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The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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[1][ISMAP]-[2][Home]
### GUIDE ### [3][Background] [4][Synopsis] [5][Credits] [6][Episode
List] [7][Previous] [8][Next]
_Contents:_ [9]Overview - [10]Backplot - [11]Questions - [12]Analysis
- [13]Notes - [14]JMS
_________________________________________________________________
Overview
The outbreak of a fatal disease among the Markab population prompts
a panic on the station; Dr. Franklin races against time to find a
cure.
Sub-genre: Drama
[15]P5 Rating: [16]7.85
Production number: 218
Original air date: May 24, 1995
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Kevin Cremin
_________________________________________________________________
Backplot
* The Minbari expect Valen, the holy figure who founded the Grey
Council a thousand years ago (perhaps during the last conflict
with the Shadows) to return some day -- or at least, they have a
religious ceremony suggesting so.
* A deadly virus appeared on an isolated island on the Markab
homeworld several hundred years ago, wiping the entire population
out. The inhabitants of the island were known for what was widely
considered sinful behavior, and the virus came to be viewed as
divine retribution by the Markab.
* Dr. Franklin visited the Markab homeworld once while he was
hitchhiking on starships in his youth.
* Keffer has been taking trips into hyperspace in his spare time,
looking for the mysterious ship (a Shadow ship) he saw in [17]"A
Distant Star."
* When Delenn was a small child, she was separated from her parents
in an unfamiliar Minbari city. Eventually she found refuge in an
old, apparently unused, temple, where she waited for hours. Then,
just before her parents found her, she saw a vision of a figure,
bathed in light, who told her, "I will not allow my little ones to
come to harm in this place."
Unanswered Questions
* Was the virus created artificially? If so, who did it and why?
(See [18]Analysis)
* How many Markab are still alive?
* What's going on between Delenn and Sheridan?
* Will someone lay claim to the dead Markab worlds? Who?
* Was Delenn's story about the temple true, or just a story to
comfort the lost Markab child? If true, who or what appeared
before her? (See [19]jms speaks)
* Will the disease spread among the Pak'ma'ra as well, or will
Franklin's treatment stop it from wiping them out?
Analysis
* This episode's plague theme meshes with the story and ritual
practice of Passover. The Minbari dinnner ceremony Sheridan,
Delenn, and Lennier participate in is a ritualized meal, like
Passover: foods must be eaten in a particular order, and a table
setting is left for a revered historical figure (Elijah, Valen)
who is supposed to return some day. As the Markabs enter the de
facto "quarantine" chamber, the Markab ambassador suggests that if
they pray and are pure, the plague will "pass over" them -- a
parallel with the original passover story, where a certain sign on
the house door made a plague attacking the Egyptians pass over the
Jews. Franklin's discussion of the Black Death also mentions how
Jews were unjustly accused of spreading the infection.
* Franklin appears to have forgotten about the alien healing device
he acquired in [20]"The Quality of Mercy" and used on Garibaldi in
[21]"Revelations," which he could have used to help his friend and
thus increase the chance of finding a real cure. Or perhaps he
knows enough about it now to know that it wouldn't have worked on
plague victims for some reason. (Obviously it wouldn't have been
of much use to the Markab population in general, since it only
works on one person at a time and only with a donor.)
* Babylon 5's crew may have inadvertently helped the disease spread
when they gathered all the Markab for blood tests; presumably some
of the subjects would have remained in their quarters if they
hadn't been dragged out and tested in a room full of possible
carriers.
* Sheridan presumably ordered Keffer to stop his expeditions because
he suspects Keffer's mystery ship is a Shadow vessel. Will he let
Keffer in on that information, or will he continue to keep it to
himself and simply let the order stand?
* Franklin's frequent use of stims to stay awake while a medical
crisis is going on (cf. [22]"In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum") may spell
big trouble for him if he keeps it up. Doctors on stims are more
likely to make mistakes (cf. Dr. Rosen in [23]"The Quality of
Mercy") and it appears the Earth medical community doesn't look
kindly on the practice of doctors drugging themselves to stay
awake -- Dr. Rosen lost her medical license as a result.
Whatever his good intentions, his obsession with solving
everything on his own may lead him into a regrettable situation
down the road. There isn't yet enough evidence to show that he's
actually addicted to the stims, though. (See [24]jms speaks)
* It's been argued that the Markab _did_ die for their sins --
specifically, the sin of pride, by believing that they could keep
the disease to themselves and not involve any outsiders. Had
Franklin learned of the disease when it first hit the station, he
(or another non-Markab doctor) might well have been able to save a
billion lives.
