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Skriven 2007-08-05 03:06:03 av jphalt@aol.com (3257.babylon5)
     Kommentar till en text av rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Ärende: And All My Dreams Torn Asunder: my review
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War begins, to the horror of the regulars, who are especially
horrified by the delight of those around them.


THE PLOT

War drums begin beating as the Alliance meets in closed session for
Sheridan to unveil the evidence against the Centauri - a closed
session which excludes Londo, who gets to see the evidence in the form
of reports. When Londo finally is allowed to respond, his response is
immediately trumped by the final proof - Lennier's. Sheridan imposes a
blockade against the Centauri, until such time the Centauri accept
responsibility and make reparations.

This leaves an infuriated Londo, still believing in the Centauri's
innocence, booking passage back to his homeworld. He declares that he
will find the truth. G'Kar once again accompanies him, this time on
his own insistence. When they arrive, however, they aren't able to get
anywhere near the truth. The Regent is "busy," and Londo isn't even
allowed to contact Babylon 5. Meanwhile, Vir's own attempts to contact
Londo are deflected by a particularly arrogant Minister who tells Vir
that Londo is "busy."

Sheridan has one last plan to try to prevent war. Unfortunately, that
plan depends on Michael Garibaldi, whose alcoholism is now completely
out of control. Garibaldi promises Sheridan that he can count on him.
But when the critical moment comes, he is passed out in his chair - a
drink seated on the table in front of him...


THE GOOD

Goran Gajic is the credited director for this episode, a credit I made
sure to look up because this was an episode where the direction really
impressed me. There are a number of very strong visual moments
throughout the episode, starting with the precredit sequence. The
moment in which Sheridan sits on his bed and lets the enormity of what
is about to occur hit him. In both posture and facial expression,
Boxleitner nails the sense of despair Sheridan must be feeling at that
moment. When Delenn then sits beside him, looking at the screen is
almost like looking at a very fine, very sad painting.

When Londo is finally allowed into the council chamber to respond to
the evidence, there are more strong visuals. Londo, tearing up the
reports and showering them over his head like confetti, before
metaphorically tearing to shreds the case that has been presented
against the Centauri. This is followed by the final, concrete evidence
Lennier gathered. The attack from "Darkness Ascending" is played
against the faces of the characters: Londo, stunned and horrified;
Lennier, haunted as he relives the slaughter that he was powerless to
even attempt to prevent even as it unfolded in front of him; Delenn,
mournful at the loss of life; Sheridan, allowing himself to "work up a
good mad" before laying out his final message to the Centauri
Republic. It's superbly visual, and allowed to play out for long
enough to really sink in.

Sheridan's own solution to the Centauri situation shows an unexpected
shrewdness. He doesn't immediately opt for attack, which the Drazi and
Gaim and the Narn not named G'Kar would probably prefer. Instead, he
declares a blockade - stern enough to at least temporarily keep the
other worlds from launching into peremptory action, but not in itself
an irrevocable act. On some level, Sheridan must be aware that the
Centauri are not solely responsible, even if he is unaware of the
extent of the deception.

On second viewing of the series, the scenes in which Londo asks Vir to
book passage for him and reassures him that he won't be gone long are
particularly poignant ones, because on second viewing one can't help
but realize that this time, Londo will never return. It is appropriate
that the start of Londo's last, fateful journey sees his doom marked
by his defining characteristic: his loyalty to and belief in his
people. He fully believes the Minister's story about the evidence
against the Centauri being fabricated. Even knowing that all is not
well on Centauri Prime, he will not believe that his people, the proud
and noble Centauri, would ever stoop to random attacks on civilians.
For him, it really is a simple matter of finding out the truth and
relaying it back to Babylon 5. If he stopped to consider that the
charges might just be true, then perhaps he would have made a
different choice. Or perhaps not - because even if he accepted the
truth of the Alliance charges, he would still feel an obligation to
try to stop the course of events.

