Yowza. This gets darker and darker, and I keep trying to imagine SOME way the season could end well but it’s pretty difficult. 
The scene with Centauri Prime on fire brings back the memory of that future dream of Londo’s, when an eye-patched G’Kar strangles him on the throne. The present is different because of the different path that Londo chose, but there are disturbing similarities, aren’t there?
Some of the Shadow’s allies. the Drakh, want revenge on Londo, and they aren’t holding back.
They want Centauri Prime as a home. And they don’t want to kill Londo, at least not yet. They want to make the Centauri a resentful, beaten people…easier for them to do their “work.”
Holy cow…all those attacks on the other Alliance member planets were just to rile them up and get them to attack the Centauri?
The Regent fills in Londo completely, much to Londo’s horror.
Regent: I have been many things in my life, Mollari. I have been silly. I have been quiet when I should have spoken. I have been foolish. And I have wasted far too much time. But I am still Centauri.. and I am not afraid.
Meanwhile, Delenn and Lennier are marooned in a badly injured White Star, drifting off the Beacon. Just before they think they are going to die, Lennier confesses his love for Delenn and she says, “I know.” When it turns out they aren’t going to die, Lennier is mortified but Delenn attempts to reassure him that he didn’t do anything wrong.
Poor Lennier.
But the most heartbreaking plot line in this episode, at least for me, was Londo’s ascension to the throne. When he realizes what is involved, he still goes through with it — not because of any egotistical aspirations or hunger for power (whoa, has his character ever developed since the first season) but because he wants to save his people.
And in his final conversation with G’Kar, he warns his friend that his behaviour might be confusing in the future.
Londo: In the months and the years to come, you may hear many strange things about me, my behavior. Well, they say the position .. changes you. And I just… I… I wanted to….
G’kar: I understand.
Londo: Perhaps. And perhaps you do not understand as much as you think…. Pray… that you never do, G’Kar. Pray… that you never truly understand.
Londo: Isn’t it strange, G’Kar? When we first met, I had no power and all the choices I could ever want. And now I have all the power I could ever want… and no choices at all. No choice… at all.
And just before they part ways, G’Kar tells Londo that even though G’Kar’s people can never forgive Londo’s people for what they did, G’Kar says, “-I- can forgive -you-.”
The scene where Londo voluntarily takes on that Drakh parasite thing is truly horrible and disturbing.
Londo agrees to help Sheridan find Delenn but tells him that the Centauri are withdrawing from the Alliance.
And now I find myself questioning every action of Londo’s. How much is the result of his own decisions (maybe trying to protect the others?) and how much is the influence of the Drakh? Don’t tell me.
I’m hoping HOPING that Londo’s personality is too strong for the Drakh to manipulate as easily as they did the Regent. And that Londo will come out of this ok. He has to come out of this ok.
Don’t tell me.
Londo sends Vir back to B5.
After Vir leaves, Londo stands by the palace window. The flashback sequence of his life up to now, the happy times on B5, his friendships, then his gradual descent…are truly heartbreaking. Especially that first scene on Londo laughing and yelling as he crawls over a table at a B5 party; I still remember that from the first season.
So much has happened since then, hasn’t it?
And then that final scene of Londo as newly-appointed Emperor on his throne.
Ok, HERE’S what I think is going to happen…
Back on B5, Franklin is doing an autopsy on a Centauri body that has been taken over by the Drakh. He discovers that parasite thing, tells the Captain and others. They realize what has happened to Londo. Working frantically, Franklin develops a serum that will kill off the parasite but leave Londo ok. Garibaldi realizes that in order to launch a successful rescue mission to get Londo off Centauri, he has to give up drinking so he does…Londo was once his friend, after all. The serum works and Londo is fine, and there is a scene in the infirmary where Londo and G’Kar are happily insulting each other while Londo recuperates. Everyone laughs. Londo abdicates from the throne, giving the throne to Vir instead. Londo and G’Kar tell Vir they’ll be back to help him but right now, they’re going to go explore the galaxy purely for fun, something they have both always wanted to do. On the way, they run into Ivanova, who comes back with them to B5 (Allison -did- say Ivanova would appear in the last episode, after all, so this would make perfect sense).
