Rising Star

[padawanpooh]

I selected this episode for discussion mainly because of President Susanna Luchenko of the Russian Consortium. One cool customer, she holds her own against everyone else in the room. She's pragmatic but also has a wicked sense of humour and doesn't take any BS. If only her and Ivanova had had screen time together...

Comments

[nhpw]

In my own personal head canon, the G'Kar-peeping Tom thing did not happen. The rice thing, yes, because it's hilarious, but not the peeping tom bit. JMS, your ability to be immature about sex knows no bounds.

Who's in charge of Babylon 5 at the moment? Has it reverted to Earth ownership?

Can I make this two different questions?

Who is in charge of B5 at the moment - as in, running things on the station because Sheridan, Ivanova, Delenn, Franklin, Garibaldi and by all accounts all of the abassadors are NOT ON THE STATION? I have no idea. I'm picturing things going all to shit, and Corwin pulling his hair out at C&C. Maybe Zack and Corwin are running the show? Man, I would kill to see that.

Has it reverted to Earth ownership? I think that's covered in the first episode of Season 5. Babylon 5 will remain independent until the deal is completed for the Alliance to formally buy it from Earth. But that... doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? Why would the Alliance need to buy it from Earth if it's independent?

Sheridan knew

[kungfuwaynewho]

Why would the Alliance need to buy it from Earth if it's independent?

The only thing I can think of is that they're basically paying off whatever investments Earth had in the station, and allowing Earth to recoup the actual cost of building it in the first place. Kind of a boring plot point, though.

[nhpw]

Kind of a boring plot point, though.

Yes. Which is probably why they just summed it up in a little exposition in early S5.

I still would've taken boring meetings about this over Byron, though.

Just sayin'.

[padawanpooh]

Who is in charge of B5 at the moment - as in, running things on the station because Sheridan, Ivanova, Delenn, Franklin, Garibaldi and by all accounts all of the abassadors are NOT ON THE STATION? I have no idea. I'm picturing things going all to shit, and Corwin pulling his hair out at C&C. Maybe Zack and Corwin are running the show? Man, I would kill to see that.

And thus a TON of fanfic was born :-D

Why would the Alliance need to buy it from Earth if it's independent?

My guess is because of the manpower/materials/running costs that Earth invested in it. We've seen how penny-pinching Earth can be - remember them trying to move senior staff to smaller quarters then trying to charge them rent?

And yes...Smug!Sheridan deserves a little smugness ;-)

[vjs2259]

This is the episode that has my favorite speech (I don't count G'Kar's musings at the end of S3, which is awesome but more of a soliloquy). I love the 'choices, consequences, responsibility' speech. The fact that you may be the one making the choice, but you may not be the one who suffers the consequences. There's a lot about leadership packed into that speech. And it contrasts well with his opening speech in Points of Departure

[jerel]

As several people said in the "Endgame" post, Marcus has been looking for a reason to die, something to sacrifice for, pretty much since we've known him. So yes, it would have been more practical for him to get a little bit of life from lots of others. But I think what happened was he saw the opportunity and took it, thinking logically be damned.

I like Luchenko, too.

I also like when Delenn says to talk to the Alliance President, and the General bursts into the office and shouts at Sheridan (smug Sheridan is smug!) I still laugh about it.

I agree with your assessment of Ivanova's decision. (I know CC had to be written out, but I think that what JMS did with the character fits.) She doesn't know what else to do with herself but retreat into her job. I think what we see in "Sleeping In Light" suggests she does find peace--and purpose--with the Rangers. But right after Marcus' death, it would have just been too much for her.

[kungfuwaynewho]

And I love the Eye of G'Kar. He so watched John and Delenn later, and with popcorn, while giving Londo a blow by blow account. In the final critique, G'Kar gives them points for passion but Londo downgrades both of them on technique. And the point where they both fell out of bed? Hilarious! (I'll leave you to imagine which pair fell out of bed...)

I just...I can maybe only slightly perhaps be okay with this if John and Delenn had been having just tons and tons of sex before. If this was their actual first time and freaking G'Kar perved all over it, then no. Noooo-ho-oo-hoooo. (That's me saying no dissolving into sobs.)

[kungfuwaynewho]

John and Delenn are marriiiiiiied! (Though we don't get to see it, of course.) I do love David Sheridan getting to meet his future daughter-in-law, though - such an adorable scene.

[alto2]

It amazes me how quickly Londo and G'Kar have grown comfortable with one another. It's only been 7 weeks or so in TV time since Londo first proposed that the Narn and the Centauri jointly support Sheridan against Earth and got his ass handed to him, and now they're sitting around like old friends. I have to say, this is pretty much the only reason for me to keep going into S5--because I love these two characters SO. DAMN. MUCH. And the interesting thing is that I've loved the two of them all along, from sparring in meetings to outright hostility to formal enemies to reluctant allies to reluctant but eventual friends. I like the other main characters plenty, too, but for me, if you took Londo and G'Kar out of B5, you wouldn't have B5 anymore. You could replace Sheridan and Delenn with similar characters and you'd be fine--not as good, but you'd get away with it. (Yeah, I know, I speak heresy.) But these two, and the way their relationship goes to hell and comes back again, are the heart and soul of the show for me