brennen
/
lurkers-guide


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


								<blockquote><cite>

								A violent attack on a Minbari poet rocks B5 and leaves

								Sinclair scrambling to flush out a vicious pro-Earth group.  Two star-crossed

								young Centauri lovers seek Londo's protection.  Ivanova is shaken

								when a man from her past arrives at the outpost.

								</cite>


								<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Grahn,+Nancy">Nancy Lee Grahn</a> as Shaal Mayan.

								<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+McKellar,+Danica">Danica McKellar</a> as Aria Tensus.

								<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Eastman,+Rodney">Rodney Eastman</a> as Kiron Maray.

								<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rogers,+Tristan">Tristan Rogers</a> as Malcolm Biggs.

								<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Chan,+Michael+Paul">Michael Paul Chan</a> as Roberts.

								</blockquote>


								<pre>

								Sub-genre: Suspense

								<a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/007">6.82</a>


								Production number: 107

								Original air date: March 9, 1994

								<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006HAZ4/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: November 5, 2002


								Written by D. C. Fontana

								Directed by Richard Compton

								</pre>


								<p>

								<hr size=3>

								<p>


								<H2><A NAME="BP">Backplot</A></H2>


								<ul>


								<li> <A NAME="BP:1">The Homeguard,</A> a radical pro-Earth group, has

								     wide support among humans, and is growing in popularity back on

								     Earth.


								<li> <A NAME="BP:2">Shaal Mayan</A> is a renowned Minbari poet.  "I

								     create and perform Tee'la," she says: "poem songs that attempt to

								     recall old memories and prompt new ideas."


								<li> <A NAME="BP:3">The only two human beings</A> ever to have direct

								     contact with a Vorlon have since been transferred to Earth -

								     Dr. Kyle to work closely with the president

								     (cf "<A HREF="004.html">Infection</A>"), and the telepath Lyta

								     Alexander just a week later.  Neither of them shared their

								     experiences with anyone on the station. (cf <A HREF="000.html">"The

								     Gathering"</A>)


								<li> <A NAME="BP:4">Londo</A> has <A HREF="#AN:3">three wives</A>, all

								     of them arranged marriages, all of them "great sacrifices."  "They

								     inspire me!  Knowing that they are waiting at home for me is what

								     keeps me here, <A HREF="#JS">75 light years away.</A>"


								<li> <A NAME="BP:5">Ivanova</A> used to be involved with a fellow named

								     <A HREF="#AN:6"> Malcolm Biggs</A>, but left him when she enlisted

								     in Earth Force 8 years ago.


								<li> <A NAME="BP:6">More insight into Londo's personality and Minbari

								     beliefs:</A><br>

								     <B>Mayan:</B> Ambassador, you should listen to the girl.  We

								     Minbari consider love to be a most potent force for healing.  She

								     cares deeply for him.  Such feelings can turn the tide when all

								     else fails.<br>

								     <B>Londo:</B> Oh I see.  And if he dies, despite this great power

								     of lo-<br>

								     <B>Mayan:</B> <I>If he dies,</I> she will suffer enormous grief,

								     but every moment together will make her grief a little less.<br>

								     <B>Londo:</B> I would expect such logic from a poet.  What can a

								     Minbari know about Centauri feeling?<br>

								     <B>Mayan:</B> Ambassador, I have traveled far and seen much.  And

								     what I have seen tells me that all sentient beings are defined by

								     their capacity and need for love.<br>

								     <B>Londo:</B> And she will learn to live without it!<br>

								     <B>Mayan:</B> As you did?<br>

								<li> <A NAME="BP:7">[later...]</A><br>

								     <B>Vir:</B> Kiron may die because our "glorious" tradition values

								     wealth and power over <I>love.</I><br>

								     <B>Londo:</B> My shoes are too tight.<br>

								     <B>Vir:</B> Excuse me?<br>

								     <B>Londo:</B> Something my father said.  He was old, very old at

								     the time.  I went into his room, and he was sitting alone in the

								     dark, crying.  So I asked him what was wrong, and he said, "My

								     shoes are too tight, but it doesn't matter, because I have

								     forgotten how to dance."  I never understood what that meant until

								     now.  <I>My</I> shoes are too tight, and I have forgotten how to

								     dance.


								</ul>


								<H2><A NAME="UQ">Unanswered Questions</A></H2>


								<ul>


								<li> <A NAME="UQ:1">The black light camouflage suits</A> worn by the

								     Homeguard henchmen were developed by Earth Force; friends of

								     <A HREF="#AN:6">Malcolm's</A> procured some prototypes for them.

								     Is a faction of Earth Force actually backing the Homeguard for its

								     own reasons?


								<li> <A NAME="UQ:2">Londo</A> seems to have had a troubled childhood

								     (see <A HREF="#BP:7"> Backplot</A>).  What happened that he's so

								     aggressive and melancholy?  None of the other Centauri seem

								     particularly so.


