V The Final Battle

1984 TV miniseries: sequel to miniseries a year earlier

V: The Final Battle is a 1984 miniseries about a small group of human resistance fighters who fight a desperate guerrilla war against the genocidal extra-terrestrials who dominate Earth. It is a sequel to V: The Original Miniseries.

Dialogue edit

Episode 1 edit

[At the Los Angeles Medical Center, Kristine Walsh chances upon a well-known doctor, Dr. Corley Walker, while preparing news coverage of John's announcement]
Kristine Walsh: Dr. Walker! Excuse me. Dr. Walker. [offers hand for handshake] Kristine Walsh. We met in Palm Springs, Gerald Ford's? I've been such an admirer of yours, I wanted to -
Dr. Corley Walker: I remember you, Ms. Walsh. You were a newswoman.
Walsh: [taken aback] Well, I'm still a newswoman.
Walker: [shaking his head] No, Ms. Walsh, I know what you are, but you're certainly not a newswoman. At best, a press secretary; at worst, a collaborator.
Walsh: [stunned at reaction] I don't know what you've been told, Dr. Walker, but I'm just doing my job.
Walker: [contemptuous] Familiar words. I wonder how many times that phrase was used at the Nuremberg Trials.
Walsh: [offended] That is insulting and untrue-
Walker: Ms. Walsh, I'll tell you what is untrue. It is untrue that you're still a newswoman. It is untrue that you're working for a benevolent regime. It is untrue that you're an impartial journalist. What's true is that fascists have taken over our planet, and you're their minister of propaganda. You're a discredit to your profession. You've allowed personal ambition to corrupt your integrity, and you no longer have credibility. Good day. [turns on his heel and walks away, passing Steven and Diana nearby, implying they witnessed the exchange.]

John: I trust you'll have the President ready for the interview... and soon?
Diana: It would be much easier if I was supervising the conversion process personally. But tough as he is, I'm told he'll be ours in a day or two.
John: It's taking too long, Diana.
Diana: Conversion can be a long and difficult process, John. It can't be rushed.
John: Kristine is losing faith in us.
Diana: It's not as simple to tap their minds as it is their water resources. [opens a panel in front of them, revealing a twitching Dr. Walker in the conversion chamber] One mistake and our Nobel laureate, Dr. Walker, will be a babbling idiot.

[While thinking of how to counterfeit a security pass for the hospital raid]
Mike Donovan: We need to get those passes. Mark, you're a cop.
Mark: Ex-cop.
Mike: Elias, you're a hood.
Elias Taylor: Ex-hood.
Mike: [rolls eyes] Together, I think you two could come up with the best counterfeiter around.
Mark: [after pondering] Pascal.
Elias: Dan Pascal?
Mark: Yeah.
Elias: [sarcastic] If he's still alive.
Mike: Find him.
Mark: OK. [motions to Elias] Let's go.

Eleanor Dupres: [points a gun at Mike Donovan] Stop right there!
Mike: [turns around and sees Eleanor] Hello, mother. Well... this is a charming photograph for our family album.
Eleanor: What are you doing, sneaking around here? [Mike puts his hand inside his jacket] I'm warning you...!
Mike: I'm not gonna shoot it out with you, mother. [takes out a photograph of his son Sean and shows it to Eleanor] That's what I'm doing here. Look at us. [puts the photo back in his jacket] This is crazy.
Eleanor: Why have you forced me into this position?!
Mike: Because you said it could never happen here! But we woke up one morning and we were in a fascist state!
Eleanor: Those of us who respect law and order are free! It's criminals like you who cry "Fascists"!
Mike: You're just as free as the leash you're on. You tug it too hard, they'll hang you by it. Good night, mother.
Eleanor: Don't test me, Michael! I'm warning you!
Mike: You'd shoot your own son?

[During John's announcement at the the Los Angeles Medical Center, the rebels suddenly spring up and hijack the place]
Ruby Engels: [points a shotgun at Kristine Walsh, who sits at the camera area] All right, pretty face, grab some air!
Father Andrew: [shoots into the air] Everybody freeze!
[Elias and Robert hold John together while Mike grabs Diana at the top of the stairs]
Juliet Parrish: The Visitors are not our friends! They've come to rape our planet and kill us! They are NOT who they appear to be! [Rips off part of John's face to the horrors of the audience, revealing a reptiloid face.] This is not science-fiction, this is what they are!

