Delenn finally gets an episode mostly to herself — though it’s also all about her relationship to the men in her life: Sheridan, Lennier, and her mentor, Dukhat.
Moreover, it’s an answer to a question from Dr. Franklin, long ago: “What did you do in the war?”
A-Plot: Delenn is summoned back to Minbar by her clan to justify her relationship with Sheridan, since bestiality cross-species breeding, even if you’ve been gone all trans-species, is still kind of frowned on back home. Before she goes, she goes through the third night of her “hanging out watching Sheridan drool in his pillow” ritual, before sneaking out. If things don’t go well back on Minbar, she won’t be allowed to return, so, of course, she doesn’t tell Sheridan anything about it. Fortunately, Lennier, ever-faithful (“I have pledged myself to your side”), doesn’t let her sneak past him, and he goes along with her.
Minbari Dreaming: All the bones are brown / and the Council’s Grey …
The ritual she will go through is called “The Dreaming,” to determine her true motivations for hooking up with Sheridan. It involves Lennier serving as her second and psychic anchor, a big swig of bubbling liquid from a chalice, a ritual chamber, and walking around in the fog reliving one’s past.
This is, of course, the heart of the episode, an extended flashback, wherein we learn that acolyte Delenn was mentored by Dukhat, the greatest Minbari leader since Valen.
Dukhat chides Delenn for not looking up. Where have we heard that before?
He’s wise, forceful, sensitive to but exasperated by Minbari politics, and physically imposing. He calls on her opinion, teaches her spiritually and politically, and sponsors her to her position on the Grey Council.
In return, she (naturally) adores him as a father figure.
Delenn and the Triluminary: Is it supposed to do that? (Yes.)
Two other morsels of interest: Delenn has a fascination with an as-yet-unencountered barbarous race called the Humans, and when she gets inducted into the Grey Council, the Triluminary glows blue, something it’s never done before.
Some time thereafter, when the Grey Council cruiser and escorts encounter a fleet belonging to a barbarous race called the Humans, tragedy ensues as the ol’ “Let’s approach them with gunports open as a sign of respect” routine is interpreted (to an accompaniment of Soul Hunters) as “OMG, THEY ARE APPROACHING US WITH GUNPORTS OPEN, FIRE ON THEM FIRST!” from the humans.
In the first attack, Dukhat is mortally injured, barely manages to whisper something to Delenn, and then dies. The GC is deadlocked as to whether to pursue the fleeing Humans, and Delenn, overcome with grief, cries havok and lets loose the dogs of war.
Delenn’s about to kick off the Earth-Minbari War.
MORANN: Delenn, we need to strike back, but the Council is divided. Should we follow them back to their base, take revenge, or do we wait, try and find out what happened? Your’s is the deciding vote, Delenn.
DELENN: [Cradling Dukhat’s head in her lap] He was the best of us. They struck without provocation. There was no reason! Animals! Brutal! [Lays down Dukhat and stands.] They deserve no mercy. Strike them down! [Beats on Morann’s chest in grief and anger.] Follow them back to their bases and kill them, all of them! All of them! No mercy! No mercy!
By the time she realizes and regrets what she’s done, it’s too late to stop the Earth-Minbari conflict from becoming a jihad …
The conclusion Lennier thinks the clan leaders will come to is that her relationship with Sheridan as an attempt to atone for starting the war, which won’t be seen as sufficient reason for the cross-species hanky-panky.
Delenn realizes there must be more, so she does the Dreaming thang again, with Lennier and the clan leader Callenn along. This time we can hear what Dukhat was struggling to tell her while dying: “There was a purpose in my selection of you. Your heritage. You are a child of Valen.”
Aha! Lennier confirms through some records he swiped that Delenn is, in fact, a descendent of Valen, a/k/a Jeffrey Sinclair (via “War Without End“). That’s why the Triluminary was aligned to her, and the fragments of Human DNA in her help explain how her whole “chrysalis” transformation into a Minbari/Human hybrid was able to work. It also means that it’s perfectly acceptable for her to be shacking up with Sheridan; indeed, there must be a lot of Valen’s genes in the population, making arguments to Minbari purity problematic. That particular detail is going to be kept secret, though; Callenn agrees to her returning to B5, but with the excuse that it’s part of some old Minbari bride-swapping-after-a-war tradition.
Delenn and Lennier return, and all is, for the moment, well.
Starring Marcus as Bing Crosby and Franklin as Bob Hope. Or is it the other way around?
B-Plot: After the PR shellacking B5 took last episode (“Illusion of Truth“), Sheridan decides to start making contacts with other groups on the outs with Earth, as part of a long strategy against the EarthGov. He decides to send Franklin and Marcus off to Mars to contact the rebels there. We cut back, briefly, at the end to see it turning into a Road Movie, with Marcus driving Franklin crazy with his war-staff fidgeting and singing. Those two make a great team.
