Believers (Babylon 5)

"Believers" is the tenth episode of the first season of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. It first aired on April 27, 1994. It follows Dr. Franklin's ethical dilemma after he encounters a dying boy whose parents refuse to allow him to receive treatment that will save him, and Commander Susan Ivanova's mission to rescue a stranded transport ship in Raider territory.[1]

"Believers"
Babylon 5 episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 10
Directed byRichard Compton
Written byDavid Gerrold
Production code105
Original air dateApril 27, 1994 (1994-04-27)
Guest appearances

Plot

Dr. Franklin faces an ethical dilemma when the parents of Shon, a dying alien child refuse to let him operate for religious reasons. Their son is suffering from an eventually fatal respiratory ailment. Franklin is confident he can save Shon, with surgery, but the family's alien religion prohibits surgery, believing that cutting into a body will release the spirit, reducing the body to something worse than death. They mention it as something only done to food animals in their culture. Franklin's associate Dr. Hernandez attacks their beliefs, but Franklin reprimands her, telling her that they have to work with the parents, not against them.

Dr. Franklin goes to Commander Sinclair and attempts to use a previous command order he gave as basis for an immediate operation on Kosh, the Vorlon ambassador, by the station's previous doctor. Sinclair acknowledges he must consider the request but needs time. During this, Shon's parents attempt to sway the other alien race ambassadors to intervene on their behalf, but none of them accept this. Even Sinclair finds that Earth does not want a part in this decision. Sinclair goes to talk to Shon to make his determination. Sinclair eventually tells Franklin that he will refuse to let him operate as to maintain the cultural neutrality of the station. With Shon near death, his parents spend more time with him before they depart; as soon as they leave, Franklin decides to operate against orders. The operation is a success, and Franklin proves to Shon that his spirit has not changed, but when Shon's parents arrive, they treat him as an soulless demon and abandon him. They eventually return for him saying that they have brought his "travel robe" and are going to take him "to rest." After they leave Franklin checks Hernandez's notes on the species in the medical database and realizes that the boy was wearing a robe used in spiritual journeys, not physical ones. He runs to the family's quarters fearing the implication that "journey" in this case provides, but it is too late. The parents have already ritually slain the boy. Later, Sinclair informally reprimands Franklin, but points out that Shon's fate would not have changed regardless of what Franklin did, and he should not feel upset over the outcome.

In a subplot, a restless Commander Susan Ivanova gets Sinclair to allow her to lead a squadron of fighters into Raider territory in order to rescue a stranded transport ship, the Asimov. She eventually ends up going against orders and following an enemy scout. This results in her discovering a fleet of Raiders waiting in ambush. She stops the ambush, thus saving the families aboard the transport.[1]

Production, Visual and Sound Effects

The role of Shon's mother M'ola, was played by Tricia O'Neil who is particularly known for playing investigative, police and science fiction roles. She played the Earth Alliance President in the TV movie Babylon 5: In the Beginning. She played a number of roles in the Star Trek franchise, including Captain Rachel Garrett, captain of USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, Yesterday's Enterprise.

Actor and acting coach Silvana Gallardo played the character of Dr Maya Hernandez. Gallardo created the Gallardo Method for acting, and played alongside Charles Bronson in Death Wish II, playing a rape victim.[2]

Babylon 5 intentionally cast a large number of non-white actors in various roles. Series creator J Michael Straczynski wrote, "It's been my belief, and I'll say it again, that if we go to the stars at all, we're ALL going…"[3]

The Babylon 5 makeup department involved in this episode – consisting of Everett Burrell, Greg Funk, Mary Kay Morse, Ron Pipes and John Vulich – won the 1994 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series for episode 5 of the season, 'The Parliament of Dreams'[4]

For its visual effects scenes, Babylon 5 pioneered the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) scenes – instead of using more expensive physical models – in a television series.[5] This also enabled motion effects which are difficult to create using models, such as the rotation of fighter craft along multiple axes, or the rotation and banking of a virtual camera.[6] The visual effects were created by Foundation Imaging using 24 Commodore Amiga 2000 computers with LightWave 3D software and Video Toaster cards, 16 of which were dedicated to rending each individual frame of CGI, with each frame taking on average 45 minutes to render. In-house resource management software managed the workload of the Amiga computers to ensure that no machine was left idle during the image rendering process.[7]

The Starfury fighters, were designed by Steve Burg as a function-driven design for a plausible zero-gravity fighter. The positioning of the four engine pods at the extremities of the craft was inspired by Ron Cobb’s design for the Gunstar fighter from The Last Starfighter.[8] The basic shape of the Starfury’s wings was inspired by an earlier unused design by Burg for a military robot fighting machine, which he had originally designed for Terminator 2. This was merged with the multi-engined configuration to form the Starfury design. Burg points out that the wings/struts were not aerodynamic: they were there to lever the engines away from the center of mass.[9]

