B5 Rewatch: 1×08 "And the Sky Full of Stars"

Wherein we finally learn what the Minbari assassin was talking about in the pilot: “There is a hole in your mind.”  Sinclair is kidnapped by shadowy Earth operatives to probe the 24 hour gap in his memory around the Battle of the Line. The irony is that he really wants to remember, and the black hats involved really have the wrong idea of what happened in that interval.This is one of the earliest big “WHAM” episodes, revealing some significant new plot about the Earth-Minbari War while still leaving huge gaps for Sinclair to probe over the rest of the season. Delenn’s role is made all the more mysterious (both for her placement in that 24-hour gap and in her getting firm instructions at the end of the ep).

It’s a nice added complication that Sinclair, once he escapes, is not completely back to reality. How that resolves just adds to the mystery.

Michael O’Hare does a fine job here. The two “Knights” are competently menacing. Delenn is properly disingenuous and covertly alarmed, played perfectly.  The rest of the cast is workmanlike and, honestly, more side notes than significant players. This is primarily a Sinclair episode.

Most dramatic moment: Aside from the arc-ish moment below, Sinclair deciding to ram the Minbari cruiser.
Most amusing moment: Honestly, I don’t think there’s a funny line in the whole ep, unless it’s when Sinclair, very sincere-looking, lies to Delenn’s face about what he remembers.
Most arc-ish moment: “I know you …”  Yeah, that’s Delenn under the hood. And then, stemming from that recollection, Delenn getting orders to take out Sinclair if she learns he’s remembered, and Sinclair organizing his own thoughts about the recollection.
Overall Rating: 4 of 5 — a huge plot-shifter, and a great opportunity (largely realized) for Sinclair to stand forward.

Babylon Project: http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/And_the_Sky_Full_of_Stars
Lurker’s Guide: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/008.html