"Born to the Purple" discussion [spoilers]

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 1X03, "Born to the Purple". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Extra reading:

The article for "Born to the Purple" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, the bad guys really were... something. Though the not-recognizing-the-station-commander thing is a bit more believable than not recognizing the regular customer; presumably Sinclair doesn't go to the Dark Star otherwise and doesn't make broadcasts on the BabCom - that's what he has Ivanova for *g*. Otoh, in Crusade we get the episode where Lochley makes a bet with Gideon that she'll be recognized without her uniform on the station anyway, wherever they go, and she is, which might be JMS acknowledging this bit of the plot was, err, less than credible. *g*

Ivanova's subplot: also reminds me that this is when she loses the last of her biological family, with her brother gone since the Earth/Minbari war, and we know about her mother. And how fiercely private she is; later in the show she might have shared her father's illness with someone - Garibaldi, Franklin, Talia (if we're talking late s2 before Divided Loyalties), or even Delenn. But not at this point.

[wychwood]

Though the not-recognizing-the-station-commander thing is a bit more believable than not recognizing the regular customer; presumably Sinclair doesn't go to the Dark Star otherwise

Slightly more! But we know he was in there with G'Kar and Londo only, what, two days earlier? And Londo must have been in there all the time. Craziness, anyway. *g*

That's very true about Ivanova - she's very alone here, more so than even after Marcus' death. It's funny - she's never terribly open to people, but in comparison with how she is a couple of years later, she seems desperately closed in on herself. (Though the speech from her father was hilariously As-You-Know-Bob... exposition is hard!)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Exposition is. The funny thing is, JMS swings it far better in Centauri scenes. I mean, Midnight on the Firing Line has Londo give Sinclair the all important information about his death dream and it doesn't feel forced, and in Born to the Purple, Londo and Adira convey information about a society they both come from which still doesn't feel redundant (presumably because when Adira says "I am Centauri; your title pleases me", it comes across as half-teasing, half serious and conveys something about the relatioship as well.

...and then we have Lorien in season 4. Who could be called Walking Exposition. *cringes*