Why Bester is the Hero of his own Story | Babylon 5

[@jackdoyle7453]

Bester was great, I'm surprised how few episodes he was in. He left a big shadow over the series

[@patricknakasone9376]

His few appearances made his character work.

[@Phintasmo]

It was the perfect amount. He loomed large without overstaying his welcome. I looked forward to the Bester episode each season (of course he popped up a little more later on).

[@khyronthethunderhawg6577]

You should readd the Psy Corp trilogy books. He is outstanding in those!

[@faith-manages]

Bester is one of the best recurring villains in all of sci-fi TV! Talk about a serendipitous role, Walter Koenig really shone on B5 and the only thing I would change is I would have put him on more. And ask any actor who's known for a masterful performance as a villain: you never play them as a villain but as someone who thinks he's the hero (we all are in our own minds). The Bester/Garibaldi dynamic is wonderful, and I thought the episode where the two worked together was wonderful: that could have been its own spinoff series.

[@Phintasmo]

Like Garak in DS9 he’s one of these great characters who feel like they are in it a lot more than they actually are.

[@Shoutatclouds]

Gosh darn i love babylon 5

[@KristovMars]

I grew up on Star Trek, and remember seeing "The Whale One" at the cinema as a kid. But I was fortunate to encounter B5's first run at a formative time for me, and it's probably still my favourite piece of TV sci-fi. For all my Trek love, Chekov has never felt nearly as rounded or well-developed a character as Alfred Bester - it is absolutely Walter Koenig's defining role in my mind. Dedicated, dangerously competent, and sometimes quite charming, he is ultimately a terrifying presence thanks to who and what he is. Thank you Mr. Koenig, and JMS

[@Phintasmo]

If Leonard Nimoy was put on the Earth to do one role - it was Spock. But for Koenig it wasn’t Chekov. As far as I’m concerned Bester is his defining role.

[@paulaburrows8660]

His scene in the travel tube with Garabaldi from season 5 was one of my favourites

[@Phintasmo]

Its one of my favorite scenes in the whole series. Koenig has never been better.

[@CrutchCricket]

Mind War was when B5 hooked me. That the episode was Bester's introduction is no coincidence. Hands down one of the best characters in the show.

[@NickMichalak]

Mind War was the first episode I ever recorded on VHS of B5. Beater was such a cunning and extremely formidable enemy. Truly dangerous and never forthcoming, even when he tries to sound genuine he’s still a snake in the grass. Masterwork from Koenig!

[@Phintasmo]

Telepathy added new depth to the world. That human society of the future has changed in ways that make it somewhat alien to us. There’s a scene in one episode where Garibaldi explains to Delenn how criminals get telepathically mindwiped instead of the death penalty - a reminder that some things are very different in the future.

[@PaulHFleming]

Mind War really confused me, since the Telepath Jason Iron heart was really fighting a War. The Psych Corp really programmed him as ultimate undercover Assassin. But, they changed his molecular structure so much he evolved into higher state of Being.

[@patrickseaman]

I had the great fortune to work with Walter years ago. He was a gentleman and very charming. I told him, at the time, that I felt that Bester was my favorite role he had done.

[@Phintasmo]

I hope he gets that a lot, and that he knows we all love him in that role. At conventions he fields a lot of questions about Chekov, but for me Bester is his defining performance.

[@page8301]

@@Phintasmo Chekov is a very bland character by comparison that did not give him much to work with. Imho the limiting factor for Chekov was he writing first and foremost. He was by an large an afterthought.

[@HappyBear376]

That is ever ao cool. He is one of my all time favoirites too.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

Been finding a few good recent videos this weekend. I'm a massive Star Trek fan, I think he did an amazing job to shake off Chekov and become Bester. Babylon 5 was a truly amazing series. Fantastic writing, great character chemistry and a great look.

[@Phintasmo]

Bester proved he was a much better actor than many realized.

[@DeMan59]

The thing I love about Bester is that he really feels in his soul that he is leading a righteous crusade to establish telepaths as the dominant human species. And he is willing to go to any lengths to see his vision come to life. He is not necessarily a bad man either. He has his moments of humanity. Like when he could have left Garibaldi trapped in his own mind forever. He chose to be “magnanimous” Lol.