The Raiders' fighters were designed by Ron Thornton. He writes, "I stuck with that design to easily differentiate between the front and the back. It was also really economical - not many polygons which was good as a lot of them would appear on screen - and it was pretty iconic. So when fighting with Starfuries it was really easy to tell who was who."[6]

Music for the title sequence and the episode was provided by the series’ composer, Christopher Franke. Franke developed themes for each of the main characters, the station, for space in general, and for the alien races, endeavoring to carry a sense of the character of each race.[10]

Writing and storyline significance

As Babylon 5 was conceived with an overall five-year story arc, the episode was written as both an individual story and with another level, where the hints of the larger story arc were given. The series' creator, J. Michael Straczynski indicates that the episodes can be watched for the individual stories, the character stories, or the story arc.[11]

This episode develops the idea of different races' beliefs about the soul. Rowan Kaiser writes, "The concept of the 'soul,' introduced in 'Soul Hunter' and continued here, is an important aspect of Babylon 5’s metaphysics. Although there are some quotes from (atheist) J. Michael Straczynski indicating that he thinks the series is ambiguous about the reality of the soul, there’s a great deal of textual support for Delenn and the Minbari beliefs in the soul, referred to here."[12]

Reviews

The A.V. Club

Rowan Kaiser, writing in The A.V. Club, points out that this episode did a good job of not favoring one belief worldview over another, letting the viewer make the decision. Kaiser writes that this episode showcases the character of Dr Franklin, and the ethical beliefs which drive him,: "We see that he is a man with strong ethical beliefs, and a willingness to get into trouble over them. But those beliefs are tied into a certain arrogance, demonstrated when he demands an apology in apparent victory over a pissed-off Sinclair. It’s a real sucker punch of an ending for him."[13] Kaiser also comments on the unusual ending for a pre-2000 episode: "Hell, 'the kid dies' is a shocking ending… It’s an indication of the rising moral ambiguity of television, and another piece of evidence for calling Babylon 5 a crucial transitional television series." [14]

Multiversity Comics

Elias Rosner, writing in the entertainment magazine website Multiversity Comics, observes that the episode is the character of Dr. Franklin’s first failure on the show. Rosner points out that in this episode, the viewer shares his worldview. But by episode’s end, we are asked, rather than to share in Dr. Franklin’s horror at the outcome, to ask questions our own belief system, and to question the ways people put their beliefs above another person’s.[15]

Rosner notes that the episode refrains from passing judgement on Franklin or the parents exclusively, but rather, points out the problems with both. "For Franklin, it’s his arrogance in believing that he knows best, knows all, no matter what[…] For the family, it is their utter unwillingness to bend to save their child’s life and their pride…" [16]

He concludes, "It’s easy to villainize those who have a system that contradiction your own. It’s harder to see those beliefs and say they are valid. It’s even harder to know when something is truly villainous and when it’s merely based on a different set of definitions. And it’s even harder to admit when one is wrong."[17]

Den of Geek

Jules-Pierre Malartre, writing in the science fiction review site, Den of Geek, describes Richard Biggs' performance as Dr Stephen Franklin as "brilliant" and "emotionally charged", in a powerful episode which deals with a timeless issue: scientific advancement vs religion. Malartre notes that it is not a matter of right versus wrong, but rather the pros and cons of "a religion that has survived faster-than-light travel clashing against the social values of a multicultural, advanced community[…] and the personal beliefs of a medical doctor with the power of life over death."[18]

He concludes, "As much as some people have been saying that the first season was a mess, early first season episodes [like] 'Believers', 'Deathwalker' and 'Mind War' were already setting the tone for a very mature, thought-provoking sci-fi show." [19]

