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424 lines
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424 lines
17 KiB
<!-- TITLE Ceremonies of Light and Dark -->
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<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
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<blockquote><cite>
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The Nightwatch orders its members on Babylon 5 to target Delenn in an
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attempt to undermine Minbari actions during the recent crisis. Londo
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presents Refa with an ultimatum.
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</cite>
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Forward,+William">William Forward</a> as Refa.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Perri,+Paul">Paul Perri</a> as The Sniper.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Stroud,+Don+(I)">Don Stroud</a> as Boggs.
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Kim Strauss as Lenann.
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</blockquote>
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<pre><a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/055">8.30</a>
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Production number: 311
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Original air week: April 8, 1996
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009OOFK/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: August 12, 2003
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Written by J. Michael Straczynski
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Directed by John Flinn III
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</pre>
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<h3>Watch For</h3>
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<ul>
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<li> <a href="#NO.wet">A wet floor.</a>
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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> In the old days of the Centauri Republic, poison was a common political
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tool.
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<li> Some humans learned the Minbari language from POWs during the war.
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<li> The rebirth ceremony in
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<a href="005.html">"The Parliament of Dreams"</a>
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was just a small part of a much larger renewal ceremony, traditionally
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performed in response to, or in anticipation of, a great change.
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Lennier believes B5's inhabitants are currently between two such
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changes.
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<li> The Minbari prophecy foretells fire and darkness after the two halves
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of the Minbari soul unite to combat the ancient enemy.
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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> How many more Nightwatch members are still on the station?
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<li> Did Garibaldi's people get rid of the artificial intelligence?
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<li> What else is buried in B5's computer system? (At least one unfriendly
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thing, as shown in
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<a href="028.html">"A Spider In the Web."</a>)
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<li> Who does Lennier believe Delenn is fated for? Sheridan? If so, is
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that due to his observation of the growing relationship between
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Delenn and Sheridan, or due to something in the prophecy?
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<li> What was Delenn planning to give up and to tell someone at the ceremony?
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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 playing a dangerous game with Refa; Refa will no doubt not
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take kindly to having his life threatened, and may retaliate against
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Londo either overtly or behind the scenes. Refa seems to have
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much of the royal court in his pocket while Londo's influence has
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waned since he broke off his association with Morden. Londo may find
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that he's bitten off more than he can chew.
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<li> However, the extent of the risk he's taking is a good indication that
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his realization of the dark nature of his former pact with Morden is
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complete; after this it will be very hard to turn back. It's
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interesting to note, though, that his basic goal hasn't changed,
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only his methods; note that he tries to dissuade Refa by talking
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about how dangerous the current Centauri policies are to their people.
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Londo is still first and foremost a patriot, not unlike G'Kar (at
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least until Kosh's revelation in
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<a href="050.html">"Dust to Dust."</a>)
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<li> Londo and Sinclair have something in common; Londo's poisoning of
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Refa bears a passing resemblance to Sinclair planting a transmitter
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in G'Kar's intestinal tract. Or rather, claiming to -- which raises
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the question, did Londo <em>really</em> poison Refa, or just say so?
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Like Sinclair, Londo might figure that the poison that doesn't exist
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can't be flushed out by doctors.
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<li> How did the Nightwatch get so much information about the Minbari,
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especially the details of Delenn's means of getting the war cruisers
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to Babylon 5? It may be as simple as Earth's normal intelligence
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channels, which, under Clark, presumably make at least some of their
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findings available to the Nightwatch.
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<li> Boggs' claim that the Minbari "think [Delenn]'s the second coming!"
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indicates that many among the Minbari agree with Delenn's assessment
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of herself as the chosen one, the vehicle of prophecy (see also
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<a href="043.html">"Comes the Inquisitor."</a>) Marcus also hints
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at this when he tells Delenn that his brother believed in the Rangers
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and in her; apparently her involvement with them is richer in
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symbolism than has previously been hinted at. How, and whether, that
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relates to the nature of Sinclair's involvement remains to be seen.
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<li> This isn't the first time Delenn has been referred to as "the second
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coming," at least indirectly. G'Kar quoted a passage from the Yeats
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poem of the same name in
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<a href="024.html">"Revelations,"</a>
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a passage visually accompanied by Delenn's first look at her new
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appearance. Ominously, <em>that</em> Second Coming refers to the
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Antichrist.
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<li> The Army of Light is now dressed in black uniforms. Whether that's
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an intentional contrast on Delenn's part, or simply her fashion sense,
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only time will tell.
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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> The voice of Sparky the Computer, the artificial intelligence,
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is Harlan Ellison. Sparky's name is visible both in the ending
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credits and, very briefly, as the last line item in the computer's
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status messages when it reboots.
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<li> The recording Londo shows Refa is slightly wrong; Morden was sitting
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when he mentioned Refa's name
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(<a href="045.html">"Matters of Honor."</a>)
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<li> The station logo on the wall in C&C has changed. It used to be
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a 5 with a pair of olive branches overlaid, presumably signifying
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peace; now it's a 5 over a sword. The new logo can also be seen on
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the top of the conference room table in the scene with Delenn and
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the officers from the Minbari ships.
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<li>@@@865359221 There's a minor continuity glitch involving the new
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logo. When the command staff walks into C&C in the final scene,
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the camera pans across the side of C&C to show the startled
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techs. The new logo is visible on the wall between two computer
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displays. But in the next shot of the same wall, there's no logo
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there.
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<li> "Dem Bones" was also sung in the final episode of "The Prisoner."
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<li> The formation in which one of the Starfuries peels away
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as the squadron performs a fly-by of the caskets is called
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the Missing Man formation. It is used today whenever a flyby
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is part of military honors at a funeral.
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<li> <a name="NO.wet">As Delenn and Marcus wait for Lenann,</a>
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a "Wet Floor" sign can be seen in a corridor in the background.
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<li> Sheridan's closing line, "Babylon 5 is open for business," echoes
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Laurel Takashima's in
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<a href="000.html">"The Gathering."</a>
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In both cases it marked a new beginning for the station.
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<li>@@@834859914 Sheridan's line to Ivanova, "My hypocrisy only goes so
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far," is a Mark Twain quote.
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<li>@@@834861046 Don Stroud got his scar by jumping into a crowd of men
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with knives to stop a woman from being raped, according to former
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story editor Larry DiTillio.
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<li>@@@839219258 The eulogy recited by Sheridan is the same one spoken
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by Ivanova in
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<a href="002.html#NO.4">"Soul Hunter."</a>
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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> As it happens, episodes 8, 9 and 10 ("Messages," "Point of No Return,"
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and "Severed Dreams") are kind of a triptych, linked at the hip and
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designed to pull together/blow out several major hanging plot threads
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once and for all, and send the show spinning off in an entirely
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different direction. The hardest one to write was 10, because it's a
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very emotional episode for the characters, and for me.
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<p>
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And next is #11, which I begin to write this weekend...and #11, year
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three, is the *exact* midpoint of the 5 year story. This is the hump,
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the dead center of the journey. It took so long to get here, and
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suddenly we're halfway finished.
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<p>
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<li> The episode is in the halfway mark, and that IS its significance,
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because it signals a major change.
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<p>
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When we were midway through that episode, the halfway mark of the whole
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series, John, Doug and I were given these spiffy leather script books
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with silver inlaid initials by the crew, to commemmorate the event. It
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was really nifty.
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<p>
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<li> <em>About Delenn and Lennier</em><br>
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As for Lennier...it's an unusual relationship, which you'll learn a
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LOT more about in "Ceremonies of Light and
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Dark." Which is all I can say for now.
