Draal helps the crew attempt to contact more of the First Ones. Sheridan works to hide his conspiracy from the Nightwatch.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Shari Shattuck as Julie Musante. John Schuck as Draal.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/049.html
####Backplot

Morden was directly involved in the assassination of President Santiago, and was in contact with then-Vice President Clark at the time.

There is bad blood of some kind between the Vorlons and at least some of the First Ones.

G’Kar’s operatives have told him something of the Rangers, though they don’t know the whole story. He suspects Delenn is involved somehow.

The Ministry of Peace is planning to purge a number of high-level officials from the Earth government on charges of sedition, immoral conduct, and espionage. It has gained even wider powers recently, including the ability to investigate people based on past associations.
####Unanswered Questions

Why were the First Ones upset at the Vorlons? Could it be related to the reason the Vorlons stayed behind when the other First Ones left?

What did they say to Ivanova?

What does G’Kar want Garibaldi to find out from the Book of G’Quan? The book mentions the Shadows; how detailed is its information?

How did the Machine record the conversation between Clark and Morden? Is it monitoring all communications in a vast region of space, or does it concentrate on Shadow-related conversations?

What impact will the recording have?

Will Musante return to the station? What did she make of Zack’s question? Will she link it to the release of the recording?
####Analysis

The First Ones at Sigma 957 were annoyed at the mention of the Vorlons, suggesting that the two races had a disagreement at some point in the past. Perhaps the Vorlons prevented, intentionally or otherwise, the final defeat of the Shadows in the previous war. It could also have something to do with the Vorlons’ manipulation of younger races ([[The Fall of Night]].) Perhaps the Vorlons didn’t depart with the other First Ones because they weren’t allowed to do so.

“When it is time, come to this place. Call our name. We will be here.” But what is their name? Does Draal know? Did the recognition code the White Star sent call them by name, or is this an additional hurdle to obtaining help from the Sigma 957 aliens?

The manifestation of the First Ones bore some resemblance to a Native American totem, or an African wood figure. Coincidence, or are the Vorlons far from the only visitors to Earth?

Ivanova was able to extract more information from the Great Machine than any normal human could have, according to Draal, and she managed to find a pretty specific recording in what must have been huge mountains of data (literally!) Is that due to her latent psi ability? What would happen if a full telepath like Lyta were to step into the machine? (See below.)

The Shadows (if that’s what they were) sensed Ivanova’s “presence” at Sigma 957. That implies that the Machine was actually projecting something there rather than passively scanning, and that the projection was tangible enough to provoke Ivanova to comment that the enemy “knows my name,” an odd remark in itself.

There may be something significant in Draal’s use of the term “the enemy” to describe Ivanova’s visitors; he didn’t say “Shadows.” On the other hand, given that she heard the typical Shadow chitter and that the floating lights were in the same pattern as the glowing Shadow eyes seen by Sheridan in Kosh’s vision (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”, and in the season three title sequence) it’s probably safe to assume that she was in fact being observed by the Shadows.

Just how much contact there was between Ivanova and the Shadows wasn’t clear. Did they find out enough about her to know about the conspiracy of light? Did they have a hand in her discovery of the Clark recording? Given their apparent affinity for chaos in the ranks of potential enemies, the release of the recording and the subsequent upheaval on Earth might be exactly what they want.

The fact that Ivanova was able to escape the Shadows by returning to the “path” that connects all living things is perhaps more significant; what does it imply about the Shadows that they’re somehow excluded from that path? Does that have anything to do with their motive in participating in war after war across the millenia?

Presumably the machine was projecting Ivanova’s consciousness out among the stars; her greater-than-expected control over the machine, as mentioned above, suggests that the experience was telepathic in nature. That implies that to sense her, the Shadows must have some telepathic abilities as well; or perhaps they have a machine like Draal’s that can provide the equivalent.

The path might be related to the way telepathy works in the first place; if all life is connected on some level, then perhaps telepaths are simply beings who can make use of those connections. The Shadows’ involvement with Psi Corps ([[Matters of Honor]], among others) suggests that they consider telepaths important; that may relate to their apparent exclusion from the path as noted above. There may also be a reason they chose to use the Narn homeworld as a base in the last war ([[Matters of Honor]]) — the Narn have no telepaths of their own ([[The Gathering]].) A more sinister possibility is that the Shadow occupation is the reason there are no Narn telepaths; perhaps the Shadows eliminated them, leaving the Narn without the genetic code for psi ability. If that’s true, they may be cultivating contacts with the Psi Corps so they have an easy way to do the same to humans when the time comes.

The assignment of a “political officer” to military units is reminiscent of the way in which the Soviet Union maintained control over military units.

Each unit had its own political officer whose job it was to maintain ideological purity. These officers were tolerated at best, and were generally despised and feared.

Another link to Soviet history was Musante’s allusion to purging a number of high officials in a very public and permanent way. This brings to mind the purges experienced by the Soviet Union in the 30s — the great show trials of prominent individuals, the mass purges of the army (which wrought such havoc over the military that, by the time that the Soviets were actively engaged in World War II, most of the experienced officers had been removed, thus weakening the Soviet army to the point where the Germans felt they could easily defeat the Soviets.)

Why would Musante have to be recalled to Earth? Is she the low-level operative she appears to be, or someone more important? Perhaps the Nightwatch is simply short-staffed enough that they need all the manpower they can get to deal with such a potentially damaging situation.

Delenn’s denial of knowledge about the Rangers was an out-and-out lie, not a deception or a mistruth or a careful omission. Whose honor was she protecting, or does that rule no longer apply to her? ([[There All the Honor Lies]]) Perhaps, since her transformation, she no longer feels quite so bound by Minbari tradition; on the other hand, she still seems to cite it regularly.

Zack’s uniform troubles may be a metaphor for his situation; he doesn’t know where he fits in the scheme of things, and is uncomfortable no matter what he does.

Now that Ivanova has made contact with the First Ones at Sigma 957, might the forces of light be able to use the quantium-40 (if there actually is any on the planet) that Catherine Sakai was sent to investigate in [[Mind War]]?
####Notes

The First Ones at Sigma 957 were first seen in the first-season episode [[Mind War]]. Although the existence of the First Ones hadn’t been revealed at that point, G’Kar’s description of this race coincided almost exactly with Delenn’s description of the First Ones, an early piece of foreshadowing.

Julie Musante is named after two fans, Julie Helmer and Mark Musante.

Musante’s Earth-bound ship is the Loki, named for the Norse god of fire and mischief.

The silhouetted figure on the Nightwatch poster on the wall during Musante’s presentation bears a striking resemblance to the figure of Lenin used in Soviet propaganda posters between World Wars I and II.

The same figure also appears to have a raven on its shoulder, reminiscent of Ivanova’s appearance in Sheridan’s dream in [[All Alone in the Night]].

The skeletal spines sticking out of the Sigma 957 aliens’ ship are made of a computer model of a human footbone replicated and arranged in rows; that earned the ship the nickname “the footbone ship” at Foundation Imaging. There are also some triceratops parts used in the model.

Ardwight Chamberlain, who does Kosh’s voice (or rather, the English translation thereof) was also the voice of the First One in this episode. (See jms speaks.)

####Overview

Lyta Alexander returns to the station at Kosh’s behest. One of Theo’s brothers discovers that he may have a hidden past.
####Guest Stars

Brad Dourif as Brother Edward. Louis Turenne as Brother Theo. Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/048.html
####Backplot

Mindwipes were instituted after Earth decided that they were more humane than the death penalty. They are apparently not very complete; the old memories remain in some form or another, but are inaccessible without the intervention of a telepath. (See also [[The Quality of Mercy]].)

Minbari religion is based on the notion that souls are part of a larger whole, of the universe itself, which is in the process of trying to discover itself. Souls can only be perceived via the physical bodies they inhabit, but the real soul is something only dimly related to the body.

Valen, the great Minbari spiritual leader and founder of the Grey Council, appeared a thousand years ago. He is believed to be a Minbari not born of other Minbari, according to Lennier.
####Unanswered Questions

What happened to Lyta? Was Kosh inhabiting her body? Was the body not even Lyta’s to start with? She has gills on her neck that allow her to breathe in Kosh’s quarters, and several health problems have been completely repaired. What else did the Vorlons do to her, and why?

Given how easily she pulled the information from the Centauri, have her telepathic powers increased? Or could any P5 do the same?

What did she see on the Vorlon homeworld?

Why is Londo so anxious to find out what she saw that he’d resort to threatening her?

What was Lyta’s mission for Kosh? Why does he want an aide all of a sudden, when he hasn’t had one before?
####Analysis

If Garibaldi and Sheridan are any indication, mindwipes are widely considered to be insufficient punishment for serious crimes. How widespread that perception is isn’t known.

