####Overview

G’Kar brings news of a terrible new enemy. The arrival of Sheridan’s sister opens up old wounds for the new commander. Dr. Franklin employs an unorthodox procedure to try to bring Garibaldi out of his coma. Delenn’s mysterious change is completed.
####Guest Stars

Beverly Leech as Elizabeth Sheridan. Macaulay Bruton as Garibaldi’s aide.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/024.html
####Backplot

Sheridan’s wife Anna was killed two years ago when her ship exploded on its way to explore the recently discovered ruins of an ancient civilization on the Rim.

The Book of G’Quan, the holy book of G’Kar’s religion (cf. [[By Any Means Necessary]]) mentions an ancient enemy that rose to power a thousand years in the past, a power so great it nearly overwhelmed the stars themselves. And the book contains drawings suspiciously siimilar to the Shadows’ ships.
####Unanswered Questions

Is Delenn’s new appearance an outward transformation, a complete physical rebirth, or something even more fundamental?

What exactly has she become?

Was the result what she thought it would be? She didn’t seem to know what had happened to her when she first emerged from the chrysalis; clearly she didn’t go into the process with detailed knowledge of the outcome.

How much does G’Kar suspect about Londo’s involvement with the Shadows?

Why did President Clark order Garibaldi’s aide returned to Earth? Was he aware that the clandestine transfer would take place, or did someone else arrange that to stop the prisoner from being interrogated by Clark’s people?
####Analysis

The Book of G’Quan, assuming G’Kar was describing the text itself rather than his interpretation, says that the ancient enemy came from the rim of known space, the planet Z’ha’dum. That implies that the Narns, or some among them, were technologically advanced at least a thousand years ago; otherwise they would presumably have had no way of knowing the origin of the enemy, certainly not well enough to locate its home planet. Given that they are not particularly advanced compared to the other major races, one of three things must have happened:

Some event, possibly the last great war, reduced their capabilities enough that they had to start nearly from scratch.

They advanced technologically at a very slow pace, or not at all, over the past millenium.

Another race used the Narn (or their world) in the war, departing when it was over and leaving the Narn with only legends of the great enemy.

If the second is true, it’s possible that some of the other races acquired their technology from the Narns, an interesting twist on the established idea that the Narns are obsessed with obtaining technology from others (cf. “The Gathering.”)

When G’Kar’s wingman crashed into the Shadow fighter, the Shadow ship appeared to writhe in pain. It appears that employing living technology is a common trait of the very advanced civilizations (cf. “Infection.”) The question naturally arises: are the Shadow ships ships in the traditional sense, with crews or pilots aboard, or are they autonomous entities?

The fact that a one-man Narn fighter was able to destroy a Shadow ship implies that the Shadows can be overcome by force, assuming they aren’t so numerous as to overwhelm all their opponents.

Delenn flat-out lied when she said her government approved her transformation (cf. “Points of Departure.”) Yet they have made no move to replace her as ambassador. Perhaps they fear the consequences of working against the prophecy more than they fear what she’s doing.

Dr. Franklin hasn’t tried the healing machine on anyone, not even experimentally. Perhaps he hasn’t been studying it — which seems strange, given its potential to utterly revolutionize the practice of medicine. Now that he knows it works, he may be more inclined to use it in the future, possibly in place of hazardous conventional treatments.

Anna Sheridan’s research vessel was destroyed in an apparent accident on the Rim, on its way to explore an ancient civilization. The similarities to the destruction of the Narn ship sent by G’Kar are too great to ignore. She very possibly was killed by the Shadows, something which won’t endear them to Sheridan if he learns about it. If that’s true, the question of how the ruins of the civilization were discovered in the first place remains unanswered.
####Notes

The poem G’Kar read to Na’Toth is from “The Second Coming” by W. B. Yeats (quoted sections emphasized):

Garibaldi’s aide is named Jack, though it’s easy to miss; Garibaldi mentions the name once after Talia leaves medlab and he speaks to Franklin and Ivanova.

