lurkers-guide/guide/090

<!-- TITLE The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari -->

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

<blockquote><cite>
Londo suffers a serious heart attack and must face his greatest fear to
survive.  Lennier decides to start training as a Ranger.
</cite>

</blockquote>

<pre><a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/090">8.52</a>

Production number: 503
Original air date: January 28, 1998
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00019071C/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: April 13, 2004

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by David Eagle
</pre>

<p>
<hr size=3>

<h2><a name="BP">Plot Points</a></h2>
<ul>

   <li>@@@886062758 Citing discomfort with his personal situation now that
	Delenn and Sheridan are married, as well as a desire to fill the void
	left by Marcus' death, Lennier has left the station to train as a
	Ranger.  He promises he'll return from time to time.

   <li>@@@886062758 Ever since he started dreaming of his own death, Londo
	has felt somehow that Sheridan would be nearby at the end.  He doesn't
	appear to know the details of Sheridan's presence
	(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)

   <li>@@@886062758 Londo has apologized to G'Kar for all his past misdeeds.
	It's the first time, he claims, that he's apologized for anything in
	his life.

   <li>@@@886361666 Londo's first wife was a dancer, as he mentioned to
	Garibaldi in
	<a href="018.html">"A Voice in the Wilderness, part 1."</a>)
	His family later forced him to divorce her; they claimed she wasn't of
	a high enough social class and threatened to strip him of his
	inheritance if he didn't obey.

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@886062758 Was G'Kar aware of Londo's dream?  Was G'Kar's in-dream
	suggestion that he was a projection left over from their
	telepathic contact
	(<a href="050.html">"Dust to Dust"</a>)
	at all true?

   <li>@@@886100581 Was Lennier truly following the calling of his heart as
	he claimed, or was he simply running away as Sheridan conjectured?

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@886062758 How did Londo know about Sheridan's limited lifespan?
	Why would Sheridan (or Delenn) have told him about it?

	<p>
	If it's common knowledge, then Lennier probably knows too.  What
	influence did that knowledge have on his decision to leave?  He
	as much as said that he wanted to become a Ranger so he'd be more
	attractive to Delenn; does he believe that by becoming a warrior
	like Sheridan, he'll be able to take Sheridan's place at Delenn's
	side in twenty years?

<p>
   <li>@@@886062758 During his conversation with Londo, Sheridan's clothing
	changed several times, in line with his changes of uniform over the
	course of the show: first he wore an Earthforce uniform, then a
	shirt with no coat
	(<a href="054.html">"Severed Dreams."</a>)
	Then he wore his Army of Light uniform
	(<a href="055.html">"Ceremonies of Light and Dark."</a>)
	Next, he was dressed in the robes of the Entil'zha, just like
	Sinclair's garb in
	<a href="060.html">"War Without End."</a>
	Finally, he was dressed in a simple white robe and hood like that of
	a Minbari acolyte, before he turned into a ball of light similar to
	the million-years-hence Ranger in
	<a href="088.html">"The Deconstruction of Falling Stars."</a>

	<p>
	Londo's dreams can be prophetic at least some of the time, the
	obvious example being the dream of his death.  If this one can be
	taken literally, the implication is that Sheridan will be the next
	Entil'zha.  That's consistent with Zathras' claim that he is "The
	One who will be"
	(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)

	<p>
	The meaning of the white robe is less clear; perhaps after he
	heads the Rangers he will turn his attention to Minbari spiritualism.
	It's worth noting that Delenn wore a similar robe during the rebirth
	ceremony in
	<a href="005.html">"The Parliament of Dreams,"</a>
	during the funeral ceremony in
	<a href="017.html">"Legacies,"</a>
	and after her transformation in
	<a href="024.html">"Revelations."</a>
	Dukhat wore a similar robe in
	<a href="075.html">"Atonement."</a>
	That last reference may be the most significant when considered in
	light of Delenn leaving the center space in the Grey Council open for
	"the one who is to come"
	(<a href="080.html">"Moments of Transition."</a>)

	<p>
	The robe, it should also be noted, shielded most of Sheridan's head
	from view.  Could that be a trick similar to showing Delenn's arm in
	<a href="020.html">"Babylon Squared?"</a>
	Will Sheridan, late in life, transform into a Minbari-human hybrid,
	possibly to cement his role as Dukhat's successor?

	<p>
	The ball of light may be related to whatever event will lead to the
	legend (in
	<a href="088.html">"The Deconstruction of Falling Stars"</a>)
	that he was carried bodily into heaven after his death -- perhaps
	Lorien, a ball of light in his own right, will return and take Sheridan.
	Or perhaps there's still part of Lorien remaining in Sheridan, and it's
	that part that will depart when Sheridan's body dies.

<p>
   <li>@@@886359843 Once again the theme of finding something to live for is
	in evidence; it's a recurring one most strongly in evidence in
	<a href="068.html">"Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi,"</a>
	in which Lorien told Sheridan that something to live for was required
	if he was to continue living at all.  The most relevant previous
	appearance of the theme, though, was in
	<a href="065.html">"Shadow Dancing."</a>
	Dr. Franklin had similar near-death visions that caused him
	to reexamine his past and gave him the determination to live in order
	to correct past mistakes, a closer analog to Londo's experience than
	what Sheridan went through.

