And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder

Overview

The evidence of a Centauri connection to the cargo ship attacks is revealed to the Alliance.

P5 Rating: 9.21

Production number: 517
Original air date: June 10, 1998
DVD release date: April 13, 2004

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Goran Gajic

Plot Points

@@@897549573 The Alliance has formally declared war on the Centauri.
@@@897549573 Londo and G'Kar have returned to Centauri Prime, where they've been imprisoned because Londo refused to allow G'Kar to be arrested as ordered by the Regent.
@@@897585142 Zack has discovered Garibaldi's drinking problem, but has agreed to give Garibaldi time to work it out on his own. Garibaldi's drunkenness has started to cost lives, and contributed to the start of the war since he was unable to warn Sheridan about Centauri ship movements.

Analysis

@@@897585142 Why didn't the White Stars have a secondary contact other than Garibaldi? Garibaldi wouldn't have been in his office on alert 24 hours a day even if he weren't drinking; given the gravity of the situation, it's odd that the White Star captain didn't try to get in contact with someone else (Delenn or Lennier, for example, would presumably have been sufficiently trustworthy) to make sure the report was heard in time.
@@@897585142 In a sense, the minister was probably right; the attacks really are being staged by a third party, namely the aliens in the Royal Court. And it's possible their goal is exactly what he accused the Narn of: to implicate the Centauri. Perhaps they want to see Londo's empire crushed by the Alliance, revenge for Londo's rejection of the Shadows ("Into the Fire.")
@@@897592140 Sheridan's declaration of war on the Centauri gives Londo's comments in "War Without End" a different spin. Londo said, "There's the legacy of your war," referring to the flames engulfing the city below the Centauri royal court. Perhaps Alliance forces were responsible for the destruction, and Londo's comments about Sheridan allowing the Shadows' minions to come to Centauri Prime referred to the fact that they caused the war to start.
@@@898534358 Londo and G'Kar watching the Centauri fleet fly overhead is a visual reference to Londo's dream in "The Coming of Shadows" in which he watches a fleet of Shadow ships fly over the palace. His dream eventually came true in "The Hour of the Wolf."
@@@898541873 Which parts of his book do G'Kar's later chapters correct? Perhaps the parts the Narn in "The Ragged Edge" was referring to when he quoted the book as saying the Centauri shouldn't be trusted.
@@@898537086 Garibaldi's failure to warn Sheridan was foreshadowed in his dream in "Darkness Ascending."
@@@909090791 Sheridan's blockade of Centauri space could make life more difficult for his father, who needs a rare Centauri drug to treat a blood disease ("The Exercise of Vital Powers").

Notes

@@@902861573 Garibaldi had a bowl of oranges on his table, a pretty expensive commodity on the station ("The Geometry of Shadows.") That may mean he's making a lot more money as Director of Covert Operations than he was as the station's security chief. Or, more likely, that Lise isn't above spending some money to keep his diet healthy; she can no doubt afford to ship oranges just about anywhere.
@@@897593295 Director Goran Gajic is Mira Furlan's husband. The character of Aldous Gajic in "Grail" was named after him.

jms speaks

@@@897935317 "I have to say this was one of the best episodes of the entire series. If this is any indication of what the rest of the season is like.......watch out."
Well, the next episode is even more so...and the one after that, more so still. You get a slight breather for an episode or so -- still very strongly arc, though, just not as in-your-face hardhitting -- and then the last are whammers.
"I suspect a stream of apologies to you are about to begin."
Yeah, right, and pandas will fly out of my butt.
@@@887704242 Haven't seen the director's cut yet, but Goran did a great job, based on dailies.
@@@897585142 It was shot for shot what I wrote...but at the same time, a director can realize that well, or poorly. I thought that Goran did a terrific job.

@@@897933568 How much of the tension in the opening scene was thanks to the director?
It's shot for shot what was in the script, but at the same time, a director must take that shot and make it live. Goran did that admirably. He kept the camera moving, framed his shots very nicely, got into the emotion of the scene, and worked very well with the editor; we only did a light dusting in the editing room.

Since a number of folks have asked, here is the opening scene as written. (I only have the first draft in my home computer, modifications were done in the office, which involved trimming some of this for time.)

****************

FADE IN:

EXT. BABYLON 5: A new shot, closer, emphasizing the darkness of the station in
eclipse.

INT. DELENN'S QUARTERS - BEDROOM

Sheridan is in bed, alone as we will discover in a moment.  He rolls over,
stirring, and we SHOOT PAST HIM to the doors, where we SEE a single flickering
light through the translucent glass.  He sits up.

INT. DELENN'S QUARTERS - FRONT ROOM

REVERSING past Delenn to the bedroom doors.  She is seated on the floor, a
single candle burning before her, the flame halfway down it, praying or
meditating as the doors open and Sheridan stands in the opening.  His voice is
quiet.

			SHERIDAN
	Delenn...?  Are you all right?

She nods, distantly, not taking her eyes off the candle.

			SHERIDAN
	You should sleep.  It'll be morning 
	soon.  You'll need all your strength 
	for what's ahead.

She nods again, but doesn't move.  He gives it a BEAT, knowing 
she is in a place where he can never reach her, then goes back 
into the bedroom, leaving the door open.  We PUSH IN SLOWLY on Delenn's face

TIME-CUT - HER QUARTERS - LATER - ON THE CANDLE

The fragile, guttering flame has now burned three-fourths of 
the way down.  As we slowly PAN UP to Delenn's face, not having  moved in all
this time, we become aware of the SOUND of the shower running.  She doesn't
note it, until it stops.  Then there's a BEAT and she looks up toward

ANGLE - THE BEDROOM

Still mainly dark, suggesting pre-dawn, mainly just the light 
spilling from the bathroom entrance as Sheridan comes out in a 
robe, toweling his hair.  His manner here is sober, almost 
somber.  He's trying to keep this normal, but knows that this 
is going to be a difficult and momentous day.  The more we can 
set that tone here, the better.

			SHERIDAN
	It's...all yours.

She nods, distantly.  WIDEN as he goes to the bed and sits.  He 
pulls on one slipper, puts his foot down, and picks up the other 
slipper...and just sort of stops.  He doesn't want to put it on.  
He doesn't want this day to come.  He doesn't want to do what he 
knows he's going to have to do.  The slipper just dangles from 
his fingers, the strings cut. Delenn gets up, approaches and sits next to him,
both with that faraway, haunted look.  She touches his back, and leans against 
his shoulder for a moment, both taking comfort and strength in the momentary
contact.  Then she gets up and moves into the bathroom, the robe sliding off
her shoulders as she steps OS.
  
A BEAT, and Sheridan finds the wherewithal to put on the other 
slipper...and sits there momentarily as we HEAR the VO SOUND of a GAVEL
POUNDING, and the VO SOUND of the council, along with:

			SHERIDAN (VO)
	There comes a moment, in all of our 
	lives, when we have to do something 
	we'd rather not do.  When we know 
	something we'd rather not know.  This 
	is one such moment.

He stands and moves OS.