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634 lines
25 KiB
634 lines
25 KiB
<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
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<blockquote><cite>
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The Narn-Centauri War reaches a turning point. Sheridan is contacted by a
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powerful ally, who offers assistance.
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</cite>
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Schuck,+John">John Schuck</a>.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sheppard,+William+Morgan">W. Morgan
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Sheppard</a> as Warleader G'Sten.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Forward,+William">William
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Forward</a> as Refa.
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</blockquote>
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<pre>
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Sub-genre: Action/Intrigue
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<a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/042">9.49</a>
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Production number: 219
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Original air date: August 1, 1995 (UK)
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October 18, 1995 (US)
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000087EYB/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: April 29, 2003
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Written by J. Michael Straczynski
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Directed by John Flinn
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</pre>
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<p>
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<strong>Note: this episode is more momentous than most. Think twice before
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proceeding to the spoilers; it's worth seeing unawares.</strong>
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<h3><a name="WF">Watch For</a></h3>
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<ul>
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<li> A change in the number of
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<a name="#NO:candles">candles</a>
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in G'Kar's quarters.
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</ul>
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<p>
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<hr size=3>
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<h2><a name="BP">Backplot</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li> The new Centauri emperor, Cartargia, is acting mostly as a
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figurehead, a front for Refa and his compatriots.
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<li> A treaty among all the aligned worlds outlawed the use of
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mass drivers as a weapon of war, similar to the Earth
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treaties outlawing the use of chemical and biological weapons.
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<li> Draal says he has found other beings on Epsilon 3, ones
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who take care of the great Machine Draal is at the heart of.
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One of them is a fellow named Zathras (cf.
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<a href="020.html">"Babylon Squared."</a>)
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<li> Delenn has been in charge of all the Rangers on Babylon 5.
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She now shares that command with Sheridan.
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<li> Sheridan does not know that Sinclair is behind the Rangers.
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<li> The Centauri seem to have gravity control technology.
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Londo watches as the Centauri bombard the Narn homeworld,
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standing -- seemingly in gravity -- aboard a motionless ship.
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(Either that, or they have magnetic shoes.)
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</ul>
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<h2><a name="UQ">Unanswered Questions</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li> What's Zathras doing on Epsilon 3, and how did he get there? If the
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planet has been undisturbed for at least the past 500 years
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(<a href="019.html">"A Voice in the Wilderness, part 2,"</a>)
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is he that old?
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<li> Where was Zathras such that Draal, with sight that extends across
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light-years, couldn't find him? Perhaps he wasn't in another place,
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but another time (see
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<a href="020.html">"Babylon Squared."</a>)
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<li> Will the great machine be involved in pulling Babylon 4 through time?
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<li> Now that Londo has stated he no longer wishes to associate with the
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Shadows, his usefulness to Lord Refa is at an end. How will Refa handle
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this?
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<li> What exactly was G'Kar told to do in the Kha'Ri's last message?
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Ask for sanctuary, obviously, but anything else?
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<li> What other technology do the Shadows have that we haven't seen yet?
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<li> Have the Narn unwittingly discovered a weakness of the Shadows? (see
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<a href="#AN">Analysis</a>)
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<li> Now that G'Kar has been stripped of his homeworld and position on
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Babylon 5, what can he contribute to the battle against the Shadows?
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</ul>
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<h2><a name="AN">Analysis</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li> Londo is now convinced that his associates are far too powerful for
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their motives to be solely for his benefit. He realises that he has
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become a pawn in their larger game, and that his personal quest for
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more power has lead to the death of esteemed friends and many innocents.
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While convinced of this, and that he has allowed himself to be
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maneuvered at every turn by the will of others, he still carries
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through with his role as a paper tiger politician/ambassador.
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<p>
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<li> The Shadows show some new weaponry. It appears that each ship can "give
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birth" to a cluster of forty or so of the smaller fighters G'Kar
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encountered at Z'ha'dum in
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<a href="024.html">"Revelations."</a>
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We are not shown that these fighters are re-assimilated at the end of
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the confrontation, and it is also unknown how many times each Shadow
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can do this.
