#this was about Sinclair and Delenn and Sheridan

[therighthandofvengeance]

“found family” is simply another way to say “direct victims of prophecy”

[mylittleredgirl]

thinking about sinclair again this fine day:

delenn continuing to say "in valen's name" with just as much reverence for the rest of the series, even though he's conclusively some guy named jeff that she personally knows

BUT HE ACTUALLY DID ALL THAT STUFF. SO IS SHE WRONG???

"you talk like a minbari commander" surprise! you all talk like HIM!!

remember marcus's little bit about "the only way to get a straight answer out of ranger one is to hang upside down in a mirror” or whatever? what if "minbari never tell anyone the whole truth" is just because sinclair likes to fuck with people and they made it a cultural tentpole of their society

i'm actually really quite invested now in the alternate universe sinclair & delenn relationship, because imagine her discovering AFTER the fact that her husband is Literally Valen. and she's her own distant ancestor somehow as well

delenn might actually roll with that but lennier's face in the background like O_O

i had a coworker who, anytime some new crazy shit happened, used to take a deep breath and say "this, too." not like 'this too shall pass' or anything, just acknowledging that This Too is a thing we're dealing with today, on top of all the other things. that's lennier ten times a season.

sheridan and delenn are theeee het couple of all time, i think we can all agree on this, i would NOT want to trade them for anything

but i keep thinking about how because sheridan missed season one, he never knew her as a minbari

it just seems so sad for her!!! and for me because i’d like to see him navigate that

i'm having a hard time this go-round watching her get isolated from her people :( :( i mean she IS a religious zealot just Doing Crazy Shit, they're not wrong about her, but the randos calling her a freak need to meet me in the parking lot

ALSO i just watched the dreaming episode, where it's strongly implied that she transformed herself specifically in order to be able to have children with a human (to fix the soul gap or whatever), and she's Destined For Sheridan and all, but she hadn't met him yet

and they weren't even an item when sinclair went into the past to start writing prophecies

soooo do you think she and sinclair were pen pals while he was on minbar and he read between the lines that she was super into this guy?? i think so.

jeffrey valen sinclair in the past writing prophecy about uniting the two halves of our souls: delenn bestie this one's for you <3 go get that blonde man

[onsomekindofstartrek]

It's amazing, when Sheridan finally snaps on Kosh it's like he's thinking...

...yeah, I was in a train car, and it exploded on a bridge, and I leapt out and saw the entire inside-out world wheeling before me like the Kingdoms of the Earth, and out of nowhere came what appeared to be an angel of the Lord, as if to keep me from stubbing my toe, rising up to catch me. It was written.

Does that make me Jesus?

And I don't think he believes he is, but I think in that single moment when Kosh turned his back on him, I think he felt like it.

But as much as Babylon 5 flirts with all religions being true, it also kinda clearly says that they're all false. John Sheridan is, in some ways, the most expendable and least known quantity out of everything. He's not the Hero of Prophecy, he's barely a hero of a prophecy, and only because Sinclair's best guess is that he's going to win. Remember, Sinclair is getting ready to head to 1200 AD right now when this episode takes place, and all he really knows about the second shadow war is what the Rangers tell him. The end is really not written, and even if it was, Sinclair isn't god either.

For Christ's sake, Sinclair basically hands the aliens his fucking iphone and says "if someone can unlock this with their thumbprint they're a reincarnation of a powerful Minbari soul" and they based their entire culture around that idea in some ways. He's definitely not god, he's a very silly boy.

But I think in that moment, it wasn't enough for John to be a squishy human next to an ancient demigod who shaped his race since before his race began. I think the prophecy served its purpose in that it made him the One Who Is To Come in that moment; gave him the belief that he, rising ape, could survive standing up to a falling angel and telling it what to do. In the same way, Delenn can act with the entire weight of prophecy informing and strengthening every action even knowing that the guy who wrote the prophecies was... some guy, some random fighter pilot she picked out by chance on the last day of the war, a normal man that she's smiled at, lied to, kept things from, worried about... because she believes that he is the One Who Was, she is the One Who Is, and her boyfriend is the One Who Is To Come. A script guides her actions, never mind where it came from.

I think at the end of the day, that's what Babylon 5 says about belief, the same thing Vonnegut and Pratchett did. Beliefs may be false or true, but more observably they can transform you for better or worse.

[woodsfae]

B5 S03E19 Grey 17 Is Missing previous episode - table of contents

I'm not sure how this episode is going to go, because prior to this I have always watched B5 high (I started this saga while taking hydrocodone pain meds I was allergic to post-wisdom teeth removal) or sober (which I quickly stopped doing, because the recaps were a dry and stale recounting of the plot in a most unpleasant way), but now I can't have THC for awhile (pre-op instructions for what will hopefully be my last surgery for awhile) and so I am experimenting with liveblogging while tipsy. 

So far I thimk that tipsy b5 blogging may be the era of run-on sentences. play video. 

Harry Sanders says in response to the question "are you a telepath,": "sure." 

I am guessing that Mr Sanders is not a telepath. But I am a huge fan of people fucking with Zack Allen. Queer icon Harry Sanders tries to flirt his way into the job. sadly, he fails.

Unnamed maintenance worker gets sucked into a maintenance tunnel with random wires trailing out of it. That probably won't be relevant later :)

Someone, I am assuming Sinclair, spoke of Delenn "with great reverence" to his Minbari friend regularly. I LOVE THAT OMG. *shipping intensifies* 

Harlan Ellison consulted on this one, too?? That's so cool. My Eepectations just went up. Minbari With The Nose thinks that Delenn should take over as Ranger One. Are they going out of their way to not say his name? 

Calling a gun with bullets a slugthrower is a pretty amusing thing to share with Star Wars. I once read a crossover fic where Han Solo (iirc) went on smuggling runs to B5 to pick up kyber crystals, which the B5 people have been using for mere data storage. 

"I swear it's like the Centauri triangle in there - something's always going wrong."

I only support Garibaldi's casual racism because actually, everything IS always going wrong with the Centauri....but has the Bermuda Triangle myth been supplanted with a centauri space equivalent?? And what makes it a triangle in 3d space?

Stephen Franklin is looking rough. Withdrawl. Withdrawal? Sad plotline. Space AA is not my favorite plotline. Also, Mr Dr Franklin, maybe don't compain about people following you around when you haven't even left Babylon Five???? That's a cry for help if ever I saw one in metaphor. If you wanna be alone like...barter some medical attention for a ride to an abandoned planetoid. 

Gray 17 is a level of b5? Cool. I thought it was going to be a person that disappeared. And it is several of them at least. But there's also thirty official grey levels but only 29 accessible. I like it. 

