B5 ep. "Divided Loyalties:" So what was Garibaldi thinking? ***SPOILERS***

Cafe Society
1

In this episode (2.19), we find that Talia Winters is a mole for “Bureau 13,” (I think) with an implanted “inner personality” that has just manifested itself.

Later, the captain and officers are discussing how it was a good thing it came out then and not a week or so later–and what they could do to forestall another potential mole. Here’s the dialogue after that point:

(Captain Sheridan)
“Is there anything else we can use to protect ourselves if necessary?”

(Cut to Garibaldi, recalling past conversations with Talia)

(Fragments of Talia’s conversations, in flashback)
“I think I might be having a problem with Ambassador Kosh.”
“. . . and I kept getting these images in my head.”
“. . . it was deliberately provoked.”

(Talia, now speaking to Kosh in flashback)
“What was on that data crystal [the VICAR] gave you?” (“Deathwalker,” ep. 1.9)

(Kosh)
“Reflection. . . Surprise. . . Terror. . . for the future.”
(end of flashback, now Garibaldi answers the Captain)
“There may be something else. Let me investigate. I’ll get back to you.”

And that’s it. The episode ends with Lyta speaking to Kosh, telling him that she has to leave, but she’d like to see him once more–at which point we see his suit open and here the foreshadowing flapping of–could it be–wings?

But nothing on Garibaldi’s “investigation,” and I don’t recall any follow-up on it. Apparently it gave Garibaldi some idea, but I must have missed something. Talia was history by that point–much to the dismay of Ivanova (and all us guys that were hoping for a lot more.:D)

And, unrelated to the question at hand, in this episode (I think it’s this one), De’Lenn is heard speaking into a recording device saying something to the effect of “I don’t think we’ll be able to finish this treaty with the Lumati.” Apparently she wasn’t willing to perform those various “Acts of Sacrifice” that Ivanova did episode 2.12. (And just what was that present???)

2

I see someone gets the Sci-Fi Channel. :wink:

Good book to read is The Babylon Files, both volumes - it talks a LOT about this stuff. If you really want the whole story, check out The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5 - far more information than you ever needed to know. :wink:

As to the specific episode, JMS was good at long-lived storylines, but he didn’t clean up every single thread. It also could have been Talia’s “implanted personality” that let misleading info leak to Garibaldi so he’d suspect Kosh. In the end, it was probably just some kind of foreshadowing about Kosh and his involvement with the war against the Shadows. Similarly, my housemates were having a discussion about Lady Morella’s prediction that Londo still had three chances to avoid the fire that awaited him, and that he’d already missed two chances. What were they? Did he take advantage of them? Do you have anything worth living for?

Oh, sorry. :wink:

Esprix

3

I think you may have missed the point, Esprix. IIRC, Sheridan was asking for ways to protect themselves against Talia being used directly against them, now that her original personality had resurfaced. The data crystal that the vicar gave to Kosh represented such a defense.

4

Oh, oh, oh, duh. :slight_smile:

Hmmm. That’s a toughie. I’ll have to check the book.

Esprix

5

I think it was ment to be used if Andrea Thompson (Talia) hadn’t left the show. Remember that each character had several points in the show where the character could be written out, those points generally were still played, just had a different conclusion. Franklins drug abuse, Garabaldi’s alcoholism/betrayal, Dilenns chrysalis, and similar.

6

Londo had three chances to redeem. One, he must not destroy the eye that can not see(or “I” that can not see). Two, he must not kill the one who is already dead. Three, if he fails the other two, he must give into his greatest fear even if he knows it will consume him.

SPOILER!

He destroys the eye.
He does save Sheridan(who died at Z’ha’dum)
He does give into his greatest fear, death at the hands of G’Kar.

7

Or was “giving in to his greatest fear” sacrificing himself (and his control, something he valued greatly) to his Keeper? Hmmm? And in the end, is he redeemed?

Esprix

8

I thought prediction 2 was fulfilled in Londo killing Morden, “the one who is already dead”. I’m still not sure about the eye that cannot see, and the third prediction can go either way. I personally concur with Mahaloth on that one.

9

Okay, geek weighing in here. I’ve debated this with friends and here’s our two cents, for what it’s worth. :slight_smile:

1.) Not eye. I. A play on words; Londo must not harm himself. I think this refers to when he reaccepted Mr. Morden’s help after Morden poisoned Adira. Londo didn’t see the situation for what it was (tricked by Morden) and by agreeing to associate with Mr. Morden again he unknowingly set into motion events that would lead to his death. Certainly if he had refused Morden, specific events would have been avoided.
2.) Mr. Morden is the one who is already dead. By killing Morden, he ensures that Centuri Prime will be the target of revenge by the Shadows’ allies.
3.) By missing the first two, he has cause the situation where he is given a Keeper. That’s the sacrifice he had to do.

I could be right, I could be wrong. Only JMS knows.

Oh, and as far as the OP, I figured (off camera) that Kosh’s recordings of Talia’s mind was used by Garibaldi to keep the “new” personality from telling the Psi Corps anything about their conspiracy (not that she had been brought into the middle of it yet, but she still knew things that would have been damaging to Sheridan and crew). After all, if I’m not mistaken, didn’t Bester later in the series make an offhanded comment that Talia proved so useless they resorted to dissecting her to gain any type of information?

10

I always thought the eye bit was about g’kar

I offer this little blurb from the lurker’s guide

11

“Let the rest of the universe burn, I don’t care…”

  • Londo

Careful what you wish for - especially around Mr. Morden.

(On another note, I actually met Ed Wasser, who played Mr. Morden, at a college sci-fi con. He spent the first half of his speech talking about the things he liked - love, earth, happiness, poetry, crystals… I kid you not. He was soooooooo hopeful it wouldn’t happen, but once he opened the floor to questions… “So, what was it like being so eeeeeeeeeeeevil?” You could just see the disappointment cross his face.)

Esprix