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<p>
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The second weapon has the ability to disrupt a jump point so that it is
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fatal for any ship to attempt to use it. Once an attack against the
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Shadows begins it appears you can leave only when they so allow it.
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<p>
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<li> The Shadow "wounded" during the battle is thrown off course by the loss
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of one of its spines. After the battle is finished, a second Shadow
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joins with it as if to assist it. The broken
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spine is clearly visible on the ship that does not move during the
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docking procedure. It suggests that the damaged Shadow was unable to
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function as effectively, perhaps because it was in pain.
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<p>
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<li> With Draal offering the resources of the highly advanced technology at
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his command, it appears that Babylon 5 is one of the few places that may
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withstand a Shadow assault. That it can become the base of operations
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for the Army of Light is now clear.
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<p>
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Perhaps more importantly, Babylon 5 can probably also withstand a
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frontal assault by Earthforce, though they might prefer to destroy it
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from within.
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<p>
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<li> The Centauri use of mass drivers flauts all previously signed
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conventions, and it appears (cf.
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<A HREF="037.html">"And Now for a Word,"</A>
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where the Centauri are discovered using Babylon 5 to transport mass
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drivers and energy weapons) that they have been planning this kind of
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assault on the Narn homeworld for some time.
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<p>
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<li>@@@839395288 A mass driver uses a heavy object (such as a small
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asteroid) launched
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from orbit toward a planet's surface at low speed. As it falls
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through the planet's gravity well it gains considerable momentum. On
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impact the immediate area becomes a crater, and huge quantities of dust
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are thrown up into the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight and causing
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something like a nuclear winter. E. E. "Doc" Smith's
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<a href="http://wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us/~zlensman/lensfaq.html"><cite>Lensman</cite></a>
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series, written from 1937 to 1948, is the first literary SF work to use
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mass drivers as weapons for planetary bombardment as shown in this
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episode. (If you know of an earlier work, send me mail!)
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<p>
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<li> All of the major governments (with the exception of the Vorlons) are
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now under serious internal stress. They are either introspective
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(Earth,) skeptical of present danger (Minbari,) overextended (Centauri,)
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or occupied (Narn). It appears that the Shadows have achieved, either
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directly or indirectly, effective destabilization of every major power
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that might stand up to their forces.
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<p>
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<li> Ambassador Kosh openly lets the Rangers know of his involvement.
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<p>
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<li> It appears that Garibaldi's friendship with Londo has strained to the
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breaking point.
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<p>
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<li> Sheridan now has access to the Rangers. This appears to be fulfilling
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the dream induced by Kosh (cf.
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<A HREF="033.html">"All Alone in the Night"</A>)
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where he is described as being "The Hand." Presumably this reference
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is to his role as someone who will help lead the forces of light as
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the right hand man of "The One."<p>
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<p>
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<li> A fully prepared numerically superior Narn task force is easily
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destroyed by the Shadows. Unless more effective combat techniques are
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discovered, the battle with darkness will have to involve more subtle
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tactics.
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<p>
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<li> Londo hasn't forgiven Refa for the death of his friend Urza Jaddo
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(<a href="039.html">"Knives."</a>)
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<p>
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<li> Londo's cough in the council chamber scene sounds suspiciously like
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the one in his dream in
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<a href="031.html">"The Coming of Shadows."</a>
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Could he be coming down with something? (See
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<a href="#JS:cough">jms speaks</a>)
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</ul>
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<h2><a name="NO">Notes</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li> JMS premiered this episode at the Chicago Comicon on July 1, 1995.
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<li> W. Morgan Sheppard also appeared in the first season episode
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<A HREF="002.html">"Soul Hunter"</A>
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as the title character.
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<li> The episode's initial airing, in the UK, was 50 years, almost to the
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day, after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima during World War
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II. Considering the obvious parallels between the Centauri use of
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mass drivers and the American use of the atomic bomb, that's a
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serindipitous, if unintentional, bit of timing.
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<li> <a name="NO:jfk">"Now the trumpet summons us again:</a>
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not as a call to bear arms, though
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arms we need; not as a call to battle, though in battle we are; but as
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a call to bear the burdens of a long, twilight struggle--year in and
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year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation--a struggle against
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the common enemies of man--tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself."
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--John Fitzgerald Kennedy. An
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<a href="http://www.spies.com/~ceej/Music/twilight.struggle.html">audio
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version</a> of his speech is available.
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/042/duck.gif">
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<li> In the first Londo-Refa scene, just before Refa sits, what looks like
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a wooden duck with its wings outstretched is visible on a shelf
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beside the throne. Perhaps it's a Centauri cat (cf.
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<a href="022.html">"Chrysalis."</a>)
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<li> <a name="NO:candles">Candles</a> are used subtly to represent hope,
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here and in previous episodes (see
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<a href="#JS:candles">jms speaks</a>.)
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At the beginning of G'Kar's prayer scene, the shelf behind him
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is filled with burning candles -- but by the end, as his people's last
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hope is destroyed by the Shadows, they've all gone out.
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<li> Likewise, when Londo and Refa are talking, they're both cloaked in
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shadow -- until Londo expresses misgivings about his associates and
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emerges into the light.
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<li> The battle sequence was directed by Mojo of Foundation Imaging; the
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mass-driver sequence was directed by John Teska. The episode has more
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effects footage than any previous one, nearly five minutes' worth.
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The effects took almost a month to produce.
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</ul>
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<h2><a name="JS">jms speaks</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li> <a name="JS:about">"The Long, Twilight Struggle"</a> is probably the
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biggest episode of the entire two years to date, story and EFX and
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character wise, and will have a profound effect on the series that
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I'd compare to a cross between "Signs and Portents" and "Chrysalis".
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<p>
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<li> I don't want to say anything about "The Long Twilight Struggle" at
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this time, to avoid hyping people. Suffice to say it's a very strong
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episode.
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<p>
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<li> Hell, in some ways, when compared with "Struggle," "The Coming of
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Shadows" is a light comedy in which nothing much happens.
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<p>
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<li> Without spoiling anything...yes, in this regard, I've always noted
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that there are some echoes of WW II in the overall storyline, and some
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applies here. Also, again, the purpose of a large measure of the show
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is to elicit discussion of such issues as this...where are the mora,
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(moral) responsibilities in such a situation? What are the ethics of
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mass warfare? Where does expediency begin and compassion end? *Should*
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compassion have to end for the greater good?
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<p>
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If we can start some bar fights, I'll have done my job.
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<p>
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Fact is, I don't have one single damned good answer. But I've got a
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whole LOTTA questions...
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<p>
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<li> Thanks. Yes, there's a WW II parallel, not in terms of
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justifying one or the other -- one can make compelling
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arguments for and against the use of atomic weapons to close
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the war, but I leave it to those who were there to have
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made the right decision, because they had to live with it --
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but in terms of strategy and wartime logic.
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<p>
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<li> Thank you. I'm quite frankly thrilled beyond words at the preliminary
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reactions from the UK to this episode; we worked *really* hard on it,
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and I can't tell you what the reactions mean to us.
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<p>
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<li> Thanks. It's definitely one of my favorite episodes.
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The intensity is terrific.
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<p>
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<li> Yes, "They're being bombed back to the stone age" is a Vietnam era
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quote.
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<p>
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<li> Re: what you could see of the planet's surface...one of the side
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effects of the technology used is that, realistically, it would throw up
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a *hideous* amount of smoke, dust and debris, and you wouldn't see much
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of anything.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Why isn't Londo floating weightless?</em><br>
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Some races, like the Centauri and the Minbari, use drive systems built
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to varying degrees on magnetic and gravitational forces;
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some of them don't so much go to a planet as create a situation where
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they are drawn toward it.
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One of the side effects of this is a field allowing for artificial
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gravity. Earth doesn't have this level of technology, however.
