"The War Prayer" discussion [spoilers]

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 1X07, "The War Prayer". 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 "The War Prayer" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[wychwood]

Oh, there's so much here!

- the Centauri - we get quite a lot of insight into Centauri noble society from this one. The emphasis, again, on tradition; Londo's arranged marriages; the emphasis on power and wealth. Also, on a more personal level, Londo's marshmallow centre *g* and again the glimpse of vulnerability ("my shoes are too tight, and I have forgotten how to dance"). I also notice that Vir really stands up to Londo here; he argues with him early on, and then comes back all geared up to tell Londo that he's wrong *g*. Vir's gentle and mild most of the time, but he does have that ability to "speak truth to power". And I like the way Londo manages to manipulate the respect for custom and tradition to get what he wants!

- Ivanova. Oh, poor Ivanova. And this is only the first of her poor romantic choices! She does fall for the worst possible people. I love how Christian plays it, too; we can see Ivanova's pain and hurt, as she subsumes it into her duty. But I do love that first scene with her and Garibaldi, arm-twisting and bantering and generally winding each other up *g*. Those two are so much fun to watch together.

- the call-back to the pilot! Sinclair, like most of us, wants to know why the plot didn't make sense *g*. OK, so we still don't get an answer, but I love that they mentioned it like that.

- the Home Guard - that's a thread that'll come back plenty of times yet. Creepy, dangerous, yet super-dumb (I couldn't believe they were actually *convinced* by Sinclair! *g*)

- and G'Kar, after last episode's uncharacteristic (so far!) act of generosity, is back to his usual demagoguery and general trouble-making. He has a long way to go yet.

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

- and G'Kar, after last episode's uncharacteristic (so far!) act of generosity, is back to his usual demagoguery and general trouble-making. He has a long way to go yet.

Though he still had a point, no? He didn't know what Sinclar & Company were doing to stop the attacks, and even if he had I'm not sure it would have made him feel better to know that the senior command was posing as violent racists.

I noted Delenn's facial expression while Sinclair was snubbing the alien woman. I wonder if she ever followed up on him (and possibly reprimanded him for his rather stupid plan).

[wychwood]

I wonder if she ever followed up on him (and possibly reprimanded him for his rather stupid plan).

I like to think so! *g*

I don't think G'Kar had enough of a point to justify inciting a riot. Yes, it's annoying that nothing visible is being done, but it's not always possible to solve things on command. He doesn't, at that point, have any real reason to assume that the senior staff *are* engaging in bad faith, and they actually are working flat-out to try and catch the bad guys. I think he's being unreasonable - and even if he were totally right, starting a riot still isn't much of a help with the overall problem!

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. He had some right on his side but was pushing it to far, probably more for his own aggrandizement than a genuine desire to help aliens (and does he honestly care about non-Narn aliens at this point? Likely not.)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I couldn't believe they were actually *convinced* by Sinclair!

Is this a slander on our good commander's acting abilities? *veg*

BTW, I agree with likeadeuce that G'Kar had a point but also on this stage was more interested in being against something than for something.

[wychwood]

I adore Sinclair, but he was so utterly unconvincing as an Ev0l Villain *g*.

[beccastareyes]

I wonder if some of the reputation of the folks who fought on the Line helped with this. I mean, it was a pretty iconic battle -- Earth's last defense against the invading Minbari, something that most people expected to be a heroic failure even when it was being planned*, saved only by aliens being inscrutable.

* But still worth doing. Says a lot about humans that something like this becomes so iconic.

Knowing that Sinclair was on the Line probably primed Malcom's expectations, especially if he knew veterans from that battle had been easily recruited before.

[kathrid.livejournal.com]

Except he's only reaching back to something has did feel. In the next episode he says 'It was years before I could look at a Minbari without wanting to strangle him with my bare hands' with real venom. I liked his act here, precisely because it made sense. He's actually moved on, but Biggs has probably met several people who couldn't and so is convinced.

[wychwood]

No, I suppose there's a point there. I can see why Biggs would buy it, particularly since a) he would want to, and b) there's the "loyalty test" and all lined up for him, so they're not just taking him for that one comment. I just - watching, I found Sinclair utterly unconvincing *g*.