We have made it to the end of the Byron arc, though notably not to the end of the telepath stories. Byron could have been an interesting character, but the combo of the last minute writing and a so-so performance doomed the character. If I am being charitable Byron was supposed to come across as a world-weary, wise and near mystical leader for telepaths that would lead the non-Psi Corps telepaths and their movement. In practice he came across as a dickish fanatic who seized on one thing or another in a scramble to achieve safety for his people while accomplishing nothing.
Things are still going badly for Byron from the jump in this episode, as more and more Psi-Corps officers stream into Babylon 5. Bester briefs the troops, out loud for our benefit. He identifies the two groups they are here to capture, and he dismisses the Byron group as a non-problem. He is more focused on the group that is running free and armed. He also instructs his people to take as many alive as possible, indicating that the Corps values them. Lochley comes in at the end. They discuss telepaths on other worlds, and Bester pitches the Psi-Corps as better than some of the worse things that other races have done to their telepath populations. The Psi-Cop is overall confident, until the elevator doors open to show one of his men has been bolted to the wall.
Sheridan gets a call from Byron. He implores Sheridan to remove the Psi-Cops and let him try to talk his people down. They get interrupted by Bester who refuses to leave, and who seems to know Byron personally. Lyta questions Byron on this but he refuses to talk. After Bester leaves, Sheridan asks if anyone has seen Garibaldi lately.
Bester finds Garibaldi waiting for him in his quarters with a gun. Bester is completely unfazed by being held at gunpoint. He gamely goes along with Garibaldi’s demands to begin a recording. He then decides to push Garibaldi, insisting that he wont shoot. When the moment comes Garibaldi cant shoot, but not out of a lack of will or desire. Bester calmly sits down and pours himself a drink, mocking Michael’s desire to kill him. He explains that he has Asimoved Garibaldi, making it impossible for Garibaldi to harm him. Bester then smiles and dismisses him completely.
Byron laments the fact that his telepaths are killing. Lyta presses him again on Bester knowing him. He reveals that he was trained as a Psi-Cop and had been Bester’s protege. Eventually the monstrousness of Bester wore on him and he left after Bester ordered him to murder a transport full of people that had been helping telepaths escape. Byron did it, after being threatened with death telling himself that they were just mundanes. Lyta is fully on his side and comforts him.
His violent telepaths are on the run from the Psi-Cops and Security so they decide the next best move is to attack Medlab and take hostages. The telepaths are overjoyed to have captured both Garibaldi and Franklin. The telepaths read a statement over the Babcom system with demands and threaten to kill hostages. Byron and Lyta look for a way to get to Medlab. Back in Medlab the telepaths revive their telekinetic friend using him to hold down a hallway from Security.
Bester lords the situation over Sheridan and Lochley, insisting that he has authority and he does not plan on negotiating. As that occurs Lyta and Byron figure out a way their area and Byron rushes to confront the armed telepaths in Medlab. Before he gets there we get treated to the snippet we saw at the end of last season, but now know that the gunshot we hear is Byron taking the step of killing Thomas, an act which devastates Byron. Byron contacts Lochley and demands that she let his non-violent followers go, while he and the violent ones will surrender to her and not Bester.
Bester is enraged, but Lochley and Sheridan managed to go around him with the officials back on Earth and he is officially frozen out. Bester telepathically reaches out to Byron. He tries one more time to get Byron to surrender to him. Lyta interrupts to let him know that it is time to go. Bester meanwhile assembles his troops and orders them to go in. The sight of the Psi-Cops causes chaos, and a shootout starts. At some point a fuel pipe is ruptured. Byron uses the opportunity, of the fuel to commit suicide via immolation. The violent telepaths all join him and they sing their weird little song as they go. Byron’s one good move is convincing Lyta to leave, since she is not in any danger of being arrested or killed by security.
In the aftermath Sheridan confronts Bester. Bester is perplexed. He views all telepaths as being on the same side, and he cant understand Byron and his people’s refusal to go along. Sheridan picks up on his meaning that the real enemy is the mundanes. Franklin swings by to ask after Garibaldi expressing his concern about the man’s mental state but Sheridan had not seen him. As the telepaths begin leaving, Lyta confronts them letting them know that Byron gave her all his information no the underground, and promising them safety when they reach their destinations. She says goodbye to each with “Remember Byron”.
Garibaldi meanwhile has retreated into his quarters with a bottle of liquor. He ignores the news story on in the background that reports on Psi-Corps HQ being bombed and the words “Remember Byron” being written at the scene.
Where do I know them from?
- No real newbies this episode.
The Good
- The Byron plot which always felt like a weird diversion, will at long last fade into the background.
- I have always liked Bester’s genuine confusion at the outcome. He is, if nothing else, a true believer in the Psi-Corps.
The Bad
- We are in for another Garibaldi is an alcoholic plot, which is something they have gone to before. At least this time we have a good strong trigger, and it wont be done in an episode.
Arc Points (Spoilers Ahead)
- Much of Byron’s story arc was meant to intersect with Ivanova’s but Claudia Christain’s departure meant they had to dump more of it with Lyta.
- The song that Byron sings was made up by JMS, which is a nice touch rather than trying to appropriate something from the Civil Rights Movement.
- Garibaldi’s relapse is going to have huge implications on the main plot, as he is supposed to be in charge of covert intelligence.