Delenn looks extra pretty today. 

Why does this Minbari know about siren songs? Convergent cultural evolution, or does this guy like Earth ancient-greek sailor myths? 

It's genuinly hilarious (and apropos) for a Minbari Ranger to think it pollutes the rangers for humans to be admitted. This warrior class Minbari thinks it's heretical for Delenn-of-the-clerics to consider taking command of the Rangers, which he thinks are the rightful domain of the warrior caste. 

hm. Where'd he go. That won't come up later, either. 

Garibaldi is leaning into one of his strengths: investigation. He's counting the seconds the elevator takes between Grey levels. Grey  like the grey council, or pure coincidence?

ALSO. no minbari has killed another minbari for a thousand years?? I find that very hard to believe. Domestic violence? manslaughter?? What kind of statistical fuckery are they employing to make that something Delenn can say without winking??

Delenn: "I want your word that you will not tell [Sheridan] about [the warrior class dick threatening to kill me]. Your. Word." 

*cue Lennier hinting unsubtly about Delenn's life being in danger*

I did not expect Level 17 Grey to come up. Where is the missing number if Grey 17 is missing, it goes to Grey 30, but there's only 29 levels? This mystery is deeper than I expected it to be!

 The missing floor, once Garibaldi rules-lawyers the lift into stopping there, is trashed. And it says Grey 17 in a different place than the other floors. AND there's what looks like a technical diagram for a trash can where the other floors have their designation signs. Idk what this means, but it's a data point!! 

Well. I would drop kick that puppet if it talked to me on a trashed level. But Michael Garibaldi let it DART him. like a SCHMUCK. Don't let it do that. hit the follow button for more HOT TIPS FROM MICHAL. (pronounced like McCalll, not like Michael).

Lennier!!!! YES HE IS TELLING SOMEONE. But not Sheridan. Love his rules-lawyering. Super cute. My guy. Lancelot (purely platonic version).

I would kiss Lennier all over his sweet face. And he would not like it. I am sure. 

Garibaldi has recovered-ish from his darting of unknown substance. FUCK THAT PUPPET. burn it with fire or smth. 

Who is this council of lost persons?? Jim Henson's dream?????!

"My name is Jeremiah. Welcome to the end of the world." 

YES PLEASE. This is good plot, and I like it. 

Delenn is really beautiful this episode. I think the red/blue rich, saturated colors particularly flatter her. But she is always unfairly pretty and generally lickable.

Delenn's mother entered the sisters of valeria soon after Delenn was born, and she's only seen her twice. TWICE. And Delenn's father died ten years ago. She does not mention siblings. How old is Delenn? If it isn't a plot-relevant spoiler, please let me know if you know it. 

Her thoughts on missing her father are both relatable and wistful. It made me thoughtful about the same topic. 

Jeremiah says the reason the Minbari almost defeated the humans in the war was because the Minbari are closer to the truth than humans. AND we have learned that the people on Grey Level 17 is because they hacked the system and detached themselves from the rest of B5. Isolationists being isolationist on a tiny little level of a space station is illogical and funny and very, very human.

The Minbari offended by Delenn running the Rangers is called Neroon! That's super familiar and I think I've met him before. He says "During the war I killed fifty thousand of you....what's one more?" Well my dude. I bet you didn't kill fifty thousand humans in one-on-one combat. And I'm gonna go ahead and bet on Marcus's staff-fighting prowess over his. 

GET 'IM MARCUS.

This is a well-choreographed and filmed staff fight. 

Jeremiah on Grey Level 17 actually is super aligned with Delenn's philosophy on the universe. But is far more freaky about the practical side of the philosophy. tbh. I think Jeremiah did LSD one too many times. 

Garibaldi isn't super serious about his threat because his choke hold lacks a fulcrum...Jeremiah could break it anytime he liked if he knew how to identify what wrestling hold he was in....signed...someone whose father wrestled in highschool and taught them from a young age to identify and break choke holds by neck-feel....

GO MARCUS GO GET NEROON. 

Neroon: "Why? You must have known you could not win....so why do it?" Marcus: "For [Delenn]. [...] In Valen's name." 

LANCELOT MOVE OVER, GALAHAD HAS ARRIVED

Jeremiah: "Listen. Listen. The only way out is-is to find a purity of thought. A purity of belief! That is the door! The door of the mind." 

Hm. This dude is craycray. And his further speech does nothing to dispel the notion. What is screeching?? 

If Sinclair was Entil'Zha, wthen what was this Minbari Ranger going to designate Delenn?

Damn it, Neroon lives. Bring! Back! Galahad! fuck u neroon. You don't deserve a capitalized proper noun name.

wtf is this thing hunting on level 17 grey?? I don't recognize its silhouette. 

Michael Garibaldi (paraphrased): HOW DO WE HURT THIS THING??? *looks at .38 bullets in hand*

Me, reliving my misspent youth: IF YOU GRAB THE SHELL OF THOSE .38s WITH PLIERS THEN HIT THE PRIMER WITH A BALLPEEN HAMMER U CAN SHOOT IT

(yes I did this shit for fun as a child and I am EXTREMELY LUCKY I did not have a mishap of a permanent injury variety)

hmm. Garibaldi sorta used my childhood fun trick but with a pipe to protect his fragile hands.. UNLIKE ME AND MY PLAIN PLIERS AND HAMMER

Neroon kicked Marcus's ass but Marcus is going to recover -a relief. But Neroon!! FUCK OFF. 

"you are more noble than I" - Neroon (paraphrased)

THAT'S A GALAHAD MOVE. psych. Marcus got you with his ideological purity and ironic wit!!

The murderous thing on Grey level 17 was a "zarg." OK. Please, if it isn't spoilery, remind me what that is. 

This episode feels a bit more disjointed than they usually are, but I liked it. And fuck Neroon!!! Get behind Delenn or shut the fuck up. 

*a perfectly good episode. but also. GET BEHIND DELENN OR STFU!!

onward

[thelongestway]

B5 first watch on the rewatch, "The Parliament of Dreams"

This was a fun episode! My B5 friend cackled that this was up my alley, and indeed a showcasing of cultures is that. I actually liked both storylines. Now I get what you all meant about the aides - poor Ko'dath! I guessed it was a makeup issue (the bane of all modern sci-fi!), but Na'toth won me over very quickly. G'Kar is such a drama king, it's hilarious; but I mean, look at all of the Narn! Ok, lol, the Centauri aren't far from that and neither are the Minbari. Londo's inner nature is a feast table; sounds about right!

