The Wheel of Fire (Babylon 5)

"The Wheel of Fire"
Babylon 5 episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 19
Directed by	Janet Greek
Written by	J. Michael Straczynski
Production code	520
Original air date	November 4, 1998
Guest appearance(s)
Monique Edwards (Officer) Denise Gentile (Lise Hampton-Edgars)
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Fall of Centauri Prime" Next → "Objects in Motion"
List of Babylon 5 episodes

"The Wheel of Fire" is an episode from the fifth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 .

Synopsis

G'Kar, returning from Centauri Prime, returns to Babylon 5 to discover that numerous Narn followers have been arriving each day to hear his teachings, and he takes to hiding in his quarters. Franklin, sympathetic to G'Kar's problems, also informs him that should he return to Narn, the Kha'ri will want to immediately install him as their leader, something that G'Kar does not want. G'Kar fears he can no longer stay on the station due to the disruption of the growing Narn visitors, nor return home.

Garibaldi is late for an Alliance meeting with Sheridan due to being hung over. Sheridan reprimands him and suspends him until he can work through his alcoholism. Captain Lochley tries to approach Garibaldi, as she had to deal with her alcoholic father and sympathetizes with him, but Garibaldi remains distant. Lochley secretly calls Lise on Garibaldi's behalf, who immediately comes to Babylon 5 believing Garibaldi was looking for help.

Meanwhile, Lochley receives word from Earth that more attacks on Psi Corps by rogue telepaths have occurred with messages "Remember Byron" left behind. Further, they have traced funds to support the telepaths through Lyta, and order Lochley to apprehend her. She, Zack, and other security go to apprehend her in the Zocalo, but she refuses to be taken, and uses her telepathic abilities to show that she controls all of the other beings in the Zocalo. Just then, Sheridan arrives, holding his weapon to her head to force her to comply. She is taken to a holding cell.

While Garibaldi is talking with Lise about potentially co-owning her large corporation, he gets an idea and goes to see Lyta. He tells Lyta that he has a way to help fund the telepaths through Lise' company, in exchange for having her remove the block that Bester placed on him to prevent him from harming Bester, which he knows is what had led him back to drinking. Lyta gives a counter proposal, that in addition to the on-the-books accounts, he will help maintain a secret account that will be used to fund the telepaths' attacks on Psi Corps, and if he keeps up his end of this deal, she will return in two years to remove the block. Garibaldi agrees.

Word of Lyta's fate reaches G'Kar, who has also made a decision to spend the next several years simply traveling across known space. As Lyta is in the same position, unable to return to Earth but unable to stay on Babylon 5, G'Kar offers her to join him as his companion on his travels.

Separately, Delenn faints in mid-rant related to Minbari/Narn relations, and is rushed to medlab, where Franklin discovers she is pregnant with Sheridan's child. Elsewhere, in his palace, Mollari sits on the throne, all alone.

Arc significance

• Delenn is pregnant with her and Sheridan's son, David
• The Vorlons' plan for Lyta is revealed