1. Synopsis

2. Arc significance

3. Production details

4. References

5. External links

"Eyes" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.

Synopsis

Garibaldi learns that two men purported from military contractor Quartermaster have come to the station and asking about the command crew. After alerting Sinclair to a possible plot, Sinclair addresses the men, learning they are Colonel Ari Ben Zayn from Earth Force, and his aide Harriman Gray from Psi-Corps. Colonel Zayn states he is here to inquire about the command staff over the last few months, and expects to be able to interview them, including a telepathic scan by Gray. He also commandeers Garibaldi to help with organizing the sessions. Ivanova states to Garibaldi that she will not willing be subjected to a telepathic scan, citing her mother's fate with the Psi-Corps. Sinclair agrees and will fight off any forced telepath use. Gray tries to talk to Ivanova privately to comfort her for a telepathic scan, but again she flatly refuses. Fearing there is no way out of this, Ivanova attempts to resign from command, but Sinclair refuses having found a way through regulations to disallow the use of telepathy without a formal charge being made.

When they go to see Colonel Zayn to discuss this finding, Zayn instead reacts forcefully, taking charge of the station from Sinclair and formally charging him, which will allow him to use telepathic scans on command crews as necessary. Sinclair complains but acqueases to Zayn, instead asking Garibaldi to look into Zayn's background, feeling there is more than just a formal inquiry involved. Garibaldi eventually finds that Zayn is a close associate of Bester from Psi-Corps, as well as one of the original top candidates to run Babylon 5 before. Suspecting that Zayn is using this inquire for personal revenge against Garibaldi as well as for Bester's own revenge for losing a Psi-Corps member on Babylon 5 earlier. Before his next session, Sinclair speaks to Gray alone, placing a seed of doubt about Zayn's motives. When Zayn arrives to start the inquiry, Sinclair says that he should be able to ask his own questions, leading to Zayn to break down in anger. Gray cannot help to telepathically sense Zayn's misuse of the inquiry, and Sinclair knocks Zayn out, ending the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Garibaldi is trying to put together a 1992 motorcycle with parts scavenged from the station, but his manual is only in Japanese. Lennier, who has free time due to Delenn being off station, offers to help. Lennier is able to figure out the manual and completes the motorcycle, even replacing its gasoline engine with a Minbari power cell. Garibaldi is initially disappointed that Lennier had fully completed his project, but after seeing how well a job he did, offers to take him on a first ride through the main corridor on the station.

Arc significance

• Terrorist attacks are now happening on Mars.
• Sinclair was chosen over Colonel Ben Zayn by the Minbari for command of the station despite being low on a very long list, stressing the interest the Minbari have in Sinclair.
• After attempting to strike up a conversation with Lou Welch, Ben Zayn, a high-ranking member of Night Watch, is seen in the background behind Welch talking to Garibaldi's second-in-command. Known in the series only as Jack, it foreshadows Jack's eventual betrayal of Garibaldi.
• A careless word from Ben Zayn reveals to Harriman Grey that Psi Corps is beginning to pull some political strings within Earthdome. Harriman, who values service and loyalty to Earthforce and the principles of the Earth Alliance, begins to doubt his colleague's objectivity and validity in pursuing the inquest.
• Susan Ivanova's dream sequence foreshadows the revelation that she is a latent telepath, specifically the shot of her sitting in the chair where her mother sat a few moments earlier.

Production details

• Lennier's chant, "Za ba ga bee," is from the title of a 1987 album Bill Mumy made with Robert Haimer as Barnes & Barnes.^[1][2] Series showrunner J. Michael Straczynski was reportedly not amused when he discovered the truth, and had a "discussion" with Mumy about not improvising on set, since it may necessitate a change in the series' overall story, or plugging outside projects on the show.
• Macaulay Bruton, who played Tragedy in this episode, also plays the recurring character Garibaldi's Aide. It is suggested that there is a relation.^[2]

References

External links

• Eyes at The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5

• Barrel bomb
• Barrel bombs
• Barrel bombs in Palestine and Israel
• Barrel Brothers
• Barrel-chested
• Barrelclover
• Barrel die
• Barrel fermented
• Barrel Fever and Other Stories
• Barrel fields
• Barrelhouse blues
• Barrelhouse Chuck
• Barrelhouse Club
• Barrel House Distillery
• Barrelier's woodsorrel
• Barrel jack
• Barrel jellyfish
• Barrell Homestead
• Barrell roll
• Barrellus
• Barrel maker
• Barrel man
• Barrel man (disambiguation)
• Barrel medic
• Barrel medick