Into The Fire

Airdate: February 3, 1997

Episode # : 72

Production # : 406

Guest stars: Ed Wasser as Mr. Morden, Julian Barnes as Minister Durano, Damian London as Minister and Wayne Alexander as "Lorien."

Episode Plot

Ivanova and Lorien search for First Ones. Five have been secured and they await the sixth and final First One to complete the mission. Ivanova is anxious to join the fleet.

1/3 of the White Star fleet, commanded by Captain Sheridan, attacks a Vorlon observation post. With a mininum of losses, the outpost is destroyed, insuring safe passage for the fleet to Coriana 6. The White Star class ships jump back into hyperspace and join the rest of the fleet. Sheridan and Delenn take a look at the fleet they've assembled: several thousand ships and over 2 dozen races, all working together for the first time.

White Star ship

Lyta asks Marcus why the fleet is protecting Coriana 6 instead of Centauri Prime. Marcus replies that there are 6 billion people on Coriana versus 3 billion on Centauri Prime. Marcus explains that it's just "Cold, unsympathetic numbers."

Prime Minister Mollari is keeping himself busy trying to halt the Vorlon advance. He calls a meeting with his cabinet and orders that all people loyal to Cartagia be removed from the pallace immediately. He also tells Vir to find Mr. Morden and let him in on the "bad news." Londo is enjoying himself with his new role.

Delenn tries to persuade Sheridan to make Ivanova remain on B5. She argues that one more ship will not turn the tide of battle. Sheridan tells Delenn that he promised Ivanova that she could be with the fleet, and he wants to keep his promise.

Sheridan says "Tell her [Ivanova] to come on in, but to haul ass or she's gonna miss all the excitement." Delenn replies "Very well, I will tell her to haul ass. But that seems to be a very undignified position for a commander in the White Star fleet."

As Ivanova is preparing to leave, Lorien enters her quarters. They share a brief conversation about the origin of the First Ones. Lorien tells her that his race is very long lived. He also says that mortality is one of the greatest gifts ever received by humans.

Londo arranges his notes. Intelligence Minister Durano enters and makes reference to Lady Adira's death. He informs Londo that Emperor Cartagia had ordered him to look into the matter, and after some investigation, Durano learned that Mr. Morden commissioned Lady Adira's death. Durano says that Morden had her murdered to insure his own security. Londo orders Durano to leave. Londo is quite upset.

Londo: "He played me! He played me like a puppet!"

Ivanova and Lorien head toward Coriana 6. Ivanova is impatient, and attempts to issue commands to in Minbari. Unsuccessful, she replies: "Aw hell." The White Star ship suddenly fires into hyperspace. Lorien informs her that "aw hell" in Minbari means "continuous fire."

Lorien: "We will arrive when we arrive and we will have the weapons we have."

Marcus reports that several nukes have been seeded in various asteroids in the surrounding area. Sheridan asks Lyta to be ready to detect, telepathically, any Vorlons or Shadows that come their way.

Centauri Prime

Mr. Morden is forcefully brought into the throne room to see Londo. Mr. Moren is completely healed and very agitated. Londo informs him that a Vorlon planet killer will arrive shortly and that the Shadows must be removed from the planet. Mr. Morden refuses to remove the Shadows. Londo senses that Mr. Morden is afraid of the Vorlons, as are his associates.

Londo: "And speaking of your associates, we must make sure we are talking privately. Do not move."

Londo signals for his guards to fire in the area surrounding Mr. Morden. They kill a Shadow. Londo is concerned that he will have to get the room repainted. . .

Londo gives Mr. Morden another chance to remove the Shadows from the island of Selini. Mr. Morden again refuses, commenting that there is no way that Centauri forces can defeat the Shadow vessels. Londo states that the ships are impressive in the air or in space, but that they are currently on the ground.

Mr. Morden: "Right, they're on the ground. But, they can sense an approaching ship miles away, so what are you going to do Mollari, blow up the island?"

Londo:"Actually, now that you mention it. . . "

Londo pulls a small device out of his pocket. Mr. Morden realizes what it is and screams "NOOOOOOOO!!!" Londo pushes the trigger, and the island of Selini blows up, with the Shadow vessels, as well as a few Centauri citizens who opted to remain on the island, to give the illusion that nothing was happening. Mr. Morden is taken to a cell.