Could the techniques used to put a mindwipe in place be related to the method used by Bureau 13 to implant hidden personalities ([[Divided Loyalties]] and, more ominous, comic #8, “Silent Enemies”?) Both seem to involve submerging one personality and causing another to become dominant, though in the case of Control, it’s not clear which was the original.

Edward’s execution was not only a sort of crucifixion (notice how he’s suspended from the metal frame) but also resembles Sheridan’s suspension from what looks like the same kind of frame in [[Comes the Inquisitor]].

Might Valen have been a Vorlon, or a Minbari under Vorlon influence? If, as Lennier says, he was truly not born of Minbari parents, that strongly suggests he wasn’t Minbari at all, and Vorlons certainly have the power to appear as Minbari.

If Minbari consider the universe to be a manifestation of a single soul, how did they ever find it conscienable to fight the Earth-Minbari War? (see jms speaks)

The Vorlons didn’t hear, or didn’t respond, to Lyta’s signals, and took five days to respond to her telepathic broadcast. What’s interesting is that they apparently didn’t come until she was nearly unconscious. Could that be related to what happened to Sheridan in [[All Alone In the Night]]?

Maybe she was only able to make contact when, as Kosh said of Sheridan, her mind was quiet enough to hear the Vorlons. Or, of course, it could simply have taken them several days to locate and reach her, in which case they could even have been responding to the non-telepathic signals.

Why didn’t Franklin notice Lyta’s gills? Perhaps he did and didn’t feel they were worth mentioning (gill implants aren’t completely alien concepts; G’Kar has them, as noted by the assassin in [[The Gathering]].) It’s also possible she didn’t get them until her errand in the middle of the episode. Franklin did note that she had elevated oxygen levels in her bloodstream, though, which would tend to indicate both that she had the gills before he examined her and that he didn’t notice them. Given the powers of illusion Vorlons have demonstrated, covering up gills would probably have been a small matter with Kosh’s help.

Whatever left Lyta to enter Kosh’s suit looked a lot like the creature inhabiting Sheridan in [[Knives]]. Could Sheridan have inadvertently been inhabited by a Vorlon? Certainly it would be consistent with him being made to see things that weren’t there; Kosh clearly has that power.

Psi Corps may have strict rules against unauthorized scans, but Sheridan and Garibaldi don’t hold those rules in particularly high esteem. Now that they have a non-Corps telepath at their disposal, someone whose loyalty is presumably above reproach thanks to her association with Kosh, will they begin calling her in on a regular basis?

The Centauri telepath, likewise, seemed to show contempt for the Corps’ regulations. What regulations, if any, are Centauri telepaths obligated to follow? Clearly they’re not simply allowed to roam freely, since Londo had this particular telepath’s name on a list.

If Lyta can implant nightmares, other psis can presumably do the same. We’ve seen one nightmare: Londo’s prophetic dream. Is it possible that someone or something implanted it in him? (He says, in [[Midnight on the Firing Line]], that Centauri have such dreams as a matter of course, but that doesn’t rule out an external influence.)
####Notes

The title, as noted in the episode, is a Biblical reference. In the New Testament, Matthew 26:30-50, Jesus goes to Gethsemane with Peter and two others to pray and contemplate his imminent betrayal. They fail to keep watch over him, and Judas is able to lead the Romans to Jesus.

Gethsemane is also referred to, not always by name, in Mark 14:32-52, Luke 23:39-51, and John 18:1-13.

Delenn’s opinion of Garibaldi’s eye-for-an-eye attitude echoes that of Gandhi, who said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

Malcolm, Edward, and Charles are all names of rulers of Scotland.

The names Edward and Charlie may also be a reference to two H.P. Lovecraft stories. In “The Thing On the Doorstep,” a character named Edward falls in love with a woman whose grandfather has shifted his soul into her body, replacing hers. In “The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward,” the title character becomes obsessed with the memory of an ancient ancestor.

Shooting began on September 11, 1995.

####Overview

Sheridan and Ivanova try to deal with an association of cargo pilots. An alien probe makes first contact with the station. G’Kar’s position among the Narn is threatened by the arrival of a Centauri-appointed liaison.
####Guest Stars

Stephen Macht as Na’Far. Marshall Teague as Ta’Lon. Anne Betancourt as Dr. Gonzalez.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/047.html
####Backplot

The Centauri diplomatic mission on Minbar has been closed for several years.
####Unanswered Questions

Who sent the probe?

Will Franklin’s continuing use of stims have greater repercussions, especially now that he’s willing to lie about it?

What will become of Na’Far? And of Ta’Lon, for that matter — will he remain on the station, and will he look after Sheridan?
####Analysis

Vir is leaving Londo just when Londo seems to need him most; Londo is becoming darker and darker, as his conversation with Na’Far demonstrates. Now he’ll have nobody to slow his descent (though it’s not clear how much he listened to Vir in the first place.)

The favor Delenn owed Londo was most likely the one he earned by transporting her and Draal to Epsilon 3 in [[A Voice in the Wilderness part 2]].

Franklin’s stim use is nothing new; it was touched on as recently as [[Confessions and Lamentations]]. He may feel he has no choice and no problem, but he seems to be ignoring the example of Dr. Rosen in [[The Quality of Mercy]], who lost her medical license over her stim use.
####Notes

A picture of the probe is available.

Vir’s departure has, in part, a real-world cause: actor Stephen Furst is starring in a sitcom on the Fox network. He will still appear on Babylon 5 from time to time.

Sheridan’s reference to the probe as a “berserker” is probably a nod to Fred Saberhagen’s “Berserker” novels, which feature huge automated war machines that seek out and destroy sentients.

A small gaffe: At the end of the episode, when the probe is headed away from the station, Sheridan asks the tech if there are any security bots in the area. The tech replies that there is just one, at 5000km. The next shot is of the bot in question, except that there are clearly 2 bots in the shot, and they look identical.

A related goof: Sheridan orders a securebot sent to look at the probe, but the display on the screen reads “Maintbot 12.”

####Overview

A series of bombings threatens the station, and Ivanova calls on some unusual investigators to help solve the mystery.
####Guest Stars

Patrick Kilpatrick as Robert Carlson. Louis Turenne as Brother Theo.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/046.html
####Backplot

All explosives manufactured in the Earth Alliance are laced with special chemical codes to allow them to be traced to a particular buyer.
####Unanswered Questions

What was Londo doing on a transport arriving from the Minbari homeworld? (Assuming he was; he may have been on the Centauri transport mentioned to G’Kar by Garibaldi.)

How will the influx of missionaries affect the station?
####Analysis

Lennier has saved Londo twice now, once here and once (in a less extreme way) in [[The Quality of Mercy]]. And now he’s likely to be decorated by the Centaurum. How will that affect his position in the battle between light and dark, and his apparent new friendship with Vir ([[The Fall of Night]]?)

Londo apparently doesn’t place absolute faith in the dream of his death twenty years in the future ([[Midnight on the Firing Line]], [[The Coming of Shadows]].) Otherwise he wouldn’t have been afraid he was going to die in the elevator. (Which isn’t to say he wouldn’t have still tried to call for help, of course.)

Lennier’s own convictions, namely his prohibition against lying except to save face for another, seem to have weakened since his arrival, despite his pledge to do penance later. On the other hand, perhaps he justified it in his mind by figuring he was saving face for the obnoxious man by getting him to stop making a fool of himself.
####Notes

G’Kar’s song in the elevator is based on the ditty he sang at the beginning of [[The Parliament of Dreams]].

We may have seen Carlson before, if briefly. In [[The Fall Of Night]], as the Earth officials arrive, there’s a man in the arrival area. He’s slapped by a woman and walks after her when she leaves. The man bears some resemblance to Carlson without the beard. Perhaps the woman was his wife.

Lennier’s fake disease, Netter’s Syndrome, is no doubt named for executive producer Doug Netter.

The name Theo (short for Theodore) comes from the Greek word theodoros which means “gift of God.”

####Overview

While an Earth official investigates the mystery ship encountered by Lt. Keffer in hyperspace, Londo attempts to sever his ties with Morden. Sheridan receives a new tool in the fight against the Shadows.
####Guest Stars

Tucker Smallwood as David Endawi. Ed Wasser as Morden.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/045.html
####Backplot

A little over a thousand years ago, long before the Narn achieved spaceflight, the Shadows set up a base on one of the Narn homeworld’s southern continents. Morden is involved with the Psi Corps and some part of the Earth government. The Corps knows about the Shadows. Morden has also been in contact with Lord Refa without Londo’s knowledge.

If Delenn is correct about Morden always having Shadow companions, then the Psi Corps, at least, presumably knows about the Shadows.

Talia, in “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”, was able — or even forced — to sense the Shadows when she passed Morden in the hall; presumably a Psi Cop would easily be able to do the same. (Unless, of course, Talia’s perception was a result of Ironheart’s gift from [[Mind War]].)

