Spoo
Encyclopedia
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series. In the series' fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
, spoo is made from worm-like creatures of the same name and is generally regarded as the most delicious food in the galaxy; the creature itself, however, is regarded with contempt by most species. Despite appearing only in a few episodes, fans embraced spoo and it became part of the series' extended mythology
Expanded Universe
The term Expanded Universe is generally used to denote the 'extension' of a media franchise with other media...
.
Origins
J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
was a writer for the 1985 cartoon series She-Ra Princess of Power
She-Ra
She-Ra is a fictional character and the heroine in the Filmation cartoon and series of toys produced by Mattel called She-Ra: Princess of Power. She is the alter ego of Princess Adora and the twin sister of He-Man. She-Ra was intended to appeal to young girls in the same way that He-Man appealed to...
. After a Babylon 5 fan recalled a possible spoo reference from that show, Straczynski replied, "Yeah, I slipped some spoo in there once. A couple of real cute (as in wanna drop a truck on them cute) elf-types offer Skeletor a bowl of Spoo." In a 1995 interview, Straczynski referred to that scene as his favorite of the show.
Spoo appeared in the first episode of Babylon 5, where it was briefly mentioned by the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
Ambassador, G'Kar. Straczynski, who wrote the episode in question, was asked about spoo by fans on various internet message boards on which he frequently participated
Internet marketing and fan influence on Babylon 5
Babylon 5s use of the Internet began in 1991 with the creator of the series, J. Michael Straczynski, who participated in a number of Internet venues to discuss elements of his work with his fans, including the rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 Usenet newsgroup, where he continued to communicate as late as...
. At first, Straczynski's responses were terse: "Spoo is." In another early post, he explained how he created the word: "Spoo is Oops spelled backward." He eventually noted that the taste of spoo is that of "Meat Jello
Gelatin dessert
Gelatin desserts are desserts made with sweetened and flavored gelatin. They can be made by combining plain gelatin with other ingredients or by using a premixed blend of gelatin with additives...
. Served chilled."
After years of speculation from Babylon 5 fans
Fandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
, Straczynski finally offered an extensive explanation of the origins and nature of spoo. He said spoo are tiny, pasty, mealworm
Mealworm
Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. Like all holometabolic insects, they go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult...
-like creatures that travel slowly in herds. Their main behavior is sighing, which "can reportedly induce unparalleled bouts of depression" in other creatures. They are raised on ranches and harvested through "whacking". Spoo are regarded with contempt by most species in Babylon 5
Civilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
; they "are the only creatures of which the Interstellar Animal Rights Protection League says, simply, 'Kill 'em.'" Despite this, they are "generally considered the most delicious food in all of known space".
This near-universal delight in the taste of spoo apparently doesn't include human tastes. In the episode "A View from the Gallery", neither of the two maintenance men, Mack and Bo, find spoo to their liking, despite the high price of the delicacy.
Appearances
The Babylon 5 episodes in which spoo appears or is mentioned are "Midnight on the Firing LineMidnight on the Firing Line
"Midnight on the Firing Line" is the first regular episode of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Teaser:During a shift change at the Centauri agricultural colony of Ragesh 3, a fleet of ships emerges from hyperspace and begins attacking the colony.At Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5,...
", "The Geometry of Shadows
The Geometry of Shadows
"The Geometry of Shadows" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Vir fixes Londo's hair as Londo and Refa scheme. The command staff learns that the Green Drazi and Purple Drazi have a global brawl every 5 years to determine the Drazi...
", "Point of No Return
Point of No Return (Babylon 5)
Point of No Return is an episode from the third season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:The B5 command staff deal with orders to allow the Nightwatch to take over station security...
", "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
"And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" is an episode from the third season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:...
", "A View from the Gallery
A View from the Gallery
"A View from the Gallery" is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode is unusual in that it is told from the viewpoint of two maintenance workers as they witness the station being attacked.-Synopsis:Unknown forces attack the station; a pair...
