had continued. But. Then.. maybe Refa would've been the contact. And Londo would've never been able to save the Centauri by destroying the shadow base. His story is so tragic.. but he does save his people. They end up wounded, yes. But alive.
I wonder if the deflections were what spurred Morden to continue. In the tone of those deflections, he sensed the buried rage and frustration that he knew would serve the Shadows, thus he pushed Mollari hard enough that Mollari snapped and told the truth.
You know that the Shadows are immaterial, not just invisible, based on the fact that they wouldn't have fit in that elevator even if they could have somehow slipped inside without Londo noticing.
![Finesse2Tymes & Og Boo Dirty - Real Recognize Real [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3xb4bl5PWF8/mqdefault.jpg)
"There are 2 great tragedies in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it."
Mollari spends the next 3+ seasons getting everything he wanted and more... and regrets it for the rest of his life.
There is an old Chinese proverb. " be careful of what you wish for, you may just get it"!
"To be left alone" was a good answer. He should have stuck with it.
I mean, at that point in the series, Londo had no reason to realize what kind of Monkey Paw he was dealing with.
It's what I'd have said.
That is the central theme of Londo's Faustian arc: The more power he got the less control he had over things, everseeing the future, not able to change it. He is a very tragic figure.
@@matthewteague623 He also had no good reason to disclose his ambitions to Morden. Bad reasons, such as impatience and arrogance, but not good reasons.
He wanted to Make Centauri Great Again. Obvious parallel is obvious.
@@rileymclaughlin4831 This was made before 2016.
The brilliance of this scene is most apparent when compared to Morden talking to G'Kar. G'Kar talks about much of the same, wanting a rebirth, wanting to take by military force, wanting to wage war but his is driven by vengence. When he has his hypothetical vengence and Morden asks him "and then what do you want?", G'Kar does not know and after reflecting says he is not sure it matters. Morden realises there and then that he is not that useful as a sustained puppet as G'Kar could be satiated by blood. However Mollari is looking for an unobtainable dream. To rebuild a Centauri Empire based on delusions of the past where they can go on forever, conquering territory for no other purpose than the "glory" of the republic. Also G'Kar is the same person now as he would be through getting what he wants, angry, resentful, vengeful. There is no psychology change to manipulate. Londo has become a bureaucrat, a pen pusher which he despises himself for being and wants to become again the dashing swordsman of his youth. Much more scope to mould into an agent of chaos.
'Mollari is looking for an unobtainable dream. To rebuild a Centauri Empire based on delusions of the past where they can go on forever, conquering territory for no other purpose than the "glory" of the republic' -- yet when Refa starts doing exactly that, Mollari tries to stop him. By then, of course, it's too late, though it takes even longer for Londo to realize this.
@@glowing571 "Refa, listen to me - My 'Associates' are beginning to worry me." - and Londo said that before Morden even started trying to deal directly with Refa.
What eventually happens to Mr. Morden is very instructive. Always be careful in handling a tiger. They can turn without warning.
Another point: Morden had enough contacts in Narn and Mimbar to get their ambassadors to take a meeting with him. (Morden explains it to Gkar when asked)
With the Centauri he either had none or it was so low a minor beauracrat like Londo could ignore it. Londo only got the job on B5 because nobody wanted it.
Morden had to corner Londo to get it.
I just realized that Londo was so busy dreaming of past glories he was blind to the glory that is or what could be.
The Centauri, Londo believed B5 was a backwater post of no importance far from centauri prime.
Everyone else saw the possibility.
Delenn knew what B4 was and what B5 could be. Even after she was offered the leadership of the Grey council she didnt care B5 was more important.
Gkar saw B5 as key to developing alliances a hegemony with the league of non-aligned worlds against the Hegemony.
Kosh well there was a Vorlon in B5.
Its a lesson we should all learn
My favorite time with this question is when Morden asks Vir what he wants. And you know what, he eventually got it.
a good moment for Vir
Vir is the only one who gets exactly what he says he wants and is happy with it.
As did Londo. The Centauri empire WAS restored to it's former "glory", including the occupation of Narn.
@@edthejester Ah! But in the process, Londo discovered that it cost him more than he had really been willing to pay... and that it wasn't really what he wanted after all.
