Friends, Fans, LJers, lend me your ears....

[selenak]

So, aficiniados of BtVS and Angel: you think Wesley's development from bumbling replacement Watcher to tragic noir antihero was great? You're into either Angel or Spike or both for either the redemptionista or evilista or both angle?

X-Men people: Into ambiguous characters capable of apalling deeds and heroic heights, are we?

Smallville folk: you think that whole thing with Lex and Clark as destined enemies is tragic?

Star Trek: DS9 fans: a good storyarc and consistent character development is your thing?


Meet Londo Mollari


Fellow Babylon 5 fans: I just posted the essay. And now I'm all jittery, because I didn't mention the wives and didn't explain about tentacle porn, and perhaps I should have said more about Vir, only hobsonphile did that already in her beautiful Vir essay, and...

Just read it and tell me what you think. Yes?

Comments

[un-crayon-rouge.livejournal.com]

Made me fall in love with Londo all over again. You. my friend, are wicked good!!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

There can never be enough Londo love.*g* Thank you!

[un-crayon-rouge.livejournal.com]

And oh the icon!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

That hug makes me sniffle every time. Of course, that one (see icon) makes as well.

[un-crayon-rouge.livejournal.com]

Ah yes. *sigh*

When when when will I get to watch S5??? Gah!

[dylant.livejournal.com]

BtVS, Angel, X-Men, DS9... See, this is why I know I'll fall crazy in love with B5 (and Londo) when I finally watch it (and I certainly will the next long stretch of time I get).

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I promise that you will, with both!

[kathyh]

Well, you know what I think *g*.

And now I'm all jittery, because I didn't mention the wives and didn't explain about tentacle porn

The wives and tentacle porn, while fun in fanfic, were really not mentioned all that often on the actual show. I thought you captured the *essence* of Londo in your essay, which is what mattered.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

That was what I was trying to do. (Well, that, and getting people to watch B5 if they haven't already, and/or read lots of Centauri fanfic.*g*) Thank you, oh fabulous one!

[janewt.livejournal.com]

*sighs over Londo*

To think that less than a year ago I had never seen an episode of Babylon 5.

Thank you!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You know, neither had andrastewhite. Prepare to write tentacly stuff any minute now.*g*

Re: Thank you!

[andraste]

Actually, a year ago you were trying to convince me to buy Season Three *g*. I got it at the Boxing Day sales, and watched Dust to Dust around New Year. First fanfic - War Stories posted in the first week of January.

Re: Thank you!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Okay, but the space between me getting you interested in the show itself and your first tentacle porn fic would be one year or so... I think. (Bad with math.)

Re: Thank you!

[andraste]

Okay, but the space between me getting you interested in the show itself and your first tentacle porn fic would be one year or so... I think.

Roughly that, yes. When did you first post Truth or Dare to your lj?

[anonymous_sibyl]

That was wonderful. Just reading it made me want to watch B5 all over again.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Then my work is done.*g* Thank you.

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Well, as you (probably) know, I've never seen a B5 ep in my life, but this was fascinating all the same. The story arc sounds.. depressive, but since it's not called The Londo Mollari Show there's probably lots going on next to Londo's .. life?

This would be interesting to watch. If I had the time. And were in need of a new fandom.. however.. is this the fandom which has tentacle pr0n, right? hm...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

The story arc sounds.. depressive, but since it's not called The Londo Mollari Show there's probably lots going on next to Londo's .. life?

Oh, yes. Multiple storyarcs, interweaving; Londo's is one of them and arguable the heart of the saga - he's also the first person we hear in the pilot, and the narrator of the prequel tv movie In the Beginning, which isn't coincidence - but bear in mind he's not the leading man - that would be first a fellow named Jeffrey Sinclair and then one John Sheridan.

A great introduction to the show as a whole and the main characters & their arcs is here (http://www.livejournal.com/community/crack_van/526915.html). You'll notice there are some happy endings for people other than Londo.*g*

however.. is this the fandom which has tentacle pr0n, right? hm...

Yep. You see, the Centauri have six...

