When President Clark tries to seize control of Babylon 5 by force, Sheridan is faced with the prospect of severing the station’s ties with Earth. Delenn receives disturbing news from a Ranger.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Bruce McGill as Major Ryan. Kim Miyori as Captain Hiroshi. James Parks as Drakhen.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/054.html
####Backplot

The former Minbari leader, Dukhat, died in Delenn’s arms. Before he died, he named her as his chosen successor.

Clark has been filling command positions with his people since taking office, thus enabling him to retain control of most of Earth Force; many officers who oppose his policies feel forced to go along, since their superiors will accuse them of treason otherwise.

The Shadows have formed alliances with many of the non-aligned worlds, allegedly to protect them from Centauri aggression; later, they’ve prompted those races to attack their neighbors with the belief that association with the Shadows is a guarantee of victory.
####Unanswered Questions

Was Londo finally able to leave the station? Where was he going? (Or, if he was coming aboard, where was he coming from?)

Is there more to the prophecy of the return of the Shadows, or has it now played itself out, leaving the future uncertain?

What does Sheridan’s mother do with her time?

What has ISN known for a year but been unable to talk about? Did they find out about Santiago’s death, or perhaps about Earth’s involvement with the Shadows?
####Analysis

Sheridan said he wanted to keep Draal a secret, and thus didn’t ask for help defending the station. But anyone with two eyes now knows he has some interesting non-human technology at his disposal; he used the Great Machine to broadcast his holographic image all over the station. While Earth has free-floating holography (such as the Knights’ image of Sinclair at the beginning of [[And the Sky Full of Stars]]) it’s a far cry from what Sheridan did.

Five hooded Councilors followed Delenn from the council chamber; presumably the remaining four were all warrior caste, as established in [[All Alone in the Night]]. (Only three are visible onscreen, but the whole Council wasn’t visible at the start of the scene, either.)

Where did the religious and worker castes get three Minbari warships and the crews to pilot them? Are there more on Delenn’s side, or just those? In [[Matters of Honor]], Lennier implied that the religious-caste crew of the White Star was rare, if not unheard-of. Did some of the warrior caste side with Delenn? (See jms speaks)

Delenn’s confrontation with the Grey Council is counter to her own stated goal of laying low so the Shadows aren’t forced to attack immediately. She accused them of standing by and doing nothing in the face of Shadow encroachment — but doing nothing was exactly what she insisted on in “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”, among other places. If the warrior caste had moved to prevent some of the non-aligned worlds from warring, as she seemed to be suggesting, it surely would have alerted the Shadows to the fact that their return has been discovered.

On the other hand, it may be that she was accusing them of not even preparing for eventual open conflict with the Shadows; perhaps she believed their current indifference would continue even after the army of light was fully assembled.

Finally, she may have wanted them to simply take a stand in the local conflicts without addressing the Shadows’ presence directly.

Sheridan’s secession from the Earth Alliance plays directly into Clark’s hands in some respects. Clark can use the secession, and the Minbari involvement, to paint a picture of an alien-supported military coup against an elected civilian government, further proof of the need for martial law, the Nightwatch, and other draconian measures. No doubt he’ll be able to make that version of the story believable to a large number of people back home, thus solidifying his power base.

Why did only four destroyers jump into Babylon 5 space for the initial attack? Perhaps the fleet commander didn’t want to increase the chance of casualties from friendly fire, but that seems dubious at best; or perhaps he didn’t know there were more ships on the way.

Which side of the war does the Agamemnon and its crew support? Will Sheridan be forced into conflict with his old ship, something he definitely doesn’t want? ([[Messages From Earth]])

Given the reason for the Minbari surrender during the war ([[Points of Departure]]) would Delenn have made good on her threat to fire on the Earth ships? Minbari religious beliefs would forbid her from doing so, though she might well consider it a necessary evil.

During the initial attack on the Alexander, Major Ryan claims that they can’t jump to hyperspace without losing their fighters. But fighters have been shown jumping alongside a larger ship before — some emerged with the destroyers to attack Babylon 5 later in the same episode — so what would have kept the fighters from jumping with the Alexander? (See jms speaks)

The Shadows are apparently perfectly willing to double-cross the Centauri, at least in words. By offering to protect the League worlds from Centauri aggression, when the Centauri are using the Shadows to act out that aggression, they’ve effectively taken control of both sides of any potential Centauri border conflicts. What they’ll do with that control, and why they want it, remains to be seen.
####Notes

The new Starfury in this episode is called a “Thunderbolt”.

