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<!-- TITLE Falling Toward Apotheosis -->
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<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
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<blockquote><cite>
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The Vorlons step up their battle against the Shadows. Londo uncovers a new
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wrinkle in his plan to unseat Emperor Cartagia. Sheridan asks Garibaldi to
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remove Kosh from the station. Delenn gets a surprise from Sheridan.
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</cite>
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Wasser,+Ed">Ed Wasser</a> as Morden.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Krimmer,+Wortham">Wortham Krimmer</a> as Emperor Cartagia.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alexander,+Wayne">Wayne Alexander</a> as Lorien.
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</blockquote>
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<pre><a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/070">8.78</a>
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|
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Production number: 404
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Original air week: November 25, 1996
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DGBEY/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: January 6, 2004
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Written by J. Michael Straczynski
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Directed by David Eagle
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</pre>
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<p>
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<hr size=3>
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<h2><a name="BP">Plot Points</a></h2>
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<ul>
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<li>@@@848919207 With the help of Lorien and the original Kosh, Sheridan
|
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has successfully removed the new Vorlon ambassador from the station,
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possibly killing it in the process.
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<li>@@@848919207 Lorien healed Sheridan at Z'ha'dum by transferring some of
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his own life energy into Sheridan. Sheridan has at most 20 years
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left to live.
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|
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<li>@@@848919207 Londo owes Sheridan a favor.
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<li>@@@849006901 Emperor Cartagia has plucked out G'Kar's eye, as Londo
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saw in his dream
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(<a href="031.html">"The Coming of Shadows."</a>)
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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>@@@848919207 Why is Lorien keeping such close watch on Sheridan?
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<li>@@@848919207 How does Sheridan plan to stop the Vorlons?
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<li>@@@848919207 Why did Kosh's ship go berserk during the battle? What
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was it trying to do? (See
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<a href="#JS.ship">jms speaks</a>)
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<li>@@@848919207 Now that the Vorlons have been seen without their
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illusions in place, will they still bother to maintain their angelic
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facades around the younger races?
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<li>@@@854693691 What was the Vorlon "cause" that compelled Lyta to
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cooperate with them? Did they explain their true motives to her, or
|
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did they feed her a palatable lie?
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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>@@@848919207 Sheridan and Lorien appear to have gotten to know each
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other well. What has each of them been getting from the relationship?
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So far, Lorien doesn't appear to be feeding Sheridan specific
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information about the Vorlons or the Shadows (though that could be
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happening offscreen.) He seems to be providing moral and
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philosophical support more than anything else, aside from the
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occasional dose of life energy. What is Sheridan giving him in
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return? Presumably it's something worth leaving Z'ha'dum to get.
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<li>@@@848919207 Sheridan authorized the transfer of refugees to Epsilon 3
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without even consulting with Draal. How does he know Draal wouldn't
|
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object? If the planet is still available as a defense mechanism for
|
|
the station, Draal would most likely need to tell the crew where to
|
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set up camp, lest they put refugees right on top of an underground
|
|
weapon. It's also interesting that the surface of Epsilon 3 is
|
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apparently habitable, given that oxygen masks were required to
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breathe underground
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|
(<a href="018.html">"A Voice in the Wilderness."</a>)
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Perhaps the crew is assuming Draal will provide an appropriate
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atmosphere.
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<li>@@@848919207 Kosh expressed outrage, not surprise, that a human could
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mentally imprison a Vorlon. Perhaps the Vorlons have a weakness like
|
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the Shadows', and can be contained by sufficiently powerful telepaths.
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<li>@@@848919207 Is the difference in color between the two Vorlons
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significant? It may simply be due to the fact that what emerged from
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Sheridan wasn't just Kosh, but a combination of Kosh, Sheridan, and
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Lorien.
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<li>@@@848919207 Delenn recognized Kosh immediately. Does that mean she
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had previously seen his true form? If so, it was most likely in
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<a href="022.html">"Chrysalis,"</a>
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though why he would let her see through his mask then isn't clear,
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|
since he most likely projected an image to her in
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<a href="044.html">"The Fall of Night."</a>
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<li>@@@848919207 Lorien's healing technique resembles that of the healing
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machine from
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<a href="021.html">"The Quality of Mercy."</a>
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Could that machine be used to further extend Sheridan's life, or
|
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Lorien's, for that matter? How much life does Lorien have left?
