Recap and discussion for Season 2 – The Coming of Shadows

"The Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace. A self-contained world five miles long, located in neutral territory. A place of commerce and diplomacy for a quarter of a million humans and aliens. A shining beacon in space, all alone in the night. It was the dawn of the Third Age of Mankind...the year the Great War came upon us all. This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations. The year is 2259. The name of the place is Babylon 5."
– Captain John Sheridan

The highlights:
Our season begins with HUGE changes. John Sheridan comes aboard as the new Captain, after Sinclair was transferred to Minbar as the first ambassador. Delenn is still in her cocoon and Garibaldi is still in a coma. After someone tries to kill Delenn and some other excitement, Sheridan finally gives his good luck speech, to an empty C&C.

Sheridan’s sister comes to visit. We learn about his wife, Anna.

Morden assures Londo that he cannot be connected to the attack in Quadrant 37. Londo jokingly suggests Morden and his associates hit the Narn homeworld as their next target. Morden tells him “One thing at a time.”

G’kar comes back to B5 convinced that something ancient and evil is out there.

Franklin and Sheridan use the alien device to save Garibaldi.

Delenn comes out of her cocoon as a Minbari with hair… that’s about the only way I know to describe her.


And that’s’ just the beginning.

We have the green and purple debate, the technomages stop at B5 on their way out of the galaxy.

Sheridan’s friend, Jack Maynard, comes a callin’ and tells Sheridan there are strange things out in space. Keffer sees the shadow as they escort Maynard’s ship.

An old ship comes with a hidden passenger, trying to get back to his masters at Z’ha’dum!

We learn about Bureau 13 and how insidious Psi Corp is… actually, we will learn worse soon.

Londo’s wives come to visit. Timov is a delight! One of Talia’s old boyfriends comes by and says he can cure her… Talia has obviously slept with every person she’s ever met.

Bester tortures telepaths. He is one nasty little SOB. He comes to B5 to find some rogues – Talia and the rogue mindf^$k him.

John and Delenn have dinner and begin to make googoo eyes at one another.

The Centauri Emperor comes to B5 and dies before he can make peace with the Narn. Refa and his cohorts take over the government and attack the Narn. The Narn declare war.


Dodger and Garibaldi, Franklin’s dad and the battle in which they are not prepared.


John is abducted and Delenn is demoted and kicked of the Grey Council. John has the dream… yes, that one.

Ivanova has a very strange date with one of the Lumati.

Clark’s doctor comes to hide since he knows Clark was not sick when he left the president to die in the explosion. We find out John has a mission from General Hague.


B5 has merch!

ISN visits and does and expose and very odd one. We see the Psi Corps commercial.

Vir tells Morden what he wants, what he really, really wants.

Franklin starts using stims.

Londo kills his old friend at his request.

The Markab all die, every last one of them.

Talia is a sleeper agent and was Susan’s girlfriend.

We meet Draal.

Londo watches as Narn is bombed into the stone age.

Jack the Ripper comes.

