My Journey through Babylon 5

[Zohak]

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Races

Spoilers... thru season 5 on
http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Drakh

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Shado...nts_(Surgeons)

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Keeper

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Streib

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Wurt

http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/File:Zener.jpg

[magictrick]

5x10 - A Tragedy of Telepaths

The surprise of seeing Na'Toth was somewhat spoiled by having her name in the opening credits of this episode. I guess when you have a character with significant screen time you can't really omit their name. Either way it was nice to see the character again. I hadn't imagined they'd want to get back to her, after completely omitting her in season 2, and then saying she died when Narn was bombed. I really liked how Londo explained things to G'kar about orders and how Centauri follow them without question. It gave us more of an inside look on how the Centauri monarchy operates.

By what Londo said in the beginning of the episode with the increase in weapons manufacturing, I'm going to assume that the culprits of the attacks on Alliance ships are the Centauri. In addition it probably has something to do with the Drakh or Keepers being in control of powerful people within the regime.

As for the telepath conflict on Babylon 5, it seems like it was just building up in this episode and it will really blow up in the next episode now that Bester is on board. I don't see this ending well for Byron and the rest of the telepaths. There will likely be lots of deaths, and I foresee Byron as one of them for sure. This much even he predicted in his conversation with Lochley. I'm not quite sure how Lyta will come out of this whole ordeal, but I really hope she won't be a casualty.

[magictrick]

5x11 - Phoenix Rising

Quite a lot happens in this episode, but the outcome is exactly as I predicted - tragic.

Bester really seems to have thought of everything with Garibaldi. The neural block seems to be the latest. All this leads Garibaldi to pick up the drink at the end of the episode. I don't see things turning out well for Garibaldi at this point. I wonder how or if he will ever even the score with Bester, I mean the guy really has it coming.

The fate of the telepaths was pretty much sealed from the last episode. The fact that Bester once again caused it to end in the worst possible way just makes you dislike his character even more. By this point I really hope that he meets the fate that awaits him, he has been responsible for so many deaths I've lost count. The Byron and Bester back story explains a lot of things as well. I kind of liked the Byron character and what he was trying to accomplish. It really was a tragic end.

I'm thinking Lyta may have a showdown with Bester at some point though. I wonder what effect the events of this episode will have on her.


5x12 - The Ragged Edge

So the effects of Garibaldi's drinking continue to surface, this time they may have caused the death of his friend as he slept right through it. What I really liked about this episode though was that we got to see the homeworld of one of the other races which is a first. We even learned a bit about the Drazi history and culture, all of which was interesting.

The G'kar side story I thought was well done. There hasn't been much focus on G'kar recently and it was nice to see him struggling with what he should do.

My suspicions were confirmed and it looks like the Centauri are behind the attacks. It is interesting because we the viewers know what is going on and who the faction that is ordering these attacks is. Although G'kar is already on the right track about two warring factions on Centauri Prime, they still have to find out quite a few things. It will be interesting to watch these events unfold.

I wonder when the truth comes to light if Sheridan will tell Londo about the time jump he experienced. But then again if that happens, who knows what the repercussions would be.

[suse]

5x08 - Day of the Dead

This episode was interesting due to the weirdness of what happens in the Brakiri section of B5. I'm not quite sure what actually happened. Was it all an illusion/hallucination? Or did the dead actually come back to life for one night? How far away did that section actually get transplanted - 200 million light years or 27 light years?

I found it odd because death isn't really examined in B5 up until this point (apart from the Soul Hunters way back in season 1). So the fact that an entire episode would bring up questions about what really happens with death is interesting.

I also liked the choices for characters to bring back. I found the choice of Morden for Lennier to be the most intriguing. First off they didn't really have much interaction during the Shadow War. Secondly, the prediction and advice Morden gives to Lennier appears to be truly genuine. Lastly, Morden asks a kind of "What do you want" question to Lennier and actually gets an answer this time - something which proved significant in the past, especially for Londo.