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<li>@@@848919207 When he used it on Z'ha'dum, it obviously extended to the
|
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original Kosh as well, since Kosh was able to battle his successor.
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<li>@@@850299819 Sheridan's shortened lifespan may be the terrible price
|
|
Delenn mentioned in the flashforward in
|
|
<a href="061.html">"War Without End, Part Two."</a>
|
|
At that time, 17 years in the future, he would only have another two
|
|
or three years left to live, barring other developments. (See
|
|
<a href="#JS.wwe2">jms speaks</a>)
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|
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<li>@@@848919207 Kosh gave his life willingly to stop the other Vorlon.
|
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Perhaps that goal was what he needed to live for, his version of
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Sheridan's devotion to Delenn. If he had to come to terms with his
|
|
own death as Sheridan did, such self-sacrifice was presumably somewhat
|
|
easier when the time came.
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|
|
|
<li>@@@848919207 Is the original Kosh the only Vorlon to oppose what's
|
|
going on now? Perhaps they're factionalized much like the Minbari,
|
|
and the new Kosh represented the more belligerent faction, which has
|
|
the upper hand at the moment. In any case, why did the original Kosh
|
|
care about the younger races more than his replacement?
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<li>@@@848919207 How much of Kosh is still left in Sheridan in the form of
|
|
memories and knowledge? Was Kosh's presence instrumental in putting
|
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together whatever plan Sheridan has in mind?
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<li>@@@848919207 Londo clearly plans to strike at Cartagia on Narn, where
|
|
presumably he'll be an easier target than he is in the royal palace.
|
|
But even if he succeeds, what then? The Shadows will still be on
|
|
Centauri Prime, with only a few days left until the projected arrival
|
|
of the Vorlon fleet. It's unlikely Morden and his associates would
|
|
look favorably on a request to leave the planet, and even if they
|
|
went away immediately, Centauri Prime would still have been touched
|
|
by the Shadows and thus would still be a target.
|
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<li>@@@865731509 By failing to suggest a punishment for G'Kar, Londo has
|
|
likely just wasted his first chance for redemption: saving the eye
|
|
that does not see
|
|
(<a href="053.html">"Point of No Return."</a>)
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@850523208 Cartagia's vision of the end of Centauri Prime ("Let it all
|
|
end in fire") may be related to Kosh's reply to Emperor Turhan in
|
|
<a href="031.html">"The Coming of Shadows,"</a>
|
|
to whom he said that things would end "in fire."
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@852059217 In fact, Kosh may have been saying more than the Emperor
|
|
knew; perhaps he foresaw the deployment of the Vorlon planet-killer, or
|
|
believed it likely, and figured it'd be used against Centauri Prime.
|
|
If so, how long have the Vorlons been planning their current course
|
|
of action?
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@859396839 Garibaldi theorized to Franklin that he might have been
|
|
caught in the hyperspace backwash when the Shadows pulled out. This
|
|
was first mentioned as a danger in
|
|
<a href="013.html">"Signs and Portents,"</a>
|
|
in which Sinclair warns Ivanova to stay away from the raider mothership
|
|
to avoid being pulled into its backwash.
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="NO">Notes</a></h2>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@877241620 The list of sites accepting refugees from Ventari III,
|
|
as shown in Ivanova's broadcast:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li> Tizino Prime (presumed destroyed later in the episode)
|
|
<li> Mokafa Station
|
|
<li> Drazi Fendamir Research Colony
|
|
<li> Kazomi III
|
|
<li> D'Grn IV
|
|
<li> L'Gn'Daort
|
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<li> Nacambad Colony
|
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<li> 7 Lukantha
|
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<li> Oqmritkz
|
|
<li> Velatastat
|
|
<li> Lesser Krindar
|
|
<li> Greater Krindar
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@850298803 The rightmost head in Cartagia's shadow cabinet is Andreas
|
|
Katsulas (G'Kar.) See
|
|
<a href="#JS.head">jms speaks.</a>
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@839551695 "Apotheosis" means "elevation to divine status," or
|
|
more simply, deification.
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@848919344 The two Koshes left the scene of the firefight through the
|
|
ceiling. If they were headed for space, they took the long way there;
|
|
to get outside through the ceiling, they'd have to pass through the
|
|
center of the station.
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="JS">jms speaks</a></h2>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
<li>@@@839611509 <em>In response to a
|
|
<a href="http://www.johndelenn.com/jd/responsibility-forgiveness.html">CompuServe message</a></em><br>
|
|
That was really excellent. Let me explain to you how excellent
|
|
it was: I was taking a break on CIS because I was trying to work
|
|
through the heart of a scene between Delenn and Sheridan in script 403.
|
|
It was a little fuzzy there in places, and I usually log off and putter
|
|
around rather than trying to write it when it isn't all there yet in my
|
|
head. Your analysis helped me clarify something in my own mind which
|
|
was there in the first place but hadn't yet racked into focus yet. It
|
|
would've done so eventually, it always does, but you may have saved me
|
|
an hour or two of going back over their relationship in my head and
|
|
pulling out the emotional and thematic undercurrents of what's been
|
|
established over the last couple of seasons.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Good stuff.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@844028525 One is falling toward something which is rising, therefore
|
|
promising imminent conflict.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850550081 <em>Which storyline does the title refer to?</em><br>
|
|
Interpretation is everything...I prefer to leave it that way.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@848310645 <em>Does it end in a cliffhanger?</em><br>
|
|
No, it doesn't exactly end with a cliffhanger.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
It does, however, end on a cliff.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@848682626 So earlier this week we did the audio mix on almost all
|
|
of 404, "Falling Toward Apotheosis," which airs this coming week. We
|
|
did all but 7 minutes, because they were seven...big...minutes.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Last night, after working at the stage from early morning on, John
|
|
Copeland, George Johnsen and I left about 7 p.m. to go and mix the
|
|
audio for those seven minutes.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
We finished at 2:30 a.m. (And I had to get up at 7:30 a.m. for a
|
|
meeting, no less.)
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Point being...if you've got a friend with a good TV and a spiffy audio
|
|
or surround sound system, you may want to watch this next one over at
|
|
their place.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Just a thought.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@851232246 <em>Which seven minutes?</em><br>
|
|
From Lyta's entrance to Kosh's place, to Lorien's hand.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850298803 <a name="JS.head"><em>About the shadow cabinet</em></a><br>
|
|
Yes, that's Andreas' head, which I personally moved over to
|
|
where it would be beside Peter...who complained (in jest) that Andreas
|
|
was again stealing the scene from him.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@851907178 <em>Why is everyone acting strangely toward
|
|
Garibaldi?</em><br>
|
|
The main reason for the non-big reaction to Garibaldi is that
|
|
none of them really know of anything that went on. He says he just got
|
|
caught in the hyperspace backwash, and his ship got swiped. And it's a
|
|
fairly thin story, so there's some questioning of what's not being
|
|
said, or is this the whole story? So people are bound to be a bit more
|
|
tentative...and, again, there's a big huge war on, and pilots returning
|
|
from missions at the height of WW2 were given a handshake and told to
|
|
get back into the plane for the next mission.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328566 <em>Have we seen a Vorlon's true appearance?</em><br>
|
|
That's pretty much what they look like.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@865283336 Actually, we kinda decided to cut back a bit on lens
|
|
flare...because that particular one is now used in so many places, it's
|
|
become a cliche. We tried out a new kind of flare in the Kosh2 scene,
|
|
when he nails Sheridan, you can just sorta see it...once everyone else
|
|
does what we've been doing, we tend to move on to newer areas.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@857328062 <em>Why didn't Kosh project an illusion?</em><br>
|
|
Because it takes concentration to pull it off, and Kosh2 was
|
|
kinda distracted....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328566 The encounter suit was mainly to mask them.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@851074022 The idea was to short out and "crack" the suit, getting
|
|
the vorlon out, so the last of Kosh and Lorien and Sheridan could deal
|
|
with him in a weakened and more vulnerable state.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328566 <em>The Vorlons looked a bit like Shadows.</em><br>
|
|
I didn't think they looked that much alike. But then, no two
|
|
people ever see Vorlons in quite the same way, I guess.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@848919344 <em>If Vorlons are amorphous energy beings, how was Kosh
|
|
poisoned in
|
|
<a href="000.html">"The Gathering?"</a></em><br>
|
|
Remember, they do have a certain physicality about them, even in that
|
|
form, and the nature of the poison was such that it would affect that
|
|
kind of life form using a crystalline base (note in the pilot the screen
|
|
reads analyzing crystalline structure, and you filter light or refract
|
|
or distort it using a crystalline structure).
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@851198236 Silicon or crystalline based lifeforms are still lifeforms,
|
|
just not the same as carbon-based lifeforms (like us).
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328566 Yes, that's a Vorlon...and there was a physicality to them,
|
|
shown by the fact that it could strike out and hit things. It's not a
|
|
ghost or anything of that nature, it can be hurt and killed.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850550437 <em>What was Delenn doing at the fight?</em><br>
|
|
Well, I think it's pretty obvious she would've known about it,
|
|
given her proximity to Sheridan...and if I knew something this big was
|
|
going on, sure as heck *I'd* want to be there to see it.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328567 <a name="JS.ship"><em>What was Kosh's ship
|
|
doing?</em></a><br>
|
|
It was responding to Kosh2's commands to get out of there so
|
|
he/it could enter it and escape.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328567 <em>Wouldn't the original Kosh have stopped it from
|
|
tearing the station apart?</em><br>
|
|
There wasn't enough left for that...it was just a hint of him,
|
|
that later needed to be bolstered by both Lorien and Sheridan to hit
|
|
even a part of its original ability.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850539271 Kosh went with the new vorlon into the ship, and that final
|
|
blast was what did the job ultimately.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850539271 <em>Didn't Lyta already tell the new Kosh that
|
|
Sheridan had a piece of the old Kosh?</em><br>
|
|
Actually, she said, "I think, it's possible, someone else does."
|
|
But she didn't specify Sheridan, and likely wouldn't have until she
|
|
knew absolutely for certain...and until she knew a little more about
|
|
the vorlon she was dealing with.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850550719 <em>Was Kosh aware of what was being planned?</em><br>
|
|
I'd say it was aware of this, yes...and you can hear just a
|
|
trace of its voice just before it emerges.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850522934 All trace of Kosh is gone. He/it will never be seen again,
|
|
in any form, exempting flashbacks, of which none are currently planned.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@854124767 <em>Was it necessary to kill the new Kosh?</em><br>
|
|
Had Kosh2 left when asked, it wouldn't have had to be done, no.
|
|
It was vaguely possible, but they had to plan as if he would not do so,
|
|
which in fact was what happened.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@864588843 The idea was to force Kosh2 out of the station, to where it
|
|
could be destroyed outside with a minimum of damage to the station.
|
|
Delenn wasn't happy about it, but also recognizes that war means
|
|
sometimes having to kill somebody.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850539271 <em>With two of their ambassadors dead, won't the Vorlons
|
|
take revenge against B5?</em><br>
|
|
Of course, at the moment, the vorlons are a little busy...but
|
|
given time, yes, they would do exactly that.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@864894531 <em>Did the original storyline call for the first Kosh
|
|
to be killed in this episode?</em><br>
|
|
Best to leave what might've been out...what is, is better.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@864894531 There's a lot more to be said of the story of Kosh, and
|
|
the Vorlons in general...and part of me says explain it later...and
|
|
another part says that if you explain mysteries too much, it destroys
|
|
them.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850550856 Morden is living in denial...he's afraid, and hoping he's
|
|
right. Centauri Prime has more civilians than any other planet or
|
|
colony hit so far: three billion people. The shadows are hoping a
|
|
figure that high will daunt even the Vorlons.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The wings are just how we perceived them, to some extent, though
|
|
we did see a hint of wings as the last of Kosh emerged from Sheridan.
|
|
(We also heard the wing flap sound, and the sound of Kosh's voice for
|
|
the last time right after Lorien's "Now.")
