# Single Best Sci-Fi Television Moment . . . EVAR!?



## Mark (Jul 28, 2006)

What, in your opinion, is the Single Best Sci-Fi Television Moment . . .EVAR!?


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## Abraxas (Jul 28, 2006)

double post


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## Abraxas (Jul 28, 2006)

When Vir looks up and waves at Morden's head hanging on the wall.


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## Darthjaye (Jul 28, 2006)

Going to the B-5 well again, one of them would be in "Severed Dreams" of season 3 when the earth forces jump in one final time to take Babylon 5 and at the point where it looks the bleakest the Minbari cruisers jump in and Delenn gives her intimidating speech.


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## johnsemlak (Jul 28, 2006)

Worf being redeemed in by Gauron in the Klingon Great Hall in 'Redeption'.


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## Dagger75 (Jul 28, 2006)

Mal kicks the dude into Serenity's engine.


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## trancejeremy (Jul 28, 2006)

That episode of Buck Rogers where Erin Gray is in that sauna, and the humidity makes her skintight spandex jumpsuit even tighter.


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## KenM (Jul 28, 2006)

Darthjaye said:
			
		

> Going to the B-5 well again, one of them would be in "Severed Dreams" of season 3 when the earth forces jump in one final time to take Babylon 5 and at the point where it looks the bleakest the Minbari cruisers jump in and Delenn gives her intimidating speech.




 Quoted for truth.


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## reanjr (Jul 28, 2006)

The dinosaur battle at the beginning of Firefly with Wash doing voices.


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## Hand of Evil (Jul 28, 2006)

The opening for Star Trek (original) - the years after that have been what they promised, these are the voyages.


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## Mustrum_Ridcully (Jul 28, 2006)

Again Babylon 5 - the scene where Londo's plotting leads to the death of Lord Reefa at the hands of the Narn. It was a really well made scene, cutting between the attack on Reefa and a religious ceremony (with songs) on B5. "..no hiding place.."

That's the first scene that came to my mind, so I'll stick with it, though I am pretty sure there have been several other great scenes I have missed. 

PS:
I don't know if that counts as a "moment", but the opening scenes of a few Battlestar Galactica episodes (particually Season 1, Episode 12) are pretty good...


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## Abraxas (Jul 28, 2006)

> Again Babylon 5 - the scene where Londo's plotting leads to the death of Lord Reefa at the hands of the Narn. It was a really well made scene, cutting between the attack on Reefa and a religious ceremony (with songs) on B5. "..no hiding place.."



This was the second scene that popped into my mind


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## jonesy (Jul 28, 2006)

When Ivanovas fleet stumbles into the Earthforce shadow cruisers, and her reactions.

Or

Captain John Sheridan: Are you trying to cheer me up? 
Susan Ivanova: No sir, wouldn't dream of it. 
Captain John Sheridan: Good, I hate being cheered up. 
Susan Ivanova: In that case we're all going to die slow, agonizing deaths. 
Captain John Sheridan: Thank you, I feel so much better now.

Or

Susan Ivanova: Confirmed Survey 1. Upon arrival you will report for debriefing. And just one more thing, on your trip back I want you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra. Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again 
[shouts] 
Susan Ivanova: Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out! Babylon control out. 
[to herself] 
Susan Ivanova: Civilians. 
[looks up] 
Susan Ivanova: Just kidding about that God part. No offense.

What? I just love me some of that Ivanona stuff.


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## CarlZog (Jul 28, 2006)

Kirk preventing McCoy from saving Edith Keeler in "The City on the Edge of Forever"


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## Vigilance (Jul 28, 2006)

The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1. 

Riker: "Fire"

Fade to black

Me: "Noooooooooooooooooo"


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## Flexor the Mighty! (Jul 28, 2006)

Mustrum_Ridcully said:
			
		

> Again Babylon 5 - the scene where Londo's plotting leads to the death of Lord Reefa at the hands of the Narn. It was a really well made scene, cutting between the attack on Reefa and a religious ceremony (with songs) on B5. "..no hiding place.."




An awesome scene.  I'll second it.


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## Dingleberry (Jul 28, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.
> 
> Riker: "Fire"
> 
> ...




Yup, that's the one.


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## jaerdaph (Jul 28, 2006)

I have to go with the first televised inter-racial kiss on Star Trek between Kirk and Uhura. Mad props to NBC for daring to air that during the turbulent times when people were fighting for their civil rights.


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## trilobite (Jul 28, 2006)

I would have to think it was from Babylon 5. When Mr. Mordin asked Vir the question.   


_"What do you want?" _ -Morden

_I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this. Can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?_ -Vir








Classic!


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## DaveMage (Jul 28, 2006)

These are all great scenes.

My favorite, though is in TNG in the epsiode called "The Defector" where the Enterprise is under threat from two Romulan Warbirds.  Then three klingon ships decloak to surround the Romulans, who then leave. 

Great scene.

(It preceded the Babylon 5 scene with the Minbari cruisers coming to save the day.)


One of my other favorites is in Firefly - the look on Anara's face when she realizes that the hero of the town is Jayne rather than Mal.


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## Mistwell (Jul 28, 2006)

Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", seeing the results of the Battle of Wolf 359 (first major battle between the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet and the Borg).  What can beat seeing 39 dead ships in one moment?


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## Aesthetic Monk (Jul 28, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.
> 
> Riker: "Fire"
> 
> ...