The closed captioning spells G’Quan “Sh’Quon,” but JMS has used the shorter spelling on several occasions, so it’s the one used here.

Continuity gaffe: In the scene with Sheridan and his sister in his quarters, he drains his drink, walks toward the bar, and before he gets there, the glass refills and he drains it again.

####Overview

Second season premiere. As a new commander assumes control of the station, a renegade Minbari warship arrives, threatening trouble.
####Guest Stars

Robert Foxworth as General Hague.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/023.html
####Backplot

During the Earth-Minbari War, Captain John Sheridan managed to score Earth’s only real victory, destroying the Minbari flagship Black Star and several cruisers by mining the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars with fusion bombs. This earned him the name “Starkiller” among the Minbari warrior caste, as well as their continuing hatred.

The Minbari population has been slowly declining for two millenia.

The Grey Council ordered the end of the war after capturing Sinclair. He was the first human to have direct contact with the Council. Their original intent was to interrogate him and find out about Earth’s defenses, but upon scanning him, they found that Minbari souls were somehow being reborn in human bodies. Since Minbari religion teaches that all the souls of the Minbari form a greater whole, continuing the war would mean, in effect, killing part of themselves. Realizing that the knowledge that this was happening to Minbari souls would prove destabilizing to society — presumably some would blame humans for the shrinking population, not to mention how the humans would react to the news — they decided to keep their discovery a secret, and protect it with lethal force if necessary.

After the suicide of the warleader Sineval (cf. [[Legacies]]) at the end of the war, the crew of his ship, the Trigati, defied the surrender order and vanished into exile for nearly twelve years.

Before her service on Babylon 5, Ivanova served under Sheridan at the transfer point on Io.
####Unanswered Questions

How did a scan reveal that Minbari souls were being reborn in humans?

Will the crew of the Trigati be considered martyrs by the warrior caste in spite of their death at Minbari hands?

Why did President Clark already know why the war ended? (see jms speaks, and comic “In Darkness Find Me”)
####Analysis

The presence of the unnamed Grey Council member on Babylon 5 implies that the Council knew Delenn would disobey its order, and further, that they know the purpose of the chrysalis. In fact, there seems to be more division within the Council than they want to admit (cf. [[Babylon Squared]]) since one of the Councilmembers gave Delenn the triluminary even though the council had advised her to wait.

Councilmembers gave Delenn the triluminary even though the council had advised her to wait.

Sinclair was the first human to have contact with the Grey Council, but there’s still ample evidence that that’s not the only thing unique about him. Delenn has hinted that she believes he has a great destiny (cf. [[Grail]] and [[A Voice in the Wilderness part 2]]) and even in this episode, Lennier says, “A change is coming. Sinclair was the first. There will be others,” implying that something has happened to him that hasn’t yet happened to anyone else.

In fact, the Council may have identified a specific Minbari soul in Sinclair, perhaps the reincarnation of a great figure in their history; that would explain why they’re so interested in him in particular.

It’s possible that the information about Minbari souls isn’t even known to all of the Grey Council. When Delenn visited the Council (in [[Babylon Squared]]) she spoke of the prophecy as the reason for ending the war, and some of the other Councilmembers weren’t sure that humans were the ones the prophecy referred to. If they had seen whatever scan results convinced Delenn that humans had Minbari souls, they presumably would have argued with her about those results rather than a vague interpretation of the prophecy.

The only thing that looked remotely like a scan in Sinclair’s recollection of his capture on the Line was when one of the Minbari held a triluminary up to him. (cf. [[And the Sky Full of Stars]]) It’s at least plausible that the triluminary was instrumental in determining that Sinclair had a reincarnated Minbari soul. If its function is indeed on such a spiritual level, the fact that it was part of Delenn’s machine (cf. [[Chrysalis]]) suggests that her transformation may be as much mental as physical. This interpretation of the triluminary’s function is supported by the comic issue “In Darkness Find Me.”