Many of the Nightwatch members in this episode are production staff members, including the production secretary and an assistant director.

Minor effects mismatch: A group of Starfuries attacks a friendly destroyer. Its name is clearly visible as the Churchill. But the scene immediately cuts to Major Ryan reacting to the hit — even though he’s on the Alexander, not the Churchill. (See jms speaks)

Just after Major Ryan says, “Right down their throats,” a Starfury shoots another one with B5 in the background. For one frame, the exploding Starfury is replaced with a bright yellow square; then the explosion replaces it.

Four ships emerge from the jumpgate at the end of act three, two Omega-class destroyers and two older Hyperion-style heavy cruisers (“A Voice In the Wilderness, part 2”.) But we only see and hear about two, the Agrippa and the Roanoke. One possible explanation is that the destroyer rammed by the Churchill isn’t supposed to be the Roanoke; since Sheridan offers assistance to the Roanoke at the end of the battle, that’s plausible. However, the rammed ship’s name is (barely) visible as “Roanoke” during the collision.

One of the two destroyers in the second wave was called the Nimrod; the second was the Olympic.

The Roanoke is named after an early English colony in North Carolina. After a hard winter, a ship came to check on the colony and found it totally deserted, no sign of the inhabitants or of a struggle, just the word CROATAN carved into a tree. The fate of the colonists was never discovered.

The Agrippa was probably named for the famed Roman general/admiral, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. He served for Octavian (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus), the nephew of Julius Caesar. He was the inventor of the harpax, or harpago, which was a pole with a hook on the end which was attached to a rope. Fired toward another ship, it allowed the two ships to be pulled together, allowing the Romans to board. It was first used in 36 BC at the battle of Naulochos (Mylae), and later at the battle of Actium, where it helped to defeat Mark Anthony’s fleet, leading to the eventual crowning of Octavian as Augustus, the first Roman emperor in 27 BC.

In the UK video release, three seconds were cut from the episode, presumably from one of the boarding-party fight scenes.

As the Earth Alliance plunges toward civil war, internal strife threatens to shatter the command structure of B5. Zack’s loyalties are put to the test when the Nightwatch is ordered to take over station security. Londo receives another glimpse of his des
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Majel Barrett as Lady Morella. Marshall Teague as Ta’Lon.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/053.html
####Backplot

After the death of a Centauri emperor, custom states that his spirit lives on in the body of his consort, who speaks both for herself and her late husband.

Londo is destined to become emperor. That part of his future cannot be avoided, according to Lady Morella. Vir is also destined to become emperor. One will become emperor after the other dies, but it’s not clear which.

Londo has already passed up two chances to avoid the destiny he fears awaits him. There will be three more. He must save the eye that does not see. He must not kill the one who is already dead. And failing those, at the last, he must surrender himself to his greatest fear, knowing that it will destroy him.

One result of G’Kar’s Kosh-inspired revelation in [[Dust to Dust]] is the belief that humans are the key to the salvation of the Narn race. He also believes, as Kosh suggested, that the Narn must give up their pride and their vengeance or risk being completely destroyed, and that his people must sacrifice themselves by the hundreds or even the millions if all are to benefit in the end.
####Unanswered Questions

Is General Hague on his way to the station?

What impact will Sheridan’s new security forces have? Will they immediately turn Earth against him?
####Analysis

One of Londo’s two squandered chances was undoubtedly his action in [[The Coming of Shadows]], which sparked the Narn-Centauri War. The other is less clear. Perhaps it was his initial meeting with Morden, or the attack on the outpost in [[Chrysalis]]. It may also have been his decision to ask the Shadows to defend Gorash 7 ([[The Long, Twilight Struggle]],) without which the Centauri wouldn’t have been able to crush the Narn as thoroughly as they did.

“The eye that does not see” might refer to the Eye, the symbol of Centauri nobility that marked the start of Londo’s association with Morden ([[Signs and Portents]].) It may also refer to G’Kar’s eye, which appears to be injured or missing in Londo’s dream ([[The Coming of Shadows]].)

