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babylon-5-lurkers · 23 days

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Correct. But we're currently away on vacation, so we'll be catching up later. Thanks for the reminder to make the open thread, though!

I couldn't hold out to watch Babylon 5 at the rewatch pace, so have jumped ahead and just started writing up and queueing reaction posts for each episode. This is generally working well.

But it does mean my queue is starting to get a bit silly.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 1 month

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Babylon 5 Rewatch, S1 E9: Deathwalker

Running a little late due to family committments, again.

"Do you think it will always be like this? Smaller powers at the mercy of greater powers, politics before morality, expediency before justice?"

I get older, and this sentiment gets truer. It's so bloody depressing.

Some other thoughts.

We see an interesting side of G'Kar when he's talking to Na'Toth here. Not exactly moral, but there's a definite kind of honor here.

I forgot how happy Londo seems to be at the end, when the Vorlons off Jha'Dur. For all that he was willing to vote against the trial, I think this shows what he really wanted.

Speaking of which, I always found that scene at the end where everyone is watching the monitor to be funny. There's no real in-Universe reason for them all to be there, it's just so we can easily see everyone's reactions; which tells us that something's going to happen.

Ah, a 23rd century reference to VCRs. I remember using VCRs to record B5 back before the DVDs were released.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 1 month

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My thoughts on Deathwalker!

Is it me or does the red, ridged docking bay look a bit like... something else?

In general B5 lighting is fun: lots of pinks, purples and blues that remind me of TOS. I wish more sci-fi was as colourful.

Dilgar eyes are terrifying. Make-up and costume design on this show continues to be great; I love the variety of alien designs.

Dr Handsome Dr Franklin continues to be the least developed recurring character. I would like to request some actual personality for him soon.

I shouldn't have watched this before dinner, because most of what I could think about in the first scene with Abbut is that a pastrami with a little mustard and an Antarean pickle sounded really good.

Well, that and finding the whole psychic attack thing implied here frightening.

I love it when Babylon 5 briefly turns into a workplace comedy, e.g. Sinclair: "I thought it best to handle this quietly"; Londo, looking around at the chaos: "Great job!"

Susan's quiet pleasure at being told that she's done a good job is adorable.

I'm a big fan of the alien spaceships that are actual flying saucers.

It seemed pretty obvious that Jha'dur wouldn't survive the episode, but I wasn't anticipating the mechanism.

This feels like another episode that sets up a bunch of things for further down the line: learning Talia's weaknesses, whatever's going on with the Vorlons, the concept of VCRs, the unhappiness of the non-aligned worlds, maybe even a demonstration of how disruptive a potential new technology could be to the fragile peace.

I'm genuinely enjoying that we're nine episodes in and I still don't have a sense for the overall arc of this show. Just looking forward to finding out how it's all going to come together.

Quick note: I'm a first time viewer, please don't add spoilers if you're reblogging my posts.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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some thoughts about Deathwalker:

my favorite thing about babylon 5 has always been the conversations between the ambassadors and their aides. the show is not always a story from the perspective of the human characters - sometimes you get a window into how the aliens interact with each other when humans aren't around. I really liked the scene between Na'Toth and G'Kar about why she attacked Jha'dur. if it had been her explaining herself to a human like Sinclair or Garibaldi, the cultural practice underlying her desire for revenge would have been portrayed as "alien" and less legitimate. but instead she tells it to G'Kar, who understands her completely and tells her that her behavior was right (he says that she wouldn't be narn if she felt differently, and that he's proud of her!) and therefore we the audience are reassured that her motivations are not to be dismissed. it was refreshing to see G'Kar take her side and only tell her to wait because it was necessary for political maneuvering

the plotline with Talia was kind of upsetting - I don't think I appreciated when I watched the show for the first time in college how violating that experience would be, and Sinclair and Garibaldi were so nonchalant about it at the end. Talia was like "Kosh hired me under dubious circumstances, exposed me to terrifying stimuli, and recorded my thoughts without consent presumably with the intention of using them later to hurt me" and Sinclair and Garibaldi were like "lol yeah he's a wild one". I guess there's nothing they can do about it but still yikes

why was Garibaldi allowed to go through Jha'dur's stuff when she was unconscious, seems ethically questionable

my opinion of G'Kar is so heavily influenced by how he is in the later seasons, I forgot how slimy he is in season 1. I think he experiences the most character growth of any of the cast.

