The fireworks smuggling? I was assuming they meant someone had stashed a bunch of them in plastic in a crate or large luggage. I guess I expected tourists to be doing the smuggling.

Because organized smuggling of explosives via an airline? Dangerous, stupid, and the volume would make it costly as a business expense.

I think 'delenda est' started on TWoP, before it was TWoP. And it was about Tess, which makes this on topic!

Okay, this is where I admit my ignorance and ask what, exactly, "delenda est" means and why it is so amusing when applied to Wesley or Tess. Help?

He can't trust himself to resist the game, so instead he preemptively trashes any shot he might have at drawing people in.

brenda, I hadn't thought of that! Neat. Although I am still stubbornly resistant to any idea that makes Sawyer a more sympathetic character.

So far as "delenda est" perhaps this website quote will help:

Delenda Est Carthago, or more exactly: "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam" - "And therefore, I conclude that Carthage must be destroyed", was the motto of Roman conservative senator Marcus Porcius Cato.

In fact, it was much more than a motto, it was a slogan, tirelessly punctuating every single one of his speeches at the senate. Even when the subject debated was in no way related, he would always inject his slogan: "Carthago delenda est"..."the temple of Juno must have the tiles repaired and Carthage must be destroyed, we propose the slums in the Subura be cleared and Carthage must be destroyed.".

As far as Tess, the same actress is playing Claire. As far as Wesley of Star Trek:TNG, a lot of people took great joy in wanting the character to be gone. I never had strong emotions about the characters either way.

Thanks, Daniel. Huh. I knew that about the same actress playing Tess and Claire, but I thought "Wesley delenda est" was referring to Mr. Wyndham-Price, not Mr. Crusher. Anyway, so it means "Wesley must be destroyed"?

Which is pretty much what ended up happening.

The fireworks smuggling? I was assuming they meant someone had stashed a bunch of them in plastic in a crate or large luggage.

Must have been wrapped in asbestos, considering they survived the plane crash, the WaterWilly-like engine squirting jet fuel over everything, and the two post-crash fiery engine explosions without being lit.

It refers to Wesley -- particularly in Season 3 of Buffy. Or so I have always thought!

See? I was assuming the more irritating and fan hated Wes, sorry.

Signed, wasn't around when the Wesley Delenda Est was coined, but extrapolated it to the original fan annoying Wesley.

S3 BtVS Wes was annoying, but I wasn't on the boards back then.

They were, however, Buffy-themed boards and not Star Trek-themed ones even then.

Wes in S3 BtVs was a prat. I'm not surprised there was significant Wes-hate back then. I also heard he was widely disliked during S1 AtS for replacing beloved Doyle, at least before he grew a pair--oh, I'd say around Faith arc.

Yeah, being tortured proved to be highly redemptive on that show WRT audience response.