<p>
   <li>@@@886062758 Londo said he had never apologized for anything in his
	life, presumably referring to serious apologies rather than off-the-cuff
	conversational remarks.  If that was because he was afraid to face the
	fact that he'd done great harm in the past, apologizing might count as
	facing his greatest fear, his last chance for redemption as prophesied
	by Lady Morella
	(<a href="053.html">"Point of No Return."</a>)
	Of course, she was more likely referring to allowing himself to be
	strangled by G'Kar, since his next-to-last chance was to not kill the
	one who is already dead -- quite likely a reference to letting
	Sheridan go as he'll do in his final moments
	(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)

<p>
   <li>@@@886361479 Lennier's decision to join the Rangers may have other
	aspects in addition to the ones mentioned in the episode.  For example,
	he may feel personally responsible for Marcus' death, since he was the
	one who inadvertently led Marcus to discover the existence of the alien
	healing device
	(<a href="086.html">"Endgame."</a>)

<p>
   <li>@@@886361816 Both Lennier and Londo followed the callings of their
	hearts in this episode, though Londo's heart was rather more emphatic
	about it.

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@886062758 Londo's taste for fine bravari was first established in 
	<a href="039.html">"Knives."</a>

<p>
   <li>@@@886062758 Londo has apologized seriously twice before.  First he
	apologized to Garibaldi for casting his vote against Sinclair in
	<a href="000.html">"The Gathering."</a>
	The second time, he reluctantly apologized to Elric for recording
	their conversation in
	<a href="025.html">"The Geometry of Shadows."</a>
	He has also apologized in casual conversation (e.g. telling Vir he
	was sorry to call so late in
	<a href="067.html">"The Hour of the Wolf"</a>)
	though he likely doesn't consider those to be true apologies.

<p>
   <li>@@@886062849 Lennier and Vir first sat together at the bar in
	<a href="044.html">"The Fall of Night,"</a>
	and according to that episode, it was a regular weekly event.

<p>
   <li>@@@886062758 Vir drank a Shirley Temple at the bar.  Shirley Temple
	was a child film star, but a more subtle reference is that she later
	served as the U.S. ambassador to several countries.

<p>
   <li>@@@886062758 Vir said goodbye to Lennier using the Minbari hand sign
	(fingers and thumbs touching to form a triangle.)  Presumably he
	learned that during his time as the Centauri ambassador to Minbar.

<p>
   <li>@@@886062965 An old Centauri story says that sometimes an angelic soul
	can be trapped inside a body that's done great evil, and can kill its
	host in an effort to break free and inhabit another body.

<p>
   <li>@@@870968410 The title of this script is similar to an earlier
	story, "The Very Long Night of Susan Ivanova," which was never
	produced.

<p>
   <li>@@@886359399 Medical gaffe: When Franklin described Centauri anatomy
	to Sheridan, he said they had a "bipulmonary system," clearly intended
	to mean that they had two hearts.  But in medical jargon, "pulmonary"
	refers to the lungs, not the heart.  A term like "bicardial" would have
	been correct.

<p>
   <li>@@@898571511 Medical gaffe: Franklin ordered a "toxology report" on Londo.
	Though it's a common mistake, he meant "toxicology."  Toxology is
	the study of the bow (as in bows and arrows.)

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@871230710 <em>Is this the same story as "The Very Long Night of
	Susan Ivanova?</em><br>
	No, just that since I ain't doing that story, the title became
	available, and it was most apt for this episode.

<p>
   <li>@@@886100020 Nothing like this was planned for Susan; I just liked the
	title and adjusted it.

<p>
   <li>@@@886360328 <em>Was the lighting changed for the transition between
	Vir entering the transport tube and Londo emerging in the hall?</em><br>
	We did the light change, and enhanced it further in post.

	<p>
	<em>How was the cameraman holding the camera during the rest of
	that scene?</em><br>
	We attached the camera to his body.

	<p>
	<em>Was the single unbroken shot the director's idea?</em><br>
	It was in the script.

<p>
   <li>@@@886464544 <em>Is Bill Mumy off the show?</em><br>
	Bill is still on the show; there's a bit of a break as his character is
	off on anla-shok training, but he does come back, and in fact has a
	rather substantial arc of his own at a certain point later in the
	season.

<p>
   <li>@@@886100020 <em>G'Kar's artificial eye isn't red yet.  Did the actor
	not want to wear the contact?</em><br>
	No, the contact omission was kept because of the story and the
	character; it'll be dealt with down the line in more detail, but for
	now, that's why it's there.

<p>
   <li>@@@886359137 <em>How did Londo know about Sheridan's shortened
	lifespan?</em><br>
	It's common knowledge within the inner circle of the Alliance
	advisory board.

<p>
   <li>@@@886573242 <em>Are Sheridan's last two outfits a preview of things
	to come in season five?</em><br>
	Could be....

<p>
   <li>@@@886573282 Re: the idea that Londo has "apologized" before....

	<p>
	Remember G'Kar's comment: that in other circumstances, Londo wasn't
	sorry he DID it, he was sorry he got CAUGHT.  That was the point of the
	exercise.

<p>
   <li>@@@887704064 We're slowly bringing Londo full-circle, and what an odd
	little voyage it's been.  And so much sadness yet to come.

<p>
   <li>@@@887657731 He can learn, yes, and he can better himself...but
	because of his actions, so many have died, so much grief has occured,
	that perhaps no amount of self-revelation can cover the blood on the
	floor.

	<p>
	There's an excellent moment in the Night Gallery movie, where a
	prison camp commandant has fled to Brazil and, years later, is trying
	to live out his life in peace, realizes that mistakes were made, is
	actually trying to find a better life...but as one man dies at his
	hands says, "You have hung too many Christs on crosses for any god to
	forgive you."

<p>
   <li>@@@886360328 <em>Could Delenn have stopped the Rangers from accepting
	Lennier?</em><br>
	Yes, she could have...but it would have devastated
	him and undermined the Ranger structure.

</ul>