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

Overview

G'Kar asks Sheridan to intervene militarily on behalf of the Narns; Ivanova tries to institute an ambassadorship with a visiting alien. Paul Williams as Taq. Ian Abercrombie as Correlilmerzon.

Sub-genre: Drama
P5 Rating: 7.97

Production number:  212
Original air date:  February 22, 1995

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Jim Johnston

Backplot

• The Narn pushed the Centauri off their world through a war of attrition, so it was no longer worth the Centauri's effort to stay -- open, direct warfare is new to them.

Unanswered Questions

• What was that gift?
• Will the Lumati's alliance with Earth be significant?

Analysis

• The situation between the Narn and the Centauri on Babylon 5 seems destined to explode sooner or later, even if things were quelled the first time. If one side begins to lose badly, revenge will be a natural reaction. Perhaps it will be just such an incident that pushes Earth into taking sides, assuming that's going to happen.
• It also seems like only a matter of time before the Minbari smuggling operation is discovered; eventually it's plausible that the Centauri will get sick of the Minbari nosing around in the middle of war zones, though they may decide they don't want to risk fighting them. How much trouble Sheridan will be in if his plan is discovered remains to be seen.
• Given the Lumati's feelings about natural selection, it's unclear how desirable they'll be as allies. If Earth needs help, they might well decide that that means humans are inferior, and withhold their aid.

Notes

• In keeping with his newfound importance, Londo's outfit has changed slightly; it is crisper, darker, with a slightly more military look.
• On a more editorial note, this episode is arguably the first to drive home how different the situation is now than it's been in the past. The dark undercurrents that have always been present in the series begin to surface here, in the form of G'Kar's desperation, Londo's casual lack of concern over the killing and his calm assurance that the Centauri will defeat the Narn, Sheridan's loss of composure with G'Kar, and the general sense of hostility around the station.
• The Lumati's arrogant attitude toward other species bears some resemblance to Star Trek's Prime Directive.

jms speaks

• On an unrelated note...just finished another script tonight, "Acts of Sacrifice," which despite its rather ominous title is more a slice of life episode...and contains probably the funkiest, weirdest sequence that I have ever written. Full tilt whacko.

• [Londo is] a fascinating character to explore, and the most careful balancing act of the bunch; part of the character's appeal is that on a very fundamental level, you *like* him, and you don't want to see him on this terrible slide downward. So every so often, you have to pull him back, go in a different direction, remind us of his basic humanity and potential for heroism. He is, really, any of us caught in a web of events spinning more and more out of control every day.

• At the start of year one, Claudia came to me and said she'd love to do more funny stuff in her role; don't change anything in the story, just let her have some fun here and there before All Hell Breaks Loose in year three. I let her have that.

• As it happens, I made it a point to be on-set the day we shot what we ended up calling "the Ivanova dance." Wanted to make sure it was done correctly. We only had to shoot it about three times, only in the master, no coverage. The crew was absolutely breathless after the first take, from keeping from laughing. It was very funny.

• Actually, not to split hairs, the idea of sex sealing deals goes back a heck of a lot longer than Larry Niven. It's been part of treaty signing and stuff going back to ancient Egypt, other parts of the middle east, even parts of medeival europe.

• To the question raised: yes, if Sheridan had shown the Lumati around, the request would have been made to him, as it was to Ivanova.

• Is Zathras (cf. "Babylon Squared") a Lumati?
  Zathras is not part of the Lumati species.

• What's the deal with all the fans behind Sheridan's superior?
  I will only say that I was as surprised by those fans as anyone else (I was in editing all day when that was shot).

  Well, we're always saying around here, the more fans the better....

• Was G'Kar laughing or crying?
  It's both; laughing at the absurdity, and crying...about as close as we've seen to a nervous breakdown.

• I think one need look no further than the latest communiques from Dole and Newt to get some idea on the progenitors of the Lumati.

• Was Katsulas actually fighting, or was it a stuntman?
  It was a little of both, yes.

• Given that the Narns were agrarian prior to the arrival of the Centauri, and were under their heel, and got most of their tech FROM the Centauri leftovers, no, they're not more advanced. It's a lot like the Russian situation, seemingly this tremendous power, but once you look deep, not as well off as they'd like you to think.

  Claudia loved the scene when I first described it to her, prior to finishing the script. She was dying to do it, and kept sort of "doing" it around people for some time prior to filming.

• The Narn were not out in space prior to the Centauri arriving.

  While Paul Williams was on set for this ep, I had him sign my two CDs of the "Phantom of the Paradise" soundtrack. Ah, power....

Last update: May 28, 1997