Kosh is an angel-like thingie


~~~

That was a fast recap.

This season has the coming of shadows in many ways: The Shadows and the Centauri alliance, Psi Corps and its relationship with Clark, the Ministry of Peace and the Nightwatch. Shadows are everywhere!

John Sheridan begins his fight with darkness and begins a friendship with Delenn. He is at first a bystander but that will change as well and big time. At first, it isn’t clear which side Sheridan is on, but that is made clear when the inquisitor comes to town.

We begin to see that Babylon 5 is a battleground of sorts simply by virtue of its isolation. It becomes more and more estranged from Earth as the season goes on.

When the Centauri attack the Narn, things move fast and the war is soon over with the complete devastation of the Narn. The season ends with Earth making an alliance with the Centauri while the station seems more neutral. The members of the non-aligned worlds are terrified that they will be next and it does seem that the Centauri are beginning to attack neighbors to create what they are calling a buffer zone.

The season ends with Babylon 5 fighting for its neutrality while Earth is becoming alarmingly and increasingly more totalitarian as the Ministry of Peace and Nightwatch encourage citizens to spy on one another, to report ‘thought crime’. Some of Babylon 5’s officers and security staff belong to this group.

Are they ready for what is coming?

We shall see.

*

Questions:
1. Did you wonder, at first, what side Sheridan was on?
2. What character, in your opinion, grew the most in this season? Why?
3. Did “Comes the Inquisitor” make you begin to question Kosh’s motives?
4. Do you see parallels in B5 and the world today?
5. Would it really have made much difference if the Emperor had lived long enough to apologize to G’kar and the Narn?
6. Did you think that Bureau 13 and Epsilon III would feature more than they ever did?

I hope you all enjoyed this season and will join us for the next one.

Recap and Discussion 2 x 21 – Comes the Inquisitor

This is probably one of the most hated and most loved episodes of the entire series. It was pretty obvious to most early on who Sebastian was.

Here is the recap:

G’kar is telling all who will listen that the Centauri will come for them next… and few really listen. JMS refers to him as Cassandra, a prophet who no one listens to. Another Narn comes to him and says the other person wishes to speak to him.

Kosh tells Delenn that an inquisitor will be coming to determine if she is doing what she is for the right reason. Delenn and Lennier tell Sheridan.

G’kar hurries to meet with a black market arms dealer who agrees to sell him what he wants but at a high price. G’kar agrees and tells the man what his fate will be should he cross them.

In C&C, a Vorlon vessel forms a jumpgate and comes through. Ivanova tells Sheridan who goes to the docking bay to greet the new arrival. A man dressed in late 19th century garb gets off the ship, with tophat and cane.

He comments of the chaos and sin on the station and tells Sheridan he is Sebastian, a man from 19th Century London and that he has been sent by the Vorlons and wishes to get to work; Sheridan is concerned.

Garibaldi confronts G’kar about arms dealing on B5. G’kar does not deny it and Garibaldi tells him he has a contact who can help him do this off the station and thus out of trouble with the station.

Sheridan tells Delenn that she is to go to Grey 19, where things have been set per Sebastian’s wishes. She is sealed in. Sebastian begins. “Who are you?” He asks the same things over and over again, forcing her to examine her motives, her very existence. He even tells her she could die here.

A Centauri comes to Vir, asking a favor of Mollari but Vir sort of runs him and off quickly steps into the elevator with G’kar. Vir asks his forgiveness and G’kar says no, cuts his hand and says “dead” with every drop that falls. The dead cannot forgive.

Sebastian continues, finally asking Delenn if she has ever considered that she might be wrong and she answers “yes”. This seems to throw him and he tells her she can have a ten minute break.

G’kar is speaking the Narn on the station and they question his leadership. One of them finally says they will follow him if he can actually manage to get a message from this one’s family from the Narn homeworld. G’kar agrees.

Back in Grey 19, Delenn calls Sebastian a bully and he gets even worse in his treatment of her.

G’kar asks Sheridan if he can get a message to the Narn homeworld. Sheridan says he will do what he can and after G’kar is gone, he says this is a good job for the Rangers. He says they need to become more involved and this is a good start. He hopes cementying G’kar leadership might stabilize the Narn on the station somewhat as well.

Lennier finds a weak Delenn on the floor and asks her to stop but she refuses. He finally agrees to leave but ask Sheridan to stop this. Sheridan goes to Grey 19, weapon in hand. Sebastian throws him against the wall with some force from his cane and says the other player has arrived. He ask Sheridan "Are you willing to die friendless, alone, deserted by everyone?" Sheridan refuses to answer and finally Delnn demands that Sebastian stop. He asks her if she would die for Sheridan, for the cause and she says yes, because if she does another will take up the cause and another. She does not matter. Life matters and the fight will go on.

He tells her she and Sheridan pass.

Later in the C&C, John asks Ivanova to look up the address Sebastian gave him in the East End of London in 1888.