Yes, I agree. As much as I was tempted to put down the moment in the finale of Season 3 of B5 with the White Star -- or really just about *any* moment from that masterpiece -- I'd have to say this one moment. I was alone in a crummy apartment in Columbia, Mo., at the time, taking two 3-hour summer classes in four weeks, doing practically nothing but reading and going to class, and then this came on. I didn't even know it was the season finale or a cliffhanger, so I had no expectations of it, but even if I had had, this'd have blown them all away.

But I also have to add ...



			
				trancejeremy said:
			
		

> That episode of Buck Rogers where Erin Gray is in that sauna, and the humidity makes her skintight spandex jumpsuit even tighter.




I don't remember that scene, although I really wish I did, but Erin Gray was my first TV girlfriend. Still holding up pretty well, I gather from the VH1 appearances. Thanks for the reminder.


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## Ed_Laprade (Jul 28, 2006)

Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.


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## danzig138 (Jul 28, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.
> 
> Riker: "Fire"
> 
> ...



B5 is one of my favorite shows, with many great moments, but in answer to this question, I thought of two scenes. The first is Earth: Final Conflict, "Sandoval's Run" - near the end, when they're re-implanting Sandoval, and Boone shows Sandoval Didi's ring, and says "I took care of that for you." The whole sequence of cruelty and vengeance and justice. 

The other one was when Locutus of Borg first shows up. I couldn't remember the name of the episode, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Huh, apparently, that's the end of Best of Both Worlds part 1.


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## VorpalBunny (Jul 28, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.
> 
> Riker: "Fire"
> 
> ...




This was the first scene that popped into my mind. Those SOBs ruined my entire summer that year.


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## Richards (Jul 28, 2006)

Ed_Laprade said:
			
		

> Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.



Ooh, good one!  There have been a lot of good suggestions in this thread, but I like this one quite a bit.  I think "Demon with a Glass Hand" was probably my favorite episode of Outer Limits, ever.

Johnathan


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## trilobite (Jul 28, 2006)

Ed_Laprade said:
			
		

> Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.




There is that Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough At Last" when the Burgess Meredith  breaks his glasses just when he thinks he has all the time in the world to read.


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## GSHamster (Jul 28, 2006)

Buffy, Season 2, "Innocence".  The moment/scene where she confronts Angel in his bedroom after he loses his soul.

Buffy: I, I don't understand. Was it m-me? Was I not good? 
Angelus: You were great. Really. I thought you were a pro.

Quite honestly, that is still the single best and cruelest dialogue I have ever heard.


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## John Crichton (Jul 29, 2006)

There isn't just one.  And there are some great ones here, most notably the B5 Delenn speech defending B5/Sheriden, the cliffhanger of TNG's "Best of Both World's" and Mal's engine kick.

I would like to add a few -

* Star Trek: Next Gen - The finale "All Good Things..." which, for my money, until Angel was the best genre series finale show ever.  The scene where we learn Q's true relationship with Picard at the very end and his role in letting the Captain save humanity was classic.  Put a bowtie on a tremendous series which just happened to have a subpar last season.  But that ep and that moment was a great payoff and the best thing Brannon Braga ever wrote.

* Angel -Again, a finale "Not Fade Away."  There were two.  The entire scene where Wes confronts the wizard and Illyria's vengence.  And then the last stand in the alley:

Spike: Any terms of a plan?
Angel: We fight.
Spike: Bit more specific?
Angel: Well, personally? I kinda want to slay the dragon. Let's go to work. 

* Deep Space Nine - "Sacrifice of Angels" when the Federation races again the clock to retake DS9 and stop Dominion forces from coming through the wormhole which is having its mines deactivated.  Yeah, not really a moment but the Defiant punching through the line (with help) is an image burned into my brain.

* Buffy - When she sends Angel to hell in order to save the world just after he gets his soul restored.  Season 2 finale.  Crushing scene.  Out of all the Buffy moments, this is easily the most memorable.  The show stepped up from really good to great at that moment.

* Babylon 5 - "Point of No Return" Sheriden's speech declairing B5's secession from the Earth Alliance.  Trumped maybe only by the aforementioned Delenn speech.

* Firefly - "War Stories"  There are two. You know what they are, but juuuust in case:

Book: Oh... my.
Kaylee: Well, gosh, I knew she took female clients but... They look so glamourous together.
Jayne: [after a beat] ... I'll be in my bunk. 

and

Just after Serenity's crew blasts their way into Niska's spacestation, they get to where Mal is struggling with Niska's bodyguard on a ledge, Jayne starts to aim at the bodyguard and:

Zoe: Jayne. This is something the captain has to do for himself.
Mal: No. No, it's not! 
Zoe:  Oh!  [guns a-blazing]


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## bodhi (Jul 29, 2006)

*a few more moments*

I don't really have a single standout either, but...

*Babylon 5*
Neroon beats the crap out of Marcus, then asks him why he fights. Marcus replies "I am a Ranger. We walk in the dark places no others will enter. We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass. We live for the One. We _die_ for the One." And in that moment, you know he is completely serious.

G'Kar is told of the Alliance and Leagues woefully inadequate response to the Narn Regime's plea for help, and he walks down the corridor, laughing and sobbing at the same time.

*Buffy*
Xander talks evil veiny Dark Willow down from destroying the world. I like it because it's Xander saving the world. Not the Slayer, not the UberWiccan, not the vampire-with-a-soul (or the other vampire-with-a-soul). Just plain old mortal human Xander. Xander who wins not by combat strength, or mystical might, but by the power of love for his best friend.

