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b5_revisitedRecap and discussion of 3 x 9 – Point of No Return
This is episode in which the proverbial shit hits the fan.
Clark has declared martial law and dissolved the Senate. NIghtwatch is to be Earth security on all places off of Earth, like B5.
Londo and Vir are talking about Vir’s report about the Minabri and is telling him to make sure the Minbari appear less civilized than the Centauri when a call comes in. Lady Morella, the third wife of Emperor Turhan, a seer and prophetess is coming to B5 for a tour. He steps out of his quarters into pandemonium - from the declaration of martial law.
Sheridan and Ivanova are talking to a general, who tells them that the senate has been dissolved and that many of them are on the run, while General Hague has escaped with his ship and is looking to stage a rebellion. Hague had a message for Sheridan: "Everything's gone to hell, John. God help us all. You're on your own."
In the C&C, Sheridan tells the staff to carry as best they can. Corwin asks what they did wrong.
The Nightwatch liaison tells Zack that they are having secret meeting.
Garibaldi lets G’kar go and G’kar tells him that he might have something for him when the time is right.
Lady Morella arrives and she asks why she isn’t met by the earth officials. They tell her that Earth has problems right now.
The word comes from General Smits that security has been assigned by the Political Office to Nightwatch. He tells Sheridan “Respect the chain of command.” We see Nightwatch getting the same info at the same time.
Ta’Lon is standing guard at G’kar’s door. Has been the whole time, as a way to pay his debt. G’kar says his chance to repay his debt is coming soon.
The Nightwatch liaison and Zack start handing out Nightwatch patches – some take them and some refuse. Garibaldi is furious that his security team is being broken up and heads to the meeting place.
Lady Moprella begins her tour, asking Londo the true reason for her visit. He tells her he wants her to see for him – to see if he should escape or embrace his future. She agrees that she will honor his request.
Garibaldi breaks into the NW meeting and overturns tables and raises hell generally. He is relieved iof his job and Zack escorts him out.
G’kar explains that the Narn must be willing to sacrifice themselves to the greater good and to help the humans right now. He has written all his thoughts in a book.
The order for martial law comes in and Sheridan reads it over the station comms but there is rioting and no one is paying attention at all. Londo, Vir and Lady Morella are in the midst of this as well. Word comes over ISN that Hague has escaped at Io. Zack seems to be trying to stay clear of the fighting.
Franklin comes into Sheridan’s office and asks what they’re going to do. As John talks to him, he realizes that the message from General Smits has a covert message as well having to do with the chain of command. He tells Franklin to find Garibaldi in person and meet him.
G’kar walks into the C&C and tell Ivanova he has an idea.
Zack is going to his quarters. When he opens the door, there stands Ivanova, Garibaldi and G’kar. Sheridan comes up behind him and says, “Get in.”
Lady Morella is tending a cut Vir got in the riot and her hand accidently touches Londo’s. She gets several visions, the same ones Londo has.
Zack returns to Nightwatch and tells them that a group of Narns will be landing soon to take over security. He tells the liaison that he couldn’t play along and had to inform him.
G’kar tells the station’s Narns that he will need their help more than ever.
At 0230, it happens. Nigthwatch gets ready to catch the Narns as they disembark from their ship. They go to docking bay 8 and are at the ready when Zack says “Now” into his comm. Zack escapes as the docking bay doors close. Sheridan and the rest arrive. Zack rips off his armband and tells Garibaldi they’re all his. Sheridan then tells them that they’re under arrest for ignoring the chain of command. The Political office had no authority to declare martial law, therefore it is not valid on B5. He tells them they can stay locked in the docking bay or they can surrender their weapons and go back to their quarters.
Ivanova points out that that Clark will fix it soon enough and Franklin points out that they have no security now. Baribaldi calls in G’kar and his security detail. There were enough Narns of B5 to make up the detail and the bit about a ship coming in with Narns was a trap for Nightwatch.
Lady Morella tells Londo this: he has already had 2 chances to avoid the fate he sees and he will have 3 more, to save the eye that does not see, to not kill the one who is already dead, or at the last, to submit to his fear, knowing it will destroy him. Then she tells Londo he will one day be emperor and SO WILL VIR. One will die and the other will come to power.