The one who is already dead might be Morden, who’s officially dead according to Earth Alliance records (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”) or perhaps G’Kar, whose old life is certainly gone. It’s also possible that it refers to the memory of someone who is to die; Londo may be presented with an opportunity to discredit someone who would otherwise serve as a martyr. Along similar lines, it may refer to the wishes of someone already dead; for instance, destroying the chance for peace that Emperor Turhan sought before his death, something that would have been the Emperor’s legacy.

Another possibility is a connection to the transfer of Minbari souls to humans; the owner of a particular previously-deceased Minbari soul (perhaps Sinclair) may prove troublesome to Londo in the future.

Londo’s greatest fear might be the downfall of the Republic, or perhaps his own death.

It’s likely Londo will squander at least the first two of his remaining chances, given the fact that there will be a third — assuming Morella is correct.

What did Sheridan and the others say to convince Zack to go along with their ruse? It may have been as simple as convincing him that the order from the Political Office was illegal, just like Sheridan told the trapped Nightwatch members. Using that to convince him would have been the safest course of action, since as a loyal officer he’d be inclined to go along with the plan even if his sympathies had shifted toward Nightwatch.

What were all the non-security Nightwatch members doing during the crisis? Were they unaffected by the takeover order in the first place, and thus largely unconcerned with what was going on?
####Notes

An official press release about Majel Barrett’s appearance is available.

Many of the Nightwatch members in this episode are production staff members, including the production secretary and an assistant director.

Lady Morella is said to be returning from a visit to Ragesh 9. The Ragesh system is the same one attacked by the Narn in [[Midnight on the Firing Line]].

As the Senate continues to investigate President Clark, an archaeologist brings news of a development back home that forces Sheridan to act against the Earth government. The Nightwatch tightens its grip on the civilian population.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Nancy Stafford as Dr. Kirkish.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/052.html
####Backplot

Seven years ago, an archaeological team working for Interplanetary Expeditions (see [[Infection]]) discovered a disabled Shadow ship buried 300 feet under the Martian surface, underground for at least a thousand years. Another Shadow ship, apparently with the cooperation of Earth, finished excavating the first, and both flew away. Garibaldi was witness, and recovered a Psi Corps badge from the site. See comic issue 8, “Silent Enemies.” Most of the archaeologists have died or disappeared since.

More recently, a second Shadow ship was discovered under the ice on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede.

A Shadow ship requires a living being at its core; the two merge, becoming one entity. If the pilot isn’t properly prepared, the result is a confused, insane ship.

Translating the Book of G’Quan is considered sacrilege by the Narn. “It must be read in the mother tongue, or not at all,” says G’Kar.

Shadow forces have continued to build up on the edge of Centauri space.
####Unanswered Questions

What were Shadow ships doing on Mars and Ganymede a millenium ago? Was Earth involved in the last war?

How does Delenn know that Shadow ships have sentient beings at their core? What else does she know about them that she hasn’t told Sheridan?

What kind of preparation is needed to properly merge with a Shadow ship?
####Analysis

Sheridan’s unwillingness to fire on the Agamemnon may be a sign of trouble to come; he’s not ready to think of Earth’s military as an enemy. How long that loyalty will last is unclear, but at some point, if conditions on Earth continue to escalate and Sheridan continues to act covertly against the government, he’ll be forced to choose between firing on his own people and death or capture.

The White Star is a Minbari vessel, yet Sheridan believed the Agamemnon would be able to track it. (See [[Points of Departure]].) Perhaps that was simply because the White Star was in Jupiter’s atmosphere; it was thus unable to outrun the Agamemnon, and could be tracked via atmospheric disturbances.

The White Star is a formidable vessel, in any case; it has as much firepower as several Narn heavy cruisers, judging by its attack on the Shadow vessel (see [[The Long, Twilight Struggle]],) although this Shadow ship might have been smaller than those faced by the Narn. The Agamemnon was able to damage the White Star, but only after it had been grazed by a Shadow weapon and subjected to atmospheric conditions far outside its safety limits.

