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A cold has definitely caught up with me, complete with fever and headaches, but at last work is over, and I’m on my way to the Aged Parents where I’ll be nursed. (Which is nice, every once in a while, even if you’re 35.)
Some feverish thoughts that occurred while finding the amnesia meme making the rounds and joking with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hobsonphile: remember that meme when clichés from one fandom were transferred to another, which among other things resulted in penknife writing a hilarious and strangely touching “Aliens make Charles and Erik have sex” story? Well, “one character loses his or her memory” is certainly a popular soap opera cliché. Our man Joss Whedon went one better hand had all his characters lose their collective memories on both of his shows for an episode, albeit in a different fashion. Spin the Bottle, the Angel episode, had everyone regress to age 17 or thereabouts. Tabula Rasa, the Buffy episode, had everyone really genuinenly lose all memory, and come to some very interesting conclusions as to who they were.
Inevitably, my sick mind told me someone ought to do both scenarios for Babylon 5. The Spin the Bottle one would have to be set in season 5, though, simply because Ivanova at age 17 was, as we could see in In the Beginning, pretty much like Ivanova as we know her, whereas 17-years-old Lizzie Lochley was a drug-shooting hell-raising teen who’d probably grab young Master Garibaldi and go for an alcoholic binge. Young Londo and G’Kar would have had to be kept from killing each other on sight as that would have been during the first Narn/Centauri war, one presumes. Otoh, as this is Londo before he sold himself for the first time (the first time being when he gave in to family pressure and divorced his original first wife), there might be some interesting results there. I think he’d end up taking Vir under his wing again, simply because poor Vir at age 17 has to be even more shy and complex-ridden thanks to his family than the Vir we meet in early season 1. Young Delenn might be shy when first meeting her Mentor Dukhat but I don’t see her as shy otherwise, or much like young Lennier. She’d be absolutely horrified by her looks but would take charge of the situation pretty quickly, which inevitably would put her at odds with young Sheridan. If Sheridan’s early and soon forgotten “conspiracy nut” trait were exploited, then he’d think this is all a scenario by some sinister group and/or alien governments anyway. Meanwhile, young Lyta would be a good Psi Corps member. In fact, so would young Byron be, and for the purpose of this scenario (and this scenario only), Byron the insufferable might actually prove useful. Finding themselves with a couple of rogues, they’d lock them up pretty quickly and contact home, i.e. Bester. Who wouldn’t quite believe his eyes and ears, come to the station and fall under the spell as well. In which case we’d get 17-years-old Al, and if you use the novel background around the death of his mentor Sandoval Bey. Ought to make for some interesting stuff. Young Stephen Franklin would probably join young Garibaldi and young Lochley on their rebellious spree through the station’s bars and have some “screw Dad!” conversations, but other than that, I don’t think there’d be much of a difference.
Now, the Tabula Rasa scenario, otoh, is far less certain. And for this I’d pick one of the earlier seasons. Possibly season 3, for the maximum angst factor involving certain favourites of mine afterwards. Say, the time of Dust to Dust, i.e. Vir is visiting, and G’Kar is just about to go on his mindrape trip, has just entered Londo’s quarters, when the general amnesia strikes. Which traits of our characters would survive a complete memory wipe-out, including knowledge of their species? And how differently would they behave?
I think this is, for example, where Vir could be not just the quietly strong character we see from season 2 onwards but the future Emperor he becomes post-show (and we see in Sleeping in Light). Without memories of a youth “swallowed up in silence” as he puts it in season 2, and being told he’s not worth much, his shyness would be utterly gone and it might be very well Vir, not Londo, who’d take the initiative this time. Not that I don’t see even Amnesiac!Londo as having a temper, but he’d be more inclined to regard the entire situation as fun and make no attempt to change it. He and Vir would figure out they’re members of the same species, of course, and make either a “brothers” or “father and son” guess.
Now G’Kar would also be there, and here’s where I can’t make up my mind – which G’Kar trait would survive amnesia? His warrior temper or his spirituality which later allows him his epiphany? In any case, as he finds himself in the same rooms with Vir and Londo, there are three possible explanations: a) he’s visiting and a friend, b) he’s their servant, c) they are his servants. Just for comedy value, I can see G’Kar insisting on c) and convincing them right until they discover Londo’s portrait.*g* Anyway, over the course of the episode there would be great Narn/Centauri bonding right until their memories return.
