Guide Page: "Ruling from the Tomb"

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

Overview

Gideon and Lochley clash on Mars as a group of religious zealots threatens a conference on the plague.

Production number: 111
Original air date: July 14, 1999
DVD release date: December 7, 2004

Written by Peter David
Directed by John Copeland

Since the plague hit Earth, a number of doomsday cults have appeared on Earth. One of the most extreme, Sacred Omega, is willing to kill to prevent a cure from being found, since it believes the plague is God's punishment for mankind's corruption.
Trace Miller ("War Zone") was once studying to be a Foundationist priest. He witnessed something horrible, which shattered his faith and caused him to drop out of his training.
Max grew up on Mars. He spent most of his childhood studying, but occasionally was able to slip away and venture into the seedier sections of town.

Dureena said she gave a guy a chance once. What were the circumstances, and what happened?
Franklin is still on Earth, according to Lochley. Assuming he still holds his post as head of the Earth's xenobiological research program ("The Ragged Edge") he is presumably playing a key role in Earth-based research to find a cure.

Max is an expert dancer.
When Trace is interrogated after being attacked, a sign on the wall can be seen; it reads "Phobos." That was the name of the bar where Sheridan was captured in "The Face of the Enemy." On the other hand, it may be a common name for Martian bars, since Phobos is one of Mars' moons.
The streets mentioned in the episode are all named after well-known pieces of Mars fiction. Bradbury Street is a reference to Ray Bradbury, author of "The Martian Chronicles." Burroughs Street refers to Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote a series of stories about Mars featuring a character named John Carter, for whom Carter Street is named. This isn't the first reference to John Carter in the B5 universe; a John Carter is referred to as one of the first Martian colonists in "A Spider in the Web."
Another Bradbury reference: Max was drinking "dandelion wine" at the bar. "Dandelion Wine" is the name of a 1957 novel by Bradbury.
Text of the conference banner:
EARTH ALLIANCE HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Plague Eradication
Management Strategies
Mars Conference
June 15, 2267
The bomb timer stops on 18. In Hebrew, 18 is spelled out as "chai," which means "life."

Gideon can be seen to wear a ring in this episode. What's it for?
It's his Earthforce Academy graduation ring.
When Chambers is waiting to be met by Gideon, it looks like there are people holding signs reading "Copeland" and "Straczynski". True?
Yes on the first, no on the second.