Babylon 5, "Into the Fire", S04E06, OAD 2/3/97 *spoilers*

[gchance]

Guide page: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/072.html

"Now get the hell out of our galaxy, both of you!"

Thanks to jury duty, I wasn't able to watch this episode in time. I wanted SO badly to comment on it.

I will say two things though:

* What the HELL?!?! We're only SIX episodes into S4! What now?
* Vir got what he wanted! This is the moment I ALWAYS point to when I'm telling people about B5. The loooooong payoff. And if I'm not mistaken, he's the ONLY person who truly got what he wanted.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/Wave_like_this.jpg/300px-Wave_like_this.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/3025970767_05d768c9e0.jpg
Enjoy. :)

Greg

[Craigbob]

Yep, another wham episode and Joe really delivers the goods.

I think at the time the CGI was among the most complex done on TV. It certainly raised the bar on other shows.

Vir being the only one to get what he wanted was cool. I waited a long time to see if he would get his request.

Londo blowing the island of Celini is similar to the bombing of Coventry during WWII and more recently in B5 with Sheridan, and Morden in the Shadow of Za'Ha'Dum.

Come to think of it Vir's desire came to light in Shadow as well.

Interesting concept using Morden's voice for the Shadows.

I guess the fight for Earth is left.

But this really shows how compressed S4 really is. The Shadow war should have ended a few eps later like around ep 10 or 12 if I were to hazard a guess.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Vir being the only one to get what he wanted was cool. I waited a long time to see if he would get his request.
Didn't everybody get what they wanted? Londo certainly did...

Vir was just the only one to be very happy about it in the end.

[doom1701]

This is one of a couple of episodes that just whams you in the gut. And while the end of the shadow war the the galaxy now belonging to the younger races is definately the "arc" piece of the ep, to me the most powerful scenes in the ep (some of the most powerful in the series) is the stuff on Centauri Prime.

[aintnosin]

The only complaint about this episode is that, because they thought they had to wrap up the main story lines for season 4, this episode seemed little rushed. I'm not sure but I think I've heard that, if they had known they were going to get five years, "Into the Fire" would have been a two-parter.

[Craigbob]

Didn't everybody get what they wanted? Londo certainly did...

Vir was just the only one to be very happy about it in the end.


I'd argue your point that Londo got what he wanted:

"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 .. I want it all back, the way that it was. Does that answer your question?"

Londo most definitely did not get that. He got an aggressive, Centauri, but I would hardly say that they were glorious, and commanded the galaxy. Nor do I think that it was back the way it was before.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Londo most definitely did not get that. He got an aggressive, Centauri, but I would hardly say that they were glorious, and commanded the galaxy. Nor do I think that it was back the way it was before.
Not having been there, it's hard for me to be sure, but I'm guessing it was EXACTLY like it was before. Not like Londo fantasized it was, but how it really was.

Empire-building is an ugly thing, and being in the middle of it is dangerous and terrifying. I'd say Londo's wish, and its fulfillment, was a "be careful what you ask for" scenario.

[aintnosin]

Not having been there, it's hard for me to be sure, but I'm guessing it was EXACTLY like it was before. Not like Londo fantasized it was, but how it really was.

Empire-building is an ugly thing, and being in the middle of it is dangerous and terrifying. I'd say Londo's wish, and its fulfillment, was a "be careful what you ask for" scenario.
However, at the end, as seen in "War Without End," he most certainly had not gotten what he wanted.

[doom1701]

The only complaint about this episode is that, because they thought they had to wrap up the main story lines for season 4, this episode seemed little rushed. I'm not sure but I think I've heard that, if they had known they were going to get five years, "Into the Fire" would have been a two-parter.

JMS said that, but he also said that, looking back, he's not sure if there really would have been anything else in the episode other than more CGI.

I think that they really couldn't have stretched it out; the war didn't end with a grand battle--it ended with a statement. Any more "battle" would have removed the impact that the actual ending did have.

[gchance]

I'm a little more than disappointed that watching it now, long after all the behind the scenes facts have come to light, that we have to discuss them.

Not knowing that the series may not be back for S5 really made for some interesting surprises. I didn't find out that it might be cancelled after S4 until the last 4 or 5 episodes. I called the local affiliate to complain about the fact that Hercules had taken B5's timeslot, said something to the effect of, "It's been cancelled, so we want something that gets ratings in its place." A week or two later it was announced that S5 would be on TNT.

Greg

[JYoung]

Vir's getting what he wants was awesome.
You have to wonder if Londo did it because of how Vir felt after killing Cartagia.

And I do have to say that I was surprised how they ended the Shadow War.
John Nuke-em Sheriden strikes again.
Yes, Sheriden had a strategy but it was more social than military in nature.

Favorite line?
"They're pissed"

The CGI is much improved at this point and only looks a little fuzzy on the HDTV.

One other thing I noticed on the big screen TV, in The Long Night, a lot of the Narn extras weren't wearing red contact lenses.

[gchance]

After finally watching this, I can't believe how many of my favorite Babylon5 moments are here. We have:

* Londo finding out it was Morden who killed Adira, and not Refa. HOLY CRAP, man. Yes, it's melodramatic. Yes, it's over the top. But it's all in a good way, the acting is fabulous, the directing is fabulous, the camera work. The way the camera spins around Londo as he's losing it has always been one of my favorite moments of the series.
* Vir getting what he wants, of course
* Aw, hell!!! (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6669306#post6669306) I was yelled at for saying it before. :)
* I love the way the Centauri guards subtly back off before the two by Londo's side shoot the Shadows next to Morden.

So on the way to work this morning I got to thinking. What happened to Londo's wife? I say wife, because he kicked all the other ones to the curb. Not that it's important, it just popped into my mind.

Greg

[Craigbob]

After finally watching this, I can't believe how many of my favorite Babylon5 moments are here. We have:

* Londo finding out it was Morden who killed Adira, and not Refa. HOLY CRAP, man. Yes, it's melodramatic. Yes, it's over the top. But it's all in a good way, the acting is fabulous, the directing is fabulous, the camera work. The way the camera spins around Londo as he's losing it has always been one of my favorite moments of the series.
* Vir getting what he wants, of course
* Aw, hell!!! (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6669306#post6669306) I was yelled at for saying it before. :)
* I love the way the Centauri guards subtly back off before the two by Londo's side shoot the Shadows next to Morden.

So on the way to work this morning I got to thinking. What happened to Londo's wife? I say wife, because he kicked all the other ones to the curb. Not that it's important, it just popped into my mind.

Greg


Yeah, I love how the guards sidle off out of the range of fire too.

IIRC, much of what happens to Londo's wife is covered in the Centauri Prime trilogy of books.

[gchance]

IIRC, much of what happens to Londo's wife is covered in the Centauri Prime trilogy of books.

As if I'd ever find them, much less read them. Heh.

Greg

[busyba]

What are these "books" things of which you speak? Is it something that can be viewed on a TiVo? :D :p

[aintnosin]

What are these "books" things of which you speak? Is it something that can be viewed on a TiVo? :D :pNo, you download them to your Kindle.