History Recap / BabylonFiveS03E21ShadowDancing

* PyrrhicVictory: The allied races manage to defend the sector, but they still lose two ships for each one they destroy.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Franklin finds out the hard way that you shouldn't try to intervene in an in-progress crime, you're likely to wind up becoming just another victim yourself.

* ShadowArchetype: Other!Franklin is Franklin's suppressed inner self

* {{Jerkass}}: Other!Franklin
** JerkassHasAPoint

* FlyingSaucer: The Vree ''Xill''-class saucer reveals its antimatter weapon in the battle against the Shadows. The Vree will contribute their ships to every major engagement the Army of Light participates in from now on.

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: One of Franklin's flaws that nearly gets him killed here. His other self lampshades it.
-->'''Other!Franklin''': You always have to be the hero.

As Sheridan and Delenn begin their ritual, someone checks in on the station and a few minutes later appears at his quarters. A red-haired woman comes in and introduces herself as Anna Sheridan.

Franklin continues needling Stephen, cheerfully outlining the symptoms he’ll be feeling leading up to death. Of course Stephen wasn’t that happy with his life anyway so it won’t matter much. He eventually irritates Stephen to the point that he starts dragging himself away. Franklin seems to sense some resolve in him and jumps down and eggs him on.

Stephen finally manages to get to a public area. Just as he collapses the Shadows are driven into retreat. Together in the tactical center, [[SecurityCling Sheridan and Delenn hold each other]] as they survey the devastation around them.

** There's also a reference to [[Recap/BabylonFiveS02E04ADistantStar an old Egyptian blessing]].

* ContinuityNod: The shot where Franklin staggers into the Zocalo injured evokes a similar shot from "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS01E22Chrysalis Chrysalis]]".

When asks what he found, Stephen replied that he found out he didn’t like himself. Garibaldi figures there are worse revelations to get. As Garibaldi leaves, Stephen notices the flurry of activity.

Delenn is in chambers speaking with the League. Now that they know where the Shadows are going to strike, they need a fleet, as many ships as they can, but the League are being as stubborn and think-skulled as ever. Delenn asks them to trust her, since they have kept every promise so far, or leave. None of them do. For their part, the Minbari promise as many warcruisers as possible and some additional forces as well.

Stephen is rushed to Medlab, still delirious as he sees the faces of his friends. Sheridan and Delenn arrive back on station but have already heard about Stephen. He’s lost a lot of blood but he’s stable. The battle met its objective, but it cost a lot. And it was the first time they brought the League together as a cohesive force. Garibaldi asks the question no one wants to consider:

Stephen finally manages to get to a public area. Just as he collapses the Shadows are driven into retreat. Together in the tactical center, Sheridan and Delenn hold each other as they survey the devastation around them.

* IWantToLive: Franklin is stabbed and calling for help. He ends up seeing a halucination of himself who proceeds to [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech chew him out for all of his failings]]. By the end, Franklin finds the determination within him to drag himself (despite his injuries) to seek help.

Then next day, Ivanova comes to wake Marcus for hos shift and they talk for a bit about the Rangers and their training, and how he became fluent in Minbari. He then speaks in Minbari, “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” When she asks what it meant, he just says it’s a Minbari greeting, “My words are inadequate to the burden of my heart.” Ivanova is a bit bemused by this. Marcus heads off, but Ivanova has figure out the slanted beds so she can sleep.