*Firefly*
Niska: "For you, my reputation is no gossip. Is solid. Is _fact_." Now _that's_ a BBEG.

And yes, Mal kicking the guy into the engine. I liked the typical setup of the recurring henchman, followed by the -yoink- of Whedon going "gotcha!".


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## Banshee16 (Jul 29, 2006)

*Roswell*
A particularly emotional moment for me was the Roswell Christmas Special, when Max was in the room, trying to heal the sick kids, getting weaker and weaker.  Cheesy, yeah...but for a childhood cancer survivor, who lived in a room like that for a year, it pulled some strings.  Really affected my parents as well, when they saw the episode.


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## Particle_Man (Jul 29, 2006)

I like all of the above, but there is one that sticks in my memory that others may not have seen:

Either Amazing Stories or Outer Limits, we have an earth guy and gal that are soldiers and prisoners of the bad guy aliens that are kicking the crap out of earth's forces.  She is slowly being turned into an alien because of their experiments. (spoiler in black) 



Spoiler



He wants to give her some hope and tells her about the secret Earth forces build up for a counter attack.  She then reveals "They are not changing me...they are changing me back" and leaves with the info the aliens need to crush Earth.



Oh, and the finale of "Blake's Seven"

And a Doctor Who.  Vs.  Some space vampires on a medievalish world.  

Soldier: "Sire, the peasants are revolting!"  
Vampire: "Well hold them off as long as you can."  
Soldier: "But Sire -- we'll die."  
Vampire: "Then *die*!  That's what guards are *for*!"

And some opening sequences: Opening sequence of Lexx.  Love that song.  Opening sequence of Red Dwarf.  Love that instrumental poignancy.


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## Tarrasque Wrangler (Jul 29, 2006)

All the Firefly moments listed here are favorites, but my all-time #1 is when Mal tells Simon that Kaylee died.


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## ThirdWizard (Jul 29, 2006)

I can't say this is the best, but this is one of my favorites, a line from DS9, given by Garak. Actually, some of my very favorite lines from that show are given by Garak. It's the episode "In the Pale Moonlight" where Sisko gets the Romulans into the fight with the Dominion.

_That's why you came to me, isn't it, Captain? Because you knew I could do those things that you weren't capable of doing? Well, it worked. And you'll get what you want: a war between the Romulans and the Dominion. And if your conscience is bothering you, you should soothe it with the knowledge that you may have just saved the entire Alpha Quadrant. And all it cost was the life of one Romulan senator, one criminal, and the self-respect of one Starfleet officer. I don't know about you, but I'd call that a bargain._


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## Chimera (Jul 29, 2006)

I like/love a lot of these moments.

My favorite is probably the Vir bit where we get the payoff of that earlier setup and he's actually waving at Morden's head on a pike.

But I also like the scene on Zahadum (or however that's spelled) when Sheridan finally realizes that his wife is dead and that the thing before him is not her.  When he pulls the gun and ends up backing toward the ramp, calling down the ship and jumping into "oblivion".

Ivanova just before attacking the hybrid Shadow/Earth vessels.  _"God Sent Me."_

Buffy dying for Dawn (what some consider the "true" end of the series).


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## Starman (Jul 29, 2006)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> Kirk preventing McCoy from saving Edith Keeler in "The City on the Edge of Forever"




Exactly what I thought when I read the title of the thread.

McCoy: Do you know what you've done?
Spock: He knows, Doctor. He knows.

Wow. Fantastic episode all around, but that part just gets me.


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## Orius (Jul 30, 2006)

Man it's tough to pick, there's so many great moments from Star Trek and B5 _alone_, not to mention every other series out there that had their moments.


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## DungeonmasterCal (Jul 30, 2006)

Star Trek: The Next Generation; the episode "Best of Both Worlds Pt 1".  When Will Riker gives the command to fire on the Borg cube bearing Locutus.


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## Dracomeander (Jul 30, 2006)

I like all the B5 moments listed so far, but there is one more that just sticks in my mind.


Londo: _What's going ON?!!_
Ivanova: _Boom...boom, boom...BOOM!!_
Londo: _Won't *somebody* give me a straight answer?!_


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## John Crichton (Jul 30, 2006)

Mistwell said:
			
		

> Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", seeing the results of the Battle of Wolf 359 (first major battle between the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet and the Borg).  What can beat seeing 39 dead ships in one moment?



 That moment is certainly a classic unforgettable Trek moment.  That was really the first time that I felt the Federation was helpless against a foe.  The first Borg encounter was creepy and I thought it was a one-shot (because of Q's involvement).  When they returned, I figured that Starfleet minds would have built some better defenses up.  Nope.  Wolf 359 was an exclamation point and ellipsis moment.  Made even better by the naming of the dead ships as they passed through the graveyard.


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## Mark (Jul 31, 2006)

Wow!  Lots of great moments!


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## Dark Psion (Jul 31, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> The ending of Best of Both Worlds PArt 1.
> 
> Riker: "Fire"
> 
> ...




This one was compounded by my local station moving ST:TNG to Friday and *not telling anyone!*

I come in sweaty from just mowing the lawn, the TV just happened to be on the right channel and I catch the last 15 minutes with a    look on my face.

BTW, it was repeated on Sunday and not moved again. They didn't need ratings to tell them how many people were watching TNG, I think each and every one called them.


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## DreadPirateMurphy (Jul 31, 2006)

Best of all?  Too hard.  On top of the ones already stated...