The Rangers do manage to get a message from the Narn homeworld and the Narn recognizer G’kar as their leader on the station.

Sebastian is leaving. John tells him that has found out something interesting and that he disappeared on November 12, 1888, the same time a grisly bunch of murders ended in White Chapel. Sebastian said he had been trying to clean up the city and the Vorlons had shown him that his reason were wrong and that he’d been doing penance for them ever since. He hopes his job is finally done: "Remembered not as a messenger, remembered not as a reformer, not as a prophet, not as a hero, not even as Sebastian...remembered only...as Jack."

*

Quotes:
"This body is only a shell. You cannot touch me. You cannot harm me. I'm not afraid." ~ Delenn to Sebastian

"How do you know the chosen ones? No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother. Not for millions, .. not for glory, not for fame. For one person, .. in the dark .. where no one will ever know .. or see." ~ Sebastian

"At last, my job is finished. Yours is just beginning. When the darkness comes, know this: you are the right people, in the right place at the right time."~ Sebastian to John and Delenn

*

Questions:
1. JMS took some flack for Jack the Ripper and his overuse on tv shows. Did you find the choice effective? Is there any other figure in history who would be better?
2. Was the purpose of the inquisition to find out if Delenn had the right motives OR was it to harden her resolve, to cement her and Sheridan’s commitment?
3. After seeing the shadows with Morden, did you find the ‘servant’ of the Vorlons any less horrifying? Did it make you wonder about the Vorlons?
4. Since the Vorlons had Sebastian since 1888, who exactly could they have used him on? He mentions others have not lived up to his inquisitions. The other war was way before Sebastian’s time…
5. Do you see any real change in G’kar yet?


*

Sources:
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/043.html
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517638/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Comes_the_Inquisitor
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comes_the_Inquisitor

Recap and discussion 2 x 19 – Divided Loyalties

Delenn and John run into one another at the Universe Today kiosk. Delenn likes the ‘Eye on Minbari’ section. She says she can find out things that she isn’t told from home. Meanwhile on Mars, a man is running through sewers and hands a second man called Derek and data crystal and says tell her it’s not safe.

Ivanova is dining with Talia when she is called into the C&C for a ship without a valid ID. Talia says she has to find a place to stay for the night since her quarters have an air handler problem and Susan offers her place.

Franklin and Garibaldi get the one person off the ship and Garibaldi recognizes her. She is Lyta Alexander, the telepath who was on the station when it opened and left after she scanned Kosh when he was injured. Garibaldi fills Sheridan in.

She comes to in Medlab and goes all crazy, telling Franklin that there is a traitor on the station and she refuses to be alone with any of the command staff until she finds out who it is.

The meeting is called and Lyta tells them she joined a revolutionary group on Mars and found out that B5 has a Psi Corps sleeper agent among its staff. She says she has the password that will activate the person and it must be sent telepathically for it to work. She wants to test them all. Lyta is sent to a cell for her own safety while Sheridan decides.

Sheridan tells Delenn he’s had a tough day and she puts her hand over his. He is called away. Garibaldi says that all he can check of her story checks out and that he believes her. Susan asks Talia if she knew Lyta. Talia said she did and she had done an internship with the Psi Cops. Susan and Talia talk about trust. We certainly know by now that they are more than friends.

Garibaldi transfers Lyta to another, more comfortable cell and someone with black gloves on tries to shoot her but she gets away.

We see Talia reach across an empty bed for Susan, who is not there.

Lyta goes to Delenn while Sheridan has all his security looking for her. He is considering letting Lyta do her test but Ivanova objects. Lyta sends word via Delenn that she will meet them now and do the test… Susan is waiting for Sheridan and tells him she’s a latent telepath.

She says she doesn’t know who she is anymore and Sheridan remembers the dream: “Do you know who I am?”

The meeting happens and John tell Lyta to test people… they all pass and Susan finally lets her scan her… she finds Susan is blocking her then she sends the password and nothing happens so it isn’t Susan either. Talia comes in and Lyta sends the pw - it is Talia. The sleeper tells Susan she was a fool who played right into her hands.

They send Talia away – to Psi Corps, I presume.

Lyta tells Kosh she wanted to see him again and he allows it – all we see is something while and round in her eyes and whoosh sound.

Quotes:

Lyta to Kosh: I'm back. I can't stay. The Captain's made sure I can get away before the Psi Cops get here, but I had to see you again, before my ship leaves. I never told them. I never told anyone. I hid it all away in the smallest, tiniest corner of my mind. They could've killed me and they still wouldn't have found it. Only at night, alone, would I open that small door in my mind where I kept the memory of you and listen to your voice. Listen to you sing me to sleep. I hope I can come back again. But I don't know. Until then - Kosh - I want to see you again. Just one more time before I go.

