What Did You See?

[@teejaybee8222]

What did he see? "Nothing, shadows. . . " Always loved that line. Descriptive without revealing anything. B5 was always great at that.

[@attiepollard7847]

He seen the shadow creatures but he had to keep that too himself and do more investigations on Mr Morton

[@SeeLasSee]

If a viewer looked away from the screen for a few key seconds they’d miss this foreboding sign and take a number of new episodes before they realized.

[@nicholasdickens2801]

I love how he has to swallow first. He realises just how dangerous the world has just become.

[@ProjectDv2]

"I had most of our people evacuated from Selini during the night. A few stayed to maintain the illusion of our presence. They knew what was being asked of them." I enjoy that they later revisit Churchill's dilemma again later on when Londo told Morden to remove the Shadows from Centauri Prime and he refused. That detail wasn't lost on me.

[@TheOneSeer]

This scene haunted me as a child. I asked my dad about it and he protected my innocence by telling me Sheridan was forked like a knight in chess threatening your queen and king simultaneously. If he did something he risked killing everyone who could make ready. If he did nothing he would lose. The only option was to accept the loss and live to fight.

[@SirMarshalHaig]

I wonder if Zack ever remembered this moment and thought "Ohhhhh...craaaapp...that´s what he was talking about"

[@getreal6124]

GREAT historical parallel to Churchill knowing about the incoming bombing of Coventry. This is why B5 ended up so close to the universality of Star Trek: The Original Series--this kind of human and historical connection--that touches the mind and soul.

[@ragzzytv]

I feel, that in an alternate Universe, Bruce Boxleitner would have been an excellent Captain Kirk.

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

It would be funny if Morden launched a wrongful imprisonment lawsuit and the Shadows had to take the stand as witnesses.

[@banananotebook3331]

It's funny because the shadows would be shooting themselves in the foot.

[@Robert_Douglass]

Do you, Shadow Whatever Your Name Is, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? --- ********* Can anyone in the court translate that?

[@SirMarshalHaig]

@@Robert_Douglass Only Morden could...somehow the witnesses always agreed with him...well guess he is right then.

[@boooster101]

@@SirMarshalHaig Imagine how funny it would be if it turns out that Morden just told bullshit the whole time and the shadows desperately wanted him to translate what they were actually saying. But because no one else could hear them at all, they were stuck with him.

[@Mark73]

Lyta Alexander eventually reached the point where she could tell if she was being watched on video, and even which video camera she was being watched through. Something that's supposed to be impossible for telepaths. It's a sure bet that if it's possible for Lyta then the Shadows can do it.

[@Bobaklives]

Given how they acted towards the end of their time in the show, it could be argued the Vorlons got too powerful, and they're the ones who gave Lyta her boost.

[@DLordSadow]

Actually, it wasn’t impossible for telepaths at all. It was something that however should have been beyond the capabilities of a P5, which Leeta was rated at. This indicated that her abilities had been significantly enhanced.

[@Ruosteinenknight]

Shadows have PSI-abilities of their own, that much is for certain but it's never elaborated what and unlike Vorlons, they don't trust anyone else with it. Instead they seem to prefer cybernetic enhancements rather than genetic engineering, Techno-mage order being good example of this.

[@kerryedavis]

But that didn't happen in the regular series, that was in the Thirdspace movie, where additional "programming" from the Vorlons kicked in during that situation.

[@mojomike]

@@kerryedavis also during season 5 with the Telepath War arc/Byron

[@ariochiv]

That was the moment that I actually started to take Babylon 5 seriously.

[@Kainlarsen]

I always loved this episode. Seeing my city getting some love was really touching!

[@Crisspy1000]

The way Bruce delivered the lines about the World War Two codes moved me to tears

[@SirMarshalHaig]

His voice, his face...not a man talking about history, he´s a man seeing himself. A chilling performance that actually does remind me of a WW 2 veteran in a moment of looking back. The remake they make concerns me...there´s only room for improvement in the least important field, the effects. Everything else is as good as it can be in an imperfect world.

[@timp2751]

Also very likely not true but never mind! A popular and long-standing theory. Similar but much smaller scale decisions certainly were made when dealing with cracked enigma messages

[@ashwb1]

The Churchill Coventry story is not quite correct as portrayed in B5. But well acted nonetheless

[@sebaszwarc]

@@ashwb1maybe in this timeline it was that way

[@GrapeCheckerBoard]

Sheridan didn’t get Enigma quite right. Enigma was a machine used to generate codes, not a code itself.

[@thegrimmretails3777]

Two great actors who are no longer with us in this sketch.

[@s3p4kner]

Ed Wasser staring into the camera, how many actors are able to be so charming and sinister at the same time? His departure from acting was a loss to the craft but IMDB says he's still doing small roles here and there.