Diana: [to Steven] You're rather accessible.
Steven: When the need arises.
Supreme Commander John: [annoyed] You certainly made us rather accessible last night. If Diana hadn't been able to cover for your incompetence with this bit of instant movie-making, our credibility on this planet would've been all but destroyed.

Episode 2 edit

Ham Tyler: I like to get everyone's attention. That way, I don't have to repeat myself.

[Referring to Ham Tyler]
Martin: Are there many more like him?
Mike Donovan: Fortunately, selective breeding keeps their population to a minimum.
Ham Tyler: You know, from this distance I could almost cut him in half.
Mike: Anything more than a flesh wound and you get the same.

Ham Tyler: You know, if you let them live, Gooder, they're gonna breed.
Mike Donovan: I prefer them to you.
Ham: I may bring the neighborhood down, but they'll eat it!

Pamela: Diana, my dear, sex for favors is as old as ambition. And sex is much too fragile a platform to support your ambition.
Diana: [acidly] You've managed.
Pamela: That's because I've managed my ambition. You might reflect that your...lover...has sent you 65 trillion miles away from him...hardly an indication he can't bear to be apart from you...

Diana: Tell me, Mr. Donovan, what is your opinion of the truth?
Mike Donovan: Depends on who I hear it from. [injects him with truth serum]
Diana: What color is your hair, Mr. Donovan?
Mike: [trying to fight the serum's effects] Blue. [She injects him a second time.]
Diana: What color is your hair, Mr. Donovan?
Mike: [gives in] ....brown...
Diana: Yes...a lovely shade of brown. [tousles Donovan's hair] Tell me, Mr. Donovan...The Fifth Column...who is its' leader? [Try as he might, Donovan is absolutely powerless to resist...]
Mike: Martin... [Both Diana and her guards whip around to face Martin, but he manages to drop both guards. Unfortunately, Diana manages to escape.]

Diana: [furious] I want the ship cordoned off! Search section by section! I want Donovan and that traitor found!
Supreme Commander Pamela: [smug] Is that the sound of panic in your voice, Diana?
Diana: [stern at reaction] The situation is under control.
Supreme Commander Pamela: Oh, "under control," you say? One of your most trusted leftenants has betrayed you, escaped right under your nose with the leader of the Resistance, and you have the gall to tell me that everything is under control?
Diana: They will be captured, and dealt with.
Supreme Commander Pamela: Oh, I hope so...[turns to leave, but turns back as if there was something she forgot to say. She closes the distance between herself and Diana.] Otherwise...I'll be forced to strip you of your command! Is that clear?
Diana: Very. [Pamela exits.]

Episode 3 edit

[During the capture of Brian at the Maxwell residence, Ham is about to thrust a broken bottle in Daniel's face as revenge for killing Ruby. Caleb holds him back.]
Caleb Taylor: Are you gonna kill him?
Ham Tyler: As many times as I can!
Caleb: No, I got a better idea. [knocks out Daniel with a pistol-whipping to the back of his head]
Ham: That's it?
Caleb: Trust me!

[Inside the Visitor security headquarters, after the Visitors beat up Daniel over Brian's capture and how he became the fall guy.]
Daniel Bernstein: What are you going to do with me, Stephen?
Stephen: Send you where you'll serve us well.
Daniel: [Sees two white-coated orderlies enter the room] Where is that?
Stephen: Where else? On a serving platter. [snaps fingers at guards]
Daniel: No! Stephen, no!!!! NOOOO!!!!! [The guards haul off Daniel, followed by the orderlies]

[Inside the Visitors' LA Mothership, Robin's daughter, Elizabeth, begins to type words in a computer. Diana is close by.]
Elizabeth: [utters single word from computer] Pretanama. [Visitorese for 'Peace']
Diana: [firm] It's not in our destiny.
Elizabeth: Pretanama.
Diana: NO!

[The Resistance are debating whether to use the Red Dust following Martin's revelation that the LA Mothership could be primed to self-destruct, taking Earth with it]
Robert Maxwell: Look, the man's just presented his side of the argument!
Ham Tyler: There IS no argument! We either win, or we lose! There's no in-between!
Robert: No! No! Because we're not talking about just the people here in this room! Look, be real clear, people: if we lose, then the WHOLE DAMN WORLD loses!
Julie: [tiredly] We're not fighting the same war anymore. The rules have changed now, it's escalated way out of control.
Chris: Yeah, see...war has a tendency to do that, ma'am.

