G’Kar (Andreas Katsulas) is warning the people of Babylon Five that the Centauri will not stop at conquering the Narn world. Vir Cotto (Stephen Furst) watches him preach. G’Kar is called by fellow Narns to a meeting. Ambassador Delenn (Mira Furlan) has been summoned to a meeting with Ambassador Kosh. He informs her that he has called for an inquisitor to question her, and this may place her life in danger. Delenn and Lennier (Bill Mumy) explain to Captain Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) that the Vorlons believe acting for the wrong reasons spoils good works. The inquisition will see if she is leading the Rangers for the right reasons. G’Kar is meeting with a black-market arms dealer named Mr. Chase (Jack Kehler) to obtain arms for the resistance on the Narn home world. The price is steep.
A Vorlon ship comes through the jump gate. Ivanova (Claudia Christian) is intrigued. Captain Sheridan appears in the docking bay to meet it, as Delenn has requested. The Inquisitor (Wayne Alexander) emerges, a human being wearing 19th Century clothes, with a cane. As he accompanies Sheridan through the station, he remarks on corruption, immorality, and chaos. His name is Sebastian and the Vorlons took him from 19th Century Earth. He has been taken out of stasis for this job. Security Chief Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) confronts G’Kar about his black-market contacts, but since G’Kar is upfront about his activity, Garibaldi gives G’Kar information about alternate weapons suppliers away from the station. Sheridan sends Delenn to Grey 19. Sebastian puts manacles on her. The inquisitor’s questions are cold, unyielding, mocking.
Vir is harassed by a Centauri demanding an audience with Ambassador Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik). To get away from him, Vir steps into a transport tube with G’Kar. He apologizes for his race. Leaving, G’Kar cuts his own hand and counts the drops of blood. As Vir’s apology cannot reach the Narn who died, so G’Kar cannot give him forgiveness. Sebastian speaks of glory and destiny, belittling Delenn. The manacles make her cry out in pain. Delenn admits that she could be wrong, so the pain stops.
G’Kar tries to organize a resistance among the Narn, but they are reluctant to trust him. They are hungry for word from home. If he can’t bring messages from home, how can he bring weapons there? He says he will step aside if he cannot bring word in 24 hours. Sebastian accuses Delenn of egotism, but she fires back, calling him a bully. The inquisition becomes more severe. G’Kar brings a request to Sheridan. Can he get messages out from the Narn home world? Sheridan will try. He thinks this is a job for the Rangers. Success for G’Kar will make him a stabilizing force on the station. Lennier (Bill Mumy) finds Delenn barely conscious on the floor. He goes and begs Sheridan to defy Kosh and end the inquisition.
Sheridan enters, gun drawn, demanding her release. Flames come up from the floor and Sebastian says it is Sheridan’s turn for the inquisition. He is bound. Is he willing to die, friendless, alone, deserted? Sebastian tortures Sheridan until Delenn demands he stop. She will trade her life for his. If she falls, another will rise. Is she willing to die unloved, unknown, unsung for this man? She is. Sebastian vanishes. Sheridan and Delenn leave together and find Sebastian outside. Both have passed. They do not seek glory or fame, only what is right.
The Narns gather in front of a screen reading messages from the home world. There is still fighting going on there. G’Kar has their respect and admiration, and they will trust him. Sheridan confronts Sebastian as he departs. Sebastian disappeared on 11 November 1888, as a string of murders in London ended, on the day the Vorlons took him away. Now that he has been found worthy himself, perhaps his pathetic existence will come to an end.
J. Michael Straczynski wanted the Vorlons to appear morally ambiguous. Actor Wayne Alexander, from California, was flattered that everyone thought he was English—even viewers from the UK. He is still referred to as an English actor sometimes. He returned throughout the series, playing various aliens. The rapidly cut inquisition scenes were inspired by scenes in the Prisoner series with Patrick McGoohan, a favorite of JMS. The Jack the Ripper crimes were mistakenly mentioned as taking place in London’s West End, though they really happened in the East End. Attempts were made to correct this with dubbing, but they were unsatisfactory.