The Narn begin their duties as the Nightwatch personnel turn in their gear. G’kar tells Sheridan he wants in on the Conspiracy of Light. John says he will talk to the others.
Vir and Londo seem quite uncomfortable with Lady Morella’s prophecy.
Delenn returns and they find out that the ships with Hague have been shot down but his ship escaped. B5 is likely the next target…
NOTE:
Majel Barrett plays Lady Morelli. JMS gave her the script at a convention and she read it overnight and accepted it the next day. This has been said to be ST’s apology for DS9 being so derivative of B5. I do not know about that. I like both shows very much.
*
Quotes:
Lady Morella: Greatness is never appreciated in youth, called pride in middle age, dismissed in old age, and reconsidered in death. Because we cannot tolerate greatness in our midst we do all we can to destroy it. She was speaking of her husband (and some say of Gene Roddenberry as well).
Ta’Lon: Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers.
*
Questions:
1. Did you think there was an embedded message in the conversation with General Smits before it was revealed?
2. Were you surprised at Lady Morella’s predictions? That Vir, too, would be emperor?
3. Can you explain her prophesy to save the eye that does not see, to not kill the one who is already dead, or at the last, to submit to his fear, knowing it will destroy him? I’d love anyone else’s take on it.
4. Did you think Zack represented ‘everyman’ in that he wasn’t surer who to believe? He did seem to waver a lot.
5. So was he coerced into joining Sheridan, et al?
6. Did you find this episode as creepy as I did? Were the parallels to now and our own governmental problems as obvious to anyone else as to me?
*
Sources:
IMDB Quotes: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517679/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Point_of_No_Return
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/053.html
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_No_Return_(Babylon_5)
This is episode in which the proverbial shit hits the fan.
Clark has declared martial law and dissolved the Senate. NIghtwatch is to be Earth security on all places off of Earth, like B5.
Londo and Vir are talking about Vir’s report about the Minabri and is telling him to make sure the Minbari appear less civilized than the Centauri when a call comes in. Lady Morella, the third wife of Emperor Turhan, a seer and prophetess is coming to B5 for a tour. He steps out of his quarters into pandemonium - from the declaration of martial law.
Sheridan and Ivanova are talking to a general, who tells them that the senate has been dissolved and that many of them are on the run, while General Hague has escaped with his ship and is looking to stage a rebellion. Hague had a message for Sheridan: "Everything's gone to hell, John. God help us all. You're on your own."
In the C&C, Sheridan tells the staff to carry as best they can. Corwin asks what they did wrong.
The Nightwatch liaison tells Zack that they are having secret meeting.
Garibaldi lets G’kar go and G’kar tells him that he might have something for him when the time is right.
Lady Morella arrives and she asks why she isn’t met by the earth officials. They tell her that Earth has problems right now.
The word comes from General Smits that security has been assigned by the Political Office to Nightwatch. He tells Sheridan “Respect the chain of command.” We see Nightwatch getting the same info at the same time.
Ta’Lon is standing guard at G’kar’s door. Has been the whole time, as a way to pay his debt. G’kar says his chance to repay his debt is coming soon.
The Nightwatch liaison and Zack start handing out Nightwatch patches – some take them and some refuse. Garibaldi is furious that his security team is being broken up and heads to the meeting place.
Lady Moprella begins her tour, asking Londo the true reason for her visit. He tells her he wants her to see for him – to see if he should escape or embrace his future. She agrees that she will honor his request.
Garibaldi breaks into the NW meeting and overturns tables and raises hell generally. He is relieved iof his job and Zack escorts him out.
G’kar explains that the Narn must be willing to sacrifice themselves to the greater good and to help the humans right now. He has written all his thoughts in a book.
The order for martial law comes in and Sheridan reads it over the station comms but there is rioting and no one is paying attention at all. Londo, Vir and Lady Morella are in the midst of this as well. Word comes over ISN that Hague has escaped at Io. Zack seems to be trying to stay clear of the fighting.
Franklin comes into Sheridan’s office and asks what they’re going to do. As John talks to him, he realizes that the message from General Smits has a covert message as well having to do with the chain of command. He tells Franklin to find Garibaldi in person and meet him.
G’kar walks into the C&C and tell Ivanova he has an idea.
Zack is going to his quarters. When he opens the door, there stands Ivanova, Garibaldi and G’kar. Sheridan comes up behind him and says, “Get in.”