MY comments: I wanted to comment personally on this one. I have always felt like this episode was contrived and awkward. I know that Talia was not the original sleeper and I thin that is why it never has worked for me. I seriously think Jason Ironheart would have seen something even if the other personality was hiding. Her character seemed to be in grooming to go against Bester and Psi Corps at some future time. She and Susan did not seem to be even good friends and all of a sudden they're lovers? AND after all the falderah with this episode, it was mostly dropped like it never even happened. JMS mentioned in his notes that she wanted lots of screen time and wasn't a team player, so to me, this really was a way of JMS saying "you're fired and your character can NEVER come back!"


Questions:

1. Did you notice that Derek on Mars was a Ranger? Do you think the Rangers are involved in revolution on Mars then?
2. Did anyone have a problem with Jason Ironheart not ‘seeing’ the nasty sleeper inside Talia, given that he was almost powerful enough to be a god?
3. Was Talia the shooter? How could she have done it? Was there time? Is there another traitor on the station?
4. Making Talia the sleeper always seemed very last minute and not very well thought out solution. What did you think?
5. Did you hear the sound Kosh made when he showed himself to Lyta? If you’d have known what he looked like, then you’d have recognized that sound.

Sources:

The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/041.html
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Divided_Loyalties
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517645/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divided_Loyalties

Recap and discussion for 2 x 17 – Knives

This episode seemed really short to me – maybe it’s because there were just 2 plot lines.

We begin with Sheridan hitting baseballs and joined by Garibaldi, who mentions Grey Sector and the B5 Triangle. John, who is always curious, decides to check it out.

Londo and Vir are singing Centauri opera when someone tries to choke Londo. It is his old dueling pal Urza Jaddo, who has come to ask a favor. Londo and Urza were both very prominent duelers at one time and Londo’s family was highly placed. They go to drink Brivari.

Sheridan goes down to Grey Sector and finds a dead Markab with his head bashed. It jerks and grabs Sheridan and there is a strange glow. Franklin checks Sheridan out and finds him okay though Sheridan does seem to be seeing things.

Londo tells Vir of their family alliances and how Urza is a better fighter than he is. Urza and Londo drink and Urza says he is bring accused of being at traitor.

Sheridan awakens to a monster in his room and when he shoots at it, it disappears. Garibaldi thinks he is hallucinating and Sheridan foes to C&C while Garibaldi checks things out. At the C&C, he sees the Icarus come through the gate and explode. He goes to Medlab.

Londo calls Refa about Urza’s problems. Refa tells Londo that he is a traitor and that Londo should distance himself from him,

Sheridan is again playing baseball and Garibaldi tells him the Markab passed through Sector 14 on his way to Babylon 5 – then he tells Sheridan about B4. AND we find out that Earth has removed all records of this from B5 - not knowing that Garibaldi has a copy as well.

Urza throws a banquet for Londo and there, we find out what is going on… Londo and Urza talk and Londo finds out that Refa is the one who accused Urza of Treason because he did not go along with the death of the old emperor and the murder of the PM. Londo says he cannot change his course and must see it through to the end… Urza gives his famous sword to Londo and challenges him to a duel.

Sheridan figures out something while watching the B4 vis report and takes off, leaving his comm in his room.

Vir tries to talk Londo out of the duel but Londo says he must fight urza.

Sheridan takes off for Sector 14 in a Starfury and Garibaldi follows him.

The thing in Sheridan leaves him but almost pulls the Starfury into the rift… Garibnaldi saves him.

Londo and Urza fight and Urza lets Londo kill him… and Londo later tells Vir that the victor becomes responsible for the losers’ family. Urza knew that he would be killed for treason and he wanted to make sure his family was safe. Vir tells him he can turn back but Londo says he must see it through.

Sheridan says he finally figured out that he was host to a being who really just wanted to go home and he took him.


*

Quotes:
Franklin to Sheridan: Well, anyone willing to command Babylon 5 has got to be slightly insane, but I don't think that you're ready for the asylum just yet.

*

Questions:
1. Could Londo have turned back? Or would he have suffered the same fate as Urza?
2. With the story arc material, did Sheridan’s part seem strange to you? Out of place? Or a way to let us know that Earth covered up the B4 incident AND to let Sheridan know it happened?
3. JMS said this episode was supposed to come before In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum. Do you think it makes any difference?

*

Sources:
WikipediaL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knives_(Babylon_5)
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/039.html
The Babylon Projext: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Babylon_5_(TV_series)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517662/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu

I am sorry this is late. I went to the hospital on Monday with a kidney stone and didn't get home until yesterday. I hope to get next Monday up on time... I have to go back for a laser surgery to remove to the stone next Tuesday.