The Shadows aren’t particularly interested in the section of the galaxy containing the Centauri Republic; what they’re after (or rather, what they claim to be after) is on the other side.

What they are interested in, though, is the Rangers — interested enough to have Morden go over Londo’s head and get Refa to give them a world known to house a Ranger training camp.

The Markab homeworld has been looted by scavengers since the race became extinct ([[Confessions and Lamentations]].)

The Minbari religious caste, without the knowledge of some members of the Grey Council, have built a new ship using Minbari and Vorlon technology. Called the White Star, it has been granted to Sheridan for use against the Shadows.

The fleet of Shadow ships in Londo’s dream ([[The Coming of Shadows]]) are flying over Centauri Prime, as far as Londo can tell. Being seen by many people is a strain on Kosh.
####Unanswered Questions

What other details of Londo’s dream weren’t shown in [[The Coming of Shadows]]?

What in particular are the Shadows after, that they don’t care what the Centauri do with a good 30% of the galaxy? What’s in the remaining section? (For example, where are the major races in relation to the boundary Morden drew?)

How did Marcus leave Medlab? Is he able to put himself into a trance deep enough to pass unnoticed in an admittedly cursory medical examination?

What do the Shadows know about the Rangers?

How did Ivanova find out about the Rangers?

What is the “program” referred to by the Psi Cop?

Why are some on Earth working with the Shadows? What do they hope to gain from the association, and how does that tie in with whatever the Shadows want?

Will Endawi’s report ever make it to real strategic analysts? Did G’Kar tell him about Z’ha’dum?

What else can the White Star do?

Was the Shadow vessel actually destroyed, or did it manage to escape? If it was destroyed, did it have a chance to relay information about the White Star first? (see jms speaks)
####Analysis

Lennier says, “Not all of my people are comfortable with the idea of the Rangers.” That implies that the Rangers aren’t as secret an organization on the Minbari homeworld as they are elsewhere.

Likewise, the fact that Marcus’ brother was able to sign up for the Rangers, and that Marcus apparently knew about them too at the time, suggests that they’re operating at least somewhat in the open. That might also explain how Ivanova and the Shadows found out about them. The fact that the Drazi government apparently knew about the Ranger training base is further evidence.

Londo severing his ties with Morden may have little impact on the Shadows’ association with the Centauri; Morden may continue to meet with Refa, rendering Londo’s newly prominent position among the Centauri obsolete.

Shadow ships are actually entering and leaving hyperspace when they shimmer in and out of sight; they aren’t just becoming invisible. Obviously they know a good deal more about hyperspace than most of the other races (also evidenced by the jump-point weapon they used in [[The Long, Twilight Struggle]].) It’s interesting to note that another ancient race, the walkers at Sigma 957 ([[Mind War]]) also had an atypical way of entering hyperspace — assuming that’s what they were doing in that episode.

Perhaps the fact that Kosh feels he must maintain his illusory appearance when out of his encounter suit, and the fact that doing so is a strain on him, is another reason he wears the suit in the first place. If it weren’t a strain to be seen by many people, perhaps he would be willing to walk around the station in full view. (Probably not, though; otherwise he’d most likely have been more willing to show himself in the confines of his quarters.)

Was the White Star constructed with Sheridan in mind? Giving it that name seems certain to stir up resentment among the warrior caste when they find out about it, especially if it turns out that the man they call Starkiller was the intended commander from the start. (Sheridan destroyed the Minbari cruiser Black Star in the Earth-Minbari War.)

The White Star has some obvious Minbari characteristics, not the least of which are the distinctive spade-shaped fins at the rear (also visible on Minbari flyers and battle cruisers.) If the Shadows are at all familiar with Minbari ships, they probably won’t be fooled by the White Star for long.

Either the Minbari and Vorlons have mastered the art of intuitive user interfaces, or Ivanova is an extremely quick study; she was operating the White Star’s weapons systems, presumably not a trivial task, with at most a few hours of training. Perhaps the controls are partially telepathic in nature.

The Shadows are aware of the fact that some Narn (if only G’Kar) know about them; they don’t seem to consider it significant, especially now that the Narn have been beaten into submission. The Shadows are even willing to be heard in public; they’re plainly audible telling Morden to set up a second meeting with Londo (assuming that’s what they’re saying.)

Was the Shadow base on Narn a unique thing, or did they have bases on other races’ worlds as well? In [[The Long Dark]], the Markab ambassador claimed to have heard the same stories of an ancient enemy that G’Kar was recounting. Perhaps the Shadows had a base on the Markab homeworld as well — and if so, perhaps they unleashed the plague ([[Confessions and Lamentations]]) in order to reacquire that base without anyone noticing. If that’s the case, Sheridan may have inadvertently helped the Shadows out by destroying the Markab jumpgate; that’ll make it harder for someone to stumble on the base by accident.

Is the former Shadow presence on Narn related to the fact that there are no Narn telepaths? ([[The Gathering]]) Given how unpleasant — even painful — being near the Shadows was for Talia (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”) perhaps prolonged exposure to the Shadows caused so much trouble for Narn telepaths that they didn’t survive to breed new generations of telepaths.

Morden has had contact with the Centauri and with Earth. Has he also been talking to other races? The Minbari warrior caste, for instance? When Londo asks for assurances that the Shadows won’t bother the Centauri, Morden says dismissively, “You and I both know what treaties are worth.” This could be a reference to the Centauri’s disregard for the treaties against mass drivers ([[The Long, Twilight Struggle]]) — but there’s another, more recent, treaty that could also be the one in question, namely the pact with Earth.

Sheridan has now destroyed two indestructible enemy vessels in his career.

Marcus claims his brother was killed in a Shadow attack on a mining colony. Which colony was that? Was Marcus working on a Narn mining colony, or have the Shadows been attacking other targets as well? Marcus’ reason for joining the Rangers is similar to Ivanova’s reason for joining Earthforce ([[And Now For a Word]].) Both of them joined after losing a brother in a war.

Sheridan orders the White Star’s aft jump engines online. If this can be taken to mean that it has two (or more) sets of jump engines, it may be that the White Star can duplicate the Shadow-killing explosion without the aid of a jump gate by using both its jump engines at the same time. On the other hand, it may be that there’s only enough power to run one set of engines at a time, or that there’s something about jumpgates, rather than jump points, that causes the effect. (The closed caption quotes him as saying “Half jump engines.”)

The Centauri automated defense systems appear to be able to track the White Star, evidence that Centauri weapons technology is more advanced than Earth’s ([[Points of Departure]].)

Endawi says that Earth pulled the Shadow footage off ISN shortly after it first aired. In what sense? Did they just record it from ISN, or did they force ISN to stop airing the report?

In the conference room, after Endawi leaves, Delenn tells Sheridan that she has never seen such a ship, that only descriptions of the ships have been passed down from the last war. Presumably, if the Minbari were involved in the last war against the shadows, they were capable of spaceflight (recall: the Narn, who were not capable of spaceflight, were ignored in the last war.) That they should have no recorded images of the shadow ships from that conflict seems odd, since recording technology would clearly have been within their grasp. Possibilities:

1. Someone, or something, quietly eradicated whatever images did exist at some point in the past. We have certainly seen the Shadows act through their agents to suppress information regarding their past activities (i.e. the Narn being beaten down.) No one said all the “information suppression” had to be as spectacular as a planetary conquest. This of course begs the question, “Who are the agents?”
2. The last shadow war was so devastating that all recorded images were lost.
3. Delenn was lying. (There doesn’t seem to be a good reason for her to do so, though.)

####Notes

A small effects glitch is visible in the opening shot. As the camera pans down from the repair crew, look at the stationary ring around the front of the station. At about the eight o’clock position, there’s a small shaded area, the bottom half of which flickers on and off.

When Endawi leaves the conference room after meeting with Sheridan, Delenn, and Ivanova, he forgets to take his data crystal with him. It is left in the viewer. He does in fact remove it when visiting Londo. Presumably, since it was pulled just after airing on ISN, he would not want to leave copies lying around.

This episode has Delenn’s first action scene of the series.

Alcohol’s effect on Minbari was first noted by Lennier in [[The Quality of Mercy]]. It causes paranoia and homicidal rages.

####Overview

As the Centauri war escalates, a Narn warcruiser seeks help from Babylon 5. Earth takes a position in the war. Keffer makes a terrifying discovery. Kosh takes a drastic step to save a life.
####Guest Stars

Roy Dotrice as Frederick Lantze. John Vickery as Mr. Welles. Rick Hamilton as Mitch. Robin Sachs as Na’Kal.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/044.html
####Backplot

The Ministry of Peace has been recruiting other high-level B5 staff members for its Nightwatch program.

Vorlons appear as angelic, winged beings of light, whose appearance is different to each observer. They can fly. (But see jms speaks)
####Unanswered Questions

Is Keffer mercifully dead, or might he reappear as “worse than dead” — a tool of the Shadows a la Morden?

