The Quality of Mercy (Babylon 5)
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| Babylon 5 episode | |
| "The Quality of Mercy" | |
| Season | 1 |
|---|---|
| Episode no. | 21 |
| Prod. code | 117 |
| Airdate | 17 August 1994 |
| Writer(s) | J. Michael Straczynski |
| Director | Lorraine Senna Ferrara |
| Guest star(s) | June Lockhart (Dr. Laura Rosen) Kate McNeil (Janice Rosen) Mark Rolston (Karl Mueller) Damian London (Centauri Senator) Jim Norton (Ombuds Wellington) |
| Year | 2258 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous episode | Babylon Squared |
| Next episode | Chrysalis |
"The Quality of Mercy" is an episode from the first season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
Dr. Franklin investigates an alien healing machine being used by a physician in Downbelow. A murderer is convicted and sentenced to a "death of personality."
[edit] Detail
Londo is told by one of the Centauri senators to make more efforts with other species, as their support may be useful. Shortly after this he meets Lennier, and offers to show him more details of Babylon 5.
A resident, Mueller, is found guilty of two murders and is scheduled to be sentenced. He has three options, return to Earth, life imprisonment, or Talia Winters could scan him before a mind wipe.
Ivanova finds Dr Franklin is running an unauthorised free clinic in down below. She is sympathetic to it though. However Franklin in turns hears of rumours of another clinic being run and investigates. He finds a lady, Laura, using an alien machine that seems to cure people. Franklin talks to her daughter, Janice, and finds her mother use to be a doctor, before she made an error due to a stims habit. She then went in search of alien medical technology to make amends and found this device.
Londo has taken Lennier to a club with exotic dancers, and narrowly avoids giving Lennier an alcoholic drink, which reacts badly with the Minbari physiology. Londo is rather bored of Lennier's talk, until he mentions he studied probability. Londo suggests they tests his skills with a game called poker.
Talia scans the prisoner and finds not one but many murders he committed. She is overwhelmed by the events and has to break contact.
Lennier appears to be quite good at poker, but can't keep the knowledge to himself, meaning Londo is only winning modest amounts rather than large amounts.
Franklin investigates further and finds the machine takes life energy from one person and gives it to the patient. He tells her the machine is gradually killing her. Laura says she is aware of this, but she has Lakes disease and so only has a few years left to live. She agrees to give Franklin the machine in the event of her death.
Back in the gaming table, it appears Londo is using some parts of his anatomy to switch cards, much against the rules of poker (and decency). When discovered, this causes a fight to break out.
Mueller has escaped from his captors and heads for down below, and holds Laura and her daughter captive. He forces Laura to treat him, but she flips a switch, and gives him Lakes syndrome rather than curing him. She is cleared of charges as she acted in self defence.
Sinclair confronts Lennier and Londo, Lennier takes the blame, and both are excused because of diplomatic immunity. Lennier discovers the true nature of Londo's appendages.
Franklin and Janice arrange a date in the Zocolo.
[edit] Arc significance
- Introduces the Alien Healing Machine, which will appear twice more over the course of the series.
[edit] Production details
"The Quality of Mercy", a title taken from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, was originally called "The Resurrectionist."
[edit] Trivia
- June Lockhart appeared together with Bill Mumy in the Lost in Space series.
- J. Michael Straczynski has little recollection of writing this episode as he was under a deadline and a severe case of influenza at the time.
- This episode marks the first appearance of the character that would eventually become the Centauri Regent (Damien London).