Lennier is the guy we all know who's way too into military history

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5 rewatch, S1 E9: Deathwalker

Please Kosh when is the "hour of scampering." Can u send me a teams invite.

I don't think I remember this episode, I really don't know why it was ON SIGHT with Na'Toth vs. the person she called Deathwalker

All right, so multiple species know about Deathwalker, but Sinclair and Garibaldi don't associate this person on B5 with that name.

Looks like Talia figured out when the hour of scampering was

"Understanding is a three-edged sword." -> Child me pondering deeply

I missed weird hat guy's name but I doubt he's human

She was carrying around her old uniform from her war crimes

G'Kar has MANY people he has to kill on sight???

Everyone is trying to get Deathwalker...and not to arrest her it seems

So she was with a group of Minbari called Windswords...and the hole in Sinclair's mind gets brought up again.

When is the hour of longing, Kosh???

Lennier...baby nerd monk vibes...

Well this immortality serum is really just a way for her to toy with people isn't it.

Good point Garibaldi! And he's right to be suspicious, I think I do remember what's going on with that serum.

Those are such intense contacts in her costume, I'm continually impressed by the alien face makeup in this show.

Kosh what are you doing and why

Interesting, that exchange about the Minbari keeping the secret of Deathwalker, because if I remember correctly the concept that Minbari don't lie comes up in several other circumstances

Love seeing all the different-shaped ships, bad circumstance tho

Sooooo shady Kosh

That was the thing! One immortal requires one murder. I remember this now

Kosh you have been shady this episode but thank you for being a deus ex machina for this horrible project paperclip situation

The Vorlons are wary of telepaths oh BOY that is hardly the whole story about Vorlons and telepaths

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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some thoughts about Deathwalker:

my favorite thing about babylon 5 has always been the conversations between the ambassadors and their aides. the show is not always a story from the perspective of the human characters - sometimes you get a window into how the aliens interact with each other when humans aren't around. I really liked the scene between Na'Toth and G'Kar about why she attacked Jha'dur. if it had been her explaining herself to a human like Sinclair or Garibaldi, the cultural practice underlying her desire for revenge would have been portrayed as "alien" and less legitimate. but instead she tells it to G'Kar, who understands her completely and tells her that her behavior was right (he says that she wouldn't be narn if she felt differently, and that he's proud of her!) and therefore we the audience are reassured that her motivations are not to be dismissed. it was refreshing to see G'Kar take her side and only tell her to wait because it was necessary for political maneuvering

the plotline with Talia was kind of upsetting - I don't think I appreciated when I watched the show for the first time in college how violating that experience would be, and Sinclair and Garibaldi were so nonchalant about it at the end. Talia was like "Kosh hired me under dubious circumstances, exposed me to terrifying stimuli, and recorded my thoughts without consent presumably with the intention of using them later to hurt me" and Sinclair and Garibaldi were like "lol yeah he's a wild one". I guess there's nothing they can do about it but still yikes

why was Garibaldi allowed to go through Jha'dur's stuff when she was unconscious, seems ethically questionable

my opinion of G'Kar is so heavily influenced by how he is in the later seasons, I forgot how slimy he is in season 1. I think he experiences the most character growth of any of the cast.

Lennier is the guy we all know who's way too into military history

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5, Season 1, Episode 9: Deathwalker

Open discussion thread for the episode!

#babylon 5 #babylon 5 rewatch #b5 #b5 rewatch

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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B5 rewatch: Deathwalker

This woman made the Durian Massacres look like a church picnic -- and now Earth wants to give her a grant?