What will be the ramifications of Zack’s turning the shopkeeper in to the Nightwatch?

How far will the Centauri expansion push?

Why did Londo see nothing when he looked at Kosh? (see Analysis)

Who was behind the bombing of Sheridan’s tram? Who were the young Centauri taking orders from, if anyone?

What ramifications will there be to Kosh’s appearance, since it was such a closely kept secret before?

What will happen to the Narn cruiser?

What other forces do the Narn have that were not caught by the Centauri?

Where did the cruiser go?

Have the Centauri made any arrangements with the Minbari, or are they relying on their non-interference in the affairs of other races?

Will Sheridan’s planned apology be enough to satisfy his superiors at Earthdome, or is he in danger of losing his position?

What effect will the open transmission by ISN of Keffer’s recorder log have on the Shadows’ plans? Will it force them to show their hand?
####Analysis

Night has indeed fallen. As the Centauri government continues to expand by attacking other races like the Drazi and the Pak’ma’ra, the Earth government has entered into an appeasement pact with them. Meanwhile, the inward-turning Earth government is using their “Nightwatch” as a means to silence dissent. However, Keffer’s last flight has made the presence of the Shadows in hyperspace known to all of Earth, relayed to them via ISN.

It’s interesting that Kosh risks revealing himself to save one life – the same criterion for saintliness/being the Chosen that the Inquisitor established (cf. [[Comes the Inquisitor]].)

Vir and Lennier are both feeling the pressures of knowing a great deal about what is going on but not being involved in the planning and decision making stages. That they have found each other to talk to is somewhat ironic, since each is working for masters who have taken opposing sides – Light and Dark – in the coming battle.

“We will, at last, know peace in our time.” This phrase, given by Lantze when he announces the Earth-Centauri non-aggression pact, is very similar to a phrase used by Neville Chamberlain after signing an appeasement agreement with Hitler in 1938 just prior to the invasion of Czechoslovakia, an agreement that failed to stop Hitler’s expansionist policy. The choice of words is probably intended to highlight the futility of such a pact with an aggressive party and a foreshadow of future events. There are other parallels with Nazi actions (divided between the actions of both signatories,) but the motivations of the Earth government are not race related nor moving towards the domination/submission of other groups.

NightWatch openly tries to recruit highly placed individuals, not appearing too concerned if they refuse. This suggests that they feel confident about circumnavigating these people with a strong sense of loyalty at a later date, replacing them with a more easily manipulated individual.

Had Sheridan refused to apologize publicly and been replaced, it would have been with Ivanova had she accepted Welles offer to work with the NightWatch. Otherwise they would have brought in an easily manipulated person to command Babylon 5, as Welles indicated.

This episode shows the new defense grid (cf. [[GROPOS]]) in action for the first time. As promised it is an even match for a heavy battle cruiser. The battle doctrine for the B5 universe is one of fighters engage fighters, heavy ships engage heavy ships. During this combat sequence we see what happens when a heavy ship ignores the fighters and fails (for whatever reason) to deploy its own fighters. While not capable of inducing complete destruction of a heavy vessel in the short term, the fighters can strip a heavy vessel of its offensive/defensive armament since such weaponry is small compared to the ship and necessarily exposed in order to be effective.

Lantze is a dreamer and idealist, taking any steps to ensure peace for Earth. He is someone who feels that the ends justify the means so long as it does not involve Earth. This is a direct expression of the anti-alien feelings present at the moment on Earth. That Lantze is not directly involved in the NightWatch suggests that, while he understands the aims of the NightWatch, his concience is not capable of handling the individual betrayals involved. Perhaps the ideal politician.

Welles, on the other hand, is very much caught up in the management of the NightWatch. He has no conscience pangs about the betrayal of individals. While he is a co-director of The Ministry of Peace, he probably has more real power than Lantze because of what he is managing. He is also gifted with the art of manipulating people as shown with both Zack and Sheridan (although the latter is more aware of the manipulation and capable of defending against it.)

The Narn cruiser will probably use other races threatened by the Centauri for assistance, perhaps acting as a mercenary. Or it may find somewhere quiet to lie low until it can be called into the service of homeworld. The Minbari cruiser Trigati managed to avoid capture for over ten years (cf. [[Points of Departure]].) The Shadows did not destroy the recorder marker dropped by Keffer. Either they failed to detect it (they aren’t omnipotent,) or they chose to ignore it (they are confident it would make no difference, or were unaware of the contents.)

Keffer’s recording log has been transmitted by ISN. This is exactly what Delenn and Sheridan wanted to avoid. Will it force the Shadows’ hand now that they have been seen? Or will it push the forces of Light into even greater efforts?

The commentary by ISN at the end of the episode suggests that the events on Earth are not being manipulated by the Shadows. Of course this could just be a politically expedient newscast.

Kosh’s rescue of Sheridan is like a blessing from the heavens. This will no doubt be taken as a sign of Sheridan’s worthiness to lead the forces of Light, as it has already been taken to indicate that Babylon 5 is blessed.

When Kosh left his encounter suit only Delenn was present. She has already seen Kosh. The other ambassadors only saw a being of light rise up and rescue Sheridan. Kosh also landed in an empty part of the Zen garden before returning to his encounter suit. The conversation in the Zocalo between the Narn and the Drazi suggests they are not aware it is Kosh. What would the reaction be if these races were to find out that the Vorlons had been interfering (apparently benevolently) in the development of their race? Would religions collapse under the revelation that their supernatural beings were simply ancient aliens?

Does each Vorlon appear as a particular entity to each type of observer, an entity that remains the same over time? If so, could Kosh be the original G’Lan, and thus be at least a thousand years old?

Londo failed to see Kosh when he revealed himself. Does this extend to all Centauri, or is it peculiar to Londo? If it is the former then it suggests that either the Vorlons have not openly visited the Centauri (why?) or that their worship of their deceased Emperors as gods has diminished the effect of exposure to Vorlons. If it is the latter then it must be because of Londo’s association with the Shadows. If this is the case then what would be the response of other Centauri on seeing a Vorlon? (see jms speaks)

Carrying the above a step further, are Vorlons invisible to Centauri and/or to anyone of a race they haven’t dealt with before? That suggests the possibility that the Shadows might be the same way, visible to some people and not to others.

Perhaps the Vorlons did visit the Centauri homeworld in the past, but manipulated the Xon ([[The Parliament of Dreams]]) instead of the Centauri.

Delenn seemed somewhat taken aback by Sheridan’s unflattering appraisal of the Vorlons’ motives; she seems willing to regard them as, if not completely good, at least altruistic, and is clearly awed by them. It’s plausible she has perceived Kosh as a Minbari religious figure from the start, which has colored her perceptions of him in exactly the way Sheridan describes.

Might Sheridan’s less starry-eyed view of the Vorlons be due in part to the training he’s been getting from Kosh, the point of which (for a while, anyway) was to help Sheridan and Kosh understand each other? Put another way, has Sheridan learned to fight the legends he believes Kosh’s appearance is intended to evoke?

Why do the Vorlons appear as the particular religious figures they do? Each of the figures we saw was an idealized version of the race in question. Perhaps this is to make themselves seem less alien, more familiar and therefore less threatening. The fact that they feel the need to do this suggests that their true appearance may be very alien indeed.

When Sheridan mentioned to Delenn that everyone saw something different in Kosh, Delenn replied that each person saw something “according to his or her type.” That choice of words can be interpreted in a disturbing way, to suggest that the Vorlons have organized other sentients into categories.

Might the Shadows’ appearance also be subjective? What do they look like to Morden, for instance? It may be that the Shadows feel no need to deceive others about their appearance, as it might not advance their goals (whatever those goals might be.) Clearly the Shadows prefer not to be seen, to work through others, but that might be the result of small numbers or caution as much as anything else.

Kosh’s true form is probably smaller than what everyone saw; for one thing, his encounter suit is shorter than he appeared to be. When he was behind the screen in [[Midnight on the Firing Line]] he appeared to be much smaller as well. But he probably does have a physical form of some kind, since he was able to touch Sheridan (if it were just telekinesis, presumably he wouldn’t have needed to leave his suit.)

Zack is having second thoughts about the NightWatch. Up until now he has been happily accepting their money in return for just wearing the armband and giving in few reports. He misunderstood their intentions and now realizes that should he try to leave he will be branded in the same way as the shopkeeper in the Zocalo. The fear of being taken out of society and branded as a traitor is greater than the urge to stand up for what he believes to be right. Zack’s dissatisfaction with the NightWatch might be useful at a later date.

The signal for the Centauri weapons lock on to Babylon 5 sounded like that of a submarine sonar. It represents an active weapons lock (ship sending out signals to locate its target) rather than a passive lock (ship detecting emmissions from its target.) It brings a tension to the situation inherited from the submarine warfare genre of films.