Everyone got what they wanted. Vir was the only one who was happy with the result
Maybe the most important moment in the series
C'mon, all he wants to do is make Centauri Prime great again.
A seemingly innocent, ordinary guy is the key to something more sinister.
I would also add: "When I look at you I can see a hand reaching for the stars. The hand is yours, and there are voices... Thousands of voices calling up your name."
"My followers?"
"Your victims."
lol!
I remember watching the pilot episode way way way back when and was a bit perplexed that such a minor pointless character was given the role of the opening monologue. Makes a lot more sense now, fascinating to see it unfold.
"That's what I was going to ask you!" So jovial a tone for someone planning universal genocide.
Be careful of those that play the fool...
Not universal genocide. The Shadows don't want genocide, they just consider it a useful tool. What they want is evolution, for the races of the galaxy to advance and become strong, even if that means that some of them have to be plowed under.
@@weldonwin ...well, except that that would mean that some races get plowed under. Perhaps Morden did not plan genocide, but he incited an attempt.
@@weldonwin Problem is they do not know when to stop anymore. Delen had a point in final confrontation, it did not matter whether Shadows or Vorlons won, in thousand years they would do it all again.
@@Matej_Sojka Delenn had no point at all. That's like asking when does evolution stop? Never. It always moves and changes. That's why the wars happened every 1000 years or so. It is a process that is not supposed to have an end. It is endless. You can't grow just once and call it a day. You have to grow continually if you want progress.
"He is never alone."
Think of being in an elevator with Morden...and two Shadows.
*_AIEEE!_*
I do not think they were always with him. Remember that he encountered kosh two times iirc before kosh was killed and I think the vorlons could see the shadows.
@@mattep74 That Kosh didn´t start a fight to the death doesn´t mean Morden was alone, especially on B5...and Kosh´s suit got damaged, so they did have a heated discussion over the case as it seems.
The moment where Londo started his downfall. He had no idea.
Morden: Yes...Yes I can work with that.
I find that halarious when you realise he is the one who told the captain he wasnt paying attention while walking through the halls of power.
Mordens creepy body guards were probably chattering with amusement when Londo gave them the answer they were looking for.
The one time Londo should have asked "who are you?"
To be fair, he already knew who he was.
A. Lunatic
playing as a pawn of vorlons is not a great fate either
I'd prefer him looking for a future and asking "where are you going?"
Instead he should have found fufilment and deeper meaning and asked him why are you here
@@NoNameAtAll2 I kinda believe that is what Sheridan ultimately was going for with his path and maybe what Kosh actually prepared him for. To move beyond either the Shadows or the Vorlons. Now that I am thinking about it, maybe Kosh knew all along that the only way to get forward was for the younger races to find their own path, their own "question". And one could be, "Where do you want to go?". And I guess both the Shadows and Vorlons, feared that question. At the end of Season 4, this became in my opinion outright obvious.
Quo vadis is also a famous phrase
*May you live in interesting times and come to the attention of people in power. And may you get all that you deserve and more.*
Never did a single character embody and suffer from that ancient curse more than Londo Mollari.
Londo turning around to answer this question is a pivotal moment in Babylon 5.
Londo: "what do you want?"
"tell me a story"
Londo: "he did far better with that question than i ever did"
Ziggy McDougal oh I dont know Vir did quite well when Morden asked him.
@@jonreese7066 I remember watching that episode _when it first aired._ And I was also participating in the B5 usenet-newsgroup [1980s-early-1990s era forum]. The fans collectively metaphorically sh1t themselves after watching that episode. And even that initial scene with Vir had people cheering while simultaneously making their hair stand on end.
And that outburst sealed Mollari's fate.
What do you want ambassador Kosh? - Never ask this question.
Who are you Mister Morden? - Also never ask this question
@@weldonwin
Sheridan asked that question to justin, he just doged the question.
@@marckrieger3277 We're with them.
@@Elthenar Same organization, different department...
Undoubtedly the most important, pivotal scene / conversation of the entire television series. A real fork in the road moment.
If Londo had been just a bit more dismissive of this random human nuisance, if he hadn't been exasperated into giving a grand rant to this total stranger, the entire series might have swung a different way.
One of the best examples of the admonition to "be careful what you wish for".
