G’Kar tries to avoid capture by the Centauri while continuing his search. Delenn urges the Rangers to strike against the Shadows.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Wayne Alexander as Lorien. Wortham Krimmer as Emperor Cartagia. Lenny Citrano as Isaac. Anthony DeLongis as Harry.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/068.html
####Plot Points

Garibaldi was captured and is apparently in the custody of Psi Corps.

Lorien claims to be the first of the First Ones, and lives deep within Z’ha’dum. He says the Shadows return to Z’ha’dum because he’s there, and that Kosh knew about his presence when he told Sheridan to jump.

G’Kar has been captured by the Centauri. In exchange for help overthrowing Emperor Cartagia, Londo has promised G’Kar that the Centauri will withdraw from Narn after Cartagia is gone.
####Unanswered Questions

Exactly who captured Garibaldi, and why? The Psi Corps, or some other group associated with them? How did they recover him from the inside of a Shadow vessel? Did the Shadows give him up voluntarily?

Why did they want to know what he remembered?

Is Lorien’s claim true? Is he a member of a race of elder beings, or is he somehow the first intelligent lifeform in the galaxy? What is he, exactly?

When, and under what circumstances, did Lorien meet Kosh?

How is Londo planning to use G’Kar to unseat Cartagia?
####Analysis

If Garibaldi has indeed been captured by the Psi Corps, why do they need to question him? Presumably they could just pick whatever information they need out of his mind. Perhaps they’re simply trying to get him to cooperate, on the assumption that if he cooperates in one area, he’ll be more malleable in others.

Alternately, perhaps they’re making sure he doesn’t remember what happened to him because they’ve done something to him and wiped his memory of the event. That would explain the conclusion of the interrogation scene; they gassed him to transport him elsewhere once they were satisfied that their memory wipe was solid.

Centauri torture is likely to result in the loss of G’Kar’s left eye ([[The Coming of Shadows]], [[War Without End part 2]].) Whether that eye is the subject of Lady Morella’s prophecy ([[Point of No Return]]) isn’t clear; it’s certainly plausible that Londo could redeem himself by halting the torture of G’Kar, but there are other eyes that don’t see (e.g. the Shadows’ Eye at Z’ha’dum in [[The Hour of the Wolf]], or the Centauri Eye from [[Signs and Portents]].)

Given Lorien’s assessment of his situation, Sheridan presumably qualifies as “the one who is already dead” in Morella’s prophecy. And, in fact, Londo spares his life 17 years in the future ([[War Without End part 2]].) Assuming the prophecy is correct and Londo was thus redeemed, obviating the need for a third chance, what form would that chance have taken?

Why is Lorien so interested in what happens to Sheridan? He said Sheridan was “the only one to make it this far.” Was he referring to the physical descent down the chasm, or some more spiritual journey?

Lorien said neither Kosh nor Sheridan wanted to die. Assuming he was able to resurrect Sheridan, is Kosh also still alive? If so, what did Kosh find to live for?

Lorien said he had been waiting for someone to talk to. He also said, several times, that Sheridan was trapped between life and death, between seconds. Given that he was there with Sheridan, and that Kosh knew about Lorien’s presence, it’s plausible that Lorien, not Justin, is in fact “the man in between” from Sheridan’s Kosh-induced dream ([[All Alone in the Night]].) If so, what will he do now that he’s found Sheridan?

Lorien, if that’s who the formless being in Sheridan’s dream is, asked both the Vorlon and the Shadow questions. Why are those questions significant to him? He said that there was no good answer to “Who are you,” implying perhaps that the search for an answer is what matters.

Did the Shadows and the Vorlons get those questions from Lorien? Lorien claims to have met Kosh (who, oddly, he knew by name, which would seem to contradict the new Kosh’s statement that “we are all Kosh”) so presumably he has also met the Shadows. Perhaps each race latched onto one of the two questions, adopting it as its own.

Later, however, Lorien asked Sheridan three questions: who he was, why he was, and what he wanted. The middle question is new. If the Vorlons and the Shadows are supposed to ask the first and last questions, is there supposed to be another group asking the second? (See jms speaks)

One person did ask all three questions once: Sinclair, when he was captured during the Battle of the Line ([[And the Sky Full of Stars]].)