How compatible is an Earth Alliance career and raising children? Ivanova’s conversation with Lantze suggests that women do bear children while actively continuing with their careers. Another hint from JMS that the military at least are an equal oppourtunities employer.

The celebration of Winter Solstice described by Lantze is a pagan festival. The celebration of Christ’s birth, though important in Christian teaching, was not begun until the 4th century. The time of year was chosen to counter the celebration of the Winter Solstice. Presumably the reference to the public celebration of the solstice indicate a more open tolerance of religion on Earth in the 22nd century, and that there are other religious groups that celebrate the same period for different reasons.

It’s Keffer’s obsession with the shadow ship he saw in hyperspace in [[A Distant Star]] that leads to his demise.

Kosh has now offered his hand to Babylon 5’s commander twice, both times with potentially disastrous results.

The exchange between Lennier and Vir might have been more than mere comic relief. Perhaps they were actually passing information back and forth using a code of some kind — Vir now appears strongly motivated to do something like that.

Ivanova’s lighting of candles at the end of the episode had a deeper meaning than may initially be obvious. In Orthodox Jewish tradition, Chanukah (the Festival of Lights) celebrates both the victory over the conquerors of Jerusalem and the victory of those who wanted to uphold traditional values over those who wanted to assimilate with the enemy, an internal struggle which is also arguably the main theme of the episode. (See jms speaks, here and in [[The Long, Twilight Struggle]])
####Notes

The character “Corwin” is no doubt named after Norman Corwin, JMS’ friend and mentor.

Ivanova’s comment about Sheridan being weightless depends on one’s point of view. In a strict, pedantic sense, everyone on Babylon 5 is close to weightless, since weight is defined as the force with which a mass is gravitationally attracted to another mass, and B5 achieves the illusion of weight by rotation, not by gravity. (Leaving aside, of course, the gravity of the planet below the station.)

Sheridan’s movement away from the station’s axis is due to three factors. First, the tram wasn’t exactly at the axis, so it was revolving at some speed. Just as a rock flies in a straight line if you swing it on a piece of string then let go, Sheridan would have moved toward the ground even if he’d just stepped gingerly out the door.

Of course, he didn’t; he leapt. Depending on whether the door was facing into or against the station’s spin, this might have either accelerated his descent or slowed it. The fact that he appeared to not leap very hard suggests that the door was facing spinward and he wanted to stay in the air as long as possible.

The final factor is the atmosphere, which rotates in the Garden along with the ground and everything else. As Sheridan fell, he would be pushed along by air revolving at speeds closer and closer to the speed of the ground; this would tend to accelerate his fall, since it would cause him to revolve more quickly. So the longer he fell, the faster he would be going. That effect would probably be fairly weak for most of the fall, so it might not have accelerated him to high enough speed to cause serious harm when he hit the ground.

Unfortunately, his inertia would keep him from achieving ground speed even with the push of the wind, so as Ivanova said, he would have hit the ground as if he’d fallen out of a car on the freeway, even if his rate of descent alone wouldn’t have been enough to hurt him seriously.

In any case, Sheridan is probably quite glad Kosh chose that moment to make an appearance.

####Overview

G’Kar tries to rally the Narn on Babylon 5. Kosh tests Delenn’s allegiance by summoning an ancient inquisitor.
####Guest Stars

Wayne Alexanderas Sebastian. Jack Kehler as Mr. Chase.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/043.html
####Backplot

The Vorlons have visited Earth in the past, as recently as the nineteenth century, and have even taken humans to their homeworld.

Garibaldi maintains friendships with people he knows are dealing in illegal smuggling operations.
####Unanswered Questions

How did the Rangers get the message from Narn in 24 hours? (See Analysis)

Exactly how long have the Vorlons been visiting Earth, and for what purpose?

How did they discover Sebastian, and what made them choose him as their inquisitor?
####Analysis

All of the key players on the side of light have now had their commitment and loyalty to their cause tested. Sheridan, Garibaldi, Ivanova, and Franklin in their battle against the current Earth Alliance administration (cf. [[Divided Loyalties]].) And now Delenn and Sheridan as the “spirit” and “warrior,” respectively, of the Army of Light. The pieces seem to be falling into place on the side of light.

G’Kar preaching about what the Centauri will do next is somewhat chilling. Most people just don’t want to believe it. Yet in [[The Long, Twilight Struggle]] we heard that the Centauri have already annexed several non-Narn worlds. JMS has said that G’Kar is his Cassandra character, gifted with the power of prophesy yet heeded by none. The fact that it was a human who argued against G’Kar may be an indication of things to come.

Based on Sebastian’s comments, Sheridan determines that he is most likely Jack the Ripper. Sebastian’s final comment also appears to confirm this. The murderer killed five prostitutes between August 7th and November 10th of 1888 in the East End of London (Sheridan stated the West End, but got the date correct), and was never caught. He stalked the streets at night, slitting his victims’ throats and then mutilating their bodies.

The nickname “Jack the Ripper” reportedly came from several letters sent to the police, but their authenticity has been questioned.

The Vorlons have been to Earth on many occasions, and all over the galaxy in general. This is quite likely part of the reason why Kosh will be recognised by everyone if he(?) steps out of the encounter suit.

This marks the second time a major, secretive power has sent a human representative to Babylon 5 to ask a question: the Shadows with Morden and “What do you want?” and the Vorlons with Sebastian and “Who are you?” Why do the Vorlons, in particular, feel the need to act through a third party? Delenn obviously knows about Kosh already, so why couldn’t Kosh have conducted the interrogation? Perhaps he simply chooses to remain aloof and let others do his dirty work, or perhaps for some reason he felt he wouldn’t have been as effective as Sebastian was.

Sheridan and Garibaldi have given the Rangers their first trial in a combat zone, on behalf of G’Kar. They succeeded in the allotted 24 hours but we are given no information on how. Perhaps they are able to penetrate the Centauri communications network. Or perhaps it involved two “hit and run” jumps into the Narn homeworld system. The first to deliver the message to search for this family (there must already be Rangers on Narn,) and the second to pick up the required transmission. This runs the risk of being detected and caught by Centauri forces patrolling the system (a jump point presumably has a very bright characteristic energy signature on scanners). While the search might have been initiated via telepathic contact (cf. [[The Coming of Shadows]], specifically the Centuari Emperor’s telepaths, who can communicate over interstellar distances) this is unlikely, and telepathy almost certainly cannot transmit the contents of a data crystal. Another possible explanation is that there are Centauri Rangers.

Vir’s encounter with G’Kar indicates the depth of the hatred that the Narn feel for their oppressors. An apology is no longer possible in G’Kar’s eyes, only the release of his people from their occupation and the destruction of the Centauri along the way. Something inside Vir might well give soon; he has already stood up to Morden (“In The Shadow of Z’ha’dum”) and tried to tell Londo of the consequences of his actions – what next?

Vir’s dismissal of the Centuari businessman, “I have already told you the Ambassador can do nothing for you.” Is that a polite way of telling the businessman to go away, or has Londo’s sphere of influence been reduced by his refusal to involve the Shadows again?

There’s an interesting parallel between the main storyline and Garibaldi’s talk with G’Kar. Both Garibaldi and Sebastian go into their respective conversations expecting a certain outcome, but allowing room for the other person to act otherwise. The difference is that Garibaldi is an optimist — he expected G’Kar to do the right thing — while Sebastian expected to be disappointed as he so often had been in the past.

This isn’t the first reference to Jack the Ripper on the show. In [[Mind War]], Ivanova accuses Psi Corps of having “all the moral fiber of Jack the Ripper.” Whether that’s just a coincidence remains to be seen.

Given the fact that Delenn was a member of the Grey Council, the choice of Grey section (by Sheridan) as the place for the inquisition was rather interesting. In addition, some elements of the lighting inside Grey 19 (the circles of light on the floor, arranged in a circular pattern, with Delenn in a center circle) were reminiscent of the Grey Council, especially the last time she was in their presence.

On a more speculative numerological note, the number nineteen (the inquisition occurred in Grey 19) is composed of the digits “1” and “9.” Taking the analysis to an extreme, perhaps the “9” represents the Grey Council and the “1” represents the chosen one.
####Notes

One of the Narn in the meeting with G’Kar is played by Dennis Michael, a CNN reporter who was doing a story on B5’s makeup group, Optic Nerve, and was made up as a Narn as part of his news story.

Was someone named Sebastian an actual suspect in the murders?

In the original UK broadcast, the scene between G’Kar and Vir was edited to not show G’Kar cutting his hand. The edit is obvious once you know it’s there.

One of Sebastian’s closing remarks resembled a Biblical quote, John 15:13: “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

####Overview

The Narn-Centauri War reaches a turning point. Sheridan is contacted by a powerful ally, who offers assistance.
####Guest Stars

John Schuck. W. Morgan Sheppard as Warleader G’Sten. William Forward as Refa.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/042.html
####Backplot

The new Centauri emperor, Cartargia, is acting mostly as a figurehead, a front for Refa and his compatriots.