The side plot of Penn and Teller was pretty fun to watch too. I liked the conversations they had with Delenn. I'm not quite sure exactly the significance of these two in the episode. We learned a bit about them and what they did during the war as comedians but that's about it.

And to conclude everything, Sheridan got another cryptic message from Kosh.

I loved Day of the Dead. It's the only ep in the last 2 seasons that jms did not write. Neil Gaiman (the Giam were named after him) wrote it. It's the first ep that I liked Lockley. I'm not so sure it wasn't the only ep. Garibaldi and the woman from GROPOS . It gave Lockley some depth - man did I hate her connection to Sheridan - sooo contrived imo. And Sheridan... I love Kosh.

[magictrick]

I loved Day of the Dead. It's the only ep in the last 2 seasons that jms did not write. Neil Gaiman (the Giam were named after him) wrote it. It's the first ep that I liked Lockley. I'm not so sure it wasn't the only ep. Garibaldi and the woman from GROPOS . It gave Lockley some depth - man did I hate her connection to Sheridan - sooo contrived imo. And Sheridan... I love Kosh.

Yes I was hoping her connection with Sheridan would be something else entirely, but in the end I wasn't surprised by what it really was.

[magictrick]

5x13 - The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father

If this episode accomplishes anything it is to further increase the animosity one feels for the Psi Corps. I mean they hypocrisy involved here is kind of annoying. The Corps is supposed to be the family for telepaths, where they can grow and be nurtured, otherwise they would not survive in the outside world filled with mundanes. Yet once all grown up, they view themselves completely superior to the mundanes (regular folk), and they act like if it is normal to do so because they are somehow entitled to it.

I will say I thought it was a good idea to have the episode from the point of view of the Psi Corps though. Just like A View from the Gallery, a different perspective on things is always interesting to do. We also get to find out more about the Corps, including the fact that they have their own motherships. Although their real purpose is not revealed, I'm sure they will pop up again down the road as the telepath war story line continues to build.

My thoughts continue to be the same after watching this - I really hope Bester gets what's coming to him

[DigiFluid]

You're in for some real exciting stuff and some real disappointment.... And I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts

I've only tuned into this thread since you finished Season 4 and I've been enjoying it the whole way. Glad to see you aren't put off by what's arguably the weakest of the show's run.

[magictrick]

You're in for some real exciting stuff and some real disappointment.... And I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts

I've only tuned into this thread since you finished Season 4 and I've been enjoying it the whole way. Glad to see you aren't put off by what's arguably the weakest of the show's run.

So would I be considered to be part of a small minority if I say I'm enjoying the current season the most so far?

[DigiFluid]

Yes I think that would put you in a very small minority But of course, every fan has their preferences, so no harm no foul

I think what I liked most (and if possible, least) about Season 5 was how it felt like the beginning of a brand new era. All new possibilities, new stories being seeded out of the old stories, characters so naturally settling into their new roles, it was all such a nice....rebirth.

Minus, of course, Fabio the Frakking Telepath. And Sheridan's goatee (really, who thought that was a good idea?)

[magictrick]

Yes I think that would put you in a very small minority But of course, every fan has their preferences, so no harm no foul

I think what I liked most (and if possible, least) about Season 5 was how it felt like the beginning of a brand new era. All new possibilities, new stories being seeded out of the old stories, characters so naturally settling into their new roles, it was all such a nice....rebirth.

Minus, of course, Fabio the Frakking Telepath. And Sheridan's goatee (really, who thought that was a good idea?)

I think the reason I like it is because it seems to me that most characters have come full circle. Each character is completing their journey, but it isn't being done in one or two episodes, but an entire season which I think is great. From season 1 - 4 they underwent various developments through trials and tribulations, and now this season it is just the conclusion of all that. Of course some characters still have quite a bit to go on their journey (Lyta, Garibaldi, Lennier). I can even say Londo though by this point it is obvious what path he is taking.

It feels like a nice buffer to me, instead of having the show abruptly end. I like for instance, seeing Londo and G'kar get along, despite knowing their history and all that's happened. I like seeing Garibaldi back to his regular self. I know in season 4 he was under the influence but I didn't like his character during that time.

