Inquisitor

I just plopped the episode "Comes The Inquisitor" into my DVD player and some dialogue in the teaser intrigued me.

Kosh tells Delenn that they've sent for an Inquisitor to be sure about Delenn. Delenn asks something to the effect of how will she know who it is. Kosh replies, "You will know... if you survive."

Now Kosh is fond of cryptic statements, but his connecting knowing the Inquisitor with surviving. If Kosh was simply refering to Sebastian when he makes this statement, Delenn wouldn't technically need to survive in order to know that Sebastian was the Inquisitor. Is Kosh subtling saying that the true Inquisitor isn't Sebastian? Is Sebastian only the tool through which the Inquisitor works? In reality, is the Inquisitor that voice within oneself that constantly questions if we're good enough or worthy enough, questioning if we're truly important?

Another comment about this episode,... I just got to the point where Sebastian starts interrogating Sheridan. One of Sebastian's questions to Sheridan is if he's prepared to die friendless and alone because that's what might be required in the war to come. It's very nice how this actually reflects what will happen -- that Sheridan does technically die alone on Z'Ha'Dum away from all his friends on Babylon 5.

Delenn asks something to the effect of how will she know who it is. Kosh replies, "You will know... if you survive."

Is Kosh subtling saying that the true Inquisitor isn't Sebastian? Is Sebastian only the tool through which the Inquisitor works? In reality, is the Inquisitor that voice within oneself that constantly questions if we're good enough or worthy enough, questioning if we're truly important?

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Hey, good point there. So Kosh may be saying that she is her own inquisitor. I'm sure I've read some "JMS speaks" that the whole "Who Are You?" thing is based on a psychology technique which forces the person to reveal themselves so you could be on to something there

However, also consider another perspective on this (perhaps there was double meaning to Kosh's statement?). Once Sebastian has found the right people (i.e. Delenn & Sheridan) and his work is complete, that he will reveal his true identity as "Jack". Up until that point he is just Sebastian - Delenn will know who he is when he has been freed of his service to the Vorlons.

Once Sebastian has found the right people (i.e. Delenn & Sheridan) and his work is complete, that he will reveal his true identity as "Jack". Up until that point he is just Sebastian - Delenn will know who he is when he has been freed of his service to the Vorlons.

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Ah, very true. That could very possibly be an explanation of Kosh's comment. I love Kosh's various comments throughout the show; they definitely require one to actually think in order to understand them. And since I have a tendency to think about things a lot, the various Koshisms are right up my alley.

That's one of the greatest things about Babylon 5, I think: that the story is so layered that multiple meanings can be gathered from certain things. I think it's awesome that years after the show's conclusion, we can still sit around and discuss many of the intricate details of episodes and find numerous nuances that prove the show to be full of thought and design and a true work of art.

I can see how Delenn is her own inquisitor, or not the one who is directly asking the questions (though, she is questioning herself, of course), she is the one responsible for having the inquisition continue. She has the manacles and at any time she can remove them. OOH! But she is questioning herself by his prompts. She questions herself deeper and deeper until she knows who she is. Oooh, I like that.

I just watched the episode fairly recently. I was doing a paper on portrayals of Jack the Ripper where there is something fantastic about Jack. It was a rather fun paper to write and I got good marks so good all around. :-D

Well, Delenn is responsible for continuing the interrogation, but Sebastian is still the one inflicting the pain. I'm in complete agreement with the idea that Delenn is her own inquisitor, but I hesitate to remove all blame from Sebastian.

I am not sure the pain is real, though! Sometimes perception is more real than reality -- If Sebastian put the idea of pain into her belief than he really doesn't have to inflict the pain because she will induce the belief of pain herself -- Do you understand what I am saying?? Or am I just fooling myself.

Thing is, pain exists only in the mind. The cause of the pain may be quite real and located elsewhere, but the pain exists only in the brain. This is why many pain drugs work by simply shutting down the nerves that send signals up to the brain. So in effect, if Sebastian made her brain think she was feeling pain, it's indistinguishable from real pain.

Furthermore, whether the pain was "real" or not, she was certainly suffering, and that's enough to blame Sebastian for.

Yes, you can blame Sebastian for inflicting pain on Delenn, real or imaginary, but Delenn chose to feel the pain, since she could have backed out of the interrogation any time.

Two or three of the above have stated that Delenn could have backed out at any time, but could she? She had become half-human for a cause, jeopardized her Minbari heritage, and to just walk away from the pain she would have admitted to herself that she was not worthy of the role she had set for herself. She had to survive or die in the attempt or everything she had done would be meaningless.

Jomar, what you say is true, but that doesn't mean she didn't have a choice. You always have a choice.