								<li> <A NAME="UQ:3">Why is Kosh studying human history,</A> as

								     <A HREF="#NO:4">Sinclair's conversation with him</A> appears to

								     reveal, especially when he says "We have no interest in the affairs

								     of others?"  Perhaps for some reason Kosh does not consider humans

								     "others."  Or perhaps by "affairs" he meant the passing events of

								     the day, as compared to the millennia of a civilization.


								</ul>


								<H2><A NAME="AN">Analysis</A></H2>


								<ul>


								<li> <A NAME="AN:1">The Homeguard sign</A> branded onto Shaal Mayan's

								     forehead is a combination of male and female symbols from ancient

								     Greek mythos.  Perhaps it's a contemporary symbol for humankind.


								<li> <A NAME="AN:2">Vir</A> passed himself off as the Centauri

								     ambassador in letters to his cousins, and later

								     <A HREF="#BP:7">rebukes</A> Londo to his face about his decision on

								     the matter.  This is quite bold compared to the quavering fop he's

								     been before.


								<li> <A NAME="AN:3">Londo's nicknames for his wives</A> are "Pestilence,

								     Famine, and Death" - three of the four horsemen of the apocalypse

								     from ancient Christian mythos.  Who is the fourth horseman War?

								     Perhaps Londo himself.


								<li> <A NAME="AN:4" HREF="#NO:4">Talking to Kosh</A> about the

								     attacks on non-humans, Sinclair breaks off right after asking him

								     to "lend a hand."  Not long later Sinclair wonders aloud to Ivanova

								     how an assassin had managed to poison Kosh on the "hand,"

								     <I>through</I> his encounter suit.  (cf <A HREF="000.html">"The

								     Gathering"</A>)


								<li> <A NAME="AN:5">Sinclair was brusque and callous</A> to Delenn and

								     the Abbai agricultural representative at the diplomatic reception.

								     He also declared to the assembled Council that the hate-crime

								     investigation was closed, offering neither arrests nor evidence of

								     safety.  This was part of his ruse to win the Homeguard's trust,

								     but he may still have injured his reputation with other races.


								<li> <A NAME="AN:6">The Homeguard plot</A> on the station was,

								     according to its leader Malcolm Biggs, part of a much bigger plot

								     to kill prominent aliens all over the Earth Alliance.


								<li> <A NAME="AN:7">Black light camouflage</A> is a similar technology

								     to the chameleon net the assassin used in <A HREF="000.html">"The

								     Gathering."</A>  However, it requires an entire body-suit and only

								     works while the user is motionless.  No mention was made of what

								     was done with the four suits captured with the Homeguard henchmen -

								     Garibaldi may have stashed them away somewhere.  And it's unlikely

								     that those were the only four suits in existence; perhaps the

								     technology will be seen again (cf.

								     <a href="020.html#AN:inv">"Babylon Squared"</a>.)


								</ul>


								<H2><A NAME="NO">Notes</A></H2>


								<ul>


								<li> <A NAME="NO:1">Mayan,</A> a childhood friend of Delenn's, arrived

								     on the station on a tour of other worlds.  Earth was to have been

								     her next stop.


								<li> <A NAME="NO:2"><B>Mayan</B></A> (of her attacker): "All I could see

								     was a shadow.  It was a shadow, that is all I know."<br>

								     (cf <A HREF="013.html">"Signs and Portents"</A>, perhaps?)


								<li> <A NAME="NO:3">Ivanova</A> is illegally growing coffee in the

								     station hydroponics area.


								<li> <A NAME="NO:4">Kosh speaks.</A><br>

								     [...]<br>

								     <B>Sinclair:</B> Meanwhile it might be

								     helpful if you spoke with the other ambassadors.<br>

								     <B>Kosh:</B> We take no interest in the affairs of others.<br>

								     <B>Sinclair:</B> Well I hope you'll reconsider.  If you could give

								     us a hand, we -<br>

								     <B>Kosh:</B> Yes?<br>

								     <B>Sinclair:</B> Nothing.  We'll respect your wishes. [pause]<br>

								     That's quite a viewer.  I've never seen anything like it before.

								     What is it?<br>

								     <B>Kosh:</B> Efficient.<br>

								     <B>Sinclair:</B> Those are images from my world.  If I may ask, what

								     are you -<br>

								     <B>Kosh:</B> I am studying.<br>

								     <B>Sinclair:</B> Studying what?<br>

								     <B>Kosh:</B> [shuts down]


								<li> <A NAME="NO:5">The images</A> on Kosh's levitating viewer were

								     zoom-ins on pictorial records from Earth history throughout the

								     span of its civilization.


								</ul>


								<H2><A NAME="JS">jms speaks</A></H2>


								<ul>


								<li>  Correct; the title of "The War Prayer" is a nod to

									<a href="/lurk/making/warprayer.html">Twain's piece of

									the same name</a>,

									which should be read by *everyone*.  Given the growing

									problems with illiteracy, I try to refer not to pop society so much, as

									to literature...Tennyson, Twain, even writers whose last names don't

									begin with T.