[@PeterLGଈ]

Anthony Perkins was another, back in the day. Sinister charm.

[@ReaperX7]

The sacrifice of Coventry... When I first saw this I asked about if that description was true. It was... I understood what being a leader meant.

[@Teardehawkee]

Mr. Morden ALWAYS gives me the creeps!

[@JustPippaNY]

This is why it's important to pay attention in history class.

[@Valen-xu2wy]

To this day, I get a chill when I say the word......Shadows.

[@AliceTolson]

I started really getting into B5 in these episodes..

[@garypalmer997]

That whole story bout the enigma code and keeping the truth a secret, then he sees the shawdows and does the same.

[@VTX00128]

It was the same thing with Pearl harbor they knew they broked the code of the Japanese.

[@adambrown3918]

A portent of what Sheridan and the War Council will have decide to do later in the show in regards to White Star 14 commanded by Ericsson( played by Bryan Cranston ) in preparation for the major offensive at Coriana VI. 😱😢

[@sdfried4877]

And let’s not forget the brave residents of the island of Salini.

[@crazyd4371]

@@sdfried4877 That was more of a sacrifice than White Star 14!!!

[@sdfried4877]

@@crazyd4371 Well, we don’t really know how many people stayed behind on Salini but probably a hundred or two vs a crew of 50 on a Whitestar. On a personal level, however, everyone has only one life to give to the cause and there is no greater sacrifice than “one who lay down his life for his brother”.

[@crazyd4371]

@@sdfried4877 We don't even know if White Star 14 had a full crew complement for that mission!!! As for sacrifice, the needs of the many, whether they are our brothers or sisters, outweigh the needs of the few or the one!!!

[@sdfried4877]

@@crazyd4371 but not THE ONE.

[@foxieexe3355]

Such an amazing parallel between the story and what he did to morden

[@siok4375]

I'm from Coventry, as a Coventrian I can say that it would not hurt to get bombed again

[@nfnumber1fan805]

Refugee problem, ole dearie?

[@Cenindo]

From what I read, the story of how Churchill had an advance warning and yet decided not to evacuate Coventry is unsubstantiated. It was just a claim made in one book, rejected by other historians. But since B5 is set centuries into the future, we may of course imagine that new historical evidence has come to light proving that this was indeed so.

[@Lanceb131]

1 of my favorite scenes

[@michaelrlomax1977]

Love the beginning of this scene!

[@MikeC-s2j]

COULD YOU KEEP A SECRET? YOU CAN'T ANSWER UNTIL YOU ARE FACE WITH IT!

[@bomblast2000]

Thanks. I have been looking for this clip for a long time.

[@zorkmid1083]

I'm surprised the Shadows didn't suspect Sheridan got information about them from a "third party". I mean, he gave up Morden without even a last declaration from Sheridan that he will get the answers he's looking for.

[@DLordSadow]

Might have been arrogance on their part (as well as Morden’s). Given the ethically dubious nature of Sheridan’s actions, they probably assumed he was pressured/forced into folding.

[@SirMarshalHaig]

@@DLordSadow I think that Sheridan never showed up in person to let him go helped to leave that impression, instead just some dude from station security let him go, as if Sheridan wanted to hide from this.

[@Bek359]

I think the fact that Sheridan didn't follow up on it with a report or anything made them categorize him as someone who's in the game and understands (some of) the rules, rather than an unstable element that will force them to move openly. Because of course they know that the Vorlons have agents among the younger races, that some of them know part of what's going on. As far as the Shadows are concerned, the Vorlons just got an additional pawn, that's all.

[@Julius_Hardware]

@@Bek359 Very good point. Part of Sheridan's discomfort is that he's to being a man of action and in charge, but suddenly he has to accept he's just become a part of the game and (for now) just a minor one.

[@kingbeef66]

Shadows is exactly what he saw.

[@AmySox]

Fifty credits a week, Zack? Is that the equivalent of thirty pieces of silver these days?

[@teejaybee8222]

Zack had a little of Kenickie come out at the end there

[@hebrewyisraeliteyahawadahite]

*Zack is openly working for a rogue / sinister organization which to his horror he'll realize later on...*

[@VTX00128]

Oh Zack if you will true student of history like Sheridan was you will learn the horrors of joining such a organization.

[@RandomAmerican3000]

It's an interesting story that fits the narrative, but unfortunately there is much evidence against Churchill actually knowing it was Coventry that was going to be bombed. They just knew that a major strike was coming, not where. And in all the times I've watched this, I only now wonder why the monitor controls are not facing the monitor. (Other than, of course, that Zack wasn't meant to see it.)

