“Chrysalis” is episode twenty-two of season one of Babylon 5 and the season finale.
The episode opens on December 30th, 2258 Earth Standard Time, and Londo is speaking in front of the advisory Council, accusing G’Kar and the Narns of aggression against Centauri ships in Quadrant 37. G’Kar says that Quadrant 37 is Narn territory; Londo says that the quadrant is neutral territory, as agreed in the treaty. G’Kar says that an agreement signed under duress is no agreement at all. Commander Sinclair asks why, after having a military base on the Centauri border for five years, the Narns are choosing now to make trouble. G’Kar says that the patrols are necessary for Narn planetary security.
A badly wounded man is stumbling towards Garibaldi, who recognises him as Petrov. Petrov collapses to the ground and tells Garibaldi that he has to stop them, and that they are going to kill him. Petrov isn’t able to elaborate on who ‘them’ and ‘him’ are before he passes out. Petrov is a lurker from downbelow who Garibaldi helped and who worked as an informant for him. Dr. Franklin is unable to save Petrov when he arrives at Medlab. Garibaldi hadn’t heard from Petrov in two weeks, so doesn’t know what he might have been working on.
Sinclair is watching an ISN news report with Catherine, about how the president is currently on a good will tour and that he’s probably going to make a speech about alien relations, when he says that he’s been thinking about something. After stumbling around for a bit, Sinclair finally comes out with a mangled marriage proposal. Catherine says yes.
Londo is asking Vir how many gods the Centauri have and how many of them he must have offended to have G’Kar lumbered on him. Vir says all of them. The Centauri have agreed to give Quadrant 37 to the Narns; Londo would rather stick his head in the station’s fusion reactor. Then he gets a call. Vir is telling the caller that the ambassador is busy, but Londo recognises the voice. It is that of Mr. Morden, who arranged for Londo to get the Eye back in “Signs and Portents”. Morden says that Londo has a problem, one he can help with, and that he wants to meet.
Delenn is brought a message by Lennier from Ambassador Kosh. The message is simple: ‘Yes.’ So Delenn goes to see Kosh in person for confirmation.
Garibaldi is checking up on Petrov in downbelow, but most are not willing to help. One lurker says that Petrov did a job of loading crates for someone, and after that got very worried.
Morden says that, if Londo tells the Centauri council that he will deal with Quadrant 37, he will be able to fix the Narn military outpost. For a favour in the future.
Delenn is doing something with the Triluminary she was given in “Babylon Squared”, something Lennier is concerned about. In “Legacies” the young telepath Alisa heard the word ‘Chrysalis’ in Delenn’s mind.
There are conspiracies afoot and the huge black ships, a sort of cross between a crustacean and a spider, seen in “Signs and Portents” appear again – and disappear as well, for they have some type of cloaking device it seems. There are plot threads unfinished, continuing into season two‘s “Points of Departure”. As Kosh says, ‘It has begun.’