Severed Dreams

Infobox Television episode
Title = Severed Dreams
Series = Babylon 5


Caption =
Season = 3
Episode = 10
Airdate = 1 April 1996
Production = 310
Writer = J. Michael Straczynski
Director = David J. Eagle
Guests = Kim Miyori (Capt. Sandra Hiroshi)
Rance Howard (David Sheridan)
Phil Morris (Bill Trainor)
Bruce McGill (Major Ryan)
Episode list = List of "Babylon 5" episodes
Prev = Point of No Return
Next = Ceremonies of Light and Dark

"Severed Dreams" is an episode from the third season of the science fiction television series "Babylon 5". It won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

ynopsis

After the removal of Nightwatch personnel from active duty, the station is still adjusting to the new Narn security forces. The recent declaration of martial law by Earth Alliance President Morgan Clark has also led to increased activity at Babylon 5 which interferes at all levels, including the diplomatic ones. As a result Londo Mollari is forced to wait for several hours to gain admission to the station, and the attending Narn at the checkpoint, who overheard the ambassador's insulting grumblings blaming his species for the delays, won't let him in until his ID can be verified.

Meanwhile, the EAS "Alexander" is locked in combat with the "EAS Clarkstown". The "Alexander" has suffered severe damage, and as a last resort, is forced to destroy the "Clarkstown" to escape. Major Ryan, in command of the "Alexander", wonders what he will find to say to the wives of the captain of the "Clarkstown" and of General William Hague, who also died in the battle. They need time to rest and make repairs, and Babylon 5 is the only safe harbor. He orders the ship proceed to the station.

Captain John Sheridan learns that the "Alexander" is heading towards the station. He has Michael Garibaldi install a cutoff switch to disable external communications so that word of this can't be sent back to Earth. Major Ryan comes onboard the station as soon as the "Alexander" arrives. He informs Captain Sheridan, Commander Ivanova, and Mr. Garibaldi that General Hague is dead. Ryan tells them that Xavier Montoya, head of Mars Provisional Government, had refused to implement martial law. They are soon interrupted by a transmission to Major Ryan announcing that Earth Force has begun bombing Mars.

A Ranger arrives at Babylon 5. Although seriously injured by agents of the Shadows, he manages to tell Delenn that the Shadows are moving. The Ranger tells her that the Shadows have encouraged a number of races in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to go to war with their neighbors, which they have done in fear of being attacked by the Centauri. When Delenn asks if the Grey Council is aware of this, the Ranger tells her that the Minbari government has said that, "The problems of others are not our concern." Angered by this, Delenn soon leaves the station to confront the Grey Council about their apathy.

During a live ISN broadcast the reporter, Jane, is interrupted by her news director who announces that the colonies at Proxima III and Orion VII just declared independence from the Earth Alliance in protest over the bombings. Realizing that ISN will not remain silent forever, Clark is sending troops to seize the ISN broadcast center, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, even as the reporter makes the announcement. Suddenly there is a explosion, and ISN stops transmitting.

When Delenn leaves, the EAS "Churchill" arrives in Babylon 5 space. Captain Sandra Hiroshi meets with the Babylon 5 command staff and Major Ryan. She tells them that her ship had intercepted orders relayed from Earth to a task force led by Captain Dexter Smith of the EAS "Agrippa". Hiroshi tells them that the task force is on its way to seize the station and put it under the control of the Nightwatch. Ryan offers to jump and hopefully draw off some of the attacking forces, but Hiroshi tells him that it wouldn't matter: the task force was ordered to seize control of the station before the "Alexander" arrived. Sheridan decides to make their stand there. He asks Dr. Stephen Franklin, Mr. Garibaldi, and Commander Ivanova if they're willing to fight. They all are.

Captain Sheridan orders fighters deployed, and for all available security forces to be prepared for Clark's forces in case the station is boarded. He asks Ivanova to see if they can access Draal's holographic system so that he can make an announcement.

Meanwhile, a righteously indignant Delenn confronts the Grey Council. Having learned that the Council did not wish to participate, she replied that the Council had thus abandoned its primary duty: to stand against the Shadows. She then takes the staff of leadership and declares, "If the Council has lost its way, if it will not lead, if we have abandoned our covenant with Valen…then the council should be broken…as was prophesied!" She then breaks the staff and urges the Worker and Religious castes to stand with her. Those five members of the council do follow her out, leaving only those from the Warrior caste in the chamber.

Sheridan makes a private call to his father. David Sheridan knows what is happening. He asks his son what the first lesson he taught him was. The younger Sheridan replies that it was to never start a fight, but always finish it. David Sheridan tells his son not to worry about his parents; they could take care of themselves, and their neighbors would protect them.

Sheridan proceeds to C&C where, thanks to Draal's holographic projector, he addresses everyone on Babylon 5. He tells them that Clark has committed a number of crimes, including ordering the deaths of innocent civilians when Mars was bombed. Sheridan goes on to say that Orion VII and Proxima III have left the Earth Alliance because of this, and Babylon 5 was now joining them. He declares that Babylon 5 is seceding from the Alliance, and would remain independent until Clark was removed from power. Sheridan asks all non-essential persons to remain in their quarters until the fighting is over, and promises that anyone who wants to leave will be allowed to do so once the immediate danger is past. He tells anyone in the dome if they want to leave to do it right away before they violate regulations. One person takes him up on the offer, but the rest of the crew remains. Ivanova persuades Sheridan to let her lead the fighter attack since the fighter pilots were being asked to go against their training and fire on other Earth vessels.

