The Fall of Night

Season 2, Episode 22, Aired
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Episode Summary

Two officials from the Ministry of Peace come to Babylon 5; one to deal with the Centauri's continued expansion, and the other to check on the local Nightwatch. Meanwhile a Narn heavy cruiser seeks sanctuary while they make repairs, and Keffer continues his search for proof that Shadow ships exist.moreless
9.3
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • Brilliant ending for second season

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Parricida, May 04, 2011 Report Abuse
    I love the way this episode is build. Fir quite long they let viewers believe that everything is going right and even thought refusing meeting to G'Kar, but even then.. everything looks all right until the truth is revealed.

    It was very good multilayered episode, so many things going on all the time, so many things put into motion. First the final act of Keffer, finding that ship and recording it.. Then Nightwatch who has been lurking in the shadows and now is starting to act out more and more and the concerns of Ivanova are all justified: there is another war coming, closer to home. And then the narn-centauri problem and they way that goes out of hand and what leads to Sheridan's apology and what that leads. I mean, it was very well thought trough episode. Amazing motion, amazing storytelling. Really good one.moreless

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    2 1

  • The Fall of Night

    10
    "Perfect"
    By TrueTvWatcher, Jan 05, 2011 Report Abuse
    The Fall of Night was a perfect and classic season finale of season two of Babylon 5. I really enjoyed watching this episode with it's charismatic characters, excellent story telling, and suspensful drama. I thought it was interesting that Earth made the decision it did and enjoyed watching their delegate in action, a familiar guest star. I thought it was great that Sheridan afforded the Narn what help he could, and interesting that one of Babylon 5's fighters recorded a Shadow ship in Hyperspace and now the universe is more or less aware of their presence. I thought the scene where Kosh revealed himself was cool, and an interesting notion. This was a great season 2 Finale! I look forward to watching Babylon 5 Season Three!!!!!!!moreless

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    0 0

  • The second season goes out with a bang.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By SerTyrion, Oct 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    The second season goes out with a bang.

    I had hoped to write these reviews (this one and the two before it) a few days ago when the episodes were still fresh in my head. However, that did not happen. So the reviews I am about to give are going to be second rate. I'm just going to try to reflect on a few key points, because that's about all I can manage right now, sad, I know.

    A couple major events occur in this episode. Earth sends two representatives to Babylon 5 to assist with the crisis involving the Centauri. Although, instead of standing up to the Centauri, we sign a non-aggression treaty with them. This makes life difficult for Sheridan, as he recently offered to aid a Narn heavy cruiser and won't go back on his word.

    One of the two people that come to Babylon 5 is a representative of the Ministry of Peace to check up on the members of the Nightwatch. This Mr. Welles wants to know why Zach Allen has not been filing reports and giving enough information. We learn that various members of the command staff are members of the Nightwatch, and one of them tells Mr. Welles about Sheridan helping the Narn ship. At the end of the episode, we see where the Ministry of Peace is closing a shop down. This is a shop whose owner has previously spoken out against President Clark. The Nightwatch is going to be a major problem in the upcoming season or two.

    Also, we finally get to see what Kosh looks like without his suit on. Very nice CGI in that episode, it holds up well even when compared to TV shows 11 years later. I find it distressing to discover that the Vorlons have been manipulating the various alien species so that they appear to us how they want to appear. A human sees a human angel. A Narn sees a member of the Narn religion. They manipulated us to where they could hold a level of control over us.

    Also, Keffer finally finds another Shadow vessel in hyperspace. However, it cost him his life.
    moreless

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    5 1

  • do we see the real kosh.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By seaqueastdsv, Oct 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this episode of babylon 5 we see the centauris fire in to babylon 5. and then a fire fight between b5 and centauris happens. b5 then destroyes a centauri ship. after the incident captain sherdian travel by shuttle to a neutral meeting with the centaurie in the garden with the other ambassadors from all worlds when a centauri bomb explodes and sends captain sherdian flying from the shuttle. ambassador delenn turns to kosh and says 'if you are going to do something do it now'. then we see ambassador kosh leave his incounter suit and rescue captain sherdian. most of the other races think the see there own god from there race.moreless

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  • the narn war is over but the centuari require liebestraum

    9.3
    "Superb"
    By dregj, Sep 18, 2006 Report Abuse
    An absolute gem of an episode

    The centuri invade pak ma ra and drazi space
    and call it a buffer zone.

    Earth officals arrive to investigate the crisis
    accept that they arent really.
    They come to apease the centuri and keep earth out of the fighting.

    Meanwhile a lone narn heavy cruiser pops out of hyperspace
    on the farside of the planet and begs assistance.
    Sheridan keeps this quiet to avoid a incident with the centuri.

    Ufortunately night watch spies are everywhere.

    A centuri battlecruiser arrives and blocks the ships escape route.

    Sheridan lets them take the first shot
    before he sends them straight to hell.

    the narns escape and keffer meets a shadow vessel

    As if all that was not enough the centuri try to assasinate sheridan in the core shuttle with a bomb.


    He leaps out into the low g centre of the station
    and looks like hes about to become street pzza when kosh reveals himself as a angel of light to save sheridan.

    holy moly


    A claasic episode with great dialogue
    again pulling all the threads together
    for a spectacular finale and as babylon 5 often does
    leaves the viwer worring for the future of our characters.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • This episode shows Ambassador Kosh revealing himself to the other races as he flies up to rescue Captain Sheridan. To each race, the Vorlons look like one of their deities, Valaria (Minbari), G'Lan (Narn), Droshalla (Drazi) etc. Apparently, the Vorlons had programmed various races to see them in their own image. Only Londo, a Centauri, saw nothing. This indicates that the Centauri (or just Londo) have no true faith in their deities. Edit
    • Mistake: Ivanova is shown lighting Hanukah candles on December 31, 2259. In 2259, barring a calendar adjustment, Hanukah will take place in mid-December. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This episode marks the death of Warren Keffer. According to J. Michael Straczynski's comments on the Season 2 DVD for this episode, the studio forced him to write in Warren Keffer because Warner Brothers executives wanted a cocky-flight commander on the show. Keffer's death in this episode was to get back at Warner Brothers for trying to control his show. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Ivanova [After Mr. Welles suggested that if she made secret reports to Nightwatch, she would get a command of her own]: I've gotten where I am through hard work and loyalty. Loyalty to the people I work with, loyalty to Earth and loyalty to the ideals of the Alliance. What you're asking violates all three. Edit
    • Ivanova: It was the end of the Earth year 2259 and the war was upon us. As anticipated a few days after the Earth-Centauri treaty was announced, the Centauri widened their war to include many of the non-aligned worlds. And there was another war brewing closer to home, a personal one whose cost would be higher than any of us could imagine. We came to this place because Babylon 5 was our last best hope for peace by the end of 2259 we knew that it had failed. But in so doing it became something greater as the war expanded, it became our last best hope for victory. Because sometimes "peace" is another word for "surrender" and because secrets have a way of getting out. Edit
    • Sheridan [practicing his apology]: I apologize. I'm sorry. I'm sorry we had to defend ourselves against an unwarranted attack. I'm sorry that your crew was stupid enough to fire on a station filled with a quarter million civilians, including your own people. And I'm sorry I waited as long as I did before I blew them all straight to hell! As with everything else it's the thought that counts. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Lanze's statement "we will at last know peace in our time" is an echo of Neville Chamberlain's infamous words on the eve of World War II in which Britain agreed to allow Nazi Germany to annex various parts of Czechoslovakia in exchange for a promise of peace. Edit

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