We finally get to meet Lennier, about whom I know only a meme that goes "If you want to kill me, please do it quickly, I've got tons of work"? Seems to check out? Lennier quickly goes into Delenn's steel grip ("Look up. I don't need an aide who will be forever walking into things." - not an exact quote, but man, is this a good Delenn line!) and goes quiet. FOR NOW. Me to my friend: "of the ambassadors, is it only Delenn that does not sleep with literally everyone on the station?" Him: "Well, Strazhinsky is a big Tolkien fan. And specifically Delenn is Luthien." Me: wat. I guess we'll have to wait and see? There's another name I vaguely remember out of context: John Sheridan or something? Sinclair's story line is just "no ex-wives are contained within it: the TV show." It gave me Disco Elysium vibes, which explains the dialogue. :P The assassin with his bookkeeper glasses! Comedy gold! And so is Na'toth just beating the crap out of the idiot she's been trying to protect, and enjoying it more than a little. Also, I hear you folks (B5 team) also got an Emmy for the makeup in this episode? "Also" as in "the Emmy team sure does like their lizards, huh? Narn, are you the grown-up salamander babies from VOY?" The two giddy Narn as they ferry the assassin out are glorious. Those two look like kids who got their hands on A PILE of ice cream. :P "Have a pleasant flight!" Minbari "jokes" about accidentally marrying people are indeed very elvish. :P I was honestly thinking Sinclair was going to do a showcasing of space exploration as humanity's dream. But no, we go into theology instead (starting with atheism, ha). There are a lot of things wrong with the line - for some reason it assumes the religions are the same as in contemporaneity, etc - but it legit surprised me.

[davidcgc]

I've gone through The Road Home and compared the recreated shots from the original series (and a couple of other scenes that were more "loosely evocative" than direct remakes). I also cataloged all the shots seen in thumbnail on the display screen on Epsilon III (I skipped the ones that were scenes from elsewhere in the TRH itself, which were 15 of the 29 images show).

Some interesting choices in the montage. In series order:

"Signs and Portents" has two scenes, the first of which is Londo and G'Kar are arguing in front of a transport tube. Interestingly, the human caught between them is replaced by a Llort, of all things (pretty much all the other discrepancies are down to the redesigned sets, or not making alternate character models with different clothes for two seconds of postage-stamp-sized footage). Then there's a selection of shots from the battle scene later on, with Garibaldi flying against the Raiders, Sinclair giving orders from CnC, and Kosh confronting Morden for the first time. There are a few other sequences that are re-edited for recognizability as a quick flash, but this was the most egregious.

Two sequences from "Babylon Squared," first where Sinclair, Garibaldi, and Zathras see "the One" appearing in the corridor, and when Sinclair tries to free Zathras after he's pinned under some debris, but Zathras tells him he has a destiny and should leave him to die.

Sheridan and Ivanova talking in the corridor just after he first arrives on Babylon 5 in "Points of Departure." Fun fact, the reason he's pointing emphatically at that moment is that he's asserting which color of plum is the good kind. Sheridan is such a foodie.

From "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum," Delenn and Kosh explaining to Sheridan what really happened to the Icarus.

Three scenes from "The Fall of Night," Sheridan telling G'Kar about the Narn ship hiding behind Epsilon III, Sheridan and Ivanova warning the Narns they've got to leave, and Sheridan activating the defense grid after the Centauri ship shows up.

Garibaldi flying to the time-rift in a Starfury in "War Without End, Part I"

Delenn meets Sheridan in his quarters to talk about how many ships they have for their first attack on the Shadows from "Shadow Dancing"

G'Kar and Ivanova discuss the fusion mines they've just received in "Z'ha'dum."

Two scenes from "Into the Fire," one of Marcus and Lyta talking with Sheridan on the bridge of the White Star, and another of the final confrontation with the Vorlons and Shadows. These are different shots than were used for the newscast at the beginning of the film, it seems to specifically be the exchange where the Vorlons and Shadows decide that they can put a stop to everything just by killing Sheridan and Delenn in front of everyone else, and then are humiliated by the other ships protecting them.

From "Movements of Fire and Shadow," Sheridan and Lochley discuss the possibility of a Centauri attack on Babylon 5's jumpgate.

[babylon5]

babylon 5 characters on the traitors

(ive only seen the usa version)

the host: bester

sinclair: faithful-est faithful, his name is somehow never even suggested at the round table. he helps out on all the missions, and is largely the only one winning money until he gets murdered half-way through the season

sheridan: faithful. comes to the game late after sinclair leaves a la kate chastain in s2. people aren't sure what to make of him at first but he ends up being incredibly efficient on missions and quickly becomes sort of their leader, but eventually this makes people get suspicious of him. he's voted out at the last episode, just short of winning.

garibaldi: gets picked as a traitor, gets really weird about it, ends up quitting a few episodes in

londo: no one takes him seriously. is recruited as a traitor when the traitors are told by the host to recruit someone or be forced to murder them. first thing he does is convince the others to murder g'kar...

gkar: who somehow wins a shield every round shields are available, and is exempt. (londo gives himself away as a traitor by his reaction to it at breakfast.) g'kar is a faithful but most people think he's a traitor, but he keeps successfully shifting the suspicion onto to other people so they don't end up voting him out. one half of the winning team.

franklin: faithful. tries to win the game by being fair and logical, then realizes that doesn't get you anywhere very quickly. is also very efficient on missions. is targeted by the traitors and killed off relatively early on, but the manipulation and mistrust was getting to him, so it's both good and bad

delenn: traitor. she develops feelings for sheridan through the season but the emotional toll of being forced to lie to him really affects her. the guilt begins to eat her up. she makes it to the end of the game, but at what cost?

morden: wants to be a traitor, is picked as a faithful, throws a fit about it, then tries to seduce a producer in exchange for making him one in a later round and gets kicked off the show

lyta: the one faithful most ppl target for being "so obviously a traitor" that she goes fuck it, my time here must be limited, so whatever, and starts just dojng whatever she wants since they're so weird about her. doesn't come to the reunion.

talia: traitor. is a bit Too good at being one, so much so that her dark side begins to surprise her. she tries to develop an alliance with ivanova and mostly fails, but no one ever suspects her of being a traitor. lyta is the final vote that locks in her banishment.

vir & lennier: not there, too busy taking care of things in delenn and londo's absence, actually very glad they did not get picked because it seems stressful however they tune in every thursday religiously to watch the drama unfold

marcus: faithful. is the first person to be murdered

ivanova: faithful and the other winner. i don't think i have to explain why

[branmer]

🧡💚🖤💖💕 for b5!

for this meme

sorry i took a wee bit to reply to these! but here we go! controversial opinions under cut >:)

