Delenn receives the next flashforward, one where she is watching John sleep and is interrupted by an unseen woman who barges in and says "Hello.*" Worse, the time travel has aged Sinclair about twenty years -- roughly how he appeared at the teaser-ful ending of Babylon Squared.** With one final, thousand-year timejump left, Sinclair must now say goodbye: he's going with B4 into the distant past, and he's taking Zathras along as his sidekick.
 |
| Check out that fetching yellow/orange B4 logo! Get it? B4? |
And so, a thousand years in the past, Minbari warriors arrive on B4, met by Valen, who is flanked by two Vorlons...
--
* It's hopefully obvious that this woman is in fact Anna "Cap's dead wife" Sheridan. As Season 3 wound down, the finale's title was withheld as a spoiler until broadcast; I think most viewers paying attention guessed what it would be, but as a long-shot second choice, I also guessed Anna, which is nothing like the silver-age purple-prose SF titles favored by JMS.
** I should note here that the Centauri Prime scenes largely wrap up the major conflicts of the series, some seventeen years hence, and those events, while later referenced, are not explored in any real depth. It's also widely speculated that Sinclair's aging was originally meant to happen organically, and that the events of WWE would take place ca. the series finale, Sleeping in Light, as the last piece of official business for our heroes. This version of events may or may not be true; but as a viewer who enjoys a good structure, I'd prefer it, as it would keep things like Epsilon 3, Draal, and the Great Machine in play until the series end. As produced, Epsilon 3 is seldom referenced and seen only once more, regardless of its obvious utility in the Shadow War...
--
Episode 18: Walkabout
Picking up where Interludes and Examinations left off, we return to the regular structure of the series, and that means arrivals. Most significantly, the new Vorlon ambassador arrives. He's not poisoned as he comes aboard, but maybe should have been; it would he less clumsy an introduction for a much less tolerant Vorlon.
Also related to Kosh's death: his "aide" Lyta Alexander returns, contrite that Kosh was not with her when he died; not even a piece of him... that's Sheridan's burden, and the source of Obi-Wan advice throughout this episode.
Least, but good to see in the long run, is the Narn cruiser G'tok, the same ship aided by B5 in The Fall of Night. The remaining Narn military forces, about ten capital ships, are repairing damaged vessels neglected in the war and wait an opportunity to strike. For now, G'Kar counsels patience.
The B plot is everyone collectively recalling the Shadows' telepath weakness, and Sheridan decides to road-test the theory, stupidly taking only listed-as-P5 Lyta until the rest of the council forces a Minbari escort. This provides some tension as the White Star, with difficulty, manages to kill one Shadow Vessel and validates the telepath advantage.
The title of the episode is our A story; again with an episode full of more interesting details the most sreen time is dumped on Franklin's post-intervention status quo: he's on walkabout. While seeing the more exotic portions of the station, he develops a quick love interest with a terminally ill lounge-singing woman (check out her 20th century mic!). Franklin's luck with women continues...
Pros: The War gets back on track.
Cons: hokey philosophy, awful structure for road-test battle.
Then: B
Now: C+
--
Episode 19: Grey 17 is Missing
The A plot concerns a level of Grey sector that was sealed up and forgotten during construction. It would remain forgotten, except something in it is eating unwary maintenance men. Garibaldi investigates, discovering a cult of rubber-suit-monster worshipers, led by genre A-lister Robert Englund. Primarily an exercise in showing how far B5 rubber-suit-monster technology has evolved since Infection (not very) it also throws out a steam-pipe-and-bullet solution to the problem even dumber than the story's 50s-matinee inspiration.
The B plot follows Delenn to Minbar, where she gathers Sinclair's possessions, and also his legacy: she is desired as the replacement First Ranger. Neroon dissents, arguing that the warrior caste must be in control. Only Marcus' willingness to die to protect her stops the insurgency.
In the C plot, B5 holds auditions for the role of telepath in their epic production of The Third Age of Mankind. It brings in a lot of applicants, but not enough talent willing to work cheaply. Wait! Wasn't someone, currently on a walkabout running an underground railroad for telepaths just last season? Why, yes! Let's go ask him. Even Franklin comments on the inherent problems with the command staff constantly interacting with him even while he's on leave. He gives Ivanova the information she wants with the promise of no more favors.
--
Pros: Lots of important progress in the background.
Cons: ..wrapped in ridiculous packaging.
Then: C-
Now: C
--
Episode 20: And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
Absent five episodes, Londo returns to center stage with another enemy-of-my-enemy idea. He leverages Vir's credibility with the Narn to use G'Kar as a catspaw in his feud with Lord Refa.