Lady Morella is tending a cut Vir got in the riot and her hand accidently touches Londo’s. She gets several visions, the same ones Londo has.
Zack returns to Nightwatch and tells them that a group of Narns will be landing soon to take over security. He tells the liaison that he couldn’t play along and had to inform him.
G’kar tells the station’s Narns that he will need their help more than ever.
At 0230, it happens. Nigthwatch gets ready to catch the Narns as they disembark from their ship. They go to docking bay 8 and are at the ready when Zack says “Now” into his comm. Zack escapes as the docking bay doors close. Sheridan and the rest arrive. Zack rips off his armband and tells Garibaldi they’re all his. Sheridan then tells them that they’re under arrest for ignoring the chain of command. The Political office had no authority to declare martial law, therefore it is not valid on B5. He tells them they can stay locked in the docking bay or they can surrender their weapons and go back to their quarters.
Ivanova points out that that Clark will fix it soon enough and Franklin points out that they have no security now. Baribaldi calls in G’kar and his security detail. There were enough Narns of B5 to make up the detail and the bit about a ship coming in with Narns was a trap for Nightwatch.
Lady Morella tells Londo this: he has already had 2 chances to avoid the fate he sees and he will have 3 more, to save the eye that does not see, to not kill the one who is already dead, or at the last, to submit to his fear, knowing it will destroy him. Then she tells Londo he will one day be emperor and SO WILL VIR. One will die and the other will come to power.
The Narn begin their duties as the Nightwatch personnel turn in their gear. G’kar tells Sheridan he wants in on the Conspiracy of Light. John says he will talk to the others.
Vir and Londo seem quite uncomfortable with Lady Morella’s prophecy.
Delenn returns and they find out that the ships with Hague have been shot down but his ship escaped. B5 is likely the next target…
NOTE:
Majel Barrett plays Lady Morelli. JMS gave her the script at a convention and she read it overnight and accepted it the next day. This has been said to be ST’s apology for DS9 being so derivative of B5. I do not know about that. I like both shows very much.
*
Quotes:
Lady Morella: Greatness is never appreciated in youth, called pride in middle age, dismissed in old age, and reconsidered in death. Because we cannot tolerate greatness in our midst we do all we can to destroy it. She was speaking of her husband (and some say of Gene Roddenberry as well).
Ta’Lon: Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers.
*
Questions:
1. Did you think there was an embedded message in the conversation with General Smits before it was revealed?
2. Were you surprised at Lady Morella’s predictions? That Vir, too, would be emperor?
3. Can you explain her prophesy to save the eye that does not see, to not kill the one who is already dead, or at the last, to submit to his fear, knowing it will destroy him? I’d love anyone else’s take on it.
4. Did you think Zack represented ‘everyman’ in that he wasn’t surer who to believe? He did seem to waver a lot.
5. So was he coerced into joining Sheridan, et al?
6. Did you find this episode as creepy as I did? Were the parallels to now and our own governmental problems as obvious to anyone else as to me?
*
Sources:
IMDB Quotes: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517679/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Point_of_No_Return
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/053.html
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_No_Return_(Babylon_5)
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no subject
Date: 2016-12-12 10:32 pm (UTC)Do not kill the one who is already dead: I think this refers to sparing Morden. Not just a morally good thing, but if Morden hadn't been killed he'd probably have been so outraged that the Shadows abandoned him that he'd have spilled the beans about the Drakh, which might have prevented the Centauri coming under their influence.
Submit to his fear knowing that it will destroy him: the one he finally passed, accepting the Keeper to protect his people.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-12 10:54 pm (UTC)Do not kill the one who is already dead: might be about Sheridan BUT he didn't kill him so he wasn't daved by that chance... I guess it had to be Morden.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-12 11:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-12 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-17 08:44 pm (UTC)Also I can't stop hearing Corwin...How did this happen? What did we do wrong?
no subject
Date: 2016-12-17 11:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-28 07:16 pm (UTC)2. I likely should not have been surprised by Lady Morella's predictions.
3. Others have addressed this better than I.
4. Yes.
5. No.
6. Yes, and looking back, years after first watching the series, the parallels should have been clear to me. Joe was keeping his eyes open to that possibility, always. Still is, going by his Twitter commentaries.