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318 lines
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318 lines
12 KiB
<!-- TITLE The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari -->
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<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
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<blockquote><cite>
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Londo suffers a serious heart attack and must face his greatest fear to
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survive. Lennier decides to start training as a Ranger.
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</cite>
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</blockquote>
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<pre><a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/090">8.52</a>
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Production number: 503
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Original air date: January 28, 1998
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00019071C/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: April 13, 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>@@@886062758 Citing discomfort with his personal situation now that
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Delenn and Sheridan are married, as well as a desire to fill the void
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left by Marcus' death, Lennier has left the station to train as a
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Ranger. He promises he'll return from time to time.
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<li>@@@886062758 Ever since he started dreaming of his own death, Londo
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has felt somehow that Sheridan would be nearby at the end. He doesn't
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appear to know the details of Sheridan's presence
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(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)
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<li>@@@886062758 Londo has apologized to G'Kar for all his past misdeeds.
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It's the first time, he claims, that he's apologized for anything in
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his life.
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<li>@@@886361666 Londo's first wife was a dancer, as he mentioned to
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Garibaldi in
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<a href="018.html">"A Voice in the Wilderness, part 1."</a>)
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His family later forced him to divorce her; they claimed she wasn't of
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a high enough social class and threatened to strip him of his
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inheritance if he didn't obey.
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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>@@@886062758 Was G'Kar aware of Londo's dream? Was G'Kar's in-dream
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suggestion that he was a projection left over from their
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telepathic contact
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(<a href="050.html">"Dust to Dust"</a>)
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at all true?
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<li>@@@886100581 Was Lennier truly following the calling of his heart as
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he claimed, or was he simply running away as Sheridan conjectured?
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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>@@@886062758 How did Londo know about Sheridan's limited lifespan?
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Why would Sheridan (or Delenn) have told him about it?
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<p>
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If it's common knowledge, then Lennier probably knows too. What
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influence did that knowledge have on his decision to leave? He
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as much as said that he wanted to become a Ranger so he'd be more
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attractive to Delenn; does he believe that by becoming a warrior
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like Sheridan, he'll be able to take Sheridan's place at Delenn's
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side in twenty years?
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062758 During his conversation with Londo, Sheridan's clothing
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changed several times, in line with his changes of uniform over the
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course of the show: first he wore an Earthforce uniform, then a
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shirt with no coat
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(<a href="054.html">"Severed Dreams."</a>)
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Then he wore his Army of Light uniform
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(<a href="055.html">"Ceremonies of Light and Dark."</a>)
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Next, he was dressed in the robes of the Entil'zha, just like
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Sinclair's garb in
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<a href="060.html">"War Without End."</a>
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Finally, he was dressed in a simple white robe and hood like that of
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a Minbari acolyte, before he turned into a ball of light similar to
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the million-years-hence Ranger in
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<a href="088.html">"The Deconstruction of Falling Stars."</a>
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<p>
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Londo's dreams can be prophetic at least some of the time, the
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obvious example being the dream of his death. If this one can be
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taken literally, the implication is that Sheridan will be the next
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Entil'zha. That's consistent with Zathras' claim that he is "The
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One who will be"
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(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)
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<p>
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The meaning of the white robe is less clear; perhaps after he
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heads the Rangers he will turn his attention to Minbari spiritualism.
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It's worth noting that Delenn wore a similar robe during the rebirth
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ceremony in
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<a href="005.html">"The Parliament of Dreams,"</a>
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during the funeral ceremony in
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<a href="017.html">"Legacies,"</a>
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and after her transformation in
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<a href="024.html">"Revelations."</a>
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Dukhat wore a similar robe in
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<a href="075.html">"Atonement."</a>
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That last reference may be the most significant when considered in
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light of Delenn leaving the center space in the Grey Council open for
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"the one who is to come"
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(<a href="080.html">"Moments of Transition."</a>)
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<p>
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The robe, it should also be noted, shielded most of Sheridan's head
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from view. Could that be a trick similar to showing Delenn's arm in
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<a href="020.html">"Babylon Squared?"</a>
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Will Sheridan, late in life, transform into a Minbari-human hybrid,
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possibly to cement his role as Dukhat's successor?
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<p>
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The ball of light may be related to whatever event will lead to the
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legend (in
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<a href="088.html">"The Deconstruction of Falling Stars"</a>)
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that he was carried bodily into heaven after his death -- perhaps
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Lorien, a ball of light in his own right, will return and take Sheridan.
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Or perhaps there's still part of Lorien remaining in Sheridan, and it's
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that part that will depart when Sheridan's body dies.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886359843 Once again the theme of finding something to live for is
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in evidence; it's a recurring one most strongly in evidence in
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<a href="068.html">"Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi,"</a>
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in which Lorien told Sheridan that something to live for was required
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if he was to continue living at all. The most relevant previous
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appearance of the theme, though, was in
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<a href="065.html">"Shadow Dancing."</a>
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Dr. Franklin had similar near-death visions that caused him
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to reexamine his past and gave him the determination to live in order
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to correct past mistakes, a closer analog to Londo's experience than
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what Sheridan went through.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062758 Londo said he had never apologized for anything in his
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life, presumably referring to serious apologies rather than off-the-cuff
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conversational remarks. If that was because he was afraid to face the
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fact that he'd done great harm in the past, apologizing might count as
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facing his greatest fear, his last chance for redemption as prophesied
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by Lady Morella
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(<a href="053.html">"Point of No Return."</a>)
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Of course, she was more likely referring to allowing himself to be
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strangled by G'Kar, since his next-to-last chance was to not kill the
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one who is already dead -- quite likely a reference to letting
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Sheridan go as he'll do in his final moments
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(<a href="061.html">"War Without End, part 2."</a>)
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<p>
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<li>@@@886361479 Lennier's decision to join the Rangers may have other
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aspects in addition to the ones mentioned in the episode. For example,
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he may feel personally responsible for Marcus' death, since he was the
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one who inadvertently led Marcus to discover the existence of the alien
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healing device
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(<a href="086.html">"Endgame."</a>)
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<p>
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<li>@@@886361816 Both Lennier and Londo followed the callings of their
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hearts in this episode, though Londo's heart was rather more emphatic
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about it.
