Babylon 5 Season One, Episode One: Midnight on the firing line

Season One: "Signs and portents" 

As I mentioned in the introduction, Babylon 5 was conceived as a five-year story arc, both in the show's fictional universe, and in the real world. The series would run over five seasons from 1993 to 1998, and each of the five seasons was subtitled, with a tagline that gave some clue as to the part it would play in the overall story arc. Season one, with its title of "Signs and portents", alluded strongly to the placing of the pieces on the chessboard, as it were; the drawing of battlelines, the arrangement of characters and plot elements, and hidden and not so hidden clues within the episodes that would point to a greater, overall truth which would come to drive the whole plot. Not every episode in every season advances or even contributes to the main story arc, and season one more than most, as it was here that the very skeleton of the plot was being built. But the signs are there, if you know where to look for them. Or have someone to point them out to you.

But first, there have been some character changes, as mentioned in the intro to The Gathering. Let's take a look at the important ones.

Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova (played by Claudia Christian)

Replacing the (I thought) somewhat wooden and one-dimensional Laurel Takashima from the film, Ivanova is the new second-in-command on the station. She is of Russian descent, and as such can be seen to be quite cold and clinical as she goes about her duties. She has a softer side, though she hardly ever lets anyone see it. She will become indispensable as the commander's right hand throughout most of the series.

Doctor Stephen Franklin (played by Richard Biggs, RIP)

Having seen what lies beneath a Vorlon's encounter suit in the movie, Dr. Kyle is recalled to Earth, and Franklin is sent as his replacement to Babylon 5, where he assumes the post of Chief Medical Officer. His outspoken ways and often arrogant belief in himself and in his abilities will often land him in trouble with the commander, but he's fiercely loyal and dedicated to his vocation.

Talia Winters (played by Andrea Thompson)

As the second resident commercial telepath on the station, Talia replaces Lyta Alexander, whose fate we learn some time later on, and which will have another big effect on the storyline. Talia, too, will impact on the plot, though her part will end, coming to critical mass as it were, near the end of season two. After that, there will be no third telepath, at least, not officially.

Vir Kotto (usually known only as Vir, and played by Stephen Furst)

Attache to Ambassador Mollari, Vir is a young, impressionable Centauri with a great sense of duty, and eager to please his new employer. He sees his posting to Babylon 5 as a great honour, though Londo tells him it is the joke job handed out to those among their people the Council can't find a proper place for. Vir will soon lose his childlike wonder though, and become both a staunch ally and later a vehement opponent of Londo, while carving his own name in Centauri history.

Lennier (played by Bill Mumy)

A man those who watched the sixties sci-fi classic show Lost in space will know as Will Robinson, Mumy plays attache to Delenn, the Minbari ambassador. But just as Vir's fate will take him places he could never have guessed at, Lennier's place in galactic history is also assured. He is devoted to Delenn, later revealing that he is in fact in love with her.

Na'Toth (played by Julie Caitlin Brown, later Mary Kay Adams)

And just as the other two ambassadors have attaches, so must G'Kar. His aide comes in the form of Na'Toth, a determined, fierce female Narn who initially makes no secret of her dislike of her new employer, but whom she eventually becomes fast friends with. 

1.1 "Midnight on the firing line"

Season one opens on "Midnight on the firing line", with a "Bay of Pigs"-style standoff as Ragesh 3, a Centauri agricultural colony is attacked by persons unknown and destroyed, persons who later turn out to Narns, reigniting the still simmering enmity between the two races' ambassadors on Babylon 5. Londo Mollari accuses his opposite number of attacking a defenceless station, while G'Kar sneers that during the war against them Londo's people had no such qualms, and subjugated whoever and whatever they saw fit. Londo warns that if his nephew, who was stationed at the colony, is harmed, there will be war between the two races.