Kosh may have implied the presence of a third question in [[Deathwalker]] when he told Talia, “Understanding is a three-edged sword.”

Lorien echoed another statement of Sinclair’s, also from [[And the Sky Full of Stars]]. Sinclair said of his wingman Mitchell, “I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen… you never listened.” Lorien said the same of the Shadows and Vorlons, or so it seemed, though he didn’t provide any more context or explanation.

Vir made a similar comment to G’Kar in [[Comes the Inquisitor]]. “I wish… there was something that I could do. I tried telling them, but they wouldn’t listen. They never listen…”

In [[Infection]], Garibaldi observed to Sinclair that people look for things to die for, because it’s easier than finding something to live for. Lorien echoed that sentiment at the end of this episode.

Lorien said he hated to see his children fighting. Does that imply he doesn’t approve of Sheridan’s war against the Shadows? For that matter, does it mean he doesn’t approve of the Vorlons and the Shadows fighting? If so, can he do anything about it?

Can Lorien leave Z’ha’dum? Perhaps the planet is part of him, or he’s bound to it in some way; in that case, Delenn’s plan to attack Z’ha’dum could prove disastrous, assuming the Vorlons are as interested in Lorien as the Shadows are.

Lorien said the Shadows think they return to Z’ha’dum to show him respect, but that they don’t understand any more. What don’t they understand? Why did they originally start returning to Z’ha’dum, and why don’t they understand now what they did long ago?
####Notes

The lighting at the end of the prison cell scene is symbolic; as soon as Londo agrees to free Narn, the cell door opens and G’Kar is bathed in white light, his life’s goal finally within reach.

The passage of time on Z’ha’dum, or at least in Sheridan’s condition, is similar to the effect of a black hole at the event horizon: time slows down to a standstill from the point of view of an outside observer.

As originally broadcast, Franklin cites the date as January 8 in his opening monologue, and says it’s been 14 days since Sheridan disappeared. In the second US broadcast of the episode Franklin’s opening monologue was fixed to say it was 9 days since both Sheridan and Garibaldi disappeared. (See jms speaks) However, the UK broadcast, and possibly others, used the original incorrect date. The engine part G’Kar handed to the man in the bar is an overthruster prop from “Buckaroo Banzai.”

Sheridan’s disappearance begins to unravel the alliance. Londo discovers that Emperor Cartagia has struck a disturbing deal. G’Kar decides to search for Garibaldi. Ivanova, Delenn, and Lyta head toward Z’ha’dum to search for Sheridan.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Ed Wasser as Morden. Wortham Krimmer as Emperor Cartagia. Wayne Alexander as Lorien. Damian London as Minister.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/067.html
####Plot Points

A thousand years ago, the Shadows seeded hundreds of worlds with their ships so their forces couldn’t be wiped out in a single attack. The explosion on Z’ha’dum destroyed the Shadows’ biggest city and threw them into chaos. Now they’ve decided to seek outside help, and have enlisted the Centauri to shelter a small fleet of their ships in case Z’ha’dum is attacked while they’re weak.

Londo and Vir are scheming to kill Emperor Cartagia, who Londo believes has seriously endangered Centauri Prime by giving land to the Shadows.

According to Kosh, Sheridan opened an unexpected door on Z’ha’dum. Whatever that means, Sheridan somehow survived the two-mile fall, and now finds himself in the company of an enigmatic being, Lorien, who appears to know why Sheridan survived.

The nonaligned worlds, believing Sheridan dead and the battle against the Shadows at an end, are beginning to withdraw from the alliance.

The Shadows have something called “the Eye” near Z’ha’dum. It appears to be able to telepathically contact normals, probing their minds and drawing them to the planet. It was this “Eye” that sensed Ivanova during her journey in the Great Machine on Epsilon 3 ([[Voices of Authority]].)

The Vorlons are aware of what happened on Z’ha’dum, but according to Kosh, plan to do nothing about it. Lyta, however, believes they’re planning something.
####Unanswered Questions

What did Kosh mean about Sheridan opening an unexpected door? A door to where, and why was it unexpected?

