Poor Babylon 5 keeps getting pushed aside by the other shiny discs that keep coming my way from Netflix and the library. I don't mind, I like seeing new things more than the old stuff sometimes, and I can pick up the story right where it left off pretty easily. J Michael Straczynski continues to write the episodes and they are still some good ones. All the directors are regular ones and they all do a fine job.
War Without End Part 2 May 20 1996
Written by JMS and directed by Michael Vejar
Sheridan, caught in a time slip, travels into his future and learns that he has a son with Delenn. The son is safe but his parents aren't so safe. They are locked up on Centauri Prime and it looks like it the end of them. Emperor Londo calls them to his chambers and shows them his keeper. Sleeping now, the result of just enough alcohol in Londo's system, so lets them go. As they leave G'Kar comes in and confronts Londo, they strangle each other, Vir finds their bodies and true to prophecy becomes Emperor. Vir will be a much better Emperor than Londo ever could have been. It seems to me that there are some novels that deal with that time in Londo and Vir's lives.
On Babylon 4 Sheridan eventually comes to rest and we all learn that Sinclair is really Valen, a Minbari not born of Minbari. Sinclair takes B4 a thousand years into the past, turns into Valen with the help of the Tri-luminary, and gives the station to the Minbari of the time. A good ending for the Sinclair character. I liked Michael O'Hare from the start and have continued to like him in my repeated viewing of the series. A good solid episode with a nice revelation at the end.
Walkabout September 39 1996
Written by JMS and directed by Kevin G Cremin
The new Vorlon ambassador arrives on Babylon 5. He's also called Kosh. He's got a much darker and more demon like environment suit than the previous Kosh. He'll turn out to be pretty much a prick. Lyta tells Sheridan that the Vorlon are upset that one of them died.
We get back to Dr Franklin who's wondering around in Downbelow. He gets involved with a singer who has an illness. He tells Mr Garibaldi about the concept of walkabout and how he needs to be less bothered by the people in the command center. Mr G takes the hint.
Sheridan recruits Lyta Alexander to test out his theory that telepaths can cause problems to Shadow ships. She agrees to go along. They have a hard time getting the other races to go along. Even the commander of the Narn ship they helped earlier in the season isn't willing to help, wanting to save their ships to help Narn itself. Mr Garibaldi yells at G'Kar and they rally a bit of an armada. The telepath test works well and Lyta stops the ship, learning at the same time that a part of Kosh resides in Sheridan. I like the fighting the Shadows part over Dr Franklin's soul searching.
Grey 17 Is Missing October 7 1996
Written by JMS and directed by John C Flinn III
Mr Garibaldi is looking for a missing service tech when he finds that deck Grey 17 had somehow been missed when they built the station. There's a group of men trapped there by a Zarg. They've all become psychotic under the leadership of Jeremiah, played by Robert Englund, and they believe the way out is through the Zarg. Mr G kills the big monster and gets back to work.
Delenn is being appointed head of the Rangers and Naroon doesn't think she should have the job. It should go to him and the Rangers should fall under the control of the Warrior Caste. He intends to attack Delenn but Marcus learns of it and fights him long enough for the ceremony to take place. Naroon learns a lesson and Marcus takes a good beating. Another episode where one thread of the story is better than the other. I like the Delenn and Naroon scenes a whole lot and the business between Naroon and Marcus is even better. The missing floor is just a bit more goofy than it could have turned out. J Michael thought it was rather weak and he didn't care for the Zarg at all.
And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place October 14 1996
Written by JMS and David J Eagle
Lord Refa comes to the station and Londo sets him up for a fall. Past friends, Londo and Refa, they are bitter rivals now and the Emperor is sick of their feud. He wants it ended. Londo tricks G'Kar into going to Narn on a rescue mission. Refa gets it out of Vir with the use of a telepath and he heads to Narn to capture G'Kar. Londo's plan works well and soon Lord Refa has been hacked to death by vengeful Narns.
Religious leaders from Earth come to the station and meet with Sheridan. They are part of the resistance movement back on Earth and they've brought news from Earth. One of the men, Rev Dexter, a Protestant minister, gives some advice to Sheridan. Dexter holds a service and invites everyone. They all sing the "No Hiding Place Down Here" which gets cut with the Narns chasing Lord Refa to his death. No one's going to miss that guy, he's much worse than Londo could be.
Delenn takes Sheridan out to see the new White Star fleet and he's so excited he kisses her right on the command deck. The ships will come in handy, the Shadows have their own fleets being built by the races on their side. One of my favorite episodes. I have quite a few. I think I'll watch the last two episodes of the series tomorrow.
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