{"id":44026,"date":"2014-08-01T06:58:28","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T12:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/?p=44026"},"modified":"2014-08-01T07:30:00","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T13:30:00","slug":"b5-rewatch-3x13-a-late-delivery-from-avalon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/08\/01\/b5-rewatch-3x13-a-late-delivery-from-avalon.html","title":{"rendered":"B5 Rewatch: 3×13 “A Late Delivery from Avalon”"},"content":{"rendered":"

King Arthur has returned from Avalon, in the form of Michael York. Or\u00a0has<\/em> he?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Return of the King<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A-Plot<\/strong>: \u00a0This is really most of the plot of this done-in-one episode. \u00a0Arthur — in chainmail and bearing Excalibur — comes to B5. Marcus is smitten by the romance of it all. Franklin is skeptical of someone who’s obviously mentally unstable. Garibaldi sees a security threat. And G’Kar is enraptured by a brave fighter for justice against impossible odds.<\/p>\n

York does an entrancing job as “Arthur,” enduring mysterious flashbacks while applying standards of medieval honor to the plight of Lurkers down-below. I almost wished Marcus\u00a0wasn’t<\/em> there, egging him on, because the Ranger’s support feels heavy-handed and overly-romantic, and York’s Arthur is charismatic enough.<\/p>\n

\"G'Kar<\/a>
G’Kar gets swept up in mythic battles. Of course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His relationship with G’Kar is the most interesting, as the Narn assists him against some gang members down-below, and is in turn knighted (during a drinking bout) as Sir G’Kar, the Red Knight. Arthur’s nobility and seeking after justice no matter the odds clearly resonates with G’Kar’s own quixotic fight against the Centauri. Also, G’Kar can’t hold his booze.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin<\/a>
Franklin tries to infect “Arthur” with some rationality.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ultimately, Franklin over-rationally unravels the mystery. “Arthur” was really the gunnery officer on the EAS\u00a0Prometheus,<\/em> the ship that first encountered the Minbari, and whose captain mistook open Minbari gun ports as a sign of aggression (as hinted at in earlier B5 episodes). “Arthur” obeyed the orders to fire, leading to the Earth-Minbari War, which he’s turned into a guilt-induced dementia related to the Battle of Camlann and a mistaken move that led to the battle beginning and the death of the Round Table. Franklin (over Marcus’ strenuous objections) confronts “Arthur” with the evidence. \u00a0The revelation drives “Arthur” catatonic —<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Lady of the Lake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

—\u00a0until Franklin and Marcus determine that Arthur came there seeking to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake, to lay down his guilt — a role that Delenn is willing and able to play.<\/p>\n

“Arthur” (now going by his true name of David McIntyre) ultimately ships out to join the Narn resistance, and Marcus argues with Franklin over who the other Arthurian characters are on-board.<\/p>\n

It’s a fun, but frothy, plotline, not meaning a lot but providing some enjoyable quotes, both Marcus’ observations on the unfairness of the universe<\/a> …<\/p>\n

MARCUS: I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, “Wouldn’t it be much worse if life were<\/em> fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?” So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

… and G’Kar’s on the joy of an unambiguous battle against evil.<\/p>\n