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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>@@@886062758 Londo's taste for fine bravari was first established in
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<a href="039.html">"Knives."</a>
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062758 Londo has apologized seriously twice before. First he
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apologized to Garibaldi for casting his vote against Sinclair in
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<a href="000.html">"The Gathering."</a>
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The second time, he reluctantly apologized to Elric for recording
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their conversation in
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<a href="025.html">"The Geometry of Shadows."</a>
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He has also apologized in casual conversation (e.g. telling Vir he
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was sorry to call so late in
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<a href="067.html">"The Hour of the Wolf"</a>)
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though he likely doesn't consider those to be true apologies.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062849 Lennier and Vir first sat together at the bar in
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<a href="044.html">"The Fall of Night,"</a>
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and according to that episode, it was a regular weekly event.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062758 Vir drank a Shirley Temple at the bar. Shirley Temple
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was a child film star, but a more subtle reference is that she later
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served as the U.S. ambassador to several countries.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062758 Vir said goodbye to Lennier using the Minbari hand sign
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(fingers and thumbs touching to form a triangle.) Presumably he
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learned that during his time as the Centauri ambassador to Minbar.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886062965 An old Centauri story says that sometimes an angelic soul
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can be trapped inside a body that's done great evil, and can kill its
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host in an effort to break free and inhabit another body.
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<p>
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<li>@@@870968410 The title of this script is similar to an earlier
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story, "The Very Long Night of Susan Ivanova," which was never
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produced.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886359399 Medical gaffe: When Franklin described Centauri anatomy
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to Sheridan, he said they had a "bipulmonary system," clearly intended
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to mean that they had two hearts. But in medical jargon, "pulmonary"
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refers to the lungs, not the heart. A term like "bicardial" would have
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been correct.
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<p>
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<li>@@@898571511 Medical gaffe: Franklin ordered a "toxology report" on Londo.
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Though it's a common mistake, he meant "toxicology." Toxology is
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the study of the bow (as in bows and arrows.)
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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>@@@871230710 <em>Is this the same story as "The Very Long Night of
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Susan Ivanova?</em><br>
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No, just that since I ain't doing that story, the title became
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available, and it was most apt for this episode.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886100020 Nothing like this was planned for Susan; I just liked the
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title and adjusted it.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886360328 <em>Was the lighting changed for the transition between
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Vir entering the transport tube and Londo emerging in the hall?</em><br>
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We did the light change, and enhanced it further in post.
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<p>
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<em>How was the cameraman holding the camera during the rest of
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that scene?</em><br>
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We attached the camera to his body.
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<p>
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<em>Was the single unbroken shot the director's idea?</em><br>
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It was in the script.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886464544 <em>Is Bill Mumy off the show?</em><br>
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Bill is still on the show; there's a bit of a break as his character is
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off on anla-shok training, but he does come back, and in fact has a
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rather substantial arc of his own at a certain point later in the
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season.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886100020 <em>G'Kar's artificial eye isn't red yet. Did the actor
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not want to wear the contact?</em><br>
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No, the contact omission was kept because of the story and the
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character; it'll be dealt with down the line in more detail, but for
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now, that's why it's there.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886359137 <em>How did Londo know about Sheridan's shortened
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lifespan?</em><br>
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It's common knowledge within the inner circle of the Alliance
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advisory board.
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<p>
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<li>@@@886573242 <em>Are Sheridan's last two outfits a preview of things
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to come in season five?</em><br>
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Could be....
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<p>
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<li>@@@886573282 Re: the idea that Londo has "apologized" before....
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<p>
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Remember G'Kar's comment: that in other circumstances, Londo wasn't
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sorry he DID it, he was sorry he got CAUGHT. That was the point of the
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exercise.
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<p>
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<li>@@@887704064 We're slowly bringing Londo full-circle, and what an odd
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little voyage it's been. And so much sadness yet to come.
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<p>
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<li>@@@887657731 He can learn, yes, and he can better himself...but
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because of his actions, so many have died, so much grief has occured,
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that perhaps no amount of self-revelation can cover the blood on the
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floor.
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<p>
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There's an excellent moment in the Night Gallery movie, where a
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prison camp commandant has fled to Brazil and, years later, is trying
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to live out his life in peace, realizes that mistakes were made, is
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actually trying to find a better life...but as one man dies at his
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hands says, "You have hung too many Christs on crosses for any god to
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forgive you."
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<p>
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<li>@@@886360328 <em>Could Delenn have stopped the Rangers from accepting
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Lennier?</em><br>
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Yes, she could have...but it would have devastated
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him and undermined the Ranger structure.
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</ul>
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