Londo Mollari
Londo Mollari is a male alien character who features in Babylon 5.
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Biography
Londo Mollari was a male Centauri who was a citizen of the Centauri Republic. A member of House Mollari with his ancestry holding at least one ancestor who had ascended to the Emperor of the Republic. (Episode: Strange Relations) His grandfather was noted for being responsible for several atrocities on the Narn homeworld though this fact was kept secret and was not common knowledge on Centauri Prime as it would affect the status of House Mollari. (Movie: The Gathering) As a young man, Londo became a member of a prestigious fighting school alongside his close childhood friend Urza Jaddo. Eventually, he came to be an accomplished swordsman by becoming a Coutari that was a mark of respect among the Couro Prido duelling society. (Episode: Knives) At some point, he was noted to had personally led the raid on Frallis XII. (Episode: A Voice in the Wilderness, Part II) He came to marry the dancer who became his first wife but this decision infuriated his family when he told them about her. Ultimately, they pressured him into divorcing her and he felt dead inside after he was forced to leave her. (Episode: The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari) Whilst at the Royal Court, he came to meet a young Cartagia on three different occasions where he was unimpressed at the young man. (Episode: The Hour of the Wolf) He eventually became the liaison of the diplomatic delegation to Earth by 2243 where he maintained regular contact with Humans. In 2243, members of the Earth Alliance called upon Mollari in order to get Centauri information on Minbari outposts as they intended to launch an expedition into their space to ascertain whether they would oppose mankind's expansion. Londo attempted to advise and dissuade them from this act as it could provoke the Minbari Federation. However, the high ranking members in the Alliance were determined in their act with Mollari reluctantly providing the information but warned them that their act could hold grave consequences in the future. By 2245, the Earth-Minbari War had erupted and Ambassador Mollari was called to Earth once more when they sought aid. They requested tactical and strategic support but also advanced Centauri weapons that could give the Earth Alliance an even footing with the Minbari. However, Londo refused to do so as this act would simply provoke the Minbari Federation who would turn their attention to the Republic. Thus, whilst fond of Humans, he departed the planet and believed that mankind would become extinct in the war. The Centauri government learnt of the Narn support to the Humans with Londo Mollari's spies informing him of a Narn cruiser rendezvousing at an isolated planet. This was believed to be an arms shipment and Mollari ordered a ship to intercept where it was tasked with eliminating the meeting. Unknown to Mollari at the time, the Narn were attempting to facilitate a peace negotiation between the Humans and the Minbari in order to end the Earth-Minbari War. Londo's role was never discovered and both sides believed it was a renegade faction from their opponent's faction responsible for the attack. (Movie: In the Beginning) At some point, his nephew Carn Mollari desired to join the Republic's military but Londo feared for his life in this career and claimed that it was a waste of his talents. Through his influence, he managed to get Carn appointed as head researcher to the outlying agricultural colony of Ragesh III. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line)
Mollari was appointed to Babylon 5 in 2256 as the station went online. He initially thought this an 'honor' but was quickly told that no one else wanted the position and as his earlier position as diplomat to Earth, it was considered little more than a joke. It was ultimately Emperor Turhan who had chosen him for the role as ambassador. (Episode: Dust to Dust) Like many Centauri, Mollari had the 'gift' of foreseeing his own death in a dream. In his dream, he was an old man and being strangled to death, while he in turn was strangling his attacker. As soon as Mollari first met G'Kar, who now was Ambassador of the Narn on the station, he knew instantly he was the one from the dream. The dream became clearer as he grew older. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line) Soon after his appointment he and G'Kar entered a furious rivalry, particularly when the latter blackmailed Mollari, using evidence of his grandfather's criminal activities during the first Centauri occupation of Narn, into voting for G'Kar's resolution to send Commander Jeffrey Sinclair to the Vorlon Homeworld to stand trial for the assassination attempt on Ambassador Kosh. Later at a bar, a guilt-stricken Mollari privately admitted to security chief Michael Garibaldi to how G'Kar had blackmailed him. However, Kosh survived and Sinclair was exonerated. (Episode: The Gathering) Early in 2258, Mollari was assigned a diplomatic attache, Vir Cotto. On the same day, the Centauri agricultural colony of Ragesh III was