YGCTO Episode 5 - The Geometry of Shadows with Jaina Mistry

Bad Sneetches

I was not expecting Dre to green light this episode, but I was ready to push hard for it. The premise is so goofy. It’s not one of the more impactful episodes, but it’s certainly one of the most fun. Luckily for me, Dre was also proposing this one as one of the B5 Season 2 episodes to cover, and I jumped at it.

This is what happens when B5 takes on the Dr. Seuss Star Bellied Sneetches tale. Instead of class metaphors, these guys just pick sides randomly and murder each other.

Like these guys, except if the star was a knife target

This Week’s Guest

Jaina Mistry

Jaina Mistry is an email marketing expert. Follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.

You can hear more Jaina on her podcast “No Stupid Questions, Just Marketing Ones”.

Submit a question for her podcast.

Babylon 5 Season 2 Episode 3: The Geometry of Shadows

What a unique episode for B5. It has the feel of a Star Trek Tribbles episode. Except here, the goofy lovable aliens look like goombas from that Super Mario Brothers Movie. And they want to murder each other.

If I had my kart I'd mow those purple fuckers down

Yeah... not the cute SMB movie either.

I like this as a representative of the typical season 2 episode. Still light on the larger plot as JMS had to reset stakes and relationships with the new captain. The Techno-mage Story is another fun bit of world building that doesn’t involve plot development. It serves as more character building for Sheridan and Londo.

Londo, while starting to pull away from Shadow involvement, is still looking for other shortcuts to power. He’s not above a poor attempt to record the Techno mage, showing that even as he grows in one way, he’s still prone to use deception.

Can't fool Yul

This one gave some depth to Sheridan’s relationship with Ivonava and Londo. He is aware of Ivonava’s desire to prove herself and uses that to sic her on an unsolvable diplomatic task requiring a creative solution. In trying to play diplomat to Londo and the Techno Mages, he sees through Londo’s scheme. Another obstacle to redemption for Londo.

I think the Teechno-Mage story is meant to be the A-Plot… but the Drazi war here is the more memorable part of this episode. Both involve mysterious customs where one race is attempting to understand another. Londo approaches his with cunning and subterfuge, while Ivonava goes for diplomacy.

The ending where Ivonava becomes the new Green leader makes no sense. It takes some writing gymnastics to justify. Really, all JMS needed was any action that magically turns out to have the Drazi all ger along. The timing of Ivonava becoming leader during the laws being written is a goofy coincidence.

It didn’t really come from a planted idea - or from a carefully executed plan. It may have well just been a communication from Drazi Prime that Yellow is the true enemy now… and yellow would be added to the next cycle after new scarves can get printed.

I highly recommend checking this one out and I’m glad we got to showcase it with Jaina.