This show taught me more about life than school or college ever did
Me to...
Schools and colleges don't exist to teach you about life. They exist to teach you subject matter to facilitate your life. What you do with that is entirely up to you. Based on your comment (lack of understanding), it appears you may have failed at that.
@@robinstewart6510 It is not even possible to say something positive about a 30 year old scifi show that really kicked ass at its time without being judged and belittled. Statements like yours make me think maybee you might be the one lacking in education since you are still defending a profound misunderstanding of what school was for centuries and what it should even be today. Greetings from an non-native speaker from austra.
@@derleguan3472 .. Und deine Aussage deutet darauf hin, dass du meine nicht verstanden hast.
@@robinstewart6510 Viel interessanter ist die Frage, warum man einen 2 Jahre alten Post kommentiert, bei dem jemand keine allgemeine Aussage trifft sondern von der eigenen Lebensgeschichte ausgeht, nur um der Person zu sagen, dass sie versagt haben.
"Beware the man who smiles, and doubly so of the man who flashes his teeth." I can't recall who said that, but it does seem appropriate here.
Which is why Russians do not smile in front of strangers.
It sounds like a Russian proverb ("Never trust a crying woman and a smiling man, both are very dangerous.")
It is important to remember that up until this very scene, the Centauri at large and Mollari in particular were victims. It was G'Kar who was involved in the plot to assassinate Kosh. It were the Narn attacking Centauri colonies and capturing Londo's nephew. It were the Centauri giving in, surrendering, retreating in the face of aggression. G'Kar is the one who tries to ruin Londo's career through blackmail. While everyone else is falling over themselves trying to get the elixir of immortality, it's Mollari who goes 'Well, all is well that ends well' when the Vorlons blow up Deathwalker's ship.
Time and time again, the crew has to bail out Mollari while G'Kar pressures him. Only once does Mollari get a bit of trolling through, that's it.
It's the Narn who walk around in studded black leather armour while the Centauri show dignity, a civilian attitude. The one in a uniform is a drunkard, and Vir is a harmless civilian.
t's the Narn who live in red twilight. Villain coded through and through.
It even continues after this episode! It's still the Narn who instigate yet another conflict in the season finale, it's just that Mollari finally, for the first time, has the means to do something about it.
But this was the first step towards a complete role reversal, to the point that many viewers flat-out forget that G'Kar started out as a villain in season one (to the point where Sakai is surprised that G'Kar would help her out. He's the bad guy, right?).
G'Kar and the Narn's aggression adds to the tragedy since the hawks in the Centauri Republic no doubt had their work made so much easier thanks to the Narn's aggression.
This was the 'crossroads scene' for the entire series. Morden got the reaction he was looking for.
And this is the moment, when the Shadows chose not just Londo, but the whol Centauri people, because they had ambition. The Narn, were just obsessed with revenge on the Centauri and thats it, nothing else, no ambitions beyond that revenge. The Centauri couldn't care less about their war with the Narn, they just wanted to reclaim their greateness.
Oh they cared about the narn, the want to put them in theire Place so bad. But they won't stop here.
Still, the Shadows could have gone with the Narn... wanting revenge is, after all, wanting something. They went for the people with the greater ambition, but I wonder how the story would have unfolded if they had gone with the Narn, and with G'Kar occupying Londo's position.
@@Asehpe And then what? The Narn destroy the Centauri and then what? That is my point, the Cantauri want to rule the galaxy, to be great, to have all the other races bow before them as masters of the stars themselves. The Narn only want to hurt the people who hurt them first
weldonwin true but the Narn could have acquired a taste for power and conquest had the Shadows chosen them. The motivation to protect their people at all costs could quite easily have been warped by the shadows. I think G’Kar was Mordens second choice had Londo disappointed...
@@Asehpe G’Kar probably would have come clean about his involvement ent with the shadows as soon as he knew what they were really up to.
Running through life like a man, late for an appointment - that is how I feel myself most of the times. and it is NOT fun.