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<p>
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<li> Re: your note about 500 Narns for every 1 Centauri...you may want to
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check our own history. During the occupation of some parts of Europe
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during WW II, similar tactics were used.
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In some cases the threat rose as high as 100-200 Jews or Russians
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executed for every Nazi killed; much the same has been done in earlier
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history. Five hundred to one is a figure relatively consistent with
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what humans have done from time to time when we wish to instill terror.
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So I find this a curious quibble.
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<p>
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<li> Actually, Londo *specifies* that the 500 will include "the
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perpetrator's own family."
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<p>
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<li> <em>Was Draal's voice dubbed?</em><br>
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No, his voice wasn't dubbed, or changed, by anyone; might've been a
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glitch in local audio or something.
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<p>
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<li> Thanks. Draal's played by John Shuck, who did a great job.
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And yes, we'll definitely be seeing him again. (We first met him in
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"A Voice in the Wilderness.")
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<p>
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<li> <em>I loved the part with Draal calling out for Zathras</em><br>
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Yeah, that was a rather Draal bit of humor, wasn't it?
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<p>
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<li> In part it's John's take on the character, but what I indicated to him
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was that Draal's gone through some considerable changes by entering the
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heart of the machine; it's given him greater understanding, and the
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freeing aspects of greater humor. It's almost like -- and I hate to
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even use the reference because somebody'll say "Oh, that's what he's
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doing," and I ain't, it's just a point of comparison -- Tom Bombadil in
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LoTR...quite funny, but also someone not to be trifled with.
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<p>
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<li> It wasn't intended that Delenn should touch Draal; it sorta happened
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on the set, and no one really noticed, and it wasn't worth going
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back and reshooting the whole thing. My sense is that if it's
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like a virtual reality situation, she would "feel" it even though
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it's not there, if the image was impinging correctly on the brain.
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<p>
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But in either event, the image is not and should not be considered
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to be solid.
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<p>
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As for Londo's shot...the director called "cut" I think a bit too
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soon, we used every frame we had to extend that shot (and, in fact,
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we even went so far as to freeze the final frame and extend the shot
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by a smidge, if you look at it carefully). Nonetheless, I think it
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works pretty spiffily.
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<p>
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As for the mass drivers, the amount of energy required to move
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something that big would generate huge amounts of heat, possibly
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making them even white-hot hence the glow.
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<p>
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<li>@@@852231085 <em>An actor's job is to physicalize the script. Can you
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give an example?</em><br>
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Yes, I think that's accurate. The most obvious place where it worked
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was where Londo looks through the window to Narn being bombed below.
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There's no dialogue, and he has to convey a range of emotions just
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through his face....which is a terribly difficult thing to do, and he
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did a superb job of it.
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<p>
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<li>@@@846711459 Mass drivers use asteroids freely available in space,
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accelerated and fired into a planetary atmosphere. EA non-rotational
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ships have zero g. EA tech is generally much lower in weapons tech and
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other areas than the Minbari and Vorlons, among others.
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<p>
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<li> Actually, what Delenn said was, "...the Rangers *in this area* are
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under my direct command." So Sinclair's post as Ranger One remains
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back on Minbar.
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<p>
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And yes, Sinclair has apparently been described as the One...but you
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must ask...the one *what*?
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<p>
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Expect final answers to this one late this coming season.
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<p>
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<li> <em>On each season's music for the opening credits reflecting the
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mood of the season</em><br>
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What do I have in mind for season three? What I indicated to Chris
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Franke was to look at a piece of music he did in "The Long, Twilight
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Struggle" and interpolate some elements of that into the main theme,
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with a very hard sound. The piece in question is about the middle of
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the first really...um...busy scene after the act break.
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<p>
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<li> Until "The Long Twilight Struggle," nothing else has come close to
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that scene [the attack on the Narn outpost in "Coming of Shadows"]
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for me. But there's some stuff in there that finally manages to
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to surpass it. Just gorgeous and scary and awe-inspiring.
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<p>
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<li>@@@846711459 <em>These Narn heavy cruisers were different than the
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ones in
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<a href="001.html">"Midnight on the Firing Line."</a></em><br>
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There are various kinds of ships the Narns have, some older than others;
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the ones in the first ep were older ones.
