Contents: Overview - Backplot - Questions - Analysis - Notes - JMS

Overview

Another attack on an Alliance ship brings Garibaldi to the Drazi homeworld to search for a witness. G'Kar finds himself the object of unwanted attention.

P5 Rating: 8.57

Production number: 513
Original air date: April 8, 1998
DVD release date: April 13, 2004

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by John Copeland

An episodic soundtrack is available.

Plot Points

• Garibaldi's drinking has begun to seriously impair his ability to do his job, and although he seems to realize he has a problem, he has so far refused to mention it to anyone.
• While G'Kar was with Londo on Centauri Prime, some Narn broke into his quarters and stole his book. It has, in under a month, gained great popularity, and may soon outsell the Book of G'Quon. As a result, many Narn now consider G'Kar a holy figure, and are gathering on Babylon 5 to hear him speak.
• Franklin has been offered a position in Earthdome, as head of xenobiological research. The position is currently held by Dr. Benjamin Kyle ("The Gathering") but Kyle intends to step down at the end of the year. Franklin will use the position to continue his research on cross-species diseases ("Strange Relations.")
• Although Alliance member worlds are officially obliged to boycott certain products (dust and some other drugs, certain biological weapons, etc.) many of them simply use smugglers to trade in forbidden goods unofficially.

Unanswered Questions

• Who was the Drazi who attacked Garibaldi's friend?
• Did G'Kar get the original copy of his book back? Will he continue to work on it, or was it finished?

Analysis

• Although the conclusion was correct, Garibaldi's evidence that the Centauri are involved in the attacks on Alliance ships wasn't very solid. Londo appeared to believe that buttons from palace guards weren't particularly hard to come by; given that the parties behind the attacks had planted evidence before, an item pointing to the Centauri could have been just another attempt at misdirection.

Notes

• G'Kar started writing his book in B5's brig in "Messages from Earth."
• Garibaldi drinks "Afterburner" brand whiskey.
• It hurts more to punch Drazi than other races.
• Drazi are vulnerable to motion sickness.
• The streets of Drazi cities are all extremely narrow, an architectural holdover from pre-flight times intended to make it harder for invading armies to maneuver.
• Drazi homes tend to have large open patio areas, since Drazi are traditionally an outdoor race.

jms speaks

• Each season we have increased the amount of CGI we've done, both in the amount and the complexity of the shots, and this season is no exception. We're trying some new things, different kinds of CGI...you'll see some of that in "The Ragged Edge," for instance. Much more sophisticated compositing, more difficult to shoot, but more visually interesting.

• Now that Londo is back, why doesn't Sheridan warn him about what he saw in "War Without End?"
  This comes from not separating out what we the viewers know, from what the characters know.

  What Sheridan knows is that 17 years from now, Londo had something on his shoulder called a Keeper, which may or may not have a direct connection with the apparent attack on Centauri Prime by Shadow allies.

  What he doesn't know is, did this happen 16 years ago? Or six months ago? What process led it to happen? What should he be warning Londo *about*? He saw the result...but what process, what event should he warn Londo about to avoid this? He doesn't know that the Regent has a keeper, the Regent could be acting in these ways for his own reasons entirely.

  Further, there's a certain trickiness about time stuff. Okay, so he warns Londo about something he doesn't really understand...does he now change the future? Does he have someone else other than Londo now on the throne, who won't spare his and Delenn's lives?

  There are too many variables, and not enough actually known by him, to say anything that would be of any use to anyone.

Last update: May 27, 2024