In _Stargate SG-1_:  "Weirder things have happened."  "Name one!"  "Well, the was the time he got really old.  The time we became cavemen.  The time we went back to the 60s."

That ties with the Colonel hitting his golf ball through the worm hole.

In _Battlestar Galactica_:  Boomer tries to assassinate Adama.

In _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_:  Willow meets Doppelwillow in Doppelgangland.

In _Firefly_:  The doctor's reaction to Jayne's hero status in the village.

In _Star Trek: The Next Generation_:  The first sight of the new Romulan Warbird.  Picard's defiance of his Cardassian interrogator.  Q makes data laugh.  Many others...

In _Farscape_:  Young John loses his virginity.  Crais sacrifices himself.  John finally shows Scorpius what the wormhole weapon can do.

In _Babylon 5_:  Londo shows obvious guilt when G'Kar displays signs of goodwill just before the Centauri are about to attack.  Lenier has to confront his demons in the form of a very deceased Mr. Morden.  Alfred Bester lets his young protege toss the non-telepath prisoner out an airlock.  Sebastian tortures Delenn and Sheridan to find out the content of their character.

In _Star Trek: DS9_:  Quark seduces his Klingon mistress with Worf's help, and inadvertantly get Jadzia and Worf together for the first time.  Sisko hits Q.  Sisko dreams of being a sci-fi writer in the 60s.

In the original _Star Trek_:  Kirk and crew encounter the alternate universe of the Empire for the first time.  Kirk and Spock play cat and mouse with the Romulans to steal a cloaking device.

In _Max Headroom_:  One of the characters tries to trade a kid a non-volatile storage medium...very rare...called a "book."

In _Red Dwarf_:  Lister walks around the ship, listing names while Holly keeps confirming that yes, everybody is dead.  He finally asks where their bodies are after he has walked the whole ship tasting the piles of dust scattered about...


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## ThirdWizard (Jul 31, 2006)

DreadPirateMurphy said:
			
		

> In _Red Dwarf_:  Lister walks around the ship, listing names while Holly keeps confirming that yes, everybody is dead.  He finally asks where their bodies are after he has walked the whole ship tasting the piles of dust scattered about...




Lister finding out he's his own father.

Lister finding out he's the Cat race's god and that they had a holy war about him.

Lister finding Kryten serving long dead people.

Gospacho soup.


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## Hypersmurf (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm not going to pick a favourite, but I'll throw _some_ favourites out there.

Blake's 7, 'Orbit', where Avon, Vila, and ORAC are in a shuttle that's seventy kilos too heavy to escape a gravity well:
_Avon: Not enough! Not nearly enough! Damn it, what weighs seventy kilos? 
ORAC: Vila weighs seventy-three kilos, Avon._

Firefly, 'Serenity, Part II', where Dobson has a gun to River's head, using her as a human shield:
_Dobson: I'm not playing anymore._
Mal walks up the ramp.
_Dobson: Anybody makes so much as a..._

Stargate SG-1, '1969', where SG-1 appeared inside a secure US military facility in 1969:
_US Soldier: [Something in Russian]
Daniel: Nyet.
Jack: Daniel?
Daniel: He just asked if we were Soviet spies. I just… oh._

Star Trek, The Next Generation, 'All Good Things, Part II', where the _Pasteur_ is under heavy attack from Klingon ships.  And then the Enterprise-D-of-the-future decloaks, with some godawful-normous underslung phaser cannon...
_Admiral Riker: I had a feeling you weren't going to listen to me. Stand by whileI try to get the Klingons' attention..._

-Hyp.


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## Hammerhead (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm going to have to go with Craius's death scene at the end of season 3 in Farscape. It really demonstrates his growth as a person, and it's a great way to go. The only thing that would make it better is if he managed to kill Scorpius in the process.


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## VirgilCaine (Jul 31, 2006)

Ed_Laprade said:
			
		

> Only one? Ain't no such animal. I'm up for several that have been mentioned, but I'll throw out another. The end of the Outer Limits episode 'The Glass Hand' when Robert Culp's character realizes that he's really a robot.




That was a great episode. They used the same building in _Murphy's Law_, IIRC.


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## bodhi (Jul 31, 2006)

DreadPirateMurphy said:
			
		

> In _Star Trek: The Next Generation_: Picard's defiance of his Cardassian interrogator.



Oooh! "There. are. FOUR. lights!" Excellent episode.



			
				DreadPirateMurphy said:
			
		

> Q makes data laugh.



Ah, you just reminded me of one of my favorite TNG moments. Well, not the series, but ST:Generations, so technically off-topic, but...
The command crew is in the holodeck celebrating Worf's promotion, in an Age of Sail setting. After Worf's dunking, Dr. Crusher, in trying to explain humor to Data, says "do something unexpected". He pauses, and pushes her off the ship. Brilliant! Geordi says "not funny", but YES IT IS! You just missed the setup!


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## Flexor the Mighty! (Jul 31, 2006)

ThirdWizard said:
			
		

> Lister finding out he's his own father.
> 
> Lister finding out he's the Cat race's god and that they had a holy war about him.
> 
> ...





Pretty much anything from the first 5 seasons could qualify in my book, i left them out of the running.  

Unrumble!
Lister telling the story of his first kiss.   "It was Uncle Frank...".


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## Hypersmurf (Jul 31, 2006)

bodhi said:
			
		

> The command crew is in the holodeck celebrating Worf's promotion...




My favourite Worf moment?

