lurkers-guide/guide/034

<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>

<blockquote><cite>
G'Kar asks Sheridan to intervene militarily on behalf of the Narns; Ivanova
tries to institute an ambassadorship with a visiting alien.
</cite>

<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?Williams,+Paul+%28III%29">Paul Williams</a> as Taq.
<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Abercrombie,+Ian">Ian Abercrombie</a> as Correlilmerzon.
</blockquote>

<pre>
Sub-genre: Drama
<a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/034">7.97</a>

Production number: 212
Original air date: February 22, 1995
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000087EYB/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: April 29, 2003

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Jim Johnston
</pre>

<p>
<hr size=3>

<h2><a name="BP">Backplot</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li> 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.

</ul>

<h2><a name="UQ">Unanswered Questions</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li> What <em>was</em> that gift?

   <li> Will the Lumati's alliance with Earth be significant?

</ul>

<h2><a name="AN">Analysis</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li> 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.

   <li> 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.

   <li> 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.

</ul>

<h2><a name="NO">Notes</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li> In keeping with his newfound importance, Londo's outfit has changed
	slightly; it is crisper, darker, with a slightly more military look.

   <li> 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.

   <li> The Lumati's arrogant attitude toward other species bears some
	resemblance to Star Trek's Prime Directive.

</ul>

<h2><a name="JS">jms speaks</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li> 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.

<p>
   <li> [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.

<p>
   <li>@@@846703699 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.

<p>
   <li> 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.

<p>
   <li> 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.

<p>
   <li> 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.

<p>
   <li> <em>Is Zathras (cf.
	<a href="020.html">"Babylon Squared"</a>)
	a Lumati?</em><br>
	Zathras is not part of the Lumati species.

<p>
   <li> <em>What's the deal with all the fans behind Sheridan's superior?</em>
	<br>
	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).
	 
	<p>
	Well, we're always saying around here, the more fans the better....

<p>
   <li> <em>Was G'Kar laughing or crying?</em>
	<br>
	It's both; laughing at the absurdity, and crying...about as close as
	we've seen to a nervous breakdown.

<p>
   <li> 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.

<p>
   <li> <em>Was Katsulas actually fighting, or was it a stuntman?</em><br>
	It was a little of both, yes.

<p>
   <li> 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.

	<p>
	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.

<p>
   <li> The Narn were not out in space prior to the Centauri arriving.

	<p>
	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....

</ul>