It figures that I’d find myself posting this the day after I post that Sci-Fi quiz meme thing…
I have to admit something moderately geeky to you all, here. One of the reasons I so enjoy the movie version of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones is because of the One-Armed Man. Why? Because he’s G’Kar, of course!
Andreas Katsulas wasn’t the most recognizable name in film or television, but he had a distinctive voice. Buried under latex, he spent five years (and an additional appearance or two afterward) portraying one of the most important and memorable characters in the Babylon 5 series. J. Michael Straczynski, the man behind Babylon 5, had this to say:
He lived an amazing life…full of travel and wonder and good work…was part of the world renowned Peter Brook company…he saw the planet, loved and was loved, ate at great restaurants, smoked too many cigarettes…he lived a life some people would die for.
And, sadly, due to the last part of that equation…he did.
[…]
Andreas is gone…and G’Kar with him, because no one else can ever play that role, or ever will.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to pore over some of my old quotes collections. For instance…
“Doesn’t make sense.”
“You’re right, that’s the bit that worries me.”
“If you are going to be worried every time the universe doesn’t make sense, you are going to be worried every moment of every day for the rest of your natural life.”— G’Kar and Marcus in Babylon 5:”Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?”
Nah, let’s leave this with one of the fall-down-funny bits, instead. The best elevator scene, ever. (Edit: I left out the “most appealing” bit when I originally posted this. Bad fanboy, no spoo for you!)
“You want to live as much as I, hmm?”
“Oh, yes, but I would much rather see you dead!”
“Oh, I see. Well, here I am. Come on. Kill me! Come kill me!”
“You forget the terms of our surrender! The penalty for the killing of any Centauri by any Narn will be the death of 500 Narns including the perpetrator’s own family! But I don’t have to kill you… I don’t have to do anything! And I still get to watch you die! I find this most appealing!”
“This is insane! We must work together!”
“No. As the humans say: Up yours, guy!”[…]
“There, you see! I’m going to live.”
“So it would seem. Well, it’s an imperfect universe.”
“Bastard.”
“Monster.”
“Fanatic.”
“Murderer.”
“You are insane!”
“And that is why we’ll win.”
“Go be the ambassador to Babylon 5 they say. Will be an easy assignment. Ah, I hate my life.”
“So do I.”
“Shut up!”— Londo and G’Kar in Babylon 5:”Convictions”
(Yes, I know that the words aren’t his, but it’s the performance as much as the content that stays with you…)