[@TheNejD]

I honestly think that bestor knew that garibaldi would follow him forever and he wanted that, for both the sadistic pleasure of knowing that it will eat away at him as long as they both live and it in a way feeds his superiority complex 'knowing' in his mind that the best most effective normal cannot breach him despite constantly trying.

[@page8301]

Exactly my thoughts as well. Plus he considered himself superior and did not think that Garibaldi could become ever a real threat.

[@gregdenson7544]

The most likable bad guy in television history.

[@quantumsledgehammer1629]

I agree that Bester is the "best" villian in B5. The character had an ability (telepathy) that made him almost invulnerable to the "normals", so he had a great "I'm better than you" attitude and a "you can't do anything to me" way of carrying himself. And getting Walter Koenig to play the part always seemed to me to give the role the gravitas it needed (i.e., like you mentioned in the video, a well-known actor from the sci-fi world). I love how Koenig plays the role so intentionally over-the-top, showing that Bester thinks he's untouchable and superior (as a human being) to those around him. And JMS had him show up just enough that he was able to antagonize our heroes, but not so much as to overuse his menace.

[@Phintasmo]

His sparing appearances made him loom large without outstaying his welcome. I like in his last appearance you get the idea that he hates going to B5 and his cases there are just a small part of what he does.

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

I don't have any favourites among the "big" villains, in my view, they _all_ work perfectly the way they are written and portrayed, from the arguably "main" villain ("So you play the main villain in some sci-fi show? Must be a lot of work?" - "Nah, I'm only in three or four scenes total..." 🤣), to the insane wannabe-god-emperor (How does _anyone_ react when they see a Shadow vessel - and how does Cartagia react when he sees hundreds of them?!? 🤯), to the "apparently really good guys" that finally show what they really are, to smarmy "What do you want?", to Bester - they all make sense, they are all the heroes of their own stories, they all _appear_ to be good or at least harmless at first/superficially, ... (the Shadows are the "it's perfectly good to shoot on sight" type, same as the Raiders, so they don't fall into the same category of actual "character villains")

[@fighterck6241]

​@@Phintasmo​I loved that aspect. Throughout the series, he gives off the false vibe of relishing his visits and the mental anguish he puts the B5 crew through, so seeing that being among normals and effectively in their place of authoruty is as much a mental toll for him as it is foe them makea a much more layered adversary.

[@knghtbrd]

People have forgotten how to have villains just be villains. Every villain needs to be complicated now, not really evil, just misguided. Alfred Bester was one of the most evil SOB characters on Babylon 5. He was misguided, complicated, and a whole bunch of other adjectives… But "not really evil"? Nope, evil is the one thing he always was. Even if he didn't think so. Walter Koenig is an AMAZING actor, and he really sold the character as exactly what he was. Truly amazing work!

[@Yeomen1986]

I hear what your saying but I don't agree with you about bester being evil. here is why: You are looking at it from the outside in but not the inside out. In many respects the Psicorp is already a structured holocaust waiting for the trigger to be pulled. Telepaths have to wear badges, have restrictions on where they can live/work. Many of their major locations are controlled and guarded. Think about Nazi Germany and you can find some striking parallels. If an anti-psicorp president got into office, all their lives could be over in an instant. This circumstance breeds people like Bester and with justified reason. Bester isn't evil, he's the product of bad and discriminatory policies.

[@larrystevens7410]

Totally agree. Bester only let it slip once. The storyline about his Blip lover. He became almost sympathetic. But then... "...you have to understand, Captain. If my lover was used in your operation and she was killed because of it, you will never leave this room alive." I loved Sheridan's response. But he still knew not to antagonize Bester by leaving her on B5. Not because he cared about Bester, but because he realized Bester always does what he says, unless he is lying lol, and that there could be a future time when he could use him. Besternis the bestest. No Doubt. One thing I found funny was the dreadful toupee. It was so obvious and I wonder if that was intentional. I found it added to his character.

