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"All Alone in the Night" Observations.

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Apocalypse_Box

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\"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

Lately, I have really been watching the episode "All Alone in the Night" a lot. It takes place in the 2nd season and in the episode Delenn gets removed from the Gray Council and Sheridan gets tortured by the Streibs. Here are some things I have picked up.
What I liked:
The Plot
I really like this episode. The ending is fairly arc-related, because in this episode, Sheridan begins to speak out against EarthForce. (Within the rules of course.) The visit by General Hague is always a bonus because it is nice to see some V.I.P.s every now and then.
I also liked the appearance by Ramirez. Sure, he didn't last long, but under so much radiation posioning, it would've been silly to have him survive. Besides, we had Keffer to be air-boy. (Altough I thought Ramirez was cooler than Keffer.) The "Helen Keller" scene was kind of amusing also.
On the Sheridan side of things, the alien torture was odd enough to seem alien. Also the room Sheridan was incarcerated in looked very alien, it was a good set. The introduciton of the Narn Ta'Lon was excellent, and I'm glad he became a recurring character.
For Delenn, it was obvious that changing her appearance greatly effected her position in the Grey Council. Not too long ago, they wanted her to be the leader of their people. ("Babylon Squared") Despite her transition, I seriously doubt the change in Delenn would lead them to vote in a 4th member of the Warrior Caste. Minbari rarely make mistakes, especially on the scale of disturbing the balance Valen gave to them. Then again, this is a Minbari politcal affair, and I don't have the backplot, so I can't really critize too harshly.
The Ships
It was so great to see the Agamemnon again. Also when the Agamemnon comes right out of that jumpgate and shoots at the Streib ship, it is a beautiful shot. And it's nice to note that you can see Delenn and Lennier's flyers beside the Agamemnon as well.
The Dream
The Dream that Kosh gave Sheridan was one of the finest scenes in the whole show, and it never fails to scare the willies out of me. It is all so strange and mysterious it does frighten me. And it is still fun to try and debate over what this person meant when they said this, etc. Kosh topping it off with his line "You have always been here." Also adds a fear element.
What I disliked:
The Aliens
I thought the Streib were quite interesting. They were not your normal Star Trek alien that just wanted to blow stuff up, they had purpose in what they did. I for one am sorry there weren't more Streibs on the show later. And their ship design was truly alien.
The Credibility
Okay, your Captain turns up missing for a while, and you find out he was tortured by an alien race you know almost nothing about. Then, next thing you know, he wakes you up to talk over starting a small revolution against EarthGov. And he hands some strange device to Garibaldi.
Would you really believe him?
I'll bet Franklin was the only guy that did believe him. (Because they've gotten acquainted in the past) But if I were Garibaldi or Ivanova, I would keep my eye on Sheridan, and if he made one false move, I would probably report what was going on. I mean, he just got messed around with by some aliens, could you believe he meant what he was saying? I would think he was under alien influence.
Any other comments on this episode?
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Apocalypse_Box:
<font color=yellow>The Credibility
Okay, your Captain turns up missing for a while, and you find out he was tortured by an alien race you know almost nothing about. Then, next thing you know, he wakes you up to talk over starting a small revolution against EarthGov. And he hands some strange device to Garibaldi.
Would you really believe him?
I'll bet Franklin was the only guy that did believe him. (Because they've gotten acquainted in the past) But if I were Garibaldi or Ivanova, I would keep my eye on Sheridan, and if he made one false move, I would probably report what was going on. I mean, he just got messed around with by some aliens, could you believe he meant what he was saying? I would think he was under alien influence.
</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

Three things:

1) Ivanova had more extensive background with Sheridan than Franklin. Franklin had gone on the one mission with him (seen in ItB). Ivanova had been stationed with him in the past (I think at Io). Go back to the S2 premiere and check out their dialog.

2) Gen. Hague's "unofficial" visit to talk specifically with Sheridan lends credibility to his story about what he was really doing there.

3) Garibaldi would undoubtedly be watching closely. However, remember that he had done his own clandistine background check on Sheridan when he replaced Sinclair. It included his "classified" personel file that was supposed to be off limits even to the station security chief (which is why I found it odd that he didn't know about the short first marriage, but I digress). I would guess that would have included any and all psych evaluations. Garibaldi probably had a fair idea of how mentally tough Sheridan was, and how patriotic for Earth.
One other minor point on the Garibaldi front: you mentioned that Sheridan handed the jamming device to Garibaldi. That means that he had chance to look at it and make sure that it wasn't alien tech. Now, sure he could use all locally available devices while acting under an alien post-hypnotic suggestion, but for what it's worth .....
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PillowRock:
<font color=yellow>Three things:

1) Ivanova had more extensive background with Sheridan than Franklin. Franklin had gone on the one mission with him (seen in ItB). Ivanova had been stationed with him in the past (I think at Io). Go back to the S2 premiere and check out their dialog.

2) Gen. Hague's "unofficial" visit to talk specifically with Sheridan lends credibility to his story about what he was really doing there.