Was Morden the human who introduced Cartagia to the term “the big picture?”

What happened to Lyta while she was scanning for Sheridan?

What is the “Eye” at Z’ha’dum?

Why does it speak with a voice of infinite sadness?

How did Sheridan survive his fall?

Where is he now?
####Analysis

The Eye spoke to Ivanova and Delenn in the voices of their fathers. That’s the same image the old Kosh chose on more than one occasion (to Sheridan in [[Interludes and Examinations]] and to G’Kar in [[Dust to Dust]].) Is there a connection?

Is the Eye at Z’ha’dum the one Lady Morella referred to in the first of her prophecies ([[Point of No Return]]?) If so, how will Londo be able to save it? Will it be moved to Centauri Prime, or is it perhaps already there in some form as a result of Cartagia’s arrangement with the Shadows?

Perhaps the Eye is the Shadows’ main defense system on Z’ha’dum. That would explain why the White Star was able to get to the surface unharmed in [[Z’ha’dum]]. It wasn’t touched by the Eye because there was nobody onboard to influence.

The blackening of Lyta’s eyes was similar to G’Kar’s telepathic experience in [[Dust to Dust]]. Perhaps it’s simply a side effect of intense telepathic activity.

In [[Interludes and Examinations]], Morden warned Londo that the Shadows might turn their eye toward Centauri Prime if Londo stood in their way. Was he speaking in general terms, as it appeared to Londo, or was he referring to something more specific? If he meant the Eye in this episode, what implications are there in Londo’s reply that the Centauri would pluck the eye out?

Morden said Sheridan’s actions forced the Shadows to seek outside assistance earlier than they’d planned. That implies they thought they’d eventually have to do so. When were they originally planning to get help, and from whom? Seeking outside help would seem to put them on par with the Vorlons, who Morden castigated for doing exactly the same thing in [[Z’ha’dum]].

G’Kar credits Garibaldi with giving him a second chance and allowing him to redeem himself. Garibaldi probably had that capacity in part because he’d been given a second chance himself, by Sinclair.

The White Star seems to have been replaced with one of the other ships from the fleet; Ivanova and Lyta talked about taking the White Star to Z’ha’dum without referring to the fact that Sheridan destroyed the original White Star.

Kosh may not have meant that Sheridan opened a door in a literal sense; perhaps it’s more figurative. Maybe Sheridan’s attack on the Shadows has weakened them enough to make it possible for the Vorlons to wipe the Shadows out, if indeed that’s what they want.

“Some must be sacrificed for the greater good” is a sentiment that’s widely shared, and “the greater good” typically means “your own good.” Kosh planted the idea in G’Kar’s mind, implying it was the way to the salvation of the Narn people ([[Dust to Dust]].) Justin told Sheridan that some races are lost along the path of evolutionary progress, but that humans would likely come out on top ([[Z’ha’dum]].) And here, Cartagia uses the same reasoning to justify, in his mind, the destruction of his own people, if it means his deification. About the only one firmly opposed to the idea is Delenn, who, as Lennier observed, treasures each life ([[Grey 17 Is Missing]]) and would sacrifice herself to save another ([[Comes the Inquisitor]].) The latter, of course, also applies to Sheridan, and is amply demonstrated by his journey to Z’ha’dum to save Centauri Prime.

What did Lyta mean about the new Kosh being darker than the old one? His demeanor is certainly less pleasant, but does she sense something beyond a simple difference in personality?

Why did Lyta put on the mask after returning Kosh to his suit, if she has gills and can breathe in his quarters? Perhaps simply to conceal her modification from anyone who might see her emerging from his quarters. But gill implants aren’t unheard of ([[The Gathering]]) and it’s presumably widely known that she’s Kosh’s aide, so there would seem to be little to gain by concealing that.

Ivanova may not have been the only one awake during the hour of the wolf. Emperor Cartagia visited his heads late at night, and Londo called Vir in the middle of the night.