The moment the elevator asked „destination?“ and Morden stepped into the elevator- that’s epic writing
Going down down down 😆
Mr. Morden thinking. "Jackpot!!!" :)
Londo was never truly an evil, nor entirely unscrupulous person. He had ambition, which is not always bad, and in truth wanted what was best for his people. But sometimes in so doing so, and being so dedicated to his cause, he forgot about consequences. The ends justifying the means, or not in this case. And while as a whole he could be a very good and conscientious person, he was too much of a coward to admit and maybe ask for help if it was possible. What makes him such a great character is that despite his faults, he can invoke your sympathy and understanding at times.
He didn't order any of the destruction. It was just a simple deep wish that was dug out. Londo is just a scapegoat for the writers.
At this point in the series, however, he was still very much in a feud with G'kar and mired in petty crap. Once the Shadows started knocking over planets, he got a cold dose of reality and made some tough choices for the good of his people.
Interestingly, if he had just blown Mordern off, Mollari wouldn't have been named Emperor, and he could have died happy.
Destiny doesn't always like you, even when it has plans for you.
@@brilliantcut2488 the old emperror would be killed and his place then taken by Cartagia anyway, more likely the Shadows were behind this because, unlike Londo, Cartagia is just right type of person for them to work with. Cartagia agreeded on Shadow bases on Centauri Prime, not Londo; if not for Mollari's meddling, Centauri would've become true follower of the Shadows, never leaving Narn and taking more active role in the entire war. As I see the plot, Londo always ruled politics of his nation to ally with 'Light forces' (EA first, then B5, Minmbary, even Narn), even struggled with opponents of that view.
@@maxisaev568 Technically that is not true... while the role he play in those events can certainly replace by another and happen without him. That also means he can then play the part of thwarting those events. He is someone of considerable determination and agency. He is some how let his vice overwrite his virtue and choose poorly.
@@biocapsule7311 I disagree. Londo had many flaws and virtues. He used them both to thwart the Shadows and the Drakh. He was told by the technomage 'there was always going to be a conduit for the Shadows'. He used that information and everything he had to minimize the damage the Shadows were always going to inflict on the galaxy. Vir understood this, that's why he erected monuments to both Londo and G'kar. Londo eliminated Reefa, Cartagia and became a willing host for the Drakh.Only in doing so, Centauri Prime became ultimately free. Being a willing host, he even figured out how to outplay the Drakh (in a much more effective way than Gilthunder in the Seven Deadly Sins). He gave every major character the clues they needed in order to undo all the evil schemes. He's a much more believable Professor Snape in my opinion. He got dirty, he would have been the first to admit it, but he did it with every intention to suffer the worst of the consequences.
And then he made the mistake of asking Vir the same question.
Now that went dark pretty quickly. From light-hearted comedy to downright intense drama-thriller in split seconds. Peter Jurassik is really a good actor.
Vorlons: Who are you?
Shadows: What do you want?
Humans: What the fuck?
Drazi: Fuck you.
Humans: Zooty, zoot zoot!
Morden was simply the best bad guy ever.
👍 He was like if Eddie Haskell from the Leave It to Beaver TV show was grabbed by the Shadows in the 1960's and conditioned for a few hundred years to do their bidding? ;-)
Nah, that honor goes to Mr. Alfred Bester
@@justanotherlikeyou Oh Bester was trying to do what was right by his people and those he loved. Morden, he revelled in his power.
@Kampy187 oh thats a cute insight
He was basically the series' Mephistopheles.
Londo in many ways has been a "mirror" for me as I look back at inflection-point choices. Be careful pursuing all that you want; you might get it. B5 without doubt has been the best therapy :)
This was the moment when the whole series changed direction. This moment is where the Narn/Centari War really began. This is the moment, the first step, that made the Narn and later Centari home world....burn
No, this is not what ultimately caused the Centauri home world to burn. It is when Londo had Morden killed and his head mounted on a pike that Centauri Prime was destined for doom.
Most people apparently don't realize that Morden was the man Londo was told to spare, not Sheridan as many seem to think. By the time Sheridan's life is on the chopping block, Centauri Prime's already been devastated with its cities constantly burning.
As the last representative of the Shadows, Morden could have saved Centauri Prime and guided the Drakh towards a different path. If Londo had just overcome his grief and rage long enough to realize that it was better for his people to spare Morden, he could have avoided that dark fate and leading a reign of terror.
@@InfernosReaper
What do you mean with the man Londo was meant to spare?
