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Babylon 5 S01E06: "Mind War" - Episode Discussion
Link information
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- Title
- Babylon 5 | Full Episode | Mind War : Season 1, Episode 6 | Beyond Infinity
- Authors
- ClipZone: Beyond Infinity
- Duration
- 44:36
- Published
- Apr 9 2026
Psi Corps Episode
PSI CORPS
The corps is mother
The corps is father
Also welcome to
Ensign CheckovAgent Bester as a Psi Cop(And worth noting that G'kar is Commander Tomalak from ST:TNG)ノ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°ノ)
I'll fill this out later but I remember this as a good episode and one once again setting up so many future threads
NO ONE HERE IS WHAT THEY SEEM? You don't say, G'kar.
Bits and pieces
Labor negotiations! Something that comes up multiple times.
Mr Garibaldi being a skeeze is an annoying theme but I'll take him getting immediate consequences via an elbow to the stomach.
"Anatomically impossible Mr Garibaldi, but you're welcome to try" ( ͡º ꒳ ͡º)
A Plot:
Psi Cops and violating people's boundaries, name a more iconic duo. Who watches the Watchmen indeed. It's worth noting that Talia is not in the military, she's a commercial telepath, fully civilian, but because she's a teep she's required to submit. As an instructor I believe Jason is in the same boat. But Psi Corps is a quasi military org and certainly has total authority and control over anyone with any P rating, including Ivanova's mother.
And it seems the org that was designed to control telepaths is gaining more and more control over the regular reins of power. On the one hand teeps shouldn't be oppressed by the mundanes, on the other if most are still controlled by the Corps regardless, is that better? But then again, just punch one!
"Be seeing you Commander" with the little hat tip. ((Threatening)). ETA: I guess this is maybe a reference to a different show, not a hat tip? Always looked like that to me
This feels like Psi Corps, or maybe Bester, doesn't yet have the authority that is teased here by Ironheart.
And what does it mean if Talia can move the coin?
B Plot: Catherine, G'kar and Sigma 957
It's weird to have this super private, must not say anything to anyone, conversation next to a buffet.
They set the expectation up as G'kar being the baddie here only for him to pivot and save Catherine from "here there be dragons". The setting up of this universe as older and more mysterious than is often portrayed. Whatever that was was just walking by.
Why is it there? Why not.
I loved Bester, he's another great character from this show. He has a whole arc and is a complete 3 dimensional antagonist, even though at first the audience is probably ment to think he's a shallow stereotype.
Have you read the Psi Corps novels? I really enjoyed them and they give you backstory too!
I haven't! I never really delved into books based on shows/movies, but maybe I need to try a few...
B5's novels are of varying quality and canon status but the psi corps trilogy is excellent (in my memory at least)
For me this is really Walter Koenig's crowning achievement, more so than in Star Trek. Of course, his character is a lot more interesting and gets more screen time, but he clearly fits the role perfectly from the very first scene. And keeping with the Star Trek comparison - which I admit is still very much the mode I am watching this in, but it will diminish at some point I guess - this and the previous episode really highlights that Babylon 5 allows for a lot more religious themes, spiritual beings and elements less rooted in known science, at least compared to what Star Trek superficially tries to stick to most of the time.
I think Star Trek is the most obvious comparison so it has always been my internal comparison (that said I compare ST to B5 as well). I'd agree that Walter Keonig gets to shine here in a way even the movies don't really let him (minus Nuclear wessels) and the expectation of him as the comedic side character vs the reality of his portrayal of Alfred Bester only highlights that
Speaking of comedic character, I know Garibaldi grows a lot over the series, but it is a bit jarring seeing him often in the role of short dumb laughs, like when he clearly has dirty thoughts about Talia in the elevator. And in terms of mind reading jokes, it gets old fast. Star Trek also had plenty of those.
Yeah I just finished updating my thoughts. They're still finding their footing a bit, but also iirc Garibaldi is considered a fuck up by people not named Sinclair. I think he earns that.
At first I thought it was just a fun comic book reference by the writers, but then Ironheart went full Dr. Manhattan at the end.
It's actually a Roman poet reference - Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
JMS himself is basically the only writer (a relatively few episodes are written by others but he wrote this one and most of them and did canon approval and stuff on those others)
He never referenced the comic in his conversations about this episode online (they've been collected but are full of spoilers so shh) that I can find though so I think it's the original reference he's making with the psi corps.
(He also stated Ironheart won't come back because that's too big of a power level. I won't confirm if things stay that way or not)
"Mind War" episode for non-Americans:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8h1hfp
Yes, last episode was marked as 6 as well, but the channel has reverted to the original numbering, so that's what I'm going with.
Every time I think this release can't get stranger or more confusing, they find something new!
At least this is probably the better numbering, all else considered.
Yeah, compared to something like Farscape, where the whole run of the show is up region free on its own channel, and you start to feel this rollout isn't necessarily getting the love it should be.
Anyone else feel like this episode must have been one of the inspirations for Firefly?
Fun episode. Nice to learn more about the Psi Corps.
Hm, no not really but I know a lot more about Psi Corps then just this one, so I certainly could be biased. Don't think Whedon ever cited B5 but I could have missed it! I definitely always thought of the Hands of Blue as more tech based