{"id":44157,"date":"2014-08-06T10:17:04","date_gmt":"2014-08-06T16:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/?p=44157"},"modified":"2014-08-06T10:30:09","modified_gmt":"2014-08-06T16:30:09","slug":"b5-rewatch-3x15-interludes-and-examinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/08\/06\/b5-rewatch-3x15-interludes-and-examinations.html","title":{"rendered":"B5 Rewatch: 3×15 “Interludes and Examinations”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Such a calm, quiet, introspective episode title. Who would think it would become a huge WHAM-stick to the head?<\/p>\n

A-Plot<\/strong>:\u00a0The Shadows are on the move, striking into hapless small star nations (many of them conveniently weakened from fighting with each other (at, conveniently, the Shadows’ behest). The various stray star systems and League of Unaligned Worlds races are panicky, but still fragmented, each wanting to hold onto their own resources, or staying ducked down in the hopes the Shadows won’t notice them. And Sheridan’s frustrated with any attempt at unifying them \u00a0because, well, he’s got nothing he can promise them. The Shadows are an unstoppable force …<\/p>\n

… until he lights on the idea that Kosh and the Vorlons might be able to (finally) help.<\/p>\n

Sheridan asks Kosh to have the Vorlons intervene, even just for one battle. Kosh declines as it not being the right time, it being the time of the younger races, yadda-yadda — and Sheridan won’t take no for an answer<\/a>. He basically takes his telekinetic lumps and shames<\/em> Kosh into cooperating:<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

SHERIDAN: I know you can’t take the entire Shadow fleet by yourselves, but if you could beat them in just one fight, it could be the break we need to get everyone organized. Then we’d have a real chance. \u00a0You could do it, couldn’t you?<\/p>\n

KOSH: Perhaps. But there are still few of us. It is not our time. It is yours. We are not prepared yet. [Turns and glides away.]<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Sheridan<\/a>
Sheridan forgets it’s never nice to point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SHERIDAN: Don’t turn your back on me! Don’t you even try to walk away from me! Just who the hell do you think you are, anyway? \u00a0No, wait, I know what you think you are, what you want us to believe, but I don’t buy it. For three years now you’ve been pulling everyone’s strings, getting us to do all the work, and you haven’t done a damned thing but stand there and look cryptic. Well, it’s about time you started\u00a0carrying your own weight around here. I hear you’ve got a saying: “Understanding is a three-edged sword.” Well, we’ve got a saying, too: “Put your money where your mouth is.”<\/p>\n

KOSH: Impudent.<\/p>\n

SHERIDAN: Yeah? Well, maybe that’s the only way to get through to you. You said you wanted to teach me to fight legends. Well, you’re a legend, too. And I’m not going away until you agree.<\/p>\n

KOSH: Incorrect. [Telekinetically zaps Sheridan.]<\/em> Leave. Now.<\/p>\n

SHERIDAN: No.<\/p>\n

KOSH: Disobedient.<\/p>\n

SHERIDAN: Up yours!<\/a> [Kosh zaps him again, slashing his cheek.]<\/em> So, the real Kosh shows his colors at last. You angry now? Angry enough to kill me? Because that’s the only way I’m leaving. Unless your people get off their encounter-suited butts and do something, I’ve got nothing to lose. My own government wants to kill me, and if we lose this war I’m just as dead. Our only chance is to get the other races on board for this fight, and right now you’re the key to doing that.<\/p>\n

KOSH: It is not yet time.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Vorlons are the good guys, right? Right?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SHERIDAN: And who decides that time? You? You put me in this position, you asked me to fight this damned war — well, it’s about time you let me fight it my way. [He blocks Kosh’s departure.] How many people\u00a0have already died\u00a0fighting this war of yours? How many more will die before you come down off the mountain and get involved. Ships, colonies, whole worlds are being destroyed\u00a0out there while you do nothing. How many more? How many more, Kosh? How many more dead before you’re satisfied? [Kosh telekinetically lashes out again, holding Sheridan against the wall, half-choking him.]<\/em> Go ahead. Maybe one more death will balance out the books. Go on. Get it over with. Save us both the trouble later.<\/p>\n

KOSH: [After a long, long moment, releases him.]<\/em> I will do as you ask.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Kosh warns him that if he does, he won’t be able to help Sheridan when the captain goes to Z’ha’dum, where “you will die.” Sheridan assumes that means Kosh is extracting that as part of the deal. “You do not understand,” intones the Vorlon.<\/p>\n

And, sure as shooting, next big Shadow incursion, in pops a Vorlon fleet, which basically beats the snot out of the Shadows. Cheers and huzzahs from the various alien reps on B5, who all eagerly agree to band together (with the Vorlons), hip-hip-hooray.<\/p>\n

\"Morden<\/a>
Morden and his associates pay Kosh a call.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But … Mr Morden is on B5 at the moment (see the B-Plot). \u00a0When he learns of the Vorlon intervention, he escorts his mostly-invisible Shadow hangers-on to Kosh’s headquarters, where they proceed to kill the Vorlon ambassador<\/a>. (Gulp.) The battle and death is highlighted by Kosh reaching out to Sheridan in his dreams, appearing as his dad, and admitting he was wrong and Sheridan was right. It should be sappy, but it works like a tear-jerking son-of-a-gun.<\/p>\n

And here’s a video that hits all of the key points for this plot:<\/p>\n