@@marckrieger3277 The ruin of Centauri Prime was foretold on an episode and Londo was told of 3 different events where he could change that future.
One of them was "spare the man who is already dead." That was Morden, the man who could've kept the former underlings of the Shadows in check.
@@InfernosReaper
Do you know the Name of the Episode?
Also how was Morden already dead. He was full recovered After surviving the nukes.
I am still like your Theory. Interesting how Morden could had changed the drak.
@@marckrieger3277
The prophecy is from season 3 episode 9 "Point Of No Return", when Lady Morella, widow if the former Centauri Emperor, tells him he has three chances to avoid the great fire at the end of his path, two others he had already missed. It's not the exact wording:
#1) Save the eye that can't see. - I guess preventing G'Kar from loosing an eye
#2) Don't kill the one who is already dead - probably Morden, less likely Sheridan
#3) Surrender to his greatest fear, even if he knows that it will destroy him.
If you are willing to spent some money and like a read, look for a copy of "Legions of Fire" by Peter David. It's a trilogy of books that continues the story of Babylon 5 to fill alot of the loose ends of the series, focussing on the Centauri from the moment Londo gets his keeper to the aftermath of his death.
to think if molari had never answered that question he might not have bean controlled by a keeper and his home world might still be totally intact.
And at that very moment the galaxy trembled in fear as the fate of billions was sealed with a single, almost inconsequential sentence.
Morden made an error in asking Delenn: “what do you want?” . He should have spoken to a representative(s) of the Warrior Caste, who would have been more receptive.
The warrior cast don't rule though...
oh I see
Any time someone asks you What Do You Want, well there is price tag for your answer.
Even in the supermarket.
this is the moment of Londo's downfall he just doesn't know it yet. Londo is one of my favorite on the show and a tragic character. He was given the post as ambassador to get rid of him, a joke post if you will. He wanted power he wanted influence and he wanted to become emperor. Suddenly sometime after this he and mordin became friends or acquaintance's and started to use Mordin's allies which is another mistake. Suddenly everyone wanted to become Londo's friends to be part of his circle all because with the help of Mordin, Londo became the most influentual member of Centauri prime. Starting wars and getting away with it among others, but then Londo finally started having questions about Mordin and his allies and started having concerns. Londo tried to do the right thing of break away from Mordin and his allies but they wouldn't have any of it and shortly after Londo started using Mordin and his allies. Then in season 5 he got what he wanted to become emperor but NOT how he wanted to be emperor, he became nothing but a puppet emperor. As he says after becoming Emperor all the power he ever wanted but no choice, a slave to a master he has now a puppet.
The true tragedy is he made the ultimate sacrifice for his people in the end and no one will ever know it.
Mr Ed Wasser...such a great Villian..so sinister....he and the shadows don't come at you head on..nor behind...they come from the sides. Londo Mollari gives a life lesson here..His speech, echos a lot of our lives that we live...we all want maybe better or simpler times...when we were on top of our game...Bravo to both actors and the Great J. Michael Straczynski! Long Live Babylon 5!
The Devil offers everything for the IMMORTAL SOUL...
And Londo had a soul of a major angelic entity according to that one episode where his soul was so disgusted by his actions it nearly killed him.
Be careful what you wish for.
Who are you?
What do you want?
Where are you going?
Why are you here?
Most people never even figure out the answer to question 1.
It's easy to find something worth dying for. Do you have anything worth living for?
Uh, the point of question one is...there is no good answer. Its all about examining yourself and the labels you put upon yourself. You discover yourself not by finding an answer but by constantly re-asking the question. Watch "Comes the Inquisitor."
As for "What do you want?" I feel its deeper meaning is...its okay to want things, but there will be a cost, and the only one who can pay that is you (even if the price is becoming the kind of person who can do the things needed to achieve your goal.) Note that during this ep, Morden asks a lot of people...but he goes for the one who doesn't have a fixed, attainable goal, but an ideal.
Lorien's question of "why are you here?" is a lot deeper and the show dwells less upon it. I think its still dovetailed with the other two in that Sheridan does not ultimately return for the cause or for himself, but for Delenn. I read that as the idea that we define meaning not from ideals or destiny or ambition...but the people in our lives.
