Babylon 5 quotebook is finally here!

[Jan]

I mean, I know people who have spent literally hundreds of dollars on framed copies of the "Declaration of Principles";
and you know what? I think its just empty recycled rhetoric, rather than anything "profound" (on top of that, I don't believe it was correct on a more than "four legs good two legs bad" principle

* We are one.
* We must be kind to one another.
Whole religions have been based on similar principles. I don't see much to argue about. I don't undersand your analogy, either, though.

further....this is a show that ended almost a decade ago

So? Obviously these quotes mean something to people. In fact, this quote book is based on the quotes fans sent in that meant something to them. Over on the JMSnews forums there's a quote thread that's over 2800 posts long. Why? Because the show and what it had to say means something to people. And at the risk of dragging up one of those quotes, humans form communities.

B5 has been over for 10 years. The original Star Trek has been over for over 3 decades. When a show touches people, gives them things to think about, to talk about, it doesn't really matter that it's over, the meaning is still there.

Jan

 

[firehawk12]

I must admit, having quotes on hand as a reference to some key episodes is pretty interesting. I'm not sure if I'll ever write a paper on B5, but it would make it much easier.

 

[OmahaStar]

further....this is a show that ended almost a decade ago

I'll only say this: "What is built endures. And what is loved endures. And Babylon 5... Babylon 5 endures."

 

[Forbin]

ok, so what are you looking for in response?

Maybe a thank you?
The dude's just relaying useful information. Something wrong with that?

 

[Neroon]

I'll only say this: "What is built endures. And what is loved endures. And Babylon 5... Babylon 5 endures."

- nicely played.


V, so much of the points you made can easily be made about so many other franchises. You obviously are not a fan of B5, which is perfectly fine and good. This book isn't aimed at you but at those people who ARE fans, and so to many of them it's money well spent.

I agree that there are some B5 items that seem too much, even to me. The "Declaration..." being one of them. It would be quite simple to create a similar product on your own. Then again, for every Babyloniac who spends $100 for that framed item, there's a Trek fan paying hundreds of dollars for a costume, a Dr. Who fan laying out similar coinage to attend a convention, and plenty more where those came from.

 

[Jan]

Though I sincerely hope this volume is still the success that the other books have been, I'm actually going to pass on this one. The primary reason is because I've put together my own collection of quotes. Not that it's superior in any way, of course. One thing I wasn't sure about, will these quotes be only for those scripts that jms wrote, or does it include material from other script writers?

Everything Babylon 5 is open. That's what they said 7 years ago when this was started. It's not limited to just jms. Heck, it wasn't limited to just the series proper, it also had the movies and Crusade.

I'll have my copy, that's for darn sure. I've been wanting this since it was announced in 2001.

So have I.

Keep in mind that while this book started 7 years ago, the end product may not be the same as was planned back then and it was never intended to be a definitive work. What it is, is the favorite quotes from B5 (not including Crusade) chosen by fans who wrote in when JMS asked for them.

I'll only say this: "What is built endures. And what is loved endures. And Babylon 5... Babylon 5 endures."

Yeah, what you quoted!

Jan

 

[V]

* We are one.
* We must be kind to one another.

No. Wrong. have you forgotten?:

"I am pleased to see that we have differences. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us." --(image of) Surak, "The Savage Curtain", TOS

the whole "we are one" BS it was spouting in there was just trying to sound profound, when in reality, it goes against IDIC: further, the ENTIRE speech can be boiled down to the very two generalized plot points you just made; it's not profound, its naive Dudley-do-right morality passed off as profound

 

[OmahaStar]

V, so much of the points you made can easily be made about so many other franchises. You obviously are not a fan of B5, which is perfectly fine and good. This book isn't aimed at you but at those people who ARE fans, and so to many of them it's money well spent.

Now, now, Draco. Come, let's not feed the trolls.

Jan - No Crusade? Why not? I can't help but think that any type of "Crusade Quotes" would end up as a pamphlet, not a book. Guess that leaves some of my submissions out.

And mine's ordered.

 

[Jan]

* We are one.
* We must be kind to one another.

No. Wrong. have you forgotten?:

"I am pleased to see that we have differences. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us." --(image of) Surak, "The Savage Curtain", TOS

the whole "we are one" BS it was spouting in there was just trying to sound profound, when in reality, it goes against IDIC:

"We are one" doesn't meen "We are the same". In fact, a good bit of the Declaration is taken up by enumerating our differences.