[@larrystevens7410]

​@@Yeomen1986No, Bester was evil in the best tradition of storytelling. Of course he could never be like ghat, humans are more complex. Bester is a stereotype of the NAZI commandant. Yes, his people live under a kind of oppression. But at Bester's level he was in control. It was obvious the Telepaths would one day set off the war. But Bester was just right for the job he did. He was true believer, and obviously felt restrained, but the character never once showed that he felt ant kind of oppression. He was in command of his little feifdom. He was a caricature of evil. It only slipped once. The storyline with his blip lover. That was it. In every other way, anx even then, he was cold, manipulative and had numerous agendas. Oh, yeah, that guy was evil. And one of my favorite characters.

[@Yeomen1986]

@larrystevens7410 I agree he became the stereotypical nazi commandant. Again though it's a result of the putting all the telepaths in a little black box called the psicorp

[@Yeomen1986]

@larrystevens7410 on second thought of think our disagreement is on what makes someone evil. I belive a person is evil if they choose evil as a choice such as Hitler. Bester didn't have a choice because the world he was born into. He was bred and conditioned to be that monster.

[@benuticone3079]

The closest analogue I can find to Bester is the X-Men character Magneto. He sees violent conflict between telepaths and non-telepaths as inevitable, because he is cynical, but his cynicism is at least in part informed by lived experience. He is dismissive of the value of non-telepaths, because he is callous, but his callousness toward them is the reverse side of the coin to the intense love and protectiveness he feels for his own kind. And like every truly great villain, he is the hero of his own story.

[@Phintasmo]

Brilliant parallel!

[@dawall3732]

There are depths to him that you didn't touch on in this video. 1. Yes, he considers himself the hero of his own story. 2. The perfect villain? No, because he, his personality, his mindset, everything about him is actually a construct. This is hinted at in the show. However, it was never explored because the show didn't go on for the full seasons. Their original writer and planner expected. He is actually the child of the freedom fighters who fought to prevent genocide against telepaths. They also fought against psychor. When they were killed, he was taken forcibly into psychor. It's shown in the Psy war books that he was violated in that agency as a child. To protect himself and keep himself from being discovered and harmed further. He created the personality. Everybody sees on the show, which is basically a cartoonish gustapo SS agent. It manifests with his hand always being effectively crippled in appearance like it has nerve damage or something. The only time it unclinches and relaxes normally is when he's pretty much at his last moment. When in the book, he is shown as being relieved and released from a terrible burden.

[@lollol35]

As someone mentioned below: The Villains in Babylon 5 almost all of them had solid motives that made you question what you yourself would have done in their situation. I tell my kids it's Star Trek for grown ups. :)

[@Eckendenker]

I am gonna steal that. Thanks.

[@detritus23]

In order to really understand the character of Alfred Bester, you really have to read the books of his namesake, Alfred Bester. Two of Bester's books, "The Stars My Destination" and "The Demolished Man" explore the societal consequences of telepaths ("Espers"), particularly their post-human hubris. The writers of Babylon Five heavily reference both Gully Foyle and Lincoln Powell in the character of Bester, including the romantic betrayal and Garibaldi's and Talia Winters's reprogramming processes (akin to Demolition). Having read Bester before watching B5, I found a certain pleasure in watching Koenig interpret Bester. It was also nice to see a sci-fi television show that had a sense of 1950-60's sci-fi and was willing to build on some of that foundation.

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Thank you for reminding me, i had wanted to read them when I found out about Bester being that reference, but I forgot. Time to have my favourite bookstore order them for me ☺

[@srbenson4566]

Excellent analysis/summary. I have always loved the character of Bester. He is a hero working for the good... of telepaths. And of course I love his salute to The Prisoner.... Be seeing you.

[@johnneumann6229]

And you!

[@lupinzar]

I love the reference to The Prisoner in that final clip. I think he does it in his intro episode and from there on you kind of know what to expect.

[@sdfried4877]

Yes, Bester always left with a little salute and a “Be seeing you.”

[@DeeCee-nb6ev]

Only villain who seemed to have no redemptive quality was Emperor Cartagia. Wortham Krimmer is so stereotypically over the top as an evil flamboyant sadist that it actually works.