3) Garibaldi would undoubtedly be watching closely. However, remember that he had done his own clandistine background check on Sheridan when he replaced Sinclair. It included his "classified" personel file that was supposed to be off limits even to the station security chief (which is why I found it odd that he didn't know about the short first marriage, but I digress). I would guess that would have included any and all psych evaluations. Garibaldi probably had a fair idea of how mentally tough Sheridan was, and how patriotic for Earth.
One other minor point on the Garibaldi front: you mentioned that Sheridan handed the jamming device to Garibaldi. That means that he had chance to look at it and make sure that it wasn't alien tech. Now, sure he could use all locally available devices while acting under an alien post-hypnotic suggestion, but for what it's worth .....</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

I think his point was not that they didnt know how mentally tough Sheridan was. It was that he was taken by aliens and worked on. Who knows if he was implanted with some device, or even worse and less detectable, if he was programmed via a telepath like Garibaldi was in Season 4 to work against the B5 staff without his even knowing it. THAT could have easily happened. That was the point AB was trying to make with his observation, and it is a valid one.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Recoil:
<font color=yellow>Who knows if he was implanted with some device, or even worse and less detectable, if he was programmed via a telepath like Garibaldi was in Season 4 to work against the B5 staff without his even knowing it. THAT could have easily happened.</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

There is a time element involved here as well. Garibaldi was missing for a considerably longer period. Psi Corps only held him (G) as long as they needed to be sure that his condidtioning both had taken root and was not remembered (which would defeat its purpose). Unless the Streib have *much* more efficient telepathic abilities, it is quite unlikely that they had time to make an alteration that was both that complete and that undetectable. For that matter, I don't think we know definitively that the Streib *have* telepaths (although the Minbari might know).

Besides, I didn't say that Garibaldi would take him unquestioningly. I said that he would watch him closely, but give him the benefit of the doubt in the short term due to the circumstantial corroberation (sp?) of Hague's visit. (or, at least, that is how I meant that combination of points /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif ) If he (G) got any indication that his (S) behaviour wasn't right he (G) would act on it.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

Yes, this is a good episode. I really like Ta'Lon, so it's nice to see him every time I watch this episode. I also like how they have Neroon in it as well. Although neither Ta'Lon nor Neroon were my favorites among their races, I still like to watch them.

I also like how Delenn helps to free Sheridan and make the Streibs pay, once she finds out what happened to him and who it was that had him captured. I also like seeing the Agamemnon involved as well.

And we can't forget Kosh reaching out to Sheridan in his dream. That is the first time that Kosh speaks to him that way, and it is a sign of their future relationship.

All in all, I agree with Apocalypse Box in that All Alone in the Night is an very good episode, one that is entertaining and great to watch.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

Recoil hit what I was saying, Pillow Rock.
And I think because Sheridan was captured by aliens and not the Psi Corps would have made the command staff more unsure of Sheridan.
We humans can conjure up anything from the unknown, and our imaginations can make us believe anything even if it's not practical. Aliens are all variables, and our paranoid, cumpulsive minds can turn a variable into an atrocious monster.
Always remember, tools of conquest do not need to be bombs or weapons, they can be simple fear and paranoia.
Prejudice and suspicions can kill.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

I know that paranoia is can cause huge problems. And once again, I never said that they would take him at his word unquestioningly.

But, since you were willing to accept that Franklin would believe Sheridan based on their past association then you have to accept that Ivanova could also have that same level of trust because she had had more extensive contact with him and had known him better than Franklin.

That leaves Garibaldi, who is a naturally paranoid, distrustful person. That cuts both ways. He won't just accept what Sheridan says, but he won't just blindly assume that EarthGov (or its high ranking officials) are completely clean either. The timing of Sheridan's revelation relative to his capture hurts the credibility of what he says. However, its timing relative to Hague's unannounced, unofficial, personal visit with Sheridan bolsters his credibility. I see that as, at worst, a wash.

Therefore, it is not a stretch for me to think that Garibaldi would do his own poking around and see what he found before irrevocably jumping in either direction. Since Sheridan is not (yet, anyway /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif) asking them to do anything overtly illegal, I can see Garibaldi bending any timely reporting regs until he has done his own verification of things.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

I also mentioned Franklin because once Sheridan returned Franklin patched up Sheridan's scar. Meaning that Franklin would have done his doctor tests, and would not have found any cause to believe he was under alien influence.

Another thing I was glad to see on this episode was President Louis Santiago's wisdom. He knew that the Babylon project was important, and that his Vice-President was a bit shady, so for a back-up, he chose someone who was patriotic, yet appeared to be a 'jar head.'
It was a small detail, but the small things make all the difference.
 
Re: \"All Alone in the Night\" Observations.

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Apocalypse_Box:
<font color=yellow>I also mentioned Franklin because once Sheridan returned Franklin patched up Sheridan's scar. Meaning that Franklin would have done his doctor tests, and would not have found any cause to believe he was under alien influence.</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>
So, since G and I would know that Sheridan had been through that examination process, your implication is that either they don't trust Franklin's competence or they don't trust his judgement (at least not as much as he trusts his own).

All I have ever said is that there is enough corroberation for what Sheridan says to keep any of them from reporting that meeting back to Earth Central until after they had a chance to look into things some more. I still think that is a reasonable interpretation.
 
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