tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post7487014127359869467..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: Babylon 5 #44: Comes the InquisitorSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-67011822576866288662014-08-25T11:17:11.090-03:002014-08-25T11:17:11.090-03:00We reserve it for Piers Morgan. We reserve it for Piers Morgan. LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-25208161400138980622014-08-25T08:46:04.710-03:002014-08-25T08:46:04.710-03:00WHERE'S THE COLLECTIVE GUILT, LIAM?!WHERE'S THE COLLECTIVE GUILT, LIAM?!Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-77034622054824250482014-08-25T08:16:18.117-03:002014-08-25T08:16:18.117-03:00JMS: "Actually, I think I saw more *annoyance...JMS: <i>"Actually, I think I saw more *annoyance* at Jack being used from the UK folks than the US folks, that's the main difference, I think. Probably because it's a peaceful, wonderful country which is *still* paying off, in the public eye, one particularly nasty creature in their recent history. They're probably tired of hearing about him, and to some extent, correctly so. "</i><br /><br />Sorry, Joe, but I can assure you that the UK has no collective guilt over Jack the Ripper. I don't even think we're that tired about hearing about him. I do findit fascinating what can be read into online debates (and personally, I quite liked the small twist.)LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-72160451681961001712014-08-21T23:06:35.469-03:002014-08-21T23:06:35.469-03:00Yeah, JMS thinks he's far too clever in using ...Yeah, JMS thinks he's far too clever in using Jack the Ripper -- it's not particularly clever, the "shock value" (such as it is) doesn't justify it, and it cheapens the episode.<br /><br />Then again, at least it wasn't another guy in a hood, so thank Kosh for small favors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-11347871137153143872014-08-21T12:40:46.149-03:002014-08-21T12:40:46.149-03:00Helped assemble an army of light? Remember, I'...Helped assemble an army of light? Remember, I'm seeing most of this fresh, not remembering much from what comes later. The reviews will remark on any surprise twists when they come about.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-55163931628980275752014-08-21T12:26:04.755-03:002014-08-21T12:26:04.755-03:00You're assuming that the Vorlons are the good ...You're assuming that the Vorlons are the good guys, but what have they actually done that's "good"?Doug Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651720537097952075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-32537877795697125802014-08-20T22:23:52.071-03:002014-08-20T22:23:52.071-03:00Exactly.Exactly.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-91933074741529141712014-08-20T22:20:30.564-03:002014-08-20T22:20:30.564-03:00God uses flawed people to achieve good ends. After...God uses flawed people to achieve good ends. After all, is there any other kind of person?jdh417https://www.blogger.com/profile/14541882649762424101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-69779654711647880272014-08-20T13:32:49.087-03:002014-08-20T13:32:49.087-03:00Maybe, but he explicitly states that the Vorlons s...Maybe, but he explicitly states that the Vorlons showed him his sin, which he can now recognize in others. Even if he does not repent, he is an "evil" tool put to work for the army of "good", which redeems his existence if not his soul.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-59697661284954444992014-08-20T12:25:13.208-03:002014-08-20T12:25:13.208-03:00I disagree that the Vorlons redeemed Jack--I think...I disagree that the Vorlons redeemed Jack--I think they chose him as an inquisitor precisely because he was a sadistic bastard who enjoyed torturing women under the cloak of self-righteousness. They even provide him a convenient way to keep his self-righteousness, by appearing to him as "angels" who give him a "divine mission."<br /><br />But then, I'm on Team Shadow, not Team Vorlon. :)Doug Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651720537097952075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-1847407469213024912014-08-20T09:37:47.119-03:002014-08-20T09:37:47.119-03:00It's too simple to say the Vorlons' use of...It's too simple to say the Vorlons' use of Jack is "evil" or that it even "grays up" them up. They took a serial killer with "good" intent and "evil" plans/means, broke him, and redeemed him.<br /><br />Is this not "good"? Forgiving even the most heinous crimes and giving the sinner a chance to do some good in some capacity? (His techniques seem cruel but they are in the service of the bigger picture.)Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-84974450487575200262014-08-20T09:29:19.658-03:002014-08-20T09:29:19.658-03:00This is one of JMS' personal favorites, as are...This is one of JMS' personal favorites, as are pretty much all the episodes which for their majority are more or less stage plays put on film.<br /><br />In Signs and Portents I talked about the Shadow question "What do you want?" being a direct appeal to the id. Now we get the flip side, as it turns out the Vorlons also ask the same question over and over: "Who are you?" This one goes right to the superego; answer it enough times without being allowed to repeat yourself and you may discover things about yourself you had no idea of. And the larger issue this is all getting at is that there really is nothing wrong with the Shadows' question in and of itself; the problem comes when you try to answer it without first answering the Vorlons' question. G'Kar knew who he was when Morden came to see him, which resulted in disappointment for Morden. But Londo's answer did come purely from his basest desires with no thought to his own personal identity, and that's what the Shadows can exploit.<br /><br />I've seen complaints that the episode makes the Vorlons out to be just as bad as the Shadows and makes it hard to root for them knowing they employ people like Sebastian, which to me misses the point rather spectacularly. We want to see the Shadows as pure evil and the Vorlons as heroes for opposing them, but as the show goes on it's clear that it's not that simple, and we should be suspicious of both sides equally. Also, the use of Jack the Ripper has been criticized as a cliche, but I quite agree with JMS' defense of it, that he's used in a far more cerebral role than the typical "Jack shows up and goes on a rampage" stories, which is enough to make it worthwhile. Though they did have the embarrassing mistake of Sheridan saying the murders were in the WEST end, which had to be clumsily dubbed over.<br /><br />Sebastian is played by Wayne Alexander, who was so impressive here that he showed up several more times as various aliens. And while we're talking about casting, I need to mention one tidbit I forgot in the last episode: G'Kar's uncle is played by W. Morgan Shepard, who not only played the Soul Hunter earlier but was one of the finalists to play G'Kar himself, with his casting here a great in-joke that gives us a taste of what that might have been like.Ryan Lohnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-38573203597702648532014-08-20T09:18:10.071-03:002014-08-20T09:18:10.071-03:00You pinpointed my main problem with this episode--...You pinpointed my main problem with this episode--how could Delenn have so much difficulty with this particular inquisition? Hell, I could come up with better answers to "who are you?" than she does. Your no-prize suggestion is the first plausible explanation I've heard, but if that is the reason, it certainly should have been made clearer.<br /><br />(spoiler)<br /><br /><br />The fact that the Vorlons recruited Jack the Ripper, and especially the way they did it, makes perfect sense later on in the series.Doug Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651720537097952075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-10080505716004813752014-08-20T07:55:51.166-03:002014-08-20T07:55:51.166-03:00No better summation of this episode than what you ...No better summation of this episode than what you not in the "Rewatchability" field. Bravo, sir.Madeleynoreply@blogger.com