[@lennyvalentin6485]

Not that I disagree with your analysis of Carthagia, I'm not sure there's anything redeemable in Bester either. He doesn't just look down on non-telepath humans, he fundamentally lacks any regard for them whatsoever. They're throwaway trash to him, warm bodies to puppet around as he sees fit, who lives or dies according to his needs and whims. How do you redeem that?! :) ...Which, by the way, is what makes him so awesome as a villain. He's so villainous his own evil prevents him the use of his left hand. :O (Which btw was Walter Koenig's own choice, as an actor, to give the character more depth and complexity - and he kept the act up throughout every episode he appears in. This quirk was even written into show canon, which is just...wow! :D)

[@IM-xs3uv]

B5 had some great performances and Koenig's Bester was right up there. I enjoy that the threat of his abilities was mostly all he needed, that he wasn't using them to OP everyone and everything.

[@Phintasmo]

He had this aura of untouchability that made him a real threat - both his powers and the authority he wielded.

[@Naranek]

I think he was the reason the universe was saved... Had Bester not kidnapped Michael Garibaldi, G'Kar would not have searched for him, so G'kar would not have been captured, leading to the deal with Londo... and so on... so yeah... we owe him...as menacing as he is, I can understand most of his motivation... His character was brilliantly written...

[@sword4005]

fav scene from ending telepath war books is when new bronze statue a memorial featuring Fiona, Matthew, and their "lost son" Stephen, as a symbol of hope and a reminder of the sacrificed made in the name of freedom. Alfred Bester watched the dedication ceremony from his cell, knowing he was the only person left who knew what had happened to that baby and was amused by the irony. that they unknowing put up a statue dedicated to him

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Darn, don't remind me of the telepath trilogy... I lent it to someone and never saw it again, and now it's _exceedingly_ expensive to get those books again 😭

[@wyrdwik4610]

One of the best screen villains in any show or genre. Though i must admit i would have loved to have seen him meet his end at garabaldis hands but the fact that he gets away with it is another aspect of why he was such a tremendous villain.

[@reubenmckay]

Bester is probably my favourite supporting character in the show. Love every scene he's in. A total villain yet like every other character in the show, expertly written and believable and more than just 1-dimensional.

[@sid2112]

Good video. The lover quote was a normal, not derogatory, term back then. She'd call him her lover, for example.

[@padawanmage71]

When I saw that body floating away from the ship, my jaw hit the ground over how casually that girl murdered the man

[@Yuurei21]

I can't see Bester as a villain. In fact I see him more as an antihero. He has done very evil things. The interrogation scene still makes my skin crawl. His complex backstory and his ruthlessness make him provocative. As a fan I did hope that he would get a redemption story but I still enjoy the outcome.

[@davidmartensson273]

I think that an redemption ending would have diminished him. For him to be redeemed would mean he would have to give up what is driving him and then he would be no more and he would not have been the lasting impression he is.

[@saladinbob]

Bester is the best villain ever hands down because for every bit a villain he is he's also a victim. The tragedy of Bester is that he is right. telepaths are persecuted, distrusted, and will never be allowed on an equal footing with non-Telepaths, which means his and other's like him actions perpetuate the distrust and dislike. Psycop became its own self fulfilling prophecy, with each action they take increasing the hostile view towards telepaths requiring more extreme measures to keep them safe creating more distrust, and at the heart of it all is Bester. Is he the hero? It's all a matter of perspectives and that's why he's the best written villain ever.

[@curtisnewton2437]

Very well said. Less a hero, but a victim. Especially when you know his end and origin

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Ever since I found out that there was a certain photograph, it's the first thing I think of when Bester describes how he as a family and goes to picnics... Said photo is of one of the guards of one of the concentration camps (one of the few actual death camps), with his wife and two little kids, with a picnic set up, all smiling happily - with smoking chimneys of the concentration camp he worked at in the background.

[@dressinggownsessions7296]

I'm going to make an analogy I never thought of until today. Bester is like Garak must have been when he was in the Obsidian Order. Both characters have that capacity to straddle the line between good and evil, and both cast a huge shadow despite being in only a small number of episodes (although Garak did end up in a lot more as the show progressed).

