The War Prayer
Reviewed by Lady Keela Shanri
Click HERE to see a picture from the episode.
Well, this was an okay episode. It had some flaws but I enjoyed it overall. Of course, the main REASON I enjoyed it was because so much of it had to do with the Centauri and we learn some interesting stuff about both Londo and especially Vir...but I'll get to that in a bit.
Now, first of all, the idea that there would be terrorist hate-groups that are against aliens makes sense. That part of the plot I have ALMOST no problem with. Except:
a) Malcolm Biggs is ANOTHER old lover of a command staff member? (In this case Ivanova's.) We just met the Commander's old hoochie-coo two episodes ago--what's with this?
b) He was acting like an awful IDIOT, spilling who he was and his plans to Roberts when he was talking to him in the brig. I mean, didn't he KNOW that the BRIG would have a security camera?! Major continuity glitch.
But aside from that, it was okay. The part with Garibaldi and Ivanova's coffee plant, we get to meet one of Delenn's friends and find out something about Minbari poetry, and we get a good gun-battle at the end.
But the GOOD part of this episode had to do with, of course, the Centauri. Who else?
See, this young Centauri couple (they're in the picture above) shows up on the station with false credit chips. They are trying to run away from home because they don't want to marry the rich and powerful--yet extremely ugly and old--nobles that their families have arranged for them to marry. They want to marry--SHOCK--each OTHER! For LOVE! Great Maker, what IS it with kids today?!
This part was adorable. I LOVE the fact that at the beginning, Kiron Maray (the boy) is demanding to see "Ambassador Cotto".
Ambassador COTTO?!! Turns out that Vir has lied to his family to impress them and make them think he's doing better than he actually is. Oh, and by the way--Kiron is his COUSIN! Neat, huh?
Londo's speech about how love has nothing to do with marriage was great:
"These are my three wives: Pestilence, Famine, and Death. Do you think I married them for their PERSONALITIES?!" he says, showing a terrified Vir pictures of three HIDEOUS women. "Their personalities could shatter entire PLANETS! Arranged marriages, all of them. But they all worked out. They are my inspiration. Knowing that they are waiting for me back home is what keeps me here, 75 light years away!"
Um...does this perhaps remind us of Harry Mudd's line about Stella in "I, Mudd"? "She inspires me. And every time I think of her, I go further out, into space."
Now, considering that D.C. FONTANA wrote this, it is NO coincidence! An obscure "Trek" in-joke! Gotta love it...
We also, through this plotline, find out that Londo's father is dead, that the Centauri practice fosterage, and...most importantly, we see Vir stand up to Londo for the first time. Good!
And it was also smoothly (if a bit obviously) woven into the OTHER plotline, the one about the terrorists, when both kids are severely beaten up and Kiron helps identify them. After all, they ARE both ALIENS...but they acted more "human" than many of the actual Earthers in this episode. Which was exactly the point Ivanova was trying to tell Malcolm at the end.
All in all, it was kinda predictable and had been done but it had some wonderful moments and some good character-building. Re-watch it for the scenes with Londo and/or Vir, leave the rest of it alone.
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