Who or what is Lorien? Quite possibly, he’s a Soul Hunter ([[Soul Hunter]]) since he has a similar gem implanted in his forehead. If so, does that mean Sheridan is indeed physically dead? The Soul Hunters capture the personalities of the dying, then spend their days talking with the dead souls and learning from them. Sheridan’s environment might simply be what one of the Soul Hunters’ globes looks like to the occupant, and Lorien might be projecting himself inside somehow in order to converse with Sheridan.

If, on the other hand, Sheridan survived physically, could it have been due to the presence of Kosh in his mind? Kosh has already shown that Vorlons can fly ([[The Fall of Night]]) and that they have telekinetic power ([[Interludes and Examinations]].) The latter might well have softened Sheridan’s landing.

Does Lorien’s presence on Z’ha’dum (if that’s where he’s speaking with Sheridan) imply some connection to the Shadows?

Sheridan and Lorien greet each other with the Vorlon question: “Who are you?” Perhaps Lorien knows what significance that question has to the Vorlons.

Sheridan dropped his rank insignia on the ground. This parallels his experience in [[There All the Honor Lies]], in which he had to give up his insignia during one of Kosh’s lessons and in return was granted “beauty… in the dark.” His current situation is certainly the darkest he’s seen.

Now that the Shadows are on Centauri Prime, will they begin eliminating Centauri telepaths as they did to the Narn? ([[Ship of Tears]])

Why didn’t Ivanova bring along more than one telepath on the White Star? Given that for all she knew, Z’ha’dum was crawling with Shadow vessels, going there with only Lyta ran the risk of the White Star being blown out of the sky the moment it emerged from hyperspace. Granted, telepaths are a scarce, strategically valuable resource, but she could probably have justified bringing three or four others to hold any nearby Shadow ships at bay.

Is this the arrival of the Shadows and their minions mentioned by Londo in [[War Without End part 2]]? If so, why did Londo blame Sheridan for it? Certainly Sheridan’s attack on Z’ha’dum prompted the Shadows to seek shelter, but as Londo described it, it seemed more like he thought Sheridan had intentionally neglected Centauri Prime.
####Notes

Filming began August 26, 1996.

Continuity glitch: During the Morden-Londo scene, when Londo is about to sit down, Morden begins picking at his left hand. After Londo is seated, he drops a flake of skin he clearly just removed from his right hand.

Third season finale. A face from Sheridan’s past takes him on a dangerous mission to meet his Shadow counterpart. Londo receives important news about his political future. The Shadows mass a fleet against Babylon 5.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Melissa Gilbert as Anna. Ed Wasser as Morden. Jeff Corey as Justin.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/066.html
####Backplot

The Shadows claim that the Icarus was sent to Z’ha’dum by Earth after Interplanetary Expeditions planted a homing device on the Shadow ship discovered on Mars ([[Messages from Earth]]) and traced its path through hyperspace.

A million years ago there were many immensely powerful species roaming the galaxy, but most left for “greener pastures,” leaving the Vorlons and the Shadows behind.

The Shadows claim they and the Vorlons are “shepherds,” guiding younger races through the evolutionary process, though they have different methods: the Vorlons are like parents, trying to get their children to play nice and get along, while the Shadows believe that only through conflict and death can races become stronger and more advanced. They also claim that by enlisting the help of the Minbari and others against the Shadows, and by manipulating the younger races genetically, the Vorlons haven’t been playing by the rules.

The Shadows claim that the Vorlons’ genetic tinkering is responsible for the sudden appearance of telepathy in humans, and that they got involved with Psi-Corps to try to minimize the threat to themselves.

The Shadows’ own name for themselves is 10000 letters long, and unpronounceable.

Z’ha’dum is, according to Delenn, the Shadows’ homeworld.

The Shadows badly want to have Sheridan on their side because he has succeeded in uniting the various races into the “Army of Light,” something that’s anathemic to their goal of growth through universal conflict. If he unravels the Army of Light, it’ll stay unravelled, but past experience has shown that killing him would simply cause someone else to take his place.
####Unanswered Questions

If the future as seen in [[War Without End part 2]] is unchangeable, then how does Sheridan survive?

What was left of Anna after she was removed from the Shadow ship and sent to Sheridan?

Was the entire crew of the Icarus put inside Shadow ships, or were some of them killed?

What was behind the door Anna wouldn’t let Sheridan open? (See JMS Speaks)

How much truth is there in the Shadows’ statements?

Why did the Vorlons and Shadows stay behind when the other First Ones left?

Where exactly did the other First Ones go, and why?

Were the Vorlons also responsible for telepathy in Narns and Minbari around the time of the last war?

If the Vorlons and the Shadows are trying to guide the evolution of the younger races, do they have an objective in mind? If so, what?

Who or what is Justin? Where did he come from? Was he also a member of the Icarus crew?

What is the pit Sheridan jumped toward? (See Analysis)

Anna told Sheridan that time doesn’t work the same way on Z’ha’dum as elsewhere. How does time work there, and why is it different?

Was the destroyed city the only city on Z’ha’dum?

How badly have the Shadows been hurt?

Did Morden and/or Justin survive?

Did Londo get off the station after his warning?

Where were the Minbari ships shown at the beginning of the episode when the Shadows appeared?

Why did the Shadows take Garibaldi? Luck? Their plan? His plan?

What ever happened to Mr. Garibaldi?
####Analysis

Given that Anna most likely lied about the fate of the Icarus’ crew, and that they tried to mislead him about what had been done to her, much of what Sheridan was told may be lies or misrepresentation as well, and it’s possible that important elements of the relationship between the Vorlons, Shadows, and the other First Ones were left unsaid.

The Shadows have a similar worldview to that of the Lumati ([[Acts of Sacrifice]],) namely that individuals deserve to fall by the wayside if they aren’t strong enough to fend for themselves. The Drazi and others might also come to agree with the Shadows’ motives if they were explained.

Assuming Sheridan has survived somehow, what will Delenn and Kosh do to keep the Shadows’ side of the story from becoming public?

Anna told Sheridan, “It was supposed to be an equal balance between our side and the Vorlons.” According to who? Did both sides agree to follow rules of conduct? Are they acting on behalf of some other party who wants to see which style of evolutionary help will prove more fruitful?

Some part of Kosh is definitely in Sheridan’s head — Sheridan sees or hears him twice. The first time is just before he leaves for Z’ha’dum, when Kosh says, “If you go to Z’ha’dum, you will die.” The second time is just before the White Star crashes into the Shadow city, when he tells Sheridan to jump into the pit.

Sheridan decides he is willing to sacrifice himself in the nuclear destruction of the Shadow city for two main reasons — first, to help defeat the Shadows, and second, to try to avoid the destruction of the Centauri Homeworld he has foreseeen ([[War Without End part 2]]) His willingness to sacrifice himself also brings to mind the judgment of Sebastian ([[Comes the Inquisitor]]) that both Sheridan and Delenn can sacrifice themselves for their cause. Delenn also told Sebastian the same thing the Shadows told Sheridan: that if they were killed, another would come along to take their place.

Anna claims that the Shadows believe they’ll die if anything Vorlon touches Z’ha’dum. Is that simply a superstition, or do they have some reason to think that’s true? Perhaps they foresaw the detonation of the White Star in some way — as it turned out, that belief wasn’t too far from the truth.

Justin is probably “the man in between” from Sheridan’s dream ([[All Alone in the Night]]) — Sheridan’s counterpart. But if he’s truly equivalent to Sheridan, does that mean he’s in control of the Shadows? Of course, given the amount of manipulation by the Vorlons and the Minbari, it’s questionable whether Sheridan is really in control of the army of light in any meaningful way; Kosh and Delenn have steered him toward their viewpoints from the beginning. Still, if Justin is Sheridan’s counterpart, he’s more than a simple spokesman, and if that’s the case, it begs the question, how did he achieve that position?

Another interpretation is that “the man in between” implies that there’s a third person, a “man on the other side.” The presence of Garibaldi and two versions of Sheridan in his dream supports that interpretation. In that case, who is Sheridan’s opposite? Perhaps it’s Sheridan himself: if Justin had managed to convert him to the Shadows’ side, he would have become the man on the other side.

Both Justin and Sheridan drink tea to help them sleep ([[And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place]].)