Meanwhile, Bester and Garibaldi, who at this point were on the trail of the Dust seller, would also find themselves together. Given that they’re both in uniform, guessing that they’re both cops might not be that difficult. However, Bester is temporarily under the influence of the sleepers, remember, and so has no way of knowing he’s a telepath. (Let’s just assume that as with the Narn and Centauri, the amnesia is station-wide so nobody else can tell them this, either.) He and Garibaldi might both team up to find out what the hell happened right until the influence of the sleepers wore off and Bester’s telepathy kicked in, which is bound to be painful and confusing as well and makes for a great hurt/comfort scenario with new best buddy Garibaldi, and terrible embarrassment on both sides once the amnesia is gone.*g*
As for the humans and Minbari, I think Ivanova might take charge before Sheridan does. But sorry, I/M fans, even in amnesia country I don’t see her falling for Marcus. Who’d romance Delenn instead, as she, finding herself to be unique in comparison with other members of her species (Lennier being at hand for an illustration), would assume she was a strange mutation and probably have no time for romance, either. She might think she’d come to take over the station, however, but I must admit that’s less about ruling being a quintessential Delenn trait and more about me wondering how a Delenn versus Ivanova scenario would play out…
Some feverish thoughts that occurred while finding the amnesia meme making the rounds and joking with
hobsonphile: remember that meme when clichés from one fandom were transferred to another, which among other things resulted in penknife writing a hilarious and strangely touching “Aliens make Charles and Erik have sex” story? Well, “one character loses his or her memory” is certainly a popular soap opera cliché. Our man Joss Whedon went one better hand had all his characters lose their collective memories on both of his shows for an episode, albeit in a different fashion. Spin the Bottle, the Angel episode, had everyone regress to age 17 or thereabouts. Tabula Rasa, the Buffy episode, had everyone really genuinenly lose all memory, and come to some very interesting conclusions as to who they were. Inevitably, my sick mind told me someone ought to do both scenarios for Babylon 5. The Spin the Bottle one would have to be set in season 5, though, simply because Ivanova at age 17 was, as we could see in In the Beginning, pretty much like Ivanova as we know her, whereas 17-years-old Lizzie Lochley was a drug-shooting hell-raising teen who’d probably grab young Master Garibaldi and go for an alcoholic binge. Young Londo and G’Kar would have had to be kept from killing each other on sight as that would have been during the first Narn/Centauri war, one presumes. Otoh, as this is Londo before he sold himself for the first time (the first time being when he gave in to family pressure and divorced his original first wife), there might be some interesting results there. I think he’d end up taking Vir under his wing again, simply because poor Vir at age 17 has to be even more shy and complex-ridden thanks to his family than the Vir we meet in early season 1. Young Delenn might be shy when first meeting her Mentor Dukhat but I don’t see her as shy otherwise, or much like young Lennier. She’d be absolutely horrified by her looks but would take charge of the situation pretty quickly, which inevitably would put her at odds with young Sheridan. If Sheridan’s early and soon forgotten “conspiracy nut” trait were exploited, then he’d think this is all a scenario by some sinister group and/or alien governments anyway. Meanwhile, young Lyta would be a good Psi Corps member. In fact, so would young Byron be, and for the purpose of this scenario (and this scenario only), Byron the insufferable might actually prove useful. Finding themselves with a couple of rogues, they’d lock them up pretty quickly and contact home, i.e. Bester. Who wouldn’t quite believe his eyes and ears, come to the station and fall under the spell as well. In which case we’d get 17-years-old Al, and if you use the novel background around the death of his mentor Sandoval Bey. Ought to make for some interesting stuff. Young Stephen Franklin would probably join young Garibaldi and young Lochley on their rebellious spree through the station’s bars and have some “screw Dad!” conversations, but other than that, I don’t think there’d be much of a difference.
Now, the Tabula Rasa scenario, otoh, is far less certain. And for this I’d pick one of the earlier seasons. Possibly season 3, for the maximum angst factor involving certain favourites of mine afterwards. Say, the time of Dust to Dust, i.e. Vir is visiting, and G’Kar is just about to go on his mindrape trip, has just entered Londo’s quarters, when the general amnesia strikes. Which traits of our characters would survive a complete memory wipe-out, including knowledge of their species? And how differently would they behave?
I think this is, for example, where Vir could be not just the quietly strong character we see from season 2 onwards but the future Emperor he becomes post-show (and we see in Sleeping in Light). Without memories of a youth “swallowed up in silence” as he puts it in season 2, and being told he’s not worth much, his shyness would be utterly gone and it might be very well Vir, not Londo, who’d take the initiative this time. Not that I don’t see even Amnesiac!Londo as having a temper, but he’d be more inclined to regard the entire situation as fun and make no attempt to change it. He and Vir would figure out they’re members of the same species, of course, and make either a “brothers” or “father and son” guess.
Now G’Kar would also be there, and here’s where I can’t make up my mind – which G’Kar trait would survive amnesia? His warrior temper or his spirituality which later allows him his epiphany? In any case, as he finds himself in the same rooms with Vir and Londo, there are three possible explanations: a) he’s visiting and a friend, b) he’s their servant, c) they are his servants. Just for comedy value, I can see G’Kar insisting on c) and convincing them right until they discover Londo’s portrait.*g* Anyway, over the course of the episode there would be great Narn/Centauri bonding right until their memories return.
Meanwhile, Bester and Garibaldi, who at this point were on the trail of the Dust seller, would also find themselves together. Given that they’re both in uniform, guessing that they’re both cops might not be that difficult. However, Bester is temporarily under the influence of the sleepers, remember, and so has no way of knowing he’s a telepath. (Let’s just assume that as with the Narn and Centauri, the amnesia is station-wide so nobody else can tell them this, either.) He and Garibaldi might both team up to find out what the hell happened right until the influence of the sleepers wore off and Bester’s telepathy kicked in, which is bound to be painful and confusing as well and makes for a great hurt/comfort scenario with new best buddy Garibaldi, and terrible embarrassment on both sides once the amnesia is gone.*g*
As for the humans and Minbari, I think Ivanova might take charge before Sheridan does. But sorry, I/M fans, even in amnesia country I don’t see her falling for Marcus. Who’d romance Delenn instead, as she, finding herself to be unique in comparison with other members of her species (Lennier being at hand for an illustration), would assume she was a strange mutation and probably have no time for romance, either. She might think she’d come to take over the station, however, but I must admit that’s less about ruling being a quintessential Delenn trait and more about me wondering how a Delenn versus Ivanova scenario would play out…