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5 Rewatch S1E9: Deathwalker

The Hour of Scampering, but of course

I know Deathwalker has plot armour here but man I would have thought that if Na'Toth wanted you dead, you would BE dead

LOL G'Kar's lil impatient wave at Na'Toth to follow him out of the interrogation room

LORDT Abbut's clothes, such 90s very pattern, wow

okokokshe would be dead, I didn't think of that

good to know that when people call the commander, the call goes right through with video on! what could go wrong with this

everyone and their mother knows about the hole in Sinclair's mind it seems

I adore Lennier so much, he is the best

Sinclair and Garibaldi are each other's conscience in this show/season and I always enjoy it. I'm very on Garibaldi's side here.

Sarah Douglas as Deathwalker gives such a visceral performance, it's great

I also enjoy the little history lesson we get on all the races

FISH LADY

Garibaldi apologising to Sinclair is such a nice touch

Lennier does NOT like his instructions, that's for sure

yessssss we get to see a whole bunch of alien ships and it's really fucking cool

people always complain about B5's special effect but come on, they look fine. More than fine, actually.

aw Ivanova is so proud when Sinclair compliments her work

Thalia, just punch him in the brain

also, it seems terribly unwise to have your brain out in the open like this but what do I know

the twist to that immortality serum is so good and Deathwalker delivers it with such relish

AND THE VORLONS WITH THE STEEL CHAIR

I really like this episode for all the background information we get on the races, the dilemma Deathwalker presents everyone with and seeing how they all deal with it. The immortality serum itself makes zero sense but it doesn't need to, it's there to kick the story into gear and that it does very well.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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If you're doing the Babylon 5 watchalong strictly according to the schedule and haven't seen the pilot movie, you won't know that the title of this week's episode is a call-back to a scene in the movie where Sinclair recalls the Battle of the Line:

“I was squad team leader when the call came in. We all knew it was a suicide mission. The Minbari had broken through, and were closing in. Every ship we had left was ordered to circle Earth. We had to stop them… no matter what it cost. They came at us out of nowhere. We never had a chance. The sky was full of stars… and every star an exploding ship. One of ours. My team was blown out of the sky in less than a minute.”

“I managed to take out a fighter before they hit my stabilizers. I was losing power, I'd lost my team. I figured if I was to die I'd take some of them with me. So I targeted one of their heavy cruisers. Hit my afterburners. I was going to ram them head-on. The last thing I remember is hurtling toward that cruiser. Filling my screen… big… my God, so big… Then something passed in front of my eyes. I guess I blacked out from the acceleration. When I came to, 24 hours later… the cruiser was gone. I checked in. They told me the war was over. The Minbari had surrendered.”

“We were beaten. We didn't stop them, they stopped themselves. And I wish to hell I knew why.”

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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And the Sky Full of Stars!

I did say I was going to stop going on about episode titles, but I fear that was a lie. This one must have been great in 1993, but I think Coldplay really hasn't done it any favours.

When I said last time that I was hoping to find out what happened at the end of the Earth-Minbari war, I really didn't think it would be followed up so soon.

The sequence with Sinclair trying to find or communicate with anyone was pointless plotwise but deliciously creepy. I love a familiar setting made strange, and honestly would have been on board with a whole episode of Sinclair trying to make his way around a silent and empty station. I'm reminded of the TNG episode Remember Me, which I also love.

Christopher Neame is amazing in this. Overall I think the guest cast in Babylon 5 have been great.

The Grey Council, the Obsidian Order, the Shadow Proclamation... when I found my own mysterious and potentially sinister sci-fi organisation, I'm going to call it the Sunshine Brigade to throw everyone off the scent.

Maybe I'm just too suspicious but I would personally not have let the guy who was in Minbari custody shortly before the miraculous and improbable Minbari surrender, who has no recollection of that critical 24 hours, then command the space station tasked with maintaining peace between the Minbari and Earth. It just doesn't seem like a good plan.

I have enough confidence in Babylon 5 now, though, that I'm not saying this in a plothole way, I'm saying this in looking forward to the explanation way.

