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.