Recap and Discussion for 5 x 14 – Meditations on the Abyss

Delenn is sleepless, then a triangle by the bed begins to glow. She gets up and makes some excuse to John about going to her quarters for something. She goes to a very sleazy bar somewhere and is hit on by a rather rude man then when he threatens her, someone steps in and saves her. It is Lennier and he has come to her summons.


She tells him they need proof that the Centauri are the ones who are raiding the shipping lanes and she wants him to find it. She says she does nnot want John to know because his caring for her would color his actions. She has made arrangements for him to go on WS 27 as a recruit being trained in combat. This will place him where he needs to be.

He tells her that on the Day of the Dead, Morden came to him and predicted he would betray the Rangers.

Londo is home and Vir comes in with an armload of supplies. He admits he’s been eating junk food at McBari’s while Londo was gone. Londo discovers a bug on the package from the Drazi vendor. After disposing of the bug, he tells Vir that he will be the new ambassador to B5.


Lennier reports to his ship and his captain, Montoya. Montoya says their ship is called the Maria after his sister.

G’akr tells Delenn, John and the Drazi ambassador that he must leave soon to get his matching eye. The Drazi ambassador tells John that they believe that he knows who the raiders are and that they demand action soon. John says they will do something as soon as they have proof.

Londo comes in and tells them there was a listening device in his quarters.

Montoya sends Lennier and Findell out to train in fighters. Their air somehow is limited to 1 hour’s worth. Lennier tells the other Minbari to relax and use his training but he panics. The Maria returns just as their air is about to run out. The captain explains that this may happen to them someday and a Ranger knows that the mission is all… Death is not important.

Franklin replaces G’kar’s eye with one that matches and tells G’kar that he has been reading his book and would like to come to one of his teachings. G’kar agrees. Franklin asks about a brown circular stain on the book… G’kar says holy books are reproduced exactly as they are and that is a coffee stain from Mr. Garibaldi.

G’kar is speaking to his followers about learning to laugh at ourselves and one of them asks, “What is truth? What is god?” G’kar uses a metaphor of a lamp and how we perceive the light but all his followers want is a quotable thought so he tells them the truth is a river and god is at the head of it… that satisfies them but Franklin is smiling. He understood.

Vir goes to the merchant who planted the bug and yells at him and the Drazi merchant tells him he is weak and foolish and to go away. Vir goes to Londo’s quarters, takes a sword off the wall and returns to hack the Drazi’s shop to pieces and to give him a piece of his mind too. He makes the Drazi apologize. Londo tells Zack that he is now ready to be ambassador.


Montoya tells the recruits that they are hunting 39 devices in a debris field and that each one must bring back 10 … there are 4 of them. Findell says he didn’t want to be a Ranger but did so because some of his family members had died as Anla Shok.

When they go out to do their test, Findell turns off all his communications and guns and decides to die. Lennier ignores his mission to save the boy by shooting his engines.

Montoya yells at them and gives Lennier a failing grade. He sends Findell to Tuzanor to find out if recruits TRULY want to be Rangers. After Findell is gone, he tells Lennier he knows what he did and he shouldn’t assume that no one is listening just because his comm is set to private.

John, Delenn, Franklin and Zack are eating and talking about Vir. Delenn says she invited Garibaldi and wonders where he is.

Garibaldi is drunk in his room.

**

Quotes
G'Kar: If I take a lamp and shine it toward the wall, a bright spot will appear on the wall. The lamp is our search for truth, for understanding. Too often we assume that the light on the wall is God. But the light is not the goal of the search; it is the result of the search. The more intense the search, the brighter the light on the wall. The brighter the light on the wall, the greater the sense of revelation upon seeing it! Similarly, someone who does not search, who does not bring a lantern with him, sees nothing. What we perceive as God, is the byproduct of our search for God. It may simply be an appreciation of the light, pure and unblemished, not understanding that it comes from us. Sometimes we stand in front of the light and assume that we are the center of the universe. God looks astonishingly like we do! Or we turn to look at our shadow, and assume that all is darkness. If we allow ourselves to get in the way, we defeat the purpose; which is to use the light of our search to illuminate the wall in all its beauty - and in all its flaws. And in so doing better understand the world around us.

Montoya: ...Death is not the enemy. Death simply is.

Vir: "Now...wanna finish our little conversation, spoo-for-brains?"

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Questions:
1. Did you find Findell to be quite whiny?
2. Did you think Lennier’s reasons for joining the Rangers were as wrong as his?
3. Did you think the first mission with the fighters was a lesson or an accident at first?
4. Do you think John has any idea of what Delenn is up to?
5. What did you think of G’kar’s explanation of the light?


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Sources:
The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/102.html
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517667/quotes/?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
The Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Meditations_on_the_Abyss
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations_on_the_Abyss
Sadgeezers: http://sadgeezer.com/Babylon-5-Season-5-14-Meditations-the-Abyss.htm