[@snufflebear]

I'll admit, when I first heard Bester speak, I was expecting a russian accent.. lol.. At first I couldn't separate him from Chekov, so there was a disconnect, but he made Bester his own, and really created a genuinely terrifyingly evil character, which wasn't a just a one dimensional villain.

[@Phintasmo]

He shattered preconceptions very quickly with Bester. I never thought he had it in him!

[@erictaylor5462]

I have to say that Bester was loads more interesting than Chekov ever was. I liked him much more as a bad guy. I also love that in the end, it was the block Bester put in Garibaldi's mind that informed Garibaldi that Bester was near, end eventually was what led him in to get Bester after the block was removed.

[@joshmccollen700]

The role of telepaths could have been to usher humanity toward it's destiny. Bester is sinister because he views "mundanes" as his opposition when he could have adopted a more nurturing and benevolent attitude for the rest of the human race. Just imagine humanity with a 100% telepathic ability. That would indeed have been an evolutionary or at least pharmaceutical triumph.

[@leemonsampson1844]

THE STARS MY DESTINATION by Alfred Bester, the novelist❤❤❤

[@ЭдвинОдессейрон-ц3в]

We are one

[@robertstanley5555]

What I can't imagine is the mundane population accepting that situation, no matter what long-term benefits it might have. Despite the efforts of some enlightened souls, including some characters in the show, the only likely outcome would be violent conflict and genocide. Hence, Bester is 'right', IMHO. Yes, 'from his own perspective', but don't we all judge between right and wrong from our own perspective? Both sides recognise the telepaths ARE the next stage in human evolution, and if not wiped out when that was still possible (a time which has probably already passed in the show) they would ultimately come out on top.

[@jeromethiel4323]

All truly good villains are the hero in their own story. It's what makes them so despicable, and so very very human. A villain who is bad because they are sociopathic, just doesn't hit very hard.

[@Phintasmo]

Absolutely! Most great antagonists have some twisted logic to justify their actions.

[@DarkVeghetta]

Bester was one of my favorite characters in B5, even among a stellar cast (though, Molari will always be my favorite). I think I might also be one of the few people that actually _likes_ him as a person. You see, to a not insignificant degree, Bester actually has a point and humanity would do well to acquire more telepaths as soon as possible, preferably turning a large part of the population psychic. Powerful psychics very much seem to be one of humanity's trump cards among the many races of the setting. For the most part, I only disagree with Bester's methods, but not his actual long-term goals (minus the psychic rulership he'd like to instate). I can even respect his ultimate allegiances - to humanity itself and his family (mainly his girlfriend and daughter). He would probably see his allegiance as being to the Corps rather than humanity, but if significantly more humans could be born or altered to become psychers, the distinction would slowly cease. He's an antagonist to the main cast, certainly, but he has good reasons for what he does and his ruthless approach is required at times to get things done. Plus, as evil as he can be, the man is a professional and has standards. B5 sure knew how to write antagonists. So very few shows now do. Also, I do believe 'paramour' would be the ideal term to refer to Bester's girlfriend.

[@therakshasan8547]

Bester , the single entity in Babylon 5 that deserved to be spaced in Hyper Space like he did to so many others .

[@DavidMiller-kv4we]

Hell, Bester is part of the reason I've decided to binge B5 in my adult years. I watched the show when it was out because I was a HUGE Star Trek fan... but on that same note with the way the show it set up I was also a bit too young to REALLY appreciate it back when I was 13 or so. Back then? I had a BASIC idea of the character... but it was more along the lines of "Oh! There's Chekov... and... wow... he's an asshole!" lol I'm seeing the show now in a whole new light. I'm, as of this writing, only mid-way through the first season so I haven't even seen him yet. But this is still one of the best sci-fi TV romps. To those curious, the B5 series is free to stream on Tubi.

[@UndyingNephalim]

I suspect Babylon 5 has the largest cast of best villains of any show I can think of. Even smaller villains like Lord Refa are fantastic. Walter Koenig clearly loved playing Bester. Anytime the character is brought up at Star Trek conventions he visibly lights up and starts talking.

