"Confessions and Lamentations" is an episode from the second season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5

Babylon 5

Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...

.

Synopsis

A deadly plague

Epidemic

In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...

 strikes the Markab species. Dr. Franklin

Stephen Franklin

Stephen Franklin is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by the late Richard Biggs. He serves as the chief medical officer on the Babylon 5 space station.-Personality:...

 tries to understand and curtail the spread of the disease

Disease

A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...

 before it crosses species

Zoonosis

A zoonosis or zoonoseis any infectious disease that can be transmitted from non-human animals to humans or from humans to non-human animals . In a study of 1415 pathogens known to affect humans, 61% were zoonotic...

, which he succeeds in doing, but not before the Markab become extinct

Extinction

In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...

.

Babylon 5 is under quarantine throughout the episode, with the Markabs enacting a self quarantine. Delenn

Delenn

Delenn is a fictional lead character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Mira Furlan.-Overview:Delenn, an alien ambassador and leader from the planet Minbar, is one of the pivotal characters in Babylon 5....

 and Lennier

Lennier

Lennier is a character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bill Mumy. He is Minbari and acts as ambassadorial aide to Delenn throughout most of the series.-Background and career:...

 decide to offer comfort to the quarantined Markab, without knowing if they will fall ill as well. Captain Sheridan

John Sheridan (Babylon 5)

John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...

 tries to convince Delenn not to shut herself in with the Markab as he will not be able to let her out again.

Arc significance

• Dr. Lazarenn notes Dr. Franklin's
  Stephen Franklin
  Stephen Franklin is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by the late Richard Biggs. He serves as the chief medical officer on the Babylon 5 space station.-Personality:...
  
   unhealthy "stims
  Stimulant
  Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
  
  " intake.
• Delenn and Lennier invite Sheridan to dinner in return for the human-style dinner Sheridan shared with Delenn earlier in the season.
• Sheridan tells Delenn to call him "John" in a scene that shows the beginning of romantic feelings in their relationship. Later Delenn cries on John's shoulder, grieving for the dead Markab.
• Lt. Keffer's "expeditions into hyperspace" are mentioned and curtailed.
• An entire alien species in the Babylon 5 universe becomes extinct. Later in the series Sheridan destroys their jumpgate in order to escape from a Shadow vessel, and to prevent grave robbers from pillaging the dead planet.

Production details

• Rosie Malek-Yonan
  Rosie Malek-Yonan
  Rosie Malek-Yonan is an Assyrian actress, author, director, public figure and human rights activist.-Early life:Born in Tehran, Iran, Rosie Malek-Yonan is a descendant of one of the oldest and most prominent Assyrian families, tracing her Assyrian roots back nearly 11 centuries...
  
   as "Doctor".
• A rare departure from "no kids or cute robots", the episode features a character named in the end credits as "Markab Girl" portrayed by Bluejean Ashley Secrist.
• Season two episode numbers and production numbers are back in sync.

Cultural references

• The plague, with its attached religious taboos, is seen by many as an allegory for the AIDS
  AIDS
  Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
  
  epidemic, though the episode's writer has repeatedly denied this was the intention.