History Recap / BabylonFiveS01E06MindWar

As Bester and Sinclair view the visual record, he comments that his superiors will not believe any of it, especially since Sinclair is going to arrange for the record to be deleted. He suggests that they reports something close to the truth, Ironheart attempted to escape, but his ship exploded before he reached the jumpgate. Also that Talia was not acting of her own accord. If he doesn't Sinclair's report will say how Bester's interference endangered the station, and led to Kelsey's death.

Ironheart has brought Talia to his flat and is explaining that he volunteered for a project to attempt to increase his telepathic abilities. He was subject to numerous and painful treatments until one day he found his powers had expanded beyond anything they ever dreamed possible. He had become quite possibly the single most powerful telepath in the galaxy, and it was then that he discovered what the project was really for. They were trying to create a stable telekinetic, not for large things, like telekinetic shielding as he thought, but small things, the smaller the better, for example a assassin that could literally shut off parts of the target's body without leaving a trace. Talia is horrified by the implications, but before they can continue, Ironheart has another of his episodes which shakes the entire section and throws up some kind of telekinetic field around the area.

Catherine is talking to G'Kar, who, while he has given his his consent, is advising her not to go. He says it it not a healthy place, that strange things happen there, and other things that Catherine takes as a threat. She threatens to go over his head then heads off to prepare for her flight. G'Kar later requests a heavily-armed fighter be sent to Sigma-957.

Catherine has just received her assignment, survey a planet called Sigma-957. There are expected to be large deposits of Quantium-40 there, [[AppliedPhlebotinum the material used to construct jumpgates]]. She agrees to the terms of the contract, but there is one more party who needs to give their consent before she can go. She turns around to see G'Kar behind her.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The beings at Sigma-957 are a race of [[{{Precursors}} First Ones]]. We'll see their ship twice more in the series.

* ShoutOut: Psi Cop Alfred Bester is, of course, named after Creator/AlfredBester. According to one of the ExpandedUniverse novels, this was even done in-universe.

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Ironheart undergoes said ascension.

* HiddenDepths: This is the first episode to hint at the more heroic WarriorPoet that G'Kar later becomes.

* WhatAnIdiot: When hiring Catherine Sakai the Universal Terraform representative stresses she NOT tell anybody about it, including the commander.... while they are literally talking about it in a public space with dozens of people passing by through the conversation.

** As unlikely as it seems, we get to see a payoff for Ironheart's promise to come back in a million years. The season 4 finale reveals that [[spoiler: by that time, humanity has become similar to the Vorlons, and ready for Ironheart to live among again.]]

* FriendshipMoment: After Talia's [[MindRape deep-scan]], courtesy of Bester and Kelsey, it is Ivanova, [[FantasticRacism ever distrusting of telepaths and the Psi-Corps]], who silently offers her a glass of water. This also serves as {{Foreshadowing}} both for Ivanova's own CharacterArc and for her developing friendship with Talia.

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The Walkers of Sigma-957, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLZW8Deq8vE G'Kar explains to Catherine Sakai.]]

* WhatAnIdiot: When hiring Catherine Sakai the representative stresses she NOT tell anybody about it, including the commander.... while they are literally talking about it in a public space with dozens of people passing by through the conversation.

** His final "Be seeing you" to Sinclair - and the associated gesture - are both shout outs to ''Series/ThePrisoner''.

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The Walkers of Sigma-957.

** Garibaldi´s second, Jack, makes his first appearance in this episode, being the security guard to meet with the Psi Cops. It turns out that he is working with secret forces in the government, and later assassinates Garibaldi at the end of the season. Isn´t it ''interesting'' to see his enthusiasm when he states that he "never met a psi cop before"?

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence

* ShoutOut: Psi Cop Alfred Bester is, of course, named for Creator/AlfredBester. According to one of the ExpandedUniverse novels, this was even done in-universe.

** As unlikely as it seems, we get to see a payoff for Ironheart's promise to come back in a million years. The season 4 finale reveals that by that time, humanity has become similar to the Vorlons, and ready for Ironheart to live among again.

** As unlikely as it seems, we get to see a payoff for Ironheart's promise to come back in a million years. [[spoiler:The season 4 finale reveals that by that time, humanity has become similar to the Vorlons, and ready for Ironheart to live among again.]]

** His final "Be seeing you" to Sinclair - and the associated gesture - are both shout outs to ''ThePrisoner''.

In deep space a small transport is being pursued by Earth Alliance squadron Black Omega, but with a sudden flash of light, the fighters vanish, leaving the transport free to dock with Babylon 5. It's pilot, a man named Jason Ironheart, says he's looking forward to his visit.

* HarsherInHindsight: Sinclair appearing to respond to nothing and then telling Bester to get out of his head, after the reveal of Michael O'Hare's schizophrenia.
* HeyItsThatGuy: Waitaminnit!?!? [[PlayingAgainstType THAT guy]] is [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Pavel Chekov]]?

* HeyItsThatGuy: Waitaminnit!?!? THAT guy is [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Pavel Chekov]]?

--> "There are things in the universe billions of years older than either of our races. They are vast, [[TimeAbyss timeless]] ... They are a mystery, and I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the universe-- that we have not yet explained everything. Whatever they are, Ms. Sakai, they walk near Sigma-957. They must walk there alone."

* IfIWantedYouDead: Ironheart tells Sinclair that he could reduce him to his component atoms if he wished, with only a thought.

--> "There are things in the universe billions of years older than either of our races. They are vast, timeless ... They are a mystery, and I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the universe-- that we have not yet explained everything. Whatever they are, Ms. Sakai, they walk near Sigma-957. They must walk there alone."

* MindOverMatter

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien