lurkers-guide/guide/506

<!-- TITLE Ruling From the Tomb -->

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

<blockquote><cite>
Gideon and Lochley clash on Mars as a group of religious zealots threatens
a conference on the plague.
</cite>

</blockquote>

<pre>
Production number: 111
Original air date: July 14, 1999
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00061QJSK/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: December 7, 2004

Written by Peter David
Directed by John Copeland
</pre>

<p>
<hr size=3>

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

   <li>@@@932974890 Since the plague hit Earth, a number of doomsday cults
	have appeared on Earth.  One of the most extreme, Sacred Omega,
	is willing to kill to prevent a cure from being found, since it
	believes the plague is God's punishment for mankind's corruption.

   <li>@@@932974890 Trace Miller
	(<a href="501.html">"War Zone"</a>)
	was once studying to be a Foundationist priest.  He witnessed
	something horrible, which shattered his faith and caused him to
	drop out of his training.

   <li>@@@932974890 Max grew up on Mars.  He spent most of his childhood
	studying, but occasionally was able to slip away and venture into
	the seedier sections of town.

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@932974890 What did Trace see?

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@932974890 Dureena said she gave a guy a chance once.  What were
	the circumstances, and what happened?

   <li>@@@932974890 Franklin is still on Earth, according to Lochley.
	Assuming he still holds his post as head of the Earth's xenobiological
	research program
	(<a href="100.html">"The Ragged Edge"</a>)
	he is presumably playing a key role in Earth-based research to find
	a cure.

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@932974890 Max is an expert dancer.

   <li>@@@932974890 When Trace is interrogated after being attacked, a sign
	on the wall can be seen; it reads "Phobos."  That was the name of the
	bar where Sheridan was captured in
	<a href="083.html">"The Face of the Enemy."</a>
	On the other hand, it may be a common name for Martian bars, since
	Phobos is one of Mars' moons.

   <li>@@@933008963 The streets mentioned in the episode are all named
	after well-known pieces of Mars fiction.  Bradbury Street is a
	reference to Ray Bradbury, author of "The Martian Chronicles."
	Burroughs Street refers to Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote a series
	of stories about Mars featuring a character named John Carter, for
	whom Carter Street is named.  This isn't the first reference to
	John Carter in the B5 universe; a John Carter is referred to as one
	of the first Martian colonists in
	<a href="028.html">"A Spider in the Web."</a>

   <li>@@@933014242 Another Bradbury reference: Max was drinking "dandelion
	wine" at the bar.  "Dandelion Wine" is the name of a 1957 novel by
	Bradbury.

   <li>@@@932976890 Text of the conference banner:
	<blockquote>
	EARTH ALLIANCE HEALTH ORGANIZATION<br>
	Plague Eradication<br>
	Management Strategies<br>
	Mars Conference<br>
	June 15, 2267
	</blockquote>

   <li>@@@933009543 The bomb timer stops on 18.  In Hebrew, 18 is spelled
	out as "chai," which means "life."

</ul>

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

   <li>@@@932974890 <em>Gideon can be seen to wear a ring in this
	episode.  What's it for?</em><br>
	It's his Earthforce Academy graduation ring.

   <li>@@@932974890 <em>When Chambers is waiting to be met by Gideon,
	it looks like there are people holding signs reading "Copeland"
	and "Straczynski".  True?</em><br>
	Yes on the first, no on the second.

</ul>