"Sir, I must protest.  I am _not_ a _Merry Man_!"

(And, of course, "Ah, Worf.  Eat any good books, lately?")

-Hyp.


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## Vigilance (Jul 31, 2006)

Hypersmurf said:
			
		

> My favourite Worf moment?
> 
> "Sir, I must protest.  I am _not_ a _Merry Man_!"
> 
> ...




Q: "Ah the redoubtable Commander Riker! And MICROBRAIN! Growl for me, show me you still care!"

And then of course, from my favorite season 1 episode:

Geordi: "How fast can you lock phasers"
Worf: "Fast"


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## Plane Sailing (Jul 31, 2006)

Like others, there is no single favourites, but some that come to mind:

The second Babylon 5 episode I saw was towards the end of season 2. The narn cruiser which is under B5 protection starts making its way towards the jumpgate, the Centauri cruiser starts targeting the cruiser, the starfury escorts and -bing-, -bing-, -bing-... us! 

This plus the following fight got me hooked, not to mention the whole bomb on a monorail scene that came later on.

The first B5 episode which I saw was the one where the Markab started coming down with a deadly and infectious disease. Delenn and Lennier volunteer to be locked in with the Markab who seek sanctuary in a sealed area. The doctor races against time to find a cure - and finds it! They race to the sanctuary and... they are all dead. All of them. The whole race was gone. I'd never seen that in any TV show before, where the get the solution just outside the nick of time, so to speak.

I also ought to mention the scene in - was it 'severed dreams'? where the boarding party have burnt their way onto B5 and the security forces (including Narn) are trying to hold them off, and rather than dramatic action music it was all in slow motion and with music that highlighted the tragedy of war. Just another counter-to-normal scene that heightened the impact.

Cheers


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## Rackhir (Jul 31, 2006)

Hypersmurf said:
			
		

> I'm not going to pick a favourite, but I'll throw _some_ favourites out there.
> 
> Blake's 7, 'Orbit', where Avon, Vila, and ORAC are in a shuttle that's seventy kilos too heavy to escape a gravity well:
> _Avon: Not enough! Not nearly enough! Damn it, what weighs seventy kilos?
> ORAC: Vila weighs seventy-three kilos, Avon._




Actually, you left out one of the most important parts of that scene.

As Avon is exclaiming out loud and wracking his brains to figure out what weighs 70 kilos, Vila is standing behind him. When he says "What weighs 70 kilos?" Vila gets a look on his face and disapears. Avon rants for a little bit longer, then pauses for a moment and then Orac mentions Vila's weight. 

There was also the shot of Vila hidden and sobbing quietly as Avon stalks through the shuttle looking for him. 

It was one of my favorite moments as well.


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## wingsandsword (Jul 31, 2006)

To be fair, I have to make a list:

#1 TNG: "Mr. Worf. . .Fire" 

#2 TNG: "There Are Four Lights!"

#3 TOS: The death of Edith Keeler.

#4 Babylon 5: Sheridan jumping into the pit on Za'Ha'Dum, seeing the White Star crashing through the ceiling.

#5 Battlestar Galactica: When they finally enter the Tomb of Athena and Starbuck realizes they are looking at the map to Earth.

#6 Spock shouting with joy when he realizes Kirk is alive at the end of "Amok Time", then quickly trying to compose himself and act like that didn't happen.

#7. Babylon 5: During the movie "In the Beginning", the President's radio address right before the Battle of the Line.

#8. Babylon 5: Delenn's "Be somewhere else" Speech/Threat during "Severed Dreams" towards the Earth fleet.

#9. Battlestar Galactica: Boomer realizing that she is really is a Cylon when she boards the base star.

#10 Babylon 5: The new President's speech to Sheridan after he's lead the rebellion to overthrow Clark's facist government: "Half of Earthforce wants to give you a kiss on the cheek, and the Medal of Honor, the other half wants you taken out and shot.  As a politician, you learn to compromise.  Which means by all rights, I should give you the Medal of Honor, then have you shot."


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## Brown Jenkin (Aug 1, 2006)

It tool a little while to pick one as none stood out too much. I guess I have two. The first is TNG when Picard is shown as Locutious of Borg. That just really took me by surprise and I often think of Patrick Stewart in that role instead of Picard when I think of TNG. The other wasn't a particular scene but was in B5 when Sheridan came to the realization that the Vorlons were just as bad as the Shadows and that it was time for both to go. Although the final battle just before all the elder races left the galaxy does stick in my mind as the summary of this.


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## dagger (Aug 1, 2006)

So many...but



Space Above & Beyond, the 2 hour premier towards the end when the chig fleet is head towards earth with nothing to stop them…..what happens after that is great.


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## Technomancer (Aug 1, 2006)

John Crichton said:
			
		

> * Buffy - When she sends Angel to hell in order to save the world just after he gets his soul restored.  Season 2 finale.  Crushing scene.  Out of all the Buffy moments, this is easily the most memorable.  The show stepped up from really good to great at that moment.



Second this one.  Also, the last scene of "The Gift", the look on Dawn's face when she realizes what Buffy is about to do.

ST:TNG "Yesterday's Enterprise", the scene where Picard is talking to Riker and Castillo after Capt. Garrett was killed.  Castillo is arguing for permission to take the Enterprise C back through the vortex, knowing they will die but that it could save the Federation and restore the future.  Riker arguing against it willing to face overwhelming odds rather than send people to certain death.  And Picard weighing the choices, torn between his duty to the Federation-and history-and his duty to the crew of Enterprise C.  This scene especially (though there were many others in this episode) exemplifies so much of what is good and noble about humanity, and has made it my favorite episode of the series.