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Multiple storyarcs, interweaving; Londo's is one of them and arguable the heart of the saga - he's also the first person we hear in the pilot, and the narrator of the prequel tv movie In the Beginning, which isn't coincidence - but bear in mind he's not the leading man - that would be first a fellow named Jeffrey Sinclair and then one John Sheridan.

A great introduction to the show as a whole and the main characters & their arcs is here. You'll notice there are some happy endings for people other than Londo.*g*

Sounds like you're trying to get my into fandom alright *g*

I'll check if they broadcast it here. *crosses fingers*

Yep. You see, the Centauri have six...

Hm. Fascinating.. < / Spock> Real alien sex would be nice for a change - even all those ST characters are so.. human..

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Babylon 5: the tv show where we saw male genetalia repeatedly and the censors never ever noticed.*g*

(We see Londo's tentacles once because he uses one to cheat at poker, and another time we see the whole ensemble when he's in medlab and they have to revive him post haste, so his shirt has to be torn open.)

JMS (the Joss Whedon of B5) is rather good with giving each of his alien races a distinct cultural background, and physical differences, no matter how human they look. Or not, in the case of the Vorlons & Shadows.

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Babylon 5: the tv show where we saw male genetalia repeatedly and the censors never ever noticed.*g*

(We see Londo's tentacles once because he uses one to cheat at poker, and another time we see the whole ensemble when he's in medlab and they have to revive him post haste, so his shirt has to be torn open.)

*grin*

I just read some of [Unknown site tag]'s Londo/G'Kar stories, and it's hot even if you don't know the fandom. Incredible.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Assuming that "unknown tag" is andrastewhite, she's that kind of talented writer...

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

It is. I must have spelled it wrong. *sigh*

And yup, she is!

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

the Joss Whedon of B5

Hee. Or the Terry Nation of B5, to use a comparison that involves one of his predecessors.

giving each of his alien races a distinct cultural background, and physical differences, no matter how human they look

Alas that he succumbed to the whole "You humans are so special, unlike we aliens" thing every so often. That grated.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Terry Nation! Duh! Yes, of course. Although, wouldn't amalgan of Terry N. & Chris Boucher be even better?

Alas that he succumbed to the whole "You humans are so special, unlike we aliens" thing every so often. That grated.

Hm. I think Londo and G'Kar said once or twice that the humans are a bridge between people in season 4, but other than that? Delenn turning half-human was at least partly motivated by her guilt over the war, not because humans were the cream of the universe. Also, considering that the human-centric storylines on B5 involve a) Earth turning into a fascist, xenophobic dictatorship and b) Psi Corps (whereas apparently other races managed to integrate their telepaths better), I'd say the show treats humans and aliens pretty equal. The only one whose superiority and wisdom we're asked to believe in without question is the annoying Lorien (as un-human as they come as a First One), and he's thankfully only around for a few eps.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

I don't remember which episode it was, but in one of the S2 episodes I've just been watching Delenn gave a long speech about how humans were uniquely able to build communities, and if any other species had built something like B5 it would have been far more unambiguously their place.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Will read it tomorrow. Must be up in 6 hours to write 5 hours of mock exam.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You've got my sympathies. (For the mock exam, of course, not for reading my essay.*g*)

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

Must take a nap now, but I'll be back...

[illmantrim.livejournal.com]

you did a great job!!!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I tried.*g* Thank you.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

This is a wonderful synopsis/analysis of a fascinating, superbly realized character. I watched B5 when it was airing on TV, and was completely taken by the power of its story line, an arc over 5 years. I'm still amazed that JMS was able to get it done.
I've just started watching it again on DVD; I splurged a while back and bought the whole set. I'm up to midway through season 2 now, and beginning to see the start of Londo's slide into shadow. Your essay was very timely, for me. Well done, and thank you for sharing it with us!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I'm still amazed that JMS was able to get it done.

Me too. I mean, there have been arc-heavy show since, but not in that complexity and detail, and in the current climate, there are less and less of them. Back then, it was almost (almost because there had been mini arcs on other shows before, just not over years) unprecedented.

I've just started watching it again on DVD; I splurged a while back and bought the whole set.

It's a wonderful experience, watching them on DVD again. Enjoy.

[merrymaia.livejournal.com]

A wonderful essay. Thank you.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome.