The Nightwatch orders its members on Babylon 5 to target Delenn in an attempt to undermine Minbari actions during the recent crisis. Londo presents Refa with an ultimatum.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

William Forward as Refa. Paul Perri as The Sniper. Don Stroud as Boggs. Kim Strauss as Lenann.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/055.html
####Backplot

In the old days of the Centauri Republic, poison was a common political tool.

Some humans learned the Minbari language from POWs during the war.

The rebirth ceremony in [[The Parliament of Dreams]] was just a small part of a much larger renewal ceremony, traditionally performed in response to, or in anticipation of, a great change. Lennier believes B5’s inhabitants are currently between two such changes.

The Minbari prophecy foretells fire and darkness after the two halves of the Minbari soul unite to combat the ancient enemy.
####Unanswered Questions

How many more Nightwatch members are still on the station?

Did Garibaldi’s people get rid of the artificial intelligence?

What else is buried in B5’s computer system? (At least one unfriendly thing, as shown in [[A Spider In the Web]].)

Who does Lennier believe Delenn is fated for? Sheridan? If so, is that due to his observation of the growing relationship between Delenn and Sheridan, or due to something in the prophecy?

What was Delenn planning to give up and to tell someone at the ceremony?
####Analysis

Londo is playing a dangerous game with Refa; Refa will no doubt not take kindly to having his life threatened, and may retaliate against Londo either overtly or behind the scenes. Refa seems to have much of the royal court in his pocket while Londo’s influence has waned since he broke off his association with Morden. Londo may find that he’s bitten off more than he can chew.

However, the extent of the risk he’s taking is a good indication that his realization of the dark nature of his former pact with Morden is complete; after this it will be very hard to turn back. It’s interesting to note, though, that his basic goal hasn’t changed, only his methods; note that he tries to dissuade Refa by talking about how dangerous the current Centauri policies are to their people. Londo is still first and foremost a patriot, not unlike G’Kar (at least until Kosh’s revelation in [[Dust to Dust]].)

Londo and Sinclair have something in common; Londo’s poisoning of Refa bears a passing resemblance to Sinclair planting a transmitter in G’Kar’s intestinal tract. Or rather, claiming to — which raises the question, did Londo really poison Refa, or just say so? Like Sinclair, Londo might figure that the poison that doesn’t exist can’t be flushed out by doctors.

How did the Nightwatch get so much information about the Minbari, especially the details of Delenn’s means of getting the war cruisers to Babylon 5? It may be as simple as Earth’s normal intelligence channels, which, under Clark, presumably make at least some of their findings available to the Nightwatch.

Boggs’ claim that the Minbari “think [Delenn]’s the second coming!” indicates that many among the Minbari agree with Delenn’s assessment of herself as the chosen one, the vehicle of prophecy (see also [[Comes the Inquisitor]].) Marcus also hints at this when he tells Delenn that his brother believed in the Rangers and in her; apparently her involvement with them is richer in symbolism than has previously been hinted at. How, and whether, that relates to the nature of Sinclair’s involvement remains to be seen.

This isn’t the first time Delenn has been referred to as “the second coming,” at least indirectly. G’Kar quoted a passage from the Yeats poem of the same name in [[Revelations]], a passage visually accompanied by Delenn’s first look at her new appearance. Ominously, that Second Coming refers to the Antichrist.

The Army of Light is now dressed in black uniforms. Whether that’s an intentional contrast on Delenn’s part, or simply her fashion sense, only time will tell.
####Notes

The voice of Sparky the Computer, the artificial intelligence, is Harlan Ellison. Sparky’s name is visible both in the ending credits and, very briefly, as the last line item in the computer’s status messages when it reboots.

The recording Londo shows Refa is slightly wrong; Morden was sitting when he mentioned Refa’s name ([[Matters of Honor]].)

The station logo on the wall in C&C has changed. It used to be a 5 with a pair of olive branches overlaid, presumably signifying peace; now it’s a 5 over a sword. The new logo can also be seen on the top of the conference room table in the scene with Delenn and the officers from the Minbari ships.

There’s a minor continuity glitch involving the new logo. When the command staff walks into C&C in the final scene, the camera pans across the side of C&C to show the startled techs. The new logo is visible on the wall between two computer displays. But in the next shot of the same wall, there’s no logo there.

“Dem Bones” was also sung in the final episode of “The Prisoner.”

The formation in which one of the Starfuries peels away as the squadron performs a fly-by of the caskets is called the Missing Man formation. It is used today whenever a flyby is part of military honors at a funeral.

As Delenn and Marcus wait for Lenann, a “Wet Floor” sign can be seen in a corridor in the background.

Sheridan’s closing line, “Babylon 5 is open for business,” echoes Laurel Takashima’s in [[The Gathering]]. In both cases it marked a new beginning for the station.

Sheridan’s line to Ivanova, “My hypocrisy only goes so far,” is a Mark Twain quote.

Don Stroud got his scar by jumping into a crowd of men with knives to stop a woman from being raped, according to former story editor Larry DiTillio.

The eulogy recited by Sheridan is the same one spoken by Ivanova in [[Soul Hunter]].