🧡that the minbari soul stuff is real and should be taken at face value, which imo completely ignores several in-show details we get that indicate that the trilumanaries weren't detecting souls, but human dna. we even get this pretty much explained to us in atonement when it's explained that the triluminary glows for delenn because she's a child of valen and therefore descended from the jeffster himself. that's also why the triluminary glowed for other humans that were interrogated! not because it was picking up fragments of of valen's soul in them all, but because it was just picking up human dna! and ok, granted, i have no fucking clue how that works either re the triluminary somehow being an advanced scanner or the dna stuff lol, but b5 has plenty of examples of stuff where tech is simply so advanced it gets mistaken for or used as magic (the fucking technomages damn it). anyway i just. do not understand why people take the soul stuff at face value when the show itself LITERALLY DISPROVES IT. gOD

💚 i talked about neroon in my previous response so i will turn now to branmer. again this is a taking things at face value thing, but i really don't get it when people just assume delenn is totally correct that he didn't really want to be a warrior and was forced etc, especially since in that same convo she says stuff that contradict that! saying stuff like 'he believed in the rightness of the war' doesn't sound like a guy who felt bad about joining the fray, it sounds like he was very into it in fact! and then the fact that she gives that very uh, interestingly worded response when sinclair asks her how branmer felt about the surrender... anyway I just think that if branmer became a warrior it was because he wanted to and because he got some fulfillment in the role and i think a lot of what delenn says in that scene is her trying to assauge her guilt because she feels he wouldn't have become involved in the war if not for choices she made. i also like, really don't see what right she had to claim him for the religious caste when he had chosen the warrior caste. that sounds a lot like her attempting to invalidate a legit choice her friend made just because she didn't agree with it and is actually very uncool!

🖤same answer as before: delenn. i just think she is a much more morally complex and interesting character than she gets portrayed as by fandom and i think her characterisation from mid s4 onwards did her an immense diservice. i much prefer her more conflicted characterisation in earlier seasons, tho i will give s4 credit for rbl, an episode which straight up says 'delenn is actually very blinkered and prejudiced and lets this effect her perspective and her decisions in a not great way' but then concludes with lennier going 'and actually that's a good thing!' NO IT ISN'T LENNIER, and you need to have a proper talk with her about it!

💖i mean honestly i think it's probably that i have issues with the latter season's portrayal of delenn and sheridan as always righteous and correct and a total power couple girlbossing their way to glorious success. i think there are a lot of things that are quite effed up about the establishment of the interstellar alliance and how much power ends up consolidated in their hands with zero oversight. what's interesting is that i feel like s5 sort of attempted to criticise it with sheridan making many terrible decisions as president? but im not actually sure if that was deliberate and not just... bad writing on jms's part and him not realising he was making them do incredibly stupid things

💕i feel like all my ships are smaller ships that aren't super popular lol, probably the most popular is marcus/neroon. i put down neroon/sheridan last time for this one haha, but for the sake of a bit of change i will also say: any of my oc ships. i have many minbo ocs and i do love to ship them with each other haha

thank you for the ask <33333 sorry again i took a bit to reply

[fallowhearth]

For all that I joked about the setup for a Delenn/Captain relationship being in Season 1 (with Sinclair), the way the relationship between Delenn and Sheridan develops over Season 2 is actually really nice. The friendship feels like it's built organically on a basis of mutual respect and compatible personalities. And they have very sweet chemistry.

[walks-the-ages]

Twenty-five years after the influential sci-fi show went off the air, an animated movie will bring back six members of the original cast. Babylon 5 is coming back as an animated movie, series creator J. Michael Straczynski revealed last week, and today The Hollywood Reporter has the exclusive on what it’s about: Sheridan traveling through the multiverse in search of a way home. The basic synopsis, via THR: “Travel across the galaxy with John Sheridan as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Universe.” As Straczynski hinted, many of the original surviving cast members are returning, including Bruce Boxleitner (Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Ivanova), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Tracy Scoggins (Lochley), and Patricia Tallman (telepath Lyta Alexander). What’s a little surprising is that many of the cast members who tragically died over the years also have returning characters, with Delenn, G’Kar, security chief Garibaldi, Dr. Franklin, original Babylon 5 commander Jeffrey Sinclair, and the omnipresent Zathras all voiced by new actors. Then again, it’s a multiverse play: they could well be very different versions of themselves. If you’ve ever watched Straczynski’s excellent Netflix series Sense8 (co-created with the Wachowskis), you can easily imagine how he could nail such a story with shifting, intertwined personalities. It’s not clear when during the B5 timeline the story is set or whether that necessarily matters — without spoiling the original show, fans might say it wraps up Sheridan’s story fairly well while leaving an opportunity for more. Straczynski has said on Twitter that the new film “feels the most B5-ish of anything we’ve done since the original show” and suggested it’ll debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, which begins July 20th.

I don't know if the news hasn't spread here yet or I simply don't follow enough Babylon 5 blogs, but we now have a title, synopsis, and release date for the Babylon 5 movie!!! It's coming out in 2 months as of this post!!

[therighthandofvengeance]

you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me

[ddagent]

"Shadows"

Evil John and Delenn means they get rather violent with each other. Nothing worth a warning change but just an FYI.

Also Available At AO3

John Sheridan sat, watching the security monitors. For a moment, just an instant, he had seen something on the screen. Shadows. But there was nothing, now. Just Morden. John clenched his left hand as he thought about sinking his fist into the fleshy part of Morden’s neck, pressing his heel against the artery until that worm gasped Anna’s name into the recycled air. But it wouldn’t get him anywhere. Despite Clark’s paltry attempts at controlling the Earth Alliance, there were still a few good eggs left in Earth Force. Someone would report him. Then where would he be?

Rising, John adjusted his jet-black uniform and headed outside. Garibaldi was awaiting orders. “Let him go.”

“Are you sure, Captain?”

“He’s not worth it.”

As Garibaldi and Allan hoisted Morden out of his holding cell, John strode from the security offices to Ambassador Delenn’s quarters. He had been there a handful of times – most recently to accuse the Minbari Ambassador of framing him for murder – but never quite like this. John easily overrode Delenn’s lock code and crossed the threshold. She didn’t look surprised to see him. In fact, as her hands curled around a fresh cup of tea – a second waiting on the counter for him – Delenn looked positively gleeful.

“You let him go.”

“I had my reasons.”

“Of course.”

Delenn sipped her tea. John petulantly refused to take up his. Instead, he stared her down. His gaze caught on the whisper-thin layers of silk and lace, plum fabric caressing her breasts and thighs. Dark curls fell over her shoulders; emerald eyes rimmed in shadow black. Ambassador Delenn had always been a formidable figure: beautiful (though he’d called her a freak), intelligent (though he’d called her pathetic), an equal (though he’d called her a hundred things to her face that he’d never thought in private). She left her tea beside his and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He responded by pushing her up against the bulkhead wall, his hand wrapping around her throat. Delenn grinned.

