Trollheart

QUOTES
Londo, taking possession of The Eye:
Courier: "Nice piece of jewellery, isn't it?"
Londo: "Great Maker! This is not a piece of jewellery. This is not "the merchandise. This is the Eye, the oldest symbol of Centauri nobility, property of the first Emperor. It comes from the earliest days of the Republic, lost over a hundred years ago at the Battle of Nashok."
Courier: "I know the story, Ambassador. And I'm glad it means something to you, but to me it's just another commission. My job is to find things --- objects, people, you name it. And now that I've got my payment I'll be on my way."
Londo: "Payment indeed! My government paid enough to buy a small planet. But I would very much like to know how you got your hands on this,"
Courier: "No. You wouldn't."

Londo and G'Kar have a heated argument as they wait for the lift: this is about the only moment of comic relief in a dark, moody, portent-heavy episode, and as ever, it comes from the inspired pairing of Peter Jurasik and the late, lamented Andreas Katsulas.

Londo (after G'Kar has pressed the button for the lift): "I pressed it already."
G'Kar: "I have pressed it again."
Londo: "Ah. (Pause) I hear there is a famine on your world's southern frontier. My condolences."
G'Kar: "You should have thought of that before you strip-mined our resources."
Londo: "Ah, so it is all our fault, hmm?"
G'Kar: "Precisely."
Londo: "I have noticed that your own people have continued to exploit your world's resources, to build the mighty Narn war machine."
G'Kar: "We have to protect ourselves!"
Londo: "By doing to yourselves what you say we did to you? Ah! That's evolution for you!"
(Through this conversation the two ambassadors are waiting for the lift with one human, one on either side of him, and he looks very uncomfortable in the middle, trying to ignore both)
G'Kar: "Now see here..."
Londo: "You should look upon this famine as a blessing, Ambassador. A weeding out of the excess population!"
G'Kar: "One more comment like that, Mollari, and you will become part of the excess population!"
Londo: "P***h! Threats! Now you can go to Hell!"
G'Kar: "And you can kiss my pouch, you ---"
(In the middle of this exchange, the lift arrives and the grateful human legs it, leaving the two ambassadors glaring at each other, declaring in unison "Now look what you made me do!")

Morden visits three of the ambassadors while at Babylon 5, (four if you include Kosh, though he initially avoids him and seems to have no intention of meeting him) and asks them the same question. Oddly enough, he does not go to Sinclair, though later we will understand the reason for that. It seems that he is looking for a particular answer, and the way he reacts to the three different replies tells its own story, and will become more clear in seasons to come.

G'Kar, representative of the Narn Regime, a recently-occupied and oppressed people, just getting back on their collective feet after having been under the boot of a foreign power. A people thirsty for revenge. A young race, an impressionable, impulsive one?

G'Kar: "I'm not sure I understand the question, Mr...?"
Morden: "Morden."
G'Kar: "Yes, Morden. Who did you say authorised this little chat?"
Morden: "Councillor Chu'bar. First Circle."
G'Kar: "And does he know what this is about?"
Morden: "No. But in order to see someone of your prominence, I had to get a recommendation. He provided it. You still haven't answered my question, Ambassador: what do you want?"
G'Kar: "What do you mean, what do I want?"
Morden: "What do you want?"
G'Kar: "What do I want for supper? What do I want to do this evening? What do ---"
Morden: "What do you want?"
G'Kar: "This is pointless! What I want is for you to go away and leave me in peace."
Morden: "As you say." (Goes to leave. G'Kar thinks it over for a moment)
G'Kar: "Wait! What do I want? The Centauri stripped my world. I want justice."
Morden: "But what do you want?"
G'Kar: "To suck the marrow from their bones and grind their skulls to powder."
Morden: "What do you want?"
G'Kar: "To tear down their cities! Blacken their sky! Sow their ground with salt. To completely, utterly erase them!"
Morden: "And then what?"
G'Kar: "I don't know. As long as my homeworld's safety is guaranteed, I don't know that it matters."
Morden: "I see. Well, thank you very much for your time, Amabassador. Good day."

