"Z'ha'dum" discussion

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 3X22 "Z'ha'dum". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Summary:
Anna Sheridan returns.

Extra reading:
The article for "Z'ha'dum" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Anna Sheridan – well, for all the build-up and foreshadowing, she proves to be nothing more than a plot device to get Sheridan to Z’ha’dum. The most interesting scene involving her is Sheridan confronting Delenn, and, of course, she’s not in it. I think one problem is that Sheridan finds out extremely quickly that it’s not really Anna, the other problem is that, well, we don’t actually know Anna, so finding that out doesn’t have much impact.

(On the other hand, if it had been, say, Sinclair and Catherine Sakai, this episode would probably have ended up giving me the same nightmares as “Divided Loyalties”, so I guess I’m not really complaining.)

Point taken. I am glad Catherine escaped Anna's fate, which most likely would have been hers had Sinclair remained the leading man. I think the s2 ep where we get to see the Anna messages via Sheridan's sister was supposed to give an impression of what she was like as a person, which helps feeling the loss of that person, but that doesn't always work, and of course there wasn't exactly room for lengthy flashbacks on Sheridan's part. (Hm. Otoh, I think Atonment gives us a good impression of what Dukhat was like, and his relationship with Delenn.) I have to confess my own idea of Anna Sheridan was mostly formed by roleplay over at theatrical_muse where for a while we had an interesting, saved-from-Z'ha-dum and restored to self awareness by Technomages Anna.

Cut him entirely, split his exposition between false Anna and Morden, and I think the big exposition scene would be a lot stronger – if nothing else, after “In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”, Morden and Sheridan really needed another big confrontation.

I'm with you. That would have been much better.

Alright, one positive note – while I find Sheridan’s logic dubious in the extreme, I do love that he is apparently perfectly happy to sacrifice everything and walk into an obvious trap… to prevent the destruction of Centauri Prime. Now there’s a guy who understands what the show he’s in is about!

Oh yes. *pets Sheridan, bless his Centauri-friendly soul* It's also the only dubious explanation, other than complete amnesia post Z'ha'dum, for his inability to put 2 + 2 together in season 5. He could have been so majorly invested in the idea that he saved Centauri Prime by going to Z'ha'dum that his subconscious refused to acknowledge any other possibility.