G'Kar
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G'Kar, played by the late Andreas Katsulas, is a fictional character in the universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.
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[edit] Career
G'Kar was Narn ambassador to Babylon 5, and member of the third circle of the Kha'Ri, the heart and the ruling body of Narn Regime. As ambassador, his hatred of Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic was infamous. Acting on that opinion, G'Kar in 2258 was a party to various underhanded schemes intended to further the goals of his government whether they be sheltering the notorious Dilgar war criminal, Deathwalker, to attempting to incite riots on the station.
[edit] Early life
G'Kar was but a boy during the first Centauri occupation of his homeworld. His family served as servants in a Centauri household. This was during the time when the Narn resistance movement is gaining in strength and their increased aggression is slowly driving the Centauri out of Narn.
One day, G'Kar's mother became very ill and only he and his father remained fit enough to serve in their Centauri master's household. His father then accidentally pours a bowl of hot jala upon the mistress of the house. As punishment, his father was beaten to a pulp and was hung up on their family prayer tree.
He lasted for three days before he finally died.
In rage, G'Kar ran away and killed his first Centauri. He later on joined the Resistance movement. After the Centauri were driven off, he worked in the military, participating in at least one invasion during the expansion of the Narn Regime (the Tuchanq).
In mid-2259, the dying Centauri Emperor Turhan visited Babylon 5 so as he could "stand with a Narn in neutral territory and apologize" for all the evil and suffering the Centauri have inflicted upon the Narn. G'kar was prepared to assassinate the Emperor before he learned of this. After the Emperor's intentions were relayed to him, he sought Mollari and offered him a drink in celebration of a new understanding between their two peoples.
Unfortunately for G'Kar, Mollari has arranged for the Shadows to attack the Narn base on Quadrant 14 to ensure that Refa and his allies can consolidate their power at the eve of the Centauri Emperor's death. After learning of the attack on Quadrant 14 "by the Centauri", G'Kar attempts to attack Mollari but is stopped by Sheridan. Sheridan gives G'Kar a choice--if he attacks Mollari, he might very well end up dead and he will be of no use to his people. But if he backs off, he will stay alive and he will be able to help his people greatly (this proves true as he proves instrumental in the war against the Shadows and the later liberation of Narn). In a feat of tremendous self-restraint, G'Kar backs off, opting to sit on the ground, weeping.
[edit] The Narn-Centauri war
During the six months or so that the Narn-Centauri war raged, G'Kar had tried best he can to offer assistance to his people. In exchange for his cooperation, Sheridan was able to pressure the Centauri into releasing the Narn colonists on Quadrant 14. He maintained control of the Narn aboard Babylon 5 to ensure that the others will be more sympathetic to their plight. He also helped expose a plot to use Babylon 5 as a Centauri munitions drop point. Also, with help from Michael Garibaldi, he was able to establish a safe location for smuggling weapons into Narn and its colonies.
After the second Narn-Centauri war, and the subsequent surrender of the Narn Regime, G'Kar was the only member of the Kha'Ri not captured. Mollari returns to Babylon 5 (after having watched the bombardment of Narn by the Centauri using mass-drivers) to announce to the Babylon 5 Council the defeat of Narn and its being turned into a "Protectorate" of the Centauri. Mollari proceeded to deliver the terms of the Narn surrender, including the arrest of all members of the Kha'Ri. However, because he has asked for sanctuary, G'Kar is now placed under the protection both of Babylon 5 and of the Minbari Federation (who co-sponsored the construction of the station) for as long as G'Kar remained IN the station. Nevertheless, Londo has G'Kar removed from the Council as he is no longer the official representative of Narn.