“You want to know if your beloved Anna is still alive.” John gave a single nod. “She may be. But it doesn’t matter.” He squeezed. Her smile widened. “You could go to Z’ha’dum. You would die trying. And you have a more…interesting destiny ahead of you, Captain.”

“Yeah?” John sneered. “Like what?”

Delenn tore through his grip like paper. John was suddenly pressed against the sliding doors to her sleeping quarters, silver and blue painted nails digging into the flesh above his carotid artery. “The rule of the First Ones is done. It is our time to walk among the stars like giants. Captain, we both have the desire to rule our people. We could rule them together.”

The idea had a certain…appeal. Delenn’s grip softened; the pads of her fingers trailed along his jaw, brushing along his bottom lip. John caught her hand in his. “How can I trust you? Since I’ve got to this station you’ve undermined my authority, voted against every proposition I’ve brought forward, and had me framed for murder.”

“And you’ve broken into my quarters, hurled numerous insults to hide your blatant attraction, and had Commander Sinclair murdered.” Delenn beamed. “I do not think we could find a better partner.”

[fancoloredglasses]

The saga of Babylon 4 (time travel again?!)

[All images are owned by Babylonian Productions and Warner Bros Discovery. Please don’t sue me or send the Shadows after me]

When dealing with a show with an overarching story spanning multiple seasons, there are bound to be episodes where the stories overlap, but what about multiple episodes (in different seasons) telling the same story? Such is the tale of Babylon 4.

This review is going to be a bit different than most “sagas” I’ve done. In previous sagas, I’ve told each episode in chronological order. However, as the two episodes in question (one in two parts) cover the same time span but from points of view two years apart (isn’t time travel fun?) I’ll be chronicling the two episodes simultaneously. If you would like to watch the episodes, they’re available on Tubi or behind your favorite paywall.

Someone should have some Advil and a straitjacket handy just in case.

PREVIOUSLY ON…

As you know, Babylon 5 is the fifth station in the Babylon Project. Three stations were destroyed during construction, but the fourth disappeared without a trace 4 years prior to the start of the series.

A Great Machine is discovered on Epsilon 3, the planet that Babylon 5 orbits, and Delenn’s friend Draal has become its operator. Commander Sinclair has been named Ambassador to Mimbar, later creating a covert group of human and Mimbari warriors known as the Rangers (with Marcus Cole being assigned to Babylon 5) and being named Entil’Zha (“Ranger One” in English) by the Mimbari.

Babylon 5 is drawn into the coming war between the Vorlons and the Shadows, declaring independence from the Earth Alliance.

Additionally, Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn have started their relationship.

We open on Mimbar, where Ambassador Jeffrey Sinclair is about to receive a disturbing message…

(Thanks to Aaron Anglea)

Roll credits!

Sinclair immediately hops a ship to Babylon 5, but his aide raises an interesting question. That letter was written 1,000 years ago by Valen, who was the architect of Mimbari society. How did he know Sinclair would be on Mimbar at that time?

On Babylon 5, Ivonova claims she never sent that distress signal, but Garibaldi isn’t sure.

Garibaldi gives a 15 second synopsis of the events in Babylon Squared (which I’ll cover shortly), that I’ll be covering later (trust me, this will make sense…I hope) Garibaldi wants to investigate the source of the signal, and Sheridan authorizes it.

Meanwhile, Delenn receives a similar letter and is as haunted by it as Sinclair was. Also, how did Valen know she’d be on Babylon 5 when it was built 997 years after the letter was written?

She then marches her way to C&C and interrupts a meeting with Sheridan and Marcus.

[The White Star, as you may remember, is a ship built using Mimbari and Vorlon technologies. By season 5 there is a fleet of White Stars, but at this point there is just the one.]

She takes Marcus and Ivonova along as well, and are joined by Sinclair.

About that time, Garibaldi reports in (he’s been gone for about an hour at this point) that his long-range scans show the temporal rift in Sector 14 has doubled in size due to an outside source (namely, Epsilon 3).

Speaking of Epsilon 3…

…a being known as Zathras is worried about issues within the Great Machine, but Draal has given him orders, and Zathras knows what must be done.

Back on Babylon 5, Sheridan wants to investigate Epsilon 3 instead of Sector 14, but Delenn is insistent.

Her logic is that they need to leave now because this is the time they’re supposed to leave (hey, don’t blame me if your head hurts from that. She said it, not me!) Sheridan reluctantly agrees. He’s even more skeptical when Sinclair reveals he didn’t know he was coming to Babylon 5 until just before he left Mimbar.

Upon arrival on the White Star, Sheridan wants to know what the hell is going on.

Next begins the exposition part of the episode where Delenn starts talking about the last Shadow War 1,000 years ago…and how the tide of the War began to turn against the Shadows…

The appearance of Babylon 4!

Further, just before Babylon 4 disappeared, it was about to be attacked by allies of the Shadows to prevent it from going back in time, but were stopped…

…by the White Star!

Then Delenn reveals that their mission is to go through the enlarged temporal rift to save (and steal!) Babylon 4, or else the Shadows won’t be defeated in that War, causing a chain of events that will lead to the destruction of Babylon 5! (So…no pressure or anything)

Sheridan contacts Garibaldi (remember him?), who’s been monitoring the rift and recording whatever transmissions come through, saying he's witnessed the destruction of Babylon 5 through the transmissions.

With that, Sheridan’s vote makes the decision to proceed unanimous. Sheridan orders Garibaldi to return to Babylon 5 as the White Star prepares to enter the rift. However, there is a shuttle from Epsilon 3 preparing to rendezvous with equipment for their mission, as well as the last member of the team…

Sinclair immediately recognizes Zathras (for reasons that will be explained) and tells him not to say he knows his past self when they meet (I swear this will make sense!) Zathras is honored to meet Sinclair and Sheridan, but won’t explain why (yes, things are very confusing and secretive. I hope it doesn’t hurt your head too badly)

Before they enter, Zathras gives everyone a temporal stabilizer device that will negate most of the effects of time displacement, as well as keep them anchored to the current time (or the time Babylon 4 is in, anyway) With that, the White Star enters the rift.

Upon arrival to 6 years ago, the White Star finds Shadow fighters with a fusion bomb large enough to destroy Babylon 4.

Six years in the future, Garibaldi has returned to Babylon 5 and finds out Sinclair was there. There’s a message from Sinclair waiting that’s a bit ominous, saying Sinclair isn't planning on returning.