Sheridan’s comment that he was the late president’s choice to replace Sinclair is odd; why would Santiago want someone who would be sure to anger the Minbari and increase tensions?
####Notes

The Agamemnon was also a ship in the British fleet, at one point commanded by Lord Nelson (best known for the Battle of Trafalgar.)

Possible factual error: Sheridan said the Dalai Lama ate dinner with him, implying an evening meal. But Buddhist monks, including the Dalai Lama, don’t eat after noon. It is, of course, possible that Buddhist practices have changed between the twentieth and twenty-third centuries, or that “dinner” wasn’t meant to imply an evening meal, but rather the last meal of the day.

####Overview

First Season finale. A dying man leads Garibaldi to a discovery that could cost him his life. Londo receives help in a dispute with the Narns. Something begins to happen to Delenn.
####Guest Stars

Macaulay Bruton as Garibaldi’s aide. Edward Conery as Devereaux. Ed Wasser as Morden.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/022.html
####Backplot

Before the Centauri occupation, Narn was a peaceful, agrarian world.
####Unanswered Questions

What is happening to Delenn?

What does it have to do with Kosh, or with the Vorlons? Why did seeing Kosh help Delenn make up her mind?

What was the question she had Lennier relay?

What is the function of the triluminary in Delenn’s device?

What is the function of the device itself?

Why did Delenn want to tell Sinclair what happened on the Line?

Who’s behind the plot to kill President Santiago?

Why were the jammers and triangulation devices being shipped through Babylon 5?

Why did Garibaldi’s aide kill Devereaux?

What are G’Kar’s suspicions about the attack on the military base?

What do the Shadows want from Londo once he’s in a position of power?

What were the invisible creatures in the room with Morden? If they were Shadows, why did they come to Babylon 5 themselves, assuming Morden was still on the station? For that matter, how did they get onto Babylon 5? On someone else’s ship, or is one of theirs parked outside, invisible to everyone?

How did Morden know that Londo’s name was being spoken in the highest circles of the Centauri government?

How did Kosh know that Sinclair had forgotten something? Does he know what Delenn was planning to tell Sinclair, and if so, does that imply he was involved in what happened on the Line?

Was Garibaldi’s friend Lianna Kemmer (cf. [[Survivors]]) on Earth Force One when it exploded?
####Analysis

The fact that Delenn decided to go ahead with the change after Kosh revealed himself to her implies that there may be a much closer relationship between the Minbari and the Vorlons than has previously been suggested. It is even possible that Delenn is turning into a Vorlon somehow, and that Kosh showed her he resembled a Minbari. On the other hand, that doesn’t explain Kosh’s interest in humans, who he arguably doesn’t consider another race (cf. [[The War Prayer]].)

Morden seems to be more than just a representative for the Shadows; they seemed to be consulting with him. If he were a mere spokesman, why would he reassure his masters?

The Vice President is a prime suspect in the plot to kill President Santiago. He just happened to leave the President’s ship shortly before the assassination attempt. He also presumably would be able to arrange for an unregistered weapon for Devereaux — or perhaps Devereaux really was an agent working under the Vice President, in a capacity so secret Garibaldi couldn’t find any reference to him.

Casting more suspicion on the Vice President, and adding a darker, more sinister note, is the newspaper headline from [[And the Sky Full of Stars]] — “Psi Corps in Election Tangle: Did Psi-Corps Violate its Charter by Endorsing Vice President?”

It’s still not entirely clear where Garibaldi’s aide’s loyalty lies. The killing of Devereaux and his men suggests there may be more than one level of deception at work. Or perhaps he was simply under orders to tie up loose ends and wanted to ensure Devereaux could never blow his cover if apprehended.

The Shadows may have been the force overrunning Garibaldi’s position in the flashforward from [[Babylon Squared]]. They may also be what the crazed man in that episode was shouting about when he referred to invisible monsters.

Chrysalis is the third stage in insect development (egg, pupa, chrysalis, and adult form.) There may be some relation to the third age of mankind referenced in the opening monologue.

Delenn has obviously seen her change coming for quite some time; she has been building the crystal device in her quarters almost from day one. Her compatriots on the Grey Council appear to largely be in the dark about it, though perhaps not all of them, as one of them did give her the triluminary (cf. [[Babylon Squared]].)

Delenn’s ability to breathe the atmosphere in Kosh’s quarters with only a single whiff of air from a mask is further evidence of some connection between Vorlons and Minbari. Or it could just mean the Minbari don’t need much oxygen (or that both Kosh’s air and the normal station air contain whatever they do need.)

She has been disobeying the Council’s order about Sinclair, perhaps ever since [[And the Sky Full of Stars]]. That suggests she may have intentionally been hiding her upcoming transformation from them, as well. Otherwise it would presumably have come up when they considered her for the leadership of the Council (cf. [[Babylon Squared]].)

Londo’s disgust about the deaths of the Narn suggest he may not be the iron-fisted leader the Shadows appear to be looking for (cf. [[Signs and Portents]], in which Morden appeared to be looking for someone ruthless and ambitious.) In the future he may be placed in the position of deciding whether people live or die, and may have to act against the Shadows’ wishes.

G’Kar may be returning home to try to warn his superiors that a sixth race exists and is out to get them. Whether he has deduced that the intent is to cause war between the Narns and the Centauri (if, indeed, that is what the Shadows are up to) is an interesting question. It is also not clear what the Narns could do about the situation even if the leadership was convinced there was another player in the game; the Shadows appear to have an overwhelming technological advantage over most of the other races.

On the other hand, the Shadows did dispatch four ships to take care of the Narn outpost. That suggests that one ship might not have been enough, in turn implying limits to their power.

“And so it begins,” says Kosh. That’s the same line spoken by Delenn during the ceremony in [[The Parliament of Dreams]], after Sinclair eats the fruit. Perhaps Kosh was referring to Delenn’s change rather than the death of President Santiago, and perhaps it has something to do with the possible marriage of Delenn and Sinclair in the aforementioned episode. (But see jms speaks.)

When Kosh emerges from his encounter suit for Delenn (assuming that’s what he was doing,) there’s a sound not unlike wings moving through the air.

In [[TKO]] (which was originally going to air much later in the season, either immediately before or one episode removed from [[Chrysalis]]) Walker mentions that Garibaldi was never any good at watching his back, foreshadowing the events in this episode.
####Notes

Shot twelfth out of 22 episodes due to the extensive post-production work required.

First broadcast in the UK on October 3, 1994. PTEN didn’t want to show it during August, traditionally a month of low viewership, in the US, so it was held back until the week before the first season-two episodes, becoming, to all appearances, the season-two premiere. In fact, PTEN even advertised it as such. But, as stated, it was produced halfway through the first year of shooting, so definitely qualifies as a season-one episode.

The original satellite feed in the US was missing a special effect. In the first shot of Londo walking in the hedge maze, the scene was supposed to show the maze at the bottom of the frame and a view down the center of the station above that. The actual broadcast showed the back wall of the soundstage behind the hedges, complete with “Exit” sign. Oddly, the correct scene was used in the UK broadcast, which occurred much earlier. Bad and good pictures of the scene are available.

Garibaldi’s aide appeared in three previous episodes: [[Mind War]], [[And the Sky Full of Stars]], and [[Eyes]] (where he’s in Ivanova’s dream.)

####Overview

Talia is involved in carrying out the sentence of a convicted murderer. Dr. Franklin investigates a possible medical scam in Downbelow. Londo takes Lennier for a look at the less savory sections of the station.
####Guest Stars

June Lockhart as Dr. Laura Rosen. Kate McNeil as Janice Rosen. Mark Rolston as Karl Mueller. Damian London as the Centauri Senator. Jim Norton as Ombuds Wellington. (Originally titled “The Resurrectionist”)
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/021.html
####Backplot

“Spacing” someone (tossing them out an airlock to die) is a punishment applicable only in cases of mutiny and treason.

Evidence gained from a telepathic scan is inadmissible in court, as it violates the principles of due process.

Very few members of Psi-Corps are trained to handle criminal cases, not for lack of demand, but because it’s very a stressful field, with lots of burnouts.

The station’s indigent are denied medical treatment in Medlab if they can’t afford it (cf. [[Believers]].)

The station’s prison is overcrowded already; there’s no room for someone to serve a life sentence.

Earth possesses the technology to brain-wipe people (cf. [[Grail]]) and implant new memories; it’s used as a punishment or rehabilitation measure in certain criminal cases. A Psi-Corps member oversees the wipe, performing scans before and after to make sure it’s complete.
####Unanswered Questions

What will Dr. Franklin do with the machine? Will it ever be seen again?

Will Franklin and Janice Rosen continue to see each other in subsequent episodes?
####Analysis

This is the second instance in the series of a mechanism for stealing life from one being and giving it to another (cf. [[Deathwalker]].) Perhaps the two are related somehow.

Judging by her reactions during the scan, it seems Talia was not trained to deal with hardened criminals. Why, then, was she also stuck with the job of scanning a murderer on the Mars colony, a place that, as a major human settlement, presumably has a Psi-Corps presence? (cf. [[A Voice in the Wilderness part 1]], though admittedly the presence referred to there was not public knowledge.)

The Centauri’s claim that Earth was a lost colony (cf. [[Midnight on the Firing Line]]) must have been a short-lived ruse, given the revelations about Centauri physiology in this episode.
####Notes

June Lockhart and Bill Mumy were in another science-fiction show together: “Lost in Space.”

####Overview

Babylon 4 returns as abruptly as it vanished, but its reappearance may bode ill for the future. Delenn receives a momentous offer.
####Guest Stars

Kent Broadhurst as Major Krantz. Tim Choate as Zathras. Denise Gentile as Lise Hampton.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/020.html
####Backplot

Babylon 4 was stolen by people from the future, apparently at Sinclair’s behest during that time period, to act as a base of operations in a tremendous war being fought between the forces of light and darkness.

Sinclair will be a great leader, possibly the leader, of the forces of light in that war.

At some point, long before he participates in Babylon 4’s disappearance, Sinclair will flee a place (most likely Babylon 5, cf. [[Signs and Portents]]) that is about to be overrun by some evil creatures. Garibaldi will stay behind to fight, but will force Sinclair to leave. A transcript of the scene in question is available.

The Grey Council stopped the war because of a prophecy. Valen (a revered figure, see jms speaks) said that humans, or some among them, had a destiny with which the Minbari could not be allowed to interfere.

Delenn is on Babylon 5 to study humanity, to determine whether the prophecy is correct.
####Unanswered Questions

Will Babylon 4 appear again? If so, when?

Was it really Sinclair in the suit? If not, who or what was it?

What was Sinclair trying to prevent from happening?

Who was waiting for Delenn and Sinclair?

Will Delenn keep her position on the council?

What is the purpose of the triluminary?

What was happening in Sinclair’s flashforward? Who or what was attacking the station? Is it related to the destruction of the station as foretold in “Signs and Portents?”

What was the crazed man referring to when he shouted about “monsters” and said, “I see you… you think I can’t?” (see Analysis)

Is the Grey Council’s cruiser the same place Sinclair was taken during the Battle of the Line? (cf. [[And the Sky Full of Stars]])

Why is Delenn so convinced she must remain on Babylon 5, even at the risk of her standing in the Council?

What “change” does Delenn believe is coming?
####Analysis

None of the races have demonstrated an ability to travel through time. Yet within Sinclair’s lifetime, such technology will either be developed, discovered, or introduced by people from the distant past or future. Does it exist already? If so, who has it? Zathras’ people may be the ones to provide the technology.

The voice that speaks to Sinclair sounds like Delenn’s, but her face is intentionally not shown. Presumably there is a reason for that; Delenn may be due to change in some way that will alter her appearance.

After Babylon 4 completes its time jump, a voice (presumably a computer) announces that the atmosphere was breathable. Why wasn’t it breathable before? Zathras clearly had no trouble breathing in the past, so is something about the future Sinclair different that prevents him from breathing a normal atmosphere?

In the past, when we’ve seen Grey Council members, they have had silver triangles on their foreheads ([[And the Sky Full of Stars]] and [[Signs and Portents]] during Morden’s visit to Delenn.) Yet no such triangles were visible this time. What do the triangles mean, and what causes them to appear? (see jms speaks)

The attacking force in Sinclair’s vision of the future seemed to be invisible. Witness the fact that Garibaldi’s men were firing in seemingly random directions, as if they didn’t know where the enemy was. It also seems unlikely that they’d use a flamethrower if they could aim at their opponents. When the unknown force finally cut through the wall, it was forced inward, but nothing could be seen forcing it. This also explains what the crazed man on B4 was talking about; he’d seen visions of a battle against invisible foes too.

The only instance of invisibility seen in the series up until this episode was in “The War Prayer,” and it was developed by the Earth Alliance military, suggesting perhaps that the attackers might be humans.

Garibaldi flashed back to an event two years earlier. That may suggest that Sinclair’s flashforward (if indeed that’s what it was) was to two years in the future, which would put the scene somewhere in the year 2260, season three of the series.
####Notes

Babylon 4 is larger than Babylon 5.

####Overview

Sinclair fights two turf battles at once as alien invaders claim the planet the station orbits, and an Earthforce captain disagrees with him about how to deal with the situation.
####Guest Stars

Ron Canada as Capt. Ellis Pierce. Louis Turenne as Draal. Curt Lowens as Varn. Denise Gentile as Lise Hampton. Aki Aleong as Senator Hidoshi.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/019.html
####Backplot

In his youth, Londo led the Centauri raid on a planet called Frallis 12.

Five hundred years earlier, the last of Varn’s race died, entrusting him with a legacy, the guarding and caretaking of Epsilon 3. Some time prior to that, a violent, cruel faction of the race was cast aside by the rest, and since Varn took over Epsilon 3, they have been searching for it.

Some Earth citizens feel they’re heavily subsidizing the Mars colony, and that may in fact be true.

The Centauri contributed a substantial amount of money to the construction of Babylon 5.
####Unanswered Questions

What is the intended use of Epsilon 3?

What needs to happen before it will be deemed ready for consumption by the rest of the galaxy?

Was Takarn’s ship the only one of its kind, or are more outcasts from Varn’s race still out there, searching (or heading) for Epsilon 3?

Are there any other planets like Epsilon 3 waiting to be discovered?
####Analysis

The station potentially has a powerful new ally in Draal. It remains to be seen if he will prove willing to come to the station’s defense in the future, but the threat of retaliation by Epsilon 3 might be enough to keep any would-be attackers at bay.

Garibaldi’s tentative hopes of one day getting back together with Lisa have now been dashed. This might make him that much more likely to hit the bottle again. (cf. [[Survivors]])

Assuming Earth is successful in putting down the revolt on Mars, a continued presence will likely be necessary to keep things from flaring up again. This is bound to have political consequences back on Earth, and possibly on Babylon 5, as Earth has a harder time claiming the moral high ground if it’s occupying one of its own members with soldiers.

Londo’s sense of adventure, now reawakened, might lead him to go even further in his quest for the “good old days.” Between this and his possession of the Eye (cf. [[Signs and Portents]]) he may be a much more influential figure than he appears.

Delenn’s assessment of Sinclair jibes with the hints in [[Grail]] that she considers him a “true seeker,” someone whose life is devoted to a cause.
####Notes

The heavy cruiser EAS Hyperion was named after the Babylon 5 Internet archive (and home of the Lurker’s Guide) originally located at Hyperion.COM.

