Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Larry DiTillio
Directed by David J. Eagle

In the Shadow of Z’Ha’Dum is a pivotal episode of the series. Not only does it impart a lot of background as to what has been happening with the mysterious shadows, it also provides more background for Commander Sheridan as well as delivering one of the best moments of the series. This episode also sets up the Gestapo for the series, known as the NightWatch.

A ship docks at Babylon 5 bringing in more Narn refugees. Zak (Jeff Conaway) tells Mr. Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) that they’re being swamped by all the refugees and begs him to talk to Commander Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) about removing some of them from the Station. Sheridan agrees to help the critically wounded but to try to move those who aren’t critical off the Station.

The assistant to the Centauri Ambassador, Vir Cotto (Stephen Furst) meets with Mr. Morden (Ed Wasser) while Ambassador Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik) is back on Centauri Prime. Mr. Morden asks Vir what he wants, and Vir’s response is classic. He gives Vir a data crystal intended for Londo.

Sheridan has been looking again at the crew of the Icarus, the ship his wife Anna was on when she disappeared. Garibaldi recognizes one of the crew as Mr. Morden and tells Sheridan he’s seen him. Sheridan tells Garibaldi to find Mr. Mornden and bring him to see Sheridan.

Commercial telepath Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson) meets with Pierce Macabee, (Alex Hyde-White) who represents the Ministry of Peace. He’s on the Station to give a series of lectures and wants her to come to them. Pierce introduces the concept of the NightWatch to act as ambassadors of peace. They are also there to try to filter out anyone who’s working against peace, at least as far as they see it. Zak is at the meeting as well.

Commander Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian) visits Dr. Franklin (Richard Biggs) and tells him he needs to get some rest. She relieves him of duty, telling him his staff can take care of things. They meet later and have a discussion about religious beliefs. Franklin is struggling with all of the deaths he has been seeing as of late and is questioning what happens after death.

Zak picks up Mr. Morden as he’s about to leave and delivers him to face Sheridan. Morden states he was on board the Icarus but has no memory of what happened. He was picked up by a transport in an environmental suit near the wreckage, with no memory of what happened. Sheridan doesn’t believe him. He tells him he’s going to hold him until he gets answers. Sheridan is interrogating him relentlessly and Morden just keeps telling him he doesn’t remember.

Mr. Garibaldi is uncomfortable with what Sheridan is doing. He tells Sheridan that Morden’s record is clean as a whistle, and he needs to release him after ten hours of interrogating him and finding nothing. Sheridan is obsessed with finding out what happened to his wife, Anna, and thinks Morden is the key. Mr. Garibaldi resigns as Security Chief. Sheridan puts Zak in charge of Mr. Morden.

Vir then comes to see Sheridan, saying it’s urgent. He demands the release of Mr. Morden saying that he has dealings with the Centauri. Londo has extended Mr. Morden diplomatic immunity, which raises more questions than anything else. Sheridan states that Morden hasn’t been charged with a crime, regardless.

Next, Ivanova confronts Sheridan and tells him she’s uncomfortable with the situation as well. She threatens to report him. Sheridan makes his case to her, and she sympathizes with him enough to back down. Sheridan turns to Talia Winters next, who refuses to scan Mr Morden without his permission. Sheridan then contrives to place Talia and Morden in the same corridor at the same time. Talia loses consciousness after she encounters him. Sheridan tries to apologize, but she slaps him.

Dr. Franklin counsels Sheridan about what the death of a loved one can do. He sees that Sheridan is much like himself, thinking only they can solve the problem.

Minbari Ambassador Delenn (Mira Furlan) and Vorlon Ambassador Kosh come to see Sheridan next. They are forced to explain to him about the First Ones. Not all of them have disappeared, including a race known as The Shadows. The last time they were seen was 1,000 years ago when the Minbari and others defeated them. The Vorlons are the last remaining of the First One races who defeated The Shadows.

Kosh tells him that the Icarus went to Z’Ha’Dum, where The Shadows live, to research the ancient structures there. They encountered the remains of the race of Shadows. Those who would not serve The Shadows were killed. Delenn says Morden must be released or else The Shadows will know that the Minbari and others are aware of what they are up to, and it’s too soon.

Sheridan is watching Morden and ruminates to Zak about World War II and the Allies having broken the Enigma Code. The British were forced to allow the people of Coventry to be bombed to protect the fact that they were able to break the supposedly secret code. Sheridan muses how Churchill could live with it, knowing he could have prevented the deaths. Zak asks “How many lives is a secret worth?”

After getting a glimpse of The Shadows for himself, Sheridan makes the decision to let Mr. Morden go. He admits to Mr. Garibaldi that he was right and asks him to take his job back. Sheridan then visits Kosh and tells him he needs to learn how to beat the Shadows because sooner or later he will go to Z’Ha’Dum. Kosh tells him if he goes to Z’Ha’Dum, he will die.

There’s so much that’s great about this episode. Although the main focus seems to be Sheridan’s illegal interrogation of Mr. Morden, it’s actually setting much more in motion. Vir has always been uncomfortable with Londo’s alliance with Mr. Morden, but here he actually verbalizes clearly what he thinks of him. It’s a classic piece of writing. We could all use a lesson that “some favors come with too high a price.”

The audience also finally learns who The Shadows (and the Vorlons) really are. Delenn and Kosh bring Sheridan into their circle. They are forced to, really, since his inquiry into his wife’s death stands to ruin the plans they have to fight The Shadows. I liked the allegory by Sheridan of seeing how this related to World War II history. It shows his depth as a person, again. He’s not just a shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later type of leader. He’s willing to listen and learn. How did Churchill live with himself?

The foreshadowing here of the NightWatch is very Orwellian. The Ministry of Peace is anything but. Rewatching it, viewers already know where this is going to lead, but it’s not really that hard to figure out for first-time viewers. It’s setting up a conflict with Earth’s government and the purpose of Babylon 5.

I can’t compliment Ed Wasser’s acting enough. As Mr. Morden, we want to hate him. We want to feel about him the same way Vir does. Perhaps we should. However, as we learn more about what happened to the Icarus it’s easy to find some sympathy for him. He seems to be a willing puppet for The Shadows, but there’s much more going on. Wasser portrays him as a smarmy car salesman with no conscience. He’s smooth and says all of the “right” things, but you just know he’s not a good guy.

For the ongoing story of the series, this is a pivotal, can’t-miss episode. There’s information given that explains some things that have already happened as well as foreshadowing a few things to come. There are a number of revealing moments as well as some that raise more questions. The solid acting and ensemble feel of the show are highlighted as well, with nearly everyone playing an important role.

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