Meanwhile 6 years ago, the White Star destroys the bomb, but is too close.

A wave of something hits Sheridan’s stabilizer and he vanishes into the time stream! While everyone wants to find Sheridan, Sinclair reminds them what’s at stake and tells them to continue with the mission.

And what of Sheridan? He appears surrounded by Centauri guards and facing down…

Londo, only much older and wearing the attire of the Emperor! Londo tells him it’s been 17 years since the end of the Shadow War, and his planet is in ruin because of him and Delenn, and they are to be executed for war crimes! Londo sends him to his cell to prepare himself for his execution.

Back in the past, the White Star (thanks to the explosion knocking out Babylon 4’s sensors) has infiltrated and latched onto the station and cut into the hull so the crew can quietly board. Ivonova and Marcus go to secure a path for Zathras to bring the equipment for the time jump while Sinclair and Delenn go to…do something reckless (but apparently necessary) as part 1 ends.

[Normally I would have a pic of the title for part 2, but I’m not in this case since Babylon Squared will be mixed into this and it could become a bit confusing. Plus, due to doing three episodes in one review, my image budget is taxed to the limit as it is!]

Ivonova and Marcus begin looking for an unsealed access panel when suddenly Marcus vanishes, just as a patrol finds her! Then Marcus drops from the ceiling and helps Ivonova subdue the guards. They then find an access panel and get to work rigging the security systems.

Meanwhile on future Centauri Prime, Sheridan convulses and fades.

He appears briefly before Zathras before returning to the future just in time for Delenn to be thrown into his cell.

Well now, THAT’S a hell of a way to discover you’re a father! Sheridan quickly explains what has happened, and Delenn reveals he told her long ago of this moment but didn’t entirely believe him.

Back on Babylon 4, Delenn and Sinclair find a spot in the fusion reactors to place the time travel devices as Ivonova triggers an alarm to clear the reactor chamber.

On Centauri Prime, Londo has called for Sheridan and Delenn. However, Londo has made himself very drunk…

…to induce his “keeper" (a member of one of the Shadows' minion races) into slumber so he can be candid with them. He has arranged transport off of Centauri Prime for Sheridan and Delenn and begs them to save the Centauri from the remnants of the Shadows in exchange. He quickly sends them away, as he can feel his Keeper waking up. He then calls for…

Londo asks G’Kar to end his life to give Sheridan and Delenn time to escape, then Londo’s Keeper awakens, killing G'kar as G'Kar kills him!

Thus Londo’s vision of his death (mentioned Season 1) is fulfilled. Who says long-term storytelling is dead? Also, thus paves the way for Emperor Vir.

However, on the way to the escape ship, Sheridan feels himself being pulled away. Delenn gives him a warning before he leaves (which he doesn’t wind up heeding)

Back on Babylon 4, Zathras is rigging one of Babylon 5’s space suits with the broken time stabilizer in hopes to retrieve Sheridan, to which Marcus calls Zathras mad. Ivonova muses about Valen (a Mimbari not born of Mimbari) when suddenly Sheridan appears in the suit!

With Sheridan back, he and Sinclair place the rest of the time displacement devices along the outside of the station.

Then the station increases power output, causing a surge that sends Sheridan and Sinclair flying! And with that, Babylon 4 vanishes (and so does Sheridan)! Zathras manages to stabilize the equipment, but Babylon 4 has moved 4 years into the future to Season 1.

Speaking of Season 1...

(Told you I'd get to this)

We open at breakfast with a bit of levity…

(Thanks to Grv3n)

And what about the Star Fury that was sent to Sector 14? Alpha 7 gets to the source of the disturbance and discovers…

…just before he utters a blood-curdling scream!

Roll (Season 1) credits!

We come back to find Ivonova unable to make contact with Alpha 7, despite sensors saying it’s returning to the station.

A bit over an hour later Alpha 7 returns, but halts just short of the station and doesn’t respond to instructions. They do a scan and discover no life signs! An autopsy reveals he died of old age, despite being only 30 (his organs were those of a 90 year-old man!) After doing a thorough search of the Star Fury, Garibaldi’s team discovered something scratched into the safety harness…

Then C&C contacts Sinclair (I’m gonna call him Past Sinclair just to avoid making this any more confusing) about a distress signal.

After confirming the authenticity of the signal (though the time stamp is 4 years old), Past Sinclair offers his assistance (without revealing from where) to evacuate Babylon 4. He and Garibaldi lead a team of transports to B4’s location, a trip that takes 3 hours.

Meanwhile on Babylon 4, the crew of the White Star meets up with Sinclair to find…

…he’s aged considerably due to one too many run-ins with the time distortion field. Sinclair puts Zathras to work repairing Sheridan’s time stabilizer for if/when he returns. Zathras scurries off with Ivonova into Babylon 4 for the parts he needs. Meanwhile, Sinclair heads back to the reactor to make adjustments and sends the others back to the White Star.

Zathras manages to repair the time stabilizer, but…

Security takes Zathras to a holding cell. Delenn decides to leave the White Star and sees…

Meanwhile, the shuttles from Babylon 5 arrive. Upon their arrival…

(Thanks to Texx Titillations)

“Unstuck in time” is an interesting way to phrase what’s happening, but I can’t think of a better one. Anyone who can, please let me know in the comments.

As the evacuation proceeds, Major Krantz says they found an alien (Zathras) aboard just after things went pear-shaped. Zathras then looks at Past Sinclair and immediately sits back down.

Zathras explains he’s stealing Babylon 4 to fight “a great war”, but never explains when that war is.

Then a guard summons Krantz. He and the others follow (including Zathras, since no one thinks to stops him)

Sheridan’s space suit appears out of thin air. Zathras claims Sheridan is “The One.” Past Sinclair moves to speak with The One, but when they touch, he’s blown clear about 20 feet! In the confusion, Zathras hands The One some sort of device and scurries off as The One vanishes. Unfortunately for Zathras, he’s quickly re-captured.

Meanwhile, Ivonova has made her way to C&C after the crew has evacuated to help Sinclair make adjustments.

Marcus then leaves the White Star and sees…

But if Sheridan’s there and stable…who’s in the space suit?

Back in interrogation, Zathras reveals the device was his time stabilizer so The One will survive the time jump. wants to take Zathras to put him on trial (for what? Being an accomplice for stealing Babylon 4?) Zathras says that if he leaves Babylon 4, he’ll die since he’s not from this time.

Then the power fades a bit. Zathras says Babylon 4 will be leaving for its new home soon.

Garabaldi then reports in that the station is getting ready to go to whenever it’s going. Krantz insists on taking Zathras with them, and since he’s technically still in command he can order it.