A treaty among all the aligned worlds outlawed the use of mass drivers as a weapon of war, similar to the Earth treaties outlawing the use of chemical and biological weapons.

Draal says he has found other beings on Epsilon 3, ones who take care of the great Machine Draal is at the heart of. One of them is a fellow named Zathras (cf. [[Babylon Squared]].)

Delenn has been in charge of all the Rangers on Babylon 5. She now shares that command with Sheridan.

Sheridan does not know that Sinclair is behind the Rangers.

The Centauri seem to have gravity control technology. Londo watches as the Centauri bombard the Narn homeworld, standing — seemingly in gravity — aboard a motionless ship. (Either that, or they have magnetic shoes.)
####Unanswered Questions

What’s Zathras doing on Epsilon 3, and how did he get there? If the planet has been undisturbed for at least the past 500 years ([[A Voice in the Wilderness part 2]]) is he that old?

Where was Zathras such that Draal, with sight that extends across light-years, couldn’t find him? Perhaps he wasn’t in another place, but another time (see [[Babylon Squared]].)

Will the great machine be involved in pulling Babylon 4 through time?

Now that Londo has stated he no longer wishes to associate with the Shadows, his usefulness to Lord Refa is at an end. How will Refa handle this?

What exactly was G’Kar told to do in the Kha’Ri’s last message? Ask for sanctuary, obviously, but anything else?

What other technology do the Shadows have that we haven’t seen yet?

Have the Narn unwittingly discovered a weakness of the Shadows? (see Analysis)

Now that G’Kar has been stripped of his homeworld and position on Babylon 5, what can he contribute to the battle against the Shadows?
####Analysis

Londo is now convinced that his associates are far too powerful for their motives to be solely for his benefit. He realises that he has become a pawn in their larger game, and that his personal quest for more power has lead to the death of esteemed friends and many innocents. While convinced of this, and that he has allowed himself to be maneuvered at every turn by the will of others, he still carries through with his role as a paper tiger politician/ambassador.

The Shadows show some new weaponry. It appears that each ship can “give birth” to a cluster of forty or so of the smaller fighters G’Kar encountered at Z’ha’dum in “Revelations.” We are not shown that these fighters are re-assimilated at the end of the confrontation, and it is also unknown how many times each Shadow can do this.

The second weapon has the ability to disrupt a jump point so that it is fatal for any ship to attempt to use it. Once an attack against the Shadows begins it appears you can leave only when they so allow it.

The Shadow “wounded” during the battle is thrown off course by the loss of one of its spines. After the battle is finished, a second Shadow joins with it as if to assist it. The broken spine is clearly visible on the ship that does not move during the docking procedure. It suggests that the damaged Shadow was unable to function as effectively, perhaps because it was in pain.

With Draal offering the resources of the highly advanced technology at his command, it appears that Babylon 5 is one of the few places that may withstand a Shadow assault. That it can become the base of operations for the Army of Light is now clear.

Perhaps more importantly, Babylon 5 can probably also withstand a frontal assault by Earthforce, though they might prefer to destroy it from within.

The Centauri use of mass drivers flauts all previously signed conventions, and it appears (cf. [[And Now for a Word]], where the Centauri are discovered using Babylon 5 to transport mass drivers and energy weapons) that they have been planning this kind of assault on the Narn homeworld for some time.

A mass driver uses a heavy object (such as a small asteroid) launched from orbit toward a planet’s surface at low speed. As it falls through the planet’s gravity well it gains considerable momentum. On impact the immediate area becomes a crater, and huge quantities of dust are thrown up into the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight and causing something like a nuclear winter. E. E. “Doc” Smith’s Lensman series, written from 1937 to 1948, is the first literary SF work to use mass drivers as weapons for planetary bombardment as shown in this episode. (If you know of an earlier work, send me mail!)

All of the major governments (with the exception of the Vorlons) are now under serious internal stress. They are either introspective (Earth,) skeptical of present danger (Minbari,) overextended (Centauri,) or occupied (Narn). It appears that the Shadows have achieved, either directly or indirectly, effective destabilization of every major power that might stand up to their forces.

Ambassador Kosh openly lets the Rangers know of his involvement.

It appears that Garibaldi’s friendship with Londo has strained to the breaking point.

Sheridan now has access to the Rangers. This appears to be fulfilling the dream induced by Kosh (cf. [[All Alone in the Night]]) where he is described as being “The Hand.” Presumably this reference is to his role as someone who will help lead the forces of light as the right hand man of “The One.”

A fully prepared numerically superior Narn task force is easily destroyed by the Shadows. Unless more effective combat techniques are discovered, the battle with darkness will have to involve more subtle tactics.

Londo hasn’t forgiven Refa for the death of his friend Urza Jaddo ([[Knives]].)

Londo’s cough in the council chamber scene sounds suspiciously like the one in his dream in “The Coming of Shadows.” Could he be coming down with something? (See jms speaks)
####Notes

JMS premiered this episode at the Chicago Comicon on July 1, 1995.

W. Morgan Sheppard also appeared in the first season episode [[Soul Hunter]] as the title character.

The episode’s initial airing, in the UK, was 50 years, almost to the day, after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.

Considering the obvious parallels between the Centauri use of mass drivers and the American use of the atomic bomb, that’s a serindipitous, if unintentional, bit of timing.

“Now the trumpet summons us again: not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though in battle we are; but as a call to bear the burdens of a long, twilight struggle–year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation–a struggle against the common enemies of man–tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” –John Fitzgerald Kennedy. An audio version of his speech is available.

In the first Londo-Refa scene, just before Refa sits, what looks like a wooden duck with its wings outstretched is visible on a shelf beside the throne. Perhaps it’s a Centauri cat (cf. [[Chrysalis]].)

Candles are used subtly to represent hope, here and in previous episodes (see jms speaks.) At the beginning of G’Kar’s prayer scene, the shelf behind him is filled with burning candles — but by the end, as his people’s last hope is destroyed by the Shadows, they’ve all gone out.

Likewise, when Londo and Refa are talking, they’re both cloaked in shadow — until Londo expresses misgivings about his associates and emerges into the light.

The battle sequence was directed by Mojo of Foundation Imaging; the mass-driver sequence was directed by John Teska. The episode has more effects footage than any previous one, nearly five minutes’ worth. The effects took almost a month to produce.

####Overview

Lyta Alexander, the station’s first telepath, returns with a warning that one of Babylon 5’s officers is an operative for a top-secret government organization. A long-held secret of another Babylon 5 officer is revealed.
####Guest Stars

Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/041.html
####Backplot

Lyta Alexander is part of a secret movement against Psi Corps. She’s evidently been a dissident since she probed Kosh ([[The Gathering]].) When Lyta probed Kosh, she felt something she then hid from the years of subsequent interrogations from Psi-Corps. She has been feeling drawn to Vorlon space and has desperately tried to get there. She knows a lot more than she has ever told anyone, including what Kosh is under his suit.

Talia Winters was programmed with a ‘sleeper’ personality by the Psi Corps. She is probably “Control” (cf. [[A Spider in the Web]].)

Ivanova is a latent telepath. She is able to block some scans, knows instantly if someone scans her, can pick up on some feelings, but has never been able to scan anyone except her mother. She claims, though, that her psi rating is “not even a P1.”

“Universe Today” has a section called ‘Eye on Minbari’ which Delenn uses to find out things about her homeworld she might not neccessarily have been told yet, in addition to learning human perceptions of Minbari.

Lyta spent some time with Psi Cops as part of her training, but left because she didn’t like it and became a commercial telepath instead.
####Unanswered Questions

Exactly how much does Talia’s new persona know? And what will this do to B5 in the future?

Is there really no chance of the old Talia recovering? If not, what good is the recording Kosh made?

How safe is Lyta’s escape? Will Psi-corps get her in the end? The fact that Kosh let her off the station suggests he’s prepared to risk Psi-Corps getting their grubby hands on whatever it is she knows from the scan.

What did Lyta see when she asked Kosh to reveal himself? Something with a halo of light, but what?

Dr. Kyle also saw Kosh. Has Psi-Corps learned anything from him that they didn’t learn from Lyta?

How involved are Sinclair’s rangers with the Mars resistance?

Was it Talia who attempted to kill Lyta?

How did (presumably) Talia get the lights in the security section to go out, being replaced with red backups? And how did she know that she had a chance to hit Lyta? She was being taken from one cell to another on orders passed from Garibaldi to Zack to two ordinary security people. Is Zack implicated in some way, perhaps by way of his involvement in Nightwatch? It seems conincidental that in the few minutes available an attempt was made on Lyta’s life.

