I've, Uh... Just Got Something in My Eye.

So, I have finally watched through to the end of Babylon 5. I was really interested to see the final episode at last, because every time I've heard someone mention it, they've said that it made them cry. I was really thinking I might, with a bit of an effort of will, manage to be the exception, but it was no good. I made it to minute 27 before I couldn't stop the waterworks. Actually, I wasn't too bad at that point. I got it under control pretty quickly. Then, a few minutes before the end, I shed a few more... and, right before the credits rolled, for some reason I lost it entirely.

I always have such mixed feelings when this happens (and, OK, it happens more often than you might think). On the one hand, wow, I love it when a work of fiction engages my emotions enough to affect me like that. On the other hand, I dislike feeling emotionally manipulated (and letting it happen!), and there's no doubt this episode, at least, was designed with blatant emotional manipulation firmly in mind. And I can never quite decide whether it makes me a sensitive soul who engages deeply with the narratives around me, or just a sentimental sap with way too much investment in stupid TV shows. Probably, if I'm honest, a little bit of both.

Anyway, yeah, that's it. I'm done with Babylon 5. Well, sort of. I've still got a bunch of extras to watch, and eventually I'll pick up the movies... and Crusade... and I've heard a couple of the novels are actually really worth reading... and, who knows, JMS might actually get that theatrical film one of these days. Still, it feels like I've come to the end of a long, long journey.

Oh, and, yeah, I'm pleased to report that season 5 got a lot better once they got rid of the damn telepaths. Yay!