Army of Light fleet

Ivanova contacts Sheridan's ship, and informs him that Lorien is coming over. Lyta interrupts and says that the Shadows and Vorlons are coming. Lots of Vorlons. Lots of Shadows. With the Army of Light in the middle. . .

White Star ship

Lennier: "They're headed straight towards each other. It's as if they don't even know we're here."

Sheridan wishes to get the attention of the Shadows and the Vorlons. Sheridan pushes a button, and several nukes go off, destroying enemy vessels on both sides. Lyta informs Sheridan that the Shadows and the Vorlons "are pissed." The battle begins. . .

Centauri Prime

Londo tells Vir that he has eliminated the last of the Shadow influence on CP. He tells Vir to go out into the garden, where a gift is waiting for him. Out in the garden is Mr. Morden's head, on a pike. Vir waves at Morden's lifeless eyes. . .

Space

Ships on all sides are destroyed. The Vorlon planet killer gets within firing range of Coriana 6, and Sheridan calls in the First Ones. They come in and destroy the planet killer. The battle continues.

Centauri Prime

Londo informs Vir that he just sent a message to the Vorlons, informing them that the last of the Shadow influence has been destroyed. Vir says that there is one thing left: Londo. A Vorlon planet killer arrives over Centauri Prime and blocks out the sun, preparing to attack. . .

White Star ship

Lennier tells Sheridan that the Vorlons have sent for reinforcements. . .

Centauri Prime

Londo, desperate to save the planet, begs Vir to kill him and show the Vorlons that all of the Shadow influence has been wiped out. Vir refuses, but Londo continues to plead. Suddenly, the planet killer turns away.

White Star ship

Lyta's eyes turn blue and she speaks for the Vorlons. Addressing Captain Sheridan, she says "You thought you could not touch us. You were wrong." An energy field surrounds Sheridan and puts him into a stasis. Lyta then turns to Delenn, and with black eyes, speaking for the Shadows, she says "You they have left for us." Delenn is also surrounded by a similar field. We then see Delenn's point of view. Lorien slowly disappears from her sight. . .

White Star ship

Sheridan is surrounded by darkness. Then, a woman appears, encased in some sort of crystalline structure. Sheridan attacks her reasoning and says that the younger races no longer need the "guidance" of the Vorlons or the Shadows. Sheridan tells her that "The truth of the matter is we don't need you anymore."

Delenn is in a similar dark place, when Ivanova, Franklin, Marcus, Lennier and another Delenn try to presuade her that the Shadow's ideology is sound: evolution through conflict.

There are cut scenes that show Delenn and Sheridan, and both argue that neither race is fit to be guardians anymore, and no longer are they needed. Suddenly, Lorien pulls both of them out of stasis. A Shadow and a Vorlon (looks like Kosh) appear on the bridge of the White Star and offer Sheridan and Delenn one more chance to choose between them. Sheridan angrily says that he will not choose, that both races are old and unfit to be guardians.

The Shadows and the Vorlons both know that their time is up, but they will not leave just because Sheridan and Delenn told them to. The Shadow cloud begins to fire missiles at the White Star, but other ships bravely take the impact of the missiles.

Delenn tells the Shadows/Vorlons that the younger races are now independent, and the older races have lost their way.

Sheridan interjects: "Get the hell out of our galaxy!!! Both of you!"

Lorien steps in and tells the Shadows and the Vorlons that their time is up. Just as he taught them and stepped aside, now they must do the same. The galaxy now belongs to the younger races. The Shadows ask Lorien to come with them; he agrees. The Vorlons also agree to pass beyond the rim with Lorien. The Shadows and the Vorlons jump into hyperspace, never to be seen again. Lorien departs telling Sheridan to teach the races that will come after him, but to step aside when his time is up. Lorien disappears into the night, and the war is finally over.

Marcus: "Did we just win?"

Ivanova: "Don't jinx it."

Centauri Prime

Londo is elated that the war is over, the Shadows and Vorlons are gone, and Centauri Prime still stands. Everything is going so well that Londo expects something bad to happen. Vir says that he deserves at least one night of happiness. Londo says that he will go back to Babylon 5 with Vir to avoid bad feelings left over from Cartagia's death. Vir hugs Londo and leaves.

