Londo learns the price of power, G'Kar learns the price of leadership, and Ivanova learns the price of putting out on the first date.
(Originally aired on February 22, 1995)
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Jim Johnston
| Truth and Consequences |
| SHERIDAN: G'Kar, everyone in this room knows too well that the first casualty of war is always the truth. |
G'KAR: What else could I do? When you have been crushed beneath the wheel for as long as we have, revenge occupies your every waking thought. When everything else had been taken from us, our hatred kept us alive. |
CORRELILMERZON: What do I do now?
IVANOVA: Old style: you roll over and go to bed. New style: You go out for pizza and I never see you again. |
GUEST STARS
Paul Williams - Taq
Christopher Darga - Narn #1
Glenn Morshower - Franke
Jeff Conaway - Zach Allen
Ian Abercrombie - Correlilmerzon
ANALYSIS
Whether you're dealing with genies, fairies, leprechauns or any of your other wish brokering entities, it pays to remember that what you receive is never precisely what you asked for. Correction: you always get <i>exactly</i> what you ask for. It's just that what you asked for is never precisely what you truly wanted.
Londo Mollari is just beginning to learn this inconvenient lesson. Through Morden, the Shadows have begun to grant his wishes, both personal and geopolitical. The problem is that Londo never stopped to consider the burdens his hearts' desire entails.
Londo gained the power he craved. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the position to go with that power. He's still just a mid-level bureaucrat, only now he's a mid-level bureaucrat with a Reputation. His name carries weight, but not enough weight that he wields any genuine authority. Indeed, his name carries just enough weight for people to come out of the woodwork and hit him up for favors.
Again, that's the danger with wishes: people never seem to be specific enough to cover all the contingencies. Instead of being alone and unknown, Londo is now well known and lonely.
Don't shed too many tears for the good ambassador. He chose the path he walks, and the realization that he is on a toll road isn't enough to convince him to get off the highway and back on the high road.
COMING UP NEXT
'Hunter, Prey'
He knows Clark's secret
A fugitive on the run
Will the Vorlon help?
advertisement
