The Quality of Mercy (Babylon 5)
| "The Quality of Mercy" | |
|---|---|
| Babylon 5 episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 21 |
| Directed by | Lorraine Senna Ferrara |
| Written by | J. Michael Straczynski |
| Production code | 117 |
| Original air date | 17 August 1994 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
|
June Lockhart (Dr. Laura Rosen) |
|
June Lockhart (Dr. Laura Rosen)
Kate McNeil (Janice Rosen)
Mark Rolston (Karl Mueller)
Damian London (Centauri Senator)
Jim Norton (Ombuds Wellington)
"The Quality of Mercy" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The title is from a quote from the beginning of Portia's oration in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, Act IV, scene one.
In the A-story, Dr. Franklin investigates an alien healing machine being used by a physician in Downbelow. A murderer is convicted and sentenced to the "death of personality."
The B-story has Londo being told by one of the Centauri senators to make more efforts with other species, as their support may be useful. Shortly after this he meets Lennier, and insists on showing him more details of Babylon 5.
A resident of the station, Mueller, is found guilty of three murders and is sentenced to "death of personality", an alternative to capital punishment in 2250s Earth Alliance which involves "brain wiping" the condemned's existing personality and replacing it with one programmed to serve the community for the rest of his natural life.
Ivanova finds Franklin is running an unauthorized free clinic in Downbelow. She is sympathetic to Franklin's cause. However, Franklin in turn hears of rumors of another clinic being run there and investigates. He finds Laura Rosen using an alien machine that allegedly cures humans (and possibly aliens, though this is not disclosed in the show, just implied because of its alien origin). Franklin talks to her daughter, Janice, and finds her mother was a doctor, before she made a fatal error due to a stims habit. She then went in search of alien medical technology to make amends and found this device.
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