Trollheart

Season One: Signs and portents --- Points on the Arc
At the end of each season I'll recap on the main arc points, going back to where I mentioned them in previous episodes and examining how, or if, they have resolved themselves by the end of that season. As each season progresses, this section may then stretch back into previous seasons.

The Battle of the Line
Arc Level: Orange
So, what have we learned about the Battle of the Line, and Commander Sinclair's part in it? Well, to be fair, not a huge amount. We have discovered that he was captured while trying to ram a Minbari cruiser, was taken aboard their ship and examined, possibly tortured, and that Delenn was present. We've also seen that whatever they saw when they examined him, the Minbari were impressed/scared/shocked enough not only to return him alive to his people, but to ensure that he was awarded the job of running Babylon 5 when it was built. In fact, to give their request weight they lent a lot of support, both political and one would assume financial, to the Babylon project. The command of Babylon 5 being awarded to such a low-level officer has annoyed many in higher positions, and Sinclair has not only made enemies, but been accused of being in cahoots with the Minbari, in effect doing their bidding. This may or may not be the case, but it's abundantly clear that the destiny of the commander is tied in inextricably with the Minbari people, and perhaps Delenn in particular.

Narn vs Centauri
Arc Level: Red
To be fair, up to now we've really only seen skirmishes between G'Kar and Londo, as representatives and ambassadors of these races. They've almost toyed with each other, kind of like best enemies but apart from a few isolated occasions there's been nothing of any major concern. Now, in the final episode of season one, things are ramping up. At the beginning, Londo is angry about the establishment of a Narn post on the border of Centauri space, and issues a dark warning to his adversary. Later, despite that threat, he is aghast to find that Morden has had the entire installation destroyed, and it's clear that, whether he was totally complicit in this act or not, Mollari's involvement is bound to become known, after which there will be no more easy rivalry between the two races. Indeed, in season two the pressure is ramped up on the Narn and this sector of space will be torn apart. Londo, thus far mostly a figure of fun, is slowly being overtaken by a very dark shadow which will cast itself across the rest of his life, and the galaxy too. Season two is going to be a lot darker. The time for easy banter is coming very quickly to an end.

G'Kar, for his part, seems to have his own suspicions as to what may have happened, and has returned to Narn to put his theory to the test. He too realises the time for sparring is over, and he must act if he is to save his people. He is afraid of the future, but not afraid to face it. Already he has begun to subtly change, from the militant, belligerent person he was at the start to a more thoughtful, pragmatic one.

Vorlons
Arc Level: Red
Despite a whole season gone by now we still know very little about these mysterious aliens. We have seen that they are connected in some way to the Minbari; Delenn at least seems to defer to Kosh, almost as if she were his servant. The only real impact the Vorlons have had on any of the races so far has been to destroy the anti-ageing serum brought to Babylon 5 by Deathwalker, telling Sinclair "You are not ready for immortality". Kosh himself has rarely been seen and hardly ever takes part in the councils on the station, seeming disinterested in the affairs of the other races, but what is he hiding underneath that encounter suit? And why does he speak in those riddles? Also, what does he mean when he says "It has begun"?

We can also infer, from Morden's avoidance of and then confrontation with him, that he and his associates do not like, or perhaps fear the Vorlon, and when they do meet it seems they can cause damage to Kosh, as his suit ends up being torn. After a full season, we know about as much of the Vorlons as we did at the start!

Telepaths and Psi Corps:
Arc Level: Orange
We've seen that Psi Corps, and especially Bester, exercise control over the government of Earth, and how they almost --- or maybe literally --- run black ops either with or without the approval of the Senate or the president, but one thing is certain: they are a power to be reckoned with. Talia thinks they're a force for good, but Ivanova thinks the opposite, having seen what happened to her mother. Babylon 5 has already made an enemy of Bester, and they are made to pay for this by having an internal investigation initiated after Sinclair embarrasses Bester over the Jason Ironheart affair. Now, with the change of leadership on Earth, will their power grow? And will Babylon 5 be safe from them under the new president?

The presidential race
Arc Level: Red
I said at the beginning that the end of season one would see a seachange in the running of Earth, and so it has. President Santiago is dead, whether by accident or design cannot be proved, but Garibaldi's information would seem to point to the latter. Now the vice president is in charge, and has already indicated he will pull back from his predecessor's policy of alien appeasement. As Babylon 5 is a joint human/alien venture, what place will there be for the station in the new regime? More to the point: if the death of the president was an assassination, then surely his successor's failure to be onboard Earth Force One can only be seen as at best complicity and at worst blame for the attempt. Did Clark want Santiago out of the way? Was he just making a power play, or are there other elements in the mix here? Is the now president of Earth working for, or being controlled by, forces beyond the government?

