And Now For a Word

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“And Now For a Word”
Babylon 5 episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 15
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Mario DiLeo
Guest stars Kim Zimmer (Cynthia Torqueman)
Christopher Curry (Rondld Quantrell)
Granville Ames (Psi Cop)
John Christian Graas (Johnny)
Leslie Wing (Mother)
Production no. 214
Original airdate 3 May 1995
Episode chronology
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"There All the Honor Lies" "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum"
List of Babylon 5 episodes

And Now For a Word is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Cynthia Torqueman, a popular reporter for the ISN network on Earth, is the host of an ISN news series called "36 Hours". As the episode begins Torqueman is seen sitting at her anchor desk at ISN headquarters; she announces that the next segment of "36 Hours" will be a feature on the Babylon 5 station and whether it is worthwhile for the Earth Alliance to continue funding and supporting the station. A number of public opinion polls are shown throughout the episode, the polls indicate that humanity's support for the Babylon 5 project is dwindling as the station's proclaimed mission of "keeping the peace" falters. A key theme of the "36 Hours" segment is the ongoing Narn-Centauri War. As Torqueman's civilian starliner approaches the station, its cameras record several Narn and Centauri merchant ships opening fire on one another. A brief battle then ensues; it is ended only when Starfury fighters from Babylon 5 destroy or disable the fighting merchant vessels from both races and arrest their crews. Torqueman interviews Dr. Stephen Franklin, B5's medical chief, who is obviously irritated by her questions as he rushes to save the lives of various Narn and Centauri who have been wounded in the battle.

Torqueman spends most of her time on Babylon 5 interviewing the station's human command staff, its leading alien ambassadors, and talking with ordinary humans on the station (such as dockworkers). She also interviews a pompous Earth Alliance Senator named Ronald Quantrell, who dismisses the Babylon Project as a failure and claims that Earth only supported the station immediately after the Earth-Minbari War, when Earth's weakness forced it to promote galactic peace. Quantrell claims that, since the Earth Alliance has rebuilt and improved its military forces to a much greater strength since the war, the Alliance no longer needs to promote galactic peace or fund the expensive Babylon 5 station. His comments are strongly criticized by Captain John Sheridan, B5's commanding officer, who argues that Earth still doesn't have the level of technology to fight the Minbari, Centauri, or "god forbid" the Vorlons, and that Babylon 5 is still the "last, best hope for peace" in the galaxy. However, Sheridan's message is belied by the continued fighting between the Narn and Centauri. Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn claims that the Centauri have been using Babylon 5 (supposedly neutral territory) to load illegal mass driver weapons onto their merchant ships to attack the Narn. Ambassador Londo Mollari of the Centauri disputes this and says that the Narn are lying. Both ambassadors are interviewed in their quarters by Torqueman; G'Kar tells her of the Centauri occupation and enslavement of his homeworld, and of his people's determination to never let it happen again. Londo tells Torqueman that the Centauri only occupied Narn to "help" the Narn raise their standard of living and claims that his people "voluntarily" left Narn when they were asked to do so. Torqueman also interviews Delenn, the Minbari Ambassador, and quizzes her about her physical change into a half-Minbari, half-human hybrid; Delenn is so upset that she cannot finish the interview. Torqueman also gets a first-ever televised glimpse of Kosh, the reclusive and mysterious Vorlon ambassador, but he refuses to talk with her.

When Sheridan tells Ambassador Londo that he has ordered all Centauri merchant vessels to be searched for illegal weapons, Londo tells him that this "violation" of the Centauri's sovereign rights will not be tolerated. Shortly afterwards a Centauri Primus-Class battlecruiser exits hyperspace directly above Babylon 5 and targets its weapons on the station. Londo announces that the battlecruiser will blockade Babylon 5 unless Sheridan revokes his order to search Centauri ships. Sheridan believes the Centauri are bluffing and to prove it, he sends a single merchant ship past the Centauri battlecruiser. When the battlecruiser doesn't fire and allows the merchant vessel to leave unharmed, the crew in the command center applauds their commander's seeming victory, and Torqueman congratulates him. However, a Narn G'Quan-Class Heavy Cruiser suddenly exits hyperspace and attacks the Centauri battlecruiser. A fierce battle erupts between the two ships; Sheridan frantically tries to get the ships to stop fighting, but to no avail. The Narn cruiser destroys the Centauri cruiser, but is heavily damaged in the process. When it tries to flee, its jump engines explode and the Narn cruiser is also destroyed. Torqueman concludes the segment of "36 Hours" by stating that, while Babylon 5 is definitely a dangerous place and will continue to be a source of controversy and conflict, it should also be given more time to fulfill the dreams of its founders.

[edit] Arc significance

  • The Centauri are transporting illegal mass driver weapons for use against the Narn. A few episodes later these weapons will be used by the Centauri to bombard the Narn homeworld with large meteors.
  • The Narn have lost 6 of the 7 most recent battles in the Narn-Centauri War; and they are losing the war.
  • Public support on Earth for the Babylon 5 Project is declining, and a growing number of Earth Alliance Senators oppose continued funding and support for the Babylon 5 station.
  • Hidoshi, previously most vocal supporter of B5 and visible member of the Earth Alliance Senate, is no longer a Senator

[edit] Production Details

  • The Psi-Corps commercial contains subliminal messaging: during the closing of the commercial "Trust the Corps, the Corps is your friend" flashes on the screen.

[edit] External links