For my next trick I thought I'd step into Babylon 5: The Movie Collection for In The Beginning with direction by personal favorite Michael Vejar. I believe I am reasonably safe to delve into this film with the conclusion of Season Four of Babylon 5 based on input from you. This is the highly touted prequel to the creation of the station centering on Earth and the Minbari. Like my ignorance with the series I know nothing about this film or who is in it. So here we go.
It is immediately notable the transfer for this film appears fairly sharp and the colors vibrant. I have noted there are moments where the film quality slips and looks fairly VHS. They really should do something about cleaning up Babylon 5 on the whole. So much detail is really overlooked due to poor film quality. Perhaps someday they will take on that challenge and that would be a good time to re-review.
It is Earth Year 2278.
Lefcourt inquires with Londo about a race called Minbari. The Earth representative indicates Earth's plan to send a dispatch to the edge of their world to see if they pose a threat to Earth's sphere of influence. Earth is clearly acting in a non-isolationist/ imperialistic fashion. Lefcourt understands a third of the Minbari population is dedicated to warfare. Londo clarifies it is a warrior caste and "not exactly the same thing hmm."
On Minbar, the caste elders reject the Anlashok [The Rangers] at a critical juncture in Minbari history when they are needed most. The leader of the Anlashok, Lenonn, is visited by six Minbari and lifted aboard a great ship via a beam of light. He is taken to the Grey Council's vessel.
Londo, while he tells his story to the children, indicates one of the great truths of the Earth-Minbari War. He is as guilty as they come with much blood on his hands. The war was as much a result of his own actions.
On Earth, Sheridan sits before Lefcourt. Sheridan is so well-groomed and looks so young. He looks like a pup compared to his last meeting with Lefcourt. Make-up is a wonderful thing. We certainly understand their relationship based upon some of what we learned in Season Four, Episode 20, Endgame. Lecourt assigns Sheridan as first officer of the mission to Minbari space on the Prometheus. Sheridan protests mildly indicating the Captain of the ship does not handle "first contact situations" well. It does not go well. This is a good sequence.
Delenn converses with her master, Dukhat, indicating she senses a Vorlon is among them. Dukhat indirectly gives Delenn an acknowledgement of the Vorlons' presence.
Arthur in color.
Earth's greatest morale boosters! Mr. Happy and Mr. Happier.
This is the ultimate reamer of all butt-reamers! No question about it.
With the Lexington undergoing repairs, Lefcourt introduces Sheridan to G'Kar. Lefcourt is planning to have a Narn cruiser deliver Sheridan to a possible Minbari meeting. Segments of their government are looking to make contact. Sheridan is obviously the man for the mission or as Sheridan puts it, "and I'm expendable." Sheridan will be sent along with Dr. Franklin. Franklin has had much contact with them. His decision to go with Sheridan got him out of the brig. G'Kar will also be joining the mission for translation purposes if needed. Lefcourt indicates that if surrender is the only way out "We will surrender." It's either that or die as Earth is losing badly.
Londo tells the children that the Minbari and humans thought it might be a renegade arm of either's government, and never knew the truth. It was Londo who attacked their location ending negotiations. Peace would not be established.
With the bunker on the planet being hit Lenonn is killed in the assault but not before whispering into Sheridan's ear.
The children ask if that is the end of the story. I thought Londo was going to say that was only the beginning. Get it, In The Beginning. With the one chance for peace destroyed Londo indicates "the greatest slaughter of all still waits for us and it changed everything." Centauri Prime is in flames. All of the windows are cloaked with drapes. I think this is one of the greatest truth about Londo said best by Jurasik as Londo himself. It's quite moving to see him express his feeling in what appears to be his final days.
Londo narrates impressively over images of the war and the stubborn nobility and courage of the human race in the face of great odds is always an admirable quality.
The President of Earth looks to hold back the Minbari in the hope that what remains of Earth may escape to neutral territory and survive complete extinction.
The Minbari are close to Earth and to finishing what Earth started. "What glory is there in eliminating an entire race?," inquires Delenn. "Not as much as in the beginning" says the Minbari to Delenn. He calls it the end of their holy war. Delenn does not find it holy. She is left struggling with questions and the consequences of her decision in the end.
*
I really miss the big guy.
Sinclair is brought in for interrogation. Delenn is informed that a triluminary was being used on the human and she is summoned to come and see. I believe footage from Season One is applied here as well.
For a decade the question nagged worlds across the galaxy. Why did the Minbari surrender on the eve of victory?
I love Londo's final remark to the mother of the two children. He touches her arm and he says to her "dear lady, I would love to walk with you on a beach somewhere for just five minutes. How strange to have come so far and to want so little." Wow. Very powerful. Very simple. It's funny. I got a call just today from a cousin and we were commiserating on the stresses and responsibilities piled upon us like heaps of weights in our lives with each step forward we take. He said, "do you remember when we used to swim in the lake and lay on the dock in the middle of the water?" I did. He said, "I remember thinking when I was young how I didn't have any way out of that place. I didn't have a car or any way to escape." I knew what he was going to say next, but I was so caught up in the moment and I said, "and" and he finished "and how I wish I could have just one of those days staring up into the blue sky laying on that dock in the middle of the lake back for just a little while." Amen. He was channeling Londo and myself. Londo said it and I think about that all the time. Just give us all five minutes of peace away from it all like the deep blackness of space.
It has been good for me to step away from Babylon 5. Sometimes you can get so caught up in something it can feel like a grind and I think I was feeling that way a touch. I've been doing a bit of this and a bit of that. I've been watching some science fiction that has been a little less [ahem] challenging but fun.
This was a tremendous telefilm loaded with Babylon 5 drama. It must not be watched before the end of Season Four to be sure as so many have suggested. Having all of that viewing experience under my belt, I enjoyed how it pulled and wove so many elements to the Babylon 5 story together. It's like coming full circle at this point. This is one expensive rug indeed.
In The Beginning: A-