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## Rackhir (Aug 1, 2006)

Technomancer said:
			
		

> ST:TNG "Yesterday's Enterprise", the scene where Picard is talking to Riker and Castillo after Capt. Garrett was killed.  Castillo is arguing for permission to take the Enterprise C back through the vortex, knowing they will die but that it could save the Federation and restore the future.  Riker arguing against it willing to face overwhelming odds rather than send people to certain death.  And Picard weighing the choices, torn between his duty to the Federation-and history-and his duty to the crew of Enterprise C.  This scene especially (though there were many others in this episode) exemplifies so much of what is good and noble about humanity, and has made it my favorite episode of the series.




That was one of the few STNG episodes that I almost liked, but Gynan the *BLEEPING* alien know-it-all ruined the episode for me. I hated that character with a passion.


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## ThirdWizard (Aug 1, 2006)

Technomancer said:
			
		

> ST:TNG "Yesterday's Enterprise"




Don't forget the follow up with Sela, Tasha's half Romulan daughter, when she walked out of the shadows in _Redemption_. My mind was blown.


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## sniffles (Aug 1, 2006)

I'd have to vote for the TNG 'Best of Both Worlds' moment after Riker says "Fire!", too. I screamed at my television when the "To Be Continued..." title appeared onscreen.

A close second for me would be the conclusion of the Doctor Who (new series) episode 'Army of Ghosts', when the voidship opens to reveal its cargo. I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil it for fans who haven't seen it yet.


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## The Grumpy Celt (Aug 2, 2006)

All of the above, and (the quotes of off somewhat)

Not many musical numbers, but "So long and thanks for all the fish" was a lot of fun, and the restarting of the world at the end of the flick.

"Luke, help me take this mask off ..."

"The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few..." and "I will always be your friend."

Back to the Future "I figured, what the hell."

DS9 with Dukat and Sisco falling into the fires.

Hal singing "Daisy."

Logopolis, with the Master and the Dr. trying to prevent the universe from coming undone.


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## AdmundfortGeographer (Aug 2, 2006)

In the BSG, season two: when the words "_One Year Later_" came up on the screen.


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## Crothian (Aug 2, 2006)

V when the woman gave birth to twins: one human and one not.


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## Darthjaye (Aug 2, 2006)

Another great moment is O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) in a SG-1 episode reminiscent of "Groundhog Day" practicing his swing through an active Star Gate.   It's actually unfair to say that any one moment of this episode was any more funny than the next because it was a very amusing one all around, but that image for me, was funniest.


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## AdmundfortGeographer (Aug 2, 2006)

Darthjaye said:
			
		

> Another great moment is O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) in a SG-1 episode reminiscent of "Groundhog Day" practicing his swing through an active Star Gate.



That was a blast and had me out loud laughing.

There was an SG-1 episode with the faux-TV show _Wormwhole Extreme_. Towards the end of the episode when the actors playing the alternate cast were given their moments in front of the camera explaining their rolls on the show.


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## Mistwell (Aug 2, 2006)

Eric Anondson said:
			
		

> In the BSG, season two: when the words "_One Year Later_" came up on the screen.




That scene is STILL giving one of my best friends fits!  She is still in denial.


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## Mistwell (Aug 2, 2006)

dagger said:
			
		

> So many...but
> 
> 
> 
> Space Above & Beyond, the 2 hour premier towards the end when the chig fleet is head towards earth with nothing to stop them…..what happens after that is great.




AKA the first attempt at the new Battlestar Galactica show 

That was a great show.


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## Mistwell (Aug 2, 2006)

wingsandsword said:
			
		

> #9. Battlestar Galactica: Boomer realizing that she is really is a Cylon when she boards the base star.




A great geek moment for so many reasons!

Like, 200 naked hot asian chick reasons!


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## Storm Raven (Aug 2, 2006)

In addition to the death of Refa in _And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place_, and Delenn's challenge at the end of _Severed Dreams_, I love the scene in _Deconstruction of Falling Stars_ where Garibaldi, even hundreds of years after his own death, demonstrates that is no one to be trifled with. The entirety of _Sleeping in the Light_ is painfully good.

Two quotes that I like, though, come in the first season -

At the end of the B5 episode _Infection_ (an otherwise pretty weak episode), Sinclair, when asked why we should spend a lot of money on space travel, says:

"No. We have to stay here, and there's a simple reason why. Ask ten different scientists about the environment, population control, genetics - and you'll get ten different answers. But there's one thing every scientist on the planet agrees on: whether it happens in a hundred years, or a thousand years, or a million years, eventually our sun will grow cold, and go out. When that happens, it won't just take us, it'll take Marilyn Monroe, and Lao-tsu, Einstein, Maruputo, Buddy Holly, Aristophanes - all of this. All of this was for nothing, unless we go to the stars."

In _Parliament of Dreams_, Sinclair, when asked to demonstrate Earth's dominant belief system, leads the alien representatives into a hallwayy and introduces them, in order, to a series of people:

"This is Mr. Harris. He's an atheist. Father Frisanti, a Roman Catholic. Mr. Hayakawa, a Zen Buddhist. Mr. Rashid, a Muslim. Mr. Rosenthal, an Orthodox Jew. Running Elk, of the Oglala Sioux faith. Father Papapolous, a Greek Orthodox. Ojijiko, of the Ebo tribe. Ochukiak, a Utic Eskimo. Sawa, of the Jivaro tribe. Ms. N'fuma, a Bantu. Ms. Chang, a Taoist. Mr. Blacksmith, an Aborigine. Ms. Yamamoto, a Shinto. Ms. Nigel, a Maori. Mr. Go, a Hindu..."


