“Epiphanies” is episode seven of season four of Babylon 5.
In the previous episode, “Into the Fire”, the Shadow War came to an end. Even though the Vorlons and the Shadows to force the other races to accept one or the other of them – and after a Drazi and a Minbari ship sacrificed themselves to prevent Sheridan and Delenn from being killed – it came to an end. All of the First Ones – the Shadows, Vorlons, Lorien and those found by Ivanova – have passed beyond the Rim.
This episode opens with a squadron of Starfuries flying through space. Not for any serious reason, as the fighters are streaming coloured plumes and firing what are essentially space fireworks. The display is being watched from inside Babylon 5, which has a bit of a party going on. Sheridan is watching and his personal log is heard as well. The Shadow War is over. We won. Sheridan is thinking about what it cost, and how much work there is still ahead. But for now, embrace the moment, for in the end, that is all they have. Sheridan looks over at Delenn and goes to her. His log continues; trouble will come in its own time. It always does. But that’s for tomorrow.
On Earth, in the Psi Corps building, Bester is being told by another member of the corps that he has just come from a meeting in Earthdome. The president has set up a new programme, involving the Psi Corps, Earthforce, Night watch and the Ministry of Peace. For security reasons, none of the groups will know what the others have been assigned to do. Bester asks if that would not risk them stepping on each other’s toes and is told that this is a risk they have to take.
Clarke cannot trust anyone outside the inner circle with the whole picture. The official tells Bester that he cannot share the details, but something has rattled the president. Big time. Perhaps it’s the fact that Clarke’s oh-so-powerful allies, the Shadows, just went poof. The new mandate is to shut down Babylon 5. Permanently. Bester asks why they can’t just send in the troops and is told that they tried that last year, in “Severed Dreams”, when Babylon 5 turned back their ships. Which had a disastrous effect on morale. There is considerable sympathy for Babylon 5, both with the alien governments and on Earth itself. These are the areas being targeted, to knock the pins out from beneath Babylon 5 then move in.
On Centauri Prime, the minister tells Londo that Londo’s ship is ready to leave for Babylon 5. He asks if Londo is sure he cannot stay and Londo replies that with the recent passing of the emperor and the freeing of the Narn homeworld, Londo doesn’t think this is a safe place for him. He will return when things settle down. The minister tells Londo it is his loss – for some flowers are about to bloom.
Londo tells the minister that the Centarum met to choose a new emperor but decided to postpone any decision so that they can choose more wisely this time. The minister agrees that this is a good idea. The Centarum has decided to appoint a regent until a new emperor is chosen. The minister wonders who would take that job. Londo replies that the minister has been chosen. And that the royal court awaits his orders. Regent. The new regent’s first decision is to change the white drapes for pastels.
G’Kar is back on Babylon 5 and Dr Franklin is examining the socket from which G’Kar’s eye was removed in “Falling Towards Apotheosis”. Franklin tells G’Kar that there is no infection so he won’t need to go deeper into the eye socket to dig it out. G’Kar has had enough of things being dug out of his eye socket. The doctor tells G’Kar that there is extensive scarring and G’Kar replies that the Centauri who removed his eye was not a surgeon of Franklin’s calibre, and he believes that something like an implement he picks up was used – but he only saw it end on.
Franklin asks G’Kar if there is any pain and he says yes. His eye itches. How can an eye itch when it isn’t there? The doctor replies that it’s phantom limb syndrome. He will give G’Kar something for the pain and asks him to come back for a full neural scan; he may be able to fix G’Kar up with a prosthetic. It’s designed for humans, so it probably won’t be as good as the original, but G’Kar is still happy to get a new eye. As G’Kar leaves, Franklin asks him if the rumour that G’Kar’s people wanted to put him in charge, at the end of “The Long Night”, and G’Kar confirms this. But he has seen what power does and what power costs and one is never equal to the other.