~~~

Recap and discussion for 2 x 16 – In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum

This is the biggie, folks. The proverbial s*^# hits the fan when John sees Morden in a list of the crew of the Icarus that Anna had given to him before she left.

Garibaldi and Allen are watching the refugees from Narn come in. There are more than they have room for.

Morden meets Vir in the Zocalo, tells Vir he wanted to see Londo. Vir says he isn’t on the station. Morden asks Vir what he wants and Vir answers him: I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this. The he wags his fingers in a wave. Morden is angry but he gives Vir a data crystal.

Garibaldi goes to talk to Sheridan about the Narn refugees and John is going through Anna’s things. The photos of Anna’s crewmates on the Icarus are flashing on the screen and Garibaldi recognizes Morden, saying he’s been on the station before.

Garibaldi finds that Morden is still on the station so John asks him to detain him. He wants some answers.

A man named Pierce Macabee visits Talia, telling her he is the regional director for a new government ministry – the Ministry of Peace, and he is giving a lecture and her superiors said she might be of some help or support to him. She agrees to go to the meeting.

Susan catches Franklin dozing and orders him to get some rest and food.

Zack detains Morden when he tries to leave the station. Morden argues about being detained illegally and Sheridan tells him that the dead have no legal recourse. He tells Sheridan that he was rescued by a passing ship and denies any knowledge of Anna.

Franklin eats and drinks and tells Ivanova of his nightmares and of his religion: Foundationist.

John tried to catch Morden in a lie.

The Ministry of Peace meeting begins. Zack is there as well as Talia. The man talks about subversive thoughts and talks about the Nightwatch, designed to watch for bad thought. He encourages the people at the meeting to join for 50 credits a week and all they have to do is keep an eye out fopr troublemakers.

Garibaldi tells Sheridan that he has to let Morden go but he refuses; Garibaldi resigns.

Sheridan makes Zack the head of security and sends him to find Talia. Ivanova talks to Sherodan about Morden. Vir gives him a formal request from the Centauri to release Morden as he is protected by their diplomatic immunity. He refuses, saying Morden is in protective custody.

Talia refuses to scan Morden but Sheridan has her escorted back to her quarters and making sure she is in eye range of Morden. We see what she sees…the shadows. She collapses and goes to Medlab.

Delenn and Kosh ask Sheridan to release Morden and finally, they tell him that they will tell him what Morden won’t but he just release him.

He agrees and Delenn tells him of the Old Ones and how all of them are gone except for one race: the Vorlons, who guard until the ‘shadows’ come again. And she is convinced that they are coming. The message sghe’d sent Kosh before she transformed was “Have the Shadows returned to Z’ha’dum?” and his answer had been yes.

Kosh shows Anna’s ship landing on Z’ha’dum and awakening the shadows, and all the crew had to serve the shadows or die.

Delenn tells him he must let Morden go so the Shadows do nt find out how much they know – last time, the shadows knew and caught them unready. She says they are not yet ready but will be soon. She tells him that Morden is NEVER alone.

Sheridan tells Zack to let Morden go – that they must not let the enemy know who much they know and tells a story about Churchill sacrificing British civilians for the greater good and Zack says: “How many lives is a secret worth?”

Sheridan adjusts the monitor in Morden’s cell until the shadows show up…

Garibaldi comes back.

Morden leaves.

Sheridan asks Kosh to teach him how to fight the shadows and tells him that he will go to Z’ha’dum. Kosh tells him if he does, he will die. John is not deterred.


Zack joins the Nightwatch but doesn’t take it seriously.


*

Quotes:

Morden: What do you want?
Vir Cotto: I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this. [gives a mockingly cheerful finger waggle]
Vir Cotto: Can you and your associates arrange this for me, Mr. Morden?

Capt. John Sheridan: I let him go. But there is a price tag attached. You've been teaching me so we can understand each other. That's not what I want any more. I want you to teach me... how to fight them. How to beat them. Because one day I'm going to go to Z'ha'dum and I'm going to stop them.
Kosh: If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die.
Capt. John Sheridan: Then I die, but I will not go down easily, I will not go down alone! You will teach me?
Kosh: Yes.
*
Questions:
1. Were you surprised when Morden showed up on Anna’s crew list?
2. What did you think of what Vir said to Morden? 
3. Are these shadows the ones G’kar has been talking about as well?
4. Did you find Sheridan unreasonable in his treatment of Morden? How far do you think he would have gone to get the truth?
5. Does Delenn becoming a hybrid make any more sense now that it did before?
6. Does Nightwatch give you a VERY creepy feeling?
*
Sources:
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/038.html
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517657/
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/In_the_Shadow_of_Z'ha'dum
Wikia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Shadow_of_Z%27ha%27dum

Recap and discussion for 2 x 15 – And Now for a Word

36 Hours on Babylon 5
We see Babylon 5 from what can only be Earthgov’s POV. JMS gave the reporter the name Torqueman as a takeoff on Torquemada of the Spanish Inquisition. From the beginning, we see the condescending sarcasm of the reporter and her crew as they try their best to make B5 look as bad as they’re supposed to.

