- @@@855428420 Was the use of the third season end theme
deliberate?
It was an error...but as with many errors on the show, it
worked to our benefit. It's the ABA principle....Art By Accident.
- @@@854727959 I'm quite happy with this episode. It's fun.
- @@@840408489 I'm writing 405, "The
Long Night," and there's something that one character was supposed to
do in the script, that had been the plan all along, that was my intent
even as near as 1 page from where it was going to happen...then just as
I got to that scene, another character stepped up and said, "no, let me
do it." I was kinda flummoxed. "You?! You're the LAST person anyone
would think to do this." The character nodded. "Exactly." And the
symmetry was perfect, the impact would be greater...so that's who did
it.
On one level, it's always wonderful when this happens; on
another, it scares the hell out of me....
It's at the bottom of act two, you'll figure it out when you get
there.
- @@@852231899 Which character has surprised you the most?
Probably Vir. He's surprised me on many levels. Suffice to say that in
the first 6 somewhere next season, there's something I'd slotted for
another character to do. I'd intended for that character to do it right
up.... until the page before that other character was going to do it,
when Vir stepped up in my brain and said, "No, *I* should do this." And
as soon as he said it, I knew it was right. You'll see.
- @@@854693845 It was gonna be Londo right up until 2 pages before the
scene...then Vir said, "Nope."
- @@@854957225 Nothing about it was at all accidental...he had to go
pick it up, turn, move to Cartagia, stick it in, and then pull the
trigger. Nothing accidental about it. But if we'd shown him doing all
the prep, the shock wouldn't have been as substantial.
- @@@852471331 "Has a character (not actor) ever suggested a direction
to you that you didn't take, but later on seemed like the direction you
should have taken? I would think they would all be fighting for
screen-time, or is that just some actors?"
Not really, mainly because if my subconscious mind is sufficiently up in
arms about something as to throw a fictional character at me and yell at
me, it's usually a sign that I should Shut The Hell Up And Do As I'm
Told. So when it happens, I *very* rarely ignore it.
- @@@855249305 What did Londo mean when he said there'd be a
reckoning?
Well, the reckoning in the next life for his actions in this
one, would be the best way of putting it. That's what he expects.
- @@@859454157 Was G'Kar's stock a visual reference to Jesus on
the cross?
I think one can make the argument there is some symbolism in
there from christian literature, but that kind of scene takes place in
other belief systems as well, and historically that sort of torture was
used in many places, including the Roman empire in general.
- @@@855249226 Did Londo's men weaken the chains after all, or was
G'Kar just really determined?
That was one determined Narn.
- @@@854694708 The White Star mission in that ep has definite roots;
during WW2 to convince the Germans we weren't going to land at
Normandy, our own agents were fed incorrect information, set
loose...and then info was leaked to the Germans allowing them to pick
up the agents and torture the information out of them. This wasn't
quite as bad as that, the crew at least knew what they were getting
into...but there are often no good choices in war.
- @@@854957259 The Ericsson scene was moving.
Thanks...I think a lot of it there has to do also with the
performance of the actor playing Ericsson. He brought a real sense of
presence to the job.
- @@@855334858 He asked if Ericsson was married because, if he was,
that was a call that Sheridan would have to make, over Stellarcom or in
person, to notify her that her husband was dead. And, for Sheridan, I
suppose there was a tinge of relief, knowing that at least he wouldn't
be creating a widow as well as ordering Ericsson to do what was
necessary.
- @@@872263596 What was the meaning of the phrase Ericsson used when
he signed off?
The Minbari phrase was the standard way for Rangers to end a
conversation, with a salute to the Entil-zha, the head of the Rangers,
which is Delenn in this case.
- @@@854871953 Why did the promo feature Ericsson when his was a
pretty minor part?
Certainly I would never have made a big deal about the Ericsson
thing, because then it *does* set up certain expectations. I didn't
hear about the promo until you did.
There actually *was* a Lorien scene in that episode, but it got
slid a bit when we ran out of time in that ep.
- @@@855479889 Sheridan should have known Ericsson wasn't
married.
First, the Rangers situation is not a typical military situation. They
are primarily from Minbar, both in terms of actual Minbari and humans
trained there. They are specifically under Delenn's charge, with
Sheridan *sharing* that authority. He did not know Ericsson because
they're a large bunch to whom he has not been introduced, and likely
they don't have very large records on them. This is a *de facto* army,
not a *de jure* (I hope I spelled that right) army...there ain't a lot
of paperwork on the Rangers.
Second, it was Delenn who sent for this particular White Star, more for
its strategic location...which Sheridan used because it was closest to
the goal. Your observation is like saying that General Patton should
know *instantly* about every soldier on the line in battle, however
distant he is. Which is simply absurd. Watch some old WW2 footage
someday...there's General MacArthur walking among some troops..."What's
your name, son? Where are you from?" By your lights, he should have
known that.
Third, re: the encryption notice...of *course* they're all
encrypted...what Sheridan said was "we're RE-encrypting this message
EVERY THREE SECONDS, so be sure to have your system keep up." That's an
escalation in layers of encryption so elaborate and involved that it
makes the system actually slow down.
- @@@865288361 More on Sheridan's sacrifice of the ship
I think it also showed the League that he was willing to
sacrifice his own people, that he *means business*...and is prepared to
go all the way for this, and they'd damned well better be as well.