A Race Through Dark Places
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"A Race Through Dark Places" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. In the episode, the Psi Cop Bester comes to Babylon 5 chasing after a group of rogue telepaths. The station's personnel have to deal with Bester's arrival and the legal and moral issues surrounding the presence of the rogue telepaths on the station.
Entertainment and news website Geek.com included A Race Through Dark Places as "essential watching" for season two.[1] Geek.com found the episode important because "the wonderful Mr. Bester gets a chance to shine here, introducing many elements that will continue for years to come."[1]
Synopsis
The episode opens with Psi Cop Bester telepathically torturing an unknown person for information. The man dies, but not before he gives Bester a clue as to the location of some rogue telepaths that Bester is chasing. Bester then returns to Babylon 5 to investigate an underground railroad of rogue telepaths. His return sparks tension and suspicion among the crew, as an underground railroad would need an insider to help them. Chief of Security Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) initially suspects Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian) of being the insider as a result of her known hatred for the Psi Corps, but she denies it.
During an assassination attempt on Bester, the rogue telepaths kidnap Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson) and take her back to their base. Once she wakes up, the telepaths take turns telling her their own personal stories about why they rebel against the Psi Corps - being raped as part of a force breeding attempt, having an outspoken anti-Corps relative murdered, and so on. Talia is convinced to help them. Dr. Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) meets with Captain Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) on the telepaths' behalf to set up a meeting, at which he reveals that he is their inside help. A group of doctors help funnel telepaths out of Earth Alliance space for humanitarian reasons. With the permission of Captain Sheridan, Talia and the telepaths create an ellaborate mental illusion to convince Bester that all of the rogue telepaths were killed in a fire-fight. Sheridan allows them all to peacefully leave Babylon 5, and Franklin shuts down the underground railroad there as being too dangerous.
There are two additional subplots in the episode. One include Captain Sheridan and Ivanova's protests against EarthGov charging them rent for their slightly-too large quarters. The other subplot includes Ambassador Delenn (Mira Furlan) wanting to know what it is like to be human. Delenn asks Sheridan to dinner to talk about life outside of diplomatic matters in order to further this goal. The two of them have a formal, date-like dinner together.
Arc significance
- Talia Winters begins to question her allegiance to the Psi Corps.
- Talia's relationship with Susan Ivanova begins to warm.
- Talia's comment, "The Corps is mother, the Corps is father," will later be the name of an episode. It is also a mantra for the Psi Corps.
- Sheridan and Delenn's dinner is the start of their romantic relationship.
References
- ^ a b Templeton, Graham (16 January 2015). "Babylon 5 Condensed: How to watch sci-fi's most intimidating masterpiece". Geek.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
External links
- A Race Through Dark Places at The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
- Quotes from A Race Through Dark Places at Wikiquote