LONDO MOLLARI

'Londo Mollari' is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series ''Babylon 5'', played by Peter Jurasik. Although Londo appears to be a supporting player in the early episodes, his actions and character development have immeasurable effect on how the five-year saga unfolds, making him one of the most significant characters in the entire series.

Contents

Character description

Overview

Ambassador to Babylon 5

Saving Centauri Prime

Emperor Mollari II

Character description

Overview

Although the tragic results of most of his actions depend largely on his desire to bring the Centauri Republic to its past glory, Mollari proves to be an honourable person when he comes in contact with close-to-common people and with his long-time friends. This is proven in episodes like Convictions, where he sits by Lennier's bed in Medlab and does what he can to help the injured Minbari who saved his life - talking, to bring Lennier whatever comfort he can, even telling him a joke:
Also, he is close to his aide Vir Cotto when he is about to lose him due to Cotto's probable recall to the Centauri homeworld.
On the other part, he humiliates Na'Far (the new Narn diplomatic attache to Babylon 5, sent by the pro-Centauri provisional Narn government to replace G'Kar) with outspoken satisfaction.
Mollari's character becomes more detailed and rounded as the series progresses, being shown to be both likable and capable of acts of kindness and generosity, even forming a grudging friendship with G'Kar. As Londo's character grows in power, he also grows in complexity and humanity, until by the end of the series he is a fully drawn portrait of a man tormented by the knowledge that he has sold his soul through the devious and unsavory acts he has committed and caused to be committed on the path to his goal. When Mollari encountered the technomage Elric, he eventually told Mollari what his future would be.
His relationship with women is complex, having to manage his three wives and an elusive mistress (Adira). When Londo is granted the favor of a divorce from two of his wives as a gift from the Emperor, two of the wives, Daggair and Mariel, battle for supremacy in the group, each trying to convince Londo that she loves him best so that she won't lose the status the marriage gives her. The third wife, Timov ("vomit" spelled backwards), refuses to play along, making her disdain for Londo well-known. However, when Londo is poisoned, ostensibly by Mariel, it is Timov who secretly saves his life by providing him with a blood transfusion. In spite of not knowing this, Londo chooses to remain married to Timov: "Because, with you, my dear, I will always know exactly where I stand." This, along with his relationship with the beautiful Adira, make for a man that accepts the truth over beautiful lies and who respects the women he loves and who love him truly.

Ambassador to Babylon 5

The Centauri culture, patterned on ancient Rome, is portrayed as an empire in decline; it falls prey to decadence and internal politics even while it hungers to return to its days of glory. As such, Londo is depicted as a reflection of the society from which he comes; in the words of series creator J. Michael Straczynski, he is "overweight, prone to gambling constantly (null-pool is his favorite), and fond of women and drinks." [1] Considered something of a buffoon even among Centauri, Londo has been assigned the post of Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5 to keep him out of the way.
From the start of the series he seems to be ineffective in his role, prone to drunken temper tantrums. But his hatred of the Narn Regime (former slaves of the Centauri, who fought for and won their independence) and his craving to regain past glory makes him a perfect target for the dark and mysterious Morden, who is secretly representing the Shadows as they work to build their strength. Morden only asks Londo one question—"What do you want?"—and, repeatedly gives Londo exactly what he wants. As Narn fleets continue to be wiped out without any survivors to explain how, Londo takes credit and attracts a great deal of much-desired attention and power.
However, Morden's help comes with a price. Eventually, after having proved the capability of his "associates" beyond any doubt, Morden begins to request favors from Londo. Londo, driven by his own pride as well as his fear that Morden may leave and turn elsewhere for help, gives in each time. As his conscience begins to bother him about the nature of these requests, he finds himself unable to sever his connection with Morden.

