EpDis: The Fall Of Night

Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for The Fall Of Night
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for The Fall Of Night

I often find it interesting to think of this episode compared to "The Long Twilight Struggle." I think a lot of writers who sought to end a season would probably have gone with the events of "The Long Twilight Struggle" as it's a lot more explosive and far-reaching in terms of location of the more obvious side of its plot. But I like that jms went with "The Fall Of Night" for the end of season two. It's more localized basic plot is a contrast to what I think could be expected from other writers, but it's got such a degree of ominousness to it that really gets me good. From Earth signing the nonagression treaty with the Centauri despite what we as viewers get to see in that the Centauri are definitely the more vicious of the sides in the Centauri-Narn War, to Delenn telling Sheridan that those who would understand what Kosh's revealing himself would truly mean would wonder if the Vorlons were prepared for the coming war but that Delenn didn't think the Vorlons really were, and then the Keffer's guncam footage being broadcast with the voiceover of we don't know who they are statement: it all just gives me a bit of heebiejeebies. The revelation of Kosh is breathtaking. And Ivanova's ending monologue about peace and victory is stunning to me too.

Excellent ep indeed! One of my favs of season 2!

Long Twighlight Struggle and this Episode were probably two of my fav's for the plot development and effects alone. The pacing at the end of season two was really excellent, I think that and the start of season three were the dramatic high point of B5. I really loved the character of Mr Wells in this, as well as Londo's turn as a Napoleonic power monger, followed by his inability to see the Vorlon.

At the time, the fire-fight outside the Station had me gob-smacked. I had never seen anything like it on TV Sci-Fi before. Of course, by the time Severed Dreams rolled out, it was a baby in comparison.

And the impending doom glimpsed in the shape of a Shadow ship - just fantastic!

One of my favorites. However, JMS in the commentary ruined something for me... they really should have gotten a fan on Boxleitner to make it look as if he was actually falling. Who hits the ground at 60 mph and his hair doesn't get ruffled?

But this is one of my favorite episodes too. From the tension of the Narn-Centauri plot to the sudden unexpected turn of Kosh's revelation, this is truly fine.

The way this ep ramps up the tension on all fronts, leaves everything in unsettled turmoil, and has the revelation of Kosh, makes it one of the most intense and portentious eps in the whole series. Great way to end a season. Definitely an A.

Who hits the ground at 60 mph and his hair doesn't get ruffled?

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A Ken doll, of course. :devil:

What exactly did he say in his commentary, KoshF?

Who hits the ground at 60 mph and his hair doesn't get ruffled?

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A Ken doll, of course. :devil:

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Ken's hair is always in a mess these days. He's still depressed because Barbie dumped him.

I love this episode. It starts off slow, but events are very disconcerting and foreboding, and it all comes to a head when the Centauri cruiser turns up. By the end of it, the feeling of dread and doom and everything going wrong is tangible, especially in Ivanova's voice over. And the Shadow ship is just ominous. Love the way Keffer gets his face torched off!

Oh, and when do Hollywood heroes ever get their hair ruffled?!

Along with everything else mentioned, I really loved Sheridan's rehearsing his "apology".

Yeah, that part is great!

One of my favorites. However, JMS in the commentary ruined something for me... they really should have gotten a fan on Boxleitner to make it look as if he was actually falling. Who hits the ground at 60 mph and his hair doesn't get ruffled?

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Someone being lowered to the ground by Kosh Naranek, going from 0mph (at the station axis) to 60mph at ground level, gradually as he descended, and being in sync with groundspeed at ground level.

Yeah. Except his hair doesn't move even when he's still falling without any Vorlon support. Which is essentially what JMS said.

Agree with Koshn, though it may have been a mistake, it could also be accurate. Gravity is an accelerating force, so going from nil, (though I didn't notice the other passengers floating anywhere? so maybe not nil?) you alter the acceleration curve (F=MxA), the mass stays the same but accelleration due to gravity is/was altered by local temperal-spacial conditions. :devil:

Yeah. Except his hair doesn't move even when he's still falling without any Vorlon support. Which is essentially what JMS said.

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Hmmm, I thought his hair did move a bit, shortly after he jumped out of the core shuttle. I'll have to rewatch the ep.

Anyway, when he was falling without any Vorlon support, he was fairly near the station axis, and so would not have been falling very fast (axis should be zero G). His speed away from the axis wouldn't have been very great, and the component of groundspeed from the axis to where Kosh caught him wouldn't have been very great, either. Hair movement would have been mainly caused from the speed of the core shuttle in the direction of the axis, plus the speed of his jump away from the shuttle.

Accurate or not, it looked wrong.

Accurate or not, it looked wrong.

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Which unfortunately is exactly the reasoning behind seeing stars in the space shots and hearing the sounds of engines, guns and explosions in the vacuum of space.

It may be completely and utterly inaccurate but to our earthbound eyes .. it looks right.

I've seen several football coaches in massive winds, where things are being blown over, who have so much hairspray on, not a hair moves. Why couldn't we just believe John Sheridan's hair was glued in place with hairspray?