Sheridan’s first question to Justin is, “Who are you?” That’s the same question Sebastian asked Delenn and Sheridan ([[Comes the Inquisitor]].) One could plausibly consider it the Vorlon question, their version of the Shadows’ “What do you want?” ([[Signs and Portents]].) Significantly, Justin refuses to answer the question in any direct way, even claims it’s not important who he is. That probably points to a major philosophical difference between the Vorlons and the Shadows.

Justin claimed there were two elder races left behind. Does that mean the Shadows don’t know about the Walkers at Sigma 957 ([[Voices of Authority]]?) Or would they not consider that race to be remaining behind?

What did Justin mean when he called Sheridan a nexus? Does it imply there’s something inherently special about Sheridan, or does one become a nexus simply by being in the right place at the right time? Certainly Sheridan’s decisions affect the fates of millions of people now, but was that destined to be the case?

Delenn said that nobody returns from Z’ha’dum the same as they arrived. How does she know, and what does she mean by that, exactly? Is it simply a matter of all visitors to Z’ha’dum being put inside Shadow warships?

The Shadows don’t seem to have very good security, given that they failed to detect that Sheridan was carrying a second gun. On the other hand, it’s possible they did detect it, but elected for some reason not to do anything about it.

Z’ha’dum’s defenses are similarly flawed; the White Star was able to crash into the surface of the planet intact, apparently with no opposition on the way down. Why weren’t the Shadows vigorously protecting their homeworld? Obviously they left the White Star alone while it was in orbit because of their guarantee to Sheridan, but once it started plummeting toward one of their cities, it’s odd that they didn’t shoot it out of the sky.

The pit Sheridan jumped into was more than a simple depression; as he fell, just before the White Star detonated, he appeared to be passing through a tunnel of some kind. Perhaps he was transported to safety by some means; that would explain Kosh urging him to jump. If so, what is the pit, and did the Shadows build it, or are they merely taking advantage of something that predates their presence on Z’ha’dum? If the latter, was the city surrounding the pit a Shadow installation, or was it peopled by someone else?

It’s also odd that, given that they moved their base underground “for security purposes,” the Shadows would build a large, exposed dome above the pit.

Perhaps the pit is related to the Shadows’ absence. In [[Chrysalis]], Delenn asked Kosh, “Have the Shadows returned to Z’ha’dum?” That implies they’d been somewhere else. Perhaps the pit is a gateway of some kind, and Sheridan will survive by passing through it.

Is Sheridan’s descent into the pit related to Londo’s odd greeting in [[War Without End part 1]], “Welcome back from the abyss, Sheridan?” If so, does that mean he somehow spends the intervening seventeen years either in the pit or associated with it in some way? The former is unlikely if Sheridan and Delenn already have a son seventeen years later.

A parallel to Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is possible: Gandalf fell into the pit at Khazad-dum with the Balrog, died (as Sheridan will, according to Kosh) and was reborn as Gandalf the White, an even more powerful figure.

Sheridan may also, if he survives in some fashion, qualify as “the one who is already dead” from Lady Morella’s prophecy ([[Point of No Return]].) It’s an even closer fit since Sheridan would be The One who is already dead.

In [[Interludes and Examinations]], Kosh said he wouldn’t be there to help if Sheridan went to Z’ha’dum. But that’s not how it turned out; Kosh was there, though it’s not yet clear how much help he was. What would Kosh have done for Sheridan on Z’ha’dum if he hadn’t been killed?

This is the second time Sheridan has leapt from great heights to avoid a bomb ([[The Fall of Night]].) And both times, Kosh was involved, though Sheridan didn’t know that when he leapt the first time. Will Kosh’s presence in Sheridan’s mind somehow save him once again?

Ivanova’s plan (or possibly Sheridan’s) to plant mines near an upcoming Shadow attack is the same strategy Sheridan used to defeat the Black Star in the Earth-Minbari War ([[There All the Honor Lies]].) How will the Minbari, who denounced Sheridan’s tactic as dishonorable then, feel about its use against the Shadows? Perhaps they’ll have no problem with it, since presumably Ivanova won’t use a fake distress call to lure the Shadows in as Sheridan did to the Minbari.

