Original Airdate: October 21, 1996 Written by J. Michael Straczynski Directed by Kim Friedman Episode #: 65 Production #: 321
Guest stars: Shirley Prestia as Barbara. Melissa Gilbert as Anna.
Captain Sheridan leads a major offensive against the Shadows.
With the Shadows driving refugees and support ships into one common sector, Captain Sheridan concludes the enemy is preparing to launch a major offensive. To help in their fight, Delenn addresses the League Worlds requesting their assistance in providing additional ships. Speaking on behalf of the other governments, the Drazi ambassador later informs Delenn of their cooperation, and promises that as many vessels as can be spared will be available for the impending confrontation.
Sheridan orders Ivanova and Marcus to command the White Star to scout the area around Sector 83. They are given specific instructions to notify him once the enemy is spotted so that the rest of the fleet, gathered in a holding area in hyperspace, can be deployed.
Marcus and Ivanova eventually locate a Shadow scout ship, but the enemy vessel picks up the transmission from the White Star and attempts to alert the main armada. In their effort to stop the opposing scout ship, the White Star gets fired upon and temporarily loses power to its engines. Marcus signals Sheridan to release their fleet, knowing that the White Star is temporarily stranded and that the communication will reveal their exact location.
Aboard the vessel "Dogato," Sheridan and Delenn go to the tactical center to track the battle. Suddenly, a huge jump point forms, from which a fleet of enemy ships emerge. One ship advances to attack the helpless White Star, but before it has a chance to reach its target it gets sidetracked by the arrival of Sheridans fleet.
A major fight ensues and the battle is furious. In the end, Sheridan experiences a victory of sorts, turning back the attack, but at a great price. For every Shadow destroyed, two of his ships were lost.
Meanwhile, still on walkabout and vowing to keep walking until he meets himself, Franklin attempts to stop two thugs from robbing a man in a remote part of DownBelow. Fighting off the assailants, Franklin is stabbed twice. With no one in the area, Franklin crawls for help. Hes paralyzed with fear - faces with the prospect of dying.
Suddenly, an image of himself appears, and Franklin has a conversation which leads him to realize how he has always run away from his problems. With shock and trauma beginning to set in, Franklin pleads for another chance to do it over again. He gathers enough strength to pick himself off the floor and search for help. Dragging himself through the corridors, Franklin eventually spots a security guard and collapses in his arms. Placed in medlab, Franklins condition stabilizes, and Sheridan offers him his old job back, which he graciously accepts.