[@Alessandro-B]

Bester is indeed one of the best villains because he is his story's hero. He's not evil for evil sake, he is fighting for his people. And definitely, one of the best characters in Bab5, though there are so many.

[@MatsubaAgeha]

I read the novel about Bester's life after the TV series. The PsyCorps is gone and Bester is a fugitive. He assumes a fake identity and even gets a girlfriend. Eventually, he figures out that he's been located. So before leaving, he wipes out the memory of his girlfriend, reluctantly, against her will. He gets caught and is put on trial. His ex-girlfriend is in the audience. She is told that she and Bester were close, but she has not memory of it. Bester defends himself, but gives up in the end and is found guilty. Bester is in prison for life. His telepathic ability is suppressed with a drug. (I forgot the details but) Bester figures out that he was kidnapped as a baby from his telepathic parents (They are famous heros & have statues) and was made into the leader of the PsyCorps. This was his revelation right before he dies in his prison cell.

[@Phintasmo]

The Psicorps novels are great! I’ve got a video on Bester’s fate - you might like it!

[@nickwhitakerftw]

Bester didn't make MG resign as chief of security, he mentions it after the debrief he gives him on the mars tube.

[@Phintasmo]

Do you reckon Garibaldi would have resigned if Bester hadn't messed around with his head? I think it was a direct consequence even if not precisely what was intended.

[@Shoutatclouds]

This vid is correct, regardless of contents.

[@BarlytheDwarf]

Posting facts.

[@QalOrt]

Paramour would be a better word for Bester to use instead of lover, but then again this is Bester we are talking about.

[@Phintasmo]

Paramour is an excellent and underused word! It sounds a touch pretentious but that would hardly bother a man like Bester.

[@page8301]

I think love is a great word for him. It shows a facet that people do not realize or rationalize away but many of the worst people in our history loved and had family and they loved their family dearly. Just look at Reinhard Heydrich for example.

[@sdfried4877]

The matchup of the guy with the hat and the shot of Garibaldi is uncanny. Well done.

[@Phintasmo]

Ha! Thank you! The Untouchables x Babylon 5

[@sdfried4877]

@@Phintasmo I have to go look up what the hell that movie with Walter is too.

[@SSNewberry]

Even Sauron is the hero of his own Lord of the Rings. It is a mantra for writers.

[@SoloPilot6]

The things that Bester does is rarely done for himself -- Carolyn being the near-exclusive exception -- he works toward the betterment and safety of the telepaths. The Psi Corps protects that incredibly small minority from the 99.999% who don't understand them, who fear them, who would destroy them. Psi Cops keep telepaths in line because of the great danger to all that would follow an incident involving a rogue or a blip. The word "pogrom" comes to mind. They are so used to being hated that they can't even accept that there are "mundanes" who DON'T hate them (such as when Dr Franklin tries to help one who appears to be falling). Bester isn't sadistic toward Garibaldi. He is willing to expend him to protect the telepaths, but his relationship with Garibaldi is more along the lines of industrial-strength needling. Bester knows that he has hole cards to protect him personally from Garibaldi, so there is no danger. He exploits that for humor, but never does any of the things that he WOULD do if he wanted to cause Garibaldi true pain.

[@Phintasmo]

The whole situation is admirably complex and they make the telepath situation its own thing rather than make it a very blunt parallel to real world prejudice.

[@RandallHallKaizenReiki]

One defining trait of all good villains is that they believe they are the heroes of the story.

[@irvingthemagnificent]

Bester is just a psychopath superpowers. The only thing that makes him seem like more is Walter Koenig's brilliant acting.

[@Tonydjjokerit]

This proved very well that Walter Koenig was a very good actor! Bester was a nasty piece of work. Not exactly an enemy but a difficult character for the series and all the best for it! In other words he is a complete bastard! It would be very interesting if he took on Lyta, Mr Morden or Kosh. He would definitely find his match in Kosh who would stand no nonsense from him!

[@fighterck6241]

Imagine if he'd found out that the Vorlons had created them. That they were not some vaunted evolution of mankind but rather a discarded weapon created by a race who barely cared that they still existed.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

I wonder how B5 would have been different if they had known ahead of season 4 that they were definitely getting a season 5. So much of the "plot lines necessary to close out the overall story" were crammed into season 4 that it just felt completely rushed (because it was) then season 5 felt "unguided" (because it largely was.) I feel like Bester would have gotten even meatier in a "season 4 spread out over two seasons."