* Delenn seems to be coming apart at the seams in many ways,
probably as a result of being made a pariah among her people. If
she's telling the truth, or at least part of the truth, about
undergoing her change to help draw humans and Minbari closer
together (cf. [25]"Revelations") it must be frustrating in the
extreme to be reviled by her own kind, and resented by many humans
(cf. [26]"And Now For a Word.") Especially if she believes that
she's special somehow, a unique player in an immense drama (cf.
[27]"Babylon Squared.") This, in combination with the influence of
her new biology, may explain why she's reaching out to Sheridan
now; he at least seems to respect her and relate to her as an
equal, and she probably trusts him a lot more now that she sees he
can be trusted with one of her biggest secrets (cf. [28]"In the
Shadow of Z'ha'dum.")
Or, of course, she could be planning something. She's been trying
to get closer to Sheridan for quite some time (cf. [29]"A Race
Through Dark Places") and this could simply be the next step.
* On a similar note, being locked in a room and helplessly watching
thousands of people die all around can't be good for Delenn's
emotional stability. It remains to be seen if this will have an
impact on her personality; for many people it would be a profound
shock.
* But Sheridan's statement that Delenn wouldn't be able to come back
out if she entered the contaminated area doesn't make sense, given
that the plague was known to be airborne; she'd be exposed to it
either way, given that the station's air is recycled (as stated in
the episode.) Presumably he was just trying to keep her from going
in.
* The timing of the plague's reappearance, with all the other events
going on, is suspicious. Of course, it might be a simple
coincidence, as Franklin suspects, just a dormant disease whose
time has come. But another interpretation is that the outbreak on
the Markab island centuries earlier was an early biological
warfare test on an isolated population, and the events in this
episode were the real attack. If that's true, who is responsible,
and do they have any connection with the approaching Great War?
Note that the Markab did have some contact with the Shadows last
time they rose up, as evidenced by the Markab ambassador's speech
in [30]"The Long Dark" -- perhaps someone (not necessarily the
Shadows; maybe the man at the bar was right) didn't want the
Markab around to participate this time.
* Franklin's cure protects possible victims against attack, rather
than eliminating the disease. B5, with its recycled air supply,
now permanently carries the disease, which is dangerous to species
with yellow and green blood-cells (or cells that perform a similar
function, namely the manufacture of certain neurotransmitters) and
might well mutate to endanger others. This could affect the
willingness of alien groups to use the station in the future. Even
species not vulnerable to the disease might keep away just to be
safe.
* When Sheridan wakes up from his nap in Delenn's quarters, he
mumbles, "In the memory of the nine and the one." Presumably the
nine refers to the Grey Council, and the one refers either to
Valen or to The One, as mentioned in [31]"Babylon Squared."
There's also an echo of the story told in the Minbari ceremony in
[32]"The Parliament of Dreams."
Notes
* This episode features a previously unseen alien (or at least, a
humanoid who's presumably alien) wearing a suit with an elaborate
helmet. The helmet bears a striking resemblance to the mask of
Morpheus, the King of Dreams, from Neil Gaiman's [33]"Sandman"
comic book. As "Sandman" is one of JMS's favorite comics, this may
be an intentional homage.
* "Markab" is Arabic for "boat."
jms speaks
* "Confessions" isn't per se a wham episode, for instance, but it
does have some very sharp turns, and it's an extremely intense
episode on a par with "Believers." It makes no compromises and
takes no prisoners, and I imagine it'll stir up about as much
debate as did "Believers," if not more. When we did playback after
doing the audio mix a few days ago, there wasn't a dry eye in the
house.
* I would also point out that, upon returning from the Moon, Apollo
astronauts were quarantined routinely in case any virus might have
been encountered; also, Mars probes today are carefully sterilized
prior to launch to prevent any virus from our ecosystem
interacting with anything that might be there. Further, there have
been numerous hearings within NASA, and in at least one case in
the Senate Science Subcommittee, in which biologists and
scientists have expressed concern about the possibility of viral
contamination from new species. So anyone who says this isn't
possible simply isn't reading the literature.
