Annotations 

303: To the Ends of the Earth

* The episode title comes from the unproduced Crusade script that features the Excalibur pursuing a Shadow hybrid ship across the galaxy (this actually happens in DarkCrusade in episodes 205 and 301).

*  The unproduced Crusade episode that features the return of Alfred Bester is actually entitled, "Value Judgements," but I preferred that title for the fifth-season opener, and this title for Bester's return.

* I have a feeling the "setting puppies on fire" line has been used before, with reference to Bester. But it suits him so well...!

* We saw that Psi Corps had a large base ship in hyperspace during Season Five of Babylon 5. I have extrapolated that they enjoy life (as virtual gods) in hyperspace so much, they would build a full-fledged base station there.

* Obviously, the Telepath War alluded to in B5 and Crusade did not happen in the DarkCrusade universe-- or, at least, happened in a substantially different, and probably much reduced, fashion. Stay tuned.

* Beta 9 may have been mentioned on the B5 series once, but I took it from the map in the B5 Role Playing Game-- looking for an EA world out on the fringes of their territory, where Bester could set up a clandestine recruiting center with some degree of security.

* It didn't seem too much of a stretch, in the wake of an apparent assassination of a just-elected president-- by new vice-president, no less-- that the EA would allow Luchenko to remain acting president until new elections could be held, especially once the EA figured out that Lochley may well have been the killer.

* We actually saw a Warlock ship one time during Crusade: it delivered Senator Redway in the television episode, "Each Night I Dream of Home." To corral the Excalibur, I figured the EarthForce would send at least one of them along for the ride.  It is named after US General and Secretary of State Colin Powell.  Hey, if Schwartzkopf got one...!

* Captain Evan Chen is, of course, a reference to the composer of the unique Crusade theme music.

* We previously encountered General Foote, briefly, in the B5 episode "Rising Star." He was the one who didn't much care for Sheridan or his maneuver in becoming president of the ISA.  While the character's name was not given in the show, it is listed in the credits for that episode (via the Lurker's Guide).

DarkCrusade is the Crusade Alternate Universe story--
the complete, five-year Crusade saga, following one slight change in 2261, "the year everything changed."
Story, design, and layout by Van Allen Plexico. Send correspondence and comments to vplexico@bellsouth.net
Babylon 5 and Crusade created by J. Michael Straczynski and property of Warner Communications.