History Recap / BabylonFiveS01E08AndTheSkyFullOfStars

* TrappedByGamblingDebts: Benson. Sinclair and Garibaldi are GenreSavvy enough to have him relieved of duty as soon as they learn of this, but that doesn't stop him from accepting money to help the bad guys.

A security officer, Benson, is being beaten up by some thugs that he owes money to. They give him 24 hours to come up with payment in full. Later he is called to Sinclair's office. He has apparently been spending too much time in the casinos and has wracked up a lot of debt gambling, which leaves him oopen to being compromised. He is removed from duty pending an investigation. Benson leaves, but goes to a storage room. Later he shows up in the Knights' quarters with a pilfered energy unit. He doesn't know what's going on, but he just wants to be paid, and leaves as soon as he's assured he will be.

Ivanova is walking along a catwalk when Delenn approaches. She asks if there is anything she can do, but Ivanova assures her they are doing everything they can. The Knights are having troubles of their own. Knight Two is still reeling a bit from Sinclair's blow, but wants to go back in, even though Knight One is worried about it. They have about four hours before security searches reach their hideaway. They decide to increase both the cybernet's power and the dosage of the psychotropics to Sinclair, even though it may cause him to start hallucinating.

In both the real world and the cybernet, Sinclair cleches and unclenches his fist. Within the cybernet, Sinclair finds himself in a dark space as lights come on, illuminating figures in Minbari robes. He asks them what they want from him, but one of them shoots him with some sort of staff weapon.

Back in his quarters, Sinclair begins to recount what he now remembers. He was taken aboard a Minbari cruiser, tortured, interrogated, and brought into the presence of the Grey Council itself. What Delenn was doing there, and what they don't want him to find out, he doesn't know, but resolves to find out.

"Tried to do what?" demands Knight Two. Sinclair remembers trying to ram a Minbari Cruiser, but is unable to recall anything after that. Knight Two is not satisfied, however, and begins accusing him of not wanting to remember, "The day you became a traitor. the day you sold out--" He is cut off when Sinclair punches him in the gut.

Ivanova is walking along a catwalk when Delenn approaches. She asks if there is anything she can do, but Ivanova assures her they are doing everything they can. The Knights are having troubles of their own. Knight Two is still reeling a bit from Sinclair's blow, but wants to go back in, even though Knight One is worried about it. They have about four hours before security searches reach their hideaway. They decide to increase both the cybernets power and the dosage of the psychotropics to Sinclair, even though it may cause him to start hallucinating.

Garibaldi takes a report from his second, Jack. Jack has pulled everyone in, even Benson. When Garibaldi objects, Jack says he's clean. A look at Benson's records accounts shows a positive balance after paying off lots of debts. A large payment was made only hours before Sinclair went missing. Suspecting a connection, Garibaldi wants Benson found. Benson overhears, and runs off before anyone sees him.

Back in the cybernet, Sinclair finds himself in a dark space as lights come on, illuminating figures in Minbari robes. He asks them what they want from him, but one of them shoots him with some sort of staff weapon.

* [[spoiler: TheEndingChangesEverything: In a broader sense: the season finale casts an entirely new light on Jack's actions in this episode. It seems likely he too was assisting the Knights in their actions; at the very least, he tried to convince Garibaldi that Benson was harmless--unsuccessfully, of course.]]

* TrappedByGamblingDebts: The security officer. Sinclair and Garibaldi are GenreSavvy enough to have him relieved of duty as soon as they learn of this, but that doesn't stop him from accepting money to help the bad guys.

A security officer is being beaten up by some thugs that he owes money to. They give him 24 hours to come up with payment in full. Later he is called to Sinclair's office. He has apparently been spending too much time in the casinos and has wracked up a lot of debt gambling, which leaves him oopen to being compromised. He is removed from duty pending an investigation. Benson leaves, but goes to a storage room. Later he shows up in the Knights' quarters with a pilfered energy unit. He doesn't know what's going on, but he just wants to be paid, and leaves as soon as he's assured he will be.

That night, Sinclair wakes up in his quarters after a nightmare about the Battle of the Line. He goes to use his computer, but it's not working. His attempts to call a maintenance team go unanswered, as do his calls to security. Perplexed and worried, he makes his way to C&C, finding it deserted. His attempts to activate the systems or communicate with Earth Central seem to have similar results. He is about to leave when the main console suddenly comes to life. He asks about an evacuation, but is told there wasn't one, then scans for lifeforms; only one is found.

"Tried what?" demands Knight Two. Sinclair remembers trying to ram a Minbari Cruiser, but is unable to recall anything after that. Knight Two is not satisfied, however, and begins accusing him of not wanting to remember, "The day you became a traitor. the day you sold out-" He is cut off when Sinclair punches him in the gut.

"Well, well, looks like the pain is real for both of us." Sinclair says with a satisfied look as he clenches his fist.

Knight Two asks if anything has ever made him question that. Sinclair is about to respond, when he suddenly remembers the Minbari warrior from "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS01E00TheGathering The Gathering]]" saying, "You have a hole in your mind." Knight Two seizes on this, and convinces Sinclair to go and look. He finds himself back with the robed figures, but this time he goes up to one and pulls up the hood. He pauses, saying, "I know you." He is the shot by the staff weapon again, but this time he manages to reconnect with his physical self. He yanks himself out of his restraints, destroys Knight Two's cyber interface, and knocks Knight One out. It is clear he is delusional as his leaves the room and begins wandering the station. As he encounters various people in the halls, he sees the cloaked figures, rather than who they really are, which prompts him to fire on one of his own security personnel as she tries to talk to him. She begins to call in his location, but Knight One has woken up and shoots her in the back before she can send the message. Ivanova traces the link and sends Garibaldi toward that location.

The next day, after the psychotropics has been flushed from Sinclair's body, he asks to see Knight Two. The meeting does little, the man's brain has been scrambled, leaving him with little more than a vacant expression. He does react to Sinclair, saying there's something in his heading saying they both might still be inside.

* ContinuityNod: The newspaper Garibaldi is seen reading has headlines relating to several events in recent episodes (as well as a sidebar {{foreshadowing}} a major development later in the series).

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Garibaldi's newspaper includes a couple interesting stories: [[spoiler:Psi-Corps in Election Tangle: Did Psi-Corps Violate Its Charter In Endorsing Vice-President?]] and, as a FreezeFrameBonus (though barely readable), [[spoiler:Is There Something Living In Hyperspace?]]

Knight One catches up with Sinclair, and the two start shooting at each other. Sinclair also shoots at Garibaldi's forces when they arrive, and anyone else who crosses his view. Then Delenn shows up. She slowly approaches Sinclair, trying to get him to remember who he is. He points his weapon at her, but does not fire, repeating, "I know you." He flashes back to the robed figures, and pulling the hood off one. It was Delenn. He suddenly fires his gun...behind Delenn, Knight One falls to the ground. Soon after Sinclair collapses.

* Foreshadowing: Garibaldi's newspaper includes a couple interesting stories: [[spoiler:Psi-Corps in Election Tangle: Did Psi-Corps Violate Its Charter In Endorsing Vice-President?]] and, as a FreezeFrameBonus (though barely readable), [[spoiler:Is There Something Living In Hyperspace?]]

* YourMindMakesItReal
* YoureInsane!: Sinclair's reaction when the interrogator explains his theory about Sinclair being a Minbari sleeper agent.

* WhatMightHaveBeen: JMS offered both [[StarTrek Walter Koenig]] and [[ThePrisoner Patrick McGoohan]] a role in the episode as one of the kidnappers. Both had to decline for health or scheduling reasons, but Koenig was later cast in a recurring role as Bester.

* ContinuityNod: The newspaper Garibaldi is seen reading has headlines relating to several events in recent episodes (as well as a sidebar foreshadowing a major development later in the series).

That night, Sinclair wakes up in his quarters after a nightmare about the Battle of the Line. He goes to use his computer, but it's not working. His attempts to call a maintenance team go unanswered, as do his calls to security. Perplexed and worried, he makes his way to C&C, finding it deserted. His attempts to activate the systems or communicate with Earth Central seem to have similar results. He is about to leave when the main console suddenly comes to life. He asks about an evacuation, but is told there was one, then scans for lifeforms; only one is found.

Knight Two asks if anything has ever made him question that. Sinclair is about to respond, when he suddenly remembers the Minbari warrior from "The Gathering" saying, "You have a hole in your mind." Knight Two seizes on this, and convinces Sinclair to go and look. He finds himself back with the robed figures, but this time he goes up to one and pulls up the hood. He pauses, saying, "I know you." He is the shot by the staff weapon again, but this time he manages to reconnect with his physical self. He yanks himself out of his restraints, destroys Knight Two's cyber interface, and knocks Knight One out. It is clear he is delusional as his leaves the room and begins wandering the station. As he encounters various people in the halls, he sees the cloaked figures, rather than who they really are, which prompts him to fire on one of his own security personnel as she tries to talk to him. She begins to call in his location, but Knight One has woken up and shoots her in the back before she can send the message. Ivanova traces the link and sends Garibaldi toward that location.

"I don't know. Maybe the universe blinked, maybe God changed His mind." Knight Two asks if anything has ever made him question that. Sinclair is about to respond, when he suddenly remembers the Minbari warrior from "The Gathering" saying, "You have a hole in your mind." Knight Two seizes on this, and convinces Sinclair to go and look. He finds himself back with the robed figures, but this time he goes up to one and pulls up the hood. He pauses, saying, "I know you." He is the shot by the staff weapon again, but this time he manages to reconnect with his physical self. He yanks himself out of his restraints, destroys Knight Two's cyber interface, and knocks Knight One out. It is clear he is delusional as his leaves the room and begins wandering the station. As he encounters various people in the halls, he sees the cloaked figures, rather than who they really are, which prompts him to fire on one of his own security personnel as she tries to talk to him. She begins to call in his location, but Knight One has woken up and shoots her in the back before she can send the message. Ivanova traces the link and sends Garibaldi toward that location.

Sinclair is kidnapped by a pair of human agents, placed in a virtual reality chair and subjected to pharmaceuticals, all with the express purpose of answering one question: what happened to Sinclair during the Battle of the Line when he blacked out for 24 hours? The agents believe that Sinclair betrayed humanity, but what really happened -- and what Sinclair learned during that time -- is still more shocking...