On the B plot, A baptist, a rabbi, an imam, and buddhist monk walk onto B5... sadly, the only punchline here is lame squabbling between the baptist and the rarely-seen Brother Theo.
Regarding the war, Sheridan has been tirelessly studying the Shadows' apparently random attacks, looking for some coherent strategy to oppose. Ominously, the episode begins with the countdown: Z-minus 14 days. Delenn, apparently drunk on her new power as First Ranger, would rather John pay attention to the more important things in life. Like her. Even when John arrives at the correct analysis of the enemy strategy, Delenn drags him away to a rousing church service featuring the title song, juxtaposed to passably humorous effect with angry Narn mob justice on Refa.
Pros: Good republic serial villain speech by Londo as he explains his masterstroke.
Cons: Duplicating the cheap-beyond-belief Centauri Palace set on Narn. Them Centauri love backlit curtains!
Then: B+
Now: B+
--
--
* It's hopefully obvious that this woman is in fact Anna "Cap's dead wife" Sheridan. As Season 3 wound down, the finale's title was withheld as a spoiler until broadcast; I think most viewers paying attention guessed what it would be, but as a long-shot second choice, I also guessed Anna, which is nothing like the silver-age purple-prose SF titles favored by JMS.
** I should note here that the Centauri Prime scenes largely wrap up the major conflicts of the series, some seventeen years hence, and those events, while later referenced, are not explored in any real depth. It's also widely speculated that Sinclair's aging was originally meant to happen organically, and that the events of WWE would take place ca. the series finale, Sleeping in Light, as the last piece of official business for our heroes. This version of events may or may not be true; but as a viewer who enjoys a good structure, I'd prefer it, as it would keep things like Epsilon 3, Draal, and the Great Machine in play until the series end. As produced, Epsilon 3 is seldom referenced and seen only once more, regardless of its obvious utility in the Shadow War...
--
Episode 18: Walkabout
Also related to Kosh's death: his "aide" Lyta Alexander returns, contrite that Kosh was not with her when he died; not even a piece of him... that's Sheridan's burden, and the source of Obi-Wan advice throughout this episode.
Least, but good to see in the long run, is the Narn cruiser G'tok, the same ship aided by B5 in The Fall of Night. The remaining Narn military forces, about ten capital ships, are repairing damaged vessels neglected in the war and wait an opportunity to strike. For now, G'Kar counsels patience.The B plot is everyone collectively recalling the Shadows' telepath weakness, and Sheridan decides to road-test the theory, stupidly taking only listed-as-P5 Lyta until the rest of the council forces a Minbari escort. This provides some tension as the White Star, with difficulty, manages to kill one Shadow Vessel and validates the telepath advantage.
Pros: The War gets back on track.
Cons: hokey philosophy, awful structure for road-test battle.
Then: B
Now: C+
--
Episode 19: Grey 17 is Missing
The A plot concerns a level of Grey sector that was sealed up and forgotten during construction. It would remain forgotten, except something in it is eating unwary maintenance men. Garibaldi investigates, discovering a cult of rubber-suit-monster worshipers, led by genre A-lister Robert Englund. Primarily an exercise in showing how far B5 rubber-suit-monster technology has evolved since Infection (not very) it also throws out a steam-pipe-and-bullet solution to the problem even dumber than the story's 50s-matinee inspiration.The B plot follows Delenn to Minbar, where she gathers Sinclair's possessions, and also his legacy: she is desired as the replacement First Ranger. Neroon dissents, arguing that the warrior caste must be in control. Only Marcus' willingness to die to protect her stops the insurgency.
In the C plot, B5 holds auditions for the role of telepath in their epic production of The Third Age of Mankind. It brings in a lot of applicants, but not enough talent willing to work cheaply. Wait! Wasn't someone, currently on a walkabout running an underground railroad for telepaths just last season? Why, yes! Let's go ask him. Even Franklin comments on the inherent problems with the command staff constantly interacting with him even while he's on leave. He gives Ivanova the information she wants with the promise of no more favors.
--
Pros: Lots of important progress in the background.
Cons: ..wrapped in ridiculous packaging.
Then: C-
Now: C
--
Episode 20: And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
 |
| Racial overtones? |
On the B plot, A baptist, a rabbi, an imam, and buddhist monk walk onto B5... sadly, the only punchline here is lame squabbling between the baptist and the rarely-seen Brother Theo.
Pros: Good republic serial villain speech by Londo as he explains his masterstroke.
Cons: Duplicating the cheap-beyond-belief Centauri Palace set on Narn. Them Centauri love backlit curtains!
Then: B+
Now: B+
--
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