I think this was my favourite episode yet.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5 rewatch, S1 E8: And the Sky Full of Stars

IDK if it's how I'm watching it or what, but the lighting on B5 seems dimmer than I would expect in public spaces

Okay okay plot: guy needs money for shady reasons, other guys have Sinclair as a target for who knows what

Oh, it's not notable shady reasons, it's just a gambling problem

The guy with the longish gray hair that's going to do Something to Sinclair has a very 90s energy, I can't define it but it's so notable

I like Dr. Franklin and Delenn's scene here with the practicality of getting information about other species brought up.

Yeah Delenn what DID you do during the war?

The design of that weird chair is good, I definitely believe that they built it out of smuggled in pieces and that it's going to be used for nefarious purposes

Ignoring the plot to wonder about Sinclair's kitchen area not appearing to have a sink or any appliances (I know it's just a set but I think about trying to redesign my tiny apartment kitchen a lot)

Sinclair is in the Torment Nexus

At least it's hard for the commander of an entire space station to disappear without notice

Of course it's a simulation that's what happens to guys in charge of space stations/starships, other weird guys show up to fuck with your head. Notable employment hazard.

Sinclair's Mysterious Day! Yesss let's find out about it (shame the exposition has to come through the Torment Nexus)

Sinclair is 39...I guess that makes sense. (Maybe I just know so many people in that age group with so much less responsibility.)

The angelfish-looking Minbari ships <3

If you believe in yourself you can punch your way out of the mind prison (I mean...it didn't work yet, but it might)

I think B5 as a show does well with naming things. I mean, maybe it's just familiarity at his point, but the Battle of the Line is simple, evocative, and IMO gives you an idea of what it was about

Goodbye Benson we hardly knew ye

Yeah where exactly are these "Knights" from?

I think the guy playing the interrogator would be great to see on stage.

Another human supremacist conspiracy theorist, boooo

"Maybe the universe blinked" I do like that line

"There is a hole in your mind" that was from the pilot movie we missed on the rewatch schedule, wasn't it?

:D :D :D (my reaction to the triluminary [did I remember that correctly?] appearing)

I know who that waaaaaaaas

YES you CAN punch your way out of the mind prison if you love your station enough

Delenn we (the audience) still want MANY more answers about what you were doing during the war

I have a feeling this guy is going to be interrogated by psycops as soon as he gets back to Earth

Secrettsssssss I love this dynamic though

It's an interesting 90s thing that Sinclair is comfortable making a electronic/digital recording of this EXTREMELY sensitive information, these days my perspective is if you want it to be secret it's on paper hidden in your mattress or something

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5 Rewatch: S1 E8, And the Sky, Full of Stars

I've been looking forwards to this one. To me, it's the first episode to really step towards the great and revolutionary things we'll see later. It's also probably the second-best episode of the first half of season 1, after Mind War.

The big highlight to me is always the final time we see Sinclair's memory of the Line. It's one of those moments in the show where the music really brings everything together. It makes us understand his actions in The Gathering or Infection. Then, when the episode is over, he's put on a completely new path, to understand what he remembers.

A few other thoughts.

Sinclair is 39. That means this is the first time I've watched the show when I'm older than him. That's... vaguely depressing.

I always found it funny that the first time we hear "What do you want?", it's in this episode, and it's Sinclair addressing the Grey Council of all people! I'd forgotten that he also asks them "Who are you?"

Aah, the shiny triangle that we almost never see again.

I always feel sorry for that security guard who gets killed at the end. We already had Bensen, a man of awful judgement, show his own deathwish. By usual redshirt rules that should mean no one else needs to die, but not this time!

In the final mind sequence where Knight One is walking towards Sinclair, given how long he walks, he must have started really far away. Makes you wonder why. Of course, in reality they didn't have a set that long so you can see he keeps walking past the same scenery.

And to finish on something slightly more serious, I always liked the aggressive use of shadow in the mental sequences. I don't know, it helped make some fairly static shots more visually interesting, and also distinguish these scenes from the "real" world.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Babylon 5 Rewatch S1E8 And the Sky Full of Stars

btw there is a Babylon 5 Ficathon going on on Dreamwidth right now (you don't need a DW account to participate)

Ooooh shit is gonna get real

clearly not the villain of the episode (nice cheekbones though)

Joachim! ...does he have a name in that episode, idk? But it's Judson Scott, Joachim from Wrath of Khan

he has even nicer cheekbones, idk if that's a requirement to join their weird lil order

Garibaldi my man, you have some shitty people under your command

I fucking love their padded vests, that is such a look

B5 has such insanely roomy guest quarters

Knight One. Ok. I'm just gonna stay with Joachim.

