Delenn quotes from Babylon 5

Delenn

When I had to learn English, one of the most difficult words for me was "goodbye." There is no corresponding word for "goodbye" in Minbari. All our partings contain within them the possibility of meeting again: in other places, in other times, in other lives. So you will excuse me if I do not say "goodbye." Our souls are a part of this place. Our hopes, the foundation of our future. And we will pass this way, again.

Delenn

They will join with the souls of all our people. Melt one into another until they are born into the next generation of Minbari. Remove those souls and the whole suffers. We are diminished, each generation becomes less than the one before.

Soul Hunter

A quaint lie, pretty fantasy. The soul ends with death, unless we act to preserve it.

Delenn

You can look up, Lennier of the Third Fane of Chu'Domo.

Lennier

It is forbidden.

Delenn

I cannot have an aide who will not look up. You will be forever walking into things.[N]

Delenn

Human ways are often unfathomable. But in time, one learns to live with them.

G'Kar

If one has an exceedingly strong constitution.

That's really nice! I mean, with the war and all, I figured you folks would...well, you know.

Lennier

There are two castes of Minbari, the warrior caste and the religious caste. The warrior caste would not understand. It is not their way.

Delenn

[slyly] So we will not tell them, and spare them the confusion.

These two sides of your culture, do they ever agree on anything?

Delenn

[soberly] Yes. And when they do, it is a terrible thing. A terrible power, as recent events have shown us. Let us hope it never again happens in our lifetime.

Draal

Quickly, what is the third principle of sentient life?

Delenn

Draal!

Draal

Incorrect answer! The third principle of sentient life is the capacity for self-sacrifice: the conscious ability to override evolution and self-preservation for a cause, a friend, a loved one. It has been too long, Delenn. You have forgotten your training. Soon you will have forgotten all about your old friend Draal.

Delenn

Not if I live to be a thousand and one.

Londo

These Earthers! I try to find out as much as I can about them to try to make some sense of them, but it never seems to come together.

Delenn

They do seem to be a mass of contradictions.

Londo

Exactly my point! Here–six thousand years of recorded history, a history that includes remarkable composers, astonishing symphonies! But what is the one song that half of them sing to their children generation after generation?

Sheridan

I wish I had your...faith in the universe. I just don't see it sometimes.

Delenn

Then I will tell you a great secret, Captain. Perhaps the greatest of all time. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station, and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff. We are the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out. And as we have both learned, sometimes the universe requires a change of perspective.

Delenn

Commander, I want you to understand. I acquired human characteristics to bring your people and mine closer together! To symbolize our mutuality! It is supposed to be a dignified, inspiring transition for both humans and Minbari, so will you please explain to me why this, this, this...

Susan Ivanova

Hair.

Delenn

...refuses to cooperate?! [Ivanova gets a little closer.] I had no problems with it at first, but as time passed it...

Ivanova

[feels Delenn's hair] It's...pretty brittle. What are you washing it with?

Delenn

Washing?

Delenn

Taking on human characteristics has been something of an education for both of us!

Ivanova

Well, if you have any other problems, any other questions at all, just ask! [They step into a transport tube.]

Delenn

Well...now that you mention it...do you have any idea why I suddenly started getting these...odd cramps?

Delenn

I apologize for being late, Captain. I decided that as part of learning more about humans, I would try to dress like one tonight. I hope it does not offend you.

Sheridan

No, no, not at all! It's...very attractive! Uh, please! [He helps her to her seat, but as he does, he notices a diner at the next table staring rudely.] Something I can do for you? [The man turns back to his meal.]

Delenn

It appears my choice was successful. The woman who sold me this told me that I would definitely..."turn heads"?

Sheridan

[laughing] Yeah, well, if they turned much further, you'd be sued for whiplash!

Lennier

Being asked to serve on the Council is a matter of soul, not of flesh. The change you've gone through, it shouldn't matter.

Delenn

But it does, Lennier. I made a decision, and now I must face the consequences.

Sheridan

I– I never thought there could be anything worse than being all alone in the night.

Delenn

But there is. Being all alone in a crowd.

Delenn

In the service of their clan, they're ready to sacrifice everything–their individuality, their blood, their life.

Sheridan

Their honor? Oh, we've had plenty of that ourselves. Conspiracies of silence, because the larger ideals have to be protected. But you can't have larger ideals if the smaller ones get compromised. It's like building a house without a foundation, Delenn--it can't stand!

Michael Garibaldi

Absolutely. Sure, when things get tense out here, we have to be careful. Our search of the Centauri vessels we captured proved that they were bringing in weapons of mass destruction, offloading them outside the station, and sending them on to the front lines. Now that we know that, we can make sure it doesn't happen any more. We learn. It's what humans do.

Londo Mollari

Misunderstandings aside, yes! I definitely think it's worth it. We must simply work harder to make sure we communicate with one another to prevent this sort of tragic situation from ever happening again! A violent attack by Narn forces is an unacceptable response to a peaceful protest by my government. And with the intervention of Earth, perhaps we can keep them from making a similar mistake in the future.

G'Kar

I don't know any more. I used to think so, but now...

Susan Ivanova

Yes.

Delenn

Of course it is. For the simple reason that no one else would ever build a place like this. Humans share one unique quality: They build communities. If the Narns or Centauri or any other race built a station like this, it would be used only by their own people. But everywhere humans go, they create communities out of diverse and sometimes hostile populations. It is a great gift, and a terrible responsibility--one that cannot be abandoned.

Well...I guess we'll just have to see...won't we?

Franklin

All right, Med 2--go, go! Look, if we weren't here right now, half the people in this room would be dead! Now that should be a good enough answer for anyone.

Sure! What, are you kidding? I have a retirement pension to make, you know?

John Sheridan

Yes. But not for any of the reasons that you've probably been told. The job of Babylon 5 is not to enforce the peace. It's to create the peace. And this place was built on the assumption that we could work out our problems and build a better future. And that, to me, is the key issue. See, in the last few years, we've stumbled. We stumbled at the death of the President, the war, and on and on. And when you stumble a lot, you...you start looking at your feet. Well, we have to make people...lift their eyes back to the horizon, and see the line of ancestors behind us, saying, "Make my life have meaning." And to our inheritors before us, saying, "Create the world we will live in." I mean, w-we're not just...holding jobs and having dinner. We are in the process of building the future. That's what Babylon 5 is all about.

Delenn

They are in pain. Frightened. Dying. Minbari are taught that, at such a times, the afflicted should be ministered to, comforted.

John Sheridan

They're not your own people, Delenn!

Delenn

I didn't know that similarity was required for the exercise of compassion.