Babylon 5/Recap/S04/E13 Rumors Bargains and Lies

"Every time you try to get them do something for their own good, they figure you've got some sort of a hidden agenda."

- Susan Ivanova

This episode contains examples of:

 * Batman Gambit: Sheridan's whole scheme to get the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to allow the White Stars into their territory.
 * Bat Deduction: Sheridan basically throws a bunch of things out there and lets the League ambassadors "figure out" what's going on.
 * Big Yes: After his plan succeeds, Sheridan walks into a transport tube expressionlessly, but as soon as the doors close he lets one loose.
 * Entertainingly Wrong: The League's final conclusion: that there is some new enemy which can only be detected by the White Stars. Therefore, we must have the White Stars protecting our territories to keep these unseen enemies out. To that end, we will force Sheridan to deploy them along our borders, giving him any clearances he needs, so he doesn't have any excuses. And through it all, we will remain blissfully unaware that we have done exactly what he wanted us to do.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Unlike the Drazi, who have beady little eyes, the Centauri have "great big eyes, and great big scanners, and great big..." Well. (Note Londo is gesturing to the sides of his torso as he says this; where his people's Naughty Tentacles are located).
 * Happily Failed Suicide: Once the religious caste members realize Delenn is not going to allow the Warrior Caste to rule, they rush to turn off the valve releasing the toxic fumes into the ventilation system. Fortunately, Lennier got there and turned it off in time.
 * Honor Before Reason: The Religious Caste leaders decide that they would rather die than allow the ship to reach Minbar when they think Delenn is going to sell them out.
 * Laughing Mad: Sheridan at the beginning.
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial: "Nothing happened today in sector 83x9x12. I repeat, nothing happened." Subverted in that nothing did happen, but Sheridan wants them to think something did as part of his Batman Gambit. Poor Ivanova.
 * What the Hell Hero: Lennier to the Religious Caste: "Have we fallen so far that we can no longer trust ourselves?"