* Tom, we *do* have a medical/biological advisor, whose primary
comment on the notion that a virus couldn't pass between one
species and another..."We have yet to contact one other alien life
form to make an analysis. We do not know for a fact that their
biology will be radically different than our own. Until we
actually make contact, it's as likely as not." A biologist works
from what's known; unless you've got a specimen of alien life
somewhere and aren't showing it to anyone, or you're simply making
a guess, which is neither more nor less correct until we have
something testable in our hands.
* I will not defend the notion that the episode stated that all
Americans felt that AIDS was a penalty from god because it never
said that. Ever. In any way, manner, shape or form. The problem is
that some people are so caught up in the current situation that
they lose all sense of perspective. Fact is, most people DID think
that the Black Death was a punishment from God, or the work of the
devil, as Franklin says. The Markabs had a similar belief. Nowhere
was that applied in dialogue to humans or the AIDS situation.
The whole point of the episode is NOT political; it says that if
you make a disease political on either side, you're gonna die. You
have to set aside all that crap and just Deal With The Problem.
The only "side" this episode took was in advocating compassion for
those afflicted.
I have enough just dealing with what's actually *in* my series;
don't compound the problem by adding things that you saw only in
your own head, and which exist nowhere in dialogue or in the
story. You are adding the template of your own beliefs as an
overlay, and seeing this story through it. That ain't my problem.
If you see this disease as political, that's your lookout. This
show says that ANY attempt to politicize a disease is
species-dangerous thinking. Period.
* On one level, this does indicate that we really *are* crazy over
here at B5. Here we developed this race for nearly two years.
Developed their culture. Mentioned them prominently just last
episode. Had them speak before the full Council (in "Long Dark").
Spent substantial amounts of money making them the biggest single
alien group we've got (some of the group shots had 40-50 or more
Markabs, all in full prosthetics and full costume)...and now,
never to be seen again.
It couldn't be a race we've never seen before, not if it was to
have the impact I wanted. It had to be a group that's been with us
from the start.
In Council scenes for the balance of the season, the Markab seat
remains empty.
* "No disease in human history is 100% fatal."
Not correct. The Black Death was fatal to everyone infected by it.
It was not, as Drafa, 100% contagious, but it *was* about 90%
contagious. The Black Death wiped out *three-quarters of the
entire European population*. _(Editor's note: not quite true;
three-quarters of the population in some areas was wiped out, but
the total toll was closer to one quarter -- still pretty
devastating. The mortality rate was high, but some people survived
and were immune thereafter. It also hit Africa and Asia.)_
Roll that around for a while. Three-quarters.
The only thing that saved areas of Europe was that there wasn't as
much travel then as today between countries; it was reserved for
those with enough money to afford it, which were very few. There
were also fewer means of entry; a river and a bridge closed to
refugees was often enough to keep people out. There is now MUCH
freer travel. Had there been freer travel in the 14th century,
it's entirely possible that the entire European population might
have been completely eradicated, with those few who might've been
immune dying from associated diseases, hunger and other problems
caused by the presence of the disease.
One person I spoke with at the CDC (Center for Disease Control)
said that, hypothetically speaking, the sudden eruption of a
disease like this is possible. How likely depends on various
circumstances. There are, for instance, regions in the Amazon and
South America where certain kinds of plant and animal life can
only be found; and those specific lifeforms can transfer diseases
to humans...diseases that literally melt the flesh off your body,
or in another case, cause worm-like infestations to burst through
the skin covering the entire body. (Let me tell you, researching
this was just a whole lotta laughs.) They are *highly* contagious.
The only thing that has (so far) prevented a massive outbreak is
the fact that by the time you can generally get OUT of these
remote areas...you're dead.
A particularly aggressive disease could perform very much like
what is described in the episode.
* Any time there's a big disease, we get Stupid. The same exact
thing happened with the Black Plague, as was mentioned in the
episode...instead of blaming gays, the leaders of the time blamed
jews and lepers. The whole *point* is to drop politics and
scapegoating whichEVER disease it happens to be next...and there
is always a next...and focus on the problem: the disease.
* There would've been a very few on deep space patrols, or on
isolated worlds that would've survived, yes, as was indicated in
the narration at the close of the episode, but you're talking
about very, very small numbers. The race is still effectively
dead.
* What Colin misses, obviously, is that not *all* of the markabs are
"mindless religious fanatics," in that Dr. Lazarenn was not one,
but that was mainly because he had long been exposed to
human/outsider ideas, which most of his reclusive people are not.
Second, y'know, I get asked a lot, "Give us ALIEN aliens." So I
do. And then I get gigged because they don't act like we'd expect
humans to act. Sometimes I just throw up my hands....
