tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post3357808170244775201..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: Babylon 5 #109: The Fall of Centauri PrimeSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-32063296662716253152014-11-12T16:53:58.740-04:002014-11-12T16:53:58.740-04:00- You're right, the Drakh aren't really mu...- You're right, the Drakh aren't really much better. The only real attempt at improvement they make is to get Wayne Alexander to play one, and as good as he is, he can't make up for the absence of any sort of character.<br /><br />- Oh god, the bit where G'Kar forgives Londo makes me tear up. Just beautiful.<br /><br />- So, Sheridan, G'Kar and Vir all see Londo acting apparently out of character. They have literally JUST DISCOVERED Shadow technology that allowed a small device to control a Centauri ship. They know that the Shadows have allies. Is it really such a jump for them to go "hang on, maybe this 'The Regent did it' was a cover story? Maybe it's these Shadow Allies?"<br /><br />- Also, Sheridan's "you WILL pay reparations, even though it will ruin your planet" makes him come across as an arse. Granted, the Centauri did (apparently) kill lots of civilians, but the Narn and Drazi are also guilty of war crimes (something that they seem to get away with).LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-40345075046414461632014-10-26T16:01:04.213-03:002014-10-26T16:01:04.213-03:00Ryan's point above is why I Londo is my favour...Ryan's point above is why I Londo is my favourite character, and also what makes season 5 worthwhile. Knowing that this episode was to come, it actually made the past year much harder. As Ryan says, since freeing his planet from the Shadows he's become much happier, and you've seen moments where it looks like he believes he's actually escaped his fate. He's made amends for all that he has done, and he will get to have a good life. The fact that he's wrong hurts so, so much, and the only consolation for the character is that although he doesn't get to save Centauri Prime from the Drakh, he does, though his actions, allow Vir, Sheridan and the rest to do so in twenty years time.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-18022575445417526912014-10-24T13:45:12.008-03:002014-10-24T13:45:12.008-03:00Despite how generally dreary season 5 is, I've...Despite how generally dreary season 5 is, I've always thought that overall, it's worth watching for the Centauri plot, and Londo and G'Kar in particular. Jurasik's performance in the scene where he receives the Keeper is possibly his best in the series.<br /><br />I did grin a bit at you talking about how Thirdspace never gets mentioned again, when I knew the <i>only</i> other mention of it was coming up next.Cradoknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-32891360319610771732014-10-24T11:54:41.223-03:002014-10-24T11:54:41.223-03:00The episode is directed by Douglas Wise, son of th...The episode is directed by Douglas Wise, son of the legendary Robert Wise. He'd been an assistant director for the show's whole run, and often in the industry that's a hard position to move on from, as there are few enough people who are really good at it that the temptation is to keep them right where they are. But as is clear by now, JMS is all about letting people reach their full potential, and like Mira's husband two episodes ago he was finally able to convince the execs to give Doug a shot.<br /><br />Here is to me what really makes seeing this story worthwhile, no matter how predictable it is: Londo spends most of season 5 the happiest he's ever been in the entire show. He's a hero, he's a success, and he even gets to watch his protege Vir start to come into his own. Ending his story where it was in season 4 may have still been dramatically satisfying, but emotionally the tragedy comes in seeing him fall from that new height, his own greatest moment of triumph turned against him as the Drakh plant their own bombs.<br /><br />JMS also really doesn't like the Drakh, calling them "the Skeletor species" and admitting he choked a bit among the numerous issues that plagued the writing of this season. The line describing them as "a shadow of a Shadow" is quite a bit more true than intended. But Peter David was still able to do some great work with them in his Centauri Prime trilogy.Ryan Lohnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-1205250779465695102014-10-24T09:54:49.271-03:002014-10-24T09:54:49.271-03:00Londo's sacrifice was god damn heroic, who wou...Londo's sacrifice was god damn heroic, who woulda thunk it? As the saying goes, dying is easy (Marcus Cole), comedy is hard (JMS), but wearing a Keeper is the worst of all.<br /><br />Lennier and Delenn ... sadly, this is a case where the only way to write the scene well would be to have the wisdom and cultural smarts of the Minbari, or at least a really really insightful human.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com