The Minbari, one of the oldest races, and indeed with a certain involvement with the Vorlons. In essence, it can be view as strange that Morden visits Delenn, unless he is unaware of her connection to Kosh and his people, because he clearly does not want to deal with the Vorlons. He should also know that the Minbari are a peaceful race, and very cerebral and slow to act in anger, but perhaps he is viewing them through the lens of the Earth/Minbari war. However, he gets more than he bargained for, though he does not seem to realise it at the time.

Delenn: "What is the purpose of your question, Mr ... Morden, is it?"
Morden: "The question is its own purpose, Ambassador Delenn. What do you want?"
Delenn: "I am informed you have just seen Ambassador G'Kar. Are you asking each of us this question?"
Morden: "Perhaps. Does that invalidate the question?"
Delenn: "No, but it makes me wonder..."
(here she cuts off, becoming faint. Morden feigns concern)
Morden: "Something wrong, Ambassador?"
Delenn: "No, just a moment of fatigue."
Morden: "Ambassador?"
Delenn: "Leave me. Get out! Now!" (after Morden leaves) "They're here..."

Had Morden been better informed, or more alive to the situation, had he seen the triangle that appeared on Delenn's forehead (he doesn't, as she covers it and turns away from him) perhaps he might have realised that he had made something of a major mistake in coming to the Minbari. As it is, he assumes he is simply not wanted here and will not get an answer to his question. When Delenn sees the dark shadow over him, it is a presentiment of horrors to come, and also perhaps a race memory, from a people who have seen his kind before.

And finally, Londo. The Centauri, Morden will know or have been informed, are a broken people. Once proud masters of the galaxy, with a star-spanning empire and subjects by the millions, the emergence of other, younger races, the first steps of Mankind into space coupled with their bruising occupation of Narn and its attendant guerilla war by the inhabitants of that planet, have stretched their resources, weakened their position and forced them onto the sidelines. If anyone can be expected to jump at the chance to reestablish themselves in the places of power, it surely must be the fading Centauri Republic. If only Morden can get Londo to indicate that this is indeed what they, and he, want.

Morden (as Londo is leaving with The Eye): "Ah, Ambassador Mollari. I was just coming to see you. My name is..."
Londo: "Sorry, but I don't have time to chat right now. I suggest you make an appointment."
Morden: "I did."
Londo: "Then make another one. (to himself) Never a transport tube when you need one!"
Morden: "Ambassador, I was authorised to speak to you by ..."
Londo: "Yes! Yes! Look: what do you want?"
Morden: "That's what I was going to ask you! What do you want?"
Londo: "You are a lunatic. Go away. Pester someone else." (The transport tube doors open, he steps in. Morden follows him) You are a very persistent young man."
Morden: "I have to be. I'm not allowed to leave here until you answer my question. What do you want?"
Londo: "This is a silly conversation."
Morden: "Yes it is. What do you want?"
Londo: "To be left alone!" (The tube reaches his destination and the doors open. He walks out. Morden remains in the tube).
Morden: "Is that it? Is that really all, Ambassador?"
Londo: "All right. Fine. You really want to know what I want? You really want to know the truth? I want my people to reclaim their rightful place in the galaxy. I want to see the Centauri stretch forth their hand again, and command the stars. I want a rebirth of glory, a renaissance of power. I want to stop running through my life, like a man late for an appointment, afraid to look back, or to look forward. I want us to be what we used to be. I want it all back the way that it was! Does that answer your question?"
Morden: "Yes. Yes it does."

This is a speech that will set in motion a chain of events which initially will give Londo what he wants indeed, but which will at length sweep him along like a helpless swimmer caught in a tsuanami, unable to stop the tide, knowing that it will destroy everything in its wake, and that somehow it is his fault. He will regret those words, that speech, voicing that seemingly unattainable desire, but not immediately. The full gravity and despair of the events that begin to unfold here, and that will spiral totally out of control, will not be made apparent to him until it is far too late, and not only for him.

