History Recap / BabylonFiveS04E10RacingMars

* ShoutOut: This episode begins a long tradition of shoutouts to Mars-centric fiction whenever the show focuses on Mars. When Captain Jack is in the transport tube, you can see an advertisement for the Literature/RedPlanet Hotel (as well as a [[RecruitersAlwaysLie recruiting poster]] for Earthforce)

* ShoutOut: This episode begins a long tradition of shoutouts to Mars-centric fiction whenever the show focuses on Mars. When Captain Jack is in the transport tube, you can see an advertisement for the Literature/RedPlanet Hotel (as well as a [[JoinTheArmyTheySaid recruiting poster]] for Earthforce)

-->'''Capt. Jack''': Lyta had a little Vorlon, it's fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Lyta went, her Vorlon was sure to go.

* AbsenteeActor: Lyta doesn't appear in this episode, although she is referenced in the pass phrase that B5 gave the Mars Resistance.

* RunningTheBlockade: Ivanova arranges for some smugglers to bring supplies through the Earth Force blockade.
* ShoutOut: This episode begins a long tradition of shoutouts to Mars-centric fiction whenever the show focuses on Mars. When Captain Jack is in the transport tube, you can see an advertisement for the Literature/RedPlanet Hotel (as well as a [[JoinTheArmyTheySaid recruiting poster]] for Earth Force)

* SpotTheThread: Captain Jack tries desperately to give subtle hints as anything overt would be blocked by his keeper to tell his friends and Franklin something is very wrong with him. He kept his coat on despite being sweaty and uncomfortable with it. He claimed one place had nothing good in it despite it being one of the hottest trade spots. Lastly, he gives franklin his daughter's photo and address on the back just in case he doesn't make it.

* UsefulNotes/ThePope: ...is apparently female in 2261 and, Garibaldi is quick to point out, looks nothing like Sheridan. JMS has stated this one offhand line drew more complaints than anything else in the show.

* AManIsAlwaysEager: Sheridan goes straight from depressed over Garibaldi and exasperated at yet another Minbari courtship ritual (out of up to fifty) to excited eagerness when Delenn tells him this one involves them "discovering each other's centers of pleasure."

* UnwantedFalseFaith: A Brakiri woman asks Sheridan for a blessing because he went to Z'ha'dum and returned to life. Sheridan would have let her down gently; unfortunately, Garibaldi sees it as confirmation of his paranoid belief that Sheridan is forming a cult of personality around himself and gets incensed.

* TrustPassword: "Lyta had a little Vorlon, her skin was pale as snow. And everywhere that Lyta went, her Vorlon was sure to go." Captain Jack waits quite a while to actually give the pass phrase. He claims it's because [[ProperlyParanoid he had to make sure they seemed legit first]], but it seems possible that he did so [[{{Troll}} because it was funny.]]

* OutOfCharacterAlert: Many of Captain Jack's weird actions, easy to miss for the audience and even the main characters, given that he's new to them. One of the Resistance members who knows him does point out that he's eating constantly, despite being on a diet. Out of context, it just sounds like a fat joke, but [[HarsherInHindsight by the end of the episode...]]

* AManIsAlwaysEager: Sheridan goes straight from depressed over Garibaldi and exasperated at yet another Minbari courtship ritual (out of up to fifty) to excited eagerness when Delenn tells him this one involves them "discovering each other's centers of pleasure."

* InterspeciesRomance: Sheridan and Delenn take another step in their relationship... one that Sheridan [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments evidently enjoys]]. While members of her caste observe in the other room and pray for a good night.

* InterspeciesRomance: Sheridan and Delenn take another step in their relationship... one that Sheridan [[CrowningMomentOfFunny evidently enjoys]]. While members of her caste observe in the other room and pray for a good night.

'''Sheridan''': [[AManIsAlwaysEager Nope]].