"Where are you going?" Yeah, I don't have anything for that one. However, I feel that "Who do you serve?" and "who do you trust?" are actually the questions for the Mimbari and Humans respectively. After all, so much of Mimbari culture is based around service and obligation and humanity (in the show at least) is defined by its collaboration and paranoia. And yet, the Earth-centric arc is all about the line between governmental authority and personal morality and the Mimbar-based stories are just as much about betrayal and secrets as anything in the series. I feel this has to do with the duality of their species and that the questions are inexorably linked. Theoretically, you should trust those you serve (and if you can't trust them, you shouldn't serve them) and yet, if people have placed faith and responsibility in you, there is an obligation to use it wisely.
I myself thought the question "why do you persist" fits humans quite well
@@saberstrike000 Both "Who are you?" and "What do you want?" are fine questions - in moderation. You can lose yourself in the pursuit of the answer to either, though, and that's not really why you are here.
"God answers your prayers ... in the order in which they are received."
- Way of the Gun
"Who *are* you?"
"What do you *want* ?"
"Why are you *here* ?" (big rock guy & Ivonova)
I don't seem to remember the questions the other 1st races asked, but I do recall that each one had a question that they asked more than once - one that was taken as simple, but intended as profound.
Who do you serve?
Who do you trust?
@@stevetheduck1425 do you remember which races belonged to those?
To be fair. The shadows did give him everything he wanted.
But Vir is the one who truly got what he wanted
Morden's head on a pike.
Just not in the way he wanted it.
At a terrible price.
That's exactly the point.
Londo: Make Centauri Great Again
This sums up my possible worst fears
Build a space wall, make Narn pay for it
Now i want a purple hat that says that with a black hair fan decoration in the center. White letters same as the red one. Feel free to steal this idea just make sure you tell me when you make the hat to link it here so i can order it from you if you do.
@Ghastly Grinner The problem is that 'no man is an island' and neither are nations. When you do things on the backs of others, it won't end well in the long run.
@Ghastly Grinner And which one is hated the longest? Which one has to pay the price longer?
I know those answers too well.
Not that it matters, the ruthless ones don't care how they are remembered, because they often think they will last forever.
We all recognize how well the character of Londo Mollari is played, but let's recognized Wasser doing a solid job with Morden.
An irony not often discussed is that, until this scene, the most Morden had been able to get from any Ambassador had been from G'Kar. G'Kar had said that he wanted to see the Centauri wiped out, but when asked if there was anything beyond that, he'd said no.
Mollari's answer is a bit more wide in scope, but it makes one wonder what might have happened, had Londo just kept walking.
The shadows wouldnt help the narn since they really just don't want the centauri alive since they will attempt to enslave them again st any chance they get.
Maybe they move on to the Drazi next, or the Brakiri? It would be inconvenient and require much more work to get an interstellar conflict started, but it was still possible. Even after the Centauri sign on, the other races get approached. Heck, maybe they just leverage Earthforce harder to go warmongering.
I think he'd have looked for another Centauri bureaucrat or aristocrat, somewhere...
well said
A man late for an appointment is the most tragic thing of all. The universe literally trembles when time is disrespected in such fashion. What Londo wanted is quite reasonable and rational. He didn't know he was dealing with a nutjob.
Morden isn't a nutjob. He's completely sane. The problem is Londo never took the time to question whether Mordon's associates' objectives aligned with his. They definitely do not.
Gaunter O'Dim: it's not my fault the choose their wishes so poorly.
Anastasios Gkotzamanis+ Gaunter have more in common with the Third Space Race than the Shadows, Shadows are old and powerful, but not as old and powerful as the Third Space Race.
«Be careful with your wishes - they tend to come true»
(C)Bulgakov - Master and Margarita
He got him to talk by calling him "Ambassador" at 0:52. For Mollari, his status as ambassador on a distant space station was a failure and an insult. Morden reminded Mollari of that, which is what finally provoked him.
"what do you want"
"that's what i was going to ask you!"
never caught that before, you could almost hear how giddy Morden was when he heard that lmao.
The moment I saw Morden I pinned him as a Mephistopheles type. He asks you for what you want, but anything he helps you obtain comes at a terrible price. He shows that here since he was disappointed in G'Kar's desire. He was interested at first, until he saw G'Kar had an end goal in sight. Londo's desire was much loftier, the kind of ambition he was looking for.