*whew* That’s a lot of fit into the last four episodes but the writing’s so good that I know they can do it.
And in the last episode, Delenn announce she’s pregnant…and that Lennier’s the father! Sheridan is upset at first, but realizes that Lennier would make a better partner, plus Sheridan is going to die in ten years anyway, right? Ivanova and Lyta become a couple, and Lyta helps Ivanova unlock her hidden telepath powers (which are at least P12).
So am I right? Did this happen???
Don’t tell me.
[For those who comment below: As the title of my blog indicates, I'm watching B5 for the very first time so PLEASE refrain from posting plot/character spoilers/hints about upcoming episodes, or including links to pages with spoilers (unless you warn readers that they contain spoilers). More info about spoilers here. Thanks so much! - Debbie]
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Remember Sheridan’s time-flash in War Without End.
[T]he most heartbreaking plot line in this episode, at least for me, was Londo’s ascension to the throne. When he realizes what is involved, he still goes through with it — not because of any egotistical aspirations or hunger for power (whoa, has his character ever developed since the first season) but because he wants to save his people.
Londo ALWAYS wanted what was best for the Centauri. Unfortunately, along the way he had to learn that sometimes, the interests of the Centauri diverge from those of Londo. Being who he is, he had to learn the hard way — too often including others’ suffering. But from Day 1, it’s clear that he is a patriot, proud of who he believes he and the Centauri should be.
Out of curiosity, why do you think that the path Londo has chosen now is different than the one in which he and G’Kar ended up killing each other? I’m not saying you’re wrong and I’m not saying you’re right, but at this point you don’t have enough information on the path that led to that to know one way or the other. All you know is how it ends, not how they got there.
That final scene between Londo and G’Kar is just so powerful, it’s one of my favorite scenes in the whole series. I like, too, how this scene ties in so nicely with the early Season 5 scene where Londo apologizes to G’Kar. It seems very right that it takes some time for G’Kar to give Londo that forgiveness, but equally right that part of his character arc is to finally reach that place where the forgiveness is given. Both characters have come so far and that scene is just so bittersweet.
I love this episode. somuch.
First, *gives Lennier a hug*
Then…oh man, the Centauri Prime stuff is AMAZING. The Regent’s speech, appearance of the Drakh…the sheer Shakespearean tragedy of Londo’s ascention…and that final talk between Londo and G’Kar…egads. I can’t wait to get to the season 5 rewatch just for that.
Yes, the counterpoint of G’Kar saying “I forgive you” to Londo earlier in this season saying “I’m sorry”. It was powerfull.
JMS did a commentary for this episode. Stop to listen to it on your next watch through. He describes Londo as a patriot, one who will do what he thinks is right for his people putting his own benefits behind. JMS also points out that Peter Jurasic made the observation about Londo at the 4th season wrap party, that Londo started out with no power and all the choices he could make, and now has no choice and all the power of his world. When he got the 5th season, he wanted to put that in the script.
Also, as JMS notes, “how do you save your freinds?”. Londo has to antagonize them to make them distant from you and therefore safe.
Oh, I wanted to point out this two-parter was initially separated by 4 months in the original cable-cast on TNT. It took from June to October 28, 1998 to see this episode. How long did it take you to go from last to this episode? Strangly, while writting the episode, JMS had put in a recap at the start, even though he thought the last and this episode would air back-to-back, so when TNT let him know that a recap might be in order, he let them know it was already done. Season 5 ended up streaching from January, 1998 to November, 1998.
This episode was also the first time the URL for the official website, http://www.thestation.com was added to the closing credits. That site is gone, but fan sites linger on.