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<p>
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<li> <em>About the Narn/Shadow battle</em><br>
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Thanks. Yeah, that scene is one of my favorites; a lot of work
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went into it, and I think it shows.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Secret of Narn success in injuring a Shadow ship?</em><br>
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Not much to the secret...they coordinated their firepower on one of
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the ships, in hopes of doing damage.
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<p>
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<li>@@@846711459 G'Kar's prayers would have been unrelated to the wounding
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of the shadow vessel.
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<p>
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<li>@@@846711459 <em>Was the Shadow ship permanently disabled?</em><br>
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It was in shock, but it would've recovered in a bit more time.
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<p>
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<li>@@@846711459 <em>Were there four Shadow ships stacked together after
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the battle?</em><br>
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Actually, what's probably confusing is that the shadow vessels are
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bi-level, so when two come together it looks like four or so; but it's
|
|
just the two.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Thanks. One of the things I wanted to try was to find a way to stage
|
|
long-range combat. One of the things everyone says is that even though
|
|
real aerial combat tends to be at great distance -- and space combat
|
|
would be conducted over thousands of kilometers, you probably wouldn't
|
|
be able to even SEE your opponent at that range, just pick up the enemy
|
|
ships on your scanners -- you can't do that for TV because you need to
|
|
have both in frame, hammering each other short-range, to make it work
|
|
for viewers.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
But I've always liked a challenge, so I thought I'd see if I could make
|
|
it work. The two sides are, as noted, thousands of kilometers apart,
|
|
and take most of that sequences just to catch up with each other. And
|
|
frankly, I think it's probably one of the most dynamic battle sequences
|
|
we've ever done, so you can expect more in the future, now that I've
|
|
kind of got the hang of how to do this.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Agreed. The use of different tactics and weapons at different distances
|
|
gives a sense that there is a *strategy* behind what's going on, that
|
|
it's not just two ships coming with city blocks of one another and
|
|
clobbering each other. Strategy implies intelligence, and to see
|
|
intelligence in the shadow vessels is scary indeed.....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> The reason for the placement of the jump points is *very* straight
|
|
forward.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
By virtue of their size and the tremendous forces unleashed by
|
|
punching a hole into hyperspace, you want to form it a little distance
|
|
away or risk being severely damaged.
|
|
If they formed the points between them and the enemy, which was quite
|
|
capable of avoiding them, it would be entirely possible for the shadows
|
|
to get in front of the point and cut off their sole means of escape.
|
|
Usually, better to form them behind you, so the enemy can't block your
|
|
way out, and take a possible hit or two to your aft sections than be
|
|
totally cut off.
|
|
They didn't anticipate the extra weapons the shadows had.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>Were those Narn cruisers especially big?</em><br>
|
|
The cruiser is the same size as that sent to look into Z'ha'dum; it's
|
|
just a matter of perspective and how close the camera gets.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>Did the shadow ships phase out to avoid the energy mines?</em><br>
|
|
No, they didn't phase out so much as absorb the energy,
|
|
at cost of great pain.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Well, they're organic technology, so they can feel, but only
|
|
after a fashion.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> "Why didn't the fighters do anything?"