Mister Morden departs. He has his answer. And the galaxy waits and shudders.

However, as he leaves, Kosh warns him "Leave this place. They are not for you. Go. Leave. Now."

Garibaldi explains to Sinclair what he has found out about the Battle of the Line, and his part in it.
Garibaldi: "I dug around a little and... look, Jeff, you probably know you weren't first in line to run this place."
Sinclair: "I suspected as much. I was surprised when they called me. How far down the list was I?"
Garibaldi: "Pretty far. I mean, despite all its problems this is still a high-profile job, a real plum. Admirals, generals, the whole brass was lined up hoping to get it, but every name was rejected until they got to you."
Sinclair: "Rejected by who?"
Garibaldi: "The Minbari government. They were first to sign on to support Babylon 5, on the condition that they had approval on who ran this place. They wanted you."

Morden's parting gift to Londo. The ambassador believes his career here is finished, with the loss of The Eye, until Morden turns up with it.
Morden: "Good evening Ambassador."
Londo: "You! Go away! It's late: I'm in no mood for your games."
Morden: "I'm leaving shortly; I got what I came for. But before I go .... a gift. From friends that you don't know you have." (He proffers the box to Londo, and while the ambassador opens it disbelievingly, he leaves the room. When Londo sees what is in the box, he turns in amazement)
Londo: "The Eye! How ---?" But Morden is gone. He looks out into the corridor. Nothing. "Where did you go, eh?" he calls into the air. "Let me buy you a drink! Let me buy you an entire fleet of drinks! How can I ever find you to thank you?"
From down the corridor, its origin no longer seen, comes the reply: "We will find you, Ambassador. We will find you."

Though he does not realise it at the time, this is a chilling warning, a dire warning of the storm yet to break.

And so, as the arc begins its slow turn, we have some questions that need to be answered. Many will not be resolved for several seasons, some will be known by the end of this one, but almost all will lead to bigger and more complex conundrums.

QUESTIONS
What is the odd alien ship that attacks the raiders' ship? And why does it attack? Where has it come from, and to where does it go after the attack?

How did Morden recover The Eye?

Who is this cold, strange little man who seems to wield such power that he doesn't even fear Kosh?

Why does Kosh tell him to leave, and what does he mean by "they are not for you?"

What is the fate of Babylon 5? Will it really be destroyed, as the Lady Ladira foresaw?

Why did the Minbari want Sinclair to be the one to run the station? What is their connection to Babylon 5?

What does Delenn mean when she says "They're here", and what did she see when she looked at Morden? Why the darkness? And what was the weird little triangle that appeared on her forehead?

Morden is obviously the agent or emissary of someone far more powerful than he. Who is this entity, group, organisation, person or race? And why are they so interested in what people want?

Why does he not approach the human leadership of the station, ie Sinclair?

Get ready folks: the ride begins here!

A few more points: this is the first time we see an introduction of a character called Corwin. He will later become of somewhat minor importance, for a time, climaxing in having his name in the credits at the start, but it doesn't quite work out. This episode --- and indeed this series --- is I think unique certainly in sci-fi but possibly also in major drama, in that it is the only one I can recall that features the characters actually going to visit the toilet (well, apart from "Hill Street Blues", where someone was always wrecking the gents, setting it on fire, or having impromptu meetings there!) --- even Jack Bauer, in "24", never seems to have the time to take a piss! It's nice to see that JMS kept this basic human need/imperative and showed us that yes, on regular occasions, just like us, his characters have to visit the little boys' room. I think this makes the show that much more real.

Finally, check the pilot episode again, near the beginning. That control technician in the opening sequence? Look familiar? Look again. Yeah, it's him: Ed Wasser, who plays Mr. Morden. But is it just coincidence, or is he supposed to have been the character, watching and waiting, plotting on the sidelines, observing the events unfolding as Kosh arrives at Babylon 5? We'll never know, as JMS has refused to tell. But it's an interesting hypothesis.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018