Garibaldi is shaving and he draws what looks like an unsmiling expression in the mirror, having a flashback to being in captivity at the end of “Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?”. His comms go and he is told that a coded message has just come in from an unknown source. It’s patched through and the message is simply a pattern. When it ends, Garibaldi tells the computer to delete the transmission and the log of incoming messages. Whatever programme was activated in “The Summoning” may have just gone further.
Sheridan is meeting with Ivanova and Franklin when Garibaldi arrives, late. He is resigning as head of security, effective immediately. Ivanova says he can’t just resign but Garibaldi cannot see why not. They broke away from Earth so he can’t be held to his Earthforce contract. He just wants out. To get out of the game whilst he is still ahead. Garibaldi is tired of fighting wars he can’t even understand. So, now what? They can’t go home, so do they just live like outlaws?
Sheridan has another way and Garibaldi asks him what if it isn’t the right way? Not that he has any better ideas. He wants to get out with his skin, perhaps set up a company to find things and people lost during the war. They all went through hell and they are all lucky to be alive.
Zack is by the docking bays telling some, probably new, guards about how to do things, when Londo arrives. Zack didn’t think they would see Londo again anytime soon; Londo can tell by the – non-existent – look of joy on Zack’s face. Zack wonders if they are tired of him back home and Londo says no. The emperor said Londo would only leave over his dead body – oh look, he’s dead – and even though Zack told Londo he would only be allowed back over Zack’s dead body, Londo cannot oblige everyone.
Once Londo leaves, Zack starts telling the guards that you never know who is going to arrive when Bester arrives. Bester wants to meet with the captain and command staff ASAP and asks if his usual quarters in the brig are still available, as he is quite fond of them. Zack is about to notify command when he is contacted and asked to see the captain. Once he leaves, a group of Elvises (Elvi?) arrive.
Garibaldi is in his quarters when G’Kar arrives. G’Kar looks ominous. Garibaldi had heard that G’Kar was looking for him and knows that G’Kar lost his eye as a result. He’s rather nervous about how G’Kar is going to react. Which is to grab Garibaldi in a hug, life him up and welcome him home. Squeezing a little tight admittedly. Garibaldi thought G’Kar would be upset, given that it was all for nothing – G’Kar got captured by the Centauri and lost his eye and Garibaldi turned up somewhere different. G’Kar doesn’t think it was all for nothing. His capture and loss of an eye meant he was in the right place to strike a deal with Londo. So Narn is now free. He is delirious with joy. If you confront the universe with good intent it will reward you. Usually. But perhaps not in the way you expected.
Zack tells Sheridan that something must be wrong with Garibaldi – he’s probably right – as he has been acting funny since he got back. For now, the captain is putting Zack in charge of security. He wants Zack to find Lyta and escort her to the conference room, for they are meeting with Bester and Sheridan doesn’t want them scanned. Ivanova’s link goes, and she is told that ISN is talking about them. Which they are. No Earth ships are allowed to or from Babylon 5 and Earthforce is authorised to use force to stop them and maintain the quarantine zone. This is because of reports from the Ministries of Security and Peace about terrorist threats originating from Babylon 5.
President Clarke is desperately trying to hold onto power. Bester may have orders, but his first duty is to himself and perhaps to other telepaths. If they are with the Corps. In “Ship of Tears” Bester revealed he was willing to act against Psi Corps if it conflicted with his own goals – which are probably a telepath-dominated society with Bester at the top. So, he may not be acting in the way he has been ordered to act, but it’s not really because he’s supporting Babylon 5. Lyta is redecorating her quarters, as the former Vorlon ambassador told her to get rid of everything. She’s also not the most popular of people at the moment due to her connection to the Vorlons. The Shadow War may be over, but new problems are arising already. Earth, which still hasn’t been resolved, and whatever caused the problems on Centauri Prime that were revealed in “War Without End: Part One” may now have started. Then there’s Mr Garibaldi.