Yes, that’s G’Kar taking a selfie. With his own eye.
Meanwhile: Before heading to Mars, Franklin outfits G’kar with a prosthetic eye. Unfortunately, he only has human cybernetics which, though they work, leaves G’kar with one eye looking human. On the other hand, G’kar also learns he can take the eye out (for recharging) and that he can actually remotely see through it. Hijinx will, most likely, ensue.
A diplomat Zack is not. On the other hand, Lennier is kind of a jerk, too.
And Zack has finally gotten his own cool Minbari-made uniform, even if he manages to insult the tailors (who then retaliate in a very amusing scene).
Overall: It’s cool seeing more of the backstory revealed — indeed, to learn that there is still backstory to reveal. Learning of Delenn’s heritage, as well as her role in the Earth-Minbari War, was fascinating. The weight of that secret (as well its role in her own father’s death) has to still be staggering; ironically, though”atonement” is made out not to be the primary justification for Delenn hooking up with Sheridan, it in retrospect colors nearly everything she’s done until now.
The mingling of Human/Minbari heritage is also an interesting development, and ties into both the Sinclair-Valen thing as well as the way-early-days note that Minbari souls were transmigrating over to Humans (as proven by examining … well, Jeffrey Sinclair). It also makes the Sheridan/Delenn pairing a bit less weird (though it makes the Sinclair/Delenn flirting early on moreso).
Delenn and Dukhat with the Grey Council
Mira Furlan’s acting in the episode is solid, and she handles the flashing-back switch to the old makeup well. She also manages to do a good job as many different Delenns — eyes-downcast acolyte, doe-eyed colleague of Dukhat, vengeful warrior, uncertain challenger of clan rules, sexy lover of the captain. It’s a good episode, and good episode for her.
Reiner Schone as Dukhat leaves me wanting more. He’s clearly the inspiration for much of what Delenn becomes — inquisitive, outspoken, political, and a leader. She even quotes his line to her when Lennier first arrives on B5: “I cannot have an aide who will not look up. You will be forever walking into things.” His death is a tragedy, not just for the resulting war but because a Minbar under his leadership would have been a much stronger ally against the Shadows.
Lennier continues to serve — and to suffer in silence.
The most subtle role here is that played by Bill Mumy as Lennier. In some ways, this is a golden opportunity for Lennier –a chance to get Delenn away from Sheridan and back to Minbar, a possible solution for his unrequited love. But the nature of that love is such that he cannot betray Delenn to unhappiness — instead, he supports her however he can, traveling with her, serving as second in the Dreaming, and overall counsel as the plot progresses. He does it thanklessly, even as he knows that it will only help her return to his insurmountable rival. It’s cunningly written, and well played.
Most Dramatic Moment: Dukhat dies in Delenn’s arms, and then she’s given the deciding vote over whether to pursue the fleeing humans.
Most Amusing Moment: There’s actually a tone of humor in what is overall such a dramatic episode. I have to give top nod to Franklin and Marcus, On the Road to Mars.
[Franklin and Marcus are on their way to Mars, in a transport’s cargo bay. Marcus is flicking his battle pike open and closed, over and over again.]
FRANKLIN: Is this really the best ship you could find?
MARCUS: Yes.
FRANKLIN: Smells like the inside of a Martian pleasure dome on Sunday morning.
MARCUS: Wouldn’t know about that.
FRANKLIN: Don’t make me come over there and take that thing from you.
MARCUS: Helps me relax.
FRANKLIN: Marcus, this is the kind of conversation that can only end with a gunshot!
MARCUS: [Puts away the pike.] Would you like me to sing instead?
FRANKLIN: No.
MARCUS: You haven’t heard me!
FRANKLIN: Marcus, please!
[Marcus starts to sing the Major-General’s Song by Gilbert & Sullivan. This is sung in full in the end-credits, complete with Franklin screaming.]
A close second is Zack and the Minbari seamstresses.
Honorable mention to G’kar playing with his new eye. After all the angst of the past season, it’s good to see that mischievous grin again. (Video here, but includes some spoilers from a later episode.)
Ivanova parties down with the Drazi.
Honorable mention as well to Ivanova staggering out of the lift after having gone to some Drazi religious ceremony / mosh pit, looking just as bedraggled in her Green Leader sash as one might expect.
Most Arc-ish Moment: The expository reveal of the whole Sinclair-Valen-Delenn connection and its meaning both for Minbari as a whole and for Delenn in particular.
Overall Rating: 4.2 / 5 — A good story, some neatly-crafted connect-the-dots worldbuilding, and an opportunity for Delenn to shine. (Rating History).
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