Ivanova seems to enjoy saying “Boom!” (cf. [[Grail]])

When Capt. Pierce is going to launch fighters to land on the planet and Sinclair threathens to destroy them, Pierce argues for a moment and then backs down. When he turns briefly to the screen and a computer graphic is displayed showing him calling down the ships, one of the ships in the top left corner of the screen has the flight number THX-1138, the name of one of George Lucas’ first films.

More SF references can be found in the list of words being downloaded from the station’s language files by the aliens. For instance, “ORAC” is a computer from the British series Blake’s 7, and “Skynet” is from The Terminator. The phrase “I am not a number, I am a free man” (from the title sequence of The Prisoner) can also be seen on several consecutive frames.

####Overview

Seismic activity on the planet near the station uncovers what may be signs of an extinct alien civilization. An old mentor pays a visit to Ambassador Delenn. The unrest on the Mars Colony intensifies.
####Guest Stars

Louis Turenne as Draal. Curt Lowens as Varn.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/018.html
####Backplot

Before Sinclair asked him to be security chief on Babylon 5, Garibaldi was working for the security division on Mars Colony, where he fell in love with a woman named Lise Hampton. Their relationship was rocky (“I was pretty messed up”) and ended when he accepted the B5 assignment.

The Psi Corps has a secret training facility very close to one of the Mars Colony cities.

There is growing lack of purpose and dissatisfaction among the ordinary citizens on Minbar.

One of Londo’s wives was a dancer at a club, who comforted him when he was depressed. He married her that night, and regretted it the next morning and ever since.

The planet the station is orbiting is called Epsilon 3.
####Unanswered Questions

What came through the jumpgate?

What is the function of all the machinery buried beneath the planet’s surface?

Why was the alien connected to the machines, apparently against his will?

How was he able to project himself to Sinclair and Londo on the station?

Was the defense system designed to prevent someone from finding the machinery, or to stop someone from rescuing the alien?
####Analysis

The alien might well be native to Epsilon 3, since he was able to breathe the atmosphere once he was disconnected from the machinery. In the shuttle, Ivanova can be seen fitting him with a breather unit, presumably since the shuttle’s air is Earth-style. Perhaps the proximity of Babylon 5 to Epsilon 3 is not a simple coincidence.

A possible inconsistency: if the missiles were being fired from within the fissure, how could Sinclair and Ivanova safely enter it? All their cover fire was high in the atmosphere; the missiles could have hit them before they had time to react once they were underground. Of course, it’s possible the missiles are only useful above a certain altitude (true of some present-day surface-to-air missiles,) but in that case, why wasn’t the fissure protected by short-range weaponry?
####Notes

The scene with Ivanova and Sinclair crossing the tunnel bears similarity to a scene from the 1956 film Forbidden Planet. (See jms speaks)

####Overview

A girl entering puberty exhibits telepathic abilities, and the crew must decide whether to turn her over to the Psi Corps. The corpse of the Minbari military leader who oversaw the Battle of the Line is the focus of a diplomatic incident.
####Guest Stars

John Vickery as Neroon. Grace Una as Alisa Beldon.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/017.html
####Backplot

The Grey Council ordered the surrender at the Battle of the Line.

Many among the Minbari warrior caste do not approve of the surrender, a fact which has caused something of a rift between the religious and warrior caste.

Caste membership is determined by heritage. Membership in the religious caste takes precedence if one parent is in the religious caste and the other is a warrior. (This is ambiguous; Delenn’s statement on the matter could be interpreted to mean that the mother’s caste takes precedence over the father’s.)

The Earth-Minbari War began with the death of Dukhat, the head of the Grey Council at the time.

The war was regarded as a holy war among the Minbari, and had the full support of the religious caste at least part of the time.

One of the warleaders (heads of the military clans?) committed suicide rather than obey the order to surrender.

Telepaths are highly regarded among the Minbari, and are fed and clothed by people in exchange for providing their services.

The Narn keep alien slaves, or at least are reported to do so.
####Unanswered Questions

What is the significance of the word “chrysalis?” Note that this is the title of the first-season finale.