Soon, the destroyers "Agrippa", and "Roanoke", two heavy cruisers, and scores of fighters jump into Babylon 5 space. Captain Dexter Smith of the "Agrippa" orders Babylon 5 and the renegade ships to stand down. Sheridan refuses and tries to reason with Smith. But Smith refuses to listen to Sheridan, and has his forces close in for attack. Sheridan tells his forces not to fire the first shot but to let the other side do so first. He says that they won't start the fight but they will finish it. As both forces close, he then orders the station itself armed and locked down for battle.

The battle soon begins. Fighters from both sides engage each other. Clark's fighters begin making strafing runs on the station and the renegade ships. Meanwhile, a breaching pod attaches itself to the station, and the Marines on the pod burn through the hull. They are met by station security forces led by Garibaldi. Unfortunately, the Narn troopers disobey his orders about taking defensive positions and recklessly charge the invaders. The security personnel are forced to back them up, starting a deadly hand to hand struggle. Outside Ivanova and two other Starfuries are providing fighter cover for the "Alexander". They observe that the "Churchill" has been severely damaged by enemy fire. Internal sections of the ship are seen ablaze. Knowing that her ship is doomed, Captain Hiroshi rams the "Roanoke", destroying both ships in the process. Distracted by the carnage she has witnessed Ivanova's fighter collides with another Starfury. Unable to regain control she is forced to eject seconds before it hits the "Agrippa". As this is happening the "Alexander" closes in on the "Agrippa" from the side and opens fire inflicting heavy damage. Sheridan orders the defence grid to add its firepower to the assault which results in the destruction of the "Agrippa".

With the space battle apparently over, Sheridan asks for a status report. The hull of the station is in poor shape. The deadly melee between station security and the Marines is still taking place in Brown sector. Sheridan orders Lt. Corwin to get more troops down there. A few seconds later the jump-gate opens and the destroyers "Olympic" and "Nimrod" arrive to reveal that the station had only faced the first wave of the assault forces. Captain Drake orders Babylon 5 and the "Alexander" to surrender. Sheridan knows he has no way of defeating these fresh reinforcements.

At that moment, however, four jump points form above the station. Three Minbari warcruisers and the White Star jump into Babylon 5 space. In command of the White Star, Delenn tells Captain Drake that the station is now under the protection of the Minbari. Drake tries to assert his authority, to which Delenn responds:

Realizing that an attack would be suicidal, the second wave of Earthforce ships withdraw from the area.

The casualties are quite high. About 30% of the Starfury fighters have been destroyed or disabled in the attack. A large number of Narns and humans on both sides of the hand to hand battle in Brown sector have been injured or killed. Garibaldi, Sheridan, and Ivanova had all been injured during the battle, but their injuries are not serious, and they will recover.

Major Ryan decides to withdraw from the area, knowing that it would help keep Clark's forces from concentrating on the station. Ryan says that there are others in Earth Force who would be willing to help them, and says that he needs to find them. He adds that he has no room for the fighter pilots from the "Churchill" and offers to assign the fighters and pilots to Babylon 5 in order to bring the station's squadrons back up to full strength. Sheridan agrees to take care of Hiroshi's crew in light of her ship's sacrifice. Upon leaving the conference room, Ryan asks Sheridan why he is leaving his uniform jacket behind. Sheridan replies that he could no longer wear the uniform and maintain a clear conscience.

Sheridan meets up with Garibaldi, and they observe the Nightwatch people being put off the station, as well as others who wanted to leave. Delenn arrives, and Sheridan expresses his gratitude for what she has done for them. Ivanova arrives and takes them to the Zocalo, where a large number of people applaud Sheridan for taking a stand against Clark.

Arc significance

* Before this episode, the opposition of the station's command crew had been covert. In this episode Sheridan and the others finally openly oppose President Clark.
* Delenn fulfills part of Minbari prophecy when she breaks the apathetic Grey Council, and the Minbari take a more active role in fighting the Shadows.
* Babylon 5 is now an independent state.
* The Minbari are now providing protection for the station.
* The Earth Civil War kicks into full swing, with Clark's forces besieging Mars and the outer colonies. Clark begins to openly turn Earth into a fascist police state, as highlighted by the storming of ISN, which will soon be re-instated as a twisted propaganda-tool version of its former self.
* Sheridan uses Draal's Holographic Projection System to send a message to areas of Babylon 5 about the upcoming attack, but refuses to use Draal's defence system, wanting to keep it in reserve.

Production details

* Delenn's speech to the Grey Council was originally meant to be done in one long take, but had to be done in multiple takes. From the beginning of the speech up to the point where Delenn broke the staff was done in one long take. But after that point a second take was needed because Mira Furlan was unable to snap the leader's staff in two initially. The production crew needed to make a cut into the staff to enable her to break the staff. In the season three outtakes - which can be found on the last disc in the season 3 DVD set - Mira is shown struggling with the uncooperative staff. It's unclear if the continuation of Delenn's speech is a continuation of the first take, or a separate take in itself. Also, her turning to leave the chamber is a new take — according to Straczynski's commentary, Mira had actually turned and walked into one of the Grey Council members at one point.
* The episode was noted for the high number of special effects.
* Stephen Furst (Vir Cotto) and Jason Carter (Marcus Cole) do not appear in this episode. Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari) only appeared briefly at the beginning of the episode.
* General Hague was killed off (offscreen) because Robert Foxworth was unavailable to reprise the role. This is because Foxworth's agent had double-booked him for B5 and "" (specifically, the two part DS9 episodes "" and ""). Since the two schedules conflicted, Foxworth happened to choose DS9, necessitating that Hague be written out of the script, ironically in said DS9 episodes Foxworth plays an Admiral who attempts to start a coup.

External links