The Babylon Project
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
The Babylon Project
The Babylon Project
3,207
pages
in: Babylon 5 episodes, Babylon 5 Season 1 episode

Deathwalker

Revision as of 23:06, 26 August 2014 by BlueResistance (talk | contribs) (→‎Intro)
Edit
This article is about the first season episode of Babylon 5. For the Dilgar war criminal, see: Jha'dur

Deathwalker is an episode from the first season of Babylon 5, which is collectively entitled Signs and Portents.

Cast

Starring

Also starring

With

Guest starring

Featuring

Cast notes

Summary

Introduction

Ambassador Kosh approaches Talia Winters, requesting her services. Winters is surprised but agrees to meet with him later (at "the hour of scampering").

A Minbari fighter docks at the station. Na'Toth checks on the status of an arriving passenger liner and recognizs an individual checking in through customs. Na'Toth attacks and brutally assaults the individual, shouting "Deathwalker" the entire time. Eventually, the security forces are able to pull her away, leaving the alien bleeding and unconscious.

Act I

Commander Jeffrey Sinclair and Security Chief Michael Garibaldi are walking together and Sinclair asks about the victim. Garibaldi says her name is Gaia Lobos, a freetrader recently arrived from the Minbari Federation (though she is definitely not Minbari). Garibaldi mentions what Na'Toth said during the attack, surprising Sinclair. Both men recognize the epithet. They interogate Na'toth, who claims the victim is Jha'Dur, more commonly known as Deathwalker, a notorious mass murderer and diabolical medical researcher who murdered her grandfather, among many others. Na'Toth's family has taken a bloodoath against her grandfather's killer. Sinclair is skeptical that the victim can be the same person, as the Dilgar War (where Deathwalker gained her infamy) was over thirty years earlier--the real Deathwalker would have to be an old woman, not the middle aged woman Na'Toth attacked. Nevertheless, Na'Toth insists she made no error. Ambassador G'Kar arrives then, apologizing for the attack and offering to make reparations to the victim. He also agrees to Sinclair's suggestion of placing Na'Toth under house arrest in G'Kar's quarters pending the outcome of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Winters meets Kosh and a strange man named Abbut. Kosh requests Talia scan Abbut, and she is surprised when she can read absolutely no thoughts from the man at all. Pleased, Kosh then begins "negotiations," which consists of a series of idioms and other non sequitor statements from both parties.

Sinclair checks on the victim in Medlab. Dr. Franklin reports that she is healing well--and at a remarkable rate. Sinclair recognizes her species as Dilgar, despite the common belief that the entire Dilgar race was wiped out when their sun went nova at the end of the Dilgar War. This fact, coupled with both archival images as well as a Dilgar uniform Garibaldi finds aboard her ship suggest she is in fact Jha'dur, the Deathwalker. Garibaldi also recovers an elixir from the ship, one that Sinclair orders Franklin to investigate.

In G'Kar's quarters, Na'Toth apologizes for embarrassing him, but insists she must fulfill her blood oath. G'Kar tells her that she will have to postpone the oath: Jha'dur was coming to the station to meet with an operative of the Narn Regime to discuss a discovery of hers that could greatly benefit their people. The attack has caused the Kha'Ri to alter their plans, leaving G'Kar in charge of getting her to Narn. G'Kar promises that Na'Toth will eventually be able to fulfill her vow.

Act II

Sinclair is contacted by Senator Hidoshi who asks him about the attack on "Lobos." He insists the women be sent to Earth as soon as she is able to travel. Sinclair informs him about the evidence they've discovered, but Hidoshi is dismissive of the idea that she could be Deathwalker. He cuts off Sinclair's further attempts to protest, saying all the information on the matter is highly classified.

The woman finally awakens in Medlab. She angrily retrieves the elixir from Franklin (calling it her "life's work") and demands to meet with Sinclair. The commander heads for Medlab, downplaying rumors about her identity after Ambassador Londo Mollari approaches him. Once in Medlab, Sinclair speaks to the woman privately. She confirms her identity as Jha'dur "Deathwalker," and mentions that she has spent the last few years being sheltered by the Wind Swords, a Minbari clan of the Warrior Caste. When he asks how she can be so young and vital, she explains that the elixir is an antiagapic, a serum that halts the aging process and makes the user immune to all diseases. She declares that with the help of the Earth Alliance, she will bring it to all corners of the galaxy.

Kosh's negotiations end for the day. Winters is confused about her purpose, as Abbut's mind always remained blank and she could not make sense out of their "negotiations." Kosh responds in his typical cryptic manner and tells her they will resume the following day. Abbut is likewise evasive when she asks him about the dealings. For a moment, Winters has a strange vision, but it only last a moment.

Sinclair tracks down Lennier, as Ambassador Delenn is currently away from the station. Lennier is familiar with the history of Deathwalker. Sinclair explains how she is aboard the station and that she claimed the Wind Swords sheltered her. Lennier responds by saying that even the ultra militaristic Wind Swords would never harbor such a criminal, but he agrees to investigate the matter for Sinclair.

G'Kar meets with Jha'Dur privately, apologizing for the attack and offering to purchase the drug she has developed at three times the price Earth is offering. Jha'Dur says she will accept the offer, provided that G'Kar bring her the head of Na'Toth within the hour. This prompts G'Kar to immediately storm out.

