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#REDIRECT [[List of Babylon 5 characters#Centauri Republic]]
<!--ALL IMAGES FAIR USE: The subject of the article is a fictional foodstuff. All images can not be replaced by copyleft alternatives because such alternatives cannot exist.-->[[Image:Spoo Close Up 3 lite.jpg|thumb|right|202px|Spoo close-up]]<!--Fair use rationale: Image clearly "identifies [...] program and its contents," where the focal point of the scene is the subject of the article -->
'''Spoo''' is a fictional food product that served as a [[running joke]] within the ''[[Babylon 5]]'' [[space opera|science fiction]] television series. In the series' [[fictional universe]], spoo is made from [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] [[worm|worm-like]] creatures of the same name, and is considered to be the most delicious food in the [[Milky Way|galaxy]], regardless of which species is asked. Although it is a universally loved foodstuff, the creature itself is regarded with contempt by the races that consume it.


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Spoo became part of the series' [[Expanded Universe|extended mythology]], and was embraced by fans of the series, spawning "spoo"-based recipes.
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==Origins in ''Babylon 5''==
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Spoo appeared in the first episode of the [[science fiction]] [[television series]] ''Babylon 5'', when it was briefly mentioned by the [[Narn]] [[Ambassador (diplomacy)|Ambassador]], [[G'Kar]].<ref name=Midnight>Mentioned in the episode "[[Midnight on the Firing Line]]," by Straczynski.</ref> [[J. Michael Straczynski]], the show's creator, executive producer, and writer of the episode in question, was asked about spoo by fans on various internet message boards on which he frequently [[Internet marketing and fan influence on Babylon 5|participated]].<ref>Straczynski's use of Usenet and other internet forums is well known. See, for instance: {{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/j.-michael-straczynski/person/19536/biography.html |title= J. Michael Straczynski Biography|work=[[tv.com]]|publisher=[[CNET Networks]] |accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> At first, Straczynski's responses were terse: "Spoo is."<ref name=SpooIs>From a USENET post made [[January 27]] [[1994]]. Archived at [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13771 jmsnews.com.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref> In another early post, he explained how he created the word: "Spoo is Oops spelled backward."<ref name=spoops>From a USENET post made by J. Michael Straczynski, [[August 1]] [[1994]]. Archived at [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-14526 JMSNews.com.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref> He eventually noted that the taste of spoo was that of "Meat [[Gelatin dessert|Jello]]. Served chilled."<ref name=MeatJello>From a CompuServe post from [[December 18]] [[1996]], archived at [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-6932 jmsnews.com.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref> After several years of speculation from ''Babylon 5'' [[fandom]], Straczynski finally offered an extensive, humorous explanation of the origins and nature of spoo.<ref name="JMSspoopost">The CompuServe post from the first week of January 1995 is archived in various places: See [http://www.frostjedi.com/vex/html/spoo.html frostjedi.com], and [http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/001.html#JS midwinter.com] for two examples. All retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref><!-- Not an easily referenceable statement, but one needs to only see the numerous, numerous re-printings of the post to see the general reverence held for it, in part because it was intended specifically for fans on the 'net before the 'net was popular -->

==Explanation==
After several years of cryptic answers, Straczynski finally made a post explaining what Spoo was. His answer stated that spoo were tiny, pasty, [[mealworm]]-like creatures that were
regarded with contempt by most of the [[Civilizations in Babylon 5|sentient species that have encountered it]]. According to Straczynski, spoo "are the only creatures of which the Interstellar Animal Rights Protection League says, simply, 'Kill 'em.'"<ref name="JMSspoopost"/>

The process of raising spoo was described by Straczynski in comical detail. The creatures are raised on ranches on planets with moist and chilly [[climate]]s, not because the creatures thrive in such environs, but because it produces the best level of paleness in the creatures' skin. Starting a spoo ranch is relatively easy: the only requirement is to place 200 spoo in the middle of the ranch and wait. Within a short period of time, they have reproduced in sufficient numbers and harvesting can commence, with the preferred method being a simple whack with a stick. Little physical effort is required to cull the herds—spoo are incapable of moving more than six&nbsp;inches (15&nbsp;cm) in a year, tend to stay propped up against one another "ostensibly for mutual protection," with attempts at movement usually ending up in the creatures toppling over. The primary difficulty in spoo ranching is in the only sound the creatures make: loud, continuous sighing. The only protection against the sighing is the use of earmuffs, which eventually cannot block the sheer volume of sighs as the harvest progresses—when whacked, a spoo simply sighs more loudly. The sighing often triggers bouts of [[Major depressive disorder|major depression]], with some ranchers even going [[insanity|mad]] from the incessant sighs.<ref name="JMSspoopost"/>

