In some ways this episode is a bit of a rehash.  The battle scene is kind of a repeat of the end of season 1, and the whole thing is intended as a mirror to the first episode of the series, “Midnight on the Firing Line”.  However in my opinion it very much outstrips both of those episodes, both in the quality of the production which has improved since the first season, and in terms of the weight of the story and the quality of the performances.

In a rarity for the show the episode opens on another planet.  This is our first look at Centauri Prime, and the imperial palace.  The CG is ok, though the set is pretty modest.  Which is in keeping with the budget.  We get introduced to the Centauri emperor himself, played by Turhan Bey, and the Prime Minister played by Malachi Throne.  They have a small polite argument about the emperor traveling in poor health, but the emperor is set on an upcoming trip.  We also get several references to his ill health, including his decision not to wear a wig.  The emperor departs followed by veiled women.

Back at Babylon 5 G’Kar is on the warpath.  The emperor is coming to visit, and the representative of a government formed to fight his empire has some feelings on the matter.  G’Kar ticks off a list of crimes that the Centauri and the royal family have committed.  Sheridan tries to point out that the emperor himself did nothing, and has been conciliatory toward the Narn.  G’Kar is not interested in those excuses.  Sheridan however is welcoming the visit as good for the station and good for diplomacy between the races. 

Upon the return from credits, we get Fredric Lehne showing up as a mysterious stranger who seems to have an eye for Garibaldi.  Shortly afterwards the emperor arrives and we check in with Londo and Vir who are entertaining returning Centauri shithead Lord Refa.  Refa is there to conspire with Londo to embarrass the emperor on behalf of their conservative faction.  They are committed to the point of planning on actively sabotaging their own government to make the emperor look weak.  Londo is concerned that this whole thing will put him on the outs with the Imperial Court, but Refa waves that off with a reminder that the emperor is in poor health.  Refa slinks off, and Londo comments to Vir that he is not exactly happy with the situation. 

Meanwhile the human characters are receiving the emperor, and he is quite gracious to them.  Certainly seems like G’Kar was off base about the poor old guy.  The emperor stops to ask Franklin about Kosh, eager to get a glimpse of a Vorlon.  Later the emperor has a private chat with Sheridan.  He is interested in why people have decided to serve, and admits that he feels like he has never gotten to choose anything in his life, being born as the heir to the throne.  They discuss regrets, and the emperor talks about how he is hoping to accomplish something meaningful before he dies. 

While all the polite diplomacy is going on, G’Kar is receiving permission from his government to assassinate the emperor.  They further instruct him to do it at the diplomatic reception for everyone to see.  G’Kar is at peace with the decision, realizing that he will either die or go to jail for life which makes his future clear.  Later he dictates his will, lying about his government’s involvement, and donating his prized holy book to Na’Toth.  

At the reception, Ivanova explains that the veiled women with the emperor are telepaths that help the emperor stay in contact with the royal court.  Their conversation is interrupted by G’Kar arriving at the reception which is shocking to everyone.  Also in attendance are Refa and Londo doing some last minute plotting.  Delenn spies G’Kar and seems to sense that something is off with him.  Before anything big can happen, the emperor collapses on his way to the reception.  

Garibaldi finally gets the drop on the stranger that has been following him.  The stranger asks to speak with him but clams up when the other security officers arrive.  Garibaldi is paranoid enough to lock the man up.  Later the man brings Garibaldi a message from Sinclair.  Sinclair goes on to explain that the man is part of an organization called the Rangers, and that the Rangers are sworn to fight the coming darkness.  He does not elaborate, but he does warn Garibaldi to stick close to the Vorlon, and to beware the shadows.  

In Medlab Franklin starts trying to figure out what to do for the emperor, but the old man interrupts him to ask Franklin to deliver a message.  Franklin goes to G’Kar’s quarters, interrupting a darkly funny G’Kar rant about how inconsiderate the emperor is, dying before G’Kar can kill him.  Franklin delivers the simple message: I’m sorry.  The emperor wanted more than anything to apologize directly to a Narn for everything that the Centauri and his family had done.  G’Kar is pretty thunderstruck by the whole thing.  

Londo and Refa’s plotting goes into overdrive. Refa insists that if their faction is going to win the coming power struggle they will need something that will cause them to look stronger than the other factions.  Londo realizes that he can call on Morden and his associates to give them that victory.  He mentions that the Narns have a colony on the Centauri border and convinces Refa to use his contacts to send a military expedition to the colony.  Vir immediately tries to object, but Londo silences him and demands that Vir fetch Morden.  Vir begs Londo to not do what he is thinking about doing before eventually agreeing to go get Morden.

