216: Knives

Urza Jaddo seeks the help of his old friend and duelling partner Londo Mollari to defend his family from being blacklisted by rivals.  But when Londo discovers that the campaign is being organized by his co-conspirator, Refa, he is uncertain.  Sheridan decides to investigate a trouble-plagued area of the station in Grey Sector where strange occurrences have been reported since the station went on-line.  A dead Markab appears to spring to life, transferring an alien essence into his body that makes him start experiencing strange hallucinations.  Urza challenges Londo to a duel when he discovers the connection between him and Refa, but lets himself be killed - knowing that in the Centauri tradition he will die with honour and that his title and possessions will be transferred to the House Mollari.  Sheridan realizes the alien inside him only wishes to return "home" - and pilots a Starfury to Sector 14, the area of space where Babylon 4 disappeared, where the alien exits his body and enters the temporal rift.

Notes: Sector 14, the last known location of Babylon 4 (see Babylon Squared) is still unstable.  The alien exits Sheridan's body in a style similar to that of the Vorlons when dealing with humans (seen later in Passing Through Gethsemane and also The Hour of the Wolf).  Both Jaddo and Vir plead with Londo to cease his varied associations in this episode, which he declines - possibly one of the two opportunities spoken of by Lady Morella (Point of No Return; see also Signs and Portents and The Coming of Shadows).  Sheridan has a vision of his parents (his father is seen again in Severed Dreams, Interludes and Examinations, and Rising Star), and of his wife's ship, the Icarus - a prelude to its appearance in the episode intended to be broadcast following this one but was actually transmitted first (In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum).  Is it possible that the alien inhabiting Sheridan was not the real cause of the disturbances Down Below? (see Grey 17 is Missing.)

Guest Cast: Carmen Arganziano (Urza Jaddo); William Forward returns as Lord Refa.

The actor seen as Sheridan's father here is not the same one we see later.