Plot Synopsis:
Babylon 4: When the C&C detects strange tachyon emissions emanating from sector 14 - an area of space located three hours away from Babylon 5 - Ivanova dispatches one of the station's Starfury pilots to investigate. Alas, this pilot meets a rather unfortunate end, but not before he sees Babylon 4 - the previous Babylon station - appear in sector 14 out of thin air.
When Sinclair and Ivanova see the abbreviation "B4" scratched into the dead man's belt buckle, they are understandably incredulous; as far as they know, Babylon 4 mysteriously disappeared after coming online years ago. The presence of the other station is confirmed, however, when the C&C receives a distress signal carrying Babylon 4's identification code. Sinclair, Garibaldi, and several pilots assemble and head out to sector 14 to evacuate Babylon 4's skeleton crew.
When they arrive, Sinclair and Garibaldi discover that Babylon 4 is surrounded by a distortion field. Sinclair orders the other ships from Babylon 5 to hang back while he and Garibaldi go in to check things out. Once on board, Sinclair learns from the station commander, Krantz, that Babylon 4 has become "unstuck in time." Indeed, Sinclair experiences this reality for himself when, out of the blue, he experiences a time jump and sees Garibaldi at some undetermined moment fighting off an advancing enemy.
Krantz explains to Sinclair that the time distortions began twenty-four hours after Babylon 4 became operational. Then Krantz takes Sinclair to his prisoner: an alien who calls himself Zathras. Zathras claims that Babylon 4 is needed as a base of operations for those fighting a great war on the side of the light. "We will pull this place through time to save us all," he says.
At that moment, one of Krantz' men rushes in. "It's back," he reports. Outside of the room where Zathras is being detained, Sinclair, Garibaldi, and the others see a flickering figure in a blue space suit. "It's the One!" Zathras proclaims. Sinclair reaches out to touch the outstretched hand of the figure and is hit with a shock that throws him across the corridor. While the others are distracted tending to Sinclair, Zathras rushes over to the suited figure, hands him a device, and tells him that it's fixed. The figure disappears. Zathras tries to run away, but he is recaptured. "Leave or be trapped here forever," Zathras says to Sinclair.
As Garibaldi supervises the continued evacuation effort, he experiences a time jump of his own - this time to the moment when his relationship with Lise ended. Meanwhile, Zathras informs Sinclair that he has given his only time stabilizer to "the One" and will die the next time Babylon 4 jumps in time. Krantz wants to take Zathras with him to serve as an explanation for Babylon 4's disappearance, but Zathras informs Krantz that he will also die if he is taken off Babylon 4. At any rate, the question becomes moot, for when the station is hit by a serious tremor, a beam falls and pins Zathras to the deck. Zathras begs Sinclair to leave him behind, insisting that Sinclair has a destiny to fulfill. Sinclair reluctantly leaves with Garibaldi and the others.
As Babylon 4 begins to wink out of existence in the present time, we once again see the blue-suited figure. The figure takes off his helmet, and we see that it is an older version of Sinclair. This older Sinclair laments that he could not warn his friends about what's coming, and a woman reaches out and tells him it is time to go. "They're waiting for us," the woman says in a voice that sounds very much like Delenn's.
Back on Babylon 5, the Sinclair of the present day speculates that Babylon 4 may pop up again.
Delenn Chooses Her Path: While all of the above is going on, Delenn is summoned by the Grey Council. Appearing in the Council chamber, Delenn is dismayed to learn that she has been selected as Dukhat's successor. This is an appointment Delenn does not wish to take, as she believes her destiny lies with Babylon 5 and the humans. The Council warns Delenn that should she refuse their selection, she will no longer be Grey - and that her leaving may cause divisions among the remaining members of the Council. Delenn, however, sticks to her decision. She tells the Council that staying with the humans is the calling of her heart and asks them to select another to be leader. The Council ultimately votes to agree to Delenn's request. Later, as Delenn is preparing to leave the Council's cruiser, a member of the Council gives her one of the three extant Triluminaries; this Council member believes Delenn will have more need of the Triluminary than the Council will.
Overall: 7.8
This is another strong episode that contributes much to the Arc. Indeed, the only reason it falls below an eight is that some of the guests put in unimpressive performances.