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## Flexor the Mighty! (Aug 2, 2006)

B5 was such a wonderful show.  90 bucks a pop for the first 4 seasons was money so well spent.


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## Rackhir (Aug 2, 2006)

There was a scene during "Shattered Dreams" when there was a crippled Starfury that was spinning in on on B5's bridge with the point defense guns reaching out for it in spirals. I was so into the scene that I was a hair's breadth away from leaping behind the couch to protect myself from it.


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## KaosDevice (Aug 2, 2006)

Hmm...hard question, I've got a few. My all time fave would have to be from B5, Ivanova's "God sent me speech" gets me every time. the Zog yes or no bit was pretty priceless as well.


Farscape Peace Keeper wars, the D'Argo bit at the end (you know the one I am talking about) "Who's your daddy!? Who's your daddy!?" Awesome stuff. Well, actually any time D'Argo got into the who's your daddy thing with Chricton kills me.

Firefly-the funeral scene in 'The Messenger' gets me every time.


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## RichCsigs (Aug 2, 2006)

ST:TNG - On top of the others already mentioned: _The Inner Light_, the whole episode, _Family_ the whole episode,  _Measure of a Man_ when Picard realizes what the trial really is about and for pure humor, nothing beats Worf teaching Wesley about Klingon mating rituals in _The Dauphin_.  I crack up just thinking about it.  "No, the women screams...  *dreamily* and throws large objects!"s


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## Barendd Nobeard (Aug 2, 2006)

CarlZog said:
			
		

> Kirk preventing McCoy from saving Edith Keeler in "The City on the Edge of Forever"






			
				Starman said:
			
		

> Exactly what I thought when I read the title of the thread.
> 
> McCoy: Do you know what you've done?
> Spock: He knows, Doctor. He knows.
> ...




My favorite moment, too.  And I hate *Star Trek*.

I think that episode started my love of time travel stories.  I also really like the end of the "A Stitch in Time" *Outer Limits* episode, when the FBI agent (Michelle Forbes) goes back in time just one more time....


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## Mustrum_Ridcully (Aug 3, 2006)

One (if not _the_) favourite Farscape (funny) moment is in the 3-parter _Look at the Princess_ (Paraphrasing
D'argo: "John, I have a good and a bad message for you."
John: "The bad one first."
D'argo: "You will be painfully transformed into stone for 50 arns, and when you come back all your friends and family will be dead."
John: "And the good one?"
D'argo: "Chiana and I are having great sex."
...

I really love that scene - _Look at the Princess_ is probably my favourite Farscape episode..


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## Vigilance (Aug 3, 2006)

Angel: "Hey, Wes, did the devil ever make a robot?"
Wesley (awestruck): "El Diablo Robotico"


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## Brakkart (Aug 3, 2006)

My favourite scene in television sci-fi history:

*Captain John Sheridan*: May I have your attention please? In the last few hours, we have learned that warships are coming this way from Earth. Their orders are to seize command of Babylon 5 by force. As commanding officer and military governor of Babylon 5, I cannot allow this to happen. President Clark has violated the Earth Alliance Constitution: by dissolving the Senate, declaring martial law, and *personally* ordering the bombing of civilian targets on the Mars colony. He is *personally* responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. Following these attacks, Orion 7 and Proxima 3 have broken away from the Earth Alliance, and declared independence. Babylon 5 now joins with them. As of this moment, Babylon 5 is seceeding from the Earth Alliance. We will remain an independent state till President Clark is removed from office. At the end of this current crisis, anyone who wishes to leave for Earth is free to do so. Meanwhile for your own safety, I urge everyone to stay in your quarters until this is over. That is all.

Sends a chill up my spine everytime I watch that scene, or just hear it on mp3.


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## Brakkart (Aug 3, 2006)

And for most the humourous moments in sci-fi here's Ivanova!

*Susan Ivanova*: Ambassador, do you really want to know what's going on down there?
*Ambassador Londo Mollari*: Yes, absolutely!
*Susan Ivanova*: Boom. Boom boom boom. Boom boom. Boom! Have a nice day!

*Susan Ivanova*: Vakar Ashok, our gun arrays are now fixed on your ship and will fire the instant you come into range. You will find their power quite impressive... for a few seconds.

*Susan Ivanova*: Worst case of testosterone poisoning I have ever seen.

*Susan Ivanova*: It's just that I've always had trouble waking up when it is dark outside.
*Commander Jeffrey David Sinclair*: Commander, we're on a space station. It is always dark outside.
*Susan Ivanova*: [forlornly] I know... I know..

*Susan Ivanova*: This isn't some deep space franchise, this station is *about* something!

*Susan Ivanova*: Good luck, captain. I think you're about to go where... everyone has gone before.

*Major Lianna Kemmer*: I demand you open a channel to Earth at once.
*Susan Ivanova*: I'm a Lieutenant Commander on Earth Force, Major. I don't take demands. If you will request, I will consider it.
*Major Lianna Kemmer*: Very well, then. I request that you open a channel to Earthdome.
*Susan Ivanova*: Request denied. Have a nice day.