[@rtyler1869]

Every villain is the hero of their own story. They always believe in their goals and that the ends justify the means they tske

[@jonathancurran5366]

You should do a video essay on Morden.

[@PaulHFleming]

Yes, Mr Morden even more devious then Albert Bester. He plots with Shadows take over control of Universe

[@Jasenspeed401]

This episode is frighteningly bang on as to today's political climate. Especially your statements at the end, about dehumanizing your enemies because you believe they want you dead. Let propaganda roll.

[@PaulHFleming]

The problem of seeing everyone as enemies, there's no one you fully trust. Especially when they're aware you might throw them to wolves at any moment . President Clark of EarthDome was prime example.

[@sid2112]

Am I going to have to get on Tubi and watch B5 again?? Yeah, yeah I will.

[@heatherjones6647]

Buy the DVDs. Worth every penny and no one can take them away from you.

[@smeragliuolomax5683]

Yes he is the best villain the show has ever had

[@CivilWarMan]

I think Bester referring to the woman he was having an affair with as his lover worked, because it colored even his supposedly genuine, heart-felt emotions with a sort of self-centered, possessive vibe.

[@happyninja42]

well it was more than that though. Previously in the show, they would point out that the Corp would pair people for breeding purposes, regardless of love or marital status. It was used to demonize (rightly so) the Corp, and to make people like Bester seem like the violent hand of that evil body (again, rightly so). But, he IS still human. And when he explains that he's married, it's not a love marriage. It's just a genetic pairing arranged by the corp. It's actually a moment meant to humanize Bester, and to make you empathize with him a little. To make you feel conflicted about him, just like the crew of B5. Which I thought was a nice touch. Because of course Bester would have a loveless marriage. He's a good, dutiful Corp member. He would breed with whoever would give his people the most virile stock going forward. He would do his duty, regardless of attraction.

[@House-of-Hades]

"Everyone Is The Hero Of Their Own Story"

[@joehealy6376]

No one is the villain in their own story.

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Well, there definitely are _some_ people who know full well that what they're doing is evil, they just find _some_ excuse, be it "it's a necessary evil for a greater good", be it "but everyone else does bad stuff, too", be it "someone would have done it sooner or later, I just got here first", be it "bad stuff happened to me, I'm just setting the record straight", ... But in the vast majority of cases, bad people just don't think or care about the consequences. They're neither the villains nor the heroes in their own stories, they just _do_ what they do and don't give a damn about anyone or anything that they might affect negatively.

[@Gittykitty]

My favorite scene is when Sharaden threaten to nail his head to a desk and feed him to the Pak Mura.

[@leemonsampson1844]

I have two novels by the REAL Alfred Bester, The stars my destination and The demolished man❤❤❤❤❤

[@jaysdood]

He was excellent as Bester.

[@Quasimodo-mq8tw]

Love is the "right" word because it makes it sound as twisted as he is.

[@michaelmurphy748]

Actually, Bester is a Hero. Perspective is EVERYTHING. During the Earth Mimbari war, Captain Sheridan was a Hero to the Earth and a villain to the Mimbari, PERSPECTIVE is everything. Who's right? He who is writing the history book obviously.

[@Phintasmo]

Babylon 5’s insistence on complex villains with an understandable perspective was always one of its greatest strengths.

[@DuRoehre90210]

Hard to tell. The books (i.e. Final Reckoning) give the story a very special shade. I would call him a special villain, or a villain with a very special perspective and background.

[@adamfistler465]

Have you ever done anything on Ulkesh and what made him different than Kosh. Was he a hero, villain or something else?

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Ulkesh was basically an uncaring "tool-user". He saw any non-Vorlon as a disposable means to an end, to be used and then thrown away.

[@RabbitShirak]

It's interesting that Bester quotes great literary works of (supposed) non-telepaths, while at the same time categorizing mundanes as subhumans.

[@Phintasmo]

Telepaths may be humanity’s future but they are still the heirs to great achievements of past generations.

