420: Endgame

The Resistance captures the perimeter of the ground defences on Mars to disables them so Sheridan's fleet can pass through safely on its way to Earth.  Marcus pilots the White Star through Mars' atmosphere to destroy the defence installations.  A flotilla of Earthforce ships in orbit of Mars has the Shadow-implanted telepaths smuggled aboard.  Lyta sends a telepathic signal to awaken them, whereby they connect to the ship's computer systems and effectively disable them, allowing Sheridan's fleet to pass through.  Marcus, determined to find a way to save Ivanova, discovers something from the station's medical logs and abandons the fleet to return to Babylon 5.  Knowing the fleet is coming, President Clark commits suicide - but not before implementing his "Scorched Earth" policy: programming Earth's own satellite defence systems to turn upon the planet and devastate it.  Delenn helps destroy the satellites before they can fire - and Sheridan is forced to bring the Agamemnon to ram the last remaining one when it is badly damaged.  The arrival of the Apollo, firing upon and destroying the satellite, saves the day.  Franklin, realizing that Marcus intends to use the alien healing machine to save Ivanova, races to Babylon 5 in an attempt to stop him - but it appears as though he is too late.  In his final moments, Marcus whispers in Ivanova's ear: "I love you...".

Notes: The Shadow-implanted telepaths were first introduced in Ship of Tears and Sheridan's use for them against Earthforce is finally seen here (after some build up in No Surrender, No Retreat, Exercise of Vital Powers and The Face of the Enemy).  The White Star first opened a jump gate within a planet's atmosphere whilst trying to evade a Shadow ship in Messages From Earth.  The alien machine Marcus uses was introduced in The Quality of Mercy and seen again to save Garibaldi's life in Revelations.  Reviewing Franklin's medical logs, he sees entries relating to the death of Cailyn James (Walkabout), Marcus' injuries (after he has had the crap beat out of him by Neroon, Grey 17 is Missing), as well as for Garibaldi being shot in the back (incidentally, when he first discovered the plot to assassinate President Santiago in Chrysalis).  Dr Hobbs is mentioned (Interludes and Examinations, Walkabout).  ISN, fully restored to air here, was originally taken off the air in Severed Dreams and restored as Clark's propaganda machine in Ship of Tears.

The soundtrack of this episode is available on CD.

Guest Cast: Marjorie Monaghan returns as Number One.  Gary McGurk reappears as President Clark.  Carolyn Seymour (Senator Crosby) has also appeared in the UK TV series Survivors, the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes First Contact and The Face of the Enemy, and in Quantum Leap as Zoe, the "evil leaper's" holographic observer.  David Purdham reappears as Captain James (The Face of the Enemy, Between the Darkness and the Light).