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<p>
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<li> I was kind of afraid that after the big Stuff Blowing
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Up Episode, anything afterward would be a let down because it couldn't
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have the same level of huge action (without killing everyone making the
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show). So the way to deal with that is to go in an entirely different
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direction; I was hoping that'd work, and glad that so far it has.
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<p>
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<li> Earthgov sees B5 in much the way China now sees Taiwan. (Though on
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reflection that may not be the best metaphor....)
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<p>
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<li> You only send an ambassador if you recognize something as legitimate,
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and EA will never recognize an independent B5.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Why didn't G'Kar join in the ceremony?</em><br>
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Because he saw the actual co-running of security, and their
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duties, more important...that is physical, and concrete, and he feels
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is his surest way to win a seat in the new council. Actions, not
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ceremonies. He's very direct that way. (Which is pretty much what he
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said at the time.)
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<p>
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<li>@@@838837617 <em>Was this the same ceremony as in
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<a href="005.html">"The Parliament of Dreams?"</a></em><br>
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Yes, it's the same ceremony; Delenn states as much in the
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episode.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Was this one of Londo's chances for redemption?</em><br>
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No, this wasn't an opportunity for redemption. It would be
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flagged as much more important than this.
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<p>
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<li> I don't think Londo feels he needs to be redeemed; his reasons
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as stated were quite sincere.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Is Delenn being "destined for another" part of the prophecy?</em>
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<br>
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It is now.
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<p>
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<li>@@@838837617 Certainly various sorts of love was at the core of the episode,
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and what we do for one another.
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<p>
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But no, not all relationships have to end badly (despite my own
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general history in that regard).
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<p>
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<li> <em>Is Lennier really satisfied with Delenn's destiny lying
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elsewhere?</em><br>
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Well, there was certainly that little catch in his voice, that
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hesitation, before he added "...in my heart."
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<p>
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<li> "...note on Lennier: "a pure, higher love"? Pshaw, I've heard that
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before and seen the results in my own life. Are Minbari so different?"
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<p>
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One would certainly hope so.
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<p>
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And there are such different kinds of feelings even among
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humans; yes, you're right, often it doesn't work out that way...and
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sometimes it does.
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<p>
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<li> I didn't see or intend any element of Lennier being racist;
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but there are definitely differences in culture and physiology between
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Minbari and humans. Minbari are very careful about personal space, and
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they don't like to be talked to a certain way. Marcus momentarily
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forgot himself, and acted inappropriately. Lennier corrected him.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Delenn, Lenann, Lennier. What does "len" mean?</em><br>
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Basically, I went through and came up with common suffixes and prefixes
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for Minbari names, the way Russian names have combinations of certain
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letters (-ovna, -ova, -vich), and associated various backgrounds and
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castes and houses (fanes) to them. So you have Delenn, Rathenn, and
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others of similar name.
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<p>
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<li> <em>About the slow buildup of the Delenn/Sheridan relationship</em><br>
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What you say about relationships is quite true. The
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slow process of getting to know somebody, the courtship, the parries
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and feints and false starts are 85% of the fun. It's the process of
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getting into somebody's mind, discovering who they are. And that's
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what these two are doing. It's an awful lot of fun.
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<p>
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<li> The "romance angles" aren't "late additions," but you don't
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just leap into a romance right off. You couldn't have had the
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Delenn/Sheridan thing right in the beginning of year two, it had to be
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built, and grow gradually. Things are introduced as it is time for
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them to be introduced. The shadows weren't even named until season two,
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and didn't make their first appearance until late in season one. Is
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that a late addition?
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<p>
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<li> I'm doing a lot to deepen up Marcus and Lennier, to let
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people see parts of them we might not have seen before. Everyone grows
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on the show; even at this point, compare Lennier to the wide-eyed
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innocent who first arrived at the station and couldn't even bring
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himself to look Delenn in the eyes.