Sheridan is in his office when Ivanova comes in. He's worried about their resources with the embargo from Earth. He thinks they have about two or three months until they start running out of things. There's always the black market, but even that's iffy as the penalties for breaking the embargo may make it non-profitable for it to operate. Ivanova assures him she'll take care of it, and then relieves him of command. Sheridan is not amused but this isn't a joke. She thinks he needs some time off since the last time he did was way back before they broke away from Earth. Sheridan gives some weak protests but a determined Ivanova is an immovable object and Sheridan meekly leaves his office to her.

On Mars Stephen is complaining about the heat in the tunnels, and wondering why Jack keeps his big coat on. He and Stephen being talking a bit, Jack showing a picture of his daughter, which has some contact information on the back. The conversation is cut short when Number Two charges in demanding to know who they are and what they did with their contacts. Apparently the IDs didn't check out, and he gives them thirty seconds to explain who they are. A woman comes in and says two minutes. This apparently is Number One, and she wanted to see them for herself. Jack suddenly begins acting strangely, which Stephen and Marcus notice. They quickly take down their guards as Jack pulls a gun and fires. Marcus returns fire with a guard's weapon and hits Jack in the shoulder, as some tentacled creature falls off. They go over to look at it, then realize Jack's disappeared.

A short time later Stephen is examining the remains of the creature, while Number Two comes in saying he found their real IDs. Number One doesn't understand why he would betray them, but Stephen tells her that the creature seems to have the ability to [[PuppeteerParasite take control of a host]]. It didn't have complete control however, and Jack kept [[SpotTheThread trying to give hints that something was wrong without it noticing]], keeping his coat on despite the heat and giving Stephen his daughter's address in case he didn't survive. One of the resistance comes in with news that Jack's gotten into a transport tube with a thermal grenade. They call him and try to get him to come back. He isn't willing to return, since the thing isn't really dead. Even as he speaks it starts to grow back. [[IDieFree Before it can reassert control]] he arms the grenade and [[DrivenToSuicide blows himself up]].

'''Marcus''': Ooh, you say now, tell that to your mother! She'd never stop calling about it. "So when's the big day? I've got to pick out patterns. Your father isn't going to live forever and on, and on, and on, and on...\\

Delenn finds Sheridan brooding in the garden, and he tells her about his confrontation with Garibaldi. He keeps thinking he can bring Michael around, but Delenn says it's possible that his path simply no longer the same as theirs. Sheridan understands, but doesn't like it, but asks what Delenn was looking for him for. She begins to talk about when Minbari become close...which means she's about to introduce another ritual, one of up to possibly fifty, in their courtship. Sheridan is exasperated, until she explains that this one, the Shan'fal, involves discovering each other's centers of pleasure. Respectfully, of course, with prayer and meditation. Delenn gets up saying she will see him in her quarters later.

Sheridan is in his office when Ivanova comes in. He's worried about their resources with the embargo from Earth. He thinks they have about two or three months until they start runnign out of things. There's always the black market, but even that's iffy as the penalties for breaking the embargo may make it non-profitable for it to operate. Ivanova assures him she'll take care of it, and then relieves him of command. Sheridan is not amused but this isn't a joke. She thinks he needs some time off since the last time he did was way back before they broke away from Earth. Sheridan gives some weak protests but a determined Ivanova is an immovable object and Sheridan meekly leaves his office to her.

-->'''Marcus''': Just my luck. For the first time in my life I'm a war hero and nobody knows about it! And worst of all I'm married to you!\\

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: Captain Jack knows that the Keeper will grow back, and gets into a transport tube [[DyingAsYourself so he can end it without hurting anyone else.]]]]

* RunningTheBlockade: Ivanova arranges for some smugglers to bring supplies through the Earth Force blockade. Sheridan doesn't want her getting her hands dirty like that, but Ivanova [[MoreExpendableThanYou points out]] that she can give Sheridan a [[PlausibleDeniability layer of seperation]] since his status as station commander means his good reputation is more important to the station's function.