Overall: 9.1
Though the execution is occasionally flawed, the promise inherent in the title of this episode is certainly delivered.
Plot Synopsis:
The summary can be found at the Lurker's Guide here.
The Skinny:
Stephanie S. - This is a jam-packed episode, so allow me to tackle each element in turn:
Zack's mini-arc concludes just as one might expect when Zack flips allegiances and helps Sheridan and the others trap the Nightwatch. The highlight of this particular plot-line is, of course, Garibaldi's attempt to persuade his fellow officers to abandon the Nightwatch for the sake of the camraderie they have managed to build over the past three years. The emotional impact of that moment is perhaps a little blunted by Jerry Doyle's non-quite satisfying performance, but the writing in the scene is top notch. In particular, it's commendable that JMS does not allow Garibaldi to outright prevail with his impassioned speech. Watching Garibaldi's pleas fall on virtually deaf ears is pretty wrenching, flawed performances aside.
Meanwhile, G'Kar is released from prison, and right away, he gets down to the business of rallying the Narn on the station to the greater cause. Nice. What I especially like about G'Kar's role in events is how very - yes - Biblical it is. When G'Kar tells Ta'Lon that the Narn must sacrifice themselves in order to save themselves, he echoes the Gospels. Mark 10:39 - "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." Luke 17:33 - "Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it." Yes, I know - I'm beginning to sound like a broken record at this point, but I don't care. I will stop pointing out how Christian B5's subtext is when JMS stops pulling material from the Scriptures. :P
Lastly - and most importantly as far as my biases are concerned - Londo tries to find solace in prophecy and ends up rather confused instead. Is there anything I don't love about this plot line? Once again, Peter Jurasik delivers a performance that contains so many wonderful layers. How he renders Londo's sense of his own looming perdition is particularly masterful.
In the meantime, as SABR Matt observes below, Lady Morella's prophecy (the particulars of which I will discuss at a later date) contains within it an acknowledgement that "fate" is actually very flexible in this universe and that Londo's death dream will only come true because he will fail to make the choices that will change his course. Interestingly enough, I actually got into a discussion with some other B5 fans recently in which this very subject came up. I publicly theorized that Centauri death dreams probably change some or most of the time based on what individual Centauri do or fail to do -- and Lady Morella's prophecy was my primary piece of supporting evidence.
Oh, and PS: I love what JMS does here with Vir. Lady Morella's little throw-away revelation that Vir will one day wear the white completely changes the game as far as Vir's character arc is concerned. In the space of about thirty seconds, JMS forces the audience to take a seemingly unimportant Centauri flunky very seriously indeed -- and that is just awesome.
SABR Matt - You have to get past the hoakiness...it never goes away...but in this episode, at least the hoakiness is limited to the music and some rather stiff-armed acting by Jerry Doyle. The script is actually quite flawless with many scenes that require highlights from start to finish. My message comments appear below, but suffice to say, the only minor quibble I have would be the decision by Sheridan to stall for time in the foolish hope that General Hague (with one ship!) will pull off a coup. Seems like a bit of a stretch there, Johnny. Luckily, they rectify it next week. :)
Writing: 9.5 / 10.0
I wish we could've seen the conversation between Sheridan, Garibaldi, Ivanova, G'Kar and Zack, but that is my only complaint.
SABR Matt Chimes In: I must say, there is a shocking lack of annoyingly stilted dialogue in this one...actually, many of the scenes are quite beautifully written, particularly involving Londo, G'Kar, and Sheridan.
Acting: 8.0 / 8.0
The lackluster performances of some of the minor players unfortunately tempers my enthusiasm when it comes to the acting in this episode. I'm also not wholly enthralled by either Jerry Doyle or Jeff Conaway. On the other hand, I still believe Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik are masters of acting, and I continue to adore the chemistry between Jurasik and Furst.
SABR Matt Chimes In: Bruce Boxleitner turns in one of his better performances and he is joined by some excellent work from Peter Jurasik (who is unusually subdued) and Stephen Furst. As an added bonus, Majel Barrett makes a very effective appearance on B5 (much moreso than her flamboyant showings on TNG and on par with her later work on DS9). Jerry Doyle, meanwhile, is clearly not a professional in the business, though at least here, some of his awkward delivery is under control during his more passionate moments.
Message: 9.5 / 9.5
As I note above, JMS once again includes a little stealth Christianity in G'Kar's scene with Ta'Lon, and stealth Christianity always makes me happy. Additionally, the message this episode sends about the flexibility of the future and the importance of personal choice is also very nice.
SABR Matt Chimes In: We've got several good bits to focus on. Morella's plea for Londo to recognize that there is always choice, and that any attempt to deny this is merely to soothe a guilty conscience cannot be said enough. It's the reason we enjoy B5 despite the elements of Greek Tragedy JMS steals for his Centauri arc (the creator himself recognizes that if there is destiny, it is caused by inherent flaws in our nature that make us choose poorly, not by unstoppable physical forces). On top of that, G'Kar's paralleling Plato's cave allegory rather eloquently fits nicely with my personal beliefs, and you can't help but enjoy Garibaldi's refusal to play along with the totalitarian Night Watch!
Highlights:
LONDO: No, no, this report is entirely inappropriate. You have to do it again.
VIR: But, Londo, why? I've spent weeks working on this report! I didn't even sleep on the flight back from Minbar so I could go over it again. I checked every single detail myself. It's absolutely accurate!
LONDO: Yes, Vir, and that's the problem. Here, you say, 'The Minbari have carefully preserved their cities over centuries.'
VIR: Yes, that's right.
LONDO: No. What you should say instead is, 'Their cities are very old, indicating a decaying culture.'
VIR: What?
LONDO: And here: 'The Minbari put great emphasis on art, literature, and music.' Say instead, 'The Minbari are a decadent people, interested only in the pursuit of - of dubious pleasures.' The dubious part is very important. It doesn't mean anything, but it scares people every time. All right?
VIR: (somewhat pathetically) Londo, every time I make a report, you do this to me!
LONDO: Yes, Vir, I'm trying to help you. A report that will be circulated at the royal court needs to be phrased carefully to make sure they appear less civilized than we are. It makes the emperor happy.
VIR: I thought the purpose of these reports was to provide accurate intelligence!
LONDO: Intelligence has nothing to do with politics. (LOL.)
VIR: I still don't understand, Londo. What makes this visit so important? Why Lady Morella?
LONDO: Ah, I suppose you wouldn't know. It wasn't widely circulated. Emperor Turhan's third wife was a prophetess. A seer. I need that right now, Vir. I need to know whether the grand destiny I see before me is what is or what might be.
VIR: So you want her to tell you it's all going to happen the way you see it?
LONDO: No. I want her to tell me it won't.
MORELLA: Why have you asked us here, Mollari?
LONDO: Well, as I said, to show you how our agreement with the Earthers has --
MORELLA: (interrupting) The Earthers have problems of their own. The alliance was never my husband's plan for our people. He came to try to stop the insanity he knew was coming. Instead, his death became the door through which all this pain has entered.
LONDO: I was there when he left us. He was a great man. (And he says this sincerely, which is very interesting.)
MORELLA: Yes. Yes, he was. (A beat.) Greatness is never appreciated in youth, called pride in midlife, dismissed in old age, and reconsidered in death. Because we cannot tolerate greatness in our midst, we do all we can to destroy it. This place has become a memorial to his unfinished work. (She stands and turns.) I ask you again: why have you brought us here?
LONDO: I need you to see for me. I believe that I have been touched. That I am... meant for something greater. A greater darkness or a greater good, I can no longer say. All I have ever wanted is to serve our people. I need to see what is before me. If I should escape it, or embrace it. If there is any longer a choice.
MORELLA: There is always choice. We say there is no longer a choice only to comfort ourselves with a decision we've already made. If you understand that, there's hope.
GARIBALDI: Excuse me -- I'm not interrupting anything, am I?
NIGHTWATCH LIAISON: Come on, Chief. This is the way it's gotta be. Don't make a scene.
