Expert: Steve John Perkins - 5/20/2005

Question
When the shadows destroyed the raider ship which had possession of the famous Centauri jewel"The Eye",how did they retrieve the jewel? How could they be confident enough to obliterate the raider ship,knowing they would'nt destroy the eye in the process? For example,today,I would'nt drop a bomb on a house containing a ring which I wanted to find,trusting that I'd find it unscathed in the wreckage.

Answer
Gerard,

you make a very true statement, i believe this was the first time we saw a shadow vessel in the show and so it was important for JMS to make it very powerful and cinematic, hence the way they obliterated the raider vessel, but as you correctly point out, its not the most prudent way of obtaining the eye.

However if any race could be confident enough in their technology and targeting ability to pull it off then the shadows are that race. and sure it doesnt quite add up but has a great effect on the viewer to see that ship the first time and to see its power.

other disceprencies are like sound effects when the stations defence systems fire and such, again made for cinematic effect rather than physics. JMS has said you have to bend the rules of phtsics sometimes to make a good show/interesting tv.

Steve