Question on Garibaldi and Susan at the end of season 4

[calloutdrummer1247]

I wasn't sure if I should be this in Random questions of Babylon 5 or not, so instead I just made a new thread.

I had a thought tonight. We learned that Garibaldi had been mind controlled. So basically, what happened with trapping Sheridan was not trully Garibaldi. About the same time he learned that he had been mind controlled, and helps to free Sheridan, Susan is nearly killed and was lying on her death bed.

Marcus saves her life but giving up his life which was one of the reasons why she left Babylon 5. She also cited personal reasons. Now my question is, could one of those reasons be that she no longer trusts Garibaldi and that perhaps she can't forgive him?

Yes, I know that Susan was told about how and why Garibaldi did what he did, but considering everything that happened all at once practically. Could it be possible that Susan felt she could no longer trust Garibaldi, or forgive him so she left? Could she also blame him, (at least partially), for the death of Marcus?

I don't see an indication in the very last episode of the series that she was friends with him. What are your thoughts?

[JoeD80]

I had a thought tonight. We learned that Garibaldi had been mind controlled. So basically, what happened with trapping Sheridan was not trully Garibaldi.

It was Garibaldi, just Garibaldi exaggerated, as Bester explains in "Face of the Enemy."

She also cited personal reasons. Now my question is, could one of those reasons be that she no longer trusts Garibaldi and that perhaps she can't forgive him?

I can see that, considering how she says the line "I want him shot on sight." If Ivanova had been around in season five, it would have been interesting to see how the Garibaldi/Ivanova relationship played out. In the season five notes that were in the script books, there's a line that says "one character will come to serve Sheridan, one will come to oppose him." In my head I pictured this referring to Garibaldi coming to stand by Sheridan's side (reversing the season four dynamic) and Ivanova coming to oppose him (with the telepath situation). If Garibaldi and Ivanova ended up on different sides over that, with Garibaldi wanting to kill Bester, and Ivanova playing the Lochley role and having to call Bester in to help...it could certainly further the rift between the characters.

[ILUVJOHNSHERIDAN]

I don't think Ivanova blamed or was mad at Girabaldi at all. We all knew how she felt about Psicorp, especially Bester, so I think she would forgive Garibaldi and have a greater hatred for Bester and blame him.

[KoshN]

I don't think Ivanova blamed or was mad at Girabaldi at all. We all knew how she felt about Psicorp, especially Bester, so I think she would forgive Garibaldi and have a greater hatred for Bester and blame him.

Agreed. She knew what Bester, a P12, was capable of doing, especially to a mundane. She'd believe Lyta's analysis of what had happened to Garibaldi.

[JoeD80]

The thing people seem to forget is that it was based on Garibaldis real feelings. All the blame can't be put on Bester. Yes Ivanova would hate Bester more, which would make having to call him in tough for her; but i think she can't just let Garibaldis actions go either.

[KoshN]

The thing people seem to forget is that it was based on Garibaldis real feelings. All the blame can't be put on Bester. Yes Ivanova would hate Bester more, which would make having to call him in tough for her; but i think she can't just let Garibaldis actions go either.

Bester and company amplified Garibaldi's feelings past the point where they would be actionable against Sheridan. I they hadn't tinkered with Garibaldi's brain, I doubt Garibaldi would've betrayed Sheridan.

[cornholio1980]

The thing people seem to forget is that it was based on Garibaldis real feelings. All the blame can't be put on Bester.

But how would Ivanova know about that? I can't imagine Garibaldi walking around saying "Hey, don't blame it all on Bester, I'm at least partially responsible for what happened, he only tweaked my mind a little bit, the rest was my doing" .

[WorkerCaste]

The thing people seem to forget is that it was based on Garibaldis real feelings. All the blame can't be put on Bester. Yes Ivanova would hate Bester more, which would make having to call him in tough for her; but i think she can't just let Garibaldis actions go either.

I'd say it was based on his personality traits rather than his feelings. He was paranoid by his own admission, but he was still able to develop a good relationship with Sheridan. When the paranoid trait was cranked up, it changed feelings and ruined relationships. I know it's a small distinction, but an important one, I think. I do think he trusted people in the command staff and counted them friends until Bester turned his more negative traits up to "11".