GARIBALDI: Who me? Make a scene? What, are you nuts? (And with that, he overturns the liaison's table.) Now, you listen to me, all of you! Three years you worked for me. I took care of you. I looked after you. Pastorelli - I fixed you up with your wife. Connor - how 'bout you? When no one else would give you a break, I took you in and gave you a job, right? Damn it, for three years, we worked together as team! Now all of a sudden, anybody's who's not Nightwatch gets fired? Think, for cryin' out loud!
NIGHTWATCH LIAISON: We have thought about it, Chief. And we need to know where everybody stands. Now, are you with us, or against us?
(In reply, Garibaldi turns over another table.)
GARIBALDI: Who's this 'us'? I though 'us' is what we've got right here. Now 'us' is suddenly everybody who says the right things or wears a rag around their arm. And everybody else is the bad guy, right? Says who? A bunch of clowns back home who don't give a damn about anything but their own political agendas? Come on, you don't work for the Nightwatch. You work for the captain. You work for the station, and you work for me. And I'm asking you, all of you, to drop this. Come on, rip these things off your arms and stop tearing each other apart. If anything I've ever done or said to you means a damn thing, then stop this. Stop this now.
(No one makes a move to support Garibaldi.)
NIGHTWATCH LIAISON: Chief - as acting representative of the Nightwatch, you are relieved. Zack - as second in command, you're now in charge of security. Mr. Garibaldi is no longer authorized to be in this area. Please escort him elsewhere.
(A few security officers attempt to grab Garibaldi, but he forcibly pushes them away.)
GARIBALDI: I know the way. (Then, as he passes Zack:) Is this how you wanted it, Zack? Is it? (Ouch.)
G'KAR: You must understand, Ta'Lon. I have had a revelation.
TA'LON: What kind of revelation?
G'KAR: A most profound and substantial one, Ta'Lon. The kind of revelation that transforms your mind... your soul... your heart... even your flesh... so that you are a new creature, reborn in the instant of understanding.
TA'LON: That was a stirring reply, Citizen G'Kar. Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers. You did not answer the question that I asked. What do you understand now that you did not understand before?
G'KAR: It's all here in these pages. I have tried to write down what I have seen. It may take the rest of my life to explain what I saw in that one singular instant. (He blows out the candle he is holding.) To save our people, we must sacrifice our people. We must sacrifice ourselves - our pride, our vengeance - be willing to die by the thousands - by the millions! - for one another. The more we fight for ourselves, the more we will lose ourselves. We are linked, Ta'Lon. Our fate is like an image caught in a mirror. If we deny the other, we deny ourselves. We will cease to exist.
TA'LON: And who or what is this other?
G'KAR: The universe itself, Ta'Lon. But the humans - they are the key. And together, you and I and the rest, we will turn that key - because what's on the other side is salvation for all of us.
MORELLA: What we are about to say is for your ears only, Ambassador. We will not repeat it to others in the royal court. I suggest you do the same. If it comes out, we will deny this conversation ever took place.
LONDO: Of course.
MORELLA: You have a chance few others will ever have, Mollari. You still have three opportunities to avoid the fire that awaits you at the end of your journey. You've already wasted two others. You must save the eye that does not see. You must not kill the one who is already dead. And at the last, you must surrender yourself to your greatest fear, knowing that it will destroy you. Now if you have failed all the others, that is your final chance for redemption.
LONDO: I... don't understand.
MORELLA: The future reveals itself only reluctantly, Ambassador. Take the sign for what it is. Look for it when it appears.
LONDO: I will. Thank you.
MORELLA: One more thing: you will be emperor. That part of your destiny cannot be avoided.
LONDO: I see.
MORELLA: (turning to Vir) You will also be emperor.
(Vir stares at Morella, nonplussed. Then he starts to laugh.)
MORELLA: Why are you laughing?
VIR: (sobering) I... I thought you were joking.
MORELLA: We do not joke in the face of prophecy, Vir.
LONDO: Lady Morella, please. We cannot both be emperor.
MORELLA: Correct. One of you will become emperor after the other is dead. (The looks Vir and Londo exchange here are hilarious.)
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