Babylon 5 (TV Series) There All the Honor Lies (1995) User Reviews

This one really makes the viewer HATE the Minbari!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 8 January 2007]

The Minbari are an interesting creation by the series creator, J. Michael Straczynski. On one hand, they are rather annoying spiritual beings who seem pretty smug and superior. On the other, the Warrior Caste within them are also smug and superior but also pretty blood-thirsty and head-strong. So, there is a fracture within the species--some want B-5 to succeed and peace to reign and everyone sing "Kumbaya", whereas the others just want to kill things and look down on everyone--especially humans.

This episode is a great example of this unreasoning hatred and xenophobia. Apparently, while the Minbari excuse their actions during the Earth-Minbari War a decade earlier, they DEFINITELY hold grudges and this episode concerns a plot to get revenge on Sheriday--someone who was VERY successful in this war. So, a convoluted plot is created to discredit Sheridan--even if it means lying, cheating and killing! The "holier-than-though" Minbari, apparently, aren't so good and blessed after all!!! This is a decent episode but also one that doesn't particularly stand out one way or the other. If the writer's intent is to make you hate the Minbari or distrust them, then the episode is a resounding success! I actually like how this is the case with most species in the show--there are both good and bad within each and makes the characters fuller and more "human".

One Moment of Perfect Beauty

[LarGallo · 8/10 · 3 November 2023]

Babylon 5 is one of my very favorite shows of all time and that includes a LOT of TV in my 60 years. This episode is important for building the character of Sheridan and insights into the Minbari culture. It also begins to show bits and pieces of interest about Kosh the Vorlon. It includes possibly my favorite little piece not connected to the greater show arc. As part of one of Kosh's 'lessons' for Sheridan to understand himself better, the Captain is led to the lowest, worst part of the ship by Kosh. Encouraged to enter a chamber, Sheridan asks what is inside, so which Kosh Responds, "One Moment of Perfect Beauty". Inside Sheridan finds an enshrouded alien with a bowl for payment. After giving up his stat bar, the chamber is filled with Gregorian-style singing from an apparent group of aliens also shrouded as to hide their identities. The music is haunting and beautiful. It IS a Latin song with words taken from the Biblical books of Isaiah and Psalms. It is a beautiful moment in the midst of crisis and seems to inspire Sheridan to continue on when in that dark moment. Just one of the reasons I love this show. This episode may not be considered essential in the grand arc that will soon be cranking up, but its 'One Moment of Perfect Beauty' is worth the watch. Enjoy.

Cloned episode, inconsistent with the rest

[yincognyto-91718 · 5/10 · 9 May 2018]

Look, I love science fiction movies and TV Series and Babylon 5 is one of my favourites from the latter category, but, apart from the general work by the actors and staff in B5, it has to be one of the worst episodes of the series ... because: a) almost the same story was already used in epidode 1 of the season ("Points of Departure"), i.e. warrior caste / hating Minbaris trying to be martyrs vs "big bad wolf" Sheridan (lack of new ideas from the writers in this episode?); b) Sheridan's (and Minbari's) behavior is highly inconsistent compared to the rest of the time - Minbari should not lie AND Sheridan figured out the hidden reason behind their martyrdom provocations against him very easily in "Points of Departure", while he now acts like he didn't learn anything from it (seriously, he could figure out in a second that there's something odd with him able to target a Minbari ship in the first episode of the season, but he can't see the odd thing - and the same way of trying to frame him - in conveniently "finding" a "forgotten" PPG gun right next to him when fighting a Minbari? All this while the guy who couldn't smell the danger from his own employees - aka Garibaldi - is suddenly an ace in detecting traps like these? You got to be kidding me...)

I just had to write a review for this episode, because that story repetition and character inconsistency compared to "Points of Departure" is that bad. I understand the reasons behind such an episode (e.g. adding some imperfection in the Minbari character or making Sheridan more trustworthy to Delenn or Lennier), but the B5 writers could have come up with a more believable idea.

Great

[VenVes · 26 July 2018]

Sometimes too much levity can take away from a lesson trying to be imparted. This is the case with this episode, where extremely serious issues are interlaced with cheap humor throughout the episode. I'm all for episodes that give us a break from doom and gloom, but unfortunately this episode diminishes the effect of certain emotional scenes due to an overabundance.