Then the station shudders and a pillar falls on Zathras, pinning him! Unfortunately, it’s too heavy to quickly move and they need to go now! Zathras tells Past Sinclair to leave him, but before he goes…

Garabaldi practically drags Past Sinclair to the last shuttle, but as they leave Zathras gets a visitor.

So that’s who was in the suit!

At C&C Sinclair tells everyone to go back and he’d join them shortly. Marcus calls him out on his bullshit, claiming that someone has to control the station’s journey…and there’s no way back.

Then Sinclair shows the letter he got back on Mimbar (remember that?)

Delenn then reveals her own letter, verifying Sinclair’s claim. Sinclair also says the aging effects of yet another trip through the temporal rift would likely kill him anyway. Sinclair then asks Ivonova and Marcus to leave so he can have a conversation with Zathras.

(Thanks to evelyn raymond)

With that, Zathras decides to stay with Sinclair to assist with the integration of Babylon 4. And with that, the White Star leaves Babylon 4 to return to their own time and the temporal rift closes behind them.

(Thanks to Korfez Derince)

Now we know how Valen knew how everything had transpired.

Hope you enjoyed. Now, I’m gonna take a few dozen Advil and beat my head against the wall to clear my head of this.

[woodsfae]

Babylon 5 S03E16 War Without End: Part One previous episode - table of contents

From the preview image that Tubi chose for the episode I see that Sinclair's back?? My old friend!! As well as our first glimpse at Minbar outside the Grey Council chambers, I believe! It's beautiful: very sculpted in a sort of sci-fi Rivendell way which fits the Minbari's space elf vibe. 

Entil'Zha is being presented with a sacred box, which has waited for over 900 years..in which there is a letter for Jeffrey David Sinclair! Dun dun dun. Prophecy is real, Babylon 5 is a high fantasy as much as it is sci-fi. 

Another prophecy, this one of the sci-fi variety: Babylon 5 gets a transmission of Ivanova calling for help, saying "they're killing us." 

This show gives me so many fanfic ideas and I haven't looked to see if anyone else has done them yet, because I'm avoiding spoilers. So I really don't go looking for info on B5 or interact with fandom works much. But this episode reminds me that I keep toying with the idea of an AU where Sinclair never leaves at the end of s01 and the whole plot plays out with him. I miss him, he got into my heart so fast and I had no inkling he was leaving the show till well after I was attached. 

It's nice to see Sinclair has had Minbari friends in his time running/recruiting/training the Rangers from Minbar. 

Partner just asked me what my predictions were for Sinclair and then when I went on a ramble just stared at me and told me to write it down. So here: my prediction of Sinclair's fate. In a separate post, because it's a bit too much of a tangent.

I've paused for long enough for only being six minutes into, so we're going to move on now, but if you wanna hear meta thoughts on what I think might happen with other characters end games, I could ramble about it.

Ivanova: this recording is fake. my analysis is based on logic: I didn't do it, ergo it is fake. Garibaldi, living for some sci-fi shenanigans: what if it's time travel.

They have Garibaldi positioned poorly before a dark path in the backdrop and it looks like he has one, huge pouf of hair sticking out one side of his head, lol.

Sinclair's back on Babylon 5! Zack Allen is in plainclothes, so perhaps all staff have the option? Or Zack wasn't invited to their special senior staff matching uniforms? 

Delenn being a drama queen. It's one of the qualities they hire for on the Grey Council. 

Lennier: "It must be done or the dream will die, and countless others will die."

o m in o u s

Eight days since the last Vorlon attack, per Marcus. 

Sinclair looks so good in Sci-Fi Rivendell clothes. Eeeek, I missed him, I love it. 

Oh it's Zak? Zap? Zathras? Yes! Zathras! Wow, I wasn't sre he'd be back, let alone that he'd be in shenanigans with DraalPlanet, OR that DraalPlanet would be doing something with time travel! 

And Sheridan! Is also wearing Minbari fashion! Some very snazzy robes over his uniform. 

Ivanova's message from the future is so grim. The captain is dead. "They" are coming in all over the place. External cams: Shadows. The Shadows have weapons lock. Explosions. Seems pretty straightforward and I bet it'll play out exactly like that with no twists. :P /hah

As Sheridan is doubtlessly about to find out, it's always going to be a normal evening when you are asked to swear you trust someone with your life before events can commence. 

Delenn has a powerpoint presentation about the Shadows. And a battle where the shadows were driven from their home, Zha'Dum. But the Minbari were losing at the time. Until Babylon 4 appeared! Delenn says without Babylon 4, they would have lost the war. 

Even while Babylon 4 was in construction, the Shadows attacked to destroy it. And the White Star was there! Delenn says they must go through the temporal rift that Draal is widening, protect B4, steal B4, and send B4 around in time. End Presentation! Everyone agrees with her flawless logic. And because she brought receipts in the form of video archival footage from DraalPlanet's surveillance system: Epsilon 3. 

That I didn't see coming, either. But like Garibaldi, I am so on board for the sci-fi hijinks. 

Oh, Delenn's plan goes farther! She and Sheridan will take B4 on the entire time travel trip and personally fight in the historical fight against the Shadows. Ten thousand years ago, right??? Damn, Sheridan and Delenn are going to stride through time and strike titanic, decisive blows in a war that felled entire species of sci-fi space gods!! That's so fucking epic. 

Ivanova is floating the idea that she was calling for help from an alternate timeline. But Garibaldi thinks it's the timeline they're planning now, where they take B4. 

I'm sure that SInclair's quippy references to Sheridan are super funny, but sadly I do not get the references. 

Zathras is here again. I...don't get Zathras. He's ehh funny. But extremely plot useful! Sinclair is meeting Zathras for the second time, but for Zathras it's the first time. But Zathras is well-informed, because he's very super honored to meet Sinclair and Sheridan, but also that's on the list of things Draal told him not to mention. 

Ahh, this Sinclair has already lived through the destruction of Babylon 5! He's already experiencing the world nonlinearly and is trying to do differently on this loop - damn! Or he's having visions from an alternate timeline but at some point you gotta agreee those are almost the sme thing, structurally, experientially, and thematically.

Time travel requires the use of devices that act as anchors. Zathras is handing them out and they're all being clipped visibly on a belt or sash, thus guaranteeing that someone will lose theirs. Sinclair? 

Aww, Sinclair sees Delenn and Sheridan holding hands and smiled. That makes me wistful for the Sinclair/Delenn endgame that exists in my personal, unwritten AU. 

Garibaldi is due an arc of making good, upstanding decisions and not doing police brutality so it hits extra hard when he blows up with Babylon 5. Or he makes it two more seasons, idk. I wouldn't mind if they lost a few characters and he was one of them.

