Babylon 5: Bester a villain?

archangelwho
[1]May 14, 2011
member since: 07/13/05
level: 15
rank: Ginsu Knife
posts: 1,380
I have seen posting that list Bester as a villain, some even as a great villain. No he was not a nice man but again he did not have a nice job. He had a job and did it well. But does that made him a villain? I think not.
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.
KingofIPirates
[2]May 14, 2011
member since: 08/11/06
level: 32
rank: Whammy!
posts: 45,918
Granted he may have had duties but just because he had a job doesn't change the fact that what he was doing was wrong. Psi Corps committed multiple atrocities against their own fellow psychics, even running a plot to take over the Earth Government which is treason. I mean even Nazi soldiers who were ordered to massacre the Jews, doesn't all of a sudden negates responsibility for what they were doing just because they were following orders. Later on after the Psi-Corps had been destroyed in the telepath war, Bester was hunted down and captured for War Crimes. So Yes, all this makes him a villain.
Edited on 05/14/2011 6:37pm
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.
c00lizz
[3]Jun 6, 2011
member since: 06/02/09
level: 3
rank: Soup Nazi
posts: 37
Bester's motives might have been "good" in the sense that he wanted to free his people, the telepaths but his actions and his methods were anything but, even against his own people. That's what makes him a great villain, that he isn't a purely darkhearted evil man that eats kittens and steal candy from children.
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.
archangelwho
[4]Jun 15, 2011
member since: 07/13/05
level: 15
rank: Ginsu Knife
posts: 1,380
Could the case for Bester be viewed as a "The winners write the history books?"
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.
omelethc
[5]Oct 6, 2011
member since: 04/22/06
level: 8
rank: Super-Friend
posts: 11
archangelwho wrote:

Could the case for Bester be viewed as a "The winners write the history books?"

No, because our opinions are of a recorded story with no secondary interpretations. We view Bester's actions as direct observers and judge his actions as we see them. As previous posters mention, he might have some redeeming qualities which makes him a multidimensional character, but overall his actions are terrible.
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.
archangelwho
[6]13 days ago
member since: 07/13/05
level: 15
rank: Ginsu Knife
posts: 1,380
"It is well that war is so terrible lest we should grow too fond of it." Robert E. Lee Yes war is terrible and men have done terrible things during war. But war at times is a necessary evil. Just look at the evils though out history that not only been stopped but war was the only way to stop these evils. There are those times with the end does justify the means.
Edited on 05/17/2012 9:27am
You must be registered and logged in to post a message.

Babylon 5 Forums

Bester a villain?

archangelwho

KingofIPirates

c00lizz

archangelwho

omelethc

archangelwho