How was Delenn able to sense that she was being probed?
####Analysis

Delenn’s identity doesn’t seem to be a secret among the warrior caste, or at least its upper echelons. The warriors seem to be playing along and keeping her secret safe.

As JMS mentions below, in the original airing order, this episode came after “Babylon Squared.” If that is the intended chronological order of the two episodes, then Delenn’s statement to Neroon that she speaks for the entire Grey Council takes on different connotations; it is plausible in that case that she is lying and hadn’t even consulted the Council.

Likewise, the device used to stun the guard appears to be a triluminary; its presence makes much more sense if this episode is after “Babylon Squared.” Its exact function is still a mystery; did it in fact stun the guard, put him in some sort of stasis, or something else?
####Notes

The only first season script that was developed outside the B5 offices.

####Overview

An internal affairs investigation of Sinclair forces him to answer for his recent command decisions. Ivanova confronts a member of Psi-Corps, as well as her own fears, when she is told to submit to a scan.
####Guest Stars

Gregory Martin as Col. Ari Ben Zayn. Jeffrey Combs as Harriman Gray.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/016.html
####Backplot

The unrest on Mars is continuing to escalate; now the separatists have started carrying out terrorist attacks and are arming themselves. (cf. “A Voice in the Wilderness”)
####Unanswered Questions

How will the powerful backers of the investigation react to Ben Zayn’s failure?
####Analysis

Several interesting hints about Ivanova and Talia Winters are dropped, most notably the fact that Ivanova was thinking of Winters when she and Gray were talking in the lounge. Ivanova’s insistence that no one must ever intrude upon the memory of her mother’s telepathic contact may foreshadow a less adversarial relationship between the two of them in the future. (cf. [[Mind War]])

The fact that Bester was able to intervene in the investigation at all suggests that he, and possibly Psi Cops in general, wield a lot of power in the Psi Corps. It is also conceivable that Bester and at least some of the factions in the Senate who backed the investigation are related.

Is Ivanova’s reluctance to be scanned simply what she says it is — a result of her contact with her mother and her general hatred of Psi Corps — or does she more immediate reasons, perhaps something to hide?
####Notes

Lennier’s chant, “Za ba ga bee,” is the title of an album by Barnes and Barnes, of which Bill Mumy is a member. (See jms speaks)

One of the masked men in Ivanova’s dream is played by Macauley Bruton, who also plays Garibaldi’s aide in [[Mind War]], [[And the Sky Full of Stars]], and [[Chrysalis]]. See jms speaks.

####Overview

A traveller comes to B5, seeking the Holy Grail. A series of unexplained attacks on several Lurkers may be linked to Ambassador Kosh.
####Guest Stars

David Warner as Aldous Gajic. Tom Booker as Jinxo. William Sanderson as Deuce.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/015.html
####Backplot

Babylon and Babylon 2 were sabotaged. Babylon 3 blew up before it was finished. Babylon 4 vanished without a trace in front of witnesses.

The Minbari highly value people who spend their lives searching for something. Delenn seems to believe that’s true of Sinclair.
####Unanswered Questions

Delenn seems to consider Sinclair a true seeker. What is he seeking?

Why didn’t the feeder want Gajic?

What happened to Babylon 4? (cf. [[Babylon Squared]])
####Analysis

Perhaps Delenn’s comments about Sinclair simply refer to his search for the truth about the Battle of the Line, if she realizes he knows something of what happened to him. Or there could be a deeper meaning.
####Notes

This episode features the series’ first CGI alien (the na’ka’leen feeder, pictured above.)

The transport Marie Celeste, which Thomas boarded at the end of the episode, is a reference to a sailing ship found adrift on the sea in 1872 by the crew of the ship Dei Gratia. The Celeste’s crew was missing, as was her single lifeboat, but there were half-eaten meals in the mess hall and other evidence the crew had left suddenly. Investigators found that Captain Morehouse of the Dei Gratia had dined with Captain Briggs of the Celeste the night before departure, and Morehouse and his crew were tried for murder. There was no hard evidence, and they were acquitted. The missing crewmen were never found.