What about Ironheart (cf. [[Mind War]]?) If he saw “everything,” would he not have known about the implanted personality, however deep it was?

What will Psi Corps do with Talia now that the Artificial Personality has taken control?

Was the ‘Control’ mentioned by Lyta the same one installed by Bureau 13?

Was Garibaldi really faking the transition to an artificial personality? And does he know more that he’s letting on? (see Analysis)

How will Sheridan and Delenn handle the growing feelings in their friendship?

Why is Babylon 5 seen to be so important to several unknown individuals/groups, and who are those people?
####Analysis

Whatever Ironheart did to Talia seems to have enhanced her powers enormously, and she seems to be growing more powerful. Psi Corps, at a minimum, now have the psychic assassin they were trying to create, and potentially much more. Assuming, of course, that Ironheart’s gift wasn’t erased when Talia’s original personality was destroyed.

Another possibility is that Talia wasn’t destroyed, that Ironheart’s gift allowed her to prevent Control from taking over, but she’s playing along as a means of continuing her own investigation into what’s going on with Psi-Corps (cf. [[A Spider in the Web]].)

Talia’s implanted personality was foreshadowed in [[The Quality of Mercy]]. After she was finished scanning Mueller, she was joined by Garibaldi in the Garden. As they talked about her experience, she commented to him, “Things that live inside us, Mr. Garibaldi. Terrible things. Terrible.”

Delenn’s choice of articles in Universe Today is a revealing one. This highlights the lack of information she is receiving now that she is no longer a member of the Grey Council. However, she is learning to gather information from other sources and to “read between the lines” more carefully. It appears that she is regaining confidence in her abilities.

During the attempted murder of Lyta while she is being transfered between holding cells, we see the hand holding the assailants PPG. It is wearing a black glove, very similar to those worn by Talia. However, the lead time between Garibaldi ordering Lyta to be moved, and the attempted assassination appears to be very short. So how did Talia know when to leave Ivanova’s quarters in order to intercept Lyta? And does Talia know how to kill the main lights in a section? Three possibilities present themselves:

1. Coincidence. Talia, under the control of the artificial personality (AP), goes to hunt down and kill Lyta while Ivanova is out getting some air. The fact that Lyta was being transferred made the attempt much easier. Killing the main lights is knowledge that Talia has but we aren’t shown. However, in [[A Spider in the Web]], we are shown that Bureau 13 has cracked the station computer’s security, which presumably would allow Talia to discover both Lyta’s location and the time of the transfer.
2. There is an additional agent provocateur on Babylon 5. Someone who does have the knowledge of Lyta’s movements, and would know how to kill the main lights in a section. This strongly suggests Garibaldi, but might be Zack or another member of the security staff. A trigger message is sent to Talia, who then attempts to kill Lyta.
3. As above, there is an additional mole on Babylon 5, but it is this individual who knows about Lyta’s movements, knows how to short circuit the main lights, and attempts to kill Lyta. In this case, Talia is innocently caught up in the actions of another individual attempting to protect themselves. There is additional evidence that might be seen to support this (see below).

How does Talia know that Lyta Alexander is aboard Babylon 5? She may have guessed indirectly from a conversation with Ivanova and done some digging of her own, but Ivanova only asks if Talia knew Lyta – not telling her that she was aboard. Alternatively, she learnt of this through her PsiCorps contacts. Or Talia arranged (at the suggestion of the submerged AP) for her quarters to be out of use so that she could be closer to Ivanova. Once close enough, she could scan Ivanova and learn about the cell group, also learning about Lyta at the same time. When Talia wakes up (finding Ivanova gone) she has no gloves on. Physical contact may be used to intensify mental contact, and Talia might have done this while Ivanova was sleeping. Talia’s new personality indicates that there was an ulterior motive for getting close to Ivanova.

Garibaldi’s flashbacks refer to [[Deathwalker]], where Kosh uses a ViCaR (or VCR, an individual with an enhanced photographic memory) to conduct a strange negotiation, with Talia monitoring. A data crystal was also passed to Kosh from the ViCaR, and Talia doesn’t know what it contained. Kosh’s comments seem to indicate his awareness of Talia’s AP and what will happen when it is activated. So, has Kosh recorded a copy of Talia’s personality onto a data crystal? We have already seen that the Earth Alliance has the technology to wipe a personality and build a new one ([[The Quality of Mercy]].) Will this be a way for Sheridan to wipe out the AP and any knowledge that PsiCorps might pick up from Talia? It may not be so easy (see JMS Speaks).

Garibaldi believed Lyta and her story. Considering how strongly this goes against his previous behaviour, does he have an ulterior motive? This may tie in with some of the speculation about Lyta’s attempted murder. See also the following two points.

When Taro Isogi is killed by the modified Free Mars leader ([[A Spider in the Web]],) Control identifies Talia Winters (who witnessed the murder) as someone who should also be eliminated. Given that Lyta Alexander referred to the (then unknown) sleeper agent as ‘Control’, can we draw the conclusion that Talia was part of a Bureau 13 operation? Or are there different sections of PsiCorps treading on each other’s toes? It seems unlikely that Talia ordered her own execution, especially if Lyta is right about Control being programmed for self-preservation.

Garibaldi’s “faked” personality transition was taken by all the others as being a joke in bad taste. But consider an alternative explanation: Lyta stated that the AP would say or do anything to protect itself, and Garibaldi was behaving out of character. He also immediately turned everyone’s attention to Ivanova. Talia was caught unprepared for the sending of the password, but Garibaldi knew that the password would be sent. Garibaldi knew, or could easily have found out, when Lyta was slated to be moved, so could have pulled the trigger. And he was ready to bring Talia into the conspiracy, perhaps in order to expose it indirectly.

However, it is unlikely that two different sleepers would respond to the same password, and the events in the “flashforward” scene in [[Babylon Squared]] would suggest that Garibaldi’s loyalty is not in question.

Ivanova was also awake at the time, and unaccounted-for, making her a suspect.

How high up the chain of Psi-Corps command does this implanting go? There is every indication the it’s above Bester. Twice in the series Bester has suspected and even accused Talia of conspiring against the Corps. Why would he suspect or accuse her of this if he knew he had an ally inside her brain?

The Delenn/Sheridan relationship is growing stronger. Neither Delenn or Sheridan are making a strong attempt to hide their growing trust and respect for each other. After the events in [[Confessions and Lamentations]], Delenn has drawn emotional support from Sheridan. Her growing affection for him is something that she clearly shows in her face and actions while they are in the garden talking. Sheridan also appears to be happy that he has someone who he can turn to who will help him when all around is madness, and is wondering just where all this is leading.

The relationship between Talia and Ivanova is one that will attract much debate.

At the start of the episode, it seems clear that they are just friends. Talia would not hesitate to impose on Ivanova’s sleeping quarters if there were anything stronger.

During the episode, as Ivanova becomes more and more worried about revealing her (limited) telepathic ability, she relies on Talia during the expression of her feelings and doubts. There is an apparent emotional tension between them that might be interpreted as a “should I make the first move,” or as Talia’s giving support but hesitating to probe further, and Ivanova’s “should I trust her, even though she’s a telepath?”

When Talia wakes up in Ivanova’s bed, finding her missing, it is tempting to jump to the “obvious” conclusion. However we know that Ivanova’s quarters only has one cot (indicated in [[The Long Dark]] by Dr. Franklin.) Of course, Ivanova probably has a sofa/couch that might have been used.

When Ivanova has her final conversation with the dominated Talia, she indicates that it gave Talia the words that would get her close to all Ivanova knew. Just how much Talia knows about Ivanova is unclear, and we have no indication of just how close in addition to the emotional bond.

Had Ivanova and Talia had a physical relationship then Ivanova might have revealed her latent telepathy (“Do you know what its like when telepaths make love?” in [[Mind War]].) Since the alternate Talia didn’t goad Ivanova about this, then either Ivanova maintained a block, or they didn’t have a physical relationship.

Ivanova’s relationship with her mother is opened up further by her revelation of being a latent telepath, although this is not explored directly. Since Ivanova could initiate contact with her mother, she could obtain a clear mental as well as physical picture of her mothers deterioration under the PsiCorps telepathic suppression drugs. The drugs would of course prevent any attempt at contact initiated by her mother, and also of any blocking.

We now have a clearer understanding of how Ivanova developed her strong feelings against PsiCorps, and what she must have overcome in order to establish her friendship with Talia. This change in Talia (and the AP claiming to have directed the growth of their friendship) may have far reaching effects in her ability to trust again.

Sheridan has now seen a part of his Kosh-induced dream ([[All Alone in the Night]]) come true. In the dream he saw Ivanova with a black raven on her shoulder, and heard her say: “Do you know who I am?” At what point will other parts of the dream come true? (If they haven’t already.)

Why did Sheridan let Talia go so easily? He could have held her on charges of shooting two security guards, if nothing else. Perhaps he felt that doing so would draw too much attention to his covert activities.