See also

References
  1. Gerrold, J. David (1994). "Believers". Babylon 5. Season 1. Babylonian Productions. PTEN/Warner Brothers.
  2. "Exclusive Interviews: The Women of Death Wish II". CinemaRetro. Cinema Retro. 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  3. Straczynski, J. Michael (3 December 1993). "Questions". JMSNews. J. Michael Straczynski. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28. We're actually using a fairly large number of Hispanic actors in the series, along with other groups. Just cast an actor named Jose Rey as a character named Eduardo Delvientos, as well as a great number of [A]sians and [A]frican [A]mericans as senators, advisors, doctors, and so on. It's been my belief, and I'll say it again, that if we go to the stars at all, we're ALL going... or no one's going.
  4. "Television Academy: Babylon 5: Awards & Nominations". Television Academy. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 2022-04-09. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  5. Britt, Ryan (11 July 2019). "5 Things that Babylon 5 did that changed science fiction forever". www.syfy.com. SYFY Media LLC. Archived from the original on 2021-10-09. And though this may seem shocking now, in the early and mid-'90s, CGI was not the default for sci-fi special effects. Most big sci-fi shows and movies (like Star Trek) all still used physical models, which are notoriously more expensive. But all of Babylon 5's spaceships and space stations were made in a computer.
  6. "Interviews: Ron Thornton, page 18". B5 Scrolls. Tom Smith. 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-04-08.
  7. "How 24 Commodore Amiga 2000s created Babylon 5". GenerationAmiga.com. GenerationAmiga. 30 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-09-22.
  8. "Interviews: Steve Burg, page 8". B5 Scrolls. Tom Smith. 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-04-08.
  9. "Interviews: Steve Burg, page 10". B5 Scrolls. Tom Smith. 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-04-08.
  10. Straczynski, J. Michael (11 October 1993). "Next up is "Survivors."". JMSNews. J. Michael Straczynski. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06.
  11. Straczynski, J. Michael (11 October 1993). "Re: B5 at LosCon". JMSNews. J. Michael Straczynski. Archived from the original on 2022-04-15. In the case of "Midnight," can you follow that show and enjoy it absolutely on its own terms? I believe that is the case. There's another level there, the "little clues and hints" you mention, which will just skate past most casual viewers and not in any way interfere with their viewing of the episode...but if you're paying attention, and you catch them, it adds a new level. The more you see, the more you begin to perceive that second level. It's a cumulative effect that doesn't diminish the single episodes as stand-alones.
  12. Kaiser, Rowan (6 July 2012). "Babylon 5: 'Deathwalker'/'Believers'". The A.V. Club. G/O Media Inc. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23.
  13. Kaiser, Rowan (6 July 2012). "Babylon 5: 'Deathwalker'/'Believers'". The A.V. Club. G/O Media Inc. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. "Believers" is also a good episode for understanding Franklin—certainly far better than his other showcase, "Infection." We see that he is a man with strong ethical beliefs, and a willingness to get into trouble over them. But those beliefs are tied into a certain arrogance, demonstrated when he demands an apology in apparent victory over a pissed-off Sinclair. It's a real sucker punch of an ending for him.
  14. Kaiser, Rowan (6 July 2012). "Babylon 5: 'Deathwalker'/'Believers'". The A.V. Club. G/O Media Inc. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Hell, "the kid dies" is a shocking ending for any pre-2000 TV show, as far as I can tell. It's an indication of the rising moral ambiguity of television, and another piece of evidence for calling Babylon 5 a crucial transitional television series.
  15. Rosner, Elias (July 25, 2018). "Five Thoughts on Babylon 5's 'Believers'". Multiversity Comics. Matthew Meylikhov. Archived from the original on 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2022-09-19. …the assumption made by placing Dr. Franklin as the centerpiece of this episode is that we share his skepticism, his frustration, and his worldview on what life is. Yet, by episode's end, we're asked not to share in Dr. Franklin's horror at the death of the child at the hands of his parents. Instead, we are asked to question our own belief system and the ways in which people put theirs over someone else's.
  16. Rosner, Elias (July 25, 2018). "Five Thoughts on Babylon 5's 'Believers'". Multiversity Comics. Matthew Meylikhov. Archived from the original on 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2022-09-19. The episode doesn't pass judgement on the parents or on Franklin exclusively, pointing out the problems with both. For Franklin, it's his arrogance in believing that he knows best, knows all, no matter what. That life is defined "as a pulse," as the physical, and nothing more. For the family, it is their utter unwillingness to bend to save their child's life and their pride. To consider that maybe the spirit is not lost when the physical is breached. That maybe a pulse is better than losing a child.
  17. Rosner, Elias (July 25, 2018). "Five Thoughts on Babylon 5's 'Believers'". Multiversity Comics. Matthew Meylikhov. Archived from the original on 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2022-09-19. It's easy to villainize those who have a system that contradiction your own. It's harder to see those beliefs and say they are valid. It's even harder to know when something is truly villainous and when it's merely based on a different set of definitions. And it's even harder to admit when one is wrong. How does one know? It's not an easy question and it doesn't contain an easy answer. The episode refuses to settle it definitively and so will I.
  18. Malartre, Jules-Pierre (13 May 2016). "Babylon 5's Greatest Episodes". Den of Geek. Den of Geek World Limited. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. This was a powerful episode dealing with a timeless issue: religion versus scientific advancement. This had been tackled on Star Trek in one form or another on several occasions, but never in such clearly contrasted emotional tones. It's not merely a matter of right vs. wrong; it's about the pros and cons of the precepts of a religion that has survived faster-than-light travel clashing against the social values of a multicultural, advanced community (the Babylon station) and the personal beliefs of a medical doctor with the power of life over death. A brilliant, emotionally charged performance by Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin, a fine actor who left us before his time.
  19. Malartre, Jules-Pierre (13 May 2016). "Babylon 5's Greatest Episodes". Den of Geek. Den of Geek World Limited. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. As much as some people have been saying that the first season was a mess, early first season episodes [like] Believers, Deathwalker and Mind War were already setting the tone for a very mature, thought-provoking sci-fi show. Granted, it did not have the commercial appeal of other mainstream television shows, but Babylon 5 provided avid sci-fi buffs something to sink their teeth into.
  20. Pocock, Roger (May 17, 2019). "Babylon 5: Believers".
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