								<p>

								<li> Of course, you're assuming that a Centauri year is the same as our

									year. The speed of light is constant...but defined by us by our own

									12-month year.  For instance, in one episode, we mention that B5 is 12

									of our light years from the Narn homeworld, which is equal to about 10

									of their years.


									<p>

									So without knowing the Centauri year, the figures are faulty.


								<p>

								<li> For those out there who still think the skin tab getting through Kosh's

									encounter suit was an error...we're going to be dealing with that,

									and some other interesting threads in [this] episode. Sinclair

									comments on the whole question of how the poison ever got into

									him...and notes how curious it is that, within weeks of that

									incident, Dr. Kyle was transferred back to Earth to work directly

									with the Earth Alliance President on matters of alien immigration,

									and Lyta Alexander was similarly transferred a week or so after that.

									The only two people to have personal knowledge of a Vorlon have been

									shipped off and possibly locked up.


								<p>

								<li> By the way...on the Kosh poisoning thread, which was originally to

									be discussed in "Parliament"...we ended up about 3 minutes long on

									"Parliament," and three minutes short on D.C. Fontana's "War Prayer."

									So we lifted that scene and inserted it into her episode, doing a

									small bit of ADR to facilitate the move.  It's now quite seamless.


								<p>

								<li> <em>Why was Delenn unfamiliar with poetry in

									<a href="000.html">"The Gathering?"</a></em><br>

									For the Minbari, it's tee'la, which is a kind of poem-song, sort of.

									Delenn was mainly just unfamiliar with the term.


								<p>

								<li> Y'know...it's a funny old world.  And sometimes it just astonishes

									you.


									<p>

									About 2 months ago, one of our freelancers turned in a script that

									has to do with a hate group, in the course of which a guest character

									-- a Minbari -- is attacked and has her head branded with the symbol

									of the group.


									<p>

									So you will doubtless understand my astonishment when I turned on

									DS9 and saw the same thing happen.


									<p>

									Unfortunately, we've already shot that episode, it's in the can, so

									ther nothing we can do about it now.  Further -- and let me be

									totally clear about this -- there's no way that DS9 could've borrowed

									the idea from us, or in any way been influence by us, and no way we

									could've been influenced by them.  To get on the air now, they

									would've had to shoot their episode some time before the writer

									turned in that draft for our show.  And none of us were in any way

									aware of what was going on there until we saw it the night of the

									broadcast...and came in the next day with looks of absolute shock.


									<p>

									These things do happen...and when you're dealing with similar general

									areas -- humans vs. aliens, or one alien group vs. another alien

									group -- then something like this becomes inevitable.  And given the

									foreheads on Ferengi, and the foreheads on Minbari, the obviousness

									of that target becomes clear.  Still, it's amazing when it happens.

									And I guess I just wanted it to be clear when this thing airs that

									the sequence in our show was in the can and done when the DS9 episode

									aired.


								<p>

								<li> We're in discussions to see if there's any way we can cut this from

									the show...the only problem is that the brand stays on throughout the

									show.  If it were just in one shot, we'd cut the shot and find some

									other way around it.  The only way we can lose it now would be if we

									literally wiped off the brand by going into every frame in which it

									appears and digitally removing it from the frame...which is a *real*

									pain in the butt...but we are considering it.


								<p>

								<li> The points made above are essentially correct; the brand goes on in

									the very top of the show, in the teaser, and stay on throughout the

									episode...and part of the story is dealing with this, and what it

									means.   An offer is made to remove it, but the victim decides *not*

									to have it removed, because there are lessons in these things...and

									it becomes almost a badge of defiance.


									<p>

									In addition to the notes here, I've received a whole bunch of email

									notes saying to leave it in, on the grounds that it *does* happen in

									real life (or incidents close to it), and how we're handling it *is*

									very different.  (Some indicated that it can illustrate how the two

									hows handle their themes in different ways.)  So it's a tough call

									...to change would also mean some re-shooting...but given the

									responses here, I think it's okay to leave it in place.


									<p>

									File this one away the next time someone asks, "What sort of ways has

									the BBS discussion actually affected Babylon 5?"


								<p>

								<li> There is some limited life within the garden...some birds (which you

									can hear sometimes), and insects, and the like.  (In one shot you

									can see an insect fly off one of our actors.  Yeah, sure, like we

									planned that....)  It's generally one season in the Garden, and

									plants requiringvariation are raised in a separate hydroponics

									area, such as the orchard (seen in "War Prayer").


								<p>

								<li> Lennier is not in the cargo area during the beating, nor is he in BG

									during the negotiations.  That's a Minbari of the worker class.  (You

									can generally tell from the orange-ish smock-thingie they wear.)

									Sorry.


								</ul>


								<HR>

								Originally compiled by Matthew Ryan <i>mattryan@pobox.com</i>