As ever, G'Kar's interactions with Londo are highlights. I loved
G'Kar's plan to book the seat next to Londo so that he would have
"someone to talk to" on the flight, then responding to Delenn's
protest that Londo hates being talked to on long flights with, "I
know." Similarly, G'Kar once again enjoys rubbing the Centauri's nose
in his presence... though this time, there is a much more sinister tone
around the palace, as Londo is warned that if G'Kar wanders around the
palace alone, he will be shot on sight.

This episode also finally sees Garibaldi make a major blunder as a
result of his drinking. One could argue that the situation in Ragged
Edge was out of control before he got there and that, even sober, that
mission would have gone awry; besides, he did come back with evidence.
This time, however, Garibaldi is given the responsibility of acting as
the last, best hope to avoid a shooting war. Garibaldi shakes
Sheridan's hand, promises that Sheridan can rely on him, and... gets
drunk and falls asleep, which results in the utter failure of
Sheridan's (not half-bad) plan to scare the Centauri into obeying the
blockade.

Just prior to this, there is a very strong scene between Garibaldi and
Zack, in which Zack becomes the first person to confront his friend
and former boss about his condition. Zack brushes away Garibaldi's
justifications and rationalizations, finally leaving a very vulnerable
Garibaldi pleading for a few more days to sort himself out before
turning him in. Zack bows to friendship and allows Garibaldi that
time. The wrong call, at such a critical time, though an
understandable wrong call. If this conversation had occurred, say,
four episodes ago, I'd have said Zack's decision was the right one. As
it is, Garibaldi's too far gone for Zack's simple intervention to have
much enduring effect.


There is a wonderful thematic consistency in this episode, which sees
all of the regulars absolutely appalled by a war they find themselves
powerless to prevent, while all those around the regulars seem to be
absolutely delighted by the prospect of war. Sheridan tries to prevent
a shooting war first by enforcing a blockade, then by relying on
Garibaldi to track the Centauri's movements. This fails, leaving the
other races baying out for blood, until Sheridan finally snaps:


"We gave you a promise, and we are bound by that promise. And damn you
for asking for it. And damn me for agreeing to it! And damn all of us
to hell, because that is exactly where we're going!  We talked about
peace. You didn't want peace. We talked about cooperation. You didn't
want cooperation. You want war! Is that it? You want a war? Well,
you've got a war!"



Meanwhile, Stephen rushes Vir to new quarters to prevent members of
the other races from lynching him. Very soon, they are cornered in the
hallways by members of those other races, who are eager for Vir's
blood, and seem perfectly happy to go through Stephen to get it. And
back on Centauri Prime, Londo learns that hostilities have begun and
cries out to call Babylon 5, there is still time for him to stop this...
only to be shut down by the pompously grinning Minister, who is all
too happy that the war has begun and who refuses to allow Londo to
contact Babylon 5.

The episode ends on a note tinged with despair for almost everyone.
The Alliance and the Centauri are at war; Londo is barred from doing
anything to prevent the war, and ultimately imprisoned along with
G'Kar; Vir is moved to prevent members of the other races from taking
reprisals against him; and Sheridan and Delenn are left staring into a
candle flame, reflecting on how many lives are about to be lost. "So
many candles will go out tonight," Delenn says tearfully, "I wonder if
we can see anything."


THE BAD

Though it made the precredit sequence more dramatic, I found myself
agreeing with Londo when he insisted that he had every right to be
present when Sheridan and Delenn unveiled their evidence. Of course,
London is mistaken in believing his government; the evidence is
genuine. But excluding the "accused" from the presentation of the
evidence against them sets a bad precedent, in my opinion, as does
holding back the most damning piece of evidence, only to present it
after Londo's defense. Meaning that, not for the first time this
season (or last season, for that matter), I find some of the actions
of Delenn, Sheridan, and their Alliance not sitting entirely easily
with me.

That aside, this is a very good episode, ending on a note that leaves
the viewer eager for the next installment.


My Final Rating: 8/10
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32
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