Especially not if we could swap him for Talia back. I can't decide if I think she (or her personality that got overwritten) will be back or not. 

The White Star has been ugraded with Vorlon skin, so it deflects attacks better, which Sheridan affects to be unimpressed by.

Garibaldi guesses "Hello, old friend," as the password which Sinclair used to lock a goodbye/sorry video Sinclair left for him. Which makes me softer for Garibaldi. That's what I think of when I think of Sinclair, too! 

Oooo, Sheridan's time stabilizer got hit and now he's unstuck in time. Space is big. Hope he lands on something with an atmosphere. Delenn can pick him up later, I'm sure.

Sheridan always automatically turns to Delenn for backup, but Sinclair automatically turns to Ivanova, and I love that. 

Sheridan just time traveled to the future where Londo is the Emperor of Centaur! And it's "just in time to die."

Are they currently losing a war in the future? Perhaps Centaur is now a holdout in the war for existence against the Shadows in an alternate future and Sheridan will be meant to save the future as well as the past? 

So funny how taken aback Delenn is that Sinclair speaks Minbari now. He lived there! Marcus, who was being trained as a Ranger there learned Minbari as what he implied was a necessity. But Delenn is so surprised. Their heart to heart is so sweet. *shipping intensifies*

Back to the future! Sheridan and Londo seems like he's blaming other people for his own support of the Shadows' agenda coming back to bite Londo and Centaur in the ass. "Ohhh if only you'd joined me in collaborating I wouldn't have had to face any consequences!" He'll get everything he ever thought he wanted and learned that being Emperor lost him everything he'd ever cared loved.

That's a pretty good hook and a cliffhanger. And a ton of interesting information was revealed! It's too late for Part Two tonight but I pinky-promise I will watch it tomorrow. I wrote up some predictions after I did a Sinclair one and an other-characters one before I watched...

War Without End: Part Two

[authortobenamedlater]

Pre-B5 Sheridan gets pulled into the Haloverse ends up in the final events of CE. Maybe between the Agamemnon and the Pillar of Autumn they can destroy the Halo without destroying the Autumn?

(This one would be weird to write because game/book Keyes turns into Bruce Boxleitner in my mind’s eye)

or

Infinity ends up in the B5verse and gets dropped into a battle against the Shadows. Maybe take a little inspiration from War Without End or an AU within it? Those episodes are wild enough why not dial it up to 11.

I could only have Zathras in the second one though and I would need to have Zathras.

Zathras: (to Sinclair) You are the One who was (to Delenn) you are the One who is (to Sheridan) you are the One who will be. (to Lasky) You…are not supposed to be here.

*awkwardness all around*

Lasky: I already knew that, but thanks.

There’s also the potential for confusion when Cortana pops into the Agamemnon’s system.

Cortana: Hello, Captain Sheridan. I’m Cortana.

Entire Agamemnon bridge: 😳

Keyes: You don’t have shipboard AI?

Sheridan: No, Captain Keyes, can’t say as we do.

Cortana: My eyes are up here, [insert random bridge officer’s name here].

Sheridan: Do they all look like that?

…Or a secret third option? Sadly there’s not quite enough material to do this for the TV timeline (yet).

We all know I’ll never actually write either of these but they’re fun to think about.

[rosallora]

S2E22 The Fall of Night

Attache to attache communication... Vir and Lennier love. Instant adoration for that relationship. Same time tomorrow.

And of course... G’kar was right about the Centauri pushing for more worlds.

Oh my god. He really isn’t the same Londo. He’s just... he can’t stand down.

Ministry of Peace... always a good sign (sarcasm).

Oh Ivanova... no family. She has Sheridan at least, and Garibaldi! And the ambassadors. I love her very much. And I love that she’s unwilling to leave Babylon 5, to betray her fellows, to join the Night Watch... she’s a wonderful character. I wish she had gotten to be with Talia. I miss Talia.

The Night Watch, oof. It’s back.

Why won’t the Minister of Peace (Lantz) talk with G’kar? I am just. Augh.

OHHH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALLIANCE? WITH THE CENTAURI? WHAT THE FUCK!

I cannot believe this is happening. GET OUT THERE FIGHTERS, IT’S TIME! And YAY! The Narn are safe :)

I can’t wait for Babylon 5 to go rogue. We’re gonna see it. So far!

I fucking hate Welles! He can burn in Helles.

Kosh OUTSIDE THE SUIT! Beautiful. Amazing. Very Gender.

We’re going FULL thoughtpolice. YEP. YEP. Sedition is a powerful thing.

I love Sheridan’s reaction to Kosh’s true form - the idea that the Vorlons have been manipulating people from the very beginning. It really says it out loud, really makes it clear. Love it.

And Christ on a Cracker. We’re going to get Rogue Bab5. There’s no way that we’re going neutral on this. And there’s no way we’re going to be abiding by the shithole called Earthdome.

Anyways - that’s a wrap on Season 2.

I’m trying to get my thoughts together. I like the side stories - Keffler chief among them. He had a full arc, he found his own personal closure. His story is done, and it’s a catapult into the future.

I want G’kar to continue being a part of the show, and I want for him to continue doing what he can for the Narn. Seeing him advocate in the streets, speaking up against the Centauri... he’s a brave man. I know that my admiration of him will likely only grow more as the show enters Season 3.

I have a suspicion that Ivanova will join the Night Watch, if only to have a woman on the inside.  The way that the offer was given to her, and her consideration in the last shot of Season 2 really confirmed that for me. The fact that we also ENDED with Ivanova in frame suggests to me that next season we might also see a shift in station power.

Sheridan has done a good job as captain, but I think it might be time for her to take the helm. Sheridan is very much a soldier, and he does operate like one. I think that his obedience to the rules will definitely force him out - or really, his refusal to find the loopholes that Sinclair might have. I think that Sheridan will have to step down from his position, and I believe that could be an interesting direction for the show to go in. If not, then not!

I have high hopes for Vir and Lennier going into Season 3. I love the attaches, though Na’toth has pretty much disappeared from the show at this point. But the mutual expression of worry that the two of them exchanged showed a special kind of commiseration between the two that I’d like to follow. Lennier’s continued support of Delenn is also big - sometimes she’s just silly, she messes up, and he’s there for her. I think Lennier is my FAVORITE attache by far! But I look forward to Vir perhaps working AGAINST the Centauri, and taking the actions that he felt that he was too helpless to in Season 2. He’s my horse to bet on.

The Talia/Ivanova thing will HAUNT ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I hope we can get Talia back.

See you in Season 3!