Season 5 just was not the same without her...


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## Zog (Aug 3, 2006)

KaosDevice said:
			
		

> the Zog yes or no bit was pretty priceless as well.




Yes.  Yes it was.    

My first thought was Delann's 'Why Not?' speech in Shattered Dreams.  

Second thought was the Buffy Finale - Series 7, the horde rushing the Slayers, the 'Everyone who can stand up, will stand up' speech.  Great stuff.  And for TV? Fantastic!

All 40+ minutes of Sleeping in Light.  Just so poignant.

Plus:
"At least I could have boffed him once!"
"Did you say Boff?"


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## Brakkart (Aug 3, 2006)

John Crichton said:
			
		

> Made even better by the naming of the dead ships as they passed through the graveyard.




What really got me about that scene was that one of the ships they name is the ship that Riker had been offered the captaincy of in the previous episode. That was a shock.


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## lrsach01 (Aug 4, 2006)

I'm going old school:
The ORIGINAL Balttlestad Galactica....just after Zack (Apollo's brother is killed) the president of the colonies says:
What was THAT!
Commander Adama: That, Mr President, was my son.

I was 9 and that just sealed it for me FOREVER. Scifi fan till I die.


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## Atavar (Aug 4, 2006)

An episode from DS9 that truly moved me was the one where Ben Sisko is caught in some sort of accident that causes him to leap forward in time over and over, each time seeing his son Jake a number of years older.  Jake devotes his life to trying to save his father from the accident.  Ben sees the unhappy life Jake lives obsessing over saving his father.

Finally (the moment that most moved me) was the last time Ben sees an older Jake.  Jake finds out that he, himself, is pulling his father forward in time, and in order to correct it must die while Ben is present, at just the right moment, so Ben leaps back to the moment of the accident and stays there.  We see Jake slip awaw...Ben cluthces him close and says, "My poor boy!"

Wow....


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## johnsemlak (Aug 5, 2006)

I forgot one truely great moment from TNG Yesterday's Enterprise:

Picard: _'Let's be sure history remembers the name . . . Enterprise'_.


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## Ahnehnois (Aug 6, 2006)

BSG "Fragged" The final standoff between Crash and Cally (and Baltar)

ST: TNG Any number of good ones already mentioned, particularly "All Good Things..." where we find out it's Q.

ST: DS9 "What You Leave Behind" The Final pullback shot.


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## Knightfall (Aug 7, 2006)

For me, the first thing that came to mind, when it comes to B5, is when Delann is talking about how we're all made out of star stuff. I don't know the Episode's name, but I'm sure someone will post it and the conversation she was having with... I can't remember which commander it was.


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## Ed_Laprade (Aug 7, 2006)

I just thought of one. The best ever WTF moment in TV science fiction. Starlost (a really _cheap_ Canadian show starring Keir Dullea [sp?]) in an episode with Walter Koenig. The premise of the show is that it's a generation ship on which the crew has disappeared and no one knows that they're on a ship any more. Keir and a couple of others have left/escaped from their dirt farming dome and are wandering the ship in awe...

Ok, Walter has landed on the ship, but his is damaged. Keir and friends stumble across him and Keir offers to help Walter repair his ship, since he's a blacksmith, which needs some fancy electronic components. Walter says sure and rolls his eyes so we'll know he's just humoring the sodbuster. But wait, there's more! Cut to commercial. Cut back. Keir is pounding away on a hunk of metal which is just what Walter needs to repair his ship...


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## RigaMortus2 (Aug 7, 2006)

"Luke, I am your father"


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## Silver Moon (Aug 7, 2006)

What!  No nominations yet for the Star Wars Christmas Special!  Doesn't Bea Arthur singing to wookies in a bar mean anything to you people!     


Seriously though, a lot of worthy nominations above:  City on the Edge of Forever, Yesterday's Enterprise, the end of the Buffy episode "The Gift".....but for me the definining Science Fiction moment is the end of the classic trek episode "Balance of Terror" which first introduced the Romulans.   The exchange between Kirk and the Romulan Commander stands out as everything that series was meant to be.


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## eris404 (Aug 7, 2006)

Vigilance said:
			
		

> Angel: "Hey, Wes, did the devil ever make a robot?"
> Wesley (awestruck): "El Diablo Robotico"




YES! The last season of Angel was just fantastic! But my favorite episode features the Angel Muppet.


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## dogoftheunderworld (Aug 8, 2006)

One of my favorites:

ST:TNG -- After Scotty is found in teleporter stasis:
 - "I know what the manual says, I _wrote_ the manual."
 - "Now, how long will it _really_ take you?"


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## Dioltach (Aug 9, 2006)

There's a scene in an episode of Firefly, "Trash" I think it is, when Jayne gets knocked out. He wakes up on Simon's table in the infirmary, and finds that he can't move. Simon explains that he's temporarily paralyzed him, so that they can have a discussion. Simon explains that he and Jayne don't like each other, but that they have to be able to trust one another, and that he wants Jayne to know that he needn't ever worry that Simon will do anything bad to him while he's in his care.

Simon leaves, and River sticks her head inside, and says to Jayne, "Also, I can kill you with my mind." The look on Jayne's face is priceless.

Another of my favourite one-liners is from Red Dwarf VI, "Gunmen of the Apocalypse": Starbug is about to crash into a moon, and Rimmer analyzes the situation: "We have to face the fact that we won't all get out of this in one piece -- or if we do, it will be one big flat piece."


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