attacked and taken over by a Narn sneak attack. Enraged when he discovered it was the Narn, Mollari confronted and physically attacked G'Kar in the Zocalo, requiring station security to pull them apart. Mollari apologized to Commander Jeffrey Sinclair, explaining that he arranged for his nephew, Carn Mollari, to be the head researcher at Ragesh 3 to keep him safe--and now he may be dead. Mollari vowed that if Carn was dead, there would be war with the Narn if it was the last thing he ever did. Rather than risk a confrontation over such a small colony, the Centauri Republic decided not to respond militarily to the Narn attack. Mollari tried to embarrass his government into acting by getting other races to interfere, but G'kar was able to convince the council that help was not requested. Carn Mollari was forced to read a statement that the colony requested the Narn to come. Mollari retrieved a firearm from his quarters and headed out to murder G'Kar. However, a brush-up with Talia Winters, a telepath, alerted her to his plan and she told Garibaldi who stopped Mollari. Later, when the station crew uncovered a plot involving the Narn Regime backing local Raiders, they were able to use this as leverage and force the Narn to withdraw from Ragesh III. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line)
In this early stage of his assignment, Mollari spent most of his time drinking and gambling at either the casino or one of the more seedy bars or clubs on the station. He consistently put off negotiations for the Euphrates Treaty with the Narn because of these vices. In his own words, he was nothing more than a 'washed-up old Republican dreaming of better days'. He met a Centauri exotic dancer named Adira Tyree whom he instantly became enamored with. Tyree was actually a slave owned by a Golian criminal named Trakis, who used her to steal Mollari's Purple files, top secret information Trakis hoped to sell to the highest bidder. Unfortunately for him, Tyree genuinely fell for Mollari, which put her life in danger. Mollari appealed to Commander Sinclair to help rescue her, which Sinclair did on the condition that Mollari agree to his compromise in the Euphrates negotiations. The pair managed to recover the files and save Tyree. Mollari gained her freedom and gave her a symbol of his House, which he told her to wear proudly as a free woman. Tyree left the station, promising to come back to him one day. (Episode: Born to the Purple) When the station threw a week-long series of festivities to demonstrate the different beliefs of species on the station, Mollari hosted a large feast for all of the major diplomats and station senior staff. Mollari had a great deal to drink and passed out. (Episode: The Parliament of Dreams) During a string of vicious anti-alien attacks on the station, a pair of young Centauri nobles arrived, one of whom was Cotto's cousin. Their names were Aria Tensus and Kiron Maray, both arranged to be married--Aria to a man old enough to be her grandfather and Kiron to a very ugly woman. They had run away from Centauri Prime because they were in love and wished to marry each other, quite the scandal for the Centauri. Mollari assured their families he would send them back soon, and insisted they "grow up" and accept the sacrifices for their family and society. Cotto stood up for the couple, but Mollari remained firm, explaining his own "sacrifices," namely his three wives whom he nicknamed "Famine", "Pestilence", and "Death". (Episode: The War Prayer)
However, Kiron was soon attacked and seriously injured by one of the anti-alien assaults. As he was being treated in MedLab with Aria at his side, Mollari checked on them. In the process, he met Shaal Mayan, a Minbari poet, who asked Mollari why he was so resistant to the idea of love and confronted him on his own sacrifice, having chosen to live without it. Mollari went to reflect on her words in the Zen Garden, where Cotto again confronted him. This time, however, Mollari admitted that he had gone a long time without remembering what it meant to be in love. When Kiron recovered, Mollari informed them he had arranged for them to be taken in by his second cousin, Andilo Mollari, under an old tradition known as "fosterage." Mollari explained that their families would not object, as Andilo was quite powerful and respected. After living with him for a few years, Mollari explained, Andilo would give them permission to marry whomever they chose--even if it was each other. (Episode: The War Prayer) When the war criminal Jha'dur, known as Deathwalker, was discovered aboard the station, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds demanded she be held for trial. A vote was called for the Security Council and the League, but Mollari was instructed to vote against holding her for trial. (Episode: Deathwalker)
Originally sent to Babylon 5 as a joke, he grew to be a very important member of the population. Londo cared deeply for his empire and desired its return to prominence. Although he had worked obediently toward his superiors, he was actually a good man at heart that could not get out of his own troubles.