G’Kar’s book should make for interesting reading now that he knows what’s going on from Londo’s point of view as well as his own ([[Dust to Dust]].) Given his visitation by what he believes to be G’Lan in that episode, will he consider his writings to be on the same level as the Book of G’Quan? More importantly, will other Narn feel the same way, and become followers of the Book of G’Kar?

Dr. Kirkish says of Earth, regarding the Shadows, “They want us to become more like them.” What does she mean by that? How can humans become more like Shadows, and what would that entail?

Someone on Earth wanted to go behind the Shadows’ backs; if the Shadows discover that (assuming they don’t already know,) the consequences for Earth could be disastrous. Assuming, of course, that the Shadows didn’t tell Earth about the second ship for their own reasons.

The events on Mars make it clear that the Shadows were awake to some degree before the Icarus visited Z’ha’dum (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”.) The Icarus visited Z’ha’dum in 2256, but Kirkish saw a functioning Shadow vessel seven years ago, in 2253. The Psi-Corps connection also implies that the Shadows were aware of humanity at the time.

Given Marcus’ apparent disregard for secrecy ([[Exogenesis]]) Ivanova would be well-advised to make sure his chart is destroyed or hidden lest a Nightwatch sympathizer stumble across it.

Perhaps the Shadows bury their ships underground intentionally. Since the ships are at least partially alive, it’s even concievable that the Shadows bury an egg or something similar, then dig up the fully grown ship later on. In that case, where else are such ships buried? Do the Shadows know, or did they lose track of their ships in the last war?

The Shadows attacked the mining colony where Marcus and his brother lived ([[Matters of Honor]].) Could they have been trying to prevent the miners from discovering another buried ship?

Now that the Agamemnon has observed the White Star at close proximity, Earth Force will presumably treat it as hostile on sight in the future. That will probably severely limit Sheridan’s ability to finesse his way out of another fight.

The Shadows are far from alone in requiring living beings to merge with their machinery. In fact, it seems to be a staple of advanced technologies in the B5 universe:

• The Ikarran weapon in [[Infection]].
• The anti-agathic drug in [[Deathwalker]], which required an extract from another living being.
• The Great Machine in Epsilon 3, which goes berserk without a core (“A Voice in the Wilderness”.)
• Shadow ships, as shown here.

Are Vorlon ships similarly powered? They show up as living beings in scans, though that isn’t conclusive one way or the other.

Delenn’s promise to Sheridan, “I will watch and catch you if you should fall,” is strikingly similar to the Soul Hunter’s comment to her when she was being held captive: “You will feel as if you are falling; do not be afraid, I will be there to catch you.” ([[Soul Hunter]].)
####Notes

Narn is written from right to left.

“Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom” is a variation on a quote from Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States (1801-1809.) The original meaning was that people should closely watch their governments to avoid excessive encroachment on personal liberty; its use by a Nightwatch member is especially ironic.

The events on Mars were first revealed in the comic series, issues “Survival the Hard Way” and “Silent Enemies,” six months before this episode’s first airing.

Garibaldi also made a reference to the story contained therein in the first-season episode [[Infection]].

In the middle of the White Star’s jump to hyperspace, there’s a single frame of note. The frame takes place as the White Star emerges into hyperspace, as it heads toward the camera. The hyperspace background changes to what looks like an alien cityscape. Apparently it’s a shot from Hypernauts, a children’s sci-fi show whose special effects are being done by B5’s effects company. (See jms speaks.)

Marcus and Dr. Franklin combat an invasion by parasitic aliens that attach themselves to humans. Ivanova investigates the possibility of bringing a new member into the conspiracy.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Joshua Cox as Corwin. Aubrey Morris as Duncan. James Warwick as Matthew Duffin.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/051.html
####Backplot

A race of symbiotes, the Vindrizi, has existed for half a million years. They were created as recorders, observing events all over the galaxy so that others can learn about the past when all the books and records have been swallowed by the next dark age. They survive by passing from host to host, always seeking volunteers who have nothing left to live for and want to live out their lives participating in a grand endeavor.

The Shadows have been building up forces in sector 800, near the border of Centauri space.
####Unanswered Questions

What is the “package” from Mars that Marcus is waiting for?

Why are the Shadows building up their forces in sector 800?

Will Corwin prove problematic for the conspiracy of light?