It's interesting to note that when Santiago was trying for another term, Ivanova said she was voting for his challenger, and though he won the term she is as upset as anyone when he is killed. I suppose it's a hard thing to witness, whether you agree with the leader's policies or not: nobody wishes to see their leader killed.

Satai Delenn
Arc Level: Green
It has been hinted at that Delenn is a member of the Grey Council, the shadowy conclave that akes policy and basically rules the Minbari, handing out edicts from their cruiser floating through space. Now we learn this is certainly true, and she has been offered the leadership of that council, but turns it down because she believes her work on Babylon 5 to be more important. This will also have quite the repercussion later, when we see who has been chosen in her stead.

Homeguard
Arc Level: Orange
We've met this organisation already once, and it's clear they're very anti-alien. Could they be behind the alleged assassination of President Santiago? Having a man in power who is obviously sympathetic to their point of view would certainly help further their cause.

Morden
Arc Level: Red
Who the hell is he? When we first met him he was little more than a messenger, trying to find out from each of the ambassadors what they desired most, and in the process settling on Mollari. Now he has used whatever influence he has to destroy an entire colony, and makes a smiling but chilling response to Londo's question of the price of his help. And later we see him surrounded by weird, alien beings who he seems to be in league with. He talks of Mollari doing what they want. So what do they want, and who are they? And are they tied in with the huge spider ships that we have seen twice now?

Babylon's Burning
Arc Level: Red
In "Signs and portents" we saw the Lady Ladira's vision, through Sinclair's eyes, as the station tore itself apart and exploded. Now, in "Babylon squared", he sees the same thing, as Garibaldi holds off whoever the invaders are and tells Sinclair to get going. Is this a vision of a future to come? Ladira told Sinclair it was a possible future, and she hoped it might be avoided. But how, if they don't even know what's going on, when this attack will come, who it will be and why? Is Babylon 5 doomed?

"Chrysalis"
Arc Level: Red
At least we now know what this meant, and why Delenn was so quick to try to shut the idea out of Alissa Beldon's mind when she realised she had detected it. Whatever Delenn is doing in the cocoon, whatever is happening to her, it seems vital that she has to go ahead with her plan, and had it been discovered it is perhaps possible that she might have been stopped. Now she is inside the chrysalis, and nobody can stop what is about to happen.

Free Mars/The Mars rebellion
Arc Level: Red
We know a bit more about Mars now. We know that Sinclair was born there, and that Garibaldi lived there, and was stationed there before he took up his position as head of security on Babylon 5. The rebellion on Mars was put down fairly quickly, though not without loss of life. What effect is the change of leadership on Earth going to have on the colony? Will they lobby the new president for their independence, and will he be prepared to grant it? If he sees the Martian colonists as technically aliens, then the chances of Clark being sympathetic to their cause is not good. Chances are this can only get worse.

Babylon 4
Arc level: Red
Just so you know, there will be no further mention of Babylon 5's predecessor until well into season three, but when it comes back into the story... oh man!

SEASON ONE RECAP
And finally, a quick recap of the important points of this season.

Babylon 5, a space station constructed in neutral territory in an attempt to bring humans and aliens together in a spirit of peace, becomes the focal point around which many of the major events taking place in that sector of the galaxy revolve. The Narn and the Centauri, two races at each other's throats for centuries, vie for power and support while the human commander of the station tries to come to terms with what happened at the Battle of the Line, Earth's last stand against the Minbari, at which the aliens inexplicably surrendered on the very cusp of victory. The Minbari have a special interest in Sinclair, but nobody knows why.

A strange man called Morden comes to the station, offering his help. Londo takes him up on this and his influence at court grows, but tensions are growing among his people and the Narns. When Morden returns and offers to solve Mollari's problem, a Narn outpost which is causing the Centauri security concerns, the outpost is obliterated by the same spider-shaped ships that retrieved the missing Centauri artifact for Londo when Morden first offered his help.

Sinclair and Ivanova find a gargantuan machine which seems to be powering the planet over which the station orbits, and a friend of Delenn's takes the place of the alien who has been operating it. Babylon 4, which had mysteriously disappeared years ago, reappears but then vanishes again, but not before Sinclair meets an alien who tells him the station is to be used in a great war. Finally, on New Year's Day 2258 Garibaldi is shot when he discovers a plot to assassinate the president of Earth. Sinclair tries to pass his concerns on but it is too late, and President Santiago dies in an explosion as his ship goes down over the transfer point at Io. Vice president Morgan Clark is sworn in as the new president of Earth.

As all this occurs, Delenn goes to Kosh, the Vorlon ambassador, and then retreats into some sort of coccoon, from which she cannot be removed. As a new year begins, we can only guess at what 2259 has in store for the crew of Babylon 5.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018