Sinclair meets with his staff. Garibaldi is skeptical about her claims, but Franklin believes her. So does Earth, announces Sinclair, and explains that she is to be sent there soon. Garibaldi is angry to think that Earth is willing to ignore justice for the sake of "immortality." When they are alone, Garibaldi more directly confronts Sinclair about going along with what Earth is planning. Sinclair believes her discovery is worth at least delaying justice for her crimes.

Act III

G'Kar learns that Sinclair plans to move Jha'Dur off the station within the hour. He decides to contact one of the League ambassadors to relay that Jha'Dur is aboard.

As she prepares to leave, Jha'Dur is approached by Sinclair, who asks why she would be willing to give Earth such a miracle cure when Earth was responsible for turning the tide of the Dilgar's invasion. Jha'Dur explains that her race is gone and both her name and her people's are cursed throughout the galaxy--but her discovery will ensure that this will not remain their legacy. Sinclair, Garibaldi, and a security team then begin escorting her to her ship, but they are confronted along the way by a coalition of League ambassadors. The ambassadors demand an Assembly to discuss her trial, and insist that Sinclair will have to kill them all before they allow her to be taken off the station. Sinclair relents, agreeing to call an emergency meeting of the Assembly in three hours time.

Before the Assembly meeting, Garibaldi apologizes to Sinclair for losing his temper earlier. He wonders if the Assembly will vote for a trial, since both the Narns and the Centauri Republic collaborated with the Dilgar to various extents during the Dilgar invasion. Sinclair believes that he has enough votes (with his own, the Minbari's, and the League's) to get a trial. Delenn is still off the station, but Lennier arrives to vote as her proxy, indicating to Sinclair that he has been given orders how to vote. Kosh, as usual, declines to show up, still conducting his strange deal with Abbut (and continuing to frustrate Winters).

When the vote is called, Mollari and G'Kar both vote "No" on the motion regarding a trial (G'Kar after the League refuses his request to hold the trial on Narn). Sinclair votes "Yes," but then to the surprise of everyone Lennier votes "No." The motion thus fails 2-3. The League ambassadors are enraged and storm out of the chamber, refusing to listen to Sinclair's plea for a compromise. Sinclair confronts Lennier about his vote. Lennier explains that the Wind Swords did indeed shelter Jha'Dur, and that when the Federation discovered this, they took steps to cover it up.

Soon afterward, a Drazi Sun-Hawk arrives and demands Jha'Dur be extradited--refusal will prompt an attack.

Act IV

In C'n'C, Lt. Commander Ivanova orders the defense grid activated. The Drazi ship is soon joined by a small task force of League ships, all with similar demands. Sinclair orders Ivanova to stall them as best she can. Sinclair then meets with Ambassador Kalika, again hoping a compromise can be reached by explaining about Jha'Dur's findings. He is successful, and the ships stand down. He then holds another meeting with Kalika and other ambassadors. They are convinced that her elixir has promise and Sinclair promises to share the formula with the League--and still hold Jha'Dur for trial after it is developed. The Ambassadors agree to this compromise.

Meanwhile, the situation with Winters reaches a turning point. During the negotiations, Winters is suddenly overwhelmed with a terrifying memory. Kosh announces the deal is complete. Abbut removes his hat, revealing he is a type of cyborg, and hands over a data crystal to Kosh. Winters demands to know what is on the crystal, but Kosh once again brushes off her inquiry and leaves.

Once again, Jha'Dur prepares to leave the station. She explains the truth about her formula: a key ingredient cannot be synthesized, but must be taken from a living being. In other words, for one person to live forever, another must die. She predicts this will cause humanity and every other race to "fall on one another like wolves," and the genocide that will result will be the true testament to her work. Her legacy will be to turn those who hate the Dilgar into worse criminals than they were.

Sinclair later watches with all the Assembly ambassadors as Jha'Dur boards her ship and heads for the jumpgate. They are all surprised when Kosh enters the room. Just before Jha'dur's flier reaches the gate, a Vorlon ship exits the gate and opens fire, obliterating Deathwalker and her ship. When Sinclair asks Kosh why they did this, the Ambassador simply replies that they "are not ready for immortality."

Act V

Sinclair and Garibaldi meet in the Zocalo after their shift, reflecting on the recent crisis. They are approached by Winters, who tells them about her deal with Kosh. She explains that during the negotiations, she had memories of a scan she did several years earlier. The scan was of a serial killer just before he was mind wiped and his thoughts were the most terrifying she has ever experienced. When she mentions Abbut, Garibaldi recognizes him as a Vicker, a modified being fitted with cybernetic devices in the brain that allow for recording just about everything, including telepathic communication. He theorizes Kosh used him to record the memories--in case he should ever need to use something against her in the future.

Memorable quotes

“

"The billions who live forever will be a testimony to my work, and the billions that are murdered to provide that immortality will be the continuance of that work. That will be my monument!"

– Jha'Dur


“

"You are not yet ready for immortality."

– Kosh


Continuity

  • Jha'Dur tells Sinclair that the Wind Swords have studied him and that they "say you have a hole in your mind," echoing the words of the Minbari Assassin (words recalled by Sinclair in the previous episode).
  • Kosh's motives for recording Winters's memories are never fully revealed. It has been suggested that he sensed the hidden personality, "Control," implanted within her. Garibaldi will recall the events of this episode when Control is revealed in "Divided Loyalties."

Image Category

Category:Images by episode (Deathwalker)

DVD release

This episode, along with the other episodes from season one, has been released on DVD with extensive special features.

External links

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More The Babylon Project