[@nickmitsialis]

I like pointing to Bester and the Psy-Corp as a more realistic version of what the X men should be like; after all 'normal/mundane' humans know the Telepaths are superior to them and do have the potential to lead to subjugation and extirpation of normal humans--it's not just an over the top form of bigotry.

[@ricardoabh3242]

Better was a great history line

[@IkedaHakubi]

Bester, and Magneto, are right.

[@andiralosh2173]

Those villains we love to hate 👌

[@jonreese7066]

the thing that always struck me with Bester is that he doesnt see that the main cast has each a level of common ground with him. when Bester came to B5 to get their help to go to Zahadum Love of your life gets captured experimented on and used as a weapon. this describes Bester but also Sheridan with Anna also Ivanova with her mother also Garibaldi with Talia Winters. Ironically in 2 of my 3 examples PsiCorp the organization Bester supports did it. actually 4 of 4 if you consider Bester's lover and since Anna Sheridan went thru the same process Bester's lover. the real kicker is Bester thinks everyone in B5 command staff is laughing at him that he doesnt get what he needs to cure his lover from Zahadum. never realizing it was Lita a fellow psi corpse member that triggered the destruction of Zahaduum. In a way Lita was Bester to Alfred Bester

[@MartianInAHumansBody]

Bester should have called her FWB

[@RodrigoGonzalez-tf9cj]

Querida es mas apropiada para la relación pero Bester la usó para incomodar.

[@ricardobufo]

sorta like Magneto & Prof Xavier

[@mittensfastpaw]

Ya, he was a great villain and man did you hate his ass throughout the series!

[@page8301]

Is Bester the perfect villain? Yes, he was perfect for the Psi Chors top dog. Is he the hero of his own story? Absolutely, he fears of telepaths going extinct and that is convinced that it is his duty to prevent that and more. Is love the right word? Of course. Despite everything, he is still human. A terrible human being, but all too human nonetheless.

[@larrystevens7410]

Bester is the Bestest. I liked Sheridan and Dellen, crazy about Zathorous, loved Ivanova. Garibaldi, meh, Franklin, Meh. But in terms of purest villain. Londo and G'Kar both have their moments, but they were nothing compared to the puest of the pure, Bester. His character never changed, yet from time to time he was almost likeable. Like the storyline, with his lover, as if Bester could love, that was a brilliant angle. I wasn't a fan of the whole Psi, nonsense, they always throw that into sci-fi and I never got why. But Bester saved the idea of the Psi-corps and the whole telepath nonsense that I find boring as hell. Bester was the bestest. Really showed off Chekovs acting chops, which he never got on Trek. Yes, I know that are characters and not real people. Oh, my all-time favorite was Vir. Can't believe he is gone. So many of them are gone. Mira's death was particularly hard. West Nile? Bizarre.

[@happyninja42]

Yes Lover is the right word. It's been the right word for that kind of relationship for centuries. What the hell else would be used in this context? Coitus Co-Existant Creature? I swear you kids really get hung up on the silliest things when it comes to relationships and intimacy.

[@Phintasmo]

It’s a perfectly fine word to use in many contexts. But if an acquaintance introduced someone to you as their ‘lover’? Maybe it’s a generational thing.

[@happyninja42]

@@Phintasmo well what else would you call someone you are in a sexual relationship that you actuall care about who isn't your wife? he's not ashamed of it, to him it's just normal procedure for The Corp. You have your breeding partner, but then you have the rest of your life. I'm genuinely curious, what other way should he describe her, that actually conveys she's important to him, but isn't his marital spouse? "good friend"? "special friend" ? "intimate companion"? those all sound someone who is just being timid and afraid to simply say what the reality is. "She's my lover" Because if he calls her something like "good friend" everyone knows what he actually means, so why beat around the bush? It's not like he really give a shit what the mundanes think of his love life. They're beneath him. Bester isn't timid, and he also doesn't see anything wrong with it.

[@clintfrederici3928]

Was Bester the bestest ever?

[@james_t_kirk]

*"Alfred Bester" is the name of a science-fiction novelist who died in 1987. Did they not know that?*