This is a key element of the show, as in later sf series: war is always looming, seemingly imminent and unavoidable. Man's lust for power and territory and his taste for combat (when I say "man" I refer to all races, obviously, not just humans: the aliens have sadly just as little control over their emotions and their desires as we often have) drives him to fight his neighbour, take his lands --- or in this case, his planet(s) and/or system(s), and it seems there will never truly be a lasting peace. Old grievances are harboured, old hatreds merely pushed down, never forgotten, never forgiven, and everyone puts on the face of the diplomat. But behind that cheerful, often bland and dishonest mask hides the true nationalist, who is ready to avenge past wrongs and bring down bloody retribution on his old enemy.

Other plot strands begin to develop here too: we see the new station telepath, Talia Winters, who reports to the new station second-in-command, Russian-born Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova, but is brushed off rudely by the officer. There doesn't seem to be any real reason for this; perhaps Ivanova is just naturally rude? As the series develops, we come to see that yes, in general she is short and curt with people, intolerant of incompetence and unforgiving to those who break the rules, but there is a deeper reason behind her dislike for Winters. It goes to the heart of who and what Talia is, and will be part of a major revelation later. 

Then there's the presidential race back on Earth. The incumbent, Luis Santiago, is being challenged by Marie Crane, whom some give a better chance than she's expected to have. Sinclair is watching the election campaign from Babylon 5, mindful that Earthgov, the seat of authority on the home planet, pay the bills and keep the lights on at the station. Without its continued support Babylon 5 can no longer function and would have to be shut down, so it's important to him that whoever occupies the position of power looks upon the station favourably. He seems disappointed at the end of the episode when it's clear the incumbent has won the election. This may seem odd in the light of later events.

When a Centauri agricultural outpost is attacked off Ragesh 9, Londo Mollari is incensed. Not only is he the Centauri ambassador to Babylon 5, but his own nephew is on the outpost, and he warns of grave consequences should the lad be harmed in any way. Initially, it is unknown who has attacked the colony, but it quickly emerges to be the work of the Centauri's age-old enemy and former slaves, the Narn Regime, striking back at their old oppressors. Meanwhile, Garibaldi heads off in response to a distress call the station has picked up. He believes this to be a sign the raiders that have been operating in the sector are back and intends to deal them a crippling blow. However when they reach the stricken freighter which issued the distress call it is already too late, and Garibaldi can clearly see that the weapons used on the hapless vessel were much heavier and of higher grade than he would have expected. The ante has just gone up.

ISN, the Inter Stellar News network, reports on the race for President of Earth, which is between Luis Santiago, who currently holds the office, and his challenger, Marie Crane. When word of who is responsible for the attack on his people's colony comes through, Londo goes looking for G'Kar and there is an altercation that has to be broken up by Babylon 5 security, but it's unlikely either will let the matter rest there. Garibaldi suspects a leak in station security, as trade routes are kept secret to prevent attacks, the aftermath of such he has just witnessed. Londo promises there will be war if his nephew is harmed, but when he hears back that the Centauri Court are in fact not prepared to take that step over such a distant and insignificant outpost, he keeps this information to himself as he has an emergency session of the Babylon 5 council called to debate sanctions against the Narn Regime.

Sinclair goes to see Kosh, but the Vorlon is uninterested and of no help at all. Of less help is the Senate, a senator telling Sinclair his orders are to abstain from the vote being taken during the emergency council of the council, as to whether to support sanctions against the Narn for their attack on Ragesh 3. Earth, in the middle of an election, does not wish to become embroiled in what is essentially a matter between two other races and in which they have nothing to gain. Sinclair leaves Ivanova in charge, sending her to the meeting while he sets off in pursuit of the last ship known to be on the raiders' target list, a refugee ship with men, women and children aboard. Something has clicked with him, and he thinks he knows from where the pirates are getting their heavy weaponry. At the meeting, G'Kar makes the case for Ragesh 3 having originally been a Narn colony, and that what they are doing is merely taking back what is theirs, but he's not fooling anyone. He does however have more success when he shows the council a live transmission from the colony, which seems to indicate that the Centauri there invited the Narns in, that it was not an invasion or attack. Of course, it's all staged, but things go from bad to worse for Mollari when G'Kar reveals that the Centaurum have already voted not to take any action over Ragesh 3, and he asks Londo why he is then using the council for his own personal reasons?