Londo suffers through a nightmare that includes his visions of the past and future, implying a large amount of guilt as well as his fear of being strangled to death by an elderly G’Kar.  He wakes up to check to see if the battle has begun.  And what a battle it is!  The sequence is much stronger than anything they have tried before.  Three of the big spidery ships phase in and begin tearing the Narn military base to pieces, swiftly destroying the space station and a ship, and then cleaning up the patrolling fighters.  Once the battle is over, the Centauri expedition arrives, and is met by a returning Narn patrol that naturally blames them for the massacre. 

Londo confers with Refa, who speaks menacingly about some other things he has to do.  Londo looks disturbed but he quickly moves to terrified when G’Kar accosts him to buy him a drink.  G’Kar gives some backhanded compliments to Londo about the Centauri people, but speaks about how there is possibly hope for the future.  Londo has the grace to look horrified by this sudden turn that he knows can’t last.  Back on Centauri Prime, the Prime Minister is stabbed to death in the throne room.

Eventually news breaks that the Centauri have launched the attack on the colony.  G’Kar takes it about as well as you would expect, trashing his own quarters before going on a rampage in the direction of Londo’s quarters.  Sheridan manages to stand him down with a bunch of security officers and he collapses sobbing, in an echo of Garibaldi doing the same to Londo in the first episode.

The emperor is still hanging on in Medlab and he gets a visit from Kosh. The visit is probably less reassuring then Franklin hoped.  When the emperor asks Kosh how this will end, he simply responds “In fire”.  Way to reassure a dying man Kosh.  Later Refa and Londo visit to pile on to the poor guy with the news that they have successfully attacked a Narn colony. Refa asks for his blessing, and he shoves Refa aside and motions for Londo to come closer.  He whispers something then dies.  Londo tells the room that he said to continue and expand.  Privately he tells Refa that the emperor told him that they were both damned.  This amuses Refa, but seems to trouble Londo. 

Garibaldi reveals some secret info to Sheridan and Ivanova. He lets them know a new race is on the prowl and has links to the Centauri.  They guess that this new race is behind the attacks, and they plan to use the information.  In the council chambers Sheridan uses what he knows to bluff Londo into releasing the remaining civilians of the colony.  The Centauri policy normally being that they would all be rounded up and put into forced labor camps.  G’Kar arrives and is silent about the discussion.  He breaks his silence to quietly announce that the Narn have formally declared war on the Centauri.  

Londo and Refa reconvene and he smarmily recounts that they have eliminated their opposition back home and installed the emperor’s nephew to the throne.  Refa leaves, and Vir points out that Londo could have demanded a lot more in exchange for helping Refa.  Londo unconvincingly says that he would rather stay behind the scenes and that he does not want to be emperor someday. 

Garibaldi sees off the ranger, and asks for regular information about the new war.  He also asks the ranger if anyone else on Babylon 5 knows about them, and we get a final scene of Delenn watching her own message from Sinclair. 

This episode is the focus of the second season and it lays out a ton of new plot points. I mentioned back in season 1 that each season has an episode named after the season itself and this is that episode for season 2, accelerating the buildup towards something dark and terrifying. 

As always, a reminder that you can watch the episodes on Tubi with ads.  It is apparently back on Amazon Prime, but Tubi is free and their ad breaks are smaller. 

The Good

• Just a stellar episode from the whole cast, both regulars and guests.  
• The battle scene had better music, staging and effects then anything seen so far, and it showed how terrifying those ships are in a great sequence. 
• It was nice to see Sinclair back, even if only indirectly. 

The Bad

• I got nothing, this is one of the all timer episodes of the series. 

Arc Points (Spoilers Ahead)

• Eventually the emperor and his minister get names, but they just name them after the actors portraying them, Emperor Turhan, and Prime Minister Malachi.  
• There is an escalation in the shadow’s attacks, between last season and this one.  Each time they go on the offensive, more of the ships are present.  I like this subtle way to continue with the overall theme of something dark building itself up.
• The rangers make their first named appearance! Eventually they will factor into most of the big story lines.
• The Narn-Centauri War arc begins in earnest, and it will run for the next eleven episodes, a strong foray into serialization.
• Having O’Hare back for this really helped keep the universe together and it was a nice gesture on the part of JMS.  
• Zack Allan shows up again, as they are slowly building him up too to be an important secondary character in security.  Almost wish they had spent the same amount of time on Garibaldi’s aide.  
• The Narn’s will start this war in a bad position, having lost two bases and half a dozen ships to the shadows before the hostilities officially begin.  
• The throwaway line about the Emperor’s nephew taking the throne, will eventually blossom into a great Londo and Vir plot in Season 4, when we finally meet Emperor Cartagia.