"Voices of Authority" discussion

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 3X05, "Voices of Authority". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Summary:
Ivanova tries to find new allies among the First Ones with the help of Draal, while Sheridan tries to keep this a secret from the station's new political officer.

Extra reading:
The article for "Voices of Authority" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You know, I realized I must have always skipped this episode upon my dvd rewatchs before because I don't recall seeing it in English until now, and the dubbed version missed out that it was Ed Wasser's voice talking to Clark, i.e. that it was Morden who notified Clark of Santiago's demise.

I am amused that between the season opening and this episode, JMS seems to have redrafted Marcus' character. Now Mr. "I don't talk unless I've got something to say" the brooding hero has become the lightheartedly prattling Ivanova foil I usually think of when recalling Marcus Cole. (Good redraft, too.)

The Julie Musante plot: agreed that her hitting on Sheridan as a way of political control doesn't age too well, but that the whole "no homeless, no problems" discussion is still effective. Back then I thought Musante was a satire on both fascist and Orwellian types. (Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia...) These days, I'm more reminded of the more recent past.

The Zack-Garibaldi scene is my favourite thing about the episode, though, because of its emotional reality. And I really like that Zack's deepening dilemma of his involvement with Nightwatch versus principles isn't made easier by Garibaldi being nice, understanding and forgiving. (I'm thinking of the "oh, but character X would so have gone light side if only the good guys hadn't been so mean and judgmental" reactions in fandoms of other shows, about Lindsey MacDonald in the first season of Angel, for example.) It makes Zack's eventual choice far more effective.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

Maybe the first episode Marcus characterisation was because he was trying to follow some official Ranger persona, but then he loosened up?

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You could be on to something. As was observed last time, Marcus in the first episode is as cryptic as Soon to be Valen!Sinclair. Clearly, he was still following his role model then and now has reverted to his real self. *g*

[widsidh.livejournal.com]

Re: Orwellian character/recent past

The two are not mutually exclusive, as somneone (or probably more than someone) once said, those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. Orwell and JMS are commenting on the same things, and since Orwell came first, JMS references. I don't think Mustante was meant as a satire, but certainly, she is an Orwellian character used to comment on the present (or the dangerous potential within it, which was to be come our recent past). There are quite a lot of explicit Orwellr eferences in B5., the Ministry of Peace itself being one of them.

Redefining language was also an Orwellian theme.
I am, however, impressed how candid she is about it ("since we rewrote the dictionary")- it shows how confident Clark's Regime already is. Dramatically, I like this line - it gives me the appropriate chills.

General: Back in the day, this was the second episode I watched properly ever, and between WFG and this, I think I pretty much saw the scope of the show...