Tyler: The Visitors came here to suck us dry. When they're finished with this planet, they're gonna take it [gestures] like an empty beer can and toss it over their shoulder.
Julie: Nobody's calling them good guys, Tyler. No one's appealing to their better nature. You can't win a war if you're extinct! [she turns in appeal to the group] We've got to think of another way!
Elias: [very quietly] There is no other way. There's no time. Look, if Martin knows about the Red Dust, then you can believe Diana does, too - and if she doesn't, then she will in a few days. Hey...hey, as...as ragged an' as ordinary as this little bunch is...we're the last shot before the buzzer.
Julie: 'Last' is exactly right.
Elias: [louder] Now if we attack - if we attack, at least we got a fightin' chance. We do nothing, we're signin' this planet's death warrant.

[Elias oversees the handling of a Red Dust shipment]
Elias Taylor: Yo, yo, go easy on the dust, dudes. Gonna do you no good to snort it here. [man laughs]
Caleb Taylor: [approaches Elias] Elias -
Elias: Look, Pop, will you give me a break, please, huh? I was just jokin' with the guys, I didn't mean nothin' by it -!
Caleb: Right away you assume I'm gonna come down on you.
Elias: Ain't that the way it's always been, huh?!
Caleb: Perhaps so... I disagreed with what you said at the meeting -
Elias: So what's new?
Caleb: - but you said it well. I was damn proud of you, son.
Elias: Really?
Caleb: Yes. [they hug, reconciled at last]

Pamela: How did you find out about those raids? That's classified information.
Diana: I'm entitled to know about the raids. The intelligence comes from a source I created.
Pamela: You're entitled to information that pertains to the scientific aspects of our mission - nothing more.
Diana: Then you're not taking the boy's report seriously?
Pamela: [disdainful] It's not standard practice to base troop movements on the tattlings of a ten-year-old Earthling.
Diana: I converted him myself. The information is reliable.
Pamela Well, I have serious doubts about your conversion process. However, I'll have someone look into it.
Diana: When? The raids are scheduled for tomorrow.
Pamela: You scientific types are so easily ruffled.
Diana: And you military types are so predictable. [Takes out her gun and shoots Pamela and her guard.] You rely on cunning, intrigue...I prefer the direct approach. Don't worry, dear Pamela, I'll do my scientific best to command your fleet. And tomorrow, I'll destroy the rebels! Consider this...an early retirement. [shoots Pamela in the stomach]

[Before pouring a bag full of Red Dust on Stephen]
Ham Tyler: Say goodnight, hotshot.

John: Pamela said you were ambitious, and she underestimated you.
Diana: You stupid, feeble man! If it weren't for me, you'd still be figuring out where to land on this planet! You and your petty, idiotic intrigue, wondering who was in charge. I was in charge! I directed this entire operation, while you made pretty speeches. I had the power, and you wore the crown!
John: Ah, the crown. It's yours now, Diana. Enjoy your reign… queen of a poisoned realm. [Diana shoots him dead right in front of Elizabeth]

About V The Final Battle edit

  • Warners was anxious to move on and do a television series, because that’s where you really make your bucks as a studio. Although they can be prestigious, mini-series are often pricey and don’t make a lot of money for the studio. They were eager to do the sequel as quickly and cheaply…and dirt [laughs] as it possibly could be done and get it out of the way.
I had real concerns about the erosion of quality and ultimately decided that I couldn’t do it in the kind of manner that they were talking about; the classic illustration of ‘creative differences’. It was a bit like having a baby and giving it over to foster-parents that you didn’t trust to raise. And I was right, unfortunately [laughs]. It was too bad what they did with it.
  • All of my friends who worked on it told me ‘Don’t ever watch it. Kenny – it is not the script that you guys wrote’…I had three very talented writers working on it with me. But once I left, they brought in a new producing team and a new writer and a new director, who proceeded to rather disembowel it.
I’ve only ever seen about thirty seconds by accident as I was channel-surfing one day, and recognised the scene. And after thirty seconds, I turned it off, because I watched them, in thirty seconds, make every mistake they could possibly make in thirty seconds. And I realised that I could never possibly watch the whole thing. So…no!
  • Kenneth Johnson [1]

Cast edit

External links edit

 
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