Thwarted in his attempt to use diplomatic means to achieve his ends, Londo goes in search of G'Kar to extract vengeance himself. Talia however happens to bump into him on the way and accidentally scans him, seeing his intention. She calls Garibaldi, who intercepts him and convinces him to abandon the effort. Meanwhile, having fought off the raiders and rescued the transport, Sinclair finds the command and control ship which just happens to have a Narn observer on board. He realises that, as he had suspected, the Narns have been the ones selling weapons to the raiders, and more, there are coded transmissions which show clearly that the attack on Ragesh 3 was exactly that, an unprovoked and hostile act. He gives G'Kar the unenviable choice of being exposed before the council, or withdrawing his forces from the colony. Unsurprisingly, G'Kar opts for the latter course.

Having avoided the attentions of Talia earlier, Ivanova is buttonholed by her at the casino, where the Russian explains that she does not have anything against her personally, but the organisation she works for. She tells Talia that her mother was a latent telepath, and in order to avoid joining Psi Corps or being imprisoned, she took certain drugs which the Corps administered. Eventually it became too much and she committed suicide.

As the final votes are tallied, it appears that there has been a victory for incumbent President Luis Santiago, who has apparently run his campaign on a promise to concentrate more on keeping Earth's identity in the face of growing alien influence, and to cut the budget, and keep Earth out of wars. With all the conflicts raging through and around Babylon 5, and alien races gaining increasing standing and power there, it looks like Sinclair and his team will have their work cut out for them.

Quotes

Ivanova: “Anything else?”

Talia: “No.”

Ivanova: “Then you'll excuse me, but I'm in the middle of fifteen things, all of them annoying.”

Sinclair: “My father always taught me that the best way to understand someone is to fight him, make him angry: that's when you see the real person.”

Sinclair: “So, who are you voting for?”

Ivanova: “I think I will vote for Marie Crane. I do not like Santiago. I've always felt a leader should have a strong chin. He has no chin, and his vice-president has several. This to me is not a good combination.”

Londo: “What reasonable explanation is there for the slaughter of unarmed civilians?”

G'Kar: “Curious: we wondered the same thing when you invaded our world. The wheel turns, does it not, Ambassador?”

Londo: “Fagh! We should have wiped out your kind when we had the chance!”

G'Kar: “What happened? Run out of small children to butcher?”

G'Kar: “Listen to me, Ambassador! Your time has come and gone! It's our turn now! One night you will wake up and find our teeth at your throat! Sleep well, Ambassador: sleep lightly!”

Londo: “I will kill him, though, sooner or later, one way or the other, Commander. My people have a way, you see; we know how and sometimes even when we are going to die. It comes to us in a dream, uh? In mine, I am an old man – it is twenty years from now – and I am dying, my hands wrapped around someone's throat, and his around mine. We have squeezed the life out of each other. The first time I saw G'Kar, I recognised him as the one from the dream. It will happen. Twenty years from now, we will die with our hands around each other's throats.”

Sinclair: “Twenty years is a long time. Long enough for your people to come to an understanding.”

Londo: “Believe as you wish. Twenty years from now, one of us will be wiser and older or one of us will be dead. Who is to say?”

Londo: “Please, Commander! On the issue of peace I am long past innocence, and fast approaching apathy! It's all a game, Commander, a paper fantasy of names and borders. In the end, only one thing matters: blood calls out for blood.”

Kosh: “They are alone. They are a dying people. We should let them pass.”

Sinclair: “Who? The Narn or the Centauri?”

Kosh: “Yes.”

Vir: “Ambassador? The Council? The Emergency session?”