Instead of leaping across the room to snap Mollari's neck, G'Kar calmly rises and addresses the council in one of his most memorable lines in the history of the series.
| “ | No dictator, no invader, can hold an imprisoned population by the force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power governments, and tyrants, and armies can not stand. The Centauri learned this lesson once. We will teach it to them again. Though it take a thousand years, we will be free | ” |
[edit] "Enlightenment"
G'kar spent the later part of the year 2259 as well as early 2259 being obsessed with avenging his people against the Centauri in general, and Mollari in particular. He maintains the steady flow of smuggled weapons onto Narn. As the last of the Kha'Ri still free, G'Kar inspired those on his homeworld to rise up and resist their would-be invaders. His authority was challenged, at one point, by a fellow Narn, Na'kal, who was appointed by the Centauri as the new official ambassador of the Regime to Babylon 5. However, Na'kal did not only fail, but his personal bodyguard, Ta'Lon, became G'Kar's most avid follower and confidante.
A few months later, G'Kar obtained a highly-illegal Earth drug known as "Dust", which gives the user temporary but incredibly powerful telepathic abilities. G'Kar intended to use this weapon to fight the Centauri, but the effects on Narn physiology were unknown; the Narns had no surviving heritage of telepaths. He opted to use himself as a test subject, with great success - he was able to abduct and telepathically mutilate Mollari (severely beating both him and his assistant, Vir Cotto, in an amazing display of superior Narn strength), and learn many of his secrets, including his role in instigating the second Narn-Centauri war, as well as the "embarrassing" circumstances that led to his assignment on Babylon 5.
However, as the drug wore off, he experienced what he believed to be a religious revelation from his "father figures", namely the Narn holy figure G'Quan, his own biological father, and the angelic being called G'Lan (This was actually Vorlon Ambassador Kosh Naranek, who also used a "father figure" when he appeared to Sheridan months later). In his vision, G'Kar was told to let go of his hatred and serve a higher cause - the survival of his race and of everyone. To achieve this, he, and the Narns, must be willing to sacrifice themselves. As the G'Quan apparition puts it:
| “ | "What is there left for Narn if all of creation falls around us? There's nothing. No hope, no dream, no future, no life. Unless we turn from the cycle of death toward something greater. If we are a dying people, then let us die with honor, by helping the others as no one else can... We are fighting to save one another, we must realize we are not alone. We rise and fall together. And some of us must be sacrificed if all are to be saved. Because, if we fail in this, then none of us will be saved. And the Narn will be only a memory." | ” |
G'Kar was arrested for this attack and pleaded guilty. He allowed himself to be placed in Babylon 5's brig, where he dedicated himself to reading the sacred text known as "The Book of G'Quan" and writing his own observations. He was released early, due to the fighting between Earth forces and Babylon 5. He promised to assist the humans — and delivered, providing Babylon 5 with a Narn security force to replace those soldiers who remained loyal to Earth.
[edit] Liberation of Narn
When Michael Garibaldi was kidnapped, G'Kar went searching for him, only to be captured by Centauri forces and taken to Centauri Prime. There he was presented as a gift to Londo Mollari by Emperor Cartagia. However, Cartagia first decided to torture G'Kar. G'Kar endured much, including having an eye gouged out, but refused to give Cartagia the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain.
Mollari approached G'Kar in secret and explained that Cartagia was sadistic and insane, and that the fate of both the Narn and Centauri people depended on his removal from the throne. Mollari offered a deal — if G'Kar would assist by providing a distraction at the proper moment, Mollari himself would assassinate the mad emperor, and then use his influence to free him. Assuming G'Kar would agree, Mollari turned to leave. G'Kar replied by saying that Mollari didn't ask the price, and that he would only agree to it if Mollari would use his influence to free Narn. Mollari pointed out that G'Kar was in no position to make demands. G'Kar's response was, "Neither are you." Mollari agreed, and the plot was successful, albeit with Mollari's aide Vir Cotto killing Cartagia. Mollari kept his word and freed both G'Kar and the Narn people.
