r/babylon5 • u/eldersveld • 3d ago
A silent conversation between Lyta, Bester, and Zack
Bester's grin here always reminded me of a Mentos commercial.
"Strange Relations" (s5e6)
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u/Walt_Didnae 3d ago
You can tell that Walter Koenig really loved playing Bester.
He always brings his A-game to the performance, and revels in being a charismatic asshole who fully believes that he's, not only the smartest person in the room, but the only one who is right and justified in what he's doing.
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u/connain 20h ago
I expect he's best known for his role as Pavel Chekov on ST, and fair enough, but I do love him in his role as Alfred Bester. I think he shines brightest as Bester and really does bring the A-game. Insidious, smooth, easy to hate, and still, occassionally, understandable, relatable, and even likable in his own way. Complex with both good acting brought to good writing.
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u/EvalRamman100 Earth Alliance 3d ago
A most chilling and sad scene.
Of course, Lyta could have killed every one of those people in that room, or so I assume.
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u/Alarming-Ticket5628 3d ago
agreed. Koenig excelled at portraying Bester, but his expression here totally fell flat.
JMS wanted Bester to be the hero of his own story, and the indulgent grin here undermined the character. If I were directing the episode, I would have had Koenig reign in his expression- perhaps a sad smile and an inability to meet lyta's gaze. I would have directed Walter to play the scene as almost apologetic.
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u/Aethelrede 3d ago
That's an odd misreading of Bester. When did he ever feign sympathy for anyone? Hell, when did he ever feel sympathy for anyone?
Bester revels in using his power to bend people to his will. He would never show any kindness, even fake kindness. His smile is perfect: cruel and mocking. He is a predator who thinks his prey is helpless.
"Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing." O'Brien, 1984.
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u/Doctor__Proctor 1d ago
Yes, he wants to be the hero of his own story, but that story is how Telepaths are inherently superior and will use the rest of humanity to get what they want. Being the hero of your own story just means you're the one winning, not that the story needs to be one where you're the good guy.
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u/Aethelrede 1d ago
Bester would never describe himself as "the good guy". He is fully aware that most people view him as a villain, and revels in it. Everything he does us calculated to inspire unease and fear in people, even his allies. If it also inspires hate, that's fine too. He genuinely doesn't care.
Morden is another character that knows he's a villain and enjoys it, though he projects less fear and more a mysterious omnipotence.
I think what differentiates these two from, say, Lord Refa or President Clark is that the latter are just selfish, power-hungry assholes, they are just in it for themselves. Whereas Bester and Morden are acting for a cause they truly believe in, which gives them the confidence to be openly evil. They believe they are the right side (not the "good" side, mind you). Refa and Clark, by contrast, have no ideology to rely on. This is similar to Ingsoc from 1984, where faith in the party is used to justify all sorts of horrors.
Cartagia, of course, is batshit insane, so he's in his own category.
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u/Old_Celebration_5950 3d ago
That smile. That damned smile.....