Who created the Vindrizi half a million years ago, and what made them think such living histories would become necessary?
####Analysis

It’s never made clear how much time has passed before the Vindrizi’s departure, but it’s odd that Sheridan and company didn’t jump at the chance to get all the information they could about the Shadows and the previous wars while the Vindrizi were still aboard. Of course, it’s possible such discussions took place, but they’re never mentioned.

Now that Sheridan and his people know about the Vindrizi, perhaps they’ll call upon them in the future.

What came in on the ship at the beginning of the episode? The two people waiting for the ship were quite happy to see it arrive. Were they not yet joined with the Vindrizi, or did the ship simply carry more of their kind?

Marcus seems a good deal less concerned with secrecy than his coconspirators; he was talking to Garibaldi openly, and loudly, about his network of contacts in a public place. By contrast, Ivanova and Sheridan didn’t even want to be seen with him at the Earhart’s party for fear of raising questions.

Why is Ivanova so hostile toward Marcus? Have her last few romantic experiences made her want to discourage any new developments in that area? (For example, [[The War Prayer]] and [[Divided Loyalties]].)

During the medical staff meeting, Franklin mentions that there’s a need for Drazi blood. Is the station being flooded with Drazi refugees, much like it was with Narn refugees while the Narn-Centauri War was at its peak? If so, is Babylon 5 becoming a sort of haven for refugees of all stripes?
####Notes

Duncan’s line, “I don’t like being poked by doctors,” is also spoken by the main character Alex in Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange.”

The ship carrying the Vindrizi is called the Dyson, most likely named for physicist Freeman Dyson.

Marcus quotes from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to Garibaldi, and from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” when he wakes Duncan up. Note that Marcus refers to Macbeth as “the Scottish play,” and replaces “Macbeth” with “Marcus” in his quote — there is a superstition among actors that referring to Macbeth by name is bad luck. (See jms speaks)

The particular Macbeth quotes are from Act II, scene 2:

Methought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep” — the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,

The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,

Chief nourisher in life’s feast.

Then, a moment later:

Still it cried “Sleep no more!” to all the house.

“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

Glamis and Cawdor are two earl titles that Macbeth holds.

Marcus refers to his fighting staff as a “Copeland J5000” while trying to convince the Vindrizi it’s a medical instrument. That’s most likely a reference to producer John Copeland.

The Vindrizi’s musing about what they’ve experienced is reminiscent of Batty’s dying words at the end of the movie “Blade Runner.”

An addictive drug with telepathic effects is found on the station, prompting a visit by Bester. G’Kar reaches a turning point.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Walter Koenig as Bester.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/050.html
####Backplot

Londo’s original assignment to Babylon 5 was at the direct request of Emperor Turhan, who chose him after everyone else turned the position down.

Dust, an addictive drug, allows non-telepaths of several races to probe the minds of others, experiencing all the victim’s memories and thoughts in the space of a few minutes. Unfortunately, this leaves the victims unconscious, and telepathic victims never recover. The more often Dust is taken, the more is required to achieve the effect the next time. Dust was originally developed, and is apparently still being produced, by Psi Corps in an attempt to induce permanent telepathy in normal humans; the experiment has been a failure so far.

The Narn used to have telepaths, long ago, but they and their families were exterminated. The genes for telepathy were too weak in the survivors to allow the Narn to breed natural telepaths, but their abilities can still be unlocked, briefly, by Dust.
####Unanswered Questions

How much does G’Kar know about Londo’s association with the Shadows? Did Kosh stop him before he was able to discover everything?

Why did Kosh stop G’Kar? (See Analysis)

How did Kosh know what was happening?

Was Bester telling the truth about the Psi Corps combatting secret threats to the human race, things ordinary people never hear about? If so, what are those threats?

What happened to the Narn telepaths? (See Analysis)

Will the Dust have a permanent effect on G’Kar, such as giving him some measure of telepathic ability?

What did the Corps learn from Talia? Was she actually dissected, or was Bester just baiting Garibaldi? Did they find out about Ironheart’s gift ([[Mind War]]?)
####Analysis

What is the rest of the Psi Corps’ business on Babylon 5? Perhaps it involves Lyta Alexander; her presence is probably common knowledge by now.