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Dr. Kyle saw the angelic form...even in its reduced state, it
|
|
held itself together enough to maintain that form.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328567 <em><a name="JS.wwe2">Was Sheridan almost dead</a> in
|
|
<a href="061.html">"War Without End, Part Two?"</a></em><br>
|
|
Yep, at the time of that flash-forward, Sheridan has at most
|
|
2-3 years left to live.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@855248233 <em>Had he followed Delenn's advice, would he be in
|
|
the same situation anyway?</em><br>
|
|
Had he not gone to Z'ha'dum, he would've avoided that fate,
|
|
but caused another.
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<li>@@@850298803 Minbari can easily live to about 140 or so.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@864894531 <em>Was it fair of Sheridan to propose to Delenn after
|
|
Lorien's bad news?</em><br>
|
|
Well, I think it's better for someone to know that first, then
|
|
find out about it later. "Oh, good, we're going to spend the rest of
|
|
our lives together...oh, by the way, now that you've committed, you
|
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should know...."
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|
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|
<p>
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|
Uh, uh.
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|
|
|
<p>
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|
<li>@@@850647613 <em>Delenn is spending a lot of time fawning over
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|
Sheridan.</em><br>
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|
"Considering her past role in Minbari society, though, I expect her to
|
|
snap out of it pretty soon. She was *trained* to take charge, and even
|
|
the things she's endured lately won't supress that conditioning
|
|
forever."
|
|
|
|
<p>
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|
Oh, most definitely...count on it. She's done more than enough "oh
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|
john" stuff for my tastes...that will start to change, and soon.
|
|
|
|
<p>
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|
<li>@@@850757478 Too much depression and guilt lately, and she's
|
|
been for the most part a passive character lately, while others acted
|
|
around her. Now it's about time for her to start becoming active again.
|
|
There's fire and steel in *use*, and fire and steel waiting to be
|
|
called upon...time to shift from the latter to the former.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850938080 <em>How does the Minbari sleep-watching ritual compare in
|
|
seriousness to Sheridan's marriage proposal?</em><br>
|
|
Well, I think it fair to say that with Delenn starting the
|
|
ritual, there had already been kind of an implicit understanding that
|
|
this was going to be more than just a fling...and there's still a long
|
|
road ahead of them before this can be finalized.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850328567 <em>Why doesn't Cartagia have the telepaths seen in
|
|
<a href="031.html">"The Coming of Shadows?"</a></em><br>
|
|
They weren't prophetesses, they were communications-telepaths,
|
|
and the emperor can use them if he perceives the need to keep in
|
|
contact with events in the royal court. Cartagia could give a fig for
|
|
what goes at home, which will be ash soon anyway....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850523392 <em>Cartagia wouldn't go to Narn just because Londo
|
|
asked.</em><br>
|
|
Except, of course, this trip with G'Kar was in his best
|
|
interest, and Cartagia is always responsive to what's best for
|
|
Cartagia.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850550856 For my money, the truly frightening thing about Cartagia
|
|
is that he is motivated entirely by whim, by caprice...he can give you
|
|
something wonderful one moment, then turn around and have you killed
|
|
the next. You *never* know which way he'll flip from moment to moment.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850522934 <em>Why didn't Londo try to save G'Kar's eye?</em><br>
|
|
Yeah...would've been nice if Londo had at least tried to do
|
|
something about the eye that did not see Cartagia's splendor....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@850978352 The Londo stuff is nice, and you do get a sense of the
|
|
kind of person he was before the empire began to slip, and his fortunes
|
|
with it. He can definitely pull it out when he wants to.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@851939219 <em>Only 3 billion people on Centauri Prime?</em><br>
|
|
Basically, I figured with a culture in decline, often the birth rate
|
|
goes down; it's also a fairly small world, all things considered...and a
|
|
LOT of them live on other colonies, they've been spreading out a lot
|
|
longer than we have...and of course they have always been sensible about
|
|
birth control and population growth, one of their few wisdoms, and one
|
|
we could learn from.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@859325143 <em>Was Kosh's comment about Sheridan opening an unexpected
|
|
door in
|
|
<a href="067.html">"The Hour of the Wolf"</a>
|
|
related to the change in Vorlon strategy?</em><br>
|
|
They couldn't break the rules of engagement, but he
|
|
did...and started things moving.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li>@@@859325128 <em>Wasn't the planet-killer a break in the rules?</em><br>
|
|
That *followed* his trip to Z'ha'dum...so yes, the rules
|
|
began to slip after that.
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|