Writing: 8.5
Like last week's episode, this one is best appreciated once you have seen what it's setting up. We see, for example, Delenn making her fateful choice to link her future to that of the human race in a lovely set of scenes that foreshadows much that will follow, including Delenn's physical transformation and the breaking of the Grey Council. Meanwhile, on Babylon 4, we hear portents of a "Great War" between the forces of darkness and the forces of light, and we hear from the lips of Zathras himself that Sinclair has a mysterious special destiny to fulfill. It's all very fascinating stuff even if you are unspoiled - but if you are spoiled, you recognize once again the benefits of Straczynski's style of long-range planning.
Acting: 7.0
As is frequently the case, poor acting in some spots pulls down this episode's score. Alpha Seven's reaction to the appearance of Babylon 4 - not to mention his agonized scream when he's hit with the time distortion that kills him - is bad, bad, bad - not convincing at all. I also believe Kent Broadhurst frequently over-does it. For instance, I don't believe Straczynski means for us to laugh when Major Krantz momentously declares that Babylon 4 has become unstuck in time, but I'm afraid I can't help but chuckle just a little, as Broadhurst's delivery of the line in question is ridiculously melodramatic. On the other hand, I do think the regulars do a decent job, and Tim Choate, God rest his soul, is cute as Zathras.
Message: 8.0
As you may recall, last week's two-parter heavily featured the motif of self-sacrifice. Well, this week's episode is another presentation of the same theme. For one thing, we have poor, innocent Zathras' willingness to die for "the One" - for the Light. And, of course, Zathras' reverence for "the One" - i.e. the older Sinclair - stems from the older Sinclair's willingness to put others before himself. As a Catholic Christian, I hear in this episode the echoes of the sainted martyrs.
Also uplifting is Delenn's speech about the potential of the human race (highlighted below), which contains within it the same kind of optimism and excitement for the future that draws your reviewers to episodes such as SG1's The Fifth Race. It can be hard to maintain this attitude, particularly these days when many are predicting our decline and annihilation, but if we unite ourselves to Christ, we can achieve much that is genuinely great.
Highlights:
Garibaldi: This is the part I hate most: the waiting.
Sinclair: Hmm.
(There's a moment of silence.)
Garibaldi: Mind if I ask you a question?
Sinclair: Sure.
Garibaldi: Okay, it's morning, you're getting ready for work, you pull on your pants -- do you fasten and zip, or zip and then fasten?
Sinclair: What kind of question is that?
Garibaldi: Well, look, we've got two hours to kill --
Sinclair: Forget it.
Garibaldi: Just a question.
Sinclair: Why do you want to know?
Garibaldi: Why do I want to know? Because I think about these things sometimes. I was getting dressed this morning, I couldn't remember how I did it, and I started thinking about it. Does everyone do it the same way? Is it a left-handed/right-handed thing --?
Sinclair: (incredulous) You think about this stuff a lot?
Garibaldi: Yeah. Look, okay, I'm sorry I asked. You're always so serious all the time. Not every conversation has to be the end of the world as we know it.
Sinclair: I didn't mean to --
Garibaldi: Never mind. It's okay. I'll just -- watch my console. Don't worry about it.
(After a long pause, Sinclair sighs.)
Sinclair: Fasten, then zip. You?
Garibaldi: Fasten zip.
(Sinclair chuckles.)
Sinclair: How much longer?
Garibaldi: One hour, fifty seven minutes. Want to talk socks?
Sinclair: No.
Garibaldi: Just a question.
Sinclair: I'm not having this conversation. (LOL!)
Council Member 1: How much more is there to learn, Delenn? They are a primitive people. I doubt the prophecy. It may have referred to others.
Delenn: It did not.
Council Member 2: How do you know? What is it that makes the humans so special? What is it that draws you to them?
Council Member 1: They fight. They argue. They are ruled by passions and fears.
Delenn: Yes - and that is their strength. They do not seek conformity. They do not surrender. Out of their differences comes symmetry - their unique capacity to fight against impossible odds. Hurt them, and they only come back stronger. The passions we deplore have taken them to their place in the stars - and will propel them to a great destiny. Their only weakness is that they do not recognize their own greatness. They forget that they have come to this place through two million years of evolution, struggle, and blood. They are better than they think - and nobler than they know. They carry within them the capacity to walk among the stars like giants. They are the future - and we have much to learn from them.
Krantz: What if we take you with us? Put you on trial?
Zathras: Zathras not of this time. You take, Zathras die. You leave, Zathras die. Either way, it is bad for Zathras. (ROTFL! So cute.)
No comments:
Post a Comment