So it basically feels like a season finale that's supposed to wrap everything up and setup for the future, except it is taking place over the course of a full season.

[DigiFluid]

That's a neat way to look at it. Never thought of it that way before.

I am interested to see how you react to some of the episodes ahead. Two in particular (one of which being the finale)

[Cold Fuzz]

5x08 - Day of the Dead

This was an intriguing episode the first time I watched it. For one thing, it's the first episode in forever that wasn't written by JMS. Having said that, I think Neil Gaiman did a good job of fitting in his writing to suit the B5 universe.

I really liked the exploration of the Brakiri in this one--more of that empire building JMS talked about for season 5. They've been talked about since 2260 and it was good to finally see them spotlighted. I was less interested in Penn & Teller than in the unusual phenomenon going on. I'd honestly say that Morden's comment about one part of the station being 200 million LY away from the other is just exaggeration on his part to throw Lennier off balance. I'm more inclined to believe that the people in the Brakiri side of the anomaly were somehow transported to the Brakiri Homeworld. The whole thing was likely due to an odd space-time anomaly on Brakir but who knows what the real cause was.

What I really liked were the interactions with the dead, especially Morden. True to form, he gave Lennier what he wanted, which was wisdom. If the Shadows were to approach any Minbari, including Delenn, with that question, wisdom would likely be the answer. Wisdom of course is only useful is you do something with it.

Morden's comments were completely truthful. In fact, I'd say that all of the dead that appeared on B5 said things that were absolutely true.

I liked the backstory with Lochley and Zoe. You're going to find that this backstory will tie into another character in a very unusual way. 'twas a very pleasant character development though.

Dodger was a hoot. I especially liked her quoting all of the Emily Dickinson poetry as well as that crazy stuff with "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

5x09 - In the Kingdom of the Blind

The parasitic aliens on Centauri Prime are indeed the Drakh. As you can see from their presence in the royal palace, they're firmly entrenched and then won't be leaving easily. With the Drakh in control of the royal palace, Centauri Prime is definitely not a place I'd want to be in.

If Byron and his people had any illusions of getting their own homeworld, they pretty much ruined it by blackmailing virtually the entire Alliance ambassadorship. I'll comment more on this with Phoenix Rising.

5x10 - A Tragedy of Telepaths

JMS was asked about Na'Toth's name appearing in the opening credits. He said that SAG rules pretty much dictated that her name be there and those rules apply regardless of spoilers.

I did like the closure we finally got with her character. That's really the tone of season 5 though, closure (or non-closure as the case may be ).

5x11 - Phoenix Rising

To say that Bester is a slime ball is an understatement. But the unfortunate situation with the telepaths really couldn't end any other way. *shrug* As long as you have an organization--Psi Corps--that's been legitimized by EarthGov to rule over telepaths, there's absolutely no way for telepaths to truly have their freedom.

I personally didn't like Byron very much to be honest. I don't think it was the acting as Robin Atkin-Downes I think did a pretty good job with the material he was handed. I just don't think he was a sympathetic enough character. I would've been far more inclined to like the character if the rogue telepaths didn't resort to blackmailing the Alliance ambassadors. I really do sympathize with the telepaths entirely, FTW. I just wish their story had been written differently. I think though that any stories about the Telepath War are going to paint the rogues as angry dissidents. They've spent over a century being oppressed by the Psi Corps and as G'Kar said, you can't hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.

5x12 - The Ragged Edge

Ah, another of my favorite episodes in season 5. We get more empire building, especially with the Drazi Homeworld and their culture. That in itself made the episode worth it for me.

G'Kar starts coming back into the spotlight with this episode. Though he's not featured in the next episode, starting with Meditations on the Abyss, he'll get more prominence. In fact, he'll get more prominence than he ever wanted.

There's an interesting situation with dramatic irony going on in the show at this stage. The audience already knows that the Centauri are definitely involved with attacks on the Alliance shipping lines and that the Drakh have a hand in that agenda. Dramatic irony transforms into tragic irony because we know the truth about the entire situation but the characters don't--and how the situation is handled (or not handled) by certain characters amplifies this storyline to the height of Greek tragedy. You'll see what I mean very, very soon as Londo's fate and that of his people is about to be decided.