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
They did. Look more closely. They engaged the Narn fighters in
|
|
dogfights all over the place. They're hardly more than specks against
|
|
the huge ships, but they're definitely there.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>One Shadow ship in "Signs and Portents," two in "Chrysalis,"
|
|
three in "The Coming of Shadows," four here?</em><br>
|
|
Give Tim Lynch a ceegar. Yes, more ships are starting to appear,
|
|
as more ships become available.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>They only have four ships?</em><br>
|
|
Never said you're seeing their entire fleet, you're seeing what they
|
|
can afford to send out at any given moment on relatively low-priority
|
|
jobs.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <a name="JS:cough">Dave: yup.</a> Londo's never coughed before, and
|
|
this was very deliberately placed. He's on the path, like it or not.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>The Vorlons lodged an official protest! Is this the first time
|
|
they've taken an action like that?</em><br>
|
|
Yeah, that's pretty much the first time since the pilot where the
|
|
Vorlons got involved with the Sinclair situation.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Bingo. As I mentioned before, the "long twilight struggle" title
|
|
is a quote; you correctly identified the source in the
|
|
<a href="#NO:jfk">JFK quote.</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>About Sheridan's closing speech</em><br>
|
|
Certainly, Sheridan is slowly growing more into a leader who must
|
|
be able to step to the front in this kind of way, yes.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <em>What does "the balloon is going up" mean?</em><br>
|
|
There have been many explanations for where this phrase comes
|
|
from. Most of them are obviously spook etymology, but the first one I
|
|
heard -- and who knows if this is right -- comes from WW I, where just
|
|
before one side would go into battle, they'd send one man up in a hot
|
|
air balloon to scout the enemy's location. If you saw the balloon
|
|
going up, you knew combat wasn't far behind.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Wherever it comes from, though, that's the general meaning of
|
|
the phrase.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
@@@846086891 <em>Editor's note: Apparently the term dates back to
|
|
the American Civil War, during which balloons were deployed by the
|
|
Signal Corps before battles.</em>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <a name="JS:candles">Candles are, I think, wonderfully emblematic</a>
|
|
of life, and of being
|
|
a single ray of light, or hope, in a dark place. The Grey Council
|
|
stands between the candle and the star; watch G'Kar's action re: a
|
|
candle in his quarters...and in that scene (for those who've seen TLTS)
|
|
note how many candles are in the room in the beginning, and at the end.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
We are the candle that burns brightly, stubbornly, effectively...but
|
|
briefly.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> <a href="#NO:candles"><em>The candles in G'Kar's quarters</em></a><br>
|
|
Sherry...thank you. The level of attention to detail is the *only*
|
|
way that this story will be told properly. It means you sit down with
|
|
the director, and others, and you make totally clear -- there, and in
|
|
the script -- what you saw in your head when you wrote it. As well as
|
|
repeatd verbal themes, cues, phraseologies, it's important (since this
|
|
is a visual medium) to incorporate visual cues that add to the thematic
|
|
thrust of the piece, that create a mood, or convey an emotion or a
|
|
thought on an almost cellular level. The hardest part is being careful
|
|
not to OVER use them, because then they lose all meaning and impact.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@846705275 Re: G'Kar's position on the council...Sheridan could have
|
|
carried on, but it would've been basically useless. The Centauri now
|
|
occupy and run Narn, and thanks to the surrender and agreement to the
|
|
Centauri terms, call the shots as far as who can legitimately speak for
|
|
Narn. Sheridan could've kept G'Kar *in the room*, but he'd still be
|
|
powerless, without portfolio, and the whole concept of the council would
|
|
be shot. He is now simply Citizen G'Kar, same as any other Narn. No,
|
|
Londo isn't of higher rank in the council than Sheridan, but he speaks
|
|
for the Centauri, and the Centauri speak for Narn.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@846711459 Re: Earth's attitude toward the Centauri...stick around
|
|
for 2 more episodes.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Re: not recognizing the Centauri rule...on what basis would or could
|
|
Earth do this? If the Narns had not agreed to total and unconditional
|
|
surrender, sure, there might be a case you could make...otherwise, one
|
|
doesn't have a leg to stand on.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Vampyr...okay, (poink), I've now made you Babylon 5 Person here. So
|
|
how could Sheridan "take Londo down a peg" in any manner consistent with
|
|
reality? Yell at him? Sure, but to what effect? He had nothing to back
|
|
it up. Before, in "Shadows," he had a bluff he could run; now that's
|
|
not relevant because the actions have all been taken, and there is
|
|
nothing that can be done to stop it. Sometimes, things happen in the
|
|
real world, and we'd love to see the person taken down a peg, as you
|
|
say...but sometimes actually *doing* that in a real world situation, or
|
|
a fairly rigorous fictional situation, is a different matter.
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|