My interpretation of the B5 "We are one" is along the lines of what Delenn said once:

We believe that the universe itself is conscious, in a way we can never
truly understand. It is engaged in the search for meaning. So it...
breaks itself apart, investing its own consciousness in every form of
life. We are the universe trying to understand itself.​

That's my interpretation only but one I like. YMMV and that fits in nicely with the IDIC philosophy.
​

further, the ENTIRE speech can be boiled down to the very two generalized plot points you just made; it's not profound, its naive Dudley-do-right morality passed off as profound

I don't require my truths or my priciples or my morals to be complex. Quite the opposite, in fact. If more people just weighed their actions by whether it's kind, whether it's the way they'd like to be treated, perhaps the world would be a better place. The fact that the Declaration is quite poetic is lagniappe, not the substance it's trying to convey.

Because each voice enriches us and enobles us. And each voice lost diminishes us.

That seems to be in harmony with IDIC to me.

Jan

 

[Mistral]

ok, so what are you looking for in response?

Maybe a thank you?
The dude's just relaying useful information. Something wrong with that?

Forbin-lighten up. It was a literal question-I wasn't sure what kind of response(if any) the OP was expecting. Don't be such a troll. Debate is healthy but being contrary just to start a fight is silly and pointless.

And have a nice day.

 

[Jan]

Jan - No Crusade? Why not? I can't help but think that any type of "Crusade Quotes" would end up as a pamphlet, not a book. Guess that leaves some of my submissions out.

Don't know, Gill-Man. I don't remember if I submitted any Crusade quotes or not. While I liked a lot of the dialogue it was mainly because Max, Galen and Gideon would resonate with my sarcastic nature rather than because the quotes meant anything to me. Oh, but they did resonate!

Jan

 

[OmahaStar]

Max, Galen and Gideon would resonate with my sarcastic nature rather than because the quotes meant anything to me. Oh, but they did resonate!

Jan

Agreed ... Though Dureena had some nice ones as well. But yeah, mostly Max and Galen.

 

[Forbin]

ok, so what are you looking for in response?

Maybe a thank you?
The dude's just relaying useful information. Something wrong with that?

Forbin-lighten up. It was a literal question-I wasn't sure what kind of response(if any) the OP was expecting. Don't be such a troll. Debate is healthy but being contrary just to start a fight is silly and pointless.

And have a nice day.

Now I'm a troll? I thought I was defending him.

I thought your response sounded like a troll.

Okay, mutual misunderstanding then. Never mind.

 

[Neroon]

Agreed ... Though Dureena had some nice ones as well.

And her quotes weren't bad, either.

 

[OmahaStar]

Agreed ... Though Dureena had some nice ones as well.

And her quotes weren't bad, either.

I see what you did there. Freak. lol

 

[Jan]

Agreed ... Though Dureena had some nice ones as well.

And her quotes weren't bad, either.

I see what you did there. Freak. lol

Hmm...you're right Dureena had some good quotes, indeed. But putting Dureena and Max together...

DUREENA: Gods, I'm drowning in testosterone.
EILERSON: Luckily for you, you're equipped with floatation devices.

"Ruling from the Tomb" by Peter David. That wasn't my favorite episode but I'd have enjoyed seeing more scripts by him in Crusade.

Jan

 

[David cgc]

I thought "How long were you under him?" was funnier in that episode.

 

[Pilot Ace]

I've bought all the books so far, somewhat considered not picking up the Chronologies. This one I'm even less sure about grabbing. Quote books just don't really make much sense in this digital age.

Mhmm. I'm going to have to debate myself about dropping $30ish on this sort of thing.

Anyone have any insight on what the next book(s) will be? The Crusade scripts? More movies like Legend of the Rangers and the like?

 

[Harvey]

They were taking question submissions for a movie script book, but I'm unsure when that's coming out. Crusade script books are also in the works.

 

[Neroon]

DUREENA: Gods, I'm drowning in testosterone.
EILERSON: Luckily for you, you're equipped with floatation devices.

"Ruling from the Tomb" by Peter David. That wasn't my favorite episode but I'd have enjoyed seeing more scripts by him in Crusade.

Jan

Ditto. I also didn't care for that episode, myself. However, that quote IS my favorite from all of Crusade!

They were taking question submissions for a movie script book, but I'm unsure when that's coming out. Crusade script books are also in the works.

They have taken questions for the movies book, though I didn't submit any myself this time around. So far, I have not heard any word as to when that book will come out. The Crusade books are on the wish list, and I think plans are to have them one day but I dont' think any work has been done on them at all. At least O haven't seen anything on list or elsewhere. Could be wrong, though. Jan and OmahaStar/Gill-Man are a bit better connected than I on that matter.

As for buying the quote book... that was the one I really was going to skip out on. The Chronologies to me would be an excellent tool to have for understanding the whole, overall story. But once I saw the price, I capitulated and listened to the song .......