YGCTO Episode 8 - The Fall of Night

Babylon 5 Season 2 Episode 22: The Fall of Night

This Week’s Guest

Najmah Salam

Najmah is a multi-talented artist. She works in online production and marketing for gaming and tech. Naj is also a talented artist and musician who has a youtube channel where she covers popular songs on Ukulele. She has a youtube vlog where you can find more about her game development projects. For her music you can check out her music channelm NajMeTender.

You can find more of Najmah’s creative and professional efforts at najmahsalam.com.

Never Trust Complacency

Despite everything that happens in this episode, the smaller role G’Kar plays is the one that hits the hardest. At this point, the Narn have been undergoing a genocide at th hands of the Centauri, aided by the Shadows. G’Kar is still hopeful that Earth will come to Narn’s aid - or at least prevent them from further reaching towards other races.

G’Kar represents all of us who still have any trust in institutions to do the right thing. At the time, I believe JMS expected viewers to be at least a little suckered by the turn halfway through the episode. By today’s standards, no one will have any hope watching G’kar excitedly thinking Earth will be siding with the Narn to keep the Centauri from further subjugating his race.

Bab 5 is doing such a better job than the Star Wars prequels handling the same themes. Its spirit crushing seeing the hope in G’Kar’s eyes, knowing that Earth has no intention of stopping the Centauri. There is no direct mention of the Earth ambassador’s intentions with Centauri, only that he will meet with them. But those of us who have lived through the rise of Trump know what’s coming,

The other genius here is the second in command with the ministry, who has a side talk with Ivonava. They are clearly loyalty testing second-in-commands who could easily attain positions of power. This conversation is a microcosm of what we know is going on everywhere back on Earth with the Clark administration. After all, Clark himself got to power by killing President Santiago and taking his position.

Friends in Unexpected Places

Despite the harrowing G’Kar arc, my favorite scene was a small one near the beginning where Lennier and Vir were having a drink at the bar. The way they interacted let you know that this is a common meeting between the two of them. The fact that they almost never have any scenes together before this tells you a lot. There are worlds of interaction going on behind the main cast. All of these minor characters still have full lives on this station that we seldom get to explore. This short meeting juxtaposed against the intense politics is great to see. We still have time to be there for each other against the rise of fascism. Both on B5 and here in 2025 US.

Mike’s Image Picks

Lennier and Vir buddy it up in the Cantina

Drinking Buddies

Pilots are a superstitious lot and Keffer (Lt. Eyebrows) knows if he ever takes off the pretty pretty blue scarf, a mission will go south.

Never let me remove my smelly luck scarf

Two levels of villains. The unintentional banality of trying to do the right thing, and the skeevy dude putting pawns in position of power.

Toepick just wants to do his job and not think about creeping fascism

Skeev-o wants full fascism right now

Um... Actually... you get Five seasons. Well, not you Ivonava

A Narn ship sends a distress signal to B5. Sheridan answers the call despite knowing they are at war with the Centauri, who are about to sign a treaty with Earth. This will put Sheridan and B5 at greater odds with Earth, but he has to answer the call for help. This is almost the exact same beat as in the S3 episode “Severed Dreams”, but with much higher stakes there as Earth is already on a path to take control of B5 from Sheridan.

How could Sheridan say no to this cutie-pie?

Sheridan slightly underestimates Centauri aggression and has to put ‘em down.

Ship Big

Babylon 5 bigger

Keffer (Lt. Eyebrows) is charred from the inside as reward for finding the shadows.

Shoulda worn the scarf today

Sheridan’s transport is bombed. Luckily the gravity field will slow his fall. Though he will catch up to speed before he hits the ground, just giving him an extra minute to see his splatty future coming.

I think I can fly!

Kosh reveals his true form. Though wouldn’t he be able to make that tank-sized environment suit fly from the inside? He is ancient and powerful.

What does Kosh look like to you? I still see him as a lumbering tank.

Kosh gives up his true form to save Sheridan.

Dangerously close to a literal deus ex machina

What Did We Learn?

All hope lies in bar night

Next Episode

Wow, we’re already getting to season 3. If you’re following along at home, we cover Babylon 5: Season 3 Episode 6 “Dust to Dust” on the next full episode with special guest Alice Meichi Lee. Coming to you Sunday, November 16th.

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Cheers, all!