You think he is some weirdo
Then you blow up the island
"We found the people we need...."
the fate of trillions decided in an elevator ride
Even heroes could turn to the dark side and become like the monsters he once fought against. Dedication and obsession with a good cause can push towards the extremes towards the dark side.
...and shortly thereafter, steel mills and other heavy industries that once made Pittsburgh great returned, although no one could quite figure out why.
Almost unnoticed was the return of Raywell's hamburger joint, the best hamburgers ever made.
"I WANT US TO BE WHAT WE USED TO BE." Make the Centauri great again ...
In Peter Davids B5 book trilogy "legions of fire" (written around the year 2000), there actually IS a centauri prime minister who uses that precice slogan 😂
@@matthiasamaderro6102 Great to know! After the Psi-Corp Trilogy I am looking forward to the other books.
Never answer when the Shadows or their agents ask what you want! YOU WILL GET IT -- and that is hardly ever a good thing!
If you can avoid it, don't answer the Vorlons when they ask "who are you?" either. The answer might or might not be comforting.
Whether it's a good thing if the Vorlons like or dislike the answer you give?
*UNINTELLIGIBLE WARBLING - "Yes."*
Everyone Morden asks the question to does actually get what they want; but only one person is happy when they get it...
+Michael Russel Vir, right?
Yeah, anytime someone odd asks you a question like it DO NOT ANSWER IT.
If You Think about It no way the questions themselves originate from the shadows or vorlons, its Lorian races with there- What do you want, Who are you and Where are you going.'....Over time both Vorlon and Shadows simply lost the very Core meaning of those questions....
The moment it goes South for Londo and the moment The Shadows found someone they could use.. When someone is full of Anger then someone will use it to their own ends
Sound familiar? MCPGA! Make Centuri Prime Great Again!
Thinking the same thing.
Ah but being full of anger isn't enough. Morden went to G'Kar as well, remember, and found him to be, if anything, angrier than Londo. The difference was that all G'Kar wanted was to sink his teeth into the Centauris' collective throat. He just wanted revenge for its own sake, and gave no thought to what came after. Londo, on the other hand, wanted to make his people strong and feared again, and make the Centauri empire as vast and sprawling as it once was. That fit in with the Shadow's philosophy, which wasn't just about mindless destruction; it was about warfare and struggle being a crucible of sorts, that would burn away the weaker or the unfit races, and leave only the strongest to remain.
MAGA is about reviving America economical, nothing to do with conquering the stars and seeking revenge. Easier to compare it to the rise of Adolf or Napoleon as the show wasn’t around for MAGA
@@steadyjumper3547 ah, but with all good Sci-Fi, it remains timeless and fits with the time it is being watched. Even now. And I seem to recall, the US economy was doing ok in 2016.
@@MadDragon-lb7qg I'm sure lots of wall street bankers did well and continue to do so. Normal americans? Go ask them.
0:26 I'm sorry but Morden enthusiastically following Mollari into the elevator is just hilarious. I suspect Ed Wasser has comedic chops that I haven't otherwise seen
Hah, as someones who`s country was turned into a shadow of itself, whos people lost two third of their home and turned into a joke from a moderately powerful kingdom, i can feel Londos frustration.
What country are you from.
@@jamescook5783 Hungary
@@_Muzolf Fitting, considering that Centari Republic is partily based on the the Austria-Hungarian empire
Old saying: Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.
"The tragedy of Londo Mollari"
When Mollari turned around to face Mr. Morden, I screamed at the screen, "STOP! NOT ANOTHER WORD! DON"T TELL HIM *ANYTHING!* "
"Little did Lando knew, this was beginning fo wacky summer and friendship for life".
"I'm afraid you're going to have to spend the rest of your life paying for your mistakes..." -the Technomage
I'd say the music makes it clear this is one of the "missed opportunities" Lady Morella tells him about later.
that`s one of the most important lessons for me. I always try not to say something, because afraid it would turn into a weird unexpected mess lol
we seem to be living out all this these days
The solution is to know who you are, not what you want.
You know, this is a gigantic station, but when someone wants to speak to someone else, he usually just runs into that person.
They had an appointment.