* You have to listen a little closer. The dormancy period is several
days to several weeks, as Franklin says; once the disease *comes
out of dormancy*, then it kills within about a day.
* I don't think his behavior was boorish at all. After a very long
day, in which (he stated) he hadn't eaten a thing, he sits down in
a cross legged position for (if you track the time in the story)
3-5 *hours*, alternately eating and meditating in a small, quiet
room...who *wouldn't* fall asleep?
* The fighters aren't *inexpensive*, but not hideously costly
either. Also, the pilots like to spend as much time out on patrol
as possible, to garner more flight pay. Keffer's squad was already
out earlier (as noted by Sheridan); Keffer chose to stay out a
little longer doing a bit of reconnaisance. Most of the hassle is
in prepping the ship for launch, maintainance and so on; once it's
out, it's just a matter of a bit more fuel. If he left *strictly*
for this purpose, then yeah, they'd nail his butt to the flight
deck. But since he was out anyway, it's not as big an issue.
* _(Delenn's childhood experience)_
Well, it's about TIME somebody noticed that little exchange in
"Confessions and Lamentations." Sometimes I stick stuff so
obviously in the foreground that I'm afraid it's going to be too
blatant, and then nobody seems to notice it, looking instead at
the tiny stuff in the background.
Unfortunately, all I can say for now is that it is significant to
Delenn's character and growth, and her sense of being special, and
called into the religious caste.
* We joked a few times about having a mass burial for the Markab
prosthetics and costumes behind the stage....
* A man is shot by a gun. Now, you can either do a story about the
guy and his life up to the moment he was shot and killed, or you
can do a story about the people who are affected by his death. The
former story ends kinda fast. But both are perfectly valid. The
main thrust is how this story AFFECTS our main characters. Would
they have been more affected if it were the Drazi rather than the
Markabs? No. It would've been just the same. My job is not to sit
here and say, "Hmm ... do I think audience members like the Drazi
or the Markabs more?" and thus base my decision based on that. I
write my stories based on what's right for the story, period. In
this case, I knew it had to be one of the League races, and in
particular, those prosthetics capable of expressing broad ranges
of emotion, potentially sympathetic characters. The instantly cut
out the pak'ma'ra as primary characters. I considered the Drazi,
but my sense was that the prosthetics couldn't convey the depth of
emotion I needed. Finally, that led me to the Markabs.
Enough terrible things happened, and continue to happen, to our
major races; best to give them a break and see how they react when
it's someone else.
* _Delenn and Lennier's exchange after Sheridan leaves_
Isn't it more fun to leave the piece untranslated? Shouldn't some
things be left to the imagination?
* _Plague stories are trendy these days._
Next time I will try and locate every other producer in town and
see what they plan to produce, so I can plan accordingly. When I
wrote the episode, Outbreak hadn't been promoted yet or known
about, Voyager hadn't aired, ER hadn't told me what they were
going to do ...if I'd known there would be such a glut...well, I
probably would've done so anyway, because this isn't so much about
the plague and saying its' dangerous, but about our attitudes when
we are confronted by this, which really hasn't been dealt with
that much in SF. (And I'm sorry, but don't even *try* to bring the
Voyager story into this; the ship is threatened by a cheese
contamination? I almost fell off my chair.)
* What you also have to do is step back for a moment and remember
that the dinner began prior to Keffer and the rest leaving B5; and
was ending about the time they got back. Add up the time
indicated, and you've got a ritual that has gone on for at LEAST
3-4 hours now, probably closer to 5-6; seated in a small room,
legs crossed, after what was almost certainly a busy day. Show me
somebody who WOULDN'T doze off after a while.
* _The alien with a breathing apparatus a "Sandman" reference?_
It's mainly an extrapolation on an alien breather based on WW II
style gas masks.
* _Franklin's use of stims here and in "Z'ha'dum;" their disastrous
consequences for Dr. Rosen in QoM_
Ah, about time; I was wondering when someone would get around to
remembering "Quality of Mercy" in this....
* The use of markabs was definitely NOT a reference to Scientology
in any way, manner, shape or form.
* There is absolutely, positively, NO scientology link or reference
in the name markabs. I find the organization generally abhorrent.
* I had no idea that scientologists used an alien group called
Markab, and frankly would've changed it if I had known.
* Marcabs had warships, though not a lot of them.
[39][Next]
[40]Last update: October 30, 1996
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