Londo: “The Council can go to Hell! The emergency session can go to Hell! And you, you can go to Hell too! I wouldn't want you to feel left out!”

G'Kar: “Our two worlds, our two species are more alike than you would think. I would remind you that we were one of the few who were willing to supply you with the weapons you needed during your war against the Minbari. We supported you. You owe us.”

Sinclair: “Not a chance! You didn't support us: Narns will sell to anyone who can afford the credits. But I will give you points for one thing, Ambassador: we are alike. We have plenty of experience of sneak attacks. Pearl Harbor, the terrorist nuking of San Diego, the destruction of our first Mars colony: it's a long and bloody history. Do you know what we learned from it? That the sneak attack is the first resort of the coward.”

G'Kar: “Now just a minute...”

Sinclair: “You didn't even have the decency to pick a military target! A poorly-armed civilian colony: what a challenge that must have been to the great Narn military! What's wrong, Ambassador? Don't have the guts for a fair fight?””

G'Kar: “In another place I would have you skinned alive for saying that!”

Sinclair: “You want me, you know where to find me.”

Senator: “Commander, don't you realise we have an election in less than twenty-four hours?”

Sinclair: “Senator! Colonists are dying!”

Senator: “That's not the issue! We just came out of a war. What are you trying to do, start another ? The Earth Alliance can't go around being the galaxy's policemen! They want to fight it out, let them! Just keep us out of it, at least till after the election.”

G'Kar: “If you want to talk about lies, Ambassador, what about your own lie of omission? Is it not true that your own world has voted against taking any action over the liberation of Ragesh 3?”

Londo: “Yes, but ...”

G'Kar: “Then why are you asking this council to take actions that even your own government consider inappropriate? This council should not be used to carry out your own personal vendetta.”

Londo: “Mister Garibaldi? Just now: would you really have killed me?”

Garibaldi: “Yes. Yes I would have. But I'm just as glad I didn't have to: the paperwork's a pain in the butt.”

Ivanova: “For ten years a man in a grey suit came to our door once a week and he gave her the injections. They were strong: terribly strong. Every day we just watched her drift further and further away from us; the light in her eyes just went out, bit by bit. When we thought she could go no further, she took her own life.”  

Important plot arc points:

Londo vs G'Kar/Centauri vs Narn

Arc level: Red

This is an ongoing struggle between the two races which will have a massive effect on both of them in the future, and also on the wider galaxy. The argument between the two ambassadors over the taking of Ragesh 3 escalates to a point where they have to be separated, and later Londo plots to kills G'Kar, but more than that, Londo has had a dream. He tells Sinclair that the Centauri are able to see their own death in dreams, and he has seen himself, many years hence, squeezing the life out of G'Kar as the Narn strangles him back, and he knows the two will eventually kill each other. This, too, will turn out to be so much more than it seems on the surface. Also, as the series progresses, there will be no clear good or bad guy, loyalties and sympathies will shift like desert sands, and it will become hard to know who is in the right, for a long time.

Kosh:

Arc Level: Red

The enigmatic Ambassador Kosh is the first Vorlon to venture beyond his home planet, and like the Minbari in the pilot movie, he seems more inclined to hold a watching brief than get involved in any of the politics of the station. When Sinclair asks for his help in sanctioning the Narns for invading Ragesh 3, his reply is typically ambiguous and mysterious.

Telepaths and Psi Corps:

Arc Level: Orange

The revelation that Ivanova's mother was a telepath is a relatively minor one, considering what is to come, and Talia Winters has a huge role to play that will only become clear near the end of season two. Psi Corps itself will become more involved and entangled with the affairs of the station, proving themselves at times a deadly enemy, not only to Babylon 5, but to all races.

The presidential race:

Arc Level: Red

Although merely a footnote to the story here, the leadership on Earth will turn out to be a pivotal point which will run through the end of season two and right into season four, laying down some totally jaw-dropping moments on the way. The end of this season will see the beginning of that seachange, and it will not be for the better!