==Appearances==
The ''Babylon 5'' episodes in which spoo appears or is mentioned are "[[Midnight on the Firing Line]]," "[[The Geometry of Shadows]]," "[[Point of No Return (Babylon 5)|Point of No Return]]", "[[And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place]]," "[[A View from the Gallery]]," "[[A Tragedy of Telepaths]]," and "[[Meditations on the Abyss]]." Spoo also appears in the "Over There" segment of the ''[[Babylon 5: The Lost Tales|Lost Tales]]'' episode "[[Babylon 5: The Lost Tales#Voices in the Dark|Voices in the Dark]]," where [[John Sheridan (Babylon 5)|President Sheridan]] at one point jokes that the product is "Spoo: The other gray meat."<ref name=OverThere> From the ''[[Babylon 5: The Lost Tales|Lost Tales]]'' episode "[[Babylon 5: The Lost Tales#Voices in the Dark|Voices in the Dark]]" by Straczynski.</ref>

Although mostly relegated to a background role, spoo was once involved in a significant way in a plot. In the season 5 episode "[[A Tragedy of Telepaths]]", the fact that Narn prefer fresh spoo while the [[Centauri]] prefer it aged was the reason that [[G'Kar]] was able to figure out that there was another Narn in the Centauri Royal Palace.<ref name=Tragedy>"[[A Tragedy of Telepaths]]," written by Straczynski. See its [[Lurker's Guide]] page at [http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/098.html midwinter.com.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref>

==Real-world recipes==
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 were recipes for Narn-style spoo and Centauri-style spoo, both using currently available ingredients, with sea [[scallops]] taking the place of spoo.<ref name=cookbook>{{cite book| title=Dining on ''Babylon 5'': Human Edition - The Ultimate Collection of Space Station Cuisine| first=Emerson| last=Briggs-Wallace| coauthors=Smith, Steve| id=ISBN 0-7522-1143-9| location=UK| year=June 1998}}</ref> At a restaurant, a fan once offered Straczynski plate of food they had christened "spoo."<ref name=SpooPlate>This anecdote was mentioned as an aside in a GEnie post from [[September 4]] [[1996]]. Archived at [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7751 jmsnews.com.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref>

==Before ''Babylon 5''==
[[Image:Skeletor-spoo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Skeletor]] is offered Spoo by Spritina in ''[[She-Ra|She-Ra Princess of Power]]'', episode "Gateway To Trouble".]] <!--Fair use rationale: Image clearly "identifies [...] program and its contents," where the focal point of the scene is the subject of the article -->
Straczynski's own usage of the word predates ''Babylon 5''. Straczynski was a writer in the 1985 cartoon series ''[[She-Ra|She-Ra Princess of Power]]''. After a 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."<ref name=HeMan>From a GEnie post made by J. Michael Straczynski, [[July 7]] [[1994]]. Archived at [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-8932 JMSNews]. Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[Image:3-04.jpg|thumb|right|A promotional advertisement from the ''[[Babylon Park|Babylon Park: Spoohunter]]'' parody]]<!--Image is unrepeatable (see above); Promotional image where the focal point of the image is a parody of the subject of the article-->
Spoo is [[parody|spoofed]] in the first ''[[Babylon Park]]'' parody [[short film|short]], ''Spoohunter''.<ref name=BabylonPark>The short can be accessed at [http://www.babylonpark.com/ Babylon Park.] Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref>

In 2008, [[rap]]-[[filk]] artist [[Luke Ski]] recorded and released a parody of the [[Beastie Boys]] song "[[No Sleep till Brooklyn]]" called "No Sleep Till Babylon," which references spoo.<ref> The song was released to and can be heard at the [http://www.thefump.com/fump.php?id=1061 Funny Music Project]. Retrieved on [[2008-06-24]].</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Babylon 5 articles|List of ''Babylon 5'' articles]]
*[[Shmoo]], a fictional edible species from the comic strip ''[[Li'l Abner]]''.

==References==
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Spoo.ogg|2008-05-02}}
*[http://www2.hawaii.edu/~sable/thegroup/spoo.html The Temple of Spoo]: Spoo resources, recipes, humor, and [[fan fiction]].
*[http://spoo.mminternet.com/whats_spoo.html Concise archive of JMS "Spoo" posts]
*[[The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5]]: [http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html The definitive ''Babylon 5'' resource.]
*[http://www.jmsnews.com/ JMSNews]: The J. Michael Straczynski message archive.
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[[Category:Babylon 5]]
[[Category:Fictional foods]]
[[Category:Running gags]]

[[cs:Spoo]]

Latest revision as of 09:38, 17 January 2021

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