Sheridan gets the White Star and a chance to kick Shadow butt. Meanwhile, Earthgov wants to find out more about the big black ship that smoked Keffer. Maybe they want to send a thank-you note?

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Kevin G. Cremin

They're Old Hands Now

SHERIDAN: Well, as answers go, short, to the point, utterly useless and totally consistent with what I've come to expect from a Vorlon. KOSH: Good.

SHERIDAN: Are you trying to cheer me up?    More Stories The Name of the Place: SPACE.com's Babylon 5 Nexus Babylon 5 - 'The Fall of Night' Babylon 5 - 'Comes the Inquisitor' Babylon 5 - 'Long Twilight Struggle'    Related Links SPACE.com's television coverage Babylon 5 The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 IVANOVA: No, sir. Wouldn't think of it. SHERIDAN: Good. I hate being cheered up - it's depressing. IVANOVA: Well in that case, we're all going to die horrible painful deaths.

LONDO: We have danced our last little dance, Mr. Morden. Now it is time for you to go away.

GUEST STARS

Tucker Smallwood – David Endawi
Ed Wasser -- Morden

Tucker Smallwood played Commodore Glen Van Ross on Space: Above and Beyond .

WATCH OUT FOR

* The alien bartender doing flashy cocktail moves.

* More fake widescreen. The tapes are being remastered -- we’ll be seeing true widescreen again when the fourth season begins and seasons 2 and 3 will be fixed the next time the series runs -- but for now this is the best we've got.

ANALYSIS

"Matters of Honor" opens up the B5 universe. For the first time, the plot moves away from the station, not towards it. It’s an important shift in the series.

Until now, most of the episodes have told us more about Babylon 5, the people in it, and the forces affecting it. Now the station becomes a base of operations -- we’ve learned what the station is like, and thanks to the White Star and the Rangers we can now see how it affects the rest of known space.

Of course, the White Star’s virgin cruise is a little contrived. All the ship needs to do is race in and blow up a few mines. If the Minbari religious caste can build a warship, they can probably fly this mission themselves -- especially since Lennier has demonstrated that temple training includes the kung-fu arts.

On the other hand, the Minbari intended the White Star for Sheridan, and he might feel a bit put out to learn that it went into action before he even knew about it. He’s a combat pilot, and there’s nothing he likes better than a fast ship and something to blow up.

Perhaps Marcus’ pleas for assistance have more to do with flattery than desperation. The Rangers may have been more interested in giving Sheridan a shakedown cruise than in testing the capabilities of the White Star.

If so, Sheridan passes the test with flying colors. He even takes out an unexpected Shadow ship, proving (not for the first time) that with Sheridan it’s always "boom today."

COMING UP NEXT

"Convictions"

Stranded with Londo
G’Kar almost gets his wish
Alas, no fishies.