Theories of Pain and Suffering or

Fulfillment on Babylon 5

By L.A. Dudik

I recently managed to acquire the last episode of the first season of Babylon 5, Chrysalis, a week earlier than its broadcast time in my area. The show had become one of my favorites so I popped the tape in the machine as soon as I got it and sat down to be massively entertained for nearly an hour. The episode has many different subplots and lots of action going on but the main thing that I enjoyed about it was Garibaldi, the head of station security, getting shot. Shot in the back, as a matter of fact, big explosion when the energy blast hit him. It was fulfilling in many ways. Watching him dragging his injured body across the floor trying to warn people was also.... fulfilling. You might think that fulfilling is the wrong word to use when one of your favorite characters has been shot. "Upset", "worried", "surprised", those might be more appropriate, you think. You're wrong, but let me continue. I talked to a friend of mine who wanted to borrow the tape so I brought it in and handed it over the next day. She was eager to watch it, having read all of the spoilers on the net. I commented that Garibaldi got shot. She replied that she had heard that and was really looking forward to seeing it and she knew I would understand In fact, she was hoping that I would be sympathetic, as her other friends thought she was a sick puppy for wanting her favorite character to suffer. I not only understood, but wanted her to watch the episode so we could discuss each grisly detail.

No, we're not sick. In fact, in a completely random sampling of science fiction fans (all right, I called my friends), most wanted their favorite characters to experience pain and suffering. As a matter of fact, the more they liked a character the more they wanted to see them hurt! No, they're not sadists or misanthropes, they just like to see a bit of torture along with their favorite show. Upon further questioning I found out that they felt closer to a character after seeing a bashem up show. This makes some sort of sense, people feel sympathetic after seeing another human being hurt, probably brings out some kind of nurturing instinct or something, too. Pleased with my deduction, I was about to announce it when I realized that it doesn't always apply. For instance, in Star Trek:The Next Generation, Captain Picard was taken prisoner by the Cardassians and tortured for days. The episode, while well written and excellently acted, didn't do a thing for me. However, seeing Garibaldi get shot prompted a trip to the freezer for ice cream (if you don't think the two things are related, you haven't lived). Now, I like Captain Picard, so what was the difference? Upon further thought, it came to me that there are two types of characters that people love to bash and bash well. The beautiful/handsome character and the friend-type character. The beautiful/handsome one is easy to explain. In people's sick and twisted imagination, if the people are really good looking and hurt, they can't fight off my advances and I might actually get somewhere with them. You might term this the "wounded date" phenomenon. The friend-type is also easy to explain if you think of the sympathy angle. When your friends in real life are sick or hurt you feel concern for them and wish to do something nice for them in the hope (however vain) that when you're sick or hurt, they'll be sympathetic to you. So, when you see one of your favorite characters hurt, the same concern is felt. However, since the character isn't an actual friend who has been annoying you for years with habitual pathetic whining, the concern goes into overdrive. You feel drawn to the character and want to help them, call it the "oooh, let me make it better" phenomenon.

For me, Picard is neither a "wounded date" nor a "ooh, let me make it better" type. I like and respect the character, but would he eat cheesecake and discuss just what part of the egg a chicken comes from? Probably not, nor do I find him a to-die-for sex symbol. So, go ahead, beat the crap out of him. It doesn't fulfill me in the least. However, if you'd really like to make me happy, beat up on Garibaldi for a while and then follow it up with a nice pounding on Ivanova. Throw in some chocolate brownie ice cream and I'd be in heaven. I'm sure you understand.