DUDE why are you so fucking dumb about this, flat out denial is the worst

what IS that instrument omg

it's related to the mind probe for sure

I do love this little part of Franklin's backstory with the space hitchhiking

and I do love me characters with a moral code they follow

omg finally someone has decent pillows

everyone's kitchen areas are so fun to look at, the set design is cool

ooouuh look at that expressionism shadow there

(I said this before but I am enjoying watching this one episode per week so damn much, and I am 100% going to do a complete S1-4 watchthrough)

LOL the newspaper: Pros and Cons of Interspecies Mating

and the PSI Corps is endorsing the vice president (you might wanna keep that in mind)

Copyright Trial in Bookzap Flap??

Oh and a Homeguard trial about an attack on the Minbari Embassy ended with a guily verdict

I am so glad I can just pause the DVD to read all this

'I'm real' PUNCH HIM

I appreciate that Garibaldi thinks about the horrible possibilities

in less horrible, I kinda want to write Thalia/Ivanova hair braiding fic

Hah didn't see that coming my dude

Benson, you really are not the sharpest tool in the shed - didn't deserve this though

that whole mystery of why the Minbari just surrendered!

Sinclair is having a wholeass Captain Archer moment here with the punching :D

a kingdom for a stun setting!

MAN I wish so much I could see this all for the first time again

'out of curiosity' yeah right

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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If you're doing the Babylon 5 watchalong strictly according to the schedule and haven't seen the pilot movie, you won't know that the title of this week's episode is a call-back to a scene in the movie where Sinclair recalls the Battle of the Line:

“I was squad team leader when the call came in. We all knew it was a suicide mission. The Minbari had broken through, and were closing in. Every ship we had left was ordered to circle Earth. We had to stop them… no matter what it cost. They came at us out of nowhere. We never had a chance. The sky was full of stars… and every star an exploding ship. One of ours. My team was blown out of the sky in less than a minute.”

“I managed to take out a fighter before they hit my stabilizers. I was losing power, I'd lost my team. I figured if I was to die I'd take some of them with me. So I targeted one of their heavy cruisers. Hit my afterburners. I was going to ram them head-on. The last thing I remember is hurtling toward that cruiser. Filling my screen… big… my God, so big… Then something passed in front of my eyes. I guess I blacked out from the acceleration. When I came to, 24 hours later… the cruiser was gone. I checked in. They told me the war was over. The Minbari had surrendered.”

“We were beaten. We didn't stop them, they stopped themselves. And I wish to hell I knew why.”

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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B5 rewatch: And the Sky Full of Stars

What about you, ambassador? What did you do during the war?

A topic for another time.

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babylon-5-lurkers · 2 months

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Comments from our viewing:

We loved the newspaper, and must have spent three or four minutes going frame by frame over it. so much great worldbuilding and plot stuff for a prop that's on screen for three seconds. (My spouse in particular believes that Garabaldi is reading the special sidebar on interspecies sex). But there was stuff in there about the Psi Corps endorsing VP Clarke, Ragesh 3 issues being settled, and the Homeguard guy on trial, so bravo there. Also, my spouse is deeply curious as to what happened with Sinclair and why--quote, "Wait, so the Nazi paranoid dudes were right?"

Also, the operative being reduced to a cabbage was something she found poetically satisfying.

Also, now that I think about it, this is one of the few B5 episodes with no B plot--it's all focused and centered around Sinclair.

Speaking for myself, I still have chills for the Battle of the Line sequence, especially that last time when we see it in full. Not just the drama of it, the intensity of it... but knowing what it portends and everything riding on it.

Babylon 5 Season 1, Episode 8: And The Sky Full Of Stars

Open discussion thread for the episode!

#babylon 5 #babylon 5 rewatch #b5 #b5 rewatch

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