Since a Ranger was involved in smuggling the data crystal to Lyta, Garibaldi may have been warned of her arrival.

Delenn appeared to be turning down closer relations with the Lumati (cf. [[Acts of Sacrifice]]) when Lyta called. Why? (Maybe their method of closing treaties is a bit closer than she’d prefer the relations to get.)

JMS says (see jms speaks) that originally, Takashima ([[The Gathering]]) was going to be the plant, and that that part of the storyline was transferred over to Talia with the cast changes between pilot and series. The other events in [[The Gathering]], combined with some revelations from the comic series (cf. comic 8, “Silent Enemies”) suggest some disturbing connections.

Psi Corps was working with Minbari dissidents to kill a Vorlon. The comic has also established a connection between Psi Corps and the Shadows, although this has not yet been seen on screen. If the comic is to be believed, there is a link through Psi Corps between the Shadows and elements of the Minbari warrior caste. The effects of that link on the coming war may be quite unfortunate for one side or the other.
####Notes

Zack is still wearing his “Nightwatch” armband (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”) and Garibaldi is a little bemused by it. Clearly he doesn’t quite approve of the idea.

The Pak’ma’ra have separate toilet facilities. Oddly, the warning sign next to the door is written, among other languages, in Vorlon! Or at least, in a script identical to that displayed by Kosh’s ship in [[Hunter, Prey]].

At least one of the fugitives in the sewers on Mars was clearly a ranger. The other may not necessarily have been. Lyta arrived in a shot-up ship and knows that two men died for the information. Obviously she has links with the rangers.

Delenn lies yet again, and is caught immediately.

When Delenn is dictating her response to the Lumati, the computer screen shows the text appearing (whether this is Lumati writing or Minbari isn’t clear.) One odd thing about it is that it alternately flows in both directions, up and down, across the width of the screen from left to right.

Production gaffe: In the first live-action shot after the title sequence, as Sheridan enters the restroom, one of the production crew’s hands (likely the director’s) can be seen briefly at the bottom of the screen.

####Overview

The outbreak of a fatal disease among the Markab population prompts a panic on the station; Dr. Franklin races against time to find a cure.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/040.html
####Backplot

The Minbari expect Valen, the holy figure who founded the Grey Council a thousand years ago (perhaps during the last conflict with the Shadows) to return some day — or at least, they have a religious ceremony suggesting so.

A deadly virus appeared on an isolated island on the Markab homeworld several hundred years ago, wiping the entire population out. The inhabitants of the island were known for what was widely considered sinful behavior, and the virus came to be viewed as divine retribution by the Markab.

Dr. Franklin visited the Markab homeworld once while he was hitchhiking on starships in his youth.

Keffer has been taking trips into hyperspace in his spare time, looking for the mysterious ship (a Shadow ship) he saw in [[A Distant Star]].

When Delenn was a small child, she was separated from her parents in an unfamiliar Minbari city. Eventually she found refuge in an old, apparently unused, temple, where she waited for hours. Then, just before her parents found her, she saw a vision of a figure, bathed in light, who told her, “I will not allow my little ones to come to harm in this place.”
####Unanswered Questions

Was the virus created artificially? If so, who did it and why? (See Analysis)

How many Markab are still alive?

What’s going on between Delenn and Sheridan?

Will someone lay claim to the dead Markab worlds? Who?

Was Delenn’s story about the temple true, or just a story to comfort the lost Markab child? If true, who or what appeared before her? (See jms speaks)

Will the disease spread among the Pak’ma’ra as well, or will Franklin’s treatment stop it from wiping them out?
####Analysis

This episode’s plague theme meshes with the story and ritual practice of Passover. The Minbari dinnner ceremony Sheridan, Delenn, and Lennier participate in is a ritualized meal, like Passover: foods must be eaten in a particular order, and a table setting is left for a revered historical figure (Elijah, Valen) who is supposed to return some day. As the Markabs enter the de facto “quarantine” chamber, the Markab ambassador suggests that if they pray and are pure, the plague will “pass over” them — a parallel with the original passover story, where a certain sign on the house door made a plague attacking the Egyptians pass over the Jews. Franklin’s discussion of the Black Death also mentions how Jews were unjustly accused of spreading the infection.

Franklin appears to have forgotten about the alien healing device he acquired in [[The Quality of Mercy]] and used on Garibaldi in [[Revelations]]. which he could have used to help his friend and thus increase the chance of finding a real cure. Or perhaps he knows enough about it now to know that it wouldn’t have worked on plague victims for some reason. (Obviously it wouldn’t have been of much use to the Markab population in general, since it only works on one person at a time and only with a donor.)

Babylon 5’s crew may have inadvertently helped the disease spread when they gathered all the Markab for blood tests; presumably some of the subjects would have remained in their quarters if they hadn’t been dragged out and tested in a room full of possible carriers.

Sheridan presumably ordered Keffer to stop his expeditions because he suspects Keffer’s mystery ship is a Shadow vessel. Will he let Keffer in on that information, or will he continue to keep it to himself and simply let the order stand?

Franklin’s frequent use of stims to stay awake while a medical crisis is going on (cf. “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”) may spell big trouble for him if he keeps it up. Doctors on stims are more likely to make mistakes (cf. Dr. Rosen in [[The Quality of Mercy]]) and it appears the Earth medical community doesn’t look kindly on the practice of doctors drugging themselves to stay awake — Dr. Rosen lost her medical license as a result.

Whatever his good intentions, his obsession with solving everything on his own may lead him into a regrettable situation down the road. There isn’t yet enough evidence to show that he’s actually addicted to the stims, though. (See jms speaks)

It’s been argued that the Markab did die for their sins — specifically, the sin of pride, by believing that they could keep the disease to themselves and not involve any outsiders. Had Franklin learned of the disease when it first hit the station, he (or another non-Markab doctor) might well have been able to save a billion lives.

Delenn seems to be coming apart at the seams in many ways, probably as a result of being made a pariah among her people. If she’s telling the truth, or at least part of the truth, about undergoing her change to help draw humans and Minbari closer together (cf. [[Revelations]]) it must be frustrating in the extreme to be reviled by her own kind, and resented by many humans (cf. “And Now For a Word.”) Especially if she believes that she’s special somehow, a unique player in an immense drama (cf. “Babylon Squared.”) This, in combination with the influence of her new biology, may explain why she’s reaching out to Sheridan now; he at least seems to respect her and relate to her as an equal, and she probably trusts him a lot more now that she sees he can be trusted with one of her biggest secrets (cf. “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”.) Or, of course, she could be planning something. She’s been trying to get closer to Sheridan for quite some time (cf. [[A Race Through Dark Places]]) and this could simply be the next step.

On a similar note, being locked in a room and helplessly watching thousands of people die all around can’t be good for Delenn’s emotional stability. It remains to be seen if this will have an impact on her personality; for many people it would be a profound shock. But Sheridan’s statement that Delenn wouldn’t be able to come back out if she entered the contaminated area doesn’t make sense, given that the plague was known to be airborne; she’d be exposed to it either way, given that the station’s air is recycled (as stated in the episode.) Presumably he was just trying to keep her from going in.

The timing of the plague’s reappearance, with all the other events going on, is suspicious. Of course, it might be a simple coincidence, as Franklin suspects, just a dormant disease whose time has come. But another interpretation is that the outbreak on the Markab island centuries earlier was an early biological warfare test on an isolated population, and the events in this episode were the real attack. If that’s true, who is responsible, and do they have any connection with the approaching Great War?

Note that the Markab did have some contact with the Shadows last time they rose up, as evidenced by the Markab ambassador’s speech in [[The Long Dark]] — perhaps someone (not necessarily the Shadows; maybe the man at the bar was right) didn’t want the Markab around to participate this time.

Franklin’s cure protects possible victims against attack, rather than eliminating the disease. B5, with its recycled air supply, now permanently carries the disease, which is dangerous to species with yellow and green blood-cells (or cells that perform a similar function, namely the manufacture of certain neurotransmitters) and might well mutate to endanger others. This could affect the willingness of alien groups to use the station in the future. Even species not vulnerable to the disease might keep away just to be safe.

When Sheridan wakes up from his nap in Delenn’s quarters, he mumbles, “In the memory of the nine and the one.” Presumably the nine refers to the Grey Council, and the one refers either to Valen or to The One, as mentioned in [[Babylon Squared]]. There’s also an echo of the story told in the Minbari ceremony in [[The Parliament of Dreams]].
####Notes

This episode features a previously unseen alien (or at least, a humanoid who’s presumably alien) wearing a suit with an elaborate helmet. The helmet bears a striking resemblance to the mask of Morpheus, the King of Dreams, from Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” comic book. As “Sandman” is one of JMS’s favorite comics, this may be an intentional homage.

“Markab” is Arabic for “boat.”