[@jonathanrees1071]

As a random American will take your word on it

[@tonyhoban6600]

Churchill never really did give a toss about the people. If their houses were blown up , he was ok for them to be in them at the time .' We don't have time or resources to re-home you , don't you know there's a war on ? '.

[@brazil7028]

You know, there are so many great scenes like this in Babylon 5. This was such an excellent show. I love star trek, I love star wars, but Babylon 5 beats them both in my opinion. Star wars had a great story and a great concept but they ruined it by adding too much crap for little children. Star trek was great but only from an episodic standpoint. It didn't really have an overall main storyline like Babylon 5, which is why to this day Babylon 5 remains my all time favorite Sci fi series.

[@JB-xg7io]

Yep, same here. I agree 100%

[@Landofalcon007]

God, I love this show! They really don't make em like they used to.

[@GORT70]

Ahhhhh…..Mr. Morden!!!!! Payback is a bitch isn’t it…..

[@SirMarshalHaig]

I heard that in Londo´s voice.

[@thegrimmretails3777]

@@SirMarshalHaig and now, do I.

[@VTX00128]

Oh I can just see Vir and his little wave. 😂

[@TeddGCM]

They don't make sci-fi shows like this anymore. Character development over effects. If you notice, when Londo destroys the island the "Shadows" occupy, Morden grabs a ring around his neck. This was the ring of his late wife, whom his "associates" promised to bring back if he worked for them.

[@jeffreychongsathien]

The most impressive part of this scene is Sheridan pronouncing Coventry the 'proper' way.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

The historical event noted in this clip is now known to be a myth.

[@paulmusgrave2243]

But that’s not quite what happened

[@kerryedavis]

Morden is far more menacing in the series than he (Ed Wasser, anyway) was in the pilot movie "The Gathering."

[@BlueEyesDudeDragon31]

In the pilot movie he played a tottaly different character: a B5 technician called 'Guerra' who was, at worst, a neutral guy. So there.

[@kerryedavis]

@@BlueEyesDudeDragon31 yes, that's why I included "(Ed Wasser, anyway)" in my comment. It was a reference to his acting.

[@hey.hombre]

Oh man I think I just figured out what happened. I never realized it until now. Vir was asked by Mr. Morden what he wanted. Depending on the answer they would get or not get help from the Shadows. Vir wanted to be there to see Mr. Morden's head cut off so he could wave at it. The Shadows were right next to Mr. Morden and heard Vir. Vir got what he wanted. The Shadows may have seen the outcome of the conflict and decided that Mr. Morden had used up his usefulness.

[@albinoman13bt]

The Shadows guarding him were killed and the island they were given was blown up. Soon after the Vorlons showed up to blow up the planet, which they would have if Shadows were present.

[@ivanfreely6366]

No. The Shadows didn't kill Morden. Londo had kept a close eye on Vir due to his paranoid nature and took note of Vir's meeting with Morden. When the time came, Londo had his guards kill Morden's Shadow guards and then saw to it that Vir got his wish. Londo called for Vir and told him to go to the courtyard to see the surprise. In a way, you're kind of correct in that Londo could be considered to be a part of Morden's associates; Vir did ask if Morden's associates could make it happen. 🤣

[@ugolomb]

​@@ivanfreely6366 I'd always imagined Morden himself told Londo. I can actually hear him saying something like, "You know, your attache doesn't like me very much, Londo. A few days ago he actually told me that he wanted nothing more than seeing my head on a pike".

[@ASlaveToReason]

@@albinoman13bt you are mistaken. Stranziki said no shadowds were ever shown to die on screen. The ones lando shot didnt die they just got found out and hid waiting until they thought through how to respond. Quite posssibly the only time shadows ever died were the nuked on zahadoom even then we dont know if it killed any shadows or jusg destroyed enough of their equiptment to give the vorlons a fighting chance in all out war. They and the vorlons are trandimentional beings.

[@kingbeef66]

Almost sounds like the same decision when it came to dropping the atomic bombs on Japanese civilian cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[@PeterLGଈ]

They don't record the feed? 🤔

[@ЕвгенийГлушков-ы6п]

As if all depended on allies in the ww2

[@koalabrownie]

I'm guessing you're not aware that the Soviet Union received today's equivalent of 180 Billion dollars worth of military aid from the allies during ww2. 10,000+ tanks and airplanes, 400,000 jeeps & trucks, millions of tons of food, fuel, boots, blankets, etcetera.

[@koalabrownie]

@Tin Watchman Putin's Kremlin probably downplays or omits co-operation with the West.

[@James-hs3tu]

The story he told. Would you Clear out the Town. I would So you broke the code. And the other side knew. Big deal. Break the new code

[@brianorca]

Some historians think that having the broken code, and the enemy ignorant of it being broken, cut the war by two to four years. Would a single city be worth fighting the war for an extra four years? Or losing the war entirely?