Babylon 5 - Episodics (#513)
"The Ragged Edge"

Written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by John Copeland

Sheridan and Delenn discover that the council meetings are being boycotted by other members of the alliance until their ships can be protected from unseen attackers. The cause of those attacks turns out to be the Centauri, as a single witness manages to survive a recent assault. The survivor is a human pilot who's been smuggling to the Drazi, and Garibaldi is sent to the Drazi capital to find him
Meanwhile, G'Kar discovers a number of Narn waiting outside his quarters. They are followers of the Book of G'Kar, which had been borrowed and copied during his recent absence- G'Kar has become a religious icon.
In the Drazi capital, Garibaldi meets his contact Tafiq, who agrees to set up a meeting with the pilot. Tafiq is killed, and Garibaldi is pursued by the Drazi as well as several robed attackers. He contacts B5, who arrange to send a White Star to pick him up.
The only evidence Garibaldi is able to collect is a gold button, which Londo recognizes from the uniform of a Centauri imperial palace guard. Sheridan and the others realize if the Centauri are responsible for the attacks, Londo can no longer be trusted...

With Babylon 5 well into its fifth year, writer J. Michael Straczynski continued to set up the various storylines that would be explored during the second half of the season: the Centauri attacks, Garibaldi's alcoholism, and G'Kar's unwilling transformation into a religious figure.
Directing 'The Ragged Edge' (which as B5's 100th aired episode was a major milestone for the series) was producer John Copeland, who had previously tackled last season's complex 'Endgame.' In some ways, 'The Ragged Edge' presented its own set of unique challenges, particularly Garibaldi's trip to the Drazi capital. The use of elaborate 'virtual sets' to create the ancient city was not only a bold experiment, but also a test for the technology to be used in the Babylon 5 spin-off, 'Crusade.'
Marshall Teague, who originated the role of Narn bodyguard Ta'Lon in the second season's 'All Alone In the Night,' has a real-life history even more interesting than his character's. A former law enforcement officer, Teague actually designed and built the sword his character carries in the show.
Garibaldi's recurring battle with the bottle, which began in the first-season episode 'Survivors,' continues with a vengeance in 'The Ragged Edge,' at one point nearly getting him killed. This particular storyline would continue well into the fifth season, with a very interesting resolution...

Joe Nazzaro


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