B5 Rewatch: "Epiphanies" and "The Illusion of Truth"

[icepixie]

Epiphanies
aka "Another ship doomed by telepathy sets sail." Also, "Oh, Michael." Oh, and let's not forget "Don't make Lyta angry. You won't like her when she's angry."

Whiiiich...about covers all the important parts of this episode, I'd say. As I've said before, I think the idea of Garibaldi's arc this season is excellent and in-character and a great way to go about things, but emotionally it hurts like a bitch and that's why I can never love it.

(I did notice this time that when he drops his bombshell, then says, "I didn't come here to argue with you," he addresses that directly to Susan. Oh, ship of my heart. Always the hard path. Now I want to write something angsty for them and call it "Iter Durum." [/Renaissance Epic class in-joke])

Meanwhile, Lyta is really starting to get pissed about being used by the command staff. And so she blows up at Zack, who is least able to do anything about it. Except, you know, bring her pizza and spend time with her and totally, totally fall for her OH GOD THEY'RE SO CUTE. Doomed, yes, but adorable. Maybe once she finishes her Getting Over Our Angst Tour with G'Kar (249 Planets in Two Years!), they can try again. I think she'd appreciate his simplicity.

But at the moment, Lyta is not interested in getting over angst. She's interested in making Bester pay. And I'm pretty much in love with her for that, even though Sheridan, foolishly, is not. Sheridan, did you not see what she's capable of? Is pissing her off really what you want to do?

The Illusion of Truth
My opinion of this one has largely not changed from last time. It still feels like wallowing in something that was pretty obvious from the get-go.

Comments

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Maybe once she finishes her Getting Over Our Angst Tour with G'Kar (249 Planets in Two Years!), they can try again. I think she'd appreciate his simplicity.

I like this idea. IMHO, Zack and Lyta are meant for each other... in that if they'd just get together and stop being so damned angsty, I wouldn't have to hear from either of them ever, ever again. *Sighs* I'm a bad person, and I know it. But jeeeeeeez, the whining.

Sheridan, did you not see what she's capable of? Is pissing her off really what you want to do?

I think at some point Sheridan develops a problem similar to that of a small child who knows that if he throws sand in the other kids' faces at the playground, his mommy will always come rescue him and blame the other kids. ...Read "his mommy" as "Delenn" and "other kids" as "big honking scary-ass aliens and/or telepaths" in that sentence and you've pretty much got Sheridan and his strategery figured out.

And yes, "Illusion of Truth" is fabulously obvious and sort of painful. But I still adore Lennier headbutting the camera. ♥

[icepixie]

I like this idea. IMHO, Zack and Lyta are meant for each other... in that if they'd just get together and stop being so damned angsty, I wouldn't have to hear from either of them ever, ever again. *Sighs* I'm a bad person, and I know it. But jeeeeeeez, the whining.

Bwahaha. Awww. I find Zack to be a bit drippy sometimes, but Lyta is totally compelling for me. And I think they could actually be happy together, you know, once she has a chance to deal with everything that's happened to her, and probably once Psi Corps is burned to the ground.

Of course, I skipped a good chunk of the Byron/Lyta stuff in S5 my last time through, so perhaps I'm looking on her more fondly than she deserves.

I think at some point Sheridan develops a problem similar to that of a small child who knows that if he throws sand in the other kids' faces at the playground, his mommy will always come rescue him and blame the other kids. ...Read "his mommy" as "Delenn" and "other kids" as "big honking scary-ass aliens and/or telepaths" in that sentence and you've pretty much got Sheridan and his strategery figured out.

Hee! Now if only Delenn would say, "All right, time to let you fall on your ass this time..."

But I still adore Lennier headbutting the camera.

That is pretty much the best part of that episode, yes. :D

[bulleteyes.livejournal.com]

"Hee! Now if only Delenn would say, "All right, time to let you fall on your ass this time..."

I don't think she'd ever do it. She'd smile that little smile which tells us her human is both amusing and exasperatingly dumb all while knowing Minbari rule #5,829 demands she not let her husband ability to be a dolt reflect on her.

[icepixie]

Sadly, I think you are correct.

[cheekygal.livejournal.com]

Zack, drippy. Hmm. Good description. Even in later seasons, he's very much a secondary character, but even when he annoyed me, I couldn't help but be fond of him. I liked his fashion obsessions with making sure his uniform fit just so. "I think I need a silk lining!"

I always thought Lyta, while not entirely out of his league, would have been way more than either of them could emotionally handle, and so they would end up only being a brief fling.

OTOH, if Susan had still been around in Season 5, it would have been interesting to see what might have happened.

[icepixie]

Yes, Zack is definitely annoying but cute. I think of all of them, he's the only one who makes it out without what in the real world would be serious, serious PTSD.

I always thought Lyta, while not entirely out of his league, would have been way more than either of them could emotionally handle, and so they would end up only being a brief fling.

I think it would either go as you suggest, with the brief fling, or they continue to exist on completely separate plans, and are aware of it, but pretty much okay with it. Lyta can appreciate Zack for being something simple and direct in her insanely complicated life (and you know he would keep doing sweet things like bringing her pizza), and he can admire how powerful she is while still being sort of glad he doesn't understand it all.

OTOH, if Susan had still been around in Season 5, it would have been interesting to see what might have happened.

Yes...although on the whole, I think I'm still glad she was spared Byron, the Fate Worse Than Death. ;)

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

(I did notice this time that when he drops his bombshell, then says, "I didn't come here to argue with you," he addresses that directly to Susan. Oh, ship of my heart. Always the hard path. Now I want to write something angsty for them and call it "Iter Durum." [/Renaissance Epic class in-joke])

I think I'm a secret Garibaldi/Susan shipper, too. It kind of snuck up on me. I'm definitely keeping an eye on it during my rewatch.

Except, you know, bring her pizza and spend time with her and totally, totally fall for her OH GOD THEY'RE SO CUTE. Doomed, yes, but adorable.

I never got where JMS was going with Zack/Lyta. I couldn't tell if he was setting them up and then after the whole S4 cancellation kerfuffle gave up on it when he decided to give Lyta what was going to be Susan's storyline, or if he was just trying to give Zack something to do for a change, or what. It was such a weird little runner.

BTW, okay if I friend you?

[icepixie]

I think I'm a secret Garibaldi/Susan shipper, too. It kind of snuck up on me. I'm definitely keeping an eye on it during my rewatch.

Eeeeeeee!!! I love to hear about other people shipping Susan/Michael! This is so great! :D

I never got where JMS was going with Zack/Lyta. I couldn't tell if he was setting them up and then after the whole S4 cancellation kerfuffle gave up on it when he decided to give Lyta what was going to be Susan's storyline, or if he was just trying to give Zack something to do for a change, or what. It was such a weird little runner.

It didn't really go anywhere, sadly. My best guess is that Ivanova leaving and Lyta getting her storyline interfered. Maybe even then, there was supposed to be more with Zack trying to keep her away from Byron in S5, and it just didn't happen?

BTW, okay if I friend you?

Sure. :)