Cynthia Torqueman says the people of Earth are not happy with all the money spent on B5 and she says there is one thing for sure about B5: “Expect the unexpected."

On their approach to B5, they see a Narn ship blow up a Centauri one.

Once on the ship, the reporter tries to talk to Dr. Franklin and Sheridan who are too busy to have time and respond with “No comment.” She does speak with Mollari, who claims that the attack was unprovoked by Centauri while G’Kar says Mollari is lying.

Torqueman interviews the head of the dockworkers, Corwin, and several others who express their liking of B5. Sheridan calls it a New Frontier, Franklin talks about dangerous their work in space and tells a chilling story of a boy being accidentally spaced when he was young.

Our first commercial, we sex IPX, “exploring the past to create a better future.” Sure…

G’kar makes a formal statement that the Centauri ship was filled with Weapons of Mass Destruction and was using B5 as a transfer port for weapons from one ship to another. He says the Narn with shut the station down if the Centauri do not stop this.

Senator Quantrell from Earth asks how much time and money can be ‘wasted’ on B5… He does think that EarthForce is better equipped to fight a war now and B5 is not needed as much though it still has trade uses. Sheridan says Earth is not as ready as they think they are. There is also mention of the Office of Public Information and the Ministry for Public Morale – both instituted by Clark.

Torqueman interviews Ivanova as she directs a HAZMAT team to check out the Centauri wreckage for WMD evidence. The reporter mispronounces her name. Susan says she is Russian and joined the service after her brother was killed in the Earth/Minbari War.

She talk to Garibaldi, who says he is happy for little hopes - hoping for a quiet day, etc. Ivanova interrupts him, telling him they have a problem.

Torqueman tries to interview Kosh but he ignores her – she does get a camera shot of him though.

Delenn is next and she is not prepared for the questions – and comes off as evasive, I think. Torqueman is very accusatory and rude. They are all called to council by the news from the investigation of the Centauri ship.

The ship was carrying weapons, or weapons supplies, whatever that means. G’kar wants every Centauri ship at the station searched and Londo says they will defend themselves if an attempt is made. Just as Sheridan tries to speak, the lights dim as the Narn and Centauri begin firing on one another.

Klaxons are blaring and we hear the sounds of battle outside the station. The tv crew is allowed to use the station cams to show what is going on and we see some of the battle. Sheridan has given Earth ships the go ahead to fire on both Narn and Centauri to disable them and they do finally surrender.

Torqueman interviews both G’kar and Londo and we learn of the occupation of Narn for 100 years and about how his own father was executed, which inspired him to join the freedom fighters. Mollari says the Centauri brought civilization to the Narn, who were backward savages.

A jump point forms and a Centauri battle cruiser comes into B5 space. Mollari tells thw whole station that if the crews and ships are not released unsearched, the cruiser will blockade B5.

Then comes the commercial break from your friendly Psi corps! It’s a doozy! We see a boy who doesn’t fit in so his mom has him tested and he a teep… he goes to Psi Corps for training. Our friendly neighborhood Psi Cop tells us how much the Corps loves teeps and then we get the little subliminal message - "The Psi Corps is your friend. Trust the Corps."

The Centauri cruiser sits while Sheridan decides to force the Centauri into talking but threatening their ship if they make any aggressive actions and they agree to talk. BUT a Narn battle cruiser comes through and begins to fire on the Centauri ship. They destroy it and take heavy damage themselves before trying to jump and blowing up.

Torqueman does conclude that perhaps B5 should be given more time to realize its potential.

*
Quotes:
"There are humans for whom the words "never again" carry special meaning, as they do for us."
– G'Kar

*
Questions:

1. Did you like Cynthia Torqueman?
2. Do you think Mollari or G’kar came off as more believable in the interviews?
3. How do you think you’d have felt, watching this show on Earth at the time?
4. Did Sheridan seem defensive? Did he have cause to be?
5. What did you think of the Psi Corps ad?

*
Sources:

Lurkers Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/037.html
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517627/?ref_=ttep_ep15
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/And_Now_For_a_Word
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Now_for_a_Word