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<p>
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The computer voice, Sparky, wasn't really a nod of
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any kind to Hitchhiker's. (And 2001's HAL beat them to the punch a
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long time before that in any event.) No, I just figured, if the
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computer system had a glitch, what would it sound like?
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Answer...Harlan.
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<p>
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<li> Actually, we had 3 more quickie scenes with the computer voice,
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but the ep ran long over time, and we were locked into some
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walk-and-talks where we couldn't make other trims.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Is the name Sparky a reference to anything?</em><br>
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No, just figured it'd be a great name.
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<p>
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<li> I also like the look between Marcus and Delenn as they stand in
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the customs area...he looks like he desperately wants to say more, and
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she like she desperately wants to hear it...but he turns and walks
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away, the moment lost.
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<p>
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<li>@@@838837617 <em>About female fans' reaction to Marcus</em><br>
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It's okay...so are most of the women who work in the editing
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bays at B5. The first few days of this season, as his stuff started
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coming in, one of them pulled me aside, and with hand firmly on my arm,
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to let me know she meant business, said, "Listen very carefully: I want
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to see a LOT more of Marcus."
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<p>
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<li>@@@838837617 <em>Was Marcus' beard different before?</em><br>
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Your memory is correct. Just before he did the first episode,
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he had to shave his full beard for some commercial audition. It hadn't
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grown all the way back, and we had to darken it down a bit to make it
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work. It's all back now.
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<p>
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<li> <em>The Nightwatch members looked a lot more sinister than in the past.
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</em><br>
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I went just a little here for a kind of metaphorical
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approach; prior to this, Nightwatch folks have always been presented as
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starched, scrubbed, visually appealing...the face they wanted others to
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see. Now we see their true face, the scarred, dark, empty eyes, no
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longer pretending to hide. So we kinda cast in that direction.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Boggs' scar wouldn't have moved like it did.</em><br>
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The physical dynamics of the scar *would* have worked as seen,
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actually, mainly because that wasn't a piece of makeup, that's a real
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scar, and it does work that way.
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<p>
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<li> The scar is real. He had some rough times a few years
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ago. (Actually, he also appeared with the scar as it's seen here in
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"TKO," as Garibaldi's corner man, though there it was hidden a bit.)
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He's still doing a lot of work though.
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<p>
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(The funny thing was seeing the occasional comment on the nets
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saying how fake they thought the makeup looked, and why couldn't we
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manage to do something a bit more realistic looking?)
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<p>
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<li> Actually, no, the song in "Ceremonies" was not intended as a
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Prisoner riff or homage of any kind. If the song originated with The
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Prisoner, that'd be one thing, but the song goes back a long, LONG ways
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before The Prisoner was even thought of.
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<p>
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What happened, actually, was this...I'm a big fan of the Red
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Clay Ramblers, a terrific group that does sort of bluegrass but very
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offbeat. I was writing that episode, and I was playing with the
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torture aspect, and had one of their albums on. At just the moment I
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got to that scene, up came their rendition of "Ezekiel in the Valley of
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the Dry Bones." The notion was perfect, so I went back to the original
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version of the song, which is public domain (rather than their
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variation on it), and used it. Synchronicity.
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<p>
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<li> <em>About the uniforms</em><br>
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I wanted it to have a crossed look, certain
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Minbari elements and textures, lines that are reminiscent of the
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Rangers, but also of Earthforce. Hence, the result.
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<p>
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<li>@@@838837617 There's a certain perverseness in making those on the side of
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light wear black uniforms. It reverses our expectations.
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<p>
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<li> In general, it's my understanding that the cast really like the new
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uniforms. They're lighter, easier to move around in, cooler under the
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lights, and they like the styling, the rogue element to it, and the
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Minbari aspect.
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<p>
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<li> <em>Couldn't Refa just have all his food and drink tested?</em><br>
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Of course the flip side of this is that you'd have to check
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every single thing you ate or drank every day, every week, for the rest
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of your natural life. Not the kind of life *I'd* like to live.
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</ul>
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