Text 9418, 160 rader
Skriven 2006-10-14 14:55:59 av jphalt@aol.com
Ärende: Rumors, Bargains, and Lies: my review
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From: "jphalt@aol.com" <jphalt@aol.com>
The Minbari Civil War arc, introduced in the last episode, builds in
this one - while casting an effective spotlight on the character of
Lennier at the same time.
THE PLOT
As Delenn and Lennier journey toward Minbar, Delenn is horrified to
learn that all-out fighting has broken out in the Minbari capital. As
she thinks "of (her) beautiful city in flames," she determines to find
a way to end this fighting before it can spread over her entire world.
To this end, she arranges a rendezvous with Neroon (John Vickery).
Though she and Neroon have always been enemies in the past, she does
believe in Neroon's basic sense of honor. However, the mere presence
of Neroon on her ship enrages several members of the Religious Caste.
Convinced that Delenn's meeting with Neroon means that she plans to
surrender to him, the members of the Religious Caste make drastic plans
of their own. Fortunately, Lennier is on-hand to watch for the human
(er, Minbari) frailties that Delenn, in her idealism, simply cannot
imagine.
Meanwhile, on Babylon 5, Sheridan hatches a plan to get the League
races to agree to White Star patrols in their sectors of space. His
plan? To not even offer White Star protection, and to vigorously deny
that there is anything going on at all which should concern them.
THE GOOD
The depth of Lennier's feelings for Lennier is summed up perfectly in
his monologue toward the end of the episode, when explaining why he did
not reveal the plans of the other Religious Caste members to Delenn:
"Delenn does not walk in the same world that you and I walk in. She
does not see the same world that you and I see. In her world, we are
better than we are. We care more than we care. We act towards each
other with compassion. I much prefer her world to that of my own, and I
will not allow anything to threaten that... In future, I would suggest
you try to see the world through her eyes sometime. It might lead you
to make fewer fatal mistakes."
Another of those wonderful, rich, resonant monologues with which J.
Michael Straczynski has filled his universe. In his world, we express
ourselves far more articulately than we do... and if I were to pick
just one single aspect of the series that I cherished more than any
other, it would probably be those magnificently expressive, gloriously
articulate and heartfelt monologues.
There is a reason I focused on this episode-ending speech (rather than,
say, Delenn's equally heartfelt "beautiful city in flames" one from
near the show's beginning), and that is because of what it shows
about Lennier. Lennier has gradually developed into a wonderfully
complex character. He's always quietly there, at Delenn's side,
rarely drawing attention to himself, but always ready to do whatever it
takes to save his mentor. As Delenn tells Neroon, "he has been a light
for my footsteps... without him, I would stumble and fall, and never
get up again." It is nice to know that Delenn is herself aware of this.
This episode takes Lennier's characterization even further. Bill Mumy
plays Lennier's disillusionment with his own people and his own caste
so perfectly that it is heartbreaking. If Delenn is free to be the
idealist, then it is because Lennier has chosen to act as her anchor
and her protector. It is a role that comes at great cost.
Compare the current Lennier with the sheltered innocent we first met in
Season One. His path to disillusionment started early, with his
discovery in "Deathwalker" of his people's complicity in atrocities
during the Earth/Minbari War. In passing seasons, that disillusionment
has grown ever harder to bear, with his own people disappointing him
time and time again. And in his role as Delenn's protector, he cannot
even always talk to her about his feelings. After all, Delenn lives in
a world where the Minbari are better than they are; to disclose his own
disappointment with the Minbari as a people would threaten the very
qualities in Delenn that Lennier loves the most.
In this episode, that character arc of Lennier's (which I all but
completely missed on first viewing) really crystallized for me this
time around. Lennier is watchful from the very beginning. Not of the
visiting Warrior Caste, but of the Religious Caste. He seems to
understand from the very first what Delenn never realizes - namely,
that it is not merely the Warrior Caste who have gone insane, but the
Religious Caste as well. He seems to know that the presence of Neroon
on Delenn's ship will inevitably lead to some rash act.
This horrible insight into the failings of his own people is what
places him in a position to be a hero here. But his grim, weary
attitude at the end of the episode (and indeed, even before that point)
signposts the character's eventual tragedy. Faced with nothing but
disappointment (even Delenn disappoints him, by choosing Sheridan and
leaving him with a hopeless love), how could the character ever find a
happy ending? On first viewing, Lennier's character arc in the fifth
season seemed jarringly out-of-character to me. On second viewing,
I'm finding there's actually quite a lot leading him in that
direction.
Almost as interesting as the focus on Lennier is the focus on Delenn
and Neroon. It's very appropriate that our view of the Minbari Civil
War really comes down to these two figures, the leaders of their
respective castes. Just as the Warrior and Religious Castes have more
in common than they would ever admit, so do Delenn and Neroon. Neroon,
like Delenn, always acts according to what he believes is right. Like
Delenn, he is willing to supersede rules and customs if he feels it
necessary; however, also like Delenn, he never does so lightly. Each
remains wary of the other, but each grants the other a certain degree
of honor and respect.
I must say that I did enjoy their first meeting in the episode. The
Religious Caste and Warrior Caste members glare at each other, an
eyeblink away from open hostility. Neroon stands at the back of his
Warrior escort, well guarded from assault. Then Delenn and Lennier
arrive, and promptly take up position opposite him - only Delenn and
Lennier stand not behind their potential guards/soldiers, but in front.
A lovely visual beat, although the directorial implication (that Delenn
is more courageous than Neroon) is not one I'm entirely sure I agree
with. Neroon is far less likable than Delenn, but I would never
question his bravery, or his honor.
....at least, not until the episode's final "tag" scene, which on
broadcast would have made the one-week gap between episodes positively
unbearable.
THE BAD
It might just be my issue, but I confess to finding a disturbing
undertone to the Sheridan subplot. Don't get me wrong; it is
entertaining to watch Sheridan manipulate the League races. Still,
there's something about the manner in which he treats the League
worlds like petty, squabbling children that I dislike. I can just about
get behind it as satire. But the episode itself seems to regard the
League races in the same way Sheridan does - as nuisances, but
fortunately fairly dim-witted nuisances, easily outsmarted.
It is ironic that after rejecting the Vorlons and Shadows for treating
the younger races like children, Sheridan is here doing the exact same
thing to the less powerful races. If this was intentional, it would be
dramatically interesting. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that there
is not meant to be anything problematic at all about Sheridan's
handling of the Drazi, Brakiri, etc. The entire Sheridan subplot in
this episode seems to amount to giving those annoying little races a
condescending pat on the head in order to get them to step aside and
let him "do his job."
Like I said, I'm almost certainly reading in a subtext that was never
intended to be there. But something about the interactions between
Sheridan and the League races just really rubbed me the wrong way. Even
as I was enjoying the delight Sheridan took in his successful
manipulations, I was not entirely pleased with what I was seeing.
My Final Rating: 7/10. Great stuff for the Minbari in this episode, but
the Babylon 5 subplot doesn't reach the same heights.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: *READ ONLY* rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated (3:640/1010)
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