B5 Watchthrough: Born to the Purple
Monday, August 17th, 2020 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ariela
Born to the Purple is a Londo episode. In theory, you could skip it, since it doesn't do much that's important to the larger arc(s). We get a few more bits of info about how PsiCorps operates and hints of negotiations that affect the larger Narn-Centauri conflict. Future episodes will flash back to moments in this episode, but you'll be able to get the gist from the flashbacks themselves (though it will be more resonant if you've seen this ep).
Ironically, while this is very much a Londo episode, the main carry-over into other episodes is an Ivanova storyline, which will come back in force in TKO.
The plot is pretty simple: Londo falls in love with an exotic dancer, who's actually enslaved under Centauri law, and who steals key information from him for her captor. Our heroes figure it out, Talia uses her telepathy to figure out where the woman's captor is holding her, and Londo pays for her freedom. She goes back to Centauri Prime to heal. He gifts her with a brooch that belonged to his ancestress and tells her to "wear it proudly as a free woman," and to come back to him. This all takes place against the background of negotiations between the Narn and Centauri.
While it's a fairly rote combo of betrayal-by-a-woman and damsel-in-distress, it does do some nice character development on Londo and Vir, and has the aforementioned Ivanova B-story.
The Gathering and Midnight on the Firing Line set up what seemed to be a straightforward dynamic: G'Kar as mustache-twirling aggressor (although I'll almost always be sympathetic to colonized peoples over colonizers, the first few episodes leaned hard into the idea of the Narn as aggressors) and Londo as buffoon.
Londo and G'Kar's characters undergo rapid character development in S1, and the power balance between them will continue to shift throughout the series, so keep an eye on it.
Deep dive:
Main takeaways:
Ironically, while this is very much a Londo episode, the main carry-over into other episodes is an Ivanova storyline, which will come back in force in TKO.
The plot is pretty simple: Londo falls in love with an exotic dancer, who's actually enslaved under Centauri law, and who steals key information from him for her captor. Our heroes figure it out, Talia uses her telepathy to figure out where the woman's captor is holding her, and Londo pays for her freedom. She goes back to Centauri Prime to heal. He gifts her with a brooch that belonged to his ancestress and tells her to "wear it proudly as a free woman," and to come back to him. This all takes place against the background of negotiations between the Narn and Centauri.
While it's a fairly rote combo of betrayal-by-a-woman and damsel-in-distress, it does do some nice character development on Londo and Vir, and has the aforementioned Ivanova B-story.
The Gathering and Midnight on the Firing Line set up what seemed to be a straightforward dynamic: G'Kar as mustache-twirling aggressor (although I'll almost always be sympathetic to colonized peoples over colonizers, the first few episodes leaned hard into the idea of the Narn as aggressors) and Londo as buffoon.
Londo and G'Kar's characters undergo rapid character development in S1, and the power balance between them will continue to shift throughout the series, so keep an eye on it.
Deep dive:
- Rowan Kaiser's analysis and review at the AV Club.
- Lurker's Guide episode page.
Main takeaways:
- Peace negotiations with the Narn and Centauri are being overseen by the Earth Alliance, represented by Sinclair.
- Londo believes himself to be "a washed-up old republican, dreaming of better days."
- Ivanova's father, from whom she is estranged, died while on a video call with her, begging for her forgiveness.