The extermination of Narn telepaths may be connected to the Shadow occupation of the Narn homeworld in the last war. See [[Voices of Authority]]. Or perhaps the Centauri were responsible, during their previous occupation. It’s also possible, though perhaps less likely, that the Narn killed all their own telepaths.

G’Kar asks Londo if being helpless helps him understand the plight of the Narn. But the reverse effect may have taken place as well; G’Kar has experienced at least some of the past several years from Londo’s point of view now, and thus presumably understands why Londo did what he did. Whether that understanding can lead to forgiveness, though, is another question.

Kosh’s intrusion into G’Kar’s probe of Londo can certainly be viewed as manipulation, especially given the use of the image of G’Lan. What Kosh is trying to achieve by appearing to G’Kar, and why he’s willing to interfere with the Narn and Centauri now when he expressed no interest in them before ([[Midnight On the Firing Line]]) isn’t clear.

In addition to the mention of the Narn and Centauri being alone and dying, reminiscent of “Midnight On the Firing Line,” Kosh also tells G’Kar, “I have always been here.” This echoes Kosh’s statement in Sheridan’s dream in [[All Alone In the Night]]. It’s still not entirely clear what he means, however. Could it have something to do with the “path” revealed to Ivanova in [[Voices of Authority]]?

Kosh may have stopped G’Kar to prevent him from learning too much about the Shadows, on the assumption that G’Kar would likely speak out about them in public. Since the forces of light are still gathering, that’d be something Kosh would want to prevent. It’s also likely that Kosh was maneuvering G’Kar to be of greater use in the future, perhaps testing his ability to influence G’Kar’s behavior through the use of religious visions.

Probably just a coincidence: Kosh ends G’Kar’s quest for Shadow information in Londo’s mind by saying, “It is enough.” That’s exactly what Londo said to Endawi ([[Matters of Honor]]) after recalling his dream of the Shadow ships flying overhead on Centauri Prime.

Did G’Kar overdose on Dust? It is possible that he was about to die, given the intensity of all the images he was seeing – the drug hasn’t been tested on Narn. And that would be consistant with Kosh’s previous appearances, when Sheridan was in danger of dying ([[All Alone in the Night]] and [[The Fall of Night]].) Is Kosh’s direct manipulation restricted only to near-death appearances?

Who are the characters in G’Kar’s vision? The man on the tree is his father (which G’Kar mentions, and which fits with his recounting in [[And Now For a Word]].) It’s not clear who the second person is, the old man. G’Quon, perhaps? The third person we know as G’Lan, from G’Kar’s exclamation in [[The Fall of Night]].

Kosh dodged the Vorlon question when G’Kar put it to him; in response to being asked, “Who are you?” the vision replied, “I am who I have always been,” a self-referential answer that conveys reflection rather than information.

Kosh’s statement about sacrifice can be interpreted to cover the entire Narn race; he may be saying that the Narn (and perhaps the Centauri, given his earlier statement about the two races) must die so that the rest can live. If that interpretation is correct, Kosh is preparing G’Kar to accept the death of his people as inevitable. Will G’Kar continue to fight for the Narn?

Vir’s position on Minbar was a joke to Londo (strictly a means of getting him out of his hair) just as Londo’s position was originally viewed.

Could Vir parallel Londo’s ascension to power, potentially rising to great importance in the coming war? Given his newfound affinity for the Minbari, and his distaste for Londo’s politics (and especially Morden,) he could be a great ally of the Army of Light. On the other hand, Londo did get Vir the position in the first place, and at the time he told Delenn that it was to get Vir out of danger.

Franklin continues to be on edge; could this be a consequence of his stim habit? ([[A Day in the Strife]])
####Notes

Dust has been mentioned before; for example, in [[Hunter, Prey]], Max, the kidnapper, asks Dr. Jacobs if he’s a dust smuggler.

A possible inconsistency: Bester said the Corps had been working on Dust for five years. But in [[Survivors]], Garibaldi recalled a Dust problem on Mars 17 years ago. Perhaps the Corps took over production of an existing drug, or perhaps the Corps worked on Dust for five years sometime in the past.

The Dust vendor’s two aliases, Lindstrom and Morgenstern, are the surnames of two characters from the comedy series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Morgenstern means “morning star,” one of the names used to refer to Lucifer in Judeo-Christian texts.

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.