5x13 - The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father

I liked this episode even though I really didn't want to. Part of that is seeing Babylon 5 from a completely different POV. Another part of it is getting some insights into Psi Corps, especially some attack/defend training. Here's something worth noting on that scene: The attack telepath's psychic image resembles a Shadow vessel. The defending telepath's image resembles that of the Vorlons. In particularly, the imagery is highly reminiscent of the avatar used by the Vorlons in Into the Fire to communicate to Sheridan--the blindfolded woman trapped in ice.

I also liked the fact that split personalities with telepaths can have different psi ratings. I definitely didn't see that coming.

So would I be considered to be part of a small minority if I say I'm enjoying the current season the most so far?

I've always been fond of season 5, despite my dislike of Byron. I personally liked the season 3 material the best, especially the latter half starting with Severed Dreams. However, I do like the dynamic set up in season 5 as well. I love the empire building as well as bringing characters and relationships to a close.

I honestly wish that Babylon 5 went farther along than it did but JMS did originally conceive it as a 5-year arc. The arc works beautifully and, to me, remains one of the best stories in sci-fi today.

[magictrick]

5x14 - Meditations on the Abyss

Interesting stuff happens here, especially with regard to Lennier and his story. It was a nice to see an episode focus on him for a change, as so few have done so thus far. Probably what stands out the most is the conversation he has with the other Minbari for joining the Rangers for the wrong reasons. It is ironic isn't it, since Lennier himself seems to be joining so he can impress Delenn. Adding on to that Morden's prediction of his betrayal kind of foreshadows that he will eventually have to make a choice between Delenn or the Anla'shok. By this point it has almost certainly been revealed which one he will pick.

I liked the rest of the episode as well, especially the speech given by G'kar with the light on the wall. I really like his character and was happy to read ColdFuzz write that he will become more prominent.

I'm not quite sure how the Drazi found out that the Centauri are the ones attacking Alliance ships. But either way, it seems like things are falling in to place for what we know is inevitable.


4x15 - Darkness Ascending

This episode felt kind of like the calm before the storm, even though it wasn't really that calm

I wonder how long until the others find out about Garibaldi. It is obvious that the problem continues to magnify the more he denies it. Lise might speak up or choose to take Garibaldi's advice to leave the station. I guess we will find out in the next episode. I can see this turning bad for Garibaldi as the drinking will undoubtedly result in a big mistake on his part with events turning dire at this point.

This episode really leaves the story on the cusp, leaving us wondering what's next. We know for sure Londo doesn't know what's going on, yet the other characters are not 100%. How will the conversation go? Will Londo listen to what his government suggested? Judging by how his character has developed at this point he should know better, but then again we know what ultimately happens so it would seem the wrong choice is made.

What kind of gets lost in all this is the G'kar and Lyta conversation. I had totally forgotten about that proposal oh so long ago. I like that Lyta is continuing to do what Byron started but in a more efficient way.

Next episode should be great

[Raw_Deal]

4x15 - Darkness Ascending[/B]

This episode really leaves the story on the cusp, leaving us wondering what's next. We know for sure Londo doesn't know what's going on, yet the other characters are not 100%. How will the conversation go? Will Londo listen to what his government suggested? Judging by how his character has developed at this point he should know better, but then again we know what ultimately happens so it would seem the wrong choice is made.

What kind of gets lost in all this is the G'kar and Lyta conversation. I had totally forgotten about that proposal oh so long ago. I like that Lyta is continuing to do what Byron started but in a more efficient way.

Next episode should be great

I'm one of those who think that in general, season 5 is not nearly as good as the previous seasons. However, the next episode is where things are really starting to pick up, and from now on, it's one great episode after the other. The next one is particularly good in my opinion - I'll comment on it after you watch it.

[DigiFluid]

Had to look it up, but agreed completely with R_D. The next episode from where you are really shifts it into high gear and doesn't stop till the end