Babylon 5 Season 2, Episode 16. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by David Eagle. Originally aired on May 10, 1995.

Primary Plot: Sheridan discovers that Morden was aboard the Icarus when it exploded on Z'ha'dum, with all hands (including Sheridan's wife) previously thought to have been lost.

Secondary Plot: A new Earth agency, Nightwatch, tries to recruit members.

Commentary: A sweet, sweet episode. It reveals the presence of Morden (who has been working with Londo since Signs and Portents) to the command staff, although they still don't know *precisely* who he is at the end of the episode. The show also does a great job of showing just how much the death of his wife has been eating away at Sheridan for the last few years. It's the first real glimpse we get that Sheridan isn't as happy-go-lucky as he appeared to be for the first half of Season 2 (he smiled so much that he was known online as "The Smiling Captain").

Also note how the Nightwatch starts out--small, unassuming, friendly. Compare this to later episodes (specifically The Fall of Night and Point Of No Return), where it turns very, very ugly as President Clark's power expands.

Vir's speech to Morden about what he wants comes true in the Season 4 episode Into the Fire:

"What do I want? I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I want to look up at your lifeless eyes and wave, like this..."


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