The great questions of Babylon 5, which would you ask?

[Guest]

you also forgot Do you have any thing worth living for? (Lorien)
which would be the one i'd go for

[lastbesthope]

you also forgot Do you have any thing worth living for? (Lorien)
which would be the one i'd go for

I did when I made the poll but I do mention itt on the first page of the thread.

Nice try whoever you were, but I am THE ubergeek!!!

LBH
Making other geeks seem cool by comparison

[Dag'Nabbit]

I have figured out one thing though....

No one would be brave enough to ask Ivanova the 'fasten-zip' question. I for one would not volunteer for it.

[lastbesthope]

I have figured out one thing though....

No one would be brave enough to ask Ivanova the 'fasten-zip' question. I for one would not volunteer for it.

Too true Dag, too true!

I mean even Delenn and Marcus were scared to tell her her Minbari was at the very least, a little bit off. They even went so far as to prewarn the crew!

And the poor ISN reporter in "The Illusion of Truth"

Sheridan: "We have an open door policy here ."
Ivanova: "And an open airlock policy!"

LBH

The Corps is mother, the Corps is father . . .
but Ivanova is GOD!

[Dag'Nabbit]

I have figured out one thing though....

No one would be brave enough to ask Ivanova the 'fasten-zip' question. I for one would not volunteer for it.

Too true Dag, too true!

I mean even Delenn and Marcus were scared to tell her her Minbari was at the very least, a little bit off. They even went so far as to prewarn the crew!

And the poor ISN reporter in "The Illusion of Truth"

Sheridan: "We have an open door policy here ."
Ivanova: "And an open airlock policy!"

LBH

The Corps is mother, the Corps is father . . .
but Ivanova is GOD!

Actually, if I remember right, she is "...Death."

[CARTMAG]

no dag she did say she is God....... not death..... but God or Death.... Ivonva is the real reason the Station stayed on such an even keel.... she was the real runner of B5 NOT Sheradin or Sinclare.... they where the military governers yes.... but they had too much other crap to deal with then the day to day operations.... so in all intensive perposes... Ivonova was GOD..... and I also wouldnt want to ask Ivonva the fasten Zip question unless i had a good 100+ feet of steel and concrete between me and her

[lastbesthope]

Children, children . . . .

Dag, CARTMAG. We are all right. I knew about the Ivanova 'Death' reference (Which I explain fully later) but the God one is the one I came up with when I designed my own B5 T-shirt. Psi-Corps logo on the front, "The Corps is mother, the Corps is father . . . "
Back print, picture of Ivanova "...But Ivanova is GOD!!!!"

Cartmag, you're right in a sort of metaphysical sense. Ivanova controlled pretty much everything on Bab 5.

God reference, Season 1 "Voice In The Wilderness Part I":
Just after the survey shuttle's second trip down to Epsilon 3, having gone down into the atmosphere where the fighters can't protect them (against Ivanova's orders), being shot at and then doing a full burn to escape and be towed back by the 'Furies Ivanova says:
"Upon arrival you will report for debriefing. And just one more thing, on your trip back I'd like you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra: Ivanova is always right! I will listen to Ivanova! I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations! Ivanova is God! And, if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out! (Scary smile) Babylon Control out!" (Shuts off comm, Looks sternly at eavesdropping dome techs in background, who scuttle off) "Civilians!" (Looks heavenwards) "I'm just kidding about that God part. No offense."

The Death reference, Season 4 "Between the Darkness and the Light"

Leading the White Star Fleet, upon confronting the advanced Omega fleet waiting in ambush for the B5 forces.

(Leader of Advanced Omegas orders White Star Fleet to "Surrender or be destroyed")
Ivanova (after asking for firing control to be put through to her chair)
"This is the White Star fleet. Negative on surrender. We will not stand down"
Enemy leader: "Who is this? Identify yourself!"
Ivanova: "Who am I? I am Susan Ivanova, commander, daughter of Andrei and Sofi Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance, and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth sweetheart! (Her expression gets ever more scary throughout this) I am Death incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see! God sent me!" (Opens fire)

Although the two incidents are almost contradictory on the whole God issue, are you going to argue the toss with this woman? I don't think so!

I had to look up the season 4 one on my VHS copies as a mate has my DVDs. Not that I'm good but I put the tape in and fast forwarded it blind. I stopped at exactly the right second for the quote.

Scratch that, I am Gooooooood!

LBH

[CARTMAG]

ok I bow to lastbest this one time...... and I bow to no one...... any military types probably could atest to what im about to say but i belive any Military base does have the same thing aswell as probably most cities say the same things with the fact that most base commanders, or even Governers or even mayors have alot on there plates to deal with most of the day to day running operations of the place they lord over <parden the way said> thats where the seconds come in.... and with Ivonva being the anal retentive sort..but id never say that to her face mind ya.... she would take all that responsibility and do it all herself.... and truth be told B5 is honestly less like a military base but closer to a small Country with a very transient population.....

[redlaco]

I knew about the Ivanova 'Death' reference (Which I explain fully later) but the God one is the one I came up with when I designed my own B5 T-shirt. Psi-Corps logo on the front, "The Corps is mother, the Corps is father . . . "
Back print, picture of Ivanova "...But Ivanova is GOD!!!!"

Cool concept, I would like to see some pic of it ...
With such homemade B5 material, you ensure your collection will always be ''unbeatable''.

[lastbesthope]

Cartmag, I'm sure you're right.

I knew about the Ivanova 'Death' reference (Which I explain fully later) but the God one is the one I came up with when I designed my own B5 T-shirt. Psi-Corps logo on the front, "The Corps is mother, the Corps is father . . . "
Back print, picture of Ivanova "...But Ivanova is GOD!!!!"

Cool concept, I would like to see some pic of it ...
With such homemade B5 material, you ensure your collection will always be ''unbeatable''.

Redlaco,

I never actually put my vision into practice. I told a few of my friends the idea, and they thought it'd be cool as well. My then SO made up her version of it for me as a birthday present (Wasn't she sweet!). She used a white T-shirt, Pic of a Psi Corps badge on the front, and used a pic of the B5 shield & sword logo on the back. It's been worn too often and is well faded, it is almost unreadable and so lives in my wardrobe. One day I'll get one done the way I imagined, black background obviously.

Until then, if anyone else uses the idea, I want a concept credit, or better yet one for myself

LBH
"Get a life? Are you aware of how long it took me to get rid of the last one I got given?"

[Guest]

I have always been partial to the three questions:

What'cha doing?
What'cha ya think'n?
What's for dinner?

At times those three questions sum up everything in the universe that matters.

PsyJack

[ranger1]

My own take is that its best to stick with what came over (to me anyway) as the big three questions (adding others just obscures the relevence of the symbolism elsewhere).
"Who are you?"
"Why are you here?"
"What do you want?"

To me these are the three questions 'the universe is asking itself', and they are also reflected in the social structure of the Minbari (worker, religious and military castes). Im not 100 % sure yet which question fits which caste apart from the shadow question "what do you want" being the military caste.

The shadow question is the weakest, as others have pointed out its meaningless without answering the other questions first. It is also a very different order of question. "Who are you" and "why are you here" both address a fundamental level of reality that rarely if ever changes-while what do you want is generally in a state of almost constant revision/flux. The problem with the shadow question is that people tend not to give their own answer, rather they give the answer others are subtly pushing them to give-its usually determined by our culture or peers not any essential 'truth' of the universe. If you get a 'good' answer to the other questions then, and only then, can you give an answer to the third that has substance.
It is a question that then becomes very powerful, because it directs action, but without knowing the reasons why (the other two questions) that action can become destructive (hence the shadow question).

Though I am tempted to prefer the vorlon question "who are you", I suspect that the structure of the show implies it is also potentially flawed (after all, both vorlons and shadows can be a problem). Why this is so is interesting-and Im still pondering it. Perhaps its hard to answer without becoming over concerned with the 'self' unless you can answer "why are you here" well.

"Why are you here" is a tough one-ultimately it is perhaps the core question the universe asks itself. Im picking it because Im not sure I have a good enough answer yet!

regarding Ivanova-interestingly she answers all three questions with her 'I am death' statement...

[lastbesthope]

regarding Ivanova-interestingly she answers all three questions with her 'I am death' statement...

Actually I don't think she does answer all 3. She answers who (and what) she is several times over. And "God sent me!" could be an answer to "Why are you here?" But she never really answers "What do you want?"

Although I'd be happy for you to prove me wrong.

LBH

[Guest]

she wants to 'kick ass'.

[PaulB]

"So...fasten-zip, or zip then fasten?"

Fasten, then zip.

[Dag'Nabbit]

"So...fasten-zip, or zip then fasten?"

Fasten, then zip.

Yep, fasten-zip, me too.

It's amazing how long it took someone to answer that one.

[lastbesthope]

she wants to 'kick ass'.

To our mysteriously anonymous guest, Ivanova necer actually says she wants to kick ass, it fits more with why is she here. Especially when you consider she would think it her duty to be "The boot that kicks your sorry ass all the way back to Earth sweetheart."

Besides, her entire answer is to a who are you/identify yourself request by the opposing fleet so I suppose it only covers one question really.

LBH
Bab 5 Uber Geek!

[CARTMAG]

personaly i think Ivonova would be the one to have the Hardest time answering any and all of thoes questions. my reasioning is the fact that untill she became the head of the Rangers there was something missing and that whole got ripped even more when Talia went evil and Marcus died saving her... so Young Ivanova probably would say her stock answers but 20 year older Ivanova mught be able to answer them.

Delenn well she answerd the questions through her actions
Sheradin same
Sinclare Same

Garabaldi now he might have one of the easier times answering the questions due to the fact of how tirbulent his life had been and that he had probably answered thoes questions many times in his life.

just my opinion.. I know im missing many but one only has a certin amount of space..