Because no one in the audience wants to watch the actors sitting in a waiting room somewhere, doing crossword puzzles.
@@kenle2 Would be epic just watch them walking around Babylon 5 for episode trying to find each other.
He was stalking him. Stalkers find their targets in big cities all the time. Not really a hard thing to believe.
the constant travelling really helped sell the illusion that B5 was more than 3 rooms on a set somewhere, and that these people had jobs and things to do besides sitting around talking.
To things to note. When Morden asks his question, the response is usually highlighted with a darkening of the room. Not in the case with Londo. Morden is covered in light indicating that he is the "god" that the Centauri are looking for.
One thing I think this episode missed on. A subtle clue if you would. The closing of the doors should have always been delayed. Because Morden always had two shadows with him. And they would have needed time to enter and exit the rooms and hallways too.
...or they went in first, and Morden delayed for the shadows to enter the lift first.
Morden was one of the most interesting and fascinating people in B5. He really helped make that show. He is like Satan in wish master.
London expresses an all too familiar theme.
"Make Centauri Great Again"
I like Vir’s answer. And Vir got what he wanted.
I loved when Morden asked Vir that question. "Just long enough to see your head on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that sometimes favors come with too high a price"...
This is the moment Londo Mollari became Heisenberg.
*What Do You Want?*
I want the people who knew me to think well of me after I'm gone.
I don't know who I am.
Get out of my light
Tell me who you are and what _you_ want.
What do you want? ...NEVER ASK THAT QUESTION!
Who are you? ...THAT'S REALLY NOT IMPORTANT!
The danger of confusing 'patriotism' and 'glory' can not be over stated.
The way the music suddenly shifts.
Londo had no idea what would transpire.
The moment when everything got f* up.
Pivotal moment, to say the least. Londo and G'Kar are cut from the same cloth, but Londo's wounded pride and self-loathing make him easier to manipulate. Once Morden realized this, he knew that once he and the Shadows started doing "favors" for Londo he would be theirs for the taking.
Coming to Amazon Prime in JUNE!!!!
The difference between a blessing and a curse:
Getting what you need as oppose to getting what you want..........
This is the one time Londo should have just walked away.
Holy crap he's a shadow
Its interesting. Morden had enough clout to get a meeting with
G'kar thru someone in the Narn homeworld.
D'lenn either thru a contact or she was simply curious
Molarri, morden either had no contact or the contact was so unimportant Londo, who was judged as unimportant could ignore him.
The meeting was also kind of unexpected run in. If only Londo got to the casino or the elevator. The shadows might have move on.
Its an example of meeting someone unexpectedly who alters the course of your life.
Aaah Londo, if you only had kept your mouth shut....
Every Frenchman since Napoleon has said that in his heart.
I could imagine an answer like this coming from a Russian or Englishman now more than a Frenchman. The former two nations were world superpowers within living memory, and resent not having that status any longer.
Be careful what you wish for, never had so much meaning here.
It recently occurred to me that Londo Mollari's problem was that he pined for things "as they were" or at least his idealized memory of how they were. It wasn't until after the First Ones had left that he began envisioning what could be, how he could lead by example. Sadly, by that point the damage had been done.
"The present confuses us, the future frightens us, and the past tempts us".
This is where Londo essentially sells his soul and dooms his entire people.
Whoa.
If he had just left it at wanting to be left alone? No keeper.
I love Mollari's initial deflection. If only he had continued. But. Then.. maybe Refa would've been the contact. And Londo would've never been able to save the Centauri by destroying the shadow base. His story is so tragic.. but he does save his people. They end up wounded, yes. But alive.
I wonder if the deflections were what spurred Morden to continue. In the tone of those deflections, he sensed the buried rage and frustration that he knew would serve the Shadows, thus he pushed Mollari hard enough that Mollari snapped and told the truth.
Anothar superb bit of dialogue; this show must have had remarkable script writars.
It was all written by J M Strasyzinksi.. The actors could vary the delivery but they had to say every word as written.
You know that the Shadows are immaterial, not just invisible, based on the fact that they wouldn't have fit in that elevator even if they could have somehow slipped inside without Londo noticing.
The best scene with "Mr Morden" is just seconds before and after an island on Centaur blows up.
I know how he feels. I want to go back to the 80s.