Re: B5
About time someone else posted here. Where the heck is everyone???
Anyway, I'll post my gibberings about this week's episodes now. I'll post "Knives" before "In The Shadow of Z'ha'dum"; makes a bit more sense in that order, although it doesn't really matter.
Knives
Eh, the Mollari stuff is all very well, but given my lack of regard for the character I tend not to pay much attention to that aspect of the episode.
It's interesting, though – very interesting – that Mollari's old friend knows exactly what is going on, and supremely ironic that he goes to Mollari (so heavily involved in everything that's going on on Centauri Prime) for help. Not that Mollari was much use (although at least Urza's family will survive), and at long last Mollari begins to see what he's let himself in for. Not that it helps....
The Sheridan plot isn't anything exceptional, either. Character is possessed by some sort of alien. Gee, how many times have we seen this before? Curious that it headed for sector 14, where B4 disappeared...
Nothing of great note here. Moving right along, then....
In The Shadow of Z'ha'dum
Wow. Just wow.
One of the best Vir moments in the series, for a start.
Sheridan, to date, has seemed to present a light and cheerful demeanour to almost everything he's confronted with. Not that he's taken everything he's seen since his arrival lightly, but he's maintained that pleasant attitude. We see a
very different side here. Push him far enough or present him with this type of challenge and he's prepared to go to considerable – even insane – lengths to get answers. He listens to no one, just embarks on a crusade and tramples over anyone who raises any sort of objection. Until Delenn and Kosh step in.
"There are beings in the universe billions of years older than either of our races..." Finally some answers, many of which lead to even more questions. One has to wonder just a bit how Kosh got those scenes on Z'ha'dum, but I suppose we can imagine Vorlons have their sources. Kosh's warning and Sheridan's reply are things to bear in mind.
Oh, yes – Nightwatch. Yet another of those highly unpleasant organisations that seem to be springing up on Earth. Needless to say there's rather more to it than Zack believes.
Terrific stuff – one of the best of the season, and of the series for that matter – and the start of a run of fabulous episodes to the end of the season. And beyond.
(As an aside, I can thoroughly recommend
The Shadow Within by Jeanne Cavelos, a novel which adds considerable background to certain events in this episode.)
Confessions and Lamentations
This is quite an episode. It doesn't contribute much to the overall arc but it does – once again – mark B5 as being a very different show. I can't think of too many series where there isn't some last minute miracle cure that saves the day in these sorts of situations. In this episode there is indeed a miracle "cure"...but it's too late. The Markab are gone. Just like that. It's a big move.
The Markab doctor, Lazarenn, is a wonderfully realised character and his death is genuinely moving. Contrast him with the Markab ambassador – more concerned with appearances than helping his people. Contrast that ambassador with Delenn – prepared to risk her life for anyone she believes she can help.
The highlights of this episode for me are the various Sheridan / Delenn scenes. More puzzle pieces, and damn I miss the old spoiler code.
Just wonderful stuff. The scene where she tells the Markab kid about being lost, then found, is quite fascinating too....
Best line in the episode? "Faith manages." Very Delenn.
The scene where they find all the Markab dead...extraordinary.
A fantastic episode – thought-provoking, intriguing, different. Altogether excellent.
Gotta love Ivanova. 
). Oh, and then there's some interesting discoveries about Vorlon ships. Cool stuff!