Saving Centauri Prime

As the events of the Shadow War came to a height, Mollari was promoted to the position of advisor on planetary security, which required him to return to his homeworld. Mollari was angered by the promotion, realizing that it was not something that he had earned, but a leash to keep him under control given his newfound power. Upon his return to Centauri Prime, Mollari discovered that the young Emperor Cartagia was insane and had allowed the Shadows to establish a base on Centauri Prime. At the same time, the Vorlons had begun a campaign to completely destroy any planet where the Shadows had influence. In his insanity Cartagia believed the Shadows would elevate him to godhood, and insisted they stay. Mollari realised that in order to deal with the Shadows and save his world from the Vorlons, Cartagia would have to be killed.
Mollari began a conspiracy to have Cartagia assassinated, with the help of Vir Cotto, a number of high-ranking Centauri and G'Kar, who was Cartagia's prisoner at the time. They planned to lure Cartagia to Narn, where he was vulnerable and away from the majority of his guards. There, G'kar would be able to create a security threat by escaping and in the confusion Londo would kill Cartagia by injecting him with a poison that cause his hearts to shut down. The plot was successful, although as it turned out, Cartagia attacked Londo and Vir was forced to inject the poison. After the Emperor was pronounced dead, Mollari fulfilled a promise to G'Kar, that in return for his help, Narn would be freed from Centauri rule.
With Cartagia dead, and a Vorlon fleet en route to destroy Centauri Prime, Mollari was promoted to the position of Prime Minister, making him temporarily head of state until a new Emperor could be elected. With this new power, Mollari proceeded to blow up the Shadow base on Centauri Prime, and then killed their agent, Morden. Mollari believed that this would redeem Centauri Prime from being destroyed by the Vorlons, however Vir realized that Londo himself had been influenced and used by the Shadows, and so the Vorlons would want him destroyed too. As the Vorlon fleet came into orbit around Centauri Prime, blotting out the sun, it became clear that the Vorlons would destroy the whole planet just to get Mollari. Londo implored Vir to kill him and show the Vorlons he had done it. However Londo was saved by the fact that at the same time in another part of the galaxy, the Army of Light was fighting their final battle against the Shadows and Vorlons at Corianna 6, and the Vorlons called in all their remaining fleets to help. Thus Vir did not have to kill Londo, and the planet was spared as the Vorlon fleet left to join their comrades. However, in saving Centauri Prime during the Shadow War, Londo had unknowingly doomed his world to a different fate.

Emperor Mollari II

Following the galactic war with the Shadows, Mollari eventually rises to Emperor of the Centauri Republic, and becomes Emperor Mollari II as another member of his family had been named Emperor. One of his first acts as the new Emperor was to name Vir Cotto as his replacement on Babylon 5, a job not highly prized because of the earlier Centauri conquest of Narn, though Londo knew that Vir would fulfill the job dutifully, even if some of the other ambassadors distrusted him.
Before Londo officially becomes Emperor Mollari II, he confides in his now ex-bodyguard, Ambassador G'Kar, that "When we met, I had no power, and all the choices I could ever want. Now I have all the power I could ever want, and no choices."
At the end of the fifth season, it was revealed that the Drakh have manipulated the Interstellar Alliance into attacking the Centauri Homeworld. The Drakh decided they needed Londo to be Emperor. The Regent died when his keeper was removed, and another keeper was attached to Londo. For the next 15 years, Londo reigned as Emperor. Londo soon learned that alcohol would put the Keeper to sleep, and would allow him a few minutes of freedom.
When the Drakh kidnapped David Sheridan - the son of John and Delenn - the couple came to Centauri Prime to free their son. Both Sheridan and Delenn were captured by the Centauri. Mollari tried to force the Drakh to leave, who responded by exploding fusion bombs they had planted on the surface of the planet. Mollari was told to execute Sheridan, and he was able to convince his Keeper that he was soon going to kill both Sheridan and Delenn. Mollari then ingested enough alcohol to put the Keeper to sleep and freed Sheridan, Delenn, and their son in exchange for their help in freeing the Centauri from the Drakh.
Mollari knew that his Keeper would soon wake up, and alert the other Drakh that he had set his friends free. He knew the Drakh would kill them, and would then kill him for his betrayal. G'Kar entered the throne room, and Mollari explained the situation. He begged G'Kar to kill him before the Keeper woke up. G'Kar began to crush Mollari's throat, but did not finish before the Keeper awoke. The Keeper then seized control of Mollari and retaliated. Mollari and G'Kar finally died at each other's hands, just as Londo had predicted for many years.
A few hours before his death, Mollari had a random encounter with two Centauri children. He granted them a favour by telling them the tale of the Earth-Minbari War. He also commented upon the terrible events that had befallen Centauri Prime, saying that whilst he had cared for each of his wives in his own way, he loved Centauri Prime and that everything he had done had been "for her".
Following Mollari's death, Vir Cotto found Mollari and G'Kar's lifeless bodies on the floor of the throne room. He managed to escape from the Centauri homeworld (avoiding the inevitable Drakh attempt to place a Keeper on him), and went to Minbar. In a conference with the surviving members of the Centauri houses, Cotto was named the next Emperor - thus fulfilling the prophecy of Lady Morella that he would one day be Emperor. Emperor Cotto was able to finally free his homeworld from the clutches of the Drakh.
In 2281, John Sheridan was dying. Emperor Cotto went to Minbar for one last meal with Sheridan and his friends. When the time came to remember all who had died, Cotto raised his glass to the memory of Londo Mollari.