Entertainment
Star Trek Veteran Turns Babylon 5 Appearance Into The Show's Best Recurring Character
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
For better or worse, the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series found their careers tied to science fiction for decades after the series came to an end. It ended up working out well for Walter Koenig, the original Chekov, who found a late-career resurgence on Babylon 5 as Albert Bester, the villainous Psi-Cop that became a staple of the series’ five-season run. Chekov was supposed to appeal to young fans, while Bester was a villain from his first scene to his last, and throughout it all, Koening took whatever material he was given and knocked it right out of the park.
Albert Bester Was Babylon 5’s Greatest Villain
Walter Koenig’s first appearance on Babylon 5 in “Mind War,” the show’s sixth episode, introduced the audience to the dark side of the Psi Corps from the very beginning. Albert Bester, a representative of the mysterious Psi-Corps, lands on the space station to capture a renegade telepath. Bester doesn’t get along with the station’s commanders, lying to Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O’Hare) in the first of many, many times the Psi-Cop will obfuscate his true mission no matter who might get hurt along the way. Koening’s performance was praised by fans immediately after the episode aired, and to this day, the 12 episodes he appears in are among the show’s best.
With more in common with Khan than Chekov, Walter Koenig’s Babylon 5 Psi-Cop was driven by a desire to craft a world in which telepaths ruled over the mundanes. He wasn’t subtle about it either, and thankfully, none of the other characters held back when discussing their feelings about Bester, resulting in some of the best lines of the show. Only the perfect match between actor and character could result in a line as corny as this one being delivered in all seriousness: “A pinata, huh? So, you think of me as something bright and cheerful, full of toys and candy for young children? Thank you! That makes me feel much better about our relationship.”
No Redemption Arc Anywhere To Be Found
As the series went on, and Walter Koenig became more comfortable playing Babylon 5’s outright villain, Bester slowly shifted from irritating antagonist to an ally as The Shadow War heated up. That not only didn’t last long but fell apart completely during Season 5 and the Telepath War. Sheridan’s (Bruce Boxleitner) work to try and shelter a telepathic colony onboard the space station was started with the best of intentions, but it nearly shattered the nascent Alliance even before Bester got his hands dirty.
The Psi Corps’ stringent rules and rigid discipline, exemplified by the motto, “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father,” was embraced wholeheartedly by Besker and his sense of superiority. Even after the Telepath War fallout resulted in the decimation of the Corps, he helped to his beliefs, and in fact, originally, the Season 5 storyline wasn’t going to be the end of the Psi Cop. Walter Koenig was slated to appear again in the Babylon 5 spin-off, Crusade, but the show was canceled before it could happen, which is a shame, as given how far he fell by the end of the show, there was limitless story potential in his rise from the ashes.
As great as Walter Koenig’s performance as Chekov in Star Trek: The Original Series is, if anyone says that his real greatest sci-fi role was Albert Bester in Babylon 5, it would be hard to argue. We had five seasons of menacing glances, underhanded mind control, and gloriously catty comebacks, including the delightfully dry: “Anatomically impossible, Mr. Garibaldi. But you’re welcome to try.” Not once in any episode was there an attempt to give Bester a redemption arc or to paint him as anything other than an egotistical villain willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