[edit] Declaration of Principles
Upon his return to Babylon 5, he resumed his role as Narn Ambassador, and was instrumental in the founding of the Interstellar Alliance. G'Kar was a member of that organization's advisory council, and wrote the Declaration of Principles. A later draft of these principles read as follows:
| “ | The Universe speaks in many languages, but only one voice. The language is not Narn, or Human, or Centauri, or Gaim or Minbari. It speaks in the language of hope; It speaks in the language of trust; It speaks in the language of strength, and the language of compassion. It is the language of the heart and the language of the soul. But always, it is the same voice. It is the voice of our ancestors, speaking through us, And the voice of our inheritors, waiting to be born. It is the small, still voice that says: We are one. No matter the blood; No matter the skin; No matter the world; No matter the star; We are one. No matter the pain; No matter the darkness; No matter the loss; No matter the fear; We are one. Here, gathered together in common cause. we agree to recognise this singular truth, and this singular rule: That we must be kind to one another, because each voice enriches us and ennobles us, and each voice lost diminishes us. We are the voice of the Universe, the soul of creation, the fire that will light the way to a better future. We are one. | ” |
Immediately after this draft was approved by all members of the ISA, G'Kar insisted that it be recalled, as he had written a better version. While ISA President John Sheridan did agree that this version was better, the text of that version is unknown, and no record exists whether this improved version was also approved.
[edit] Londo's bodyguard and rise to "holiness"
Later, when Mollari returned to Centauri Prime to investigate potential corruption in the Centauri Court, Ambassador Mollari requested that G'Kar return with him as his bodyguard. G'Kar accepted, if only to see the looks on the faces of the Centauri court. Upon his return to Babylon 5, he discovered that the book of religious observations he had been writing had been "liberated" by a friend who believed him dead, and published as "The Book of G'Kar." It was received well, and its popularity was approaching that of the Book of G'Quan. G'Kar had, quite unwittingly, become a holy figure.
G'Kar found his new holy status very frustrating; While many Narn were coming to him for guidance, they were more interested in applying their own interpretation of his words, or focusing on some things he had said while ignoring others — even when he himself was insisting otherwise. His sermons, however, were often quite inspired. For example, when asked "What is truth, and what is god?" he explained:
| “ | If I take a lamp and shine toward the wall, a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search for truth, for understanding. Too often we assume the light on the wall is God, but the light is not the goal of the search, it is the result of the search. The more intense the search, the brighter the light on the wall. The brighter the light on the wall, the greater the revelation upon seeing it. Similarly, someone who does not search, who does not bring a lantern with him, sees nothing. What we perceive as God is the by-product of our search for God. It may simply be an appreciation of the light, pure and unblemished. Not understanding that it comes from us, sometimes, we stand in front of the light and assume we are the center of the universe. God looks astonishingly like we do. Or we turn to look at our shadow and assume all is darkness. If we allow ourselves to get in the way, we defeat the purpose - which is use the light of our search to illuminate the wall in all its beauty and all it flaws, and in so doing, better understand the world around us. | ” |
His popularity was creating political pressure on the Kha'Ri, as well. The last straw was when he was forced to bluntly rebuke a particularly obnoxious would-be worshipper and that offended admirer attempted to assassinate him in retaliation, but ended up severely wounding Garibaldi's fiancée instead. G'Kar decided to leave Babylon 5 and explore the galaxy, knowing that he could do no more for his people there and that to stay would only cause more unrest. He appointed Ta'Lon as his successor.
G'Kar would later return to Babylon 5 at least once more for a diplomatic conference.
[edit] Death
G'Kar died in 2278 while locked in combat with the Drakh Keeper controlling Londo Mollari's body. The sacrifice of G'Kar and Londo allowed Sheridan, Delenn, and their son David to escape from Centauri Prime.
[edit] Aftermath
After the death of G'Kar on Centauri Prime, Emperor Vir Cotto honored G'Kar and Londo's sacrifice by building a gigantic statue of them at the main gates to the Centauri capital city. These statues were built so that the two men were standing guard over the city, and watching each others backs.
The Book of G'Kar continued to gain popularity following his death, and along with G'Quan he became one of the most widely read authors amongst the Narn.
Shortly before he died in 2281, John Sheridan had one last meal with his friends. During the toast for all those who had died, Michael Garibaldi eulogized G'Kar.
Andreas Katsulas died on February 13, 2006 due to lung cancer. As a result, except for archival footage, the character of G'Kar will not make any future appearances in Babylon 5 related television or movie productions.[1]
