The Fall of Night

From The Great Machine

Episode Title: The Fall of Night
Episode Number: S2E22
Original Air Date: November 1, 1995
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2003
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Director: Janet Greek
Guest Stars: Roy Dotrice, John Vickery, Rick Hamilton, Robin Sachs

1 Preview
2 Synopsis
- 2.1 Main Plot
3 Characters
- 3.1 Season 2 Cast

[edit] Preview

Earth's response to continued Centauri aggression is to send the team of Mr. Lantze and Mr. Welles but their mission isn't what Sheridan expects.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot, character development, or ending details follow.

The Centauri conquest of Narn explodes into open aggression against other races as well.

A Narn heavy cruiser arrives and requests sanctuary at B5, to which Sheridan agrees.

Representatives from the Ministry of Peace arrive, and after much manipulation and machination, declare that Earth has reached a peace accord with the Centauri.

As part of the Ministry of Peace's Nightwatch program, paid informers among the station crew are obliged to report unusual events to the Ministry, including the hush-hush communication with the surviving Narn cruiser.

Londo summons a Centauri warship to force Sheridan to release the Narns into Centauri custody. When Sheridan refuses, a battle ensues and, while both B5 and the Narn cruiser survive, Sheridan is ordered to publicly apologize to Londo for the destruction of the Centauri ship.

En route to his reluctant apology in the station's "Zen Garden," Sheridan finds a bomb in his car on the station's central core shuttle. Leaping out into mid-air, Sheridan escapes the exploding transport car, but he cannot escape the station's increasing gravity as he falls toward the outer wall. Only a miracle can save him.

At Delenn's insistence, such a miracle emerges when Kosh reveals himself to save Sheridan. So long as the Shadows are not aware that knowledge of their activity has spread beyond the Vorlons, Delenn says, there is still time to prepare for the coming war.

But Warren Keffer's final unauthorized mission to track down a Shadow vessel in hyperspace, may have just blown the fledgling alliance's cover. (Attrib: B5 LogBook [1])

[edit] Main Plot

A surviving Narn heavy cruiser enters Babylon 5 space. Sheridan must decide what to do with it and its crew.
Lieutenant Warren Keffer violates direct orders (see Confessions and Lamentations) and pursues a Shadow vessel in hyperspace. He does not survive the encounter.
Frederick Lantze negotiates a non-aggression pact with the Centauri.
Mr. Welles tries to recruit Ivanova into the Nightwatch.
An attempt is made on Sheridan's life; his rescuer is quite unexpected.