Waiting at departures, Mollari found everyone had departed the transport except for Adira and was puzzled at the delay. He then was shocked to find a medical team removing a body from the transport after one of the passengers had died. His fears were confirmed that this was Adira who died inexplicably and came to believe that his love was murdered by Lord Refa using poison as retaliation over their last encounter. The autopsy came to confirm he use of poison whereupon Londo resumed contact with Mr. Morden to eliminate all those that opposed him. (Episode: Interludes and Examinations)
He then received word from Centauri Prime that he had been promoted for his efforts where he was assigned to the royal court as an adviser on matters relating to planetary security. However, Mollari was not pleased with this position as he felt it was earned through fear of his allies rather than his own efforts. It was then that a representative of Mr. Morden arrived where he gave a warning to Londo to depart the station as soon as possible. Unknown to him, this was because the Shadows had intended to directly strike at Babylon 5 itself but their plan was stopped when Captain Sheridan dealt a heavy blow to the enemy on their homeworld of Z'ha'dum. (Episode: Z'ha'dum) Travelling to Centauri Prime to assume his new post, Londo left his attaché Vir Cotto to serve as his replacement on Babylon 5. Upon arriving, he had an audience with Emperor Cartagia where he was disturbed to find the young man insane. During their meeting, he learnt that he was given his new position because of his experience in dealing with outsiders and also at the request of Mr. Morden. Mollari then found Mr. Morden waiting for him in his room and found that the human was badly wounded after Sheridan's attack on Z'ha'dum. As a result of Sheridan's attack, the Shadows had decided to move some of their forces off-world with Mr. Morden revealing that Emperor Cartagia had given them the island of Selini to be used as a base. Londo protested at this but was forced to relent as he feared what the Shadows could accomplish from another person within the Royal Court. (Episode: The Hour of the Wolf)
His life as a patriot was a sad one. Whether it was the look on his face as he watched the mass murder of countless Narn, or seeing the murdered body of his beloved Adira, or seeing his coerced nephew on tape being forced to lie, or his final battle with G'Kar.
Overview
Personality and attributes
From his time in the Couro Prido duelling society, he earnt the nickname of Paso Leati from his comrades as they claimed he fought like a crazed leati. (Episode: Knives)
It was said that for a long time that he wished for a position within the Royal Court as he desired the fame, wealth, power and status from such a title. (Episode: The Hour of the Wolf)
In this time, he believed himself to be a washed-up old Republican who dreamed of better days. (Episode: Born to the Purple)
Mollari believed that all those that were precious to him ended up being killed as a result of Centauri politics. (Episode: Interludes and Examinations)
His three previous wives were named Daggair, Timov and Mariel though he did not get along with them. (Episode: Soul Mates) In his life, he had four wives that he cared for deeply but among the only things he deeply loved was his homeworld of Centauri Prime. He loved every street, corner and inch of the planet with all his actions being dedicated in love to his world. (Movie: In the Beginning) Londo also cared deeply for his blood such as his nephew Carn Mollari who he would avenge by killing his killer or those responsible for the act. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line)
Mollari said that he hated talking on long journeys as he preferred to sleep. (Episode: And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder) He also did not like the Pak'ma'ra. (Episode: Sleeping in Light)
His close childhood friend was Urza Jaddo with their two respective houses having been allies since the early days of the Republic. (Episode: Knives)
G'Kar believed that Londo was perhaps the loneliest man in the cosmos. (Episode: The Hour of the Wolf)
Powers and abilities
His former wife Timov was noted to have had the same blood type as him. (Episode: Soul Mates)
Like many Centauri, he 'gifted' with the ability to foresee his own death in the future. He did not know the circumstances behind it but had a vision of the moment of his death and the one responsible for it. (Episode: Midnight on the Firing Line)
During his youth, he joined the Couro Prido duelling society and became an accomplished swordsman having attained the rank of Coutari. (Episode: Knives) He later came to be an accomplished fighter pilot and could perform evasive manoeuvres on a shuttle. (Episode: A Voice in the Wilderness, Part II)
House Mollari was noted as being among the two oldest families within the Centauri Republic. (Episode: And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place) His family line once held a great matriarch who lived in the earliest days of the Republic with her being a figure of great wisdom and beauty. She had a pendant that had been kept by Mollari for many years. (Episode: Born to the Purple) Londo had access to his house's Purple Files that contained a great deal of scandalous material on their rivals to the point that it could topple the Republic. These were on his computer systems where the password was Triple Cipher, Wine, Women and Song. (Episode: Born to the Purple)
Notes
- Londo Mollari was portrayed by Peter Jurasik where he featured in the setting of the Babylon 5 universe.
Appearances
- Babylon 5:
External Links
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