", "A Tragedy of Telepaths
A Tragedy of Telepaths
"A Tragedy of Telepaths" is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Londo and G'Kar rescue Na'Toth from imprisonment on Centauri Prime. The telepaths have made their home deep in brown sector and are on hunger strike to try to obtain a planet of...
", and "Meditations on the Abyss
Meditations on the Abyss
"Medidations on the Abyss" is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Lennier undergoes Ranger training aboard White Star 27, unofficially designated "Maria" by her captain and crew...
". Spoo also appears in the "Over There" segment of the Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is an anthology show set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006...
episode "Voices in the Dark", where President Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
at one point jokes that the product is "Spoo: The other gray meat".
Although mostly relegated to a background role, spoo was a key plot point in the season 5 episode "A Tragedy of Telepaths
A Tragedy of Telepaths
"A Tragedy of Telepaths" is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Londo and G'Kar rescue Na'Toth from imprisonment on Centauri Prime. The telepaths have made their home deep in brown sector and are on hunger strike to try to obtain a planet of...
". The fact that Narn prefer fresh spoo while the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
prefer it aged was the clue that G'Kar used to figure out that there was another Narn in the Centauri Royal Palace. Spoo is referenced in the Straczynski-authored open gaming license
Open Gaming License
The Open Game License may be used by game developers to grant permission to modify, copy, and redistribute some of the content designed for their games, notably game mechanics.-Language of the licence:The OGL describes two forms of content:...
d Babylon 5: The Roleplaying Game.
Real-world references
In 1998, Boxtree UK published a Babylon 5 cookbook, officially licensed from Warner Bros. Presented as if written around the year 2260, the time when most of the Babylon 5 series takes place, the book contains many recipes for the various foods mentioned and seen throughout the series. Included are recipes for Narn-style spoo and Centauri-style spoo, both using currently available ingredients, with sea scallopScallop
A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family Pectinidae. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans. Many scallops are highly prized as a food source...
s taking the place of spoo. Straczynski claims that while dining in a restaurant prior to the 1996 Hugo award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
ceremony, "a fan had the waiter bring over a tray of food, christened spoo".
Spoo is spoofed
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in the first episode of the South Park parody Babylon Park
Babylon Park
Babylon Park is a spoof of Babylon 5 and South Park that debuted on the internet in 1998, created by Christopher Russo. It presents the Babylon 5 cast with South Park character designs...
, Spoohunter.
In 2008, rap-filk artist Luke Ski
Luke Ski
Luke Ski is a parody, filk and rap artist who writes, records and performs comedy music. He had the #1 most requested song on the Dr...
recorded and released a parody of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
song "No Sleep till Brooklyn
No Sleep Till Brooklyn
"No Sleep till Brooklyn" is a song by Beastie Boys as well as the sixth single on their debut studio album Licensed to Ill. The name of the song itself is a play on Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album.-Production and play:...
" called "No Sleep Till Babylon", which references spoo. A stanza attributed to the Babylon 5 character Londo Mollari contains the lyrics: "Spoo. All I really want is Spoo. And in the morning it's Spoo. Cause in the evening it's Spoo. I like the way that it tastes. It's blue meatballs in greyish paste..."
See also
- List of Babylon 5 articles
- ShmooShmooA shmoo is a fictional cartoon creature. Created by Al Capp , it first appeared in his classic comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948, and quickly became a postwar national craze in the USA....
, a fictional edible species from the comic strip Li'l AbnerLi'l AbnerLi'l Abner is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe, featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished town of Dogpatch, Kentucky. Written and drawn by Al Capp , the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934 through...
.
External links
- The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 is a fan-run website that includes detailed episode guides and analyses, production history notes, background materials, references, and other information related to the science fiction epic, Babylon 5...
: The definitive Babylon 5 resource. - JMSNews.com: The J. Michael Straczynski message archive.