Sheridan has now destroyed both the Black Star and the White Star, further justifying the Minbari nickname for him, Starkiller ([[Points of Departure]].)

If the Shadows were planning to implant Sheridan, as the arrival of the Shadow implied, why did they surround the station? Would they have attacked? Their warning to Londo implies so. Perhaps they came both to attack if necessary and to pick up Garibaldi.

Shadow ships seem to have instantaneous communication with Z’ha’dum; they left Babylon 5 as soon as the explosion occurred. That’s perhaps not so remarkable; B5 has near-instantaneous contact with Earth, and it’s not clear how far Z’ha’dum is from B5.

The Shadows may have taken Garibaldi to try to alter him and get him to work for them. Justin said, “Once you’ve been inside of one of those ships for a while, you’re never quite whole again. But you do as you’re told.” Garibaldi may already be altered by virtue of his transportation in the belly of the Shadow ship.

Ivanova immediately knew that Sheridan was gone. Simple deduction based on the missing bombs and White Star and the sudden departure of the Shadows, or did she sense something telepathically?

If human telepathy is the result of Vorlon genetic tampering, is the same also true of Minbari and (former) Narn telepathy, and of other races as well? What, then, of the Centauri, who (to judge by Londo’s failure to see Kosh in [[The Fall of Night]]) haven’t been altered by Vorlons? Where did they get their telepathy?

Again assuming that all human telepaths owe their abilities to Vorlon modifications, Ivanova’s genes, or rather those of her ancestors, have been altered by the Vorlons. What other changes did the Vorlons make in addition to granting telepathy? Will Ivanova, for instance, be more susceptible than other crewmembers to images projected by the new Kosh?

The Vorlons may have had more than one motive for creating telepathy among the younger races. There’s the obvious reason, namely that telepaths are useful as weapons against the Shadows. But it may also be that the Vorlons’ goal of universal cooperation, if Justin’s representation is to be believed, is furthered by widespread telepathy. Presumably people are less likely to fight if they can feel their blows landing on an opponent’s body from the other person’s point of view, and certainly direct mind-to-mind contact would enable much more productive cooperation. The Vorlons may feel that telepathy is ultimately most useful as a means of pacification, not as a weapon.

If so, the path to that goal cuts straight through Shadow territory; the Psi Corps, as represented by Bester in [[Ship of Tears]], is perhaps internally cohesive, and its members cooperate with one another effectively, but its leaders hold the rest of the human population in contempt (“Normals are expendable,” as Bester put it.) It’s plausible that eventually that will lead to conflict between telepaths and normals, with the winners in charge afterwards — exactly the process the Shadows advocate.

Likewise, the Shadows’ actions seem to be at odds with their stated goal. As Morden said to Sheridan, every time the Shadows come out and try to put their plans in motion, someone tries to unite all the other races against them. Given that the Shadows seem to have been defeated in at least the last two wars, and probably many others, it’s likely that someone succeeds in uniting all the races against them every time. By attempting to create conflict, they instead promote unity and cooperation.

Of course, it could be that the Shadows and Vorlons actually want exactly the opposite of what Justin claimed, and they realize that if they push in one direction, the younger races will move in the other.

The Vorlons’ tinkering with humans may have been foreshadowed as far back as [[The War Prayer]], in which Kosh told Sinclair, “We take no interest in the affairs of others,” while he was studying images of Earth history. Perhaps he was simply studying the effects of Vorlon intervention.

Morden seemed disgusted by the thought of the Vorlons tampering genetically with humans. Why is that more objectionable to him than the Shadows’ implantation? Perhaps it’s because the Shadows aren’t aiming to directly modify the species with their tinkering; presumably humans who are put inside Shadow ships never return to human society.
####Notes

The episode’s title, originally under wraps as mentioned below, was announced by JMS at the San Diego Comicon on July 6, 1996.

The concept of someone being a nexus also appeared in the novel “The Demolished Man” by Alfred Bester, which also contains the inspiration for the Psi Corps. In the novel, the term is “focal point,” and it’s suggested that a focal point can cause tremendous changes not only to the lives of other people, but to the very structure of the universe.

Delenn’s rendition of the human saying, “What is past is prologue,” is from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”