White Star ship

Sheridan and Delenn sit together, having trouble believing that the war is finally over forever. The third age of mankind has dawned, and they smile at each other and enjoy the view.

Questions

• At the beginning of the show, why did Ivanova return to Babylon 5 before joining the fleet?
• Why were we able to see the Shadow that the guards shot?
• When Londo first orders a meeting with his cabinet, the crazy little Minister is shocked when Londo sits in the emperor's throne. However, Londo immediately stands up and apologizes. Why can't Londo, the Prime Minister, sit in the throne?
• How can Londo be sure his guards are loyal to him?
• Since Centauri Prime is still a military power, why didn't they send ships after the Vorlon planet killer? On the other hand, why didn't the Shadows on Selini attack the planet killer? There were over a hundred Shadow vessels on CP. . .
• How was Londo able to get the nukes placed on Selini without being noticed?
• Mr. Morden stated that the Shadows have allies. What allies?
• The Vorlon was definitely Kosh, but different. Did anyone else notice?
• What lies beyond the Rim?
• Where is the Rim?
• Why can't the younger races go beyond the Rim?
• WHAT is the Rim?
• Since Londo wishes to return to B5, who will be in charge during his absence? For that matter, how long will he be on B5?
• What will Narn do now that they are free? Attack CP or rebuild?
• Will G'kar return to B5?
• Sheridan died on Z'ha'Dum. Anna Sheridan died on Z'ha'dum. What did Mr. Morden do on Z'ha'dum? Did he die too? If he did, that indicates another failed chance for Londo's redemption. "You must not kill the one who is already dead." Londo may be headed somewhere bad. . .

Notes / Interesting Facts

• JMS reported that Into The Fire contains 114 CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) shots. This show has more special effects than the season 3 episode "Severed Dreams," the episode in which B5 seceded from the Earth Alliance. The CGI effects are nothing less that outstanding and movie-quality.
• JMS also reported that Ed Wasser has expressed a desire to return as an alien.
• The shot of outer space in the opening sequence is an actual photograph of the Eagle Nebula taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
• The crest on Vir's hair is much longer than it has been previously. This is very likely due to a promotion. Yes, he is Londo's assistant, and now that Londo is Prime Minister, Vir would also reap the benefits, but it is unclear exactly what Vir's new title is.
• Cartagia ordered Defense Minister Durano to keep the information regarding Lady Adira's assassination a secret. This seems strange, because Cartagia obviously considered Londo a close friend. (Yes, Londo and Vir killed him, but Cartagia didn't know about the plot until it was too late.) Of course, considering that Cartagia was insane, this makes some sense.
• After the destruction of the island of Selini, Mr. Morden looked as if his best friend had died.
• The "voice" of the Shadow near the end of the show was provided by none other than Ed Wasser.
• Sheridan's use of the nukes in the asteroid field is similar to the tactics he used against the Minbari ship Black Star in the E/M war
• Vir finally got his wish to look into Morden's lifeless eyes and wave!
• One of the First Ones was the one that Marcus and Ivanova contacted in the 3rd season episode "Voices of Authority."
• Lorien appeared to be hiding some sort of sadness or remorse when he told Ivanova to cherish the brevity of life. Perhaps he wants to be mortal. . .
• Since Lorien is the First One, and the Shadows and Vorlons are his "children," it is reasonable that humans, Minbari, etc. and his "grandchildren."
• Except for blowing up the Vorlon planet killer, the First Ones were not very helpful. . .

Predictions

• The War is over now, but the trailer for the next episode indicates that the show is far from over.
• President Clark will attempt to retake Babylon 5.
• Now that the Shadows are no longer infiltrating Psi Corps and the Earth Alliance, getting rid of the people who assisted them should be easier.
• Minbari tradition holds that no Minbari can have a romantic relationship with an off worlder. Since Delenn and Sheridan involved with each other, she may have to answer for her actions.
• Perhaps the next "mission" for Sheridan will be to "remove" President Clark from office.
• The war may be over, but the Army of Light will probably remain.
• Sheridan is a traitor to the Earth Alliance. He will probably settle on Minbar with Delenn when everything is said and done.