Guide Page: "A Tragedy of Telepaths" (original) (raw)

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Contents: Overview -Backplot -Questions -Analysis -Notes -JMS

Overview

The telepath situation continues to deteriorate. The attacks on Alliance ships continue. Londo and G'Kar find an old friend in a nearly forgotten place. Robin Atkin Downes as Byron.

Originally titled "Cat and Mouse"

P5 Rating: 8.18

Production number: 510 Original air date: March 25, 1998 DVD release date: April 13, 2004

Written by J. Michael Straczynski Directed by Tony Dow

Plot Points

Na'Toth was on Narn when the Centauri bombed it ("The Long, Twilight Struggle.") She was captured by Centauri troops, along with other Narns, and brought to Centauri Prime to serve as entertainment in the royal palace. When she proved insufficiently entertaining, she was locked in a cell and forgotten. Londo and G'Kar have returned her to the care of the Narn, but G'Kar believes it'll be some time before she recovers from the experience of being locked in a Centauri prison cell for two years.
The militant faction of Byron's telepaths have obtained weapons and have staged violent attacks on station personnel. They believe they're doing what they're doing because it's the only way to protect Byron; he is dismayed that they're killing in his name.
At Lochley's request, Bester and a team of bloodhound telepaths have come to the station to take the telepath colonists away.
The attacks (presumably still by Centauri forces) on Alliance ships continue. The attackers have attempted to up the ante by planting evidence that points to various members of the Alliance being responsible for the attacks, but Sheridan has so far managed to keep the member races from attacking one another in revenge.
Sheridan has positioned a fleet of White Stars near a Drazi fleet at the border of Brakiri space. If the Drazi attack the Brakiri in retaliation for the apparent Brakiri attacks on Drazi ships, Sheridan says, the White Stars will retaliate against the Drazi. This gambit is working so far, but both the Drazi and the Brakiri are furious about what they see as an infringement on their right to self-defense.
According to reports received by Londo, Centauri weapons manufacturing has risen 15 percent recently, something counter to normal Centauri peacetime policy.

Unanswered Questions

Analysis

The increased weapons production is presumably being used at least in part to back the attacks on Alliance ships. But a sustained increase of 15 percent in the manufacturing output of a technologically advanced race like the Centauri would produce a_lot_ of weapons and supplies. Is someone stockpiling arms for a larger conflict? Are other races' production facilities being similarly coopted?
The Centauri may be easier to use for such purposes than many other races because of their unquestioning acceptance of monarchy, as Londo demonstrated; if the order to increase production looked like it came from the Royal Court, most Centauri probably wouldn't question it in public.

Notes

Centauri don't like fresh spoo, but Narns do; Centauri consider it an insult to be offered fresh spoo. That may have added to Londo's indignity in the Zocalo in"Midnight on the Firing Line," in which G'Kar offered him a plate of fresh spoo.

jms speaks

Why the title change?
Cat and Mouse was a) a working title which I kept out there to b) avoid possible spoiling of various directions for as long as possible.
I figured, a flock of geese, a herd of buffalo, a tragedy of telepaths...actually, though, the credit for that must go to John Copeland, who came up with it over lunch one day.
Why was Na'Toth listed in the credits at the start of the episode? It spoiled the surprise.
Screen Actors Guild rules specify where you can and can't put credits, and those rules don't concern themselves with spoilers.
SAG rules specify where credits go; it's sometimes a